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Breastfeeding: My Most Challenging AND Rewarding Feat

2014/08 By Lauren B. Stevens 4 Comments

Featured on BlogHer.com

August is National Breastfeeding Month, the first week of which marking World Breastfeeding Week.  A few years ago, these events would have passed without significance, but after having my son, and experiencing a long and rewarding breastfeeding relationship, I feel compelled to encourage and support other breastfeeding mothers, and breastfeeding mothers-to-be. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: all, breastfeeding, Editorial, featured, Giveaways, giveaways, Natural Living, Parenting, sponsored, topics Tagged With: breastfeeding, national breastfeeding month, nursing, world breastfeeding week

21 Months

2014/04 By Lauren B. Stevens 10 Comments

Yesterday marked the end of an era, as it was the first day Declan didn’t nurse since the day he was born.  Our breastfeeding journey lasted exactly 21 months.  It wasn’t planned, it just happened.  D had only been nursing once a day for the last month or so, with growth spurts or boredom prompting him to ask to nurse throughout the day, so it was inevitable that it was going to happen sometime soon.  To be honest, I think my milk supply had dwindled down over the past week, as it was beginning to become uncomfortable.
[Read more…]

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Filed Under: all, breastfeeding, Editorial, Parenting, topics Tagged With: breastfeeding, nursing, weaning

WAHM Mondays: Mercedes Donis, author of “Twin Manibreasto: A Success Story of Milk & Multiples”

2014/02 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

I’m delighted to have Mercedes Donis, author, blogger and SAHM, stop by to share her ebook: Twin Manibreasto.  Mercedes has written an anecdotal guide, full of experience, tips and encouragement, illustrating how very possible it is to breastfeed twins.  For more twin advice, and other great [natural] parenting tips, you can visit Mercedes’ blog, Project Procrastinot.
Hello, Median Mommy readers! My name is Mercedes and I’ve got a story to share.
Back when I was pregnant in 2012, I got the news of a lifetime: I was carrying twins! It was a major shock, and the revelation changed the course of my and my husband’s lives.
One of my earliest concerns and biggest priorities was (and still is!) breastfeeding. Would I be able to breastfeed twins? Would I need to supplement with formula? How long would I be able to nurse two babies?
These questions, along with many others, swirled furiously in my brain until I gave birth, and continued to lurk there in those difficult first three months. But the good news is that, despite all the challenges, my twins and I have had a successful breastfeeding relationship that continues to this day! They are seventeen months old and still breastfeeding.

I recently wrote an ebook, “Twin Manibreasto: A Success Story of Milk & Multiples,” because I want other twin-mama-to-bes to have hope. You don’t have to resign from breastfeeding simply because you’re having more than one baby!
This ebook is part memoir, part manual, as I reminisce on the painful early days of our journey and beyond. I give my recommendations for gear to buy, tips and recipes for increasing milk supply, and even a printable feeding log to keep track of your babies’ feeds.
I never imagined just how much breastfeeding would mean for our family, or to me. It has become an important part of my life and I’m so happy to be able to share our experience with you! To buy the book, just come visit my blog.

Are you (or is someone you know) expecting twins? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s connect on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook! You can also stop by my blog, Project Procrastinot, for more stories on life and parenting twins.

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Filed Under: blog series, Editorial, featured WAHMs, guest posts Tagged With: books, breastfeeding, breastfeeding twins, guest post, nursing, twins, WAHM, WAHM Feature

10 Signs You’re Ready to Stop Breastfeeding

2014/02 By Lauren B. Stevens 13 Comments

Featured on BlogHer.com

I recently sailed past the 19 month mark of breastfeeding Declan, and did so with a sigh.  I’m grateful for being able to nurse for so long, but the truth is that I’m ready to be done anytime now.  I started out with a 6 month goal, which turned to 1 year once I exceeded my initial length.  At the one year mark, I assumed (especially being pregnant twice) that Declan would just self-wean…and soon.  Not the case, pregnancy hormones didn’t put him off…at all.  And while it was painful, it was nothing compared to the pain of clogged ducts, so I nursed through it.  Now?  I long for the day that I can reclaim my breasts.  Completely tongue-in-cheek, here are some signs that you may be ready to stop breastfeeding:
A little breastfeeding humor, for those extended breastfeeding moms out there: 10 Signs You're Ready to Stop Breastfeeding

  1. Like an automaton, you proffer your breast when you hear the words milk, milkies, boob, boobie, etc. [or any utterance that sounds remotely similar].
  2. You gaze longingly at your regular bras, tucked into the far reaches of your lingerie drawer, and haven’t the slightest recollection of the last time you wore one.
  3. Why buy the milk when you get mama’s milk for free is no longer a humorous saying.  In fact, you’re thinking about charging at this point. 
  4. You’re ready to disassociate yourself from the Got Milk? campaign.
  5. You’re seriously questioning having another baby any time in the near future [because the thought of another nursling makes you cringe].
  6. You no longer think the I’m a Boob Man onesie is cute.  At all.
  7. You’re ready to wear something other than tank tops and cardigans [because, you know, you stopped wearing nursing clothing LONG ago].
  8. Nursing in public?  Pfft! No biggie [almost everyone’s glimpsed my breasts at this point].
  9. Your little one can now ask to nurse…using a complete sentence.
  10. Even your grungiest regular bra looks appealing.

