Looking For a Onesie That's a Bit on the Different Side?

Check out Beyond Adorable! They have tees and tennis shoes as well. It's a super hip store!

Yep I'm in love with their cuteness! New Age Mama is giving away one tee or onesie!

A Healthy Diet For Moms That are Breastfeeding

I think it's important to just eat healthy and drink enough water to quench your thirst. I found a wonderful article put out by Medela on healthy eating.

Stay Hydrated and Stay Away From Caffeine

• Drink a lot of water. Remember that whenever a baby drinks from you, you loose fluids. I made it a practice just to drink a glass water when my babies were eating. There's no need to drown yourself. Just drink enough that you are not thirsty still. Water is the best thing to drink. 
• Try and stay clear of caffeine. That is easier for some then others. For some odd reason with my youngest I had this new craving for coffee. My doctor said it was fine if I had one cup of coffee a day. That's all I would have anyhow. Check with your doctor. Drinking caffeine can make your baby edgy! While it keeps mom up, it does your baby to. The article said to limit yourself to 300 mg per day (about a 12 oz cup of coffee).

Don't Count Your Calories

• If you were trying to loose weight, many moms do so when a baby breastfeeds. Just try and eat healthy. There is little limit to eating veggies. Fruits have sugar in them, but they are natural sugars. You will need protein to produce milk. If you are a vegetarian you can still breastfeed! Tofu and beans are great sources of protein. Enjoy all the food groups! You need a mix.
• Typically, a breastfeeding mom needs an additional 300 to 500 calories per day. Go ahead and increase your food amount. I ate more while breastfeeding, and lost weight. Then when I weaned I gained weight. It's more when you are ending breastfeeding that you need to watch what and how much you eat.
• Eat Cold-Water Fish. They are higher in DHA and Omega-3 Fatty acids. These vitamins help with eye and brain development. They also help reduce postpartum depression. Some milks have added these ingredients to them. Read labels.  

Pay Attention to Food Allergies

• I never had any problems, but my sister did. Her son broke out in hives and was very fussy; when she ate certain foods.
• Other things to watch out for: Wheezing and green stools with mucus. 
• Talk to your child's doctor on this one. They will help with your diet to make your child a happier baby.

 Supplements?

• Ask your doctor. Mine told me to take my prenatal vitamin for the first few months. Then I switched to a Woman's One a Day vitamin. Really they say if you are eating a well balanced meal, you don't need supplements. I would just consult your doctor though. 

Lipase

This is a word I had never heard of. It was really frustrating to go through the work of pumping, freezing, washing all the parts and find out my milk was sour! When I had the problem of having a sour smell to my already frozen breastmilk, one lactation consultant knew what was going on, while another didn't.

Spoiled breastmilk is called "Lipase." It is when thawed milk tastes and smells sour.

There is something you can do to prevent lipase. You just need to scald your milk before freezing it.

When do you scald milk?

When it is fresh; before you freeze it.

How do you scald milk?

To scald milk: Place milk in a heavy-bottomed pan over low heat. Stir occasionally until the milk is just hot with steam and small bubbles appearing around the edges. Do not boil.

I used a double boiler. I put water in the outside pan, and my milk in the inner, smaller pan. I just warmed it up ever so slowly until small bubbles appeared around the edges. You are then done.

Does scalding break down the nutrients in milk?

Yes, but not anymore than freezing does.

For Crying Out Loud!

It seems many parenting techniques change all the time.

It used to be that your baby was to be positioned on their tummy; now it's their back. The time frame in which solids are introduced changes as well.

I think the key thing is to research. You have to know and understand the professionals. Will you agree with everything you read? NOPE!

Of course you get A LOT of opinions. Some wanted, some not wanted.

I have a family with a Grandma that was a nurse, a Mom that was a nurse, 3 Aunts that are nurses, a sister that is a nurse and 2 cousin's that are nurses. Needless to say there are a lot of opinions in my family. Even when I breastfed, my Mom and one Sister were very supportive, while the others weren't as much. Hard to believe that any nurse wouldn't be supportive of that. It is true that some are not. Usually because they never breastfed themselves, or tried it and were unsuccessful.

The "Cry it Out" sleep technique is now under the fire!

You can read a whole article on this topic here. Please read it!

