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One of the questions we encounter as new or even experienced moms is whether to use formula or breast feed.

We quite often have a birth plan, and in the process of making this birth plan, we decide this. Unfortunately, we can’t see the future, and so we don’t really quite know the outcome of this. Sometimes our bodies don’t quite cooperate with our minds and what we think is right.

There are many situations that stipulate what we as women will choose. Multiple births tend to lean towards the bottle feeding, but some mom’s do both. Single births, depending on complications as well, will help with the decision whether or not the mom is going to breast feed.

Another situation is if the baby is born premature. The mother may be going through way to many things to be able to breast feed, or in some instances, the milk may not even come in, or the baby may not have his or her sucking reflex and the mother will have to pump to provide the milk for her baby. My son was born 8 weeks premature, and I had to get my milk to come in by constantly pumping. He didn’t quite have his sucking reflex yet, so he couldn’t stimulate my milk to come in normally. I wanted him to have my milk because of the antibodies in the breast milk.

Although breast milk was the best for my son because of his prematurity, and the antibodies would ward off any extra germs that he could have picked up, if I had chosen formula to feed him then he would have gotten stronger faster and gained weight faster. This is not necessarily true for all cases, but for mine it was because for some reason, my breast milk did not have enough fat in it to help him gain weight. So, I ended up having to add more calories with a substance called human milk fortifier, supplied by the hospital. And, he also had to have liquid vitamins on top of all that, producing extra work for me. But, at the time he was my only child and so I could devote all my time to him.

And devote my time I did. He had such a sensitive tummy when he was little. I would pump for him, then I would bottle feed him the breast milk (mind you, it took him an hour to drink 1 ounce) and sometimes he would throw up everything and I would have to start again. I only gave him my breast milk at the time because I believed that breast is best. Not all moms who have other children will have time and patience to do this.

My other two children were easier in a sense because they were born full term with a suck reflex. I nursed my second son for 9 months and my daughter for 11 months. In that process, I had mastitis tons of times and that is very painful. I think that if I had known all the complications involved in nursing, I may not have done it.

Formula today has come a long way. Sometimes mothers choose it over breast feeding because of its convenience. Breast feeding can be convenient too, but not when you are going out and want to leave the little one with someone else.

I think that the best thing for this day and age is for the mom to be able to do both, breast feed and bottle feed the baby. That way the baby can have the breast milk, and the mom can take a break and give the baby a bottle as well. (Time for bonding with Dad!!)

Some women may not be able to breast feed and I think that it is okay. These moms need to stop being frowned upon because they choose to formula feed their baby. There are tons of medical cases and reasons why they choose to bottle feed and formula feed, and I think that it is a matter of choice. The baby is still being fed, and is happy and just as healthy as the breast fed baby.

So whatever you choose to do, take day by day. Don’t let anyone tell you that you did the wrong thing, or made the wrong decision. You as a mom know what is best for your baby, and for yourself.

It is so important to make sure that, as you are breastfeeding that you can give your children the things that they need. It’s also great that proper breastfeeding and a diet can help you lose all the unwanted weight that you gained during your pregnancy.

Eating well is so important for your child but it is also crucial for you. You are starting a new chapter in your life and will need all the energy you possibly can to keep up with your new growing child.

Eating healthy for better breast milk can start long before you have delivered your baby. Start focusing more on your eating habits during your pregnancy. Don’t get on a diet during the pregnancy. Just eat smart and healthy.

You really should focus on making sure that you are getting a good amount of whole grains. You can get it by making homemade bread and eating things such as cereal.

What kind of advice would this be if I didn’t mention the importance of vegetables to your diet? It’s always a good idea to go more natural when you are looking out for you and your baby’s health. Eat as many raw vegetables as you can.

Of course we have to talk about the importance of fruits too. But who needs to be encouraged to eat fruit? It is such a natural, as well as delicious way to get a nice energy boost without the sugar drops that you might experience with other things.

Make sure that you are focusing on foods that have a lot of calcium, iron, and protein. Diary products are always a great idea, and they can be real treats too. Some good ways to make sure you get enough iron would be to eat sesame seeds, cashew nuts, and dried figs.

