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Stop Judging – Breastfeeding vs Bottle feeding

March 14, 2015 by Larisha Campbell Leave a Comment

*Disclosure: Compensation was provided by The Honest Company via MomTrends. Thoughts and opinions are 100% mine and are not indicative of the opinions of The Honest Company or Momtrends. All images in this post courtesy of The Honest Company.

The Mommy Wars, especially when it comes to breastfeeding vs bottle feeding, are perpetually one of the most debated topics in the world. Every mom claims to be doing her best and everyone else has an opinion about what she could or could not be doing differently. It’s easy to judge. I know. I did it for a long time.

Not before I had Skibbles, but after. I would turn my nose up at anyone who was bottle feeding their child because why wouldn’t you want to give them the best you could offer. Many times I heard one “booby trap” explanation after explanation all setting these moms up for failure and I blamed them for not researching more on their own. But then, I got slammed into reality. What if it was the best they could offer?

I was sitting at a VIP session at MommyCon Philly in 2013 and I had been chatting with my friend and another woman who sat beside me as we mingled over breakfast and the speaker made her way around to chat with everyone personally. When she finally got over to us, we chatted for a few minutes before the woman sitting beside me thanked her for empowering her not to feel bad about not being able to breastfeed. She went on to tell her story about being diagnosed with insufficient glandular tissue. I didn’t even know what that meant until I got home and looked it up later, but I felt horrible afterwards for learning that there really are issues that women can have that make breastfeeding simply impossible.

Now, of course, I still fully advocate and push for breastfeeding. However, I’m much more relaxed and understanding many of the reasons why someone doesn’t. That moment truly taught me that we all have to stop judging each other as much because we never know what someone else is or has gone through.

Luckily, companies like The Honest Company, have the mission to inspire and empower families to live a healthy life and are giving them options to make the best decisions for their family. Available on Honest.com and in over 2,500 retail locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, they are easily accessible for many. With over 100 products and growing, they aim to build healthy and safe families, especially in development between 0-3 years old.

I was excited to learn that they recently announced their brand new feeding line that has options for all moms who choose to either breastfeed, formula feed, or need to do a combination. Here’s some more information about this new feeding line:

Lactation Plus $19.95: Highly targeted, scientifically formulated blend of botanical extracts and organic ingredients designed to help support breast milk production.
Organic Nipple Balm $13.95: Organic salve helps to soothe pain and irritation and encourage healing to relieve and revitalize nursing nipples.
2-in-1 Nursing Cover + Scarf $59.95: Designed in collaboration with Piece & Co., stylish year-round accessory and easy privacy cover for nursing made of soft and breathable 100% organically grown cotton.
Nursing Pillow $69.95: Foam-free and specially designed to offer stable support and comfort for both baby and mom, with a superior patented surface that gently angles baby to encourage optimal feeding position.
Baby DHA $19.95: Carefully sourced from premium fish oil with added Vitamin D3 that provides critical support for brain and eye development and earned the highest Five-Star IFOS rating for purity, potency, and freshness.

Natural Feeding Baby Bottle $12.95 (5 oz.) $14.95 (8 oz.): Features a highly innovative design using medical-grade silicone and peristaltic nipple to closely mimic natural breastfeeding, squeezable bottle and integrated tri-vent system to reduce gas, colic, reflux, and spit-up.
Natural Feeding Peristaltic Nipples (2) $4.95: Medical-grade silicone with flex accordion design allows baby to feed in natural, wave-like motion to provide easy assimilation and transition between breast and bottle-feeding.
Certified Organic Premium Infant Formula $29.95: Carefully modeled after breast milk, nutritionally complete, easy to digest, and meticulously blended using ingredients sourced from trusted organic farms, made without GMOs (genetically engineered ingredients) and “Honestly Free” of gluten, pesticides, carrageenan, hexane-extracted DHA, antibiotics, growth hormones,, and artificial colors and dyes .
Formula Dispenser $6.95: Convenient 3-compartment solution for easy, hygienic feeding: anywhere, anytime.