I always felt uncomfortable letting my kiddo's cry and cry some more. It's one thing to let them cry for 15 minutes. There are times where I tried everything and it seemed nothing would calm my little one down. Usually I'd find out later that it was a tooth coming through or a nasty ear infection. Twice, if I would have waited to attend my babies, they would have been closer to death. When my youngest, Isaak had meningitis we acted quickly. We were told that, if we would have waited to get him in the emergency room, that would have been very bad for our 2 month old! My Father was the one who acted quick in regards to our oldest having a staph infection. He noticed Mica's neck getting large. I'm so glad he noticed that! If he was in a daycare, it might of gone unnoticed.

Some parents let their kids cry for hours. They believe in self soothing. That is what many articles talked about just a few years ago. The articles mentioned that if you picked your child up, that was spoiling them.

Think of it this way: Your baby has no way of communicating except for crying when something is wrong. There is no such thing as spoiling a newborn. As they get older, sure you should let them cry in their crib, but not for long periods of time.

Listen to your instinct.

Remember that your baby's only way of communicating to you that something is wrong is to cry.

Some Adoptive Moms Learn to Breastfeed Their Babies

I was looking over this article and am amazed as to how much times have changed with breastfeeding!

My oldest sister was adopted in the 1970's. It was a time were my parents were told that they could not get on a plane because they had an infant. They rode from Oregon all the way to Nebraska on a bus.

My Mother would have jumped at the chance to breastfeed my sister. The problems were that Moms at that time: A) Didn't know that they could. B) Didn't have very good double/affordable pumps.

It's still not the norm for Moms that adopt to breastfeed. It is happening more. Some Moms are making this happen because it adds health benefits for both child and mom. It also builds more of a bond between the two.

“It’s impossible for me to know what our bond would be like if I hadn’t done it, but I could not feel closer to my son,” said Schaeffer, whose son is now 11 months. “He’s got a really wonderful, very secure attachment to me. I don’t know how much (breastfeeding) played into it, but it sure didn’t hurt.” She also said, “It was such a relief, such a consolation that I would be able to have some sort of physical bonding.”  -Schaeffer Article found here.

To produce milk, women take birth control pills for several months, fooling the body into thinking it’s pregnant. The guide also suggests domperidone, a gastrointestinal drug with a side effect of milk secretion.

Domperidone isn’t FDA-approved, and like Reglan, it can cause depression.

With the help of Domperidone and nipple stimulation; breastfeeding an adoptive child can be done. Many women pump a lot the moment they learn they are getting a new baby.

Some women are able to produce breastmilk without the use of drugs. There are also natural herbs like Fenugreek many women use to help produce more milk.

*Consult your doctor when you are taking any medicine to help with breastfeeding.

Many Mom's that attempt to breastfeed an adoptive child do have to supplement. Many that have a natural child have to do the same. Every liquid gold drop counts.

“This wasn’t my biological child, so I wanted to take every opportunity to bond with this baby that I could possibly get,” said Wilder.

Donor Milk

Earth Mama Angel Baby sent me a great newsletter today about donor milk. I'm breaking the article down. If you want to read the whole article click here.

Milk Banking Questions

Why:

One in nine babies is born premature every day. These babies do better with breastmilk. It increases their survival, health and makes their hospital stay shorter. Sometimes Mother's are unable to produce enough. That is where the donors come into play.

Donors:

Donors are becoming more of a need. Unfortunately there are not a lot of sites out there for donors to acquire money for donating their pumped breastmilk. It's more about the deep personal satisfaction from knowing they have helped improve the health of other babies.

All donor milk is pasteurized in order to eliminate any bacteria or other infecting organisms that may have been present.  Donors are screened before their milk is used.

Northwest Mother's Milk Bank:

The Northwest and Oregon have the highest breastfeeding rates in the nation. Their hospitals do not get donor human milk from their local area. Instead they get it from California and Colorado.

The Northwest Mother’s Milk Bank is working to open a local facility in their area. They need money for equipment and staff. For every box of Milkmaid Tea sold on Earth Mama Angel Baby from November 21 to December 30, 2011, Earth Mama will donate $1 to the  Northwest Mother’s Milk Bank.

Guidelines:

There are special requirements that come from the donor themselves. They have to be clean, not taking any herbs or medicines.

How Much is Needed:

• A baby weighing 2 pounds takes up to 5.5 ounces of milk
• A baby weighing 4.5 pounds takes up to 12 ounces of milk
• A baby weighing 6.5 pounds takes up to 18 ounces of milk

Controversial Advertising of the 21st Century

Source

Benetton is known for their controversial ads. Just lately they put out an ad with president Obama kissing the pope. Do you think they take advertising too far? Remember that their goal is to unit people of all colors.

