Earth Mama Organics Milkmaid Tea and Mug Reveiw and Giveaway!

I've been looking for baby stuff to get my sister. I wanted things that she would find useful.

I went to some of my favorite baby stores to look around! The Baby Store Plus is one of them. They have a variety of products. Not just for baby, but for kids and mom to!







I ended up getting my sister a box of Earth Mama Organics Milkmaid Tea. I bought extra to giveaway!

I love this tea! I had some when my son Isaak was getting better from meningitis. While he was sick, he wanted little milk. When he got better he wanted a lot of milk. The trouble was, my supply got low. This tea really helped!  

The Baby Store Plus is closing their doors. That means that they are having a HUGE sale right now! Everything is marked down. No codes needed. They have a flat $6.95 shipping rate for anything under $75.

I ordered something to giveaway just to one of my readers! Yep that is right, you! One of my US readers is going to get two boxes of Earth Mama Organics Milkmaid Tea and the 11 ounce mug featured below.

This giveaway is open to US only and ends September 16 at 10 pm. Leave a separate entry for each. Make sure the first mandatory entry is filled out before all others.

1. For your first mandatory entry, tell me what breastfeeding product you could use from The Baby Plus Store! Leave your email address with this entry. one entry

The other entries are optional. Be sure to leave a new comment for each.

1. Google Friend this blog. one entry
2. Add my Milking the Issue button to your site. Leave me your site link. one entry
3. {Like} Me on Facebook. Leave your Facebook name in your entry. one entry
4. Leave a comment on a non giveaway post. Let me know the title of the post you comment on. You are free to leave many comments, but only one entry for this giveaway. one entry
5. Blog about this giveaway. Link back to this post. Leave a link. five entries
6. Enter any of my other blogs listed on the sidebar. Each one you enter counts as an extra entry. Just leave the name of the one you entered. one entry per giveaway
7. Vote for me on We're on the Fence! Just click on the button {on my right side bar} to vote. one entry

You do not need to enter all of the entries to be qualified, just the first mandatory entry.

Remember to leave your email address if it is not public in your profile.

This contest closes September 16 at 10 pm.

The winner will be chosen using random.org.

Disclaimer:
The opinions on this post are my personal take on the products. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me.
I am not compensated to provide my opinion except for receiving the products themselves to test out. In this case I bought the product. If you have questions about this post please contact me at: alissa4illustration AT hotmail DOT com

ecomom

ecomom is pretty darn cool if you ask me. Find out for yourself with FREE Shipping on EVERY order. They have Plum Organics, Revolution Foods, BOBA Organic G2, Melissa & Doug, Episencial Skin Care (5 star products). They also have a ton of great stuff for BREASTFEEDING too!

Pink BabyLegs Giveaway

I bought a pair of pink BabyLegs awhile ago because I kept thinking that someone in my family was bound to have a girl. The next generation in my family seems to be mostly boys.


BabyLegs can be worn not only on the legs, but also the arms. Check out my two sons wearing the same pair of Bones BabyLegs:

I simply love how they can be worn on the legs, later under their shorts and further down the road on their arms!


They were perfect when Isaak had meningitis. It was a pain to dress him. BabyLegs kept his legs warm! The nurses loved them too!

About BabyLegs:

They started when a mom had problems with her daughter having diaper rash. She wanted to keep her legs warm, but the rash needed air to heal. The mom used a pair of adult socks to keep her child's legs warm.

Soon the socks feet were cut off. She realized that they helped protect her daughter's knees with crawling, made diaper changing and potty training easier.

BabyLegs Socks:

More recently the company has started selling socks. My only negative critique on them is that they only go up to age 2. I bought their football set for my youngest son! He only wanted to ware these socks! Then he was upset when he outgrew them!

Giveaway

I am giving away to one lucky reader a pair of pink BabyLegs {shown above}. This giveaway is open to US only and ends September 1 at 10 pm.

Leave a separate entry for each. Make sure the first mandatory entry is filled out before all others.

1. For your first mandatory entry, tell me what pair of BabyLegs leg warmers or socks you like! Leave your email address with this entry. one entry

The other entries are optional. Be sure to leave a new comment for each.

1. Google Friend this blog. one entry
2. Add my Milking the Issue button to your site. Leave me your site link. one entry
3. {Like} Me on Facebook. Leave your Facebook name in your entry. one entry
4. Leave a comment on a non giveaway post. Let me know the title of the post you comment on. You are free to leave many comments, but only one entry for this giveaway. one entry
5. Blog about this giveaway. Link back to this post. Leave a link. five entries
6. Vote for me on We're on the Fence! Just click on the button {on my right side bar} to vote. one entry

You do not need to enter all of the entries to be qualified, just the first mandatory entry.

