Photo by M. Nota

I need your advice! We’re getting ready to register for baby stuff and I’m overwhelmed with all the choices. Can you please answer the following or give me any advice you think will be helpful?

1) What tools/items/stuff did you get for your baby either early or later on that you are so glad you got?

2) What did you think you needed that you never used and wasn’t worth getting?

3) Recommendations for breast pumps? Bottles? Strollers? Car seats? Baby carriers (slings vs. bjorns vs. whatever else)?

4) Any opinions on cloth vs. disposable diapers? I was surprised to read on several web sites that cloth ones don’t turn out to be very much cheaper once you factor in supplies and laundry, so I guess it is more an environmental choice?

5) What else???

My answers:

1. Glad I had: Ring sling. Rocker/glider with foot rest. Good birth, breastfeeding, and parenting books.

2. Didn’t need: never had a crib and never missed it.

3. Breast pump: Medela Pump in Style

Bottles: Not that I could ever get my babies to take a bottle, but I would look for glass bottles like Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow Glass Bottle 2-Pack, 3.5 oz or at least BPA-free bottles like BornFree Plastic Bottles Triple-Pack 5oz 3 Pair

Baby carrier: Maya Wrap Organic Baby Sling. I wish I had learned how to use a wrap in addition to the ring sling.

Car seat: Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat

4. Cloth diapers are way cheaper than disposables especially if your sister hooks you up with her stash. You can also buy used, plan to use them for more than one baby, and sell them when you are done. You can save money on laundry by washing every other day and line drying the diapers as is best for them anyway. In the end it didn’t come down to cost vs. environment as much as I was more comfortable putting cloth against my baby’s skin than paper diapers and their chemicals (not that I don’t use disposables occasionally).

5. What else? I wish I had prepared more for the birth than for the baby. You already know my opinions on my home versus hospital births:

Labor Day Meme
A Safe and Satisfying Home Birth and Water Birth: My Story
Cost of Giving Birth at the Hospital or at Home
Ten Advantages of a Home Birth

Your Thoughts

Please leave a comment for others to benefit from the communal wisdom!

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Wisconsin

On February 24, 2009, the Wisconsin Senate passed the Right to Breastfeed Act (SB 16). If it becomes law, it would affirm a woman’s right to breastfeed in any public or private location where the mother is otherwise authorized to be, and would provide a penalty of up to $200 for interfering with that right. The organization Wisconsin Family Action had been pushing for the senators to vote against the bill or to add a “modesty amendment” requiring mothers “to be discreet (e.g. use a blanket or a towel) to preserve modesty.” A law requiring women to be discreet or modest would be a setback for breastfeeding women! Those terms are terribly subjective and would make nursing women feel less protected rather than more! Fortunately the Senate Amendment 1 that passed was not a modesty clause. Here is the text with the original line struck through and the amendment added:

253.16 Right to breast−feed. A mother may breast−feed her child in any public or private location where the mother is otherwise authorized to be. No person may interfere with the right of a mother to breast−feed her child as provided in this may prohibit a mother from breast−feeding her child as provided in this section.

I would rather have seen the bill passed as originally written, because the amended bill appears to open the door for someone to ask a mother to cover up: “I wasn’t prohibiting her from breastfeeding, I just asked her to cover up or move to a different location!”

Governor Jim Doyle has said he will sign the bill into law if it passes the Assembly. Currently it has been referred to the Assembly committee on Public Safety. I hope Wisconsin mothers and other breastfeeding advocates keep a close eye on this bill and urge the members of the Assembly to pass the bill as originally written, or at least pass the current version without any modesty amendment!

North Dakota

Unfortunately the North Dakota Senate passed a bill with a modesty clause on February 18. The relevant portion of Senate Bill 2344 says:

Right to breastfeed. If the woman acts in a discreet and modest manner, a woman may breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, where the woman and child are otherwise authorized to be.

Here’s my really insightful one-word analysis of this text: YIKES! Who gets to decide what would be “discreet” and “modest”? This bill isn’t a “right to breastfeed” it’s a “right for people to police breastfeeding mothers”! It screams for people to interfere with breastfeeding. “Excuse me ma’am, but you’re not being discreet according to my standards and I want you to put a blanket over yourself and your baby or get out of here!”