Jump Start on the Holidays - Energizer Batteries Giveaway

Babies and Kids + Toys and Products = A lot of Batteries!

Energizer® has just the solution to help you get a jump start on the holidays! 

Batteries for the gifts and a free online movie on demand rental to help with the relaxation. Simply purchase a package of specially-marked Energizer® Ultimate Lithium, Energizer® Advanced Lithium or Energizer® Recharge AA batteries and you will receive a free online movie on demand rental reward that can be redeemed at Amazon.com, iTunes.com, Blockbuster.com or the YouTube store.  

Once you get your batteries: 

1. Visit www.energizer.com/movies
2. Follow the instructions to input your battery pack codes.
***Please note: this promotion is limited to one (1) REWARD CERTIFICATE PER PERSON/HOUSEHOLD/E-MAIL ADDRESS.
3. The last day to redeem codes is 4/30/12 at 11:59 p.m. ET 

4. Your Reward Certificate does expire and must be redeemed for your online movie rental within 2 months from the date of issuance. Redemption of the Reward Certificate is subject to all terms and conditions and policies imposed by Hollywood Movie Money On-Demand Rewards.

Here's what Energizer® is giving away to one of my readers:

They are offering one lucky reader a giveaway package that includes two packs of either Energizer® Lithium or Energizer® Recharge batteries (or a combination of both if you prefer) marked with special codes.
  
Mandatory Entry:

What have you or are you thinking of buying for the holidays that requires batteries? Leave your email with this entry. {One Entry}

Optional Entries: 

1. Google Friend this blog. {One Entry}

2. Like Apel Mom and Energizer on Facebook. Leave part of your Facebook name. {One Entry}

3. Like me on Twitter and Energizer on Twitter. Tweet about this giveaway daily. {One Entry}

4. Like me on Twitter and Energizer on Twitter. Tweet about this giveaway daily. {One Entry}

5. Leave a comment on a non-giveaway post. List the post. You are free to comment on any post, but only one can be used for this entry. {One Entry}

6. Blog about this giveaway with a link back to this post. {Five Entries}

7. Vote for me on We're on the Fence. Just click to vote. {One Entry}

This contest closes November 28 at 10 pm and is open to the US. Winners will be picked at Random.org and announced on my Giveaway Page.

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

Car Seats

Manual

Make sure you look on your car seat manual. Many car seats last only five years. A lot of people use car seats much longer then specified in the manual.

Fitting It

Call your child's pediatrician to make sure you can find a local area to position your car seat in your car. Here local fire stations check them.

Out with the Old in with the New

There are also some places that will take old car seats in. Then they give you a discount in their stores. Toys R Us and Babies R Us do this certain times of the year. If you sign up for the mailing list; you will get this information from them.

Clek Car Seats

Clek Oobr and Olli Booster Car Seats are fashionable! I love that they are fun colors. Kids will enjoy sitting in their Paul Frank seats! My Organized Chaos is giving away two car seats! Woo Hoo! Hop on over to check out her giveaway!

Cloth Diapers

If I could change one thing about my kid's babyhood, it would be that I should have used cloth diapers.

"Disposable diapers contain traces of dioxin, and extremely toxic by-product of the paper-bleaching process. It is a carcinogenic chemical, listed by the EPA as the MOST toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals. In small quantities, dioxin causes birth defects, immune system suppression, skin and liver diseases, and genetic damage in lab animals. It is banned in most countries, but not in the U.S." - Mother Herb Diaper Service

Want to start using cloth diapers? My Baby's Going Green has a great giveaway going on right now to get you started!

One grand prize winner will receive 2 pocket covers in sage plus 2 micro terry fleece toppers and 3 hemp-organic cotton inserts. Value-$85. Two winners will receive 1 pocket cover in sage plus 3 micro terry fleece topper inserts. Value-$46.50 each.

Nutrition Past Babyhood

According to the USDA, children need to eat the following amounts and types of nutrients on a daily basis:

Protein                              

2-3 years old: 2 ounces
                                                  
4-8 years old: 4 ounces

Grains                              

2-3 years old: 3 ounces
                                                 
4-8 years old: 5 ounces

Vegetables                         

2-3 years old: 1 cup
                                                 
4-8 years old: 1 ½ cups

Fruits                               

2-3 years old: 1 cup 
                                                 
4-8 years old: 1 to 1 ½ cups

Dairy                                  

2-3 years old: 2 cups 
                                                 
4-8 years old: 2 ½ cups

DingaRings

I really think these baby toys called DingaRings by Ob-Designs looks amazingly fun!

