What’s For Dinner?

During the summer months, we did a lot of barbecuing. In the beginning of the summer, this was easy. Hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, steaks, London broil, pinwheels, sausage, spare ribs, even roast beef.  We would barbecue ears of corn, grilled vegetables, you name it, and we grilled it. But after a while, even barbecued foods got redundant.  As we started to see cooler weather, we were ready to start changing things up again with oven cooked meals.

So here we are, early fall, and I am already stumped on what to cook for dinner. I’m thinking of doing a meatloaf one of these days, which is something I haven’t made since the spring. I have a slow cooker/ crock pot, but never seem to remember to start something in the morning that could simmer all day.  And I would need to find good recipes my husband would eat.  I can’t let the thought of cooking beef stew in a crock pot sink in. To me, it belongs in a pot on the stove.  Regardless, I don’t have the time to cut up all the vegetables and watch a stew all day long.  And I cannot believe some people actually do dinner early in the morning!  All I can manage to do in the morning is take the meat out of the freezer to thaw!  The rest I need to do later in the afternoon.

 

Hmmm. Chicken soup sounds good.  And I must admit I can make a pretty good chicken vegetable soup from scratch.  And my Italian roots allow me to whip up any pasta also, something I am looking forward to making a lot of in the next few months.  But my favorite dish, my mother’s signature dish, is eggplant parmagiana. Yummy.  It just takes so long to prepare!

So there’s also grilled chicken, grilled salmon, stir fry (I love using my wok for chicken stir fry!), pork chops, lamb chops, veal cutlets… I can make a pork roast, turkey (although the husband only likes turkey on Thanksgiving), a Caesar salad, linguini with clam sauce, and I can even make pizzas with different toppings.

 

I like a variety of different side dishes as well.  I am lucky to have children that enjoy eating their veggies, so any meat/chicken/fish dish can be altered from one meal to the next by changing up the vegetable or other side dish.

 

So I have listed many different options here, haven’t I?  So can someone tell me why I am stumped about what’s for dinner?

Second Grade

I am amazed with how well my daughter reads now. Her writing is pretty good, too. I am so proud of how she can express her thoughts in writing… I think writing is a huge tool for helping with your feelings, understanding your thoughts, and keeping memories. And the intellectual ability of my little girl is really developing! It is much easier to have a conversation with her now and having her understand it. Of course there are still things I need to censor for her, and certain topics that I need to cushion. And there are definitely topics I think she is still too young for. But my little girl is really turning into a young lady.

Juliana recently started second grade. As Catholics, she will be receiving two sacraments this school year. In January she will receive First Penance, and in May she will receive First Holy Communion. She wants to play basketball in the winter (she played intramurals to learn the basics last year), hoping she makes the girls team. She intends to continue playing softball in the spring as well. The new thing Juliana wants to try this year is Girl Scouts, and I am all for it. She is a very well rounded kid, and I am happy that basketball and softball are in separate seasons, so it would only be one sport at a time and a Girl Scout meeting twice a month. I believe in after-school activities, however, I do not think our kids should be overwhelmed with a different activity a day. They should be allowed time after school to express their own creativity by doing their own things such as pursuing writing, crafting, using their minds to create things, etc. That doesn’t mean that in my house it is NOT a constant battle to turn off the television or the video games!

Last year, Juliana’s bed time was at 8:30. This year, she is upset because her friends get to stay up until 9:00. Basically, the way things work out nightly, by the time she is done showering and getting into her pajamas, taking her allergy medication, giving us all her goodnight kisses, it is RARELY 8:30 anyway! But it is important for her to be up on time each morning to make the bus, or else it is going to be very difficult for my husband or I to drive her in to school. So I made a deal with her that if she can wake up without any issues on time and get ready without a fight for a week I would consider making her bedtime 9pm. The first three mornings were GREAT. Then we got into a little issue on the fourth morning with running late and not wanting to wake up. But the fifth morning she did well again. So I am sure I will get called on my end of the deal one night this week and I will have to start the new bed time. But if it is going to be a problem, back to 8:30 it goes! Or maybe I should do 8:45 for a month or so and see if that works. Although I don’t think she would agree to the compromise!

So my seven year old is getting so big so fast. My first baby is becoming a little lady, and I am thrilled to say that even with all the bumps along the way (she is developing the attitude of a teenager already at times!), she is really becoming a beautiful little lady!