Remember to leave your email address if it is not public in your profile.

This contest closes in 2 weeks, September 1 at 10 pm.

The winner will be chosen using random.org.

Disclaimer:
The opinions on this post are my personal take on the products. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me.
I am not compensated to provide my opinion except for receiving the products themselves to test out. In this case I bought the product. If you have questions about this post please contact me at: alissa4illustration AT hotmail DOT com

The story goes like this...

My sister has had a lactation consultant at her home a lot. Having a child that has one extra chromosome takes a lot of work! Not just with breastfeeding, but with everything else to!

Emerson pulled his feeding tube out 2 nights ago. Lucky for my sister, she's a nurse. It took her one try to get it back in! Yay for her! She's not even a pediatric nurse.

She was telling her lactation consultant about my blog, Milking the Issue. Now the lactation consultant has my blog on her list for new mom's! :) I'm so happy! 

By the way, Emerson now is 8 weeks old! Happy 8 week birthday! Aunt Lissy loves you!

All my nephews and niece call my "Aunt Lissy." My name is really Alissa. I think that got started with my niece because she couldn't say my name. It stuck because it's just so cute to hear a little voice say, "Aunt Lissy!"

Baby Clothes Rule!

I have to say that I wish they made the same t-shirts that they do for babies for adults to. :) Some of them are so darn cool!

Now that my boys are a little older the selection of clothing has gone down hill.

I found a new shop I like today called Organic Baby Gift Boutique.

Here are just a few things I spotted that I like:

I'd love to get this for my nephew Emerson. It comes in brown to!

Then they have these t-shirts of every letter in the alphabet! These run bigger. How cool is that!?! My son's names are Mica and Isaak, so naturally I'd want to get the m and i shirt.

New Age Mama is giving away a $25 gift certificate to this store!

PS I will be having some giveaways on this site later this month. I'm so excited!

Posh Nursing Pads

Posh Pads is a really great company! I had never heard of them until just now! I'm super excited to tell you about finding this company!

Life in the Lost World is hosting a giveaway for Posh Pads! One winner is going to receive a 4 pack of her adorable heart shaped, "My Heart Belongs to You" nursing pads!

Name Books

I love books that can be customized! I really feel that kids have a better connection with a book when they see their name in it. The also learn how to spell their name early on when they see it repeated.

One lucky winner is going to receive the personalized book of their choice from I See Me at New Age Mama. 

My Top Ten Perks of Breastfeeding

1. Bonding. You can bond in other ways, but bonding with breastfeeding is amazing. 
2. When you breastfeed, you have no bottles to clean up! I know there are when you pump. I worked full time, so I still had bottles to clean. In the middle of the night I am happy to say that I had no bottles to clean!
3. Most babies that are breastfed have less sickness.
4. This kind of goes with number 3: Less ear infections. 
5. This kind of goes with number 3: They get better faster. Your antibodies help them to get better faster.
6. Helps with childhood obesity. 
7. Comforts mom and baby.
8. The baby helps consume your calories.
9. Most mom's that breastfeed miss a period for awhile.
10. I've heard mom's that breastfeed say this, so I'm going to come right out and say it to: Your breasts feel firm, and like they have more life to them. When I stopped breastfeeding, my breasts were floppy and empty feeling.

My Nephew Turned 5 Weeks Yesterday

My nephew Emerson turned 5 week this week. This is truly a milestone with babies that have Triomy 18. I'm not sure how much we'll be able to keep up the weekly parties once school starts.


Here I am with my nephew Emerson.

My son Isaak loves baby's! He calls Emerson "Baby Ermasen."
 

Emerson is a snorer! My sister thinks he caught his brother's cold. She's been getting a lot of mucus sucked out since his feeding tube was changed. Then they found out that there was something wrong with the O2 tank. They changed something and it wasn't working right. Now it's fixed. He wasn't getting any extra O2. He was snotty and struggling to breathe. They didn't realize. They thought it was just the changing of the feeding tube and maybe his big brother Elijah's cold. It's ok now.

Buy a Nasal Aspirator That Works!

I did a little research on nasal aspirators today. It's hard to find a good one, one that does it's job!

My nephew Emerson has been having breathing problems because his feeding tube was changed the other day. Usually when this happens a lot of mucus comes up.