I’ve read in the past a lot of experts say that you need 300-500 more calories when you are breastfeeding, but now they are saying that they cannot necessarily recommend a one-size-fits-all type of thing. Every woman has a different body and activity level and those are the types of things that would be able to indicate if you are getting enough calories or if you need to get more. It’s best to see your doctor so that they will be able to tell you exactly what your specific and unique body and life-style needs, or there are other options for great breastfeeding diet books that can really help too.

As a responsible mother, you need to nurse your baby constantly, but you could be nervous about breastfeeding in public.

If you are like me, my baby comes first, but it does not stop you worrying about what folk may think because you might have heard some people commenting on the act of breastfeeding in front of folks. You may still do it with privacy by pumping milk and stored in bottles for the baby, but this may lead the way on to colic.

According to doctors and therapists, breastfeeding develops a mutual understanding between you and your baby and if you’re shy to go in public, nursing shirts can be your friend and they are definitely a practical solution.

They enable discreet breastfeeding and you can go anywhere while wearing them. The baby can be nursed through the convenient openings and you can cover your sides and stomach at the same time. Try dressing in layers since it will allow you to feed the baby underneath the layers. Nursing shirts ensure the privacy that you want and need.

You can buy slings to hold the baby so you can move freely and do your work outside of the home. This will make you more confident and confirm when you are at home, practice holding the baby in front of a mirror. You will get better at settling the baby and it will surely improve your system. When breastfeeding in public you can try some tricks.

Try using some props and pretend to use them while breastfeeding your baby.

As an example, try holding a paper or a magazine while nursing the baby and in restaurants , you can use the menu in the same manner.

There are trendy nursing shirts available in the market. You can also order from net stores that have nice designs.

Choosing nice patterns would make the shirts look more engaging. Many new mums are worried about their looks after birth and the cool nursing shirts that have been invented can save you from these worries. When checking internet stores, ensure clearance sales or end of the season sales are available. These are great in saving money while getting quality products. Check what sort of fabric they use and choose the most snug one for you. Bright colored shirts may scale back the feeling of warmth.

Wearing nursing shirts shows that you have the confidence to do what’s right for your baby, even if it is’s in public. You love your baby and you may do anything to meet their wants. You should not be embarrassed about nursing in public, particularly now that there is a solution for it.

Give it a try…

Every mother wants to give her baby a good start in life, and you can do no better than breastfeed your baby. Breast milk is so much better that formula, as it helps your baby to build up his immune system.

Another plus is that it is so much more convenient. Better to just take baby out of his cot in the middle of the night and be able to feed him immediately. Formula feeding means you have to heat up a bottle, be sure its the right temperature, (mother nature automatically ensures that breast milk is the perfect blood temperature!) whilst you are doing this he could well be screaming the house down. This will not make for a relaxing middle of the night experience.

Although plenty of women take to breastfeeding really well, there are some that suffer breastfeeding issues. There are a lot of common issues and these are easily overcome if you know the right thing to do.

Thrush – a harmless yeast infection which forms in the baby’s mouth. Although a normal part of the digestive system, an infection will set in if an overgrowth occurs.

If you have pains in your breast or nipple, or they are very sensitive or itchy, then its quite likely you have developed Thrush. It needs to be treated as soon as symptoms appear, as you can have a continual circle of it passing between baby and mother.

Mastitis – Bacteria is present in the milk ducts, causing the breast to become hard, red and inflamed. Antibiotics will cure mastitis and your GP will ensure they prescribe an antibiotic that will not affect the baby so you can still breastfeed.

Fast Milk Flow – Some women will find that the milk flows really fast when they first start to feed their baby. The result of this is that the baby can seem to be choking on the milk and that of course is quite scary. Try siphoning off a small amount of milk from each breast before you start to feed, and also keep the baby a bit more upright for the first minute or so of feeding.

Baby Has Gone Off Feeding – This could well be down to what you are eating or drinking. Fresh orange juice and spicy foods are well known for dramatically changing the taste of your milk. Although its good to have a varied diet, so that your baby gets used to different flavours via your milk, you need to keep clear of anything acidic or spicy. Also ensure you drink plenty of water.

Is Baby Taking Enough? – Bottle feeding Mums know exactly how much milk their baby is taking. But how much is the right amount? If your baby feeds well at the breast and is growing and healthy, then do not stress. Babies let you know when they are hungry and will take exactly what they need.