Diapers and Wipes and Formula, OH MY!

Since we have twin toddlers, we are used to having to stock up on baby gear for two.  Now with the new baby, we have to stock up on baby gear for THREE!  Yikes!  As it is, some days we were going through 12-16 diapers a day, now we go through 20-25!  We have been ordering diapers from Diapers.com online, as we found the best prices for diapers.  Of course we started off with the Pampers from the hospital, but then changed to Luvs a few months later to save on costs.  And the bulk wipes on Diapers.com with the best priced was the Pampers brand wipes.  I was never crazy about them, they are thin and don’t seem to absorb much.  The bigger they get the more absorbent wipes they need.  Not pleasant but reality.  And the Huggies brand wipes, while thicker, more absorbent and all around better, are more expensive.  So unfortunately we have been stuck with the Pampers wipes.

 

I was lucky to have started the boys on Parent’s Choice Gentle Formula from when they were about four months old.  Not only did it save us a ton of money on formula for two infants, the older twin had acid reflux and he digested the Gentle formula better than the Similac or Enfamil brands.  Double score!

 

As the boys got older and started with baby foods and finger foods, I naturally started with the Gerber or Beechnut brands for fruits and vegetables, as well as Puffs.  And on one of my shopping trips to Walmart to pick up formula, I came across the Gentle Puffs and baby food line from Parent’s Choice.  There were different flavors of puffs and my kids loved them (still do!), and I was pleasantly surprised with the baby foods!  Score another one for our household!  My kids were happy and so were Mommy and Daddy! 

 

I don’t know why I never tried the Parent’s Choice brand of diapers and wipes, I guess it never crossed my mind to try them, when I was trying the line of formulas and foods.  Honestly, even though I know I saw the boxes of diapers and wipes in the store, I guess I consciously never realized they were the same manufacturer of the foods my kids loved!  Ok, ok, sometimes I get brain freezes! 

My mother-in-law often stops at the grocery store or Walmart for us when I can’t get out.  One day, she brought us a box of the Parent’s Choice wipes.  I was THRILLED when I opened the package up and saw how thick and absorbent they are!  And they smell nice too!  Guess what?  I will not be buying the Pampers wipes anymore!  It’s Parent’s Choice for me!  I think before I buy another box of Luvs I better check out the Parent’s Choice diapers!

Maintaining Your Cool in Front of the Children

Children are very impressionable.  I remember when my daughter was two and a half years old she was pretending to drive on her father’s lap in the car while waiting for me to come in from the store.  He asked her if she wants to drive like Mommy and Daddy when she gets older.  She honked the horn, called out “BEEP, BEEP”, then yelled “Come on you a**!”  It was quite obvious to me from that point on how much of a sponge children really are.  They soak in everything and sometimes they spit it out when you least expect it (sometimes at the most inopportune times!)

 

We’ve recently seen some celebrities lose their cool on television, making inappropriate outbursts in the spotlight.  Serena Williams lost her temper at the US Open recently, as we see athletes in every sport lose their tempers regularly.  Many of these athletes are looked at in awe and aspiration by today’s kids.  Kanye West inappropriately jumped on stage and belittled a winner.  We all too often see musicians and actors lose their cool on live television or see it on the news.  So many of these celebrities are also the role models of today’s children.  It seems like every time we turn on the television we see someone else in the spotlight lose his or her cool: politicians, teachers, policemen, and parents.  All people that are often looked up to by children.  Today’s children.  Tomorrow’s future.

 

I remember reading an excerpt of a poem on a wall in a teacher’s classroom.  The words have stuck with me for many years:

One Hundred Years from now 
(excerpt from “Within My Power” by Forest Witcraft)

One Hundred Years from now 
It will not matter 
what kind of car I drove, 
What kind of house I lived in, 
how much money was in my bank account 
nor what my clothes looked like. 
But the world may be a better place because 
I was important in the life of a child.

 

As a parent, we are our child’s first teacher.  We are possibly the biggest role models our children may ever have.  And we have one shot at living up to it.  As a counselor, I am always trying to work with my clients to help them rid a bad habit (gambling, abusing drugs, controlling temper, to name a few).  As a parent, I know I always have room to grow, for I am a human before I am a counselor.  When I find myself raising my voice in front of my children, I recognize I need to take a step back and show a better side of me.  I know I am important in the life of FOUR children.  I know I need to maintain my cool to teach them what’s right.  If all parents do the same, the next generation will be so much stronger.