My sister bought the Nosefredia. It has 4.5 stars out of 5 on Amazon. The product is around $15. My sister loves it. She says it totally does a great job! The only sucky thing is that you have to buy filters every so often. Maybe having filters is a good thing. 24 filters off Amazon run about $18. Sounds like you get a lot that will last awhile!

Another one that I ran across is the BabyComfyNose Nasal Aspirator. This one has 5 stars on Amazon. It's around $17. You do not have to buy extra filters. Again I don't know if having the filters is or isn't a good thing. It is because it's more clean; it isn't because you have to fork over the extra money.

*This is strictly my opinion only: If I had a baby that was susceptible to getting cold easily, I'd opt to buy the Nosefredia because it has the filters. If I had a baby with no problems and I just wanted one for the common cold, I'd opt to buy the BabyComfyNose Nasal Aspirator. Then you don't have to keep buying filters. They both do a better job then the traditional nasal aspirator you get from the hospital.

Have you used a nasal aspirator that you loved. Please comment to tell me so!

MealBaby

Since my sister's had my nephew, one of her friends set up an account for her family on MealBaby for free.

With my first baby, I really thought baby gifts were fun. With my second, meals were awesome!

You can put in your food likes and dislikes when you register. My sister had on her's, "No seafood please." and "We love fruits and veggies!" Then you can pick places you like in case people do not like to cook.

They have a built in calender to sign up for the date and time you are bringing food. Then you can post what you plan on bringing. I love the calender they have set up! I could see what and when people were bringing my sister something.

They send you a reminder email after you've signed up to bring something.

This is is a great thing to sign up for new moms!

Do You Ever Feel Like Yelling?

I do. I have to say that I don't as much as my mom did. Maybe as generation go by, we'll work our way down to minimal yelling! I'm a minimal yeller. Meaning, I don't do it that often.

Yelling in a fit of rage is not good for anyone. Especially for a baby to hear! How do you, or I overcome the urge to yell?

  

Here are 10 tips that have helped with our family (not that we're perfect): 

1. When you want your older kids to get something done, whisper. Whispering is sacred to kids, they love a secret, so they are more apt to do what you want them to do.
2. Play music when it's time to get household tasks accomplished. Kid's get really into listening to music. When it's playing, it lifts the spirit a little more. It makes the dreaded task much more fun. Try and see how much a kid can do before a song finishes up.
3. Set the timer. This works for kids older then age 5. They may not know how to tell time yet; they do know when something starts it has to finish. If you show them a timer, and explain how it works they will be more motivated to get the job done in a timely fashion.
4. Clean with your kids. Sometimes tasks are HUGE in a child's eyes. They need a little help.
5. Break up. Have one parent do one task, while the other does something else with the kids. Then you feel like you get something done.
6. Take a timeout yourself. Sometimes even parents need one!
7. Praise your kids for doing things right. Then they won't feed off of negative behavior.
8. I know some people are very anti counting, but if it works for you do it! We do.
9. Give one instruction at a time. My oldest really needs this break down! He is single task minded.
10. If you feel like yelling, you still can. It's not that you yell, it's that you are directing your anger out on your children. Have a yelling match just for fun. The kids will think this is fun. They won't think you are yelling at them. **Don't do this one around a baby. They won't enjoy it. Go outside and yell!

According to Adults and Children Together Against Violence:

Too much yelling can be counter productive. Over yelling can be just as harmful as physical abuse. “Children can become immune to being yelled at and start to tune it out,” according to psychologist Myrna B. Shure, Ph.D., of Drexel University.

My Sweet Nephew Emerson

My sister sent this to me. It's a photo of Emerson. I got him this gown before he was born. INKtastic gave it to me to review. Thank you INKtastic for such a wonderful, meaningful gift! Please stop by to visit their store! They have so many cute things to pick from that you can customize.

"A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

When I opened it up I started to cry. Isn't it crazy how emotions work? I'm at work around a bunch of guys; I start crying. I'm not a real cry baby girl, but this one made me cry.

Do you see Emerson's double chin? He's gaining weight and beating his odds. Tomorrow night we celebrate yet another birthday. This time he'll be 4 weeks old.

The 'Breast Milk Baby' Hits Good Morning America Once Again

I think it's been on there 3 times now. So what do you think about this doll? Would you buy it for your kid?