The bill now goes to the House. North Dakotans need to contact their legislators and urge them to pass the bill without the modesty clause. North Dakota is one of four states without breastfeeding legislation on the books, but it would be better to remain one of those four states than to pass the bill as it stands! There is a Facebook group “Got Mom’s Milk? in North Dakota” that discusses the legislation and keeps track of some of the contacts with state legislators.

Washington

Washington state is also contemplating a bill to protect breastfeeding. House Bill 1596 treats breastfeeding as a civil right:

(g) the right of a mother to breastfeed her child in any place of public resort, accommodation, assemblage, or amusement.

Now that’s more like it! It’s a strong bill that would create an enforceable right, unlike many other breastfeeding laws. Under such a law, if a woman were a victim of discrimination for breastfeeding, she could file a civil action to enjoin further discrimination and recover damages and attorney’s fees.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

This contest is now closed. Thank you for your interest!

The last giveaway from Breast Pumps Direct and Breastfeeding 1-2-3 was so popular, we are running the contest again! One more lucky prize winner will receive a Phillips Avent Isis On The Go Set (pictured above), BornFree BPA Free 5-oz. Glass Bottles Triple Pack, BornFree BPA Free 9-oz. Plastic Wide Neck Bottle Twin Pack, Philips Avent Nursing Reminder Bracelet, and Lily Padz Nursing Pads! The prizes have a total retail value of $119.73 and that’s not including the value of free shipping to anywhere in the United States, Canada, Mexico, or Puerto Rico! See details below for how to enter before the end of the day, Friday, January 30, 2009, Pacific Coast Time!

Prize Details

The prize package from Breast Pumps Direct includes:

1. Phillips Avent Isis Breast Pump Set. The Phillips Avent Isis On The Go Set contains a manual breast pump, insulated micro-fiber tote, 2 4oz. Avent Natural Feeding Bottles, 2 9oz. Avent Natural Feeding Bottles, 2 Avent Anti-Colic Nipples with Newborn Flow Rates, 4 sealing discs for breast milk storage, 2 dome caps, 8 disposable nursing pads and 2 flexible cooling packs. Retail value $49.95.

2. BornFree BPA-Free 5-oz. Glass Bottles Triple Pack. The Born Free 5oz. BPA Free Glass Bottle is made of clear glass and does not contain bisphenol-A. Retail value $23.89.

3. BornFree BPA-Free 9-oz. Plastic Wide Neck Bottles Twin Pack. The Born Free 9oz. BPA Free Plastic Bottles are made of a honey-colored material that does not contain bisphenol-A or phthalates. Retail value $19.99.

4. Lily Padz Nursing Pads. These silicone pads apply gentle pressure to the nipple to stop leakage and keep you dry and comfortable. Retail value $18.95.

5. Phillips Avent Nursing Reminder Bracelet. This Mothers Minder Reminder Bracelet is designed to help you remember when you last fed your baby and from which breast. Retail value $6.95.

How to Enter

The contest is open to entrants with mailing addresses in the United States, Canada, Mexico, or Puerto Rico. You have two chances to win! For your first entry, simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address before the end of the day January 30, 2009 Pacific Coast Time. For a second chance to win, mention this contest on your blog with a link back to this post, and — this is the key part to get a second entry number — leave a second comment letting me know about your post! The winning comment number will be picked at random using Random.org. I will notify the winner on January 31 both at Breastfeeding123.com and by email. The winner will have until February 3, 2009, to get back to me with a postal mailing address for shipping within the United States, Canada, Mexico, or Puerto Rico, or another winner will be selected.

Leave a comment below!

For more contests, see:

~ My other giveaway of three copies of The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk
~ My other giveaway for Mommy’s Little Breastfeeding Book
~ The Bloggy Giveaways Carnival

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

This contest has ended! Thanks for your interest!

Thanks to Breast Pumps Direct, one lucky prize winner will receive a Phillips Avent Isis On The Go Set (pictured above), BornFree BPA Free 5-oz. Glass Bottles Triple Pack, BornFree BPA Free 9-oz. Plastic Wide Neck Bottle Twin Pack, Philips Avent Nursing Reminder Bracelet, and Lily Padz Nursing Pads! The prizes have a total retail value of $119.73 and that’s not including the value of free shipping to anywhere in the United States, Canada, Mexico, or Puerto Rico! See details below for how to enter before the end of the day, Friday, October 31, 2008!