What I love about them: 

• There are many choices of characters.
• They are all natural.
• It's both for teething and play.
• It has a rattle inside.

Win one at New Age Mama!

Healing Hearts - Baby Loss Comfort

I think it's really hard to know what to say when you know that someones baby may not make it, or if the baby does pass away. Emotions are running high anyhow. A loss is devastating!

I felt this way over the summer when I knew my sister's baby was going to have problems. He stopped breathing many times. Somehow my nephew that has many odds against him, is now over 4 months old.

At the time, I didn't know what to say. She is my sister, and I didn't know how to comfort her. Nothing can prepare you for those days ahead.

If someone losses a baby, it is a major loss. I'm not sure all people can understand this. Some, especially people that have never carried a baby see it like this, "They can try again." Like it's no big deal. It's a huge deal! The parents worry that the same scenario could happen again.

A woman carries a baby in her for 9 months. There is a bond established. Daddy and Mommy had a chance to feel the baby move. Both parents got to see the ultrasound and get pictures.

Talking about the baby helps. Many wonder, "How do I talk about a life I never knew?"

Healing Hearts - Baby Loss Comfort is a great resource to go for baby loss.

What to say:

• Many parents have a hard time knowing what to do, they are lacking on sleep and their minds are all over the place during a situation like this. You can offer to call people for them.
• Let them know it's ok to cry.
• Let them know that their child was unique, special and irreplaceable.
• Talk to them about what their baby was like, even if they only knew the baby when they were inside the womb.
• Offer to help them sort through the baby's clothes, toys and furniture when they are ready. Do not push them to do this.
• If they have other kids, offer to take them out. This is one thing I did a lot of with my nephews.
• Offer to run errands for them.
• Tell them to be patient with themselves and give themselves time to heal. Let them know that there are no rules about grieving.
• Offer to take care of the siblings during the funeral.
• Talk about their  pregnancy and baby.
• Don't forget. They may not be ready to talk right away. Talk later on. Take them out to lunch.
• Give them a list of support groups for when they are ready.

What not to say:

• Don't make it sound like it was meant to be, or God's will.
• Don't mention that their baby is in a better place. To the Mom, the best place is with her!
• Don't rush the experience. Death is not something that can be rushed. Let them hold their baby if they pass, take photos. Time does not heal all wounds.
• Don't talk about how you know how they feel. (Unless you have personally experienced the loss of a baby.)
• Don't talk about their other children being all that they need. Each child is different.
• Don't mention how it could have been worse. Each death experience is hard in it's own way.

Sources: 
Grieving Resources
Remembering Baby

Follow Healing Hearts - Baby Loss Comfort on Facebook

Growth Spurts

I remember when my oldest child had his first growth spurt. I was breastfeeding him. He ate so much! I thought for sure there was no way my breasts could produce enough milk for him!

Babies on average triple their birth weight in the first year. *Your Child's Growth

Usually when a baby gets sick they do one of two things: They don't want very much milk at all, or they breastfeed out of comfort. My boys did both. The times where they didn't want to breastfeed, my supply got really low. When they were on their upswings, they went through a growth spurt. Again I felt like I didn't have enough milk for them. Somehow a woman's body seems to compensate for their baby in need. It's so common to worry about not being able to produce enough milk.

After the first year I was expecting my children to still grow rapidly. They still grew, but their growth slowed way down.  It seemed like small growth spurts with a big one thrown in every now and then.

Now my children are older. Isaak is now 3 and Mica is 6. My 3 year old is going through a growth spurt. He is eating everything we give him and then some! One thing my husband noticed is that Isaak wets the bed when he is in the midst of a growth spurt. Our other son did this to. They consume so much throughout the day and go to the bathroom like normal. The fluids in their food have to come out of their bodies somehow. We go from many dry nights to accidents like crazy, then back to being dry again. It's a cycle that a child can not help.