Giving options to breastfeeding mothers to have the best products to set them up for success, along with helping formula feeding mothers by giving them better, healthier options to feed their babies is a win/win for everyone and I’m thrilled that The Honest Company takes the nutrition of all babies seriously.

You can see the brand new feeding line at The Honest Company and view their other products, as well as using their retail locator to see where you can purchase products locally as well.

Lactation Boosting Foods to Increase Milk Supply

March 12, 2015 by Larisha Campbell 2 Comments

Galactogogues.

Say it with me….Galactogogues….Yea, chances are you don’t have a clue how to pronounce it either. Am I right?

I’m pretty sure I gave up after the first try because I also get tongue tied trying to say it. It’s easier for me to say lactation boosting foods and herbs that increase milk supply. But regardless if you can say it or not, what exactly is a galactogogue, who needs to look into taking them, do they really work, and what foods actually work to increase a breastfeeding mother’s supply.

Galactogogues themselves refer specifically to herbs or medicines used to increase a breastfeeding mother’s milk production. However, there are other foods out there that may also help. But…before you jump into the car and head to the store to buy everything on the list, there’s one VERY important question.

Do YOU need to be taking something to boost your milk supply?

Chances are you don’t. Many mothers, unfortunately, fall into “booby traps” where they are lead to believe that they aren’t making enough milk, when they actually are. If your baby has the appropriate amount of wet/dirty diapers, is gaining weight on track according to the WHO chart, and is meeting age appropriate milestones, you don’t NEED anything to boost your supply. Outdated information, bad advice from family, friends, and even pediatricians, a society that condemns public breastfeeding, and a culture that sends mothers back to work before they should, are all problems that may have mothers believe that there is a drop in their supply or see an actual drop in their supply.

So how do you know if you should be taking lactation boosting foods and herbs?

First — Go see a Certified Lactation Consultant. Better yet, go see an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). Chances are that you ARE making enough milk and the issue is that you aren’t feeding often enough, emptying your breasts completely, or even using the wrong size flanges on your pump, which can decrease your milk supply because you are telling your body not to make enough. This KellyMom article for increasing supply is also an amazing reference.

What are some cases where you may need to look into lactation boosting foods and herbs?

Premature delivery
Illness in the infant where physical breastfeeding isn’t an option often enough
Adoptive nursing
Hypothyroidism
Separation of mother/infant for reasons such as returning to work

As you can see, there are very little reasons why you may need to look into this. For me personally, my returning menstrual cycle was the only time that I noticed during our 26+ months of breastfeeding, that I needed a little boost but I also work from home. We know that MANY, many mothers have to return to work quickly and keeping up with the demand can be challenging.

One reason, you should seek out a lactation consultant or IBCLC is because you simply don’t know the reason for believing that you have a low supply and other practices, like more time at the breast, different size flanges for your breast pump, or skin to skin contact with your baby could all be more beneficial in the long term than lactation boosting foods that are masking a true problem. Also – many of these herbs and foods have not be tested for safety when it comes to the breastfeeding mother/infant dyad and as with any natural remedy, there can be side effects. Fenugreek, for example, can result in low blood sugar if the wrong doses are consumed, and should also be discussed with a medical practitioner before using.

All that said, these are the common herbs and foods recommended for boosting your milk supply:

Alfalfa
Anise
Barley
Blessed Thistle
Brewer’s Yeast
Fenugreek
Fennel and Fennel Seed
Goat’s Rue
Hops
Marshmallow Root
Milk Thistle
Nettle
Oatmeal
Red Raspberry Leaf

Additionally, these foods may be beneficial:

Beets, carrots, yams and other vegetables high in beta-carotene
Dark, leafy green (think spinach, kale, greens) because of their nutrient components offer benefits

This post from Nice Breastfeeding gives dosing recommendations that you can discuss with your medical provider.

It’s very important to consider that even if you do notice an increase in using one or a mixture of these products, that ultimately getting your baby/child to the breast more often will ultimately, in most cases, increase your supply more than anything else.