Sesame Street Live

I am from the first Sesame Street generation.  I remember when Mr. Hooper was alive and running his store, and I remember when he passed away.  I remember when Snuffy was Big Bird’s Imaginary friend and was only seen by him.  I watched Sesame Street before Elmo was born, before Abby Cadabby and Zoe, Baby Bear and Rosita.  I loved Sesame Street when I was a little girl.  So naturally I wanted my children to love Sesame Street as well.

 

When my oldest daughter was 18 months old, in 2003, I took her to see Sesame Street Live.  I had introduced the characters to her when she was a baby, and she loved Elmo (what baby doesn’t?).  As a matter of fact, whenever the Elmo’s World song came on during the TV show, Juliana would be glued to the TV.  I even had to get her a fish bowl and “Dorothy” the gold fish.  The theme of her first birthday was of course Sesame Street.  So seeing her face during Sesame Street Live was priceless…  She was glued to the stage whenever she saw that red monster.  I enjoyed the show, too!  There will always be a part of me that will always enjoy Sesame Street, no matter how old I am!

 

My twin sons are now fourteen months old.  At eight am every morning, they are glued to the TV just as their sister was.  And every time they hear the theme song, they stand up and dance away!  So naturally, I had to get tickets to see Sesame Street Live this time it was in the area!  I am so excited to be taking the kids to see the show in October!  I know they will love it!  When I told my daughter, who is now seven, that I was getting tickets to see Sesame Street Live, she was thrilled as well!  I definitely thought she’d consider it too babyish for her to go, but she is just as hooked as I am! 

 

Sesame Street Live is in the NYC area for three separate shows.  As I am expecting baby number 4 on September 22 (which means I will be looking again next year to take him to see Sesame Street Live when it returns to NY), I will be going to the show in Westchester in late October.  The local shows are:

 

IZOD center, September 17-20

Nassau Coliseum, September 24-27

Westchester County Center, October 22-25

 

If you go to ticketmaster.com and search for Sesame Street Live, you can see if there are any shows playing near you!  I can’t wait for the show, and will be sure to come back and tell you all about it!  Hmmm, am I an excited Mommy or a Kid at Heart?

THE HUNT FOR A TRIPLE STROLLER

The further along I progress in this pregnancy, the more I wonder if I would be better off with a triple stroller or with a double and a baby carrier.  In less than three short weeks, I will have three babies under fourteen months.  My twins are still not walking, or I should say, they are not walking long distances.  Louis, the older one (by two minutes), will pull himself up by himself to stand in the middle of the room, and then he just stands there (with a PERFECT balance!).  He might take a step here and there but inevitably will dive back down to dash into a quick crawl and get where he wants to go.  Anthony, the younger one, will pull himself up by holding onto a couch or toy or whatever is in his way and will take four to six steps before he, too, dives into that dashing crawl.  Let’s put it this way, they can crawl faster than I walk so I guess they are in no rush to walk. 

 

That leaves me with a pretty big dilemma.  I have this ever growing belly and two 20+ pound sons that still need to be carried around.  I was hoping to continue to use one of my two double strollers (I have both a Graco DuoGlider front-to-back and a Chicco side-by-side) and carry the baby with a Baby Bjorn carrier.  But I do worry that if I need to pick up one of the twins while we are out or walking somewhere, what will I do with the baby in the carrier in front of me?  I know that if I am with my husband we can always take one of the doubles and a single, but there will be times (like picking up my older daughter at the bus stop when I am by myself with the kids) where having two strollers will not work.

 

I decided to start shopping around for a triple stroller, and was unpleasantly surprised with the pricing.  $500, $700, $900, $1200 and up on a stroller that I will undoubtedly only need for a year or two at most?  I mainly rely on driving (which is a story for another day, as our lease is up next year on our Saturn Outlook and I might need to start looking at minivans for my brood), so it is unlikely I will be using a triple stroller each and every day.  If I do use it, it will mostly be to get around in a store with the kids (so yes, lifting the stroller in and out of a trunk regularly by myself is a big factor), and I just cannot see spending over $1000 on a stroller.  Plus, it is not in our budget. 