A few things you can do to help: 

• Limit liquids in the evening or at night.
• Take your child potty right before you go to bed. We take Isaak potty around 10 pm.
• Don't go back to diapers. Keep your child in underwear or panties. If you are not wanting to change the sheets; put a diaper on the outside. Gerber sells plastic training pants that we put on the outside of underwear. You want them to feel that they are wet. We also have padded blankets that we put on his bed; this way we don't have to wash all the bedding if he does happen to leak. 

Snacks for Kids

One snack I think that would be great to try is Giddy Dip 'Ems! Life in the Lost World is giving 2 winners a chance to win this snack!

“What makes eating fun for kids? Playing with their food! Based in San Francisco, giddy is an all-natural snack company that proves wholesome snacking doesn’t have to be boring or bland through its all natural snacktivities – interactive snacks that are dipped, peeled, spread or created. Time constrained moms love that giddy is a convenient on the go snack option free of high fructose corn syrup, preservatives and artificial ingredients, and kids love the great taste and fun formats!"

Other Fast Snack Ideas:

• Cut up carrot sticks
• Snap peas
• Grapes
• Bunny Cracker
• Pretzel Crisps

Lactation Cookies

These are great because they are healthy, will help everyone in the house, not just baby and mom!

Want to make some on your own?

Here's a great recipe! 

Milk Trays

I feel like Milk Trays are the way to go with freezing breastmilk.

I happened to use Orka Ice Cube Trays when I froze my milk. They to have lids and were BPA free. I liked that they had silicone bottoms and were different colors. The variety of colors helped me to see which one I pumped first and last. The negatives were that they were not as thin as the Milk Trays. Thin = less time to thaw out when baby is hungry. If you pump a lot, you may have more milk then will fit into the trays. If I were a new mom today, I'd get both Orka Ice Cube Trays and Milk Trays. Orka Ice Cube Trays were really nice for baby food! The color really helped me to the differences between foods that I made. Sometimes foods look exactly alike when in cube form. I think Milk Trays would be better for milk!

Source

Source

I've tried multiple ways of freezing milk. The bags take longer to thaw out. Then the seems leak milk.

With this system you can drop the frozen milk into drop in liners, or stainless steel bottles. They thaw quicker, with little to no mess.

Just Some Features:

• BPA and Phthalate free.
• Made from a medical-grade plastic.
• Designed by working and breastfeeding moms. 
• 16 (8 in each try) cavities that each equal one ounce. I like this because you know how much you are getting out before you thaw the milk.  
• You buy 1 unit that has 2 trays and 2 lids for $21.95 at Mom4Life. No tax or shipping costs. 
• The 2 trays stack easily. 
• Fits through all bottle openings.  
• Made in the USA

Right now Mom4Life is giving away a set of Milk Trays. Go there to enter!

EZ Sox Review

One thing I have found difficult with both my children is teaching them how to dress themselves. I felt really good last year because my youngest Isaak knew how to put on his socks. Since summer came, he hardly wore socks. Isaak forgot how to put socks on. I found myself reteaching him this task. Ez Sox really helps out!

They sent Isaak a pair of their bear socks to try out. 

You can see that Isaak hasn't totally mastered putting his socks on. He is super close to getting the hang of it!

I love that these socks have handles! It makes putting them on so much easier.

Ez Sox encourages imaginative play with their animal socks. Isaak saw that his socks had bears on them and wanted to pretend to be a bear.

Ez Sox has a lot of other animal socks to choose from. If you are not an animal lover, they have solid socks as well.

Right now if you buy a pair of their socks, they will donate socks to Clothes 4 Souls. Every purchase online will help a child out.

From now until November 30 Ez Sox is giving my readers a discount. That means you will get 50% off your order by liking them on Twitter and Facebook. You will see your coupon code on their Facebook page.

These socks could make excellent stocking stuffers for Christmas time!!!

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. EZ Soxs provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. 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: alissa4illustrationAThotmailDOTcom  

Earth Mama Angel Baby Booby Tubes Review and Giveaway

I'm so happy to bring this giveaway to my readers!!! Booby Tubes by Earth Mama Angel Baby is a new product to me. They are an amazing set of tubes that help ease the symptoms mastitis, engorgement and clogged milk ducts.

The product is natural, gel-fee, microwavable and freezable breast packs in organic cotton shells, filled with all-natural flax seed.

My sister tried Booby Tubes out. She's struggled a lot with nursing Emerson. He's a special needs baby. Much of the time he won't nurse, so she pumps a lot! Then he's fed Mommy Milk through a NG tube. That takes a lot of time. She said that Booby Tubes are super soft. When I looked at her, I didn't even know she had them in her bra. If you are a full time working Mom with a sit down job, no one will even see you wearing booby tubes.

