Don't Forget to Enter My Giveaways!

I have two CSN|Stores giveaways. Both are for $35. They can be found here and here.
There is a Snugfits giveaway to win 2 baby to toddler tees here.
Then there is a Energizer giveaway to win a smoke alarm and batteries here.

Ways to Prevent Mastitis

1. A key factor to preventing Mastitis is to nurse frequently. I would not go for a long time without nursing. If you are away from your baby pump often. I had to pump often when my babies were sick to not only keep up my supply, but also to prevent Mastitis.
2. Try not to sleep on your stomach. This is for long periods of time. It put pressure on your breasts.
3. Avoid tight clothes. They can push on milk ducts, causing a blockage.
4. If you feel like your breasts are full or engorged pump or nurse. Try feeding your baby even if they don't appear to be giving you signs of being hungry. When weaning this is really hard. I had to pump because I cut my youngest son off. He wouldn't quit any other way.
5. Stress, sickness and being tired can put you at risk for developing mastitis. Take care of yourself!

Read more about this subject here.

Energizer Smoke Alarm Giveaway!

This Giveaway has closed. Thank you to those that have entered!
 protecting your family becomes extremely important once you have a baby. I tried so hard to do everything right.

That's it's important to have a fire safety plan. We've talked with our 5 year old about where to meet if there is a fire. We even showed him how to open his window.

If you can it's really fun for kids to visit the fire station. My brother-in-law is a firefighter, so the kid's have been to see their Uncle Eric a few times.

I worry about my grandparent's if a fire were to occur. My grandpa is a deep sleeper and my grandma has Alzheimer's disease.

Fire Facts:

• Daylight savings time is November 7. This is a time to change your batteries.
• Forty percent of fatal fire injuries occur in homes without working smoke alarms.
• 23 percent occur in homes in which at least one smoke alarm is present but fails to operate.
• Over the past 22 years, Energizer has donated more than four million batteries to local fire departments.

For 23 years, Energizer, the International Association of Fire Chiefs and thousands of fire departments nationwide have worked together to encourage everyone to adopt the life-saving Change Your Clock Change Your Battery habit of changing and testing smoke alarm batteries with each fall time change. Having a working smoke alarm can cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half.

Energizer has offered for me to review and give to one of my readers: A First Alert smoke alarm, along with a 2-pack of 9volt Energizer_® Max_® batteries!

Include your email address if you do not have it public in your profile. 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, Like Energizer Bunny on Facebook and tell them Milking the Issue sent you! Leave your Facebook name.
2. Google Friend this blog.
3. Add my Milking the Issue button to your site. Leave me your site link.
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.
5. Blog about this giveaway. Link back to Energizer on Facebook and Milking the Issue. Leave a link. Leave five separate entries. 
6. Vote for me on We're on the Fence! Just click on the button to vote.
7. Enter my SnugFits giveway here. 

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 November 6 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@hotmail.com

Fun Follow Friday

It's Fun Follow Friday!
Click on the link above and add your blog. Other people will check out your blog and you can check out many blogs too!
When you visit a blog that you like and want to follow, leave them a comment with your link telling them you are following from the Fun Follow Friday. Of course, they would love for you to follow both hostesses blogs, Simply Stacie and My Wee View, but it isn’t mandatory. If you do follow them, just leave them a comment and they will follow you back.
The main goal is to have fun and follow the blogs that interest you!
If you like this blog you might like one of my other blogs as well: The Apel's and Cookie Art.
Please enter my two giveaways below this post here and here! 
Cookie Art also has a giveaway here!

CSN | Stores Giveaway!

This Giveaway has closed. Thank you to those that have entered!

CSN | Stores is giving one of my readers a $35 gift certificate.
CSN | Stores has so many things to choose from with their 200 + stores.
I had a chance to do a review for them on my family site, The Apel's.
I picked out a Melissa and Doug stuffed dog.

• CSN | Stores has most anything you can think of! They have a great selection of baby items, lighting and rocking chairs.

 CSN | Stores is giving away to one lucky reader a $35 gift certificate! 

