Babasling Winner Is It You

Thankyou to everyone that took part in the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Scavenger Hunt, and for all the support and comments I have received throughout.

The winner of the Babasling on Breast 4 Babies is

Alex Willetts
@alexwilletts1

Congratulations, please send me your details to mandijmorrison@aol.com and I shall pass them onto the company.

Dispelling Breastfeeding Myths

There are so many breastfeeding myths that you hear on a daily basis, here are just a few!

Myth 1: It is important that other family members get to feed baby so that they can bond, too.

It is important that other family members bond with the baby, no-one is disagreeing with that part, but not during a feed, that is special mother and baby bonding time, if they want to help, get you a drink and something to eat and make you as comfortable as possible, then take the baby once he or she has fed and have their bonding time.

Myth 2: Child-directed feeding (nursing on demand) has a negative impact on the husband/wife relationship.

I have no idea where that myth comes from, as a mother of six, who has nursed them all, there has definitely been no negative impact on mine and my husbands relationship, if anything probably the opposite, he loves that I am providing the best start possible for each of our children, and he gets a full nights sleep before starting a full days work.

Myth 3: Frequent nursing causes a child to be obese later in life.

There have been many studies over the past few decades to suggest that the obesity problem actually stems from formula fed babies, not breastfed babies, the breastmilk is already part digested when it enters the babies tummy and the baby knows when it has had enough, whereas a bottle fed baby, will continue to drink what is placed in their bottle.

Myth 4: The lying-down nursing position causes ear infections.

The helath benefits and immunity that is in breastmilk has a much higher chance of preventing these type infections, regardless of how the baby is fed.

Myth 5: Nursing a baby after 12 months is of little value because the quality of breast milk begins to decline after six months.

As we all know from the posts on Friday, there is a great benefit for continued breastfeeding beyond a year and the WHO states it reccommends two years.

Myth 6: It is normal for breastfeeding to hurt

It is not normal for breastfeeding to hurt, at the beginning you may notice a strange sensation when the let down reflex kicks in, some describe it as a tingling sensation, others don't notice it at all, if a feed continues to be uncomfortable or hurts after ten seconds them there may be a problem with the attachment or positioning and you may have to either adjust your feeding position  or get it checked by your midwife, health visitor or a wonderful peer supporter if you are lucky enough to have one in your area.

For more wonderful posts, why not visit

- My Thoughts on Things

- Mixed Bag of All Sorts

- Life With The Pink Princesses

- Life Happens So Smile

- Seven Year Hitch

And not forgetting the fabulous companies that are providing fabulous prizes, including Breastmilk Keepsakes

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Breastfeeding Beyond A Year

There are many benefits to breastfeeding beyond a year :

- Your baby continues to get the immunological advantages of human milk, during a time when he/she is increasingly exposed to infection. Breastfed toddlers are healthier overall.

-When they are upset, hurt, frightened, or sick, you have a built in way to comfort them. Often a sick child will accept breastmilk when they refuse other foods.

-Many of the medical benefits of breastfeeding (lower cancer risk in mother and baby, for example) are dose related – in other words, the longer you breastfeed, the greater the protective effects.

-Human milk offers protection for the child who is allergic.

-Mothering a toddler is challenging enough – nursing makes the job of caring for and comforting them easier. There is no better way to ease a temper tantrum, or put a cranky child to sleep than by nursing.

– Nursing provides closeness, security, and stability during a period of rapid growth and development.

– Letting your baby set the pace for weaning spares you the unpleasant task of weaning he or she before they are ready.

The World Health Organisation Strategy (2003) states

"Breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants; it is also an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of mothers. As a global public health recommendation, infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter, to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond . Exclusive breastfeeding from birth is possible except for a few medical conditions, and unrestricted exclusive breastfeeding results in ample milk production.”

Your baby, Your choice how long you choose to feed...