Prize Details

The prize package includes:

1. Phillips Avent Isis Breast Pump Set. The Phillips Avent Isis On The Go Set contains a manual breast pump, insulated micro-fiber tote, 2 4oz. Avent Natural Feeding Bottles, 2 9oz. Avent Natural Feeding Bottles, 2 Avent Anti-Colic Nipples with Newborn Flow Rates, 4 sealing discs for breast milk storage, 2 dome caps, 8 disposable nursing pads and 2 flexible cooling packs. Retail value $49.95.

2. BornFree BPA-Free 5-oz. Glass Bottles Triple Pack. The Born Free 5oz. BPA Free Glass Bottle is made of clear glass and does not contain bisphenol-A. Retail value $23.89.

3. BornFree BPA-Free 9-oz. Plastic Wide Neck Bottles Twin Pack. The Born Free 9oz. BPA Free Plastic Bottles are made of a honey-colored material that does not contain bisphenol-A or phthalates. Retail value $19.99.

4. Lily Padz Nursing Pads. These silicone pads apply gentle pressure to the nipple to stop leakage and keep you dry and comfortable. Retail value $18.95.

5. Phillips Avent Nursing Reminder Bracelet. This Mothers Minder Reminder Bracelet is designed to help you remember when you last fed your baby and from which breast. Retail value $6.95.

How to Enter

The contest is open to entrants with mailing addresses in the United States, Canada, Mexico, or Puerto Rico. You have two chances to win! For your first entry, simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address before the end of the day October 31, 2008 Pacific Coast Time. For a second chance to win, mention this contest on your blog with a link back to this post, and — this is the key part to get a second entry number — leave a second comment letting me know about your post! The winning comment number will be picked at random using Random.org. I will notify the winner on November 1 both at Breastfeeding123.com and by email. The winner will have until November 4, 2008, to get back to me with a postal mailing address for shipping within the United States, Canada, Mexico, or Puerto Rico, or another winner will be selected.

Leave a comment below!

This contest has been part of the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

2. Baby-Wearing: Along for the Ride is running a summer contest to win the essential babywearing stash, which includes one Gypsy Mama Wrap, one Hotslings pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Beco Butterfly, and one ZoloWear Ring Sling – in your choice of any in-stock colors or patterns. The contest runs through July 31st, 2008.

3. Cloth Diapering: Nature’s Child is offering a chance to win a bumGenius 3.0 Starter Kit: 18 diapers, diaper sprayer, a dozen cloth wipes, and a bottle of odor remover. Contest open through July 31st, 2008.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Here at Breastfeeding 1-2-3 I am pleased to share this guest post from Holly, whose son has benefited from her exclusive pumping over the last 10 months!

Breastfeeding, Pumping, and Cleft Palate, by Holly

The breastfeeding relationship I share with my son is nothing like I expected it would be.

He was born last August, healthy in every way but one–he had a cleft palate. Nine days after his birth, we ended up in the Emergency Room of the local Children’s Hospital because he was dehydrated. That’s how we learned that try as we might, DS couldn’t nurse. (It’s like drinking through a straw with a hole in it: you get some liquid, but it takes a lot of work. He was burning more calories than he was taking in.) I’ve been exclusively pumping and bottlefeeding him since that day.

The nurses in the ER–and in the NICU, where we spent the next three days–were wonderfully supportive of my desire to breastfeed. They introduced me to breast pumps and showed me what to do. When it turns out that my milk had gone back to colostrum because I wasn’t getting enough stimulation, they made sure I didn’t give up hope. The hospital’s lactation consultant was a great help too, answering our questions and helping my husband and I learn to use the special Haberman nipple (see an example of a complete Haberman Feeder with a bottle here) that helps him eat.

Those early days were hard. It was discouraging to sit at the pump for 15 minutes, and see only a few milliliters of milk in the bottle! Slowly but surely, my supply caught up to my son’s hunger and he has had almost exclusively breast milk since that hospital visit. I was afraid that it would be hard bond with my son, but it wasn’t. We’re not often skin to skin, but all that close snuggling can’t be beat! And my husband gets to share the bond, since he shares the feeding.