Have you had success with any of these herbs or food options? Did we miss something? Leave a comment below letting us know what did or did not work for you!

You may be interested in our Lactation Boosting recipes that we currently have:

5 Bonus Benefits of Breastfeeding

February 17, 2015 by Larisha Campbell Leave a Comment

Are there really benefits to breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding is a beautiful experience. One of the best decisions I made in my life was to breast feed my boys. Not only is it extremely beneficial for their health; helping to protect them against many illnesses, while also lowering the risk of SIDS. I love the bond and special moments I share with my children while nursing. The amazing snuggles they give me and the comfort I can provide them fills my heart with warmth. But along with those precious moments that will never be replaced or forgotten there are also fun benefits of breastfeeding given to you, the mama, while nursing your children.

Here’s 5 BONUS benefits of breastfeeding

I get to sit on my tush for a few minutes– several times a day. As moms we live a busy life of go, go, go. Many hours spent chasing after and playing with our children, and running them doctors appointments and soccer practices. So those moments when my 6 month old wants to have his Mama milk, I get at least 15 minutes to sit down and relax where I don’t feel like I should be doing something else.
Playing off the above. While nursing I browse facebook, chat with friends, look up things on Pinterest I will probably never recreate, and catch up on TV shows I usually fall asleep to at night. I may be feeding my child, but I consider this “me” time too.
You get to be a little lazy. This is one of my favorite bonus benefits of breastfeeding. Remember the newborn stage and the constant feedings? Of coarse you do! I loved not having to get out of bed to make bottles in the middle of the night. All I had to do was life up my shirt and it’s party time. My baby is fed and I didn’t open an eye. The feedings may not be as constant now in the wee hours of the morning, but I still have the luxury of laying in bed instead of trudging my tired butt downstairs to the kitchen to make a bottle.
Get to make hubby help. When hubby hollers, “Honey the big one pooped” I get to respond with, “Oh sorry babe… You will have to change it, I have a baby on the boob.” (Yes- I’m extremely sorry I won’t be able to smell that wretched odor that evacuates from my toddlers rear)
The ability to disappear. Though I am not shy about nursing. I have nursed at theme parks, family picnics, birthday parties, the mall, and while grocery shopping to name a few. It can provide a great escape if you want some quite time or to avoid certain people. Oh sorry I have to go feed the baby- I’ll be back in 20. (Maybe, if we don’t fall asleep in bed or if I don’t play catch up on my TV shows) #sorryimnotsorry

These bonus benefits of breastfeeding above along with the health benefits and bonding moments make breastfeeding a fantastic choice for you and your child. I am almost 7 months in with my youngest son with no plans to stop in the near future, and why would I? Those perks make extended breast feeding sound even better. So excuse me while I go lay down… I mean feed my son.

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Tandem Nursing…You Can Breastfeed Twins! {Guest Post}

December 29, 2012 by Larisha Campbell 4 Comments

Twins! The word evokes a sense of excitement in some…and a sense of fear in others. I was in the latter camp when, at 10 weeks along, I found out we were having not one, but two babies. I had never in my lifetime dreamt that I would have twins, and with two older boys already, I was overwhelmed at the thought!

After announcing to the world that we were having twins, then came the repeated commentary. “Congratulations” was not always the typical response. We often heard comments that were, well, less than optimistic about the situation. “Better you than me!” “Wow, you’ll sure have your hands full.” We even heard, “I’m so sorry, that is going to be so difficult for you.” Then, as my due date approached I began to get questions and comments regarding breastfeeding. All of my friends and family knew I had exclusively breastfed my older boys, so they were curious as to how I was going to handle this situation. “Certainly you’re not going to breastfeed your twins, are you?” “If you do breastfeed, you’ll have to pump.” “You will have to supplement with formula, you know.” Even the hospital lactation consultant told me I wouldn’t be able to breastfeed my twins exclusively for the first eight weeks. She sent me home with a detailed pumping-nursing-supplementing plan. And the commentary went on and on…

You Can Breastfeed Twins

I am here to tell you, from experience, if you want to exclusively breastfeed your twins, you can! Don’t let the naysayers say otherwise. My twins were exclusively breastfed from the day they came home from the hospital until almost a year old, and at 17 months have not yet weaned. Having the right disposition and mindset will do wonders for your success in breastfeeding twins! If you have never breastfed, do remember, it’s not easy for everyone to get started. Be sure to ask for help. Ask for help from a trusted family member or friend that is experienced in breastfeeding. Ask a lactation consultant or contact your local La Leche League.