My Top Ten Tips for New Mom's and Dad's

1. Sleep when your baby is napping. You may feel like you get enough sleep/or not. The truth is, is that you get a lot of interrupted sleep at night. The deep sleep that you used to getting is not there. You need extra sleep at your baby's nap time.
2. Don't push solid foods too fast. Wait until your baby shows signs like smacking their lips and following your food with their eyes. Food allergies are on a high more then ever, so it's important to hold off. I know it's tempting to see their reaction to new foods, but you will get to see that soon enough. Follow food timelines for when to feed what to your baby. There are websites and books that strictly abide by food timelines.
3. Try to use organic, or make your own lotions, shampoos, wipes, cloth diapers, laundry detergent and so on for your baby. Just like food allergies are high, so are skin ones. Why? Because of the chemicals in them. Your baby's skin is sensitive, treat it as such. 
4. Use a binki to soothe them to sleep. When babies are young, binki's are known to help reduce SIDS. Wash it often.
5. Throw the binki away! I know it's the opposite of number 4. When your older baby is throwing their binki out of the crib on purpose because it's fun; it's time to dispose of it. If you wait to break the binki habit, it will harder to deal with.
6. Put your baby Back to Sleep! Back to Sleep again reduces the risk of SIDS. I know experts have changed their mind about this time and time again. Think of it this way, if your baby spits up in their sleep while on their tummy they can drown in their own spit up. They can also suffocate with bumper pads and thick blankets. When they are old enough to roll over, let them.
7. Give your baby tummy time. Again the opposite of number 6. If you are around your child, tummy time is important. They develop muscles that they wouldn't develop otherwise to hold their head up, roll over and crawl. You don't want them to hate being on their tummy. A great way to give your child tummy time is to prop them up on a Boppy.
8. Hold your baby. Babies need love. You can't spoil a baby. They long for that affection. A baby would never be able to survive on their own in nature. They need their mom and dad.
9. If you want to breastfeed invest is a good pump and stick with it. Buying a cheep pump will discourage extended breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is one thing that gets easier with time. Babies later on nurse for longer periods of time and are more skilled at it. With that in mind, breastfeeding is not for everyone. I do not have this blog to bash anyone who chooses to formula feed. There are many benefits to breastfeeding that outweigh formula feeding. That doesn't mean that if you formula feed, your child is going to get tons of ear infections, be overweight and stupid when they grow up! That's just silly thinking! Everyone has a right to do what's best for them. Breast was best for me. It may or may not be for you.
10. Read and sing to your baby. They just love the sound of your voice. They appreciate books more if you start out early. Begin with cloth books, books that they can chew on.

Breastfeeding a Sick Baby

My nephew Emerson is being fed in two ways:

1. Through an NG Tube. My sister pumps and the breastmilk is given to Emerson through the NG Tube. His feeding tube did fall out once. That wasn't good. Before it fell out Emerson was able to breastfeed a little. After it fell out, it caused Emerson some stress and he didn't latch well at all.

2, Emerson is back to breastfeeding. He still gets breastmilk via NG Tube as well. My sister uses shields, which uses less muscles then a full latch. Little Emerson is beating his odds. He's doing pretty good. He gained back his birth weight and actually gained an aditional pound. All off of Mamma's Milk! YAY Emerson!

Will Drinking Beer Increase Your Milk Supply?

Doctors actually used to encourage mom's to drink a beer soon after she had a baby. This is not the case today.

You may feel like you have more milk at first after drinking a beer. In the long run alcohol dries you out.

Alcohol disrupts the hormones that are involved in milk production.

Julie Mennella, a researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia who studies alcohol's affect on lactation, explains that while prolactin (a hormone that aids milk production) increases with alcohol consumption, oxytocin (a hormone that's responsible for milk letdown) decreases. Researchers think this may explain why babies have a harder time breastfeeding when their mothers drink alcohol.

Is Breastmilk Alcohol-Free?

In light of the last season, 4th of July, I started thinking about this topic of alcohol and breastmilk. Up until recently there was never a test for mother's to figure out if their milk was alcohol-free after drinking themselves.

I found a product here that allows a breastfeeding mom to test her breastmilk in just two minutes.

I can't not stress enough that when you are a parent you need to be responsible. Just because your child doesn't know or understand what a drink is, you shouldn't be watching them while intoxicated. In my opinion I need to be safe to drive at any time just in case something were to happen with my children. Even when a babysitter is present in my house.

A couple drinks can effect someone that has been pregnant for 9 months and not touched alcohol period.