How to use your Booby Tubes:

Cool: Store in the freezer and wear inside your bra between feedings. Use for engorgement tenderness and during weaning.

Warm: Microwave for 20 to 40 seconds and apply to breasts five minutes before feeding or pumping. Microwave settings vary, so keep testing the temperature. Or preheat the oven to the lowest setting and place in an oven-safe dish (away from the heating element) for 10-15 minutes. Use to encourage let-down and milk flow, help prevent clogged milk ducts and comfort mastitis.

How to Clean Your Booby Tubes:

Wipe clean with a damp cloth.

Mama Says:

Engorgement is often confused with mastits (both are uncomfortable!). Symptoms of mastits include malaise, fever, chills, and/or hardness or redness of the breasts, and can become serious quickly. If symptoms of mastitis are present consult your health care provider immediately. Continue nursing as usual.

Now for the giveaway. One US or Canadian winner is going to win a set of Booby Tubes from Earth Mama Angel Baby!

1. For your first mandatory entry, check out Earth Mama Angel Baby and tell me what product you'd love to have or give as a gift! {Leave your email with this first entry}

All other entries are optional. You do not need to leave your email with additional entries.
 
2. Google Friend this blog. {Leave one comment}
3. Add my Milking the Issue button to your site. Leave me your site link. {Leave one comment}
4. Become an email subscriber. You do need to verify. {Leave three comments} 

5. {Like} Earth Mama Angel Baby on Facebook. Leave your Facebook name in your entry. {Leave one comment}
6. {Like} Apel Mom on Facebook. Leave your Facebook name in your entry. {Leave one comment}
7. {Connect up} with Earth Mama on Twitter. Leave your Twitter name in your entry. {Leave one comment}

8. {Connect up} with Me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway. Leave your Twitter name in your entry. {Leave one comment}
9. 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. {Leave one comment}
10. Blog about this giveaway. Link back to Milking the Issue and Earth Mama Angel Baby. {Leave a link. Leave five separate comments}

This contest closes in 2 weeks, October 30 at 10 pm. This is open to US and Canadian Readers. The winner has 48 hours to claim their prize. Winners are 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: alissa4illustrationAThotmailDOTcom

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cute or prevent any disease.

News

Such a cool way to introduce a baby!

News from Don Rob on Vimeo.

I'm Sorry

To me it's very important to apologize to my children when I'm in the wrong. I think a lot of parents out there are too stubborn to admit that they too make mistakes. It's also hard to calm yourself down in the heat of a moment. We are focused on our anger more then how to be better person.

Kids learn from their parents. Many behavior traits that you have, they mimic.

Here are a few things to consider: 

1. Think about how you could have handled a situation in a different way.
2. Replay what happened in your mind.
3. Think about it from your child's perspective.
4. Imagine how your child feels. Ex: Are they scared of you? Did you hurt them? 
5. This is when it's time to communicate steps 1-4 to your child. Follow through. You will in the long run have an understanding of your child and yourself.
6. Now that you both are on talking terms, this is the time to tell your child, "I'm sorry." If they did something wrong, explain that they need to apologize to you as well.

Now that you know how your child feels and they know how you feel, you both can grow into being better people. They will be better about apologizing. They will look up to you for apologizing to them.

In the end you need to forgive yourself. Mistakes happen. We're all human. Know that you are not a horrible mother; just a better one for admitting that you were in the wrong.

Personal Example: My Three year old was really testing me. He was not getting in the car. The boy dawdles a lot. It seems to be common place for him to move slow and insist that he gets himself in his car seat. Instead of understanding that time means very little to him, I was irritated with him. I picked him up and harshly put him in his car seat. When I did that, I bumped his head. Did I mean to bump his head? No! Did I feel bad? Yes and no. At the moment I was thinking, "That's what you get for moving so slow!" I didn't say that by the way! I felt that way until I started thinking about his perspective and replayed the situation in my head. Once he calmed down we had a talk. I apologized. Then he apologized.

It doesn't matter what age your child is. Apologizing is a lot like learning the words, "Thank you" and "Please." You have to start somewhere.

Dressing Up is Fun

Even for babies:



Baby Loving Mama is giving away one of these sweet outfits from Corner Stork Baby Gifts and More. I love that these outfits are fun, yet not bulky or make it difficult to put them in a car seat!