Tandem Nursing

Breastfeeding twins is a juggling act—literally! I found that it was important to help my babies learn how to breastfeed individually before I could tandem nurse them. Because most twins are premature and small, they sometimes need a little extra help learning how to latch appropriately and really getting the hang of nursing. One of the tools I’ve found indispensable in tandem breastfeeding is using a twin nursing pillow. I used the My Brest Friend Twin Nursing pillow. I used it when my babies were tiny and I still use it now when they’re 17 months old! I’ve also heard good things about the EZ-2 Nurse Twin Nursing Pillow. If you plan to tandem nurse your babies, I highly recommend you purchase one of these. I wanted to be able to tandem nurse from day one. While I’ve read some women can do this—and more power to you if you can—it just didn’t happen for me and my boys. My twins, like I mentioned above, needed a little one-on-one attention. After they got the hang of nursing, and had better head control, tandem nursing was a breeze. It took just a few weeks and we were tandem nursing more often than not. Don’t get discouraged if you aren’t tandem nursing from the start—you’ll get there eventually!

Why Breastfeed

Breastfeeding is incredibly important to both your babies health, your health, and bonding with your baby. Make learning how to breastfeed them a priority and surround yourself with positive supportive people on this journey. Don’t beat yourself up if you need help or find that you do need to supplement your babies along the way. As a mom of twins you have too much on your plate to waste energy berating yourself. Enjoy your babies and the journey with them—they grow up too fast.

. . . .

Trisha is a mom to 4 fabulous boys and 1 wonderful husband. She stays busy homeschooling Bradley (8), trying to keep up with Cameron (almost 4), and loving on her twinsies Dylan & Elliot (1). Trisha loves to research and read about a number of topics. She and her husband write about a great diversity of subjects on their blog Intoxicated on Life including: faith, family, homeschooling, health, and anything else that strikes her fancy! They hope you’ll also enjoy following Intoxicated on Life on facebook and twitter.

*This is a guest post. Thoughts and opinions don’t necessarily reflect our own.

Hospital Bassinet Sign for Breastfed Baby

October 17, 2012 by Larisha Campbell 7 Comments

I have been *slowly* packing our bags for the hospital. I saw this idea somewhere on the internet early in my pregnancy, but then couldn’t find it again, so I decided last night to make our own.

While I do not plan for my baby to ever leave my room while we are at the hospital, let’s face it…not everything always goes as expected and if there are complications with either the baby or myself, there may be a period of time when the baby is away. Because of that, I wanted a sign to go on our babies bassinet that clearly stated our desires that our baby will be exclusively breastfed.

Hospital Bassinet Sign for a Breastfeeding Baby

Did anyone else make or have a sign like this? Leave a comment below and let me know!

If you would like a copy of this please e-mail wereparentsnj1@gmail.com and I would be happy to share!

L’ovedbaby Nursing Cover Review & Giveaway

August 28, 2012 by Larisha Campbell 12 Comments

*Disclaimer: I received this product from the company in order to review. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and I was in no way compensated for this review. Affiliates links contained within this post. We receive a small commission if you make a purchase.

When it comes to nursing covers, people seem to either love them or hate them. Waiting on my first loved one to arrive, I’m not sure which side I’m on yet, but I know that my expectation is that I will use them all the time.