This newish product on the market is geared towards testing if your breastmilk is safe for intake:

In just two minutes, Milkscreen quickly and accurately analyzes breast milk for alcohol. Every mother is unique so, naturally, the way our bodies metabolize alcohol is unique, too. Metabolizing alcohol depends on several factors including body weight, type of alcohol consumed, and food intake so milkscreen was created to eliminate those variables. Milkscreen also helps ensure that the alcohol concentrated in Mom's breastmilk is not at a level that may have negative impacts on Baby. Studies have shown infants consuming breastmilk with alcohol concentrations at approximately 30mg/dl, or 0.03%, and higher have exhibited distinctive changes in feeding behavior and sleep. Babies consume less if the milk contains alcohol and they also sleep less and wake more frequently. We've set the milkscreen test to show a color change at 0.02% to help Mom stay within recommended feeding guidelines.

Alcohol could effect your breastmilk if you don't take precautions. The same amount of alcohol that makes it into your bloodstream makes it into your breastmilk. While the amount that's transferred if you drink a glass of wine is relatively small, your baby is tiny and has an immature liver, which means he or she can't process the alcohol as well as you can.

If you do not have a testing kit, I suggest you pump and dump. You should not be nursing if you've drank alcohol.

To read more about this topic go here.

Baby Update

My sweet little nephew Emerson turned a week old last Thursday. That was a huge milestone considering that he has Trisomy 18.  We had a 1 week birthday party with cupcakes, juice and noiseless party favors.

"It is not length of life, but depth of life." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Everything seemed to be a challenge, but he was hanging in there.

Then on Friday or Saturday night (my days are so mixed up) his feeding tube fell out. It took a nurse 6 tires to get it back in. He had two apnea spells. Now his color comes and goes. He's been cluster feeding and growing more, but his strength is depleting.

We knew this could happen, but nothing can prepare someone for it. We just take things day by day.

I'm trying to take my sister's older boy's out when I can. Emerson does best skin to skin on my sister.

Good Baby Reads

Here are some great reads for pregnancy, breastfeeding and child development:

When you are pregnant:

What to Expect When You're Expecting

A Child is Born

Breastfeeding:

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding



Breastfeeding 101

Baby Devlopment:

Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five

Your Baby's First Year - Third Edition

Solids:

Super Baby Food

Baby-Led Weaning

What Do You Use For Diaper Rash?

I used to make my own wipes when my boy's were babies. When they would break out in a rash I'd use Bag Balm or Pounds Cold Cream mixed with Milk of Magnesia 50/50. The mixture was great for sudden outbreaks! Bag Balm worked great the rest of the time.

Lately my 3 year old has been complaining of his butt itching. I actually listened to him cry and complain about this for 15 min. in the car one day. It started happening when we entered the change of season with all the different fruits. I give him variety, so it's not like he's getting nothing but grapefruit and strawberries. This has become a huge issue. Does anyone use something they really like?

Otherwise I swear my kid is going to grow up and use the pick up line: "My butt itches" to any girl he meets. YUCK! I know! I've just been hearing it a lot!

New Age Mama is giving away a package of Boudreaux Butt Paste products. Have you used them? Do you like them? I've seen them in the stores. I need to try something different. This is why I ask.

My New Nephew

I wanted to take a moment to mention that my cute little nephew Emerson Charles was born on Thursday last week. He was 5 pounds 15 ounces.

He's a fighter! Emerson has Trisomy 18. We didn't know if he would make it at all. He is so far doing pretty good! Emerson is taking breastmilk through a feeding tube and nursing as well. He just gets a little tired while nursing because of his low O2. So he gets extra O2 as well. We were so glad he went potty! No catheter needed!

He has given us a few scares with turning grey and forgetting to breath. My sister noticed that this happens when he isn't swaddled or skin to skin.

He's a cuddly baby! Super cute too!

On a side note: My sister's labor was horrible! Emerson was posterior: Head first, face down. She did not take any drugs. In the past she had a problem with an epidural. She was dilated to 8 for a very long time. The nurse called for the doctor to come in 15 min. My sister changed positions and yelled, "He's here!" Emerson arrived before the doctor got in the room! She did not tear at all, which was great for her.

 

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Breastfeeding with Flat or Inverted Nipples

Breastfeeding can be challenging; there is no doubt about that. Added challenges can make any new mother feel inadequate. I felt that way with my breastfeeding challenges.

I found a wonderful article here about breastfeeding with flat or inverted nipples.