Include your email address if you do not have it public in your profile. 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, check out CSN | Stores and tell me what you'd pick out with your gift certificate if you won!
2. Google Friend this blog.
3. Add my Milking the Issue button to your site. Leave me your site link.
4. {Like} CSN | Stores on Facebook. Leave your Facebook name in your 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.
6. Blog about this giveaway. Link back to me and CSN | Stores. Leave a link. Leave five separate entries. 
7. Vote for me on We're on the Fence! Just click on the button to vote.
8. Enter my SnugFits giveway here. 
9. Enter my other CSN | Stores giveaway here.

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, November 4 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@hotmail.com

Snugfits Giveaway!

This Giveaway has closed. Thank you to those that have entered!

I'm so excited because Sara from Snugfits has offered to giveaway two of their fabulous shirts!
I really love their t-shirts because they are witty and designed well. The shirts come in a variety of colors. You can see their color options below.

I won two shirts from Snugfits when my son Isaak was a little younger. I was so excited to win these! The fabric is soft and durable. I never had a problem with them shrinking. Their sizes go from newborn all the way up to 24 months. They also carry BabyLegs, Infant Caps and Knit Pants.

Since this blog is supportive of breastfeeding, I have to include pictures of these pro breastfeeding shirts that they carry.

Snugfits is giving away to one lucky reader two t-shirts of your choice!

Include your email address if you do not have it public in your profile. 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, check out Snugfits and tell me one of the shirts you want to win! Include colors, saying and what style of shirt.
2. Check out Snugfits and tell me the other shirt you want to win! Include colors, saying and what style of shirt.
3. Google Friend this blog.
4. Add my Milking the Issue button to your site. Leave me your site link.
5. {Like} Snugfits on Facebook. Leave your Facebook name in your entry.
6. 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.
7. Blog about this giveaway. Link back to me and Snugfits. Leave a link. Leave five separate entries. 
8. Vote for me on We're on the Fence! Just click on the button to the side to vote. 
9. Enter my CSN | Stores giveaways here and here. Two separate entries.

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, November 4 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@hotmail.com

I'm a Sucker for Cute Baby/Toddler Shoes!

• Fesity Frugal and Fabulous is hosting a giveaway to win a pair of shoes from Pickle Shoes.
• I'm in love with these shoes for Isaak!
• My little puppy lover would be in heaven!

Coffee Tables

Do you have a coffee table? I know getting a coffee table when you have a baby or toddler can be concern. What if they fall and hit their head on it? Our youngest son hit his head on my sister's coffee table, and had to get stitches last year. We have a coffee table. My husband and I have it pushed up against the wall, so the kids have room to play. We won't let the kids play on it with toys. We've never had a problem with our kids and our coffee table. CSN | Stores has a great selection of contemporary coffee tables! I think in a few years we'll have to get one through CSN | Stores for our downstairs.

I love the coffee table above called Jofran Viejo Lift - Top Cocktail Table in Brown Mission Oak. It has drawers for bedtime stories, and a shelf underneath for cuddly blankets.

Browse through CSN | Stores to see what contemporary coffee tables you like.

Cora Carolina Part Two

Cora Carolina was kind to email me. They loved the post featuring their company. Please go check them out! Check out the post they put up of this site here.

They have great handmade products! Toys that you just can't find anywhere.

These plush animals would be awesome in a nursery:

OrganicKidz Stainless Steel Bottle

My Baby's Green is hosting a giveaway for one reader to win a OrganicKidz Stainless Steel Bottle.

My son's always used plastic Playtex bottles. I didn't see any stainless steel bottles when I went baby shopping.

Advantages of using stainless steel:

1. They are more durable and last longer. When exposed to heat or cold, they will not break down or become brittle.
2. With normal use, they won't shatter or scratch. Some plastics will.
3. This is my favorite reason why: They are scratch resistant. That means no bacteria or food can hide cracks. I had two boy's get sick as babies with infectious diseases. Anything to keep clean!
4. Because they are so clean, stainless steel is the number one material used in kitchen products and hospitals.
5. The material is fully recyclable.