Want to Win a $25 GC to My Baby Clothes Boutique?

Enter here to win on my other site!

My Baby Clothes Boutique sent me FORE Braid Two Tone Fedora to review. It's so cute!

This is such a classic hat. It makes my little boy stylish! Fedoras are back! This hat is made to last. The material inside is so soft. 

I have to admit that I had a hard time deciding what to buy at My Baby Clothes Boutique. I love all their baby hats! I had to go through 10 of them with Daddy before we decided what to get.

My Baby Clothes Boutique has such cute baby head bands, baby clothes and if I had a little girl I'd be first in line to get one of their adorable tutus!

Enter to win a $25 GC to My Baby Clothes Boutique at Planet of the Apels.

Green Earth Bamboo

I love the feeling bamoo! My youngest son has a crib sheet made out of bamboo.  It's so soft to the touch!

My Organized Chaos is giving away a $50 coupon to Green Earth Bamboo.

Check out some of these cute little finds:

KidzMed VeraTemp Non-Contact Thermometer Review and a Giveaway on My Other Blog!

I am hosting a giveaway for one of my Planet of the Apels readers to win a KidzMed VeraTemp Non-Contact Thermometer! Just click here to enter.

American Scientific Resources sent me KidzMed VeraTemp™ Non-Contact Thermometer to review and giveaway.

Fever:

I took my babies temperatures a few times a day at different stages just to know what their normal temp was. When something seemed off I knew what their temp should be. They have no way of telling you that they are not feeling good other then to be fussy. If you are ever concerned, call your doctor right away! Many offices have an on-call nurse for in the middle of the night concerns.
  
If I knew something like KidzMed VeraTemp™ Non-Contact Thermometer existed when my kids were babies, I would have gotten one! I'm so glad to review and give one away!

Reading Body Temperature:

1. Choose Centigrade or Fahrenheit.
2. Press MODE until the word Body appears in the display.
3. This is the cool part! With the thermometer positioned about 2 to 3 inches, or about 3 fingers width away from the forehead, press the SCAN button. The temperature is displayed instantly.

What we like about KidzMed VeraTemp™ Non-Contact Thermometer:

• My son likes that he doesn't have to put it in his mouth for it to read his temperature. You can take their temp without waking them up from a deep sleep.
• This is super cool: It has multiple uses. Sure it takes your child's temp. It also takes the nursery, formula, breastmilk, bath and food temps as well!
• It is pediatrician recommended.
• It has automatic shut off. 
• The package comes with instructions, batteries and a small bag to put your thermometer in!

Go here to win one!

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. American Scientific Resources provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. 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: alissa4illustrationAThotmailDOTcom 

A Mom and Her Baby - One Year of Breastfeeding

One year is quite an accomplishment! Check out Carla's blog!


Congrats to Carla and happy birthday to Hannah! Read all about their journey on Carla, the Bubblelush’s blog and YouTube channel, and get inspired.

Club Foot

My nephew Emerson was born with a club foot. This is harder to fix on it's own then bowed feet. Bowed feet can happen with any baby.

He just got his foot cast yesterday. No bones are broken. They just massage the foot to bend it; then cast it.




I got to sign Emerson's cast yesterday.

Bowed Feet

I had problems with my youngest having bowed feet/leg. In particular the left foot/leg.

Kids can get this from being in the womb. Basically they position themselves with the curvature of Mommy's belly. Their feet form to that curve. I was told by our pediatrician, "Don't worry about it. His feet will fix themselves over time."

He ended up going through teething and was really off balanced. He literally tripped over his own foot and ran smack into my sister's coffee table. We had to take him in to get stitches in his forehead.

Later we saw a different pediatrician to get Isaak's stitches out. Our doctor was not in the office that day. He told us to see an orthopedic doctor. The orthopedic doctor wrote us out a prescription to get special shoes to wear. I was freaking out! I was thinking my son would have problems with walking, running and was worried about the cost of special shoes. They basically looked like they were on the wrong feet. They were supposed to mold his feet back to being straight. Cost: $100, that insurance company does not cover. Insurance believes that all special foot ware is cosmetic. Therefore they won't cover the cost.

We went in for a check-up back at our pediatrician. Our doc said that those shoes do nothing to fix their feet. It's actually better to let them run around barefoot or in soft shoes like Robeez. We went back to wearing shoes like these:

Found here.