One thing that is super important to understand is that a baby should nurse with a mouthful of breast, not just the nipple. Having flat or inverted nipples shouldn't be a problem. It does make the latching part more difficult.

Are they flat or inverted?

Flat- Pinch the nipple to see if your nipple does not protrude or become erect. If it simply stays petty level, then it's considered to be flat.

Inverted- Pinch the nipple to see if your nipple inverts into the breast. They will not become erect when stimulated or cold.

Treatments to draw out the nipple:
Many times no matter what kind of nipple the mother has, babies who latch-on well can draw out the nipple.

Breast Shields- These really should only be used if you absolutely need to. Talk to a lactation consultant to get help using these. Other names for them are Breast Shells, milk cups and breast cups. They can be worn inside the bra. Usually your bra will need to go up a size to accommodate the shield. I used these and just placed them against my breast when I was ready to feed. As soon as your baby latches right, take the shields away. Babies are known to get more milk from an actual breast over a shield. The transition going from shield to the breast can be hard for both the mom and baby. I have to be honest; I was told to stop using them because my oldest wasn't gaining enough weight. I was emotional and we both cried for one whole day. I used them because my son was born with a cyst under his tongue, making his tongue misshaped; not because I had flat or inverted nipples.

Hoffman Technique- This technique can be repeated five times a day before and after the baby is born. Place a thumb on each side of the base of the nipple. Push in firmly against your breast tissue, while at the same time pulling your thumbs away from each other. In this process you will be stretching out the nipple. Repeat moving the thumbs in a clockwise fashion.

Breastpump- Using a effective breastpump can help draw out a nipple. I bought this one and it lasted though two babies and working full-time. I breast fed each for 2 years. I only pumped for 1 1/2 years. I think buying a good pump is so important to keep breastfeeding a positive experience. It's more money, but you save so much more then if you were to buy formula.

Nipple Stimulation- After birth, if the nipple can be grasped, a mother can roll her nipple between her thumb and index finger for a minute or two and then quickly touch the nipple with a moist, cold cloth or ice wrapped in cloth (avoid prolonged use of ice as it can inhibit the letdown reflex and numb the nipple too much).

Pulling Back on the Breast Tissue During Latch-On- Support your breast for latch-on with thumb on top and four fingers underneath and way back against the chest wall, pull slightly back on the breast tissue toward the chest wall to help the nipple protrude.

Gowns

For babies I love dressing them in gowns. Here are the reasons I like them so much:

• It's so easy to change diapers. 
• It's so easy to tear off their gown to make skin to skin contact; that they love so much. 
• It's so easy to spot those cute little toes. 
• It's so easy to tickle their toes to wake a sleepy baby up to eat.
• Most of them come with fabric that covers their hands; that way they don't scratch their face.

My Organized Chaos is giving away a pair of Halo ComfortLuxe 2-piece pajamas from Halo!

Energizer Win Two Ultimate Lithium AA or AAA Batteries Plus One $10 Gas Card!

The first day of summer is tomorrow. Along with summer comes travel and high gas prices. Energizer has a deal to help make a positive impact on your gas budget. They are rewarding Energizer Lithium customers by helping their dollars last longer.

Customers can purchase two packs of specially-marked Energizer Advanced Lithium batteries or Energizer Ultimate Lithium, visit  Energizer on Facebook, register your battery codes and will get a $10 Prepaid Discover Gas Rewards card mailed to you. The last day to redeem codes is 1/31/12 at 11:59 pm.

About Energizer Lithium Batteries:

• Lightweight and perform well in extreme temperatures, from -40° F to 140° F (-40° C to 60° C).
• Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries last up to 8x longer in digital cameras for up to 8x less waste.
• Energizer Advanced Lithium batteries last up to 4x longer in digital cameras, 20 hours longer in wireless gaming accessories and up to 30% longer in personal audio devices. 

I wanted to think back to when I was a new mom. So many of the products I used that required batteries. 

• Breast pump
• Baby monitor
• Exersaucer
• Swing
• Vibrating Chair
• Glow worm
• Countless push toys

Imagine if all those batteries were Energizer Lithium batteries?

 

Energizer is giving away to one lucky reader a specially-marked package of Energizer Ultimate Lithium and a package of Energizer Advanced Lithium batteries. It will be your choice if you get AA or AAA batteries. This giveaway is open to US only and ends 
July 5 at 10 pm.

You can register your battery packs to redeem a $10 Prepaid Discover Gas Rewards card, which is mailed to you. Should you be interested in something other than purchasing gas with your reward card, the Reward Card may be redeemed for any merchandise offered by a retailer that accepts Discover.

