Now Is A Good Time To Learn About Breastfeeding

Whether you are thinking of breastfeeding your baby or you are trying to decide whether you will breastfeed your baby, it is important to educate yourself about breastfeeding. Of course, the best time to read up on breastfeeding is while you are pregnant, so that you can be ready to nurse your baby when she arrives. It is also good to become familiar with breastfeeding resources that offer information and support. That way, you’ll know right where to turn when challenges or questions come up along the way. One great resource that I have used to answer many of my … Continue reading

Tips For Adressing Common Early Breastfeeding Challenges

Even though your baby has not made his or her arrival just yet, it is not too early to educate yourself about breastfeeding. It may come as a surprise to learn that something so simple and so natural can actually be somewhat tricky to master. Unfortunately, many new moms do not realize that breastfeeding does not always happen easily right away. Don’t feel bad if you have a little trouble getting started and, more importantly, don’t give up. If you would like to breastfeed your baby, here are two of the common difficulties that you may encounter during the early … Continue reading

Baby Blog Month in Review: June 2008

June was my first official month posting for the Baby Blog. It has been a great experience. I love learning new things about babies and sharing it with friends. Of course, I could use your help. Whether you are a first-time mom or an experienced mom of a large family, I want to hear from you. Please share your advice, your questions and your comments. On which topics would you like to see more blogs? Meanwhile, take a look at all of the articles we had in June. June 2nd Introducing Babies to Birds Perhaps it is the fact that … Continue reading

Breastfeeding Preemies in a NICU is Different

Breast milk is absolutely the best food you can give your newborn. Not only does it provide numerous immunological benefits, but the breast milk of a mother who has given birth too early contains substantially more calorie packing fat than does the breast milk of a mother who has given birth at a full 40 weeks gestation. One difficulty in breastfeeding a preemie for some mothers is that good practices in giving breast milk to a preemie while he/she is in the NICU may well go against everything that the new mother has read or heard about breastfeeding. Here are … Continue reading

Valorie’s Breastfeeding Index

Later today I will post a review of the baby blog of 2007 so why does breastfeeding get its own category? Well, in part as an answer to readers who want to read what I’ve written on breastfeeding. I’ve written so much on breastfeeding at this point that you all have asked for an index of sorts so it’s easier to find what you’re looking for. It’s also in part because I’ve become known as the breastfeeding lady. . .guru. . .whatever you want to call it. I’ve been at this breastfeeding business for a long time and many of … Continue reading

Baby Blog Week in Review: May 8 to May 27

Oops! The last few weekends have been filled with craziness and I have simply forgotten to do my week in review blogs! Between homeschooling conventions, a bout with croup, and year end activities–the time (and my brain) just escaped from me. So if you’ve missed anything recently. . .it’s here! Saturday, May 26 Babies Have Astounding Capabilities Scientists and researchers are learning more and more about how babies learn language. It’s changing the way we define intelligent and challenging our beliefs on the best ways to enhance development. Friday, May 25 Preemies Listening to Vivaldi? Check out this exciting research … Continue reading

Understanding the Language of Breastfeeding

I’ve said it more than once in this blog; the time to learn about breastfeeding is when you are still pregnant. Trying to read through the breastfeeding books when you are exhausted and dealing with a newborn will leave you in tears. Spend some time during your pregnancy taking breastfeeding class, reading books and visiting a La Leche League meeting. When you spend time preparing in advance, you will feel more confident. If an issue does arise, you will probably remember reading about it and will be more likely to feel confident handling the situation. This blog contains some of … Continue reading

Principles in Breastfeeding a Preemie

Something that moms of preemies understand that the “normal” mothers don’t is that preemies have unique challenges and their “preemie” status follows them for at least a few years. Moms of preemies are always talking about real age vs. adjusted age as an indicator of developmental markers and preemie moms generally have to be extra cautious about illness during the first few years of life. We all know that breast milk is the best food for your baby. It is the best food for preemies as it contains valuable antibodies to ward off sickness and it contains extra fat to … Continue reading

Traveling With Children—Learn From My Mistakes

I used to be one of those travelers who would see a mother and her screaming child in the boarding area of an airport and secretly hope they wouldn’t be seated near me on a crowded flight. Well, that’s not entirely true. What I was really hoping for was that they wouldn’t be on my flight at all. Fast-forward a few years–now I’m the one with the baby. I might be older and wiser than I was when I was single, but giving birth didn’t gift me with the power to read minds. Then again, I don’t have to be … Continue reading

Pregnancy And Dreams

When you are pregnant, sleep does not always come easily. When you do get some rest, you may awaken to find that you had some very, very strange dreams while you were asleep. Strange dreams are par for the course during pregnancy, and it should come as no surprise that there is a connection between these dreams and all of those hormones that have flooded your system. In addition to an increase in the amount of dreams that women have during pregnancy, women are more likely to remember the dreams that they have while they are pregnant than they are … Continue reading