For loads more fab posts why not visit

- The Secret Life of Kate
- Respectable Breast Spectable
- Pobbing Along
- Pea Musings
- Natural Mamas

And all of the wonderful companies taking part providing fabulous prizes, especially Babasling, who are giving away two Slings one each on Hex Mum and Breast 4 Babies

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keep Britain Breastfeeding - Breastmilk Pumping

Hand Expressing is a useful technique to learn, especially if it has been practised antenatally.

This is because:

- It is a more effective method of removing your colostrum in the first few days than breast pumps.
- You can tempt your baby to feed and help your milk start to flow.
- It can help your baby attach if your breasts are full, or to clear blocked ducts or to relieve mastitis
- Obtain milk to cup feed your baby if not able to breastfeed.


When are the best times to express ?

- About 30 minutes after your baby has been fed. (Express both breasts once or twice if required).
- In the morning after your baby's first feed.
- If your baby only takes 1 breast per feed, express from the unused one or both if more milk is required.
- In between feeds or when your breasts feel particularly full.
- When the baby is feeding from one side, express the other at the same time (this can be the most successful).

Some mothers find they can hardly express any milk at all and worry that they are not producing enough for their baby. How much you express may not bear any relation to what the baby is getting.

When I visit mums on the Ante natal Ward I always take along my trusty knitted boob to show them how to hand express, it is always handy to know and may be all that is needed, without buying an expensive pump.

I personally have always been rubbish at expressing, either hand or pump, hand expressing usually ended up with me spraying milk in all directions and pumping was somewhat of a disappointment, the only way there was ever a decent amount was when I expressed the other breast to what my baby was feeding from, but then you need about three pairs of hands to hold baby, hold pump, use pump....

To find out some other pumping stories why not head over to

 - My Thoughts on Things

- Mixed Bag of All Sorts

- Life With The Pink Princesses

- Life Happens So Smile

- Seven Year Hitch

And not forgetting the fabulous companies that are providing fabulous prizes, including Breastmilk Keepsakes

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Positive Nursing in Public Experiences & Funny Breastfeeding Memories

Yet again I am behind!! This latest pregnancy is certainly taking it out of me, all I want to do is sleep!!

And again, my wonderful breastfeeding forum mummies have come to the rescue!!

I asked them if they had any positive nursing experiences in Public or Funny breastfeeding memories, and here's what they said...

I was nursing Evie when she was only a few weeks old while having chinese food, the waitress said 'aww shes sleeping so nicely' but in fact she wasnt ;P when i finished my meal i looked down at my still nursing baby to see she'd made a very good bib....noodles and rice everywhere, oops! Rebekah


Had just finished lunch in Greggs bakery & was feeding 1yr old Daniel when a young lad came to clear table. Daniel decided to see what was going on giving the poor lad a right eye full before i could cover up. He left quickly & never did come back to clear table! Joanne


Ive answered the door with full boob out after feeding Ellie at home and forgetting to put it away.. salesman got more than he bargained for and left red faced!! Whoopsie ;) April


Was nursing Ellie in Costa when a old gentleman came over and really praised me telling me its so nice to see a mum feeding her baby the way nature intended!, also been to cherry lane garden centre when its been extremely busy and nursing Ellie when a young lad brought our food over and was trying so hard not to look bless him he left tripping over a chair and the colour of a tomato x  Tara


Our postman has been welcomed by the view of a feeding baby very often lol. I often get people smiling at me when I'm feeding in cafes, its nice that less people are getting freaked out by it or complaining or making a fuss these days, yes you get the odd male not knowing where to look but im sure they just dont want to be seen as rude for looking at that area :) I did have one man walk towards me to sit at the next table at costas he saw i was feeding appologised and went to sit somewhere else. Bless him he assumed I wanted privacy, two women opposite just smiled at me and at what had happened lol   Emma


Breastfeeding at my sisters wedding, some of the children were a little concerned at where the baby had "disappeared" too! She was under my feeding apron but I found it drew more attention so I just lightly covered myself with my pashmina. Everyone was completely unfazed by it which was such a relief. There were two other nursing mums there so we set up our own corner xx Kelly


I was feeding Lacey at home with a few of OHs friends round. One was feeding her baby a bottle. My 3 year old says "MY baby doesn't have bottles, she has milk from mummy's boobie!!" (proud moment!) lol  Jennifer

What lovely stories, thankyou so much, its so lovely to hear positive reactions and the occasional red faced one too!!