You can enter if you are not a blogger. Leave a separate entry for each. Make sure the first mandatory entry is filled out before all others.

1. For your first mandatory entry, tell me one thing you use batteries on consistently! Leave your email address with this entry. one entry

The other entries are optional. Be sure to leave a new comment for each.

1. Google Friend this blog. one entry
2. Add my Milking the Issue button to your site. Leave me your site link. one entry
3. {Like} Energizer on Facebook. Leave your Facebook name in your entry. one entry
4. {Like} Me on Facebook. Leave your Facebook name in your entry. one entry
5. Leave a comment on a non giveaway post. Let me know the title of the post you comment on. You are free to leave many comments, but only one entry for this giveaway. one entry
6. Blog about this giveaway. Link back to this post and Energizer on Facebook. Leave a link. five entries
7. Vote for me on We're on the Fence! Just click on the button {on my right side bar} to vote. one entry
8.  Enter my Gummylump Melissa and Doug Shopping cart and Baked Cookies Giveaway by June 28. one entry
9.  Enter my Tropical Traditions Powered Dishwasher Detergent Giveaway by June 26. one entry

You do not need to enter all of the entries to be qualified, just the first mandatory entry.

Remember to leave your email address if it is not public in your profile.

This contest closes in 2 weeks, July 5 at 10 pm.

The winner will be chosen using random.org.

Disclaimer:
The opinions on this post are my personal take on the products. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me.
I am not compensated to provide my opinion except for receiving the products themselves to test out.
If you have questions about this post please contact me at: alissa4illustration AT hotmail DOT com

Are You Having Problems With Your Baby Taking a Bottle?

I never had a problem with my babies taking a bottle. They would suck on anything that gave them Mama's Milk. Getting them to take a sippy cup and start on cow's milk was another story.

My sister on the other hand had HUGE problems with her youngest taking a bottle! She attempted before she went back to work, with no luck. Finally the day came where my husband was her babysitter. We decided that if her baby got hungry enough, he'd give up and just eat. My husband watches our two boy's and her two boy's twice a week. Then it was two babies and two 3 year olds.

Our nephew would not take a bottle. She felt like it was pointless to pump because he wouldn't drink from a bottle. He was super fussy during her 12 hour nurse shift! My husband wanted to pull his hair out. I think my sister wanted my husband to force feed him. She actually taught her baby how to drink out of sippy cup at a super young age.

I just spotted a bottle to try out if this is a problem you are going through!

It's called Mimijumi Very Hungry Baby Bottle. One of my favorite pro breastfeeding sites, The Baby Store Plus sells this bottle. This item ships for free Via USPS 1st Class Mail!

New Age Mama is hosting a $25 giveaway for The Baby Store Plus! They have a lot of stuff on their site from maternity, breastfeeding, baby and kids.

Untangled Review

More then ever I'm trying to be conscious about what I feed my kids; and what the food and drink is contained in. 

I was extremely excited to receive a Gecko place setting to try out by Untangled. It came with a square plate, small bowl, a cup, a fork and a spoon. My youngest loves this set so much! He asks for his "lizard" cup all the time! It is used daily!

About Untangled: 

Untangled thrives on staying balanced. They believe we have to stay connected to ourselves, to our families, community and to our world. We are free to make choices in our daily lives; hopefully we are conscious about our decisions. Untangled thinks about ways to inspire, energize and excite!


The benefits of using stainless steel over plastic:

It is important for us as parents to raise our children with conscious choices. This is a gift that brings both health and happiness.  You do not need to worry about BPA while eating on stainless steel.

About this set:

• I love that this set is dishwasher safe. I've ran the pieces through multiple times, and we've never had any residue. 
• It's durable. The silverware is not flimsy at all.
• It's stackable.
• Plate: 16 cm x16 cm/6.3 inches.
• Bowl: 9.5 cm x 4 cm 200 ml. 3.65 inches x1.55 inches deep.
• Cup: 6.5 cm x 8 cm. 2.55 inches x 3.15 inches (200 ml / 6.7 oz).
• Fork: 14.5 cm / 5.2 inches.
• Spoon: 13.5 cm / 15.7 inches.

Where to get this set: 

You can get the gecko set or a butterfly set for $40 at Untangled. It's totally worth it!

"All we have is our words, our thoughts and our actions. So let’s say what we want, believe in our thoughts and run with it”, Sue Volpe.