In many ways, I am very lucky. Not only are my husband and those nurses supportive, so are my family, friends and coworkers. Before my son was born, I bought a pump from a friend in preparation for going back to work, so I had what I needed at home to start pumping right away. The book The Milk Memos made me realize how lucky I am at work: I have a second pump in my office and can pump while I work (with the door closed and a “Dairy in Operation” sign blocking the window.) I am also grateful that this was my first child, so I’ve never known what it’s like to breastfeed. My situation is far from ideal, but it works for me since it’s the only one I know.

Don’t get me wrong: exclusive pumping is not fun. It’s impersonal and kind of uncomfortable. And oh, so time consuming! Ideally, I pump every 2-3 hours (except at night, when I only get up once) so it seems like every time I turn around, it’s time to pump again. And let’s face it–it’s a lot harder to discreetly attach yourself to a machine with a motor and plastic tubing than it is to discreetly nurse an infant. Our dining room table is full of the pump and all the things I keep nearby to make the best of the time I’m stuck in front of it: my computer, books, crosswords, Sudoku, the calendar where I’m recording the new things my son is doing.

Somewhere around the eighth month mark, I was DONE. My son developed a new habit of sitting just out of reach, bawling. I was sick to death of my life being ruled by the need to hook up to the milk machine. Luckily Angela pointed me to the pumping forums at KellyMom.com, and one of those moms told me about EPers, a Yahoo group just for women like me who exclusively pump. What a godsend! Those ladies helped me keep going when I needed it most.

From the start, my goal was to pump until his cleft palate repair surgery at nine months, then try to nurse him. His surgery was last month, and was a success. Unfortunately this is the most hectic time in my work life, and adding nursing to all the other demands on my time isn’t working out well. Despite early good intentions, I did not keep up with putting him to the breast for comfort all these months, so we’d have a lot of learning to do. Instead, I may forgo the nursing and keep pumping until he’s a year old. I know better than to make such a big decision when I’m stressed out, so I’ll decide for sure when this work crunch is over.

Regardless of what happens, I will always be proud that I have been able to give him so much mama’s milk. Breastfeeding has always seemed like the healthiest and most natural choice to me, so even though pumping is a drag, I never really considered not doing it. The fact that it’s free and locally grown (so to speak) are icing on the cake! I will be glad to put this demand on my life behind me, but will never regret choosing to pump to feed my son.

More Carnival Entries on Pumping and Hand Expression

Please enjoy these contributions to the carnival as they come in:

Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog: Tips for Introducing a Bottle
Mama Knows Breast: Enter to Win a Medela Freestyle Pump (deadline July 1, 2008)
BreastfeedingMums: Electrify Me
Adventures of a Breastfeeding Mother: Pumping Tips
Raising Baby Bee: Pumping at Work
The Attached Mother: Donating Milk
Hobo Mama: Thrills and Chills of Person-to-Person Milk Donation
Mike and Toni’s: Hands-Free Pumping Invention

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

“Is it safe to buy a used breast pump or share a breast pump?” 

“Can I rent a pump?”

“Are there programs to help me pay for a pump?”

You can also learn how to file a report of a problem with your pump.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Free

1. Your time. If you are a close friend or relative of the nursing mother and can offer your assistance with house-cleaning, laundry or babysitting, this gift will likely be much appreciated. There are a few caveats though. Don’t just dive in and start cleaning or the mother might be offended! Find a nice way to ask, starting with a compliment. “You are doing such a fabulous job with your baby. I remember how overwhelming it can be at the beginning, though. Is there anything I can do around the house to help? I’m not shy about pitching in where it would be appreciated!” Personally I liked to do my own laundry, but I gratefully jumped at the chance for someone else to wash the dinner dishes! As for babysitting, the nursing mother may not wish to be far from the baby for long, depending on the baby’s age and temperament. Whenever I went out on the town, I took my baby and even my toddler with me, but I readily accepted an offer for someone to watch my child while I napped or soaked in a relaxing, hot bath. Once I had two children, it was lovely to have someone play with my older child for an hour or two so I could focus some time on my baby (or the other way around).

