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Tag: child (Page 9 of 13)

Breast Milk Jewelry: A Meaningful Gift for a Nursing Mom

Any breastfeeding mom can tell you that their journey nursing their child is full of ups and downs, tears and smiles, chaos and calm. I’ve recently learned about breast milk jewelry: a meaningful gift for a nursing mom. The pieces are beautiful and I had to find out more! So I spoke to Kellie who owns Milk Vine Jewelry and makes this beautiful, personalized jewelry for moms all over the world. Continue reading

Three Mantras for the Tired Parent

Part of being a parent is just admitting that you’re tired. Perpetually, everlastingly tired. You can be tired and completely content at the same time, of course, but oftentimes that’s not the case. We are mentally and physically exhausted. Add in a toddler meltdown or a diaper blowout, and suddenly you feel like you have been pushed over the edge.

It’s no secret that I’m a big supporter of attachment parenting, but that’s not really what this article is about. Rather than talking about what to say to your kid, or how to act, I’m asking you to look inward. Freeze for a split second and get a sense of perspective. And say a mantra to yourself.

Here are three mantras for tired parents: connect with them, memorize them, use them, and breathe. Continue reading

The Four Biggest Things You Need to Know If You Want to Succeed at Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is amazing. I mean, it’s time consuming as hell, can hurt like hell, and gives you paranoia like hell. But other than all that, breastfeeding really is incredible! It’s one of the proudest achievements of my entire life, and I don’t regret a moment of my four-plus years of nursing my kids.

My first go around with nursing, I felt prepared. I took the class, read the books, and had boobs. Baby and I will be fine!, I thought. After all, breastfeeding is natural.

Now that I’ve been nursing for almost four years, I see what I wish I had known. So, to help out all of the other lactating mamas out there, I’ve built the list of the four biggest things you need to know if you want to succeed at breastfeeding. Continue reading

A Bedtime Routine for The Breastfeeding, Bedsharing Toddler

There are about one hundred ways to get your toddler ready for bed. And I bet you know them all: from baths to massage to lullabies and stories, everyone has the routine which works for their little one.

But when you breastfeed (which means that you probably nurse to sleep, and also possibly bedshare), your ritual can look quite different. So I thought I’d give some perspective to the parenting posts of the world, and show you what bedtime looks like at our house. Read on for a bedtime routine for a bedsharing toddler. Continue reading

What’s the Fuss with Amber Teething Necklaces?

Many moms swear by amber teething necklaces for their toddlers, claiming that the amber drastically reduces fussiness and pain associated with teething. Others say that the concept of amber makes no sense and that the jewelry is a waste of money. So what’s the fuss with amber teething necklaces, anyway?

I’ve been secretly dying to get my daughter a teething necklace and I finally did it! Now I’m here to share everything I’ve learned and observed. Continue reading

Review: The Ultimate Teether Comparison!

Teething sucks. It’s miserable for both parent and child. When I can tell my baby girl is hurting, one of the things I grab by default is a teether. They’re designed to let your baby gnaw away safely, providing comfort and a welcome distraction from teething pain!

I’ve collected quite a few varying designs and brands of teethers over the last few years and I decided it was time to do a comparison review! Here’s my honest opinion on several teethers of various styles, with photos included! Continue reading

Five Prompts to Help You Tell an Amazing Bedtime Story!

It’s bedtime, and your kids want a bedtime story. You probably know the rest. Or maybe your child is awake again, and you need to get them back to sleep!

When my babies have woken up in the middle of the night, they always want to hear a story to help them relax and fall back asleep. I don’t want to turn on a light and nothing comes to mind. If I don’t start spouting a tale soon, my kid will get agitated.

So I’ve come up with a few prompts to help you get started: my goal here is to help you create your own amazing, imaginative stories for your child! These are the bedtime tales which your kids will remember long after that sleepless night. Continue reading

Life with Cystic Fibrosis: A Mother’s Perspective

Like most people, I’d heard of cystic fibrosis (CF) but couldn’t really tell you a lot about it. A dear friend of mine named Stacy has been really influential in teaching my family about CF, since her daughter Elsa has it. I felt very strongly about getting some information out into the world to help more people, especially parents, learn about life with cystic fibrosis from a mother’s perspective. Continue reading

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