To read more fab posts head over to these wonderful blogs

- Twinkle Mummy

- Faded Seaside Mama

- Mum2BabyInsomniac

- The Kermit Movement

- Me, The Man & The Baby

And all of the lovely companies donating fabulous prizes

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Importance of Breastfeeding Support

I have written all about the support I received and why I chose to become a Peer Supporter over on Hex Mum, so I didn't want to repeat myself, although being 30 weeks pregnant repetition is the only way I can remember anything!!

I asked some of the other Peer Supporters in our area, why they chose to do it.

Claire said "Someone at the Children's Centre said she would be good at it"

Amy said " I chose to do the training as wanted to give back to other mums babies and families as had some valuable support from bf team when my baby was born and felt there was a need for more peer supporters. I love having the knowledge I have now and wish I could have known this when I had my baby, so love to share this info at baby cafe"

Julie said " I was working as Admin support for the Breastfeedign Team, Started going to Baby cafe, did the unicef training and became a peer supporter who went to parents houses. I was the first peer supporter on Postnatal ward and now doing my nursing degree.... WHY??? because the self respect and that good feeling inside to know you have helped someone!.... the thanks you get and feed back that because of your help that family continued to breastfeed"

Joanne said " I felt more comfortable talking to other mums about silly issues that were too small for BF team, during my breastfeeding journey. When the topic of peer supporters came up I thought this would be a great opportunity to give back to children's centre and to be full of informations if other mums wanted to talk about issues they might have. Two years in & it's great to see more & more people joining and seeing baby cafes grow."

Vikki said "  I was sad to hear that people were giving up on bf through lack of support and misconceptions ."

Gemma said "I became a Peer Supporter because I wanted to help normalise BF and pass on information to help others enjoy it as much as I do"

A big thankyou to all of the wonderful Peer Supporters, they really are a fabulous bunch of ladies and the families are very lucky to have them xxx

If you would like to read some more amazing breastfeeding posts, head over to

- The Great British Family

- Milk Machine Mum

- Where Roots Flourish

- Petit Mom

- Dummy Mummy

And all of the lovely companies that are taking part, providing wonderful prizes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Breastfeeding Tips As Told By Breastfeeding Mummies.

For this post I have had help, from the lovely ladies in our local Breastfeeding Forum, I asked them for their top tips and this is what they said

"If you have a copious amount of milk when it first comes in, express a little off before each feed so baby doesnt become overwhelmed with a fast flow and use a breast shell in the other breast to catch leaking milk so you and baby don't get soaked whilst feeding on the other side"

Emma mummy to Oliver aged 8 months, still breastfeeding and going strong.


"Have faith in your own body. I think its difficult in a digital age when you can buy a cure for most things, google any question and artifical milk is promoted in such a way that it 'seems' the better option just to believe in something so basic and natural as the fact YOUR body can sustain your tiny baby"

Emma Chambers mummy to Izabelle aged 3.5 years, breastfed until 3 years.

"Get help as soon as you are experiencing any problems"

Vikki mummy to Luca age 6, that she breastfed for 16 months and Summer that she breastfed for 3.5 years.

" Enjoy it! Such an amazing thing to do! So special"

Michelle Clark mummy to Charley aged 20 months, who has just stopped breastfeeding.

"Stick with it! People will openly tell you the horror stories about cracked, sore nipples (which you can avoid!), but what they won't mention is how hard near constant feeds and sleep deprivation can be on you emotionally. But they also won't tell you that watching your baby grow thanks to your milk is the most amazing feeling in the world and makes it all worth while!"