 

So, after narrowing down a stroller by price (staying under the $500 limit), I still wanted to get a sturdy stroller.  I really liked the jogging strollers (not that I jog!), but the ones that I would be inclined to purchase were over our spending limit.  I tried to see which was the lesser of two evils:  a front-to-back triple which I would be able to get in and out of doors with but when crossing the street I would need to be sure the child in the front was safe as he would be so far ahead of me; or a side-by-side stroller (and I have a hard enough time getting in and out of doors and through racks in stores as it is with a double stroller) which would be an awful wide load.

 

In the end, I decided to go with a front-to-back.  I found the Foundations Trio online and was pleasantly surprised that it was under $400.  I received it by Federal Express within 3-4 days of ordering.  So far so good.

 

As I am 9 months pregnant, my husband had to take it out of the box and put it together for me.  It was fairly simple, the wheels had to go into the axels and the canopies had to be put on.  Opening it was not difficult at all (however, I must admit that I have not tried it myself because I cannot lift anything heavy.  Closing it seemed a little more of a challenge, but we had to get used to closing our Graco and Chicco doubles as well.  I am lucky that my three boys will be in it, so the blue color (which is such a beautiful color by the way!) goes great for our family, and the fabric looks and feels like it will be very easy to keep clean.  I cannot tell you how my Chicco is all stained from juice and cookies and everything else the boys have eaten in it!

 

I am going to have to buy an infant head support insert, because the stroller does not seem as newborn-friendly as I would have liked, and of course until he is born in the next few weeks I cannot try it out for him, but the twins seemed to love it, and seemed very comfortable.  And I have decided to go with a Baby Bjorn carrier as well, in the event I want to travel once in a while with just a double, so we will see how that one goes also.

 

I will be sure to let you all know how it all works out in a few weeks when I am strolling around in the fall with my three sons to pick up my daughter from the bus and go shopping!

Baby Safety Month

Baby Safety Month

 

September is Baby Safety Awareness Month.  Although we should be aware of baby safety every day, here is a list of things to keep in mind with your little ones.

 

IN THE HOME

 

Fire Safety:

Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are a must in every home, especially in the home of a child.  Make sure all batteries are fresh and alarms are working correctly.  A good rule of thumb is to check your alarms and change the batteries when you change the clocks in the Spring and Fall, helping you to remember their maintenance. 

It is a good idea to have a fire escape plan in place in case of fire or smoke.  Having a filled fire extinguisher is advisable, and having all adults and older children know how to use it is a good idea.  Be sure to have flashlights with fresh batteries readily accessible.

Teach your children what to do in case of a fire.  Laying low to the ground and following the “stop, drop and roll” guidelines can be extremely helpful. Covering his or her mouth with a towel or shirt to avoid breathing in smoke are all good tips to share.  Your local fire department can help you with more tips for the children.

 

Electrical Outlets, Plugs, and Wiring:

I cannot stress how important it is to keep your baby away from any electrical hazards.  Outlet covers are available in most stores for very cheap.  Be sure that your baby does not play near any electrical outlets or pull on any plugs.  Be sure there is no exposed wiring anywhere in the house. 

 

Windows:

It is a good idea to have window guards on all windows, to keep baby from having any window accidents.  Be sure they are properly installed. 

Check all of your blinds and curtains to make sure no cords are dangling, as this can cause strangulation.  Tie them up or cut them off if necessary to avoid a baby getting tangled in the cords or strings from window treatments.

 

If you own your home, make sure to have smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and window guards.  If you rent, your landlord may be responsible for ensuring these things are in place.  Check with your local and state laws.

 

Kitchen and Bathroom Safety

Be sure all cleaning appliances and cooking ingredients are safely stored from baby’s reach.  When cooking, use back burners when at all possible.  If you have a pot/pan on the burners, be sure the handle is facing the back of the stove so baby can’t reach the pot and get burned.  Be sure all knives and forks are out of baby’s reach at all times. 

 

Never leave water in the bathtub, sink or even a bucket to avoid drowning.  As a matter of fact, never leave water running, even if there is no plug, for a playing baby can clog up a drain and this is a potential drowning hazard as well.  Bath seats are not safety devices, so do not leave a baby unattended in a tub or with another child under any circumstance. Consider purchasing a toilet lid lock to avoid the baby getting into the toilet unattended.