I recently had the opportunity to review L’ovedbaby’s 4-in-1 Nursing Shawl and I can tell you I immediately fell head over heals as soon as I opened the package that they sent to me. It comes in the most adorable drawstring pouch that can actually be used itself for storing one diaper (cloth or disposable) and to-go wipes when your out and don’t want to carry the entire diaper bag.

I wanted the option to nurse in public “privately” but everything I find seems so similar to aprons, until now. Since there’s still a great neckline, I will still be able to have eye contact with my baby. Unlike many other covers, this one has a front and back (hence the “shawl”) so it’s stylish and completely blends in with any outfit you would wear. It can be used as a pregnancy poncho, canopy for stroller or carseat, and/or a lightweight blankie, in addition to being a nursing cover.

Photo Credit: L’ovedbaby

I decided to wear this out with a pair of leggings one day and loved how you couldn’t even tell it was supposed to be a nursing cover and the lightweight feel it had when I tried to see if I would get hot under it while holding my loved one.

Final thoughts: I can’t rave about this nursing shawl enough. The material is so super soft that it makes me want to use it as a blanket myself. I love that unlike a different nursing cover I received from my baby shower, this one completely covers me and since there are no clasps or hooks, I don’t have to worry about my baby pulling it down and exposing myself. It’s also machine washable and dryer friendly. Did I mention how soft it was??

The only con I can come up with (which in my opinion, after receiving, I threw out the window) was that priced at $32.95 it was more expensive than I’ve seen other ones go for retail. However, after seeing the versatility of the shawl and the quality, I would pay this price over and over again and plan on it to buy it in other colors. It’s the ultimate gift for any new or expectant mom.

In addition to these amazing 4-in-1 nursing shawls, L’ovedbaby also has burp clothes, swaddlers, baby clothes, and gift baskets.

BUY IT: You can purchase the shawl in one of seven colors on Amazon.com.

WIN IT:

ONE Lucky winner will receive their own 4-in-1 Nursing Shawl in the Grand Sand color. Complete the Rafflecopter form below to be entered to win!!

This giveaway is over.

*Disclaimer: I received this product from the company in order to review. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and I was in no way compensated for this review.

Breastfeeding…How Long Should You Do It?

July 31, 2012 by Larisha Campbell 6 Comments

There has been a lot of debate lately about breastfeeding.

First, TIME magazine put a very controversial cover featuring a woman breastfeeding an approximately 4 year old child.

Then, two military moms were featured in the news for breastfeeding while wearing their uniforms.

I was about 3 months pregnant when all of this controversy started and I have to admit it confused me even more. The military mom debate upset me because I don’t believe there is anything wrong with this; however, with the TIME magazine article, I have to admit, the thought of still breastfeeding while preparing my child for school in the fall, scares me. The thing about the TIME cover that angered me was the title “Are You Mom Enough?” To me, it suggests that if you don’t breastfeed that long, or even at all, you aren’t as “MOM” as women that do. And in a country where breastfeeding is already frowned upon in public, this should not be the message being portrayed.

Enough about my opinions on the articles….I knew way before I became pregnant that I was going to breastfeed. My mom breastfeed me and my sister has breastfeed both of my nieces and plans on it once her new baby arrives. I know the health benefits of breastfeeding over formula feeding, as well as the cost benefits (obviously my breasts are free vs paying for formula).

After speaking and hearing some local moms in a variety of FB mom groups I’m in, I know this is one more thing I need to spend a lot of research on. Obviously, anything can happen and there’s always the possibility that maybe I won’t be able to breastfeed at all….(I pray constantly this doesn’t happen)….but my first goal is going to be 6 months exclusively breastfeeding (EBF). This means nothing for my baby except breastmilk.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have both reaffirmed their recommendations to EBF until 6 months. A baby simply doesn’t need anything beside the nutrients a mother can give during this time. The WHO also has a great article on when to start introducing other foods after 6 months as well.

What are your thoughts/opinions on breastfeeding? What age is too old and why do you feel that way?

Updated 2/13/15 — Interestingly enough as confused as I was at the time of posting this, I am currently nursing my 26 month old while pregnancy with Baby #2. How time changes things!