Heather mummy to Ewan only five weeks old 

"Always always check latch and adapt as necessary when bubba gets bigger"

Kelly mummy to Rosalie aged 10 months, still breastfeeding


" if you or baby need antibiotic's take yakult on the first day you or baby take antibiotics as itll help with any thrush you or baby may get this worked for me"

Tara Eastwood mummy to Ellie-Amanda aged  11 months, breastfed until 8 months.
"Relax , enjoy and don't try to rush things, chores can always be put off til tomorrow!"

Sarah Newman mummy to Lily aged 17 months and still breastfed

Thankyou ladies for all of your help, its nice to have others peoples views too!
You can find mine over on Hex Mum.

If you would like to read more amazing breastfeeding posts, head over to theses lovely blogs.

- The Secret Life of Kate
- Respectable Breast Spectable
- Pobbing Along
- Pea Musings
- Natural Mamas

And all of the wonderful companies taking part providing fabulous prizes, especially Babasling, who are giving away two Slings one each on Hex Mum and Breast 4 Babies

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Babies, Breastfeeding, Slings and a Fab Babasling Giveaway

Throughout my very long breastfeeding journey, there has always been one constant, the need to feed and at the same time have my hands free to make dinner, read a book with the toddler or help with an older child's homework!

Even if I am not feeding , the baby always seems to only settle when being held, which was easy with baby number one, but became extremely difficult when numbers 2,3,4,5 and 6 came along!

Research has shown, that holding our babies until they’re ready to be let go is the most natural way to parent healthy children. 

Babywearing isn’t just about the freedom it gives you to go about your day, it’s about the stimulation, security and bond babies benefit from by being held close to their parents


I love wearing my babies in a sling and it gives me more freedom to do other things, slings are also great when out walking or on the school run, without the hassle of getting the pram in and out of the Car.

Breastfeeding and Slings

Breastfeeding whilst baby is in the sling, is definitely more advanced baby wearing, and will probably require some practice. When first learning to feed in the sling, it may be worth sitting down to ensure that the positioning is correct and comfortable for both mum and baby, once you become confident with this, then you can stand up and move around, going about your everyday life, whilst feeding baby.

One of the slings that is ideal for breastfeeding is the Babasling.

• Designed to carry babies and toddlers (0-2yr+ / 7.7lbs-33lbs / 3.5kg – 15kg)
• Five different carrying positions
• Breastfeed discreetly in two positions 
• One size fits all, adjusts in seconds
• Made from 100% cotton that is both durable and breathable
• Tested to safety standard BS EN 13209-2:2005 Soft Carriers
• Lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects.

The wonderful People at Babasling are offering one lucky person the chance to win a sling of their choice from the website.

To be in with a chance of winning a fabulous Babasling:

- Head over to The Babasling website and browse all of their amazing slings, then comment below which is your favourite style and colour.

For extra entries you can :

- Follow Babasling on facebook and leave them the message "Keeping Britain Breastfeeding with Breast 4 Babies"

-Follow Babasling on Twitter and tweet "Keep Britain Breastfeeding with @breast4babies"

- Follow @breast4babies on twitter

- Follow Breast 4 Babies on facebook

Make a separate comment below for each entry

Closing Date : 7th July 2013

To double your chance of winning a Babasling, why not head over to Hex Mum and enter their competition.

Keep Britain Breastfeeding 2013 - The Benefits of Breastfeeding.

My first post for Keep Britain Breastfeeding Scavenger Hunt 2013 is all about the Benefits, not just for baby for for Mummy too!

FOR BABY:
* Protection against ear infections, chest infections and wheezing.
* Lower risk of diabetes.
* Less allergic disease (eczema, asthma, wheezy)
* Protection against diarrhoea, gastro-enteritis and stomach upsets
* Better mental development.
* Better mouth formation and straighter teeth
* Less Obesity
* prolongs natural immunity to mumps, measles, polio and other diseases.

