As 2008 comes to a close, it is a time to reflect on the accomplishments of the last year and any goals for the new year. For January’s Carnival of Breastfeeding, we want to hear all about your goals for breastfeeding. Did you have any particular goals in mind when you were planning to breastfeed? Give it your best shot, breastfeed exclusively, nurse until your baby was a toddler? Child-led weaning, having a different experience with nursling number two? Have your goals changed over time? Have you achieved any of your goals and made new resolutions?
Submit your thoughts on breastfeeding …read more

Resolved:
1. Not to take out my contact lenses for bedtime before I find my darn eyeglasses for reading bedtime stories.
2. Not to do anything incriminating (like, say, shave my nipple hairs) in front of my three-year-old, who will promptly give me away–loudly–to anyone who will listen.
3. Not to let the Cheerios littering the floor of my car get crushed, then spilled on, then formed into dried lumps permanently stuck to the carpeting.
4. Not to compete with other mothers. (I try not to do that. I’m really a nice person. Nicer than most mothers, I think. Better at not competing…. Oops.)
5. …read more

As part of the breastfeeding bloggers’ New Year’s resolutions I took the Motherwear Pledge to choose at least three ways to support breastfeeding this year. One of the things I pledged to do was to compliment another mother who was nursing in public.
I got my chance the other night at the gym (see, I’ve been keeping my own New Year’s resolution to get more exercise). I saw a mother seated in a leather chair outside the gym day care. As her infant boy nursed he played with a silk scarf — I suspect as a way to distract him …read more

Happy New Year everyone! With the new year upon us, several mothers have written about their new year’s resolutions. Read on if your resolutions include one or more of the following:
~ Get some exercise (Breastfeeding123.com)
~ Plan ahead for quality family and couple time (BreastfeedingMums Blog)
~ Work on manageable goals (drink more water, volunteer, not overextend) (The Lactivist)
~ Get organized (Mama Knows Breast)
~ Do at least three things to support breastfeeding (Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog)
~ Consider what’s best for your child first (Momma’s Angel)
~ Work on how you speak to your child(ren) (Natural Moms)

Each year for the past several years I have resolved to exercise at least four times per week. That resolution is harder to keep at some times than others–there may be a week I don’t exercise at all, and another week where I manage to cross five days off on my calendar. Looking back at the last year, I can see I didn’t quite meet my goal. No matter because 2007, here I come!
If you are like me, you may be wondering what the scoop is on exercise for nursing mothers. (If your New Year’s Resolution is to quit smoking, …read more

Some women might be making new year’s resolutions to quit smoking. This article provides information (and not judgment!) about pregnancy, breastfeeding, smoking and quitting smoking.
First, some fast facts about breastfeeding and cigarette smoke:
~ It is far from ideal to smoke and breastfeed–but it is worse to smoke and not breastfeed. (1)
~ The half-life of nicotine is two hours, meaning that two hours after smoking a cigarette, half of the nicotine released into the body remains in the body. (2)
~ Nicotine decreases production of prolactin, the hormone that stimulates milk production. (3), (4)
~ Maternal smoking cuts breast milk production at two …read more

The next Carnival of Breastfeeding will take place on January 1st, a natural day to talk about New Year’s Resolutions. Mommy and daddy bloggers are invited to submit posts about their parenting-related resolutions by December 23rd for consideration. Please email me with your submission! As a reminder, here are the guidelines that will increase the chances a post will be selected for inclusion:
– A well-written, grammatically correct post
– Thoughtful commentary directly on point for the carnival subject (for example, for this carnival, write about the new year’s resolutions you are making to help you become a better parent)
– Overall quality …read more