The advantages of breastfeeding are well documented so many women considering breast augmentation are curious about the effects, especially since many candidates still plan on having children. The most common questions are do the breasts still produce and deliver milk and is the safety of the milk affected by implants?

Breast augmentation, like all surgical procedures, can have side effects. Your ability to safely breastfeed does have a chance of being of affected, but it is more than likely that you will be able to breastfeed normally. There are choices that your surgeon can guide you through that will minimize the possibility of breastfeeding being affected.

The incision along the crease underneath the breast is called the inframammary incision, and does not divide any milk glands or ducts. For women planning on breastfeeding, this incision reduces the risk of complications in breastfeeding. Some of the milk glandular tissues will be divided when doing an incision around the nipple, which can slightly increase the risk, however safe breastfeeding is still very likely with either one of these incisions.

The risk to babies breastfeeding from breasts with implants has been the focus of many studies. To date there has been no evidence that there are any risks. I can safely say that it breastfeeding with implants is safe for you and your baby.

Pregnancy can cause a natural droop of the breasts, and some women with breast implants decide not to breastfeed for fear that it will have a negative effect on the results of their surgery. About three years ago a study suggested that breast were affected by pregnancy regardless of whether the mother breastfed or not. My experience suggests otherwise.

Women who would like to enhance the shape or size of their breasts will more than likely not have their ability to breastfeed be affected by their surgery, although there is a possibility. Discuss your concerns with your surgeon and together you can make choices that will minimize the risks while enjoying the results.

The British newspapers and media have spotlighted the topic of misbehaving children in school recently. The topic of discussion usually ends with the answer that entails kicking troublemakers out of the classroom setting.

This time the discussion was little bit different though. The new twist is that the notion that parents should stay home and watch their children once the kids have been kicked out of school for misbehaving.

Why would anyone do this? It is a nuisance to parents. The discussion also details letting special schools remain open, plus building more special schools for these misbehaving children.

The child has been removed from the regular classroom which shows that they are having difficult time working in with the normal student setting. Then the solution must comprise discovering an educational setting where students can be successful, right?

This leads you to wonder what you can do as a parent if your child has been sent home from school for misbehaving. I have thought about this in detail after dealing with the very same issues with my oldest child.

1. You have not failed as a parent. Don’t waste time having a pity party for yourself. Perhaps your parenting skills could use some improvement, but that is the case for just about everyone. Try to be a better parent by actively seeking out information through books and materials on raising kids.

2. DO NOT sit around blaming the school. Even if they are useless, the most likely reason is their own lack of resources (blame the education authority, blame the government, blame the voters). The teachers may not be able to help your child, but that reflects a lack of training and lack of time, not a lack of concern.

3. Seek out assistance from the local education authority (LEA). They should be able to provide an alternative learning situation for your child. You need to be persistent when you contact them, but avoid being rude. You can ask your politicians and newspapers to help you get the ball rolling if you need to.

4. DO be prepared to consider alternative placements, such as special schools or even residential placements. Better to deal with it now, than to have your child growing up with the bad behaviors!

5. Seek out help to see if your child may have a learning disability, ADHD or Asperger’s syndrome. These can cause disruptions in the classroom. There is an enviroment in which children who suffer from these conditions can thrive. It is a matter of finding that environment.

6. DO NOT try to pretend that your child is an angel and everyone is wrong about his behavior. Much better to agree there is a problem and be seen to be doing your very best to get it sorted out – but for that you need help from the LEA.

These are a sample of the issues you may have to deal with, so be ready to conquer them.

The six tips listed should be of some assistance to any parent coping with a child’s behavior. Plus, if you work in the education arena please do not decide kicking the child out of the classroom is the best solution. That is not a productive solution and would upset all parties involved.

In 2008, I was thoroughly enjoying my new role as a mum – the precious moments such as giggles, smiles and burps all while up to my armpits in nappies. I was absolutely loving this new world until my old world came knocking again. I was offered a career opportunity that I had been striving for over the past few years.