FOR MUM:
* Lower risk of ovarian cancer
* Lower risk of pre and post menopausal breast cancer
* Stronger bones in later life (osteoporosis)
* Lose the baby weight quicker.

NICE and the Healthy Child Programme recommends that parents need to be aware of some of the health risks of not breastfeeding.
Compared with a fully breastfed baby, a baby who is artificially fed is :
- Five times more likely to be hospitalised with vomiting and diarrhoea.
- Five times more likely to suffer from urine infections.
- Twice as likely to suffer from ear infections.
- Twice as likely to develop allergies especially where there is a family history.
- Twice as likely to develop insulin dependant diabetes (type 1)
- At increased risk of being obese, therefore more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and other illnesses later in life.
- If a baby is born prematurely, they are between 10 and 20 times more likely (depending on gestation) to develop a serious bowel disease.
- More likely to develop childhood cancers.
- More likely to develop heart disease in later life.

I think the research speaks for itself!

For more great Breastfeeding posts this week, why not head over and take a look at :
- Mum2BabyInsomniac
- Circus Queen
- Life, Love and Living with Boys
- The Brick Castle
- In The Playroom

And a huge thankyou to Debbie at Rayne Beau Boos who has provided a Boobie Beanie and Matching Stuffed Boobie with £5 to spend at their store , for the Main Prize Draw and also a separate giveaway for a Boobie Beanie Hat with earflaps, details of which can be found here

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Keep Britain Breastfeeding Scavenger Hunt 2013 Rayne Beau Boos Giveaway.

The fabulous Rayne Beau Boos have kindly donated to the Grand Prize a Boobie Beanie and Matching Stuffed Boobie with £5 to spend at their store, which is wonderful, but not only that, they are running another fab competition to win a Boobie Beanie with Earflaps, which is just adorable, to be in with a chance of winning this hat, head over and enter a very simple question here.

Good Luck xxx

Car Seat Safety

One of the very first things that you will need when you give birth is a Car Seat. You will not be able to leave the hospital without one, so it is quite an important decision on which to buy.

The law requires all children travelling in cars to use the correct child restraint until they are either 135cm in height or the age of 12, whichever they reach first. After this they must use an adult seatbelt.

That is an awful long time to use something, so it is worth spending a little time researching and deciding on the right one.


Group 0 Carrycot Car Seat

When your baby is first born, they will need either a Group 0, which is for aged 0 to 12 months, a Group 0+ which is until 15 months or a Group 0 to 1 which will last from Birth to 4 years. The 0 to 1 stage car seats are usually fixed in the car, meaning they cannot be used as a travel system. There are many seats on the market and the Car Seats at Bambino Direct give you lots of options.

Group 0 to 1 Car Seat

 
As a mum of six children I have always found the first car seats that attach to a frame to create a travel system much easier and convenient.
When Tyrus was born we had a Carrycot Car Seat that meant he travelled in the car lying flat, he seemed very comfortable in it, but grew very quickly,meaning he was too long for it and it also took up two car seat spaces, which may not be possible for some families, as we have a large bus, it wasn't a problem!!

Once they became too heavy for the Group 0, we changed to a Group 1, which would see them through until about 4 years old. Eowyn has just outgrown hers, so she is now in her `big girl seat'.

Kaide and Neva are still in Car Seats, due to their age, Lochlan is now aged 12 and doesn't have to use a car seat, although he does look much more uncomfortable when trying to fall asleep in the car than the others. Some of the seats for the older children are very luxurious and look like armchairs, some even recline for the ultimate comfortable journey!

 

Whichever Car seat you decide to buy, ensure that it is the correct size and height for the weight and age of your child.

 

this is a featured post giving information on car seat choices.







WHY Did You Choose to Breastfeed ?

Tomorrow my little girl will turn 4, and I have been thinking back to her birth and all of the others, and I began to think about being pregnant for the first time.