Today my son Isaak is now 3 years old. His feet look just fine.

You can find more information out about bowed feet here.

What is DHA? - Do We Need it?

DHA is something that is added into some milks and formulas. I always knew it was a good thing.

According to this website, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is a long-chair polyunsaturated omega 3 fatty acid. DHA accounts for about 97 percent of the omega-3 fats in the brain and 93 percent of the omega-3 fats in the retina. It also benefits the heart.

By taking it, it strengthens the brain, eyes and heart. Just like calcium is essential for building strong bones.

DHA is found in cold water fatty fish, such as salmon. It is also found in fish oil supplements, along with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Vegetarian sources of DHA come from seaweed.

A study was just done where med students added DHA into formula to see if babies would pay attention to pictures and computer screens longer. They did.

If your child is given cows milk, try and get one where it is rich in DHA. Talk to your pediatrician about adding DHA into your child's diet.

Give to Operation Smile

 

Operation Smile is a nonprofit organization that focuses on healing children's smiles. They look into safe, effective reconstructive surgery for children born with facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate.

Some children are born unable to socialize, speak, eat or smile because they have a cleft palate.

Image found here.

My oldest child was born with a cyst under his tongue. This made his tongue deformed. They told me my son may never talk or eat. I'm thankful he does both just fine. Operation Smile is a nonprofit organization that I can relate to.

Donate to Operation Smile here.

A company called Campus Book Rentals proudly donates to Operation Smile. Rent a college book for 1/2 the price of buying a book. Campus Book Rentals will then donate some of that cost to Operation Smile.

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 a basket of chocolate covered fruit. If you have questions about this post please contact me at: alissa4illustrationAThotmailDOTcom

What Do You Think of Cow's Genetics Being Altered to Produce Breastmilk?

Is a crime against nature being committed solely for corporate greed? You can read about this in the article found here.

Image found here.

Myths and Facts About Breastfeeding

There was an article in the Living Section of the Omaha World Herold Newspaper on August 29th called Myths and Facts About Breastfeeding. It was written by: Katy Healey.

Myth: There is no way to know if the baby is getting enough milk.

Fact: There are several ways to know if baby is getting enough milk at the breast: Swallowing is heard, the baby is relaxed after feeding, it has adequate wet and soiled diapers and adequate weight gain. After breastfeeding, a baby should act satisfied and not continue to exhibit feeding cues or mouthing motions that typically indicate hunger.

Myth: Moms don't make enough breast milk.

Fact: Moms who breastfeed regularly and frequently will supply enough milk, assuming the baby latches on properly. Milk supply may decrease if milk isn't being removed from the breast. If it's not removed, it's not going to be replenished. Sometimes medical conditions do affect milk production. Contact a lactation consultant for more information.

Myth: Modern formulas are the same as breastmilk.

Fact: Modern formulas are very different from breastmilk. Breastmilk is made specifically for human babies, and therefore is the most easily digested and the nutrients are readily absorbed. Formulas are made from cows milk and plant derivatives and do not contain the immunologic properties that protect babies from infection. 

Myth: Breastfeeding is painful.

Fact: Breastfeeding can be painful if baby is not latching on properly. The baby's nose should be aligned with the nipple so when baby opens his or her mouth wide, the nipple goes to the roof of the baby's mouth. If it is painful to breastfeed, contact a lactation consultant.

Myth: Moms who have infections should stop breastfeeding.

Fact: Mothers do not need to stop breastfeeding with most infections. In fact, breastfeeding while mom is sick provides babies with extra protective immunities specific to that infection. Seek advice from a lactation consultant if there is any question.

Myth: Moms on medication cannot breastfeed.

Fact: Most medications are compatible with breastfeeding, especially if it is safe to take during pregnancy. There are some medications that should not be taken, but often there are others that can be substituted. Seek advice from a certified lactation consultant or physician to determine safety.

Myth: Mothers must wash their nipples before breastfeeding.

Fact: Mothers do not need to wash their nipples prior to breastfeeding because doing so can remove the beneficial oils that are secreted from Montgomery glands.  The Montgomery glands are small pimple-like structures around the areola that produce oil that lubricates the areola and nipple and discourages bacterial growth. Daily rinsing with warm water while bathing is sufficient.


Sources: Carlie Lesley, lactation consultant, Nebraska Medical Center; Sue Hall, lactation consultant, Methodist Woman's Hospital