Well, I decided I could have both! I would take on the role as a freelance 2-3 days a week and still be at home with my baby most of the time. But then I cam across another hurdle I hadn’t even thought about. How was I going to keep feeding her? I didn’t want to stop breastfeeding, but I don’t think my new boss would be too impressed if I brought my baby to work.

THE BREAST PUMP! (One of the best inventions ever!):- I would suggest investing in an electric breast pump. Before doing so I asked around friends etc about pumps and while most of them owned a manual one, they also all said they wish they’d bought the electric one. They do cost about twice as much, but I can say it was a good investment. My husband tried to talk me out of it, but when I suggested if he was going to help me do it each day, there was no more discussion.

PRACTICE PUMPING:- Before you get back to work – it’s important your baby will actually take a bottle, so practice for a few weeks prior. (Possibly even a month) Pumping can get a little taking used to for you and the baby, so don’t rush it – take your time and make sure both of you are happy. There’s no point going back to work when your baby is upset, it’ll only stress you and the bubba out. You also may want to start letting other family members or friends feed the child, so they don’t freak out the first day you’re not there.

STOCK THE FREEZER:- All women are different when it comes to how much milk supply we have, so it’s best to see how much we have and then start freezing some. You can pop them in little plastic containers or use ice cube trays or plastic resealable bags. You can even go to your local baby store and find specific milk freezer containers with measurements on them. I also used spare bottles which costs a bit more, but means they are ready and easy to use.

APPROACH THE BOSS:- This can be uncomfortable sometimes, but a necessary step to make sure you’re all on the same page. You need to explain to them honestly how many times a day you will need to go and express, how long it’s going to take and ask for a private area that’s comfortable. If he says go to the toilet, explain that milk production depends on factors such as emotions, so if you’re uncomfortable stuck in some cubicle then it’s going to take a long time and not exactly make your return to work a smooth transition. If you are happier while you are able to express milk and keep your baby happy then you’ll also be a happier and more productive person at work!

WEAR APPROPRIATE CLOTHING:- There’s nothing more embarrassing than having a co-worker point out wet patches on your top! I had a close call one day when I forgot to wear BREAST PADS, but used some tissues, but that meant I had to keep checking and changing all day. Also wear clothes that are easy to access your breasts so that you’re not fumbling around and are not left red faced if someone needs you urgently.

MAKE SURE IT’S THE RIGHT DECISION FOR YOU AND YOUR BABY!:- I went back to work with an attitude hoping this would work out smoothly for all parties involved … me, my baby and my workplace. But then again, if it didn’t no big deal. If you find that your baby is not settling well to you being away for long periods of time or it doesn’t like the bottle then don’t stress yourselves out. Take a break and try again in a month or so. Maybe find a job that’s a bit more flexible to your family set-up. Working from home or shorter hours could be a better option.

Personally, what I thought was my dream job didn’t turn out so perfect in the end, so I ended up starting my own business from home. I’m glad I had a go, but now I wouldn’t have it any other way!

It may come as a big shock to recognize that youngsters have a considerable amount of trouble sleeping that stop a child from acquiring a full night’s sleep. Reports show that on average 30 percent of young people genuinely suffer from sleep disorders during their childhood.

Believe it or not, kids can have problems such as sleep walking, nightmares and possibly even more severe problems like sleep apnea and other grave breathing circumstances. Many people may not be aware of the fact that children during their school aged years need to get between nine and twelve hours sleep but unfortunately, many children get considerably less than that.

There are other sleep problems such as grinding of the teeth, bed wetting, and even banging their head are believed to be a serious conditions if they happen while sleeping. The most usual of these sleep troubles come in the form of nightmares and walking in their sleep but they are generally considered harmless.

If a child has a sleep walking problem, then parents must work to put up safety measures with regards to this sleep disorder so it doesn’t get the child hurt. This could require some work from parents to ensure the home is free of pitfalls. In most cases, the child will outgrow the majority of sleep disorders by the time they reach their teenage years.

It is important to seek the advice of a health care professional in any case of nightmares, head banging, teeth grinding, bedwetting and more severe sleep apnea types. These symptoms could be signs of worse problems if they continue to happen in their older years. Fortunately, the majority of these conditions have an age where the average child will completely grow out of them.