Disclaimer:

The opinions on this post are my personal take on the products. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I am not compensated to provide my opinion except for receiving the products themselves to test out. Untangled provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so choose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

If you have questions about this post please contact me at: alissa4illustration@hotmail.com

Barefoot Books Review

I can't stress enough how important reading is. Even when your child is a baby, they still love the sound of your voice as you read. They may squirm and act as though they are not paying attention at all. Eventually the squirming stops. Before too long they start handing you books.

About Barefoot Books:

Barefoot Books is all about exploration, imagination, creation, connecting and giving back. They emphasize nourishing the imagination. Their books have a creative spark that they believe everyone has within.  

About the Book:

I won my choice of a book from Barefoot Books.  I decided to let my five year old pick which book he would like. He decided on Jack and the Beanstalk. Mica had heard the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk before; but not like it was told in this book.


Retold By: Richard Walker
Illustrated By: Niamh Sharkey
Narrated By: Richard Hope 

The tale is clever! I love the illustrations. Illustration was my major all throughout college and grad school. Naturally it's the first thing I look at in a children's book. The story comes on a CD. It's not a dry read. I love the CD for when we travel and when I'm busy cooking in the kitchen. 

Mica decided to take this book over to Grandma and Grandpa's house. They read it more times then they could count. Isaak my three year old sits through it as well. Although Mica has claimed the book as his. 


I asked Mica to come outside to take pictures of the book. He decided to act like the giant. I think it's great how his mind works! Although if I knew he was going to act like the giant, I would have changed his shirt. ;)

Plant some magic beans. They will grow into something that will take you on an adventure!


Disclaimer:

The opinions on this post are my personal take on the products. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I am not compensated to provide my opinion except for receiving the products themselves to test out. Barefoot Books provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so choose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

If you have questions about this post please contact me at: alissa4illustration@hotmail.com

Breastfeeding a Baby with Down Syndrome

Breastfeeding a baby that has Down Syndrome is more challenging. 

Here are some benefits that I found here:

• Bonding is huge! Bottle feeding can give a bond as well. It's just a different type of bond.
• Tongue and mouth coordination are known to improve. Many babies that have Down Syndrome that end up breastfeeding have fewer speech problems. Breastfeeding benefits facial muscle tone.
• Improved protection from respiratory infection, which they are more prone to.
• Less bowel problems. 

If a baby is given a bottle, it may seem as though they are rejecting the breast. A bottle takes a lot less work on the tongue and facial muscles. With a bottle all they have to do is swallow. Many babies with Down Syndrome have low muscle tone. Breastfeeding will be more difficult. It is also the reason why breastfeeding is so beneficial! Cupping their tongue is difficult for a baby with Down Syndrome. Feedings will take longer. Mom and baby have to be patient if you are wanting this to work.

Babies with Down Syndrome are usually more sleepy in the early weeks. If they are in the middle of a feeding and simply are lazy eaters, tickle or rub their feet to keep them going. Frequent, short 10 minutes are more feedings, work better. Try to nurse every 2 to 3 hours. They love attention, so skin-to-skin contact is great! Undress the baby down to their diaper. Put a blanket over the two of you. Invest in a carrier of some sort; to keep them close.

Work with a Lactation Consultant, join a baby group that is in support of nursing mom's. La Leche League is a great support! 

Keep pumping to get your milk supply up. Once your baby figures out how to nurse, feeding times will extend. The process will be much more enjoyable for mom and baby!

What to Get a New Dad?

This is a pretty funny gift for a new Dad with a sense of humor:

The Daddy Diaper Changing Tool Box has the works. The information below is directly copied from their website:

• Mask toxic fume filter for when it doesn't smell like roses.
• Googles for protection against your own mini version of Old Faithful.
• Protective Poop Poncho need we say more?
• Tongs Several inches of steel separation between you and the little warm wrapped gift.
• Turkey Baster for precision hiney washing.
• Pacifier scream plug.
• Baby Wipes for cleaning baby bottom and various parts.
• Diaper for Newborn cute as a kitten until it gets wet then it looks and smells like a sewer rat.
• Bio Hazard Bag and Rubber Gloves for quarantine containment of the nuclear meltdown.
• Emergency Formula Container doubles as a PeePee cover for WeWe.
• Hand Wipes to clean up afterward. (For Dad's use only).
• Picture Frame this is your badge of honor.

Who's giving it away these cute tool boxes?

My Organized Chaos
My Wee Veiw