 

Choking Hazards

Watch out for loose change, keys, or other small items that can end up in baby’s mouth.  Never leave a baby unattended while eating, as choking can occur in the blink of an eye.  Be sure all handles, latches, and any other mounted objects are secured to avoid baby pulling and choking on nails or screws.

 

Furniture

Bolt television stands, bookshelves, hutches, and any other furniture that the baby can pull on to the wall to avoid heavy items from falling on him.  Baby superstores sell safety items to bolt these things, so check the baby proofing section.

 

 

IN THE CAR

 

Car seat safety

You can go to your local fire department to help you install your car seat.  Additionally, look around your local baby magazines for other places that install your car seats and help you ensure you have properly installed it.  Always be sure your baby is snug in there with safety harness straps securely in place.

 

Never put a baby in the front seat of a car and follow the laws in your state for rear facing / forward facing.  A baby under one and under twenty pounds should be rear facing.

 

Children up to seven years old and seventy pounds should be in a booster seat in the back seat. 

 

A child under age thirteen should be strapped in the back seat.  Be sure to check the laws in your state for more specific guidelines for safety in the car.

 

BABY GEAR

 

Always submit your warranty and registration information on all baby gear so you are informed of any product recalls.  Additionally, you can sign up on baby sites to get notifications of any recalls that may be in effect.  Over the last few years, strict guidelines have been put in place with baby furniture and other baby paraphernalia.  Therefore, before using a crib from a friend whose child is now older or that infant seat you found in your garage, be sure it is still ok to do so. 

 

I gave one of my sons a little lion squishy toy not too long ago.  It came from a baby boutique, and I didn’t think there was anything to worry about.  Luckily I checked in the corral and saw what looked like little bits of Styrofoam on the floor.  My son had bit off the lion’s ear and was working on the rest of the toy.  Be sure to check all toys are safe, that baby cannot bite or eat them, that there are no sharp points or breakable items in their play area, and that any toys with batteries are not leaking battery fluid.

 

Check your safety gates, corrals and play yards.  Gates should be properly locked in place, especially at the top and bottom of stairs or in doorways.  Be aware of the older baby who likes to climb, even with gates in place.  The older accordion style gates are now known as a strangulation hazard for babies. 

 

Be sure to never leave a baby unattended in any baby gear.  Baby carriers, infant seats, Bumbos, boosters among other things should always be safely on the floor if you intend to walk away even for a split second.

 

BABY CLOTHING

 

Be sure to remove all tags, strings and loose buttons from your baby’s clothing.  Proper fitting clothing are the best bet in all situations.  Clothing that is too big might cause a tripping hazard for crawling or walking babies.  Sleepwear should be flame retardant.

 

 

IN THE YARD

Pools need to be either fenced in, have an alarm in case of sudden unexpected falls, or a removable ladder needs to be taken out when not in use to avoid a child falling in.  Remember to never leave baby unattended near a pool, even in a kiddie pool.

 

Put away any yard equipment such as lawn mowers and wheelbarrows, and everything in between.  An inquisitive baby/toddler can find his way into the equipment and get hurt.  Remove ladders as well, both inside and outside the home.

 

Even the most careful of parents see accidents.  Keeping aware of your baby’s surroundings at all times is imperative.  Consider taking an infant CPR course in the event of an emergency.  And remember, babies and toddlers are very nosy and inquisitive human beings and will try to get into EVERYTHING!

The First Birthday Party

The First Birthday Party

 

So I survived the twins’ first birthday!  My boys now think that every day is their birthday!  Within three weeks time we celebrated their birthday, had a five day festival, threw their party, went on vacation… and now we’re back to the real world.

 

For the past thirteen years, my father has been the chairman for our church’s five day street fair each July.  When he found out my C-Section was scheduled for July 22 of last year, he panicked, as it was the day before the 2008 festival was to begin.  It all worked out well, the boys were born and the feast went off as planned.  But he did tell me while I was still in the hospital that the first day of the feast the following year would fall on their first birthday! 

 

We had birthday cake for the boys on that first night of the feast, their actual birthday.  There was a baby and toddler tent at the feast that had a petting zoo and costumed characters.  My dad got permission from the pastor to have the boy’s birthday party in that tent on the Saturday of the feast before the event actually opened.  The theme was a carnival theme, and their cake had a carnival tent and a small petting zoo on it (my aunts had made it).  As my boys names are Louis and Anthony, their small individual cakes were a Lion and a Tiger (Louie the Lion and Tony the Tiger).  And boy did they devour them!