As you all know I have successfully breastfed all six of my children and have enough milk for most of the East Coast!!

But what made me want to breastfeed. I hear so often why someone chose NOT to breastfeed or why someone chose To bottlefeed, but I would like to know

WHAT MADE YOU BREASTFEED ?

I can remember a mum coming into college whilst I was doing my Nursery Nursing course, talking to us about breastfeeding, the two mums that I babysat for also breastfed, but my mum breastfed me for only 9 weeks, so I wouldn't say she has been a major influence in my decision.

The midwife that was my mentor during my maternity placement is the breastfeeding specialist for the area, but I don't recall her pushing it on me, but I never considered not breastfeeding my baby.

I would be interested to know, and I shall also be asking the ladies at the Baby Cafe why they chose to breastfeed

Answers on a postcard... (not really!) but if you would like to reply below please feel free xxx

More 4 Mums Review

I am still feeding my youngest, so I still have the excuse to go out and look at pretty Nursing Bras and feeding pyjamas.
I found a wonderful website called More 4 Mums which has an amazing choice of Maternity and Nursing wear.

They have lots of well known brands to choose from and such pretty choices.

I was very fortunate, when the lovely Lynn offered me a Nursing bra to review.

I was sent an Emma Jane Seam Free Padded Nursing Bra.

The bra arrived the very next day, a fantastic speedy service. The bra itself is just so soft and it doesn't even feel as if I am wearing a Nursing Bra. The padded part is great, it means there is always something to catch any leakage, on top of the breast pads, and it doesn't make your nipples show through in this rather chilly weather, like some I have tried!

The website itself is extremely easy to use and the choice of maternity and nursing wear is excellent. The search facility is super quick and I was able to find exactly what I was looking for.
So for any pregnant or breastfeeding mums, I would definitely recommend More 4 Mums, as the first place to look out for your nursing needs.
 

Make A Pledge With Medela

 

Medela are very excited to announce the launch of their new campaign; Make a Pledge.  The campaign gives families a unique opportunity to make a special and personal promise to an important child in their life, through a dedicated microsite www.makeapledge.co.uk

There are plenty of things to think about when a new baby will soon be joining the family. Everyone hopes it will be loved and cared for, but beyond that every parent and family member has a special wish for that child. Whether it’s something simple like promising to teach them how to bake their Grandmother’s chocolate cake, or to take them swimming every Sunday, it’s certainly nice to make a note of that treasured promise. Medela themselves have pledged to support new families in the precious breastfeeding months.

With so much excitement when a new baby arrives, it’s easy to lose sight of things you always imagined you would pass on. The pressures and expectations new families face are enormous, and parents may be overwhelmed by the wealth of decisions they need to make such as; what nappies to use, feeding choices and later down the line what school to select? With these on-going and important choices parents’ can easily forget about the little things. Maybe they’d always dreamed of making a family tree with their child, or going blackberry picking at their local farm. With this in mind Medela have set up a dedicated microsite where parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles, siblings and even godparents or family friends can make their individual and personal promise to a child they love, however big or small!

 A promise can be absolutely anything, and best of all everyone who makes a pledge gets a lovely personalised certificate to keep. Dad may promise he’ll be there when his little one scores his first goal, or Mum might pledge to teach her little one her native language. Whatever you pledge, it’s a lovely thing to be able to share with a child when they are older, and you can even keep it in their baby book.  It’s also a brilliant way to let a sibling bond with their little brother or sister. Of course you can pledge to any baby or child whatever their age!

To celebrate the Make a Pledge campaign, Medela have created a video that is sure to give everyone a warm fuzzy feeling! It shares the thoughts of expectant parents and even a little sister talking about her dreams for their new arrival, her pledge was to share her sweeties!  You can watch it here:  

 

 

 So if you have children, are expecting a baby or just have a special little someone in your life make them a personal pledge at www.makeapledge.co.uk