Cora Carolina

My Green Baby is hosting an awesome giveaway! The company Cora Carolina is giving away a $50 Visa card. 

If you haven't seen the store Cora Carolina you have got to check them out! They have all kinds of handmade toys. I love their selection of dolls! I was a huge doll collector growing up. Here are a few from their collection:

The boy doll reminds me of the young Mr. Fredrickson from the movie Up! Full of imagination and life!

Fun Follow Friday!

It's Fun Follow Friday!
Click on the link above and add your blog. Other people will check out your blog and you can check out many blogs too!
When you visit a blog that you like and want to follow, leave them a comment with your link telling them you are following from the Fun Follow Friday. Of course, they would love for you to follow both hostesses blogs, Simply Stacie and My Wee View, but it isn’t mandatory. If you do follow them, just leave them a comment and they will follow you back.
The main goal is to have fun and follow the blogs that interest you!
If you like this blog you might like one of my other blogs as well: The Apel's and Cookie Art.

How Often Should You Nurse Your Baby?

There is no answer to the post title.

The frequency of nursing depends on the baby and what stage they are in.

You might feel like you and your baby are on a good schedule with nursing. Then something happens. They get sick, or go through a growth spurt. Everything that seemed scheduled changes.

If your baby goes through a growth spurt; it may seem like they are nursing all the time. Many babies get a growth spurt after being sick. This is frustrating for most mom's because the baby goes from not wanting to eat to eating a ton.

I really felt like I was going to dry up after Mica had his staph infection. He went from not eating to nonstop eating. My supply had gone way down from stress, and him not wanting to nurse while he was sick. Somehow your body can build back up the supply. Pumping helps!

Both of my son's had a rough start with nursing, so I tried to nurse very often. I pumped after many feedings. Often times I had to wake up my oldest by tickling his feet. He was a sleepy newborn. He'd fall asleep as soon as we had a good latch.

My youngest spit up a lot! We found that by feeding him more frequently and less amounts helped him keep my milk down.

Many babies are not as difficult as mine were. Make sure you breastfeed them every few hours. Switch sides each feeding at first. When your baby gets more skilled; change sides during one feeding.

Look for a baby's hungry signs. They can not talk, but even at an early age they can communicate. If they are bobbing their head up and down, and puckering or smacking their lips; they are rooting. Give them something to eat. If you try nursing them and they are turning their head away; they don't want to be fed.

A good way to tell if a baby is hungry is by rubbing your hand across their check. Their natural reflex is to root towards your hand if they are hungry.

If you feel like you are nursing your baby a lot more then a formula fed baby eats; that's probably because you are. Breast milk digests faster and is better on the digestive system then formula.

For more on this topic read:
How Often Should I Nurse My Baby?
Breastfeeding FAQs: How Much and How Often?

Help Your Child Sleep Better at Night

My oldest rarely had problems sleeping at night. When he was really little he would nurse, we would brush his teeth, we'd read a book and off to bed he went. As he got a little older we did what we called "Tour de Clocks." We walked him around and showed him the clocks in our house, and told him that it was in fact bedtime. This worked like a charm!

With our youngest it's a different story! He goes to sleep after awhile, but he's not the smooth sleeper like Mica. He seems to be afraid of the light, lack of light and the cute sleeping owl on his wall.

FunFritzFamily is giving away a very cool clock called My Tot Clock! It switches colors for different things.

Blue light means night night.
Yellow light means good morning.
Red light is a time out.
Green light is positive time. Like be patient while mommy is on the phone.

The Many Uses of Cheerios

 My Organized Chaos hosting a giveaway for a very fun book, The Cheerios Play Book.

I started thinking about the many uses of Cheerios. Here's what I've used them for: 

1. Finger Food! The plain or MultiGrain Cheerios are healthier then many of the finger foods on the market.
2. Potty Targets! Trying to teach your son to aim for the toilet? Drop a Cheerio in, and it acts as a target.
3. Edible Bracelets. My preschooler can string Cheerios to make a bracelet. This is great for hand eye coordination. 
4. Artwork. You saw the photo/illustration on the cover of the book. Use Cheerios to enhance a child's drawing. 