 

 

The boys got great toys, adorable new clothes and pajamas, and they are all set for the fall.  They enjoyed every second of their birthday celebration, and although Mommy is STILL recuperating, seeing the smiles on their faces and remembering what an awesome milestone it is to have your children turn one, was worth every minute of it!

 

 

Mama Knows Breast; An interview with Andi Silverman, Author

Mama Knows Breast

An interview with Andi Silverman, Author

By Jennifer Nevadomski

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Andi Silverman, Mama Knows Breast:  The Beginner’s Guide to Breastfeeding author, at a Mamapalooza event in New York City.  She agreed to this interview and I am thrilled that I got the chance to read the book and honored to have interviewed her.  More about Andi and her book can be found at MamaKnowsBreast.com  I truly agree that the work stands to its description as the “essential new-mom’s guide to nursing–full of friendly, frank, and reassuring advice”!

1. How do you feel about the recent news article which talked about the mom who was told to stop breastfeeding in an IKEA store? 

It’s unfortunate that we hear stories like this all the time.  Moms have run into trouble breastfeeding in stores, restaurants and on airplanes.  Until we reach the point that more people are educated about the benefits of breastfeeding, and the legal rights of moms to breastfeed in public, this will keep happening.

Moms should know that most states have laws protecting their right to breastfeed in public.  If they want information about the situation in their home state, the National Conference of State Legislatures has a comprehensive list.

2. What would you say to a mom who, for medical reasons or other serious issue, cannot nurse and feels like a failure for not being able to breastfeed her child? 

Breastfeeding doesn’t work for all moms.  There are definitely instances where certain medical conditions can complicate nursing.  But in general, with the help of a lactation consultant, most moms can overcome breastfeeding challenges. 

I always tell moms-to-be to get the number of a lactation consultant, even before they give birth.  That way, if a problem does arise, they can get help as soon as possible.  Often, the longer you wait to get help, the worse a problem gets.   There’s no need to be a hero and tough things out on your own. 

If breastfeeding doesn’t work, we’re fortunate that formula is an option.  In this country, we have access to clean water to make formula, and we have electricity to so that we can sterilize bottles. That certainly isn’t the case in developing countries.

So, moms should know that they aren’t failures if they can’t breastfeed.  The most important thing, after all, is to care for your baby and love him with all of your heart.

 3. I love your brutal honesty throughout the book and your relaxed and very “realistic” attitude.  I love when you discussed how the hubby will need to share your boobs with someone else. Do you take that relaxed approach and nonchalant attitude in other aspects of motherhood?  Any general pointers for our moms?

Relaxed? Not exactly! I definitely do my share of worrying, and it takes a lot of mental work to keep things in perspective.  But there are certainly some things that don’t bother me any more. For instance, I don’t worry if I can’t brush my kids’ teeth every night.  I try to pin them down, and if they are just too recalcitrant, I give up.  Overall, my attitude is, just do the best you can do.

4. You mentioned some breastfeeding paraphernalia such as breast shells and SNS devices.  Do you truly feel that they work and will eventually help the baby latch better?

There are many products on the market that can make breastfeeding easier if you are having a problem.  But they are all for specific instances, and I wouldn’t jump to using something unless a lactation consultant or doctor explicitly recommends that you do so. 

A SNS, or Supplemental Nursing System, for example, is only for particular problems; baby’s with latch problems, adopted babies, or moms who are trying to increase milk supply.  It allows a baby to get formula or expressed milk from a sac that is attached to the mom’s breast.  The baby sucks from the breast and a tube at the same time.  But again, this isn’t for most babies.

5. I have three children, a seven year old and twin one year olds.  I nursed each of them for three months. With my first I never developed a strong supply, and with the twins it was extremely taxing to nurse two babies at once, so it was the best decision for our family to wean at that time.  Now that I am expecting my fourth  (and the twins will be only 14 months old when he is born) and get closer to the big day, I am thinking as long as I nurse for a week or two it will be enough.  I am trying to consider the needs and demands of my older children.  Naturally I feel guilty for thinking maybe I shouldn’t nurse him at all…  Any suggestions?

Every mom has to make the decision that works best for her, her baby and her family. There’s no one size fits all answer.  Some moms exclusively breastfeed. Some exclusively formula feed. And some do a combination of the two.  It’s a matter of personal choice. 