Think about the symptoms of child sleep troubles if their concentration in class is lacking, or they cannot stay awake. You might notice them nodding off when they are talking to someone, in a car, or when they are in class or reading a book. These may be signs that a sleep problem is happening with your child in the evenings. For sleep apnea consider the following symptoms, chronic mouth breathing, and problems with performance in school or restless sleep.

One of the good things is that these types of sleep disorders are easy to remedy and mostly can be due to a simpler malady. Unless your child is experiencing symptoms that are dangerous for them so rest easy knowing that kids will tend to grow out of their sleep disorders. If you have concerns speaking with a health care professional will keep you informed about the actions you can try at home to help your child.

In many child sleep disorder cases there are psychological considerations that will influence how well your child sleeps. Your primary care provider may request a consultation with a psychologist on behalf of your child to check for any problems such as ADHD.

Lakeshore Learning is recalling about 3,600 “What’s Inside?” soft toy boxes. The head of the stuffed butterfly toy can detach from the body, posing a choking hazard to children.

Lakeshore has received three reports of the head of the butterfly detaching from the body. No injuries were reported.

The recalled product is a soft, multi-colored box with a different color on each side. “What’s Inside?” is embroidered on the front of the box and symbols of a lion, flower and purple butterfly are stitched on another side. Each feely box contains ten small stuffed pieces. The piece affected by this recall is the pink and purple butterfly.

The boxes, made in China, were sold by Lakeshore Learning Materials stores nationwide and Toys To Grow On™ catalogs from September 2008 through February 2009 for about $40.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled product away from children and contact Lakeshore to receive a free replacement butterfly.

For additional information, contact Lakeshore Learning Materials at (800) 428-4414 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the company’s Web site at www.lakeshorelearning.com.

Ok, so youve begun breastfeeding, but youre maybe having trouble feeding your baby as often as they want, or youre getting stir-crazy at home and want to get out there and be a human being again. Maybe youve tried breastfeeding outside the house, and youre getting looks from other women and you feel embarrassed and frazzled. It sure sounds like an Avent Isis Breast Pump would come in handy. Breast Pumping will allow you to store up a supply of breast milk for difficult situations, and to free you from having to pull up your shirt and expose yourself every time you need to feed. How does that sound for piece of mind?

Before you begin using your new Avent Pump, you must sterilize the milk containers. Boil some water on the stove in a large pot, and put the bottles, caps, nipples, and all other parts in the water for at least 5 minutes of boiling to kill any and all bacteria and viruses. After youre done, its best to let it all either air dry or to wipe everything clean with a CLEAN, NEW cloth or towel. Once all the parts are clean, youre now ready to begin pumping. Remember, its critical that you find a RELAXING, CALM place to pump. If youre anxious, the milk wont come, and youll be frustrated quickly.

Thankfully, the Avent Duo Isis Breast Pump makes it easy for mothers to pump and to have it feel similar to their infant feeding. Because the pump lets you control the sucking speed and pressure, you can change the settings to be as fast, as slow, as gentle, or as insistent as your newborn sucks. It is recommended that you try to mimic your infants pattern of feeding, as this will ensure you express the most milk.

You dont have to keep the milk refrigerated unless you are planning on storing it for more than ten hours. When refrigerated, the milk can last up to eight days before it spoils. If you put the milk in a freezer, the milk can last for months. Its a good idea to keep some in there for emergencies or when you arent around to pump. It can usually thaw in about 24 hours in a refrigerator. Never thaw breast milk on the stove or in the microwave. It could dangerously change its properties. You can quickly thaw it by running it under hot water and shaking the container to make sure that the heat is evenly distributed. Also, you should never refreeze milk that has been thawed.

You have the option to store milk in specially designed bags, called CSF (collect, store, freeze) bags. They come with labels, on which you can write the date of the milk. They are made with a special sterilized plastic that prevents the cells of the milk to stick to the sides, making it healthier for the baby and cleaner for you.

Pumping takes time to get used to, and you should not get discouraged if it is difficult at first. Often, it takes two or three weeks to get the hang of it. The Avent Duo Isis breast pump makes the adjustment very easy, because it feels like the real thing. It gives you the flexibility of bottle-feeding, as well as the nutritious benefits of breastfeeding. You have the best of both worlds with the Avent pump.