Any other Cheerio idea's? I'd love to hear them!

What is the Difference Between Cloth and Disposable Diapers?

 

I wish in a lot of ways that  I would have used cloth diapers on my kiddo's. For the record I did not. My husband and I both work full-time, and to be honest I really just didn't think we had the time to deal with washing diapers. 

 

Truth be told I didn't know what I know now.

Chubby Checks Thinks is hosting a giveaway for one reader to win a $25 gift certificate to Preston's Pants. 

 

I want to win this for my youngest Isaak to help with the training process. He's really good potty training with me, but not when I send him to Aunt Terra's or Grandma and Grandpa's. Then of course there is night training too.

I found an excellent spot on Preston's Pants website about cloth versus disposable diapers, and wanted to share this information with you:

ARE YOU TIRED OF DIAPER RASH?

Exactly how harmful are disposable diapers?

Why do we use cloth??  by Colleen Moriarty

First and foremost,  we love the fact that cloth is SAFE for our baby and has no unfamiliar chemicals that I can not pronounce!  Diaper rash is so common from all of the chemicals used to make disposables.  It makes me shudder to imagine toxic chemicals on my little ones bottom for 3 years straight!  I don't want to take any chances on how harmful they might be, and I prefer to play it safe!  I think sitting on Sodium polyacrylate (a chemical removed from tampons, that is linked to toxic shock syndrome) and dioxin for three years, could possibly be harmful, don't you? Dioxin is the most toxic of all cancer linked chemicals!

Secondly, diapering is a task that should not be dreaded...it should be fun!  I love the different colored diapers and designs that can be used to make my little one look delicious in every way possible! Minky diapers... make your baby feel like a little teddy bear.  Fuzzy and comfortable for baby, and mommy!

Thirdly, it saves us money.  You may find that the initial cost of cloth is more, versus buying a pack or two of disposables every week.  But, you will have nothing to show for it once you are done with those diapers.  Its like flushing your money down the toilet!  Cloth is far less expensive in the long run.  Buy it, use it, reuse it, and save it for another baby.  Its a small investment, that pays off in a major way!  

After only 3 months of diapering you will have spent over $200.00 already, using disposables.  Within the first year, you will spend close to $750.00 on just diapers!  Clearly, cloth is the winner, already, at a total cost of anywhere from $300.00 to $500.00 for a comfortable stash of cute and colorful diapers.  

And...can you resell your disposables?  NO!  But, I can resell my cloth diapers on several websites and get back a portion of what I invested, if I choose to do so.  This is quite normal in the cloth diapering world.  Think about diaper services...you never get the same cloth back, yet it is reused by many families and perfectly safe...with proper washing methods.

Fourthly, I am saving water by using cloth.  Did I say water??  YES!  To make disposables thousands of gallons of water are being used during manufacturing.  The run off in this process (bleach and all) ends up in our rivers, and our oceans, etc.  And...once the used disposable reaches the landfills, it holds in more water (our precious rainwater).  All of the rain just hangs tight in the those little chemical jelly beads, never to be released or broken down!  Talk about trashy!  Disposables are the worst trash on the planet!

I must conclude that cloth is a favorite in our household and we won't be spending our hard earned money on those stinky sposies!   Even my 13 year old can change a dirty diaper with ease.  My hubby prefers cloth too!

If you would like to take that step, to a healthier life and planet, by choosing cloth, I will help to get you started!

Preston's Pants has been rated in the top ten cloth diaper companies, according to customer reviews on The Diaper Pin.  We strive for quality, reliability, and comfort.  With all of the different options out there, its hard to find the right fit for you baby.  And on  top of that, to find a diaper that really works!  You can start off right, by starting with Preston's Pants!

We stand by our products, and will help you through any issues or concerns you may have!

Dapa Diapers

Organic Girl is hosting an awesome giveaway! Dapa Diapers is giving one Organic Girl entry a Snap Ez Diaper.

You can choose either an AIO or a pocket or a trainer!

I'm picking a trainer if I win! I love them because they have snaps down the sides!

Hurry the giveaway ends October 4.