2. Your nursing paraphernalia. Offer to loan the nursing mother your nursing clothes, nursing pillow and any breastfeeding and childcare books you found particularly helpful. The one thing that shouldn’t be shared though is a breast pump, unless it’s one of the rare models where every part of the pump that comes into contact with breast milk is replaceable.

3. A downloadable children’s book. Remember the beautiful breastfeeding art by the artist Birgit? Not only does she sell her prints and a breastfeeding goddesses calendar, she also offers a free downloadable children’s book called “What Babies Eat.”

Under U.S. $10

1. A hot meal. My playgroup friends arranged to deliver hot meals to each mother in the group for the week or two after the mother gave birth to her second child. When one of my friends was expecting her third child and she did not need any new boy or girl clothing, I arranged a “once-a-month cooking” baby shower during which we prepared 14 meals for the mother to take home and freeze for after the birth. Each guest at the party contributed toward the grocery bill, and as a party favor I handed out copies of the recipes we’d used.

Even now I enjoy some help with the cooking, and I often ask for a gift certificate to a shop where meals can be made ahead, like Super Suppers or Dream Dinners (these cost a lot more than $10 though!)

2. A sling. Last time I checked the gifts poll (vote now in the sidebar if you haven’t already), a sling was the top item nursing mothers said they liked getting or would like to receive. Slings can be very expensive, which is why I shared a free pattern and tips for how to sew your own baby sling.

3. Magnets, buttons and bumper stickers. Cafepress.com features a wide variety of inexpensive and unique gifts. If you need to stuff a stocking, consider a magnet that says “Choosy Toddlers Choose Breastmilk” ($4.99) or a bumper sticker that says “I make breastmilk. What’s your superpower?” ($3.99)

4. Breastfeeding-friendly books for children. It’s hard to find quality books with positive images of breastfeeding. My children love this sturdy board book that has the following passage:

Mama, Mama, soft as silk,
give me warmth, and give me milk.

Mama Mama lists for $5.99 (purchases of Mama Mama through this Amazon.com link support Breastfeeding 1-2-3 at no extra cost to you. In this post I’ve only linked to Amazon products I have tried and liked).

5. Lansinoh. At just $8.34, Lansinoh Breast Creme is a must-have for new mothers. For those who need it, the lanolin soothes and heals cracked and sore nipples and does not have to be rinsed off before the baby nurses. I use my leftover lanolin to heal hangnails and soothe chapped lips!

Under U.S. $20

1. A nursing necklace. If you’re feeling crafty, try your hand at making your own beaded nursing necklace with this gorgeous design.

2. A Breast of Canada calendar. This controversial photographic art calendar sells for U.S. $17.95 or CDN $19.95 and the net proceeds benefit the Canadian Breast Cancer Network.

3. Lactivist t-shirts. Fellow breastfeeding blogger Jen (The Lactivist) designed these fun shirts for children, women and men. Many cost under $20 and some “value t-shirts” are as low as $11.99. Just like the buttons, stickers and magnets mentioned above, these shirts are offered through cafepress.com, which for a limited time is offering free holiday shipping on purchases totaling $50 or more.

Under U.S. $35

1. Boppy pillow. I loved using a nursing pillow (and it looks like poll voters agree). I got a Boppy pillow as a gift and found it very comfortable and effective for getting the baby to the proper height for nursing. I also used the Boppy for supporting my baby during tummy time (pictured at right, my baby is four weeks old and not too sure about being on her tummy!) and once she began working on sitting up, we used the Boppy to support her back just in case. With a Boppy you have a few options. You can choose a Boppy Bare Naked ($19.99) and buy a super-soft, removable and washable Luxe Slipcover in pink ($14.99) or in blue ($14.99) or two regular slipcovers ($19.99), or you can buy an original Boppy pillow without a removable cover ($24.99).

2. Manual breast pump. If you plan to pump a lot and can afford an electric pump then that’s definitely the way to go, but for those who only wish to express the occasional bottle of milk, the Avent ISIS Breast Pump with 2 Reusable Bottles (4oz) ($34.50) works great. I used this model and liked it. When one of the plastic parts cracked because I put it in the dishwasher when I shouldn’t have, Avent sent me a replacement part at no charge.

Anyone have any product reviews to share on the products I mentioned? Feel free to share your comments below.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3