Thursday, June 16, 2011

Look what Motherhood does to me...

I have never been one to partake in crafts. Well, not since the glory days of Girlscouts. Since I have become a Mommy I have discovered I can make so many of the cute things that I spent a fortune on buying for Cohen.
Yesterday I went to my favorite store Textiles Fabrics and spent $99 on several different fabrics to make a few things. I am making baby gifts for friends and baby Cochrane. I am also making a bedskirt for Cohen's crib. (I have decided I will buy/borrow a second crib for him because he will NOT be ready for a big boy bed at 18 months. Cohen will move into the other bedroom, and baby will take over Cohen's nursery).
Here are my projects for next week during Co's nap times.
This is a wipe case covered in cute fabric. Super easy to make!!

I got a cover similar to this for Cohen, and it was $55 + shipping!!
I'm sure I can make it for about $10 and 2 hours of my time!
I encourage all of my Mommy friends to get crafty. It is so fun to me:) It all started when I began making Cohen's baby food at 6 months when he ate his first solids. I got such a reward from knowing I was 1) saving our family money 2) putting only the healthiest food possible into my sweet child's developing body and brain.
Speaking of healthy food... There have been recent news reports on the definite link between pesticides and lower IQ scores in children when the mother consumed foods high in pesticides while pregnant, and when children themselves consumed high levels of pesticides. Sounds super scary!
Apples, oranges, and strawberries topped the list. I am not super concerned about that though because we, nor Co, eat much, if any, of those fruits. But Cohen does eat a whole bag of grapes by himself every 10 days or so! So I decided I would buy organic grapes since he consumes those in mass quantities. (Grapes were on the list with some of the lowest pesticide residue). What I shock I got when I looked at the receipt and saw that 1 bag of red seedless grapes costs $9.74 at Whole Foods!!!! It is so crazy that only the so called "middle or upper class" can afford to eat foods low in pesticides.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Just for Mommies!

So....I just got off the phone with one of my best friends who is expecting her first child soon. We were discussing breastfeeding, and I got a bit anxious at the thought of doing it again. So I copied this list from http://www.thebump.com/ to remind me, and anyone else who cares, why I need to breastfeed.
10 Reasons Why
Breastfeeding Doesn't Suck



1. You'll feel far less crazy (we promise!)
A study of postpartum mamas found that those who breastfed their babies showed far less anxiety and more mutuality at one month postpartum than those who didn't.
2. It lowers the risk of childhood cancers
One study found the risk of childhood cancer in formula-fed children was 2-8 times that of long-term breastfed children. The risk for short-term formula feeders was 1-9 times that of long-term breast feeders.
3. ...And breast cancer in mamas!
Get this: If women who breast fed for less than 3 months were to stick it out for 4 to 12 months, breast cancer among parous premenopausal women could be reduce by 11%. And if they stayed with it for 24 months or longer, those risks could be reduced by nearly 25%.
4. Smart kids rule
Studies show that breastfed babies have significantly higher IQs by 8 years old than babies who didn't breastfeed -- even after adjusting the stats for differences between groups and Mom's educational and social class.
5. You could save on braces
The longer you breastfeed, the lower the liklihood that baby will suffer from malocclusion -- aka a fancy word for misalignment of the teeth and dental arches.
6. It cuts down on childhood obesity
Breastfeeding has long been tied with reducing the rate of childhood obesity, regardless of Mom's diabetes or weight status.
7. Allergies and ailments are no biggie
Respiratory wheezing, influenza, diarrhea, allergies, and eczema are way less common in breastfed babies -- think about all those trips to the doc you won't have to make!
8. It saves lives -- and government money!
If just 90% of US mamas breastfed exclusively for 6 months, not only would an estimated 900 babies live, but the United States would save $13 billion per year. (Yep, $13 BILLION.)
9. Oh, and it'll save you a ton of cash, too
Believe it or not, formula supplies for just six months can cost upwards of $1,000.
10. You'll fit into your skinny jeans faster!
Breastfeeding burns an average of 500 calories a day. Yes, really. Need we say more?


I nursed Cohen for 11 very long months. I would have nursed him until he was 2 if he didn't wean himself at 11 months.
First of all, nursing is very painful. I only had 2 friends that warned me of the pain that comes with nursing a child. I am hoping this time around is less painful. Secondly, at 3 months old, Cohen had only gained 2 pounds over his birthweight. Not good. And I nursed him 8-12 times a day. The day he turned 12 weeks I went to see a lactation nurse for the fourth time. I was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. The nurse tested the fat content of my milk and discovered it was half the fat of "normal" breastmilk. Wonderful! She sent me home with an overwhelming amount of information on ways to increase your milk supply. The next day I began taking 26 pills a day to maintain an adequate milk supply!!! I did this every day until he quit nursing. The entire 11 months were very stressful to me because it was never "easy." And I am a labor and delivery nurse with a breastfeeding certification!!! 


With all that said....
I totally enjoyed the convienience of nursing, the bonding time, the low cost, and how quickly I lost the weight I gained. Thankfully, Cohen didn't seem to be affected by anything I ate. Some friends couldn't eat dairy while nursing because it made their babies sick.  I am crossing my fingers hoping for an easier time with baby boy 2. However, this entire pregnancy has been so different than the last, that I have no idea what to expect from him:) Already acting MUCH different than his big brother.