But it is important that people know that breastfeeding has clear and well-documented health benefits for both mom and baby.  This includes protection against a variety of infectious diseases and illnesses.  For example, a new study just came out that shows that breastfeeding can decrease the risk of breast cancer for women who have a family history of breast cancer.  Also, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months; that means no milk, formula, water, juice or solids.  After that, the AAP says moms should breastfeed until the baby is at least one year old.  The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for two years.

As for any guilt you may feel… well, I think we as moms have to learn to live with guilt.  It’s easy to feel that as some point you’ve let your child down in one way or another.  For example, one of my kids had a very hard time this year at pre-school drop-off; he cried and cried.  The teachers reassured me he had a great time as soon as I was gone. But it still broke my heart to walk out the door, leaving him in tears.  Often I was crying, too.

 6. What did you think about Salma Hayek breastfeeding another woman’s baby?

Hayek was on a humanitarian mission in Africa when she nursed a baby that was sick.  It was wonderful to see her bring attention to the critical importance of breastfeeding.  And what Hayek did was not all that unsual; women have always nursed other people’s babies.  Centuries ago it was very common for wealthy women to hire wet nurses.  That has definitely fallen out of vogue.  Today, there are situations where some people cross-nurse, or casually nurse another person’s baby.  But there are risks with cross-nursing; specifically the transmission of infectious diseases.  If a mom does need to get additional breast milk for her child, she can always contact one of the human milk banks across the country through the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.

7. You first published your book in 2007, and noted you were not sure how you would be with your second child.  Do you have any more advice or comments now that you have nursed your second child?  Has he been weaned yet?

Sadly, my nursing days are over.  I definitely miss it.  We just moved, and while we were packing I found an old nursing pad in my night stand.  It made me really nostalgic, believe it or not, for those 3 a.m. feedings. 

I was very fortunate that nursing went well for me with both kids. I was committed to making it work, and if I ever ran into a problem, I got help from a lactation consultant right away.  I had some issues with engorgement, and also with weaning.  But overall, the kids were excellent nursers and gained weight really well.  And one thing that made a huge difference was that my husband was very supportive the whole time.

Thank you so much, Andi!  I hope you consider writing more parenting books!  I love your style!  And I hope the rest of you moms, whether first timers or fourth (or more) timers pick up Mama Knows Breast!  It was a great read and very helpful!

Happy First Birthday, My Dear Sweet Boys!

Today is Louis and Anthony’s FIRST birthday!  This has by far been the fastest year of my life.  My boys have gotten so big, so fast, and have hit so many milestones!  They are about to start walking any day now, they have said their first words, they have gotten their first teeth.  My boys are beautiful, playful little guys, with such awesome personalities, and I am starting to see them become each other’s best friends.  There really is such a thing as twins having their own language that only they understand.

Here they are when they were first born:

My Baby Boys

 

Being on bed rest from early June until they were born on July 22 of last year was not fun.  Being pregnant with twins through those scorching hot early July days, while desperately trying to maintain my water intake so as to avoid dehydration, was not easy.  As it was, by the time I was admitted the morning of their scheduled C-Section, Paul and I had made 7 trips to Labor and Delivery.  I would get hooked up to monitors, get IV fluids, get examined, and go home.  And how I wished time would fly, so I would no longer be pregnant with these two little precious boys!  Silly Mommy!

Ironically, a year later, I wish time would slow down!  I cannot believe my oldest child is now seven and a half, and I know in the blink of an eye these boys will be also!  I want to enjoy and remember every second of those slobbery baby kisses, babbling sentences that I wish I understood, their gigantic pride every time they stand by themselves, the funny faces I get when I give them a new food for the first time, how they squeal with giggles when their big sister dances with them, and how they look at Daddy in delight like he is a rock star when he walks through the door every evening!

 

Before I know it, Paul and I will be walking them into their first day of Pre-K, watching their first baseball game, buying their First Communion suits.  But for now, I am going to enjoy every second I have of them being one, and I am going to hope I can slow time down just a little so my baby boys will stay babies long enough so that I can blink and they will still be one. 

Happy First Birthday, Louis and Anthony! Mommy and Daddy (and big sister, Juliana) love you very much and hope you both have a great day!  Now on to the party!  We are having a big party with a petting zoo and costumed characters later on today! (And I promise I will share pictures and tell you how it went!)