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Filed Under: all, breastfeeding, Editorial, featured, humor, Natural Living, Parenting Tagged With: breastfeeding, humor, lactating, nursing, weaning

Milk Diapers Nursing Pads Giveaway

2013/10 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

Welcome to the Milk Diapers Nursing Pads Giveaway sponsored by Milk Diapers and hosted by The Parenting Patch!
Of all the nursing pads that Heather at The Parenting Patch has tried, Milk Diapers Nursing Pads are her new favorite.  Despite owning a boxful of nursing pads, she now reaches for her Milk Diapers Nursing Pads first.  Two distinguishing features of the Milk Diapers brand are the larger size and the unique patented dart.  Together both keep this nursing pad firmly in place inside a bra while offering comfortable-fitting protection against leaks.  If you are in search of a nursing pad that works and feels great, Heather cannot recommend Milk Diapers Nursing Pads enough!  To learn more, check out her Milk Diapers Nursing Pads Review.
 For more information about Milk Diapers Nursing Pads or to make a purchase, visit the Milk Diapers Nursing Pads website.  You can also follow Milk Diapers Nursing Pads on Facebook.  Even more excitingly, one lucky reader of The Parenting Patch and The Median Mommy will win one (1) Sampling 8 Pad Pack from Milk Diapers.  To enter for your chance to win the Milk Diapers Nursing Pads Giveaway, simply use the following Rafflecopter form.  Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 The Milk Diapers Nursing Pads Giveaway is restricted to legal residents of the United States of America and Canada. The Milk Diapers Nursing Pads Giveaway ends at midnight CST on November 12, 2013. One winner will be chosen at random via Rafflecopter. The winner will be sent an email and will have forty-eight hours to respond. If no response is received within forty-eight hours, another winner will be chosen. Participating blogs are not responsible for prize fulfillment.

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Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: breastfeeding, giveaway, nursing, nursing pads

The BIG Picture? Breastfeeding Doesn’t Suck! (part I)

2013/08 By Lauren B. Stevens 2 Comments

I haven’t written about breastfeeding at all, despite it being something that I’ve been doing multiple times a day for over a year now.  To celebrate World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7), I thought that I’d share my experience/journey and provide some links to other women’s experiences, as well as some great breastfeeding references.

I reference breastfeeding as a journey because it’s definitely something that, for me, has evolved over time. Before I even got pregnant, I knew that I wanted to breastfeed my children.  The list of benefits is long and I was acutely aware of them.  My hurdle?  I had only known three women who breastfed, and could count on one hand the number of times I had seen a woman breastfeed a child.  The fact that I hadn’t been exposed to breastfeeding helped to create a sense of fear about it.  What if I wasn’t able to do it?  I had heard so many stories about how difficult breastfeeding was, and known women who had been unable to do it or gave up.  When the time for me to try came, it went a little something like this…

Due to the shape of my uterus, Declan was in the breech position from 5 months on, and despite numerous attempts to turn him, I ended-up having a scheduled c-section.  I had planned on an out-of-hospital birth at my midwives’ birth center, but it just wasn’t to be.  In terms of breastfeeding, my list of worries was long because of this c-section (my advice is not to read anything about c-sections and breastfeeding): I would be separated from my baby from the moment of his birth, c-section babies are often lethargic and not wanting to nurse, I would pass the drugs from my spinal tap onto my newborn baby…and so on, and so forth.

The reality is that my midwife, who assisted in my surgery, was my advocate.  Yes, I was separated from Declan for 10-15 minutes after his birth (he had trouble keep his body temperature up), but, unsurprisingly (D has a big appetite) he came out of the womb rooting.  The nurses had to assure him that he would be at the breast soon!  The warming station was brought into my recovery room (thanks to my midwife) and my midwife walked me through getting Declan latched onto my breast for the first time.  It was such a strange feeling!  I was elated to see my baby, and couldn’t stop looking at him, marveling in the fact that this was the little soccer player that had been inside of my for so long.  The week to come would prove to be the toughest.

While in the hospital, I absolutely struggled with nursing – getting the right position, getting Declan latched on…and staying latched.  I remember calling for help in tears one night at 11pm.  A lactation consultant came in and helped me – what a relief (for both Declan & myself)!  I struggled getting D latched without help.  The nurses constantly checking on how often and how long I was nursing D was absolutely stressful.  To top it off, Declan was born with a particularly bad case of jaundice.

My orange little boy – his diaper cover matches his skin tone!

I left the hospital worried and stressed – Declan had lost 1 lb. in the 3 days since he was born (we were told that there was a discrepancy in the scales, but that his weight loss was still worrisome, especially with his jaundice).  One of the ways get rid of jaundice is to flush it from a baby’s system through increased feedings (and subsequent bowel movements).  I was stressed that I was having difficulty nursing, was incredibly afraid that I would be told to supplement with formula; all of this put an ever increasing weight on my shoulders.  Thank goodness for our pediatrician’s office.

Declan had his first checkup, and we were told that the office had a lactation consultant (LC) available for consultations.  I shrugged it off, assuming that I would get the hang of it in a day or so (at this point, Declan was 4 days old) and went home.  Well, D’s biliruben numbers were not getting better, we were having to drive to the hospital each day to get blood drawn, and I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown because I still hadn’t gotten the hang of things.  After an especially trying 30 minute bout of attempting to get D latched, my incredibly supportive husband suggested we call and schedule an appointment with the LC at our pediatrician’s office.  We got in and I had 2 appointments in that first week of D’s life.  What a lifesaver!  The LC was actually the doctor’s (who owned the practice) wife, a Nurse Practicioner with a slew of pediatric credentials, and she was incredibly supportive — she saved my breastfeeding relationship!  By our second appointment, I felt more confident and my LC really encouraged me by applauding my efforts and touting D’s weight gain.

Plucked chicken on the left, plumper babe on the right

I still struggled, but not as much.  Thank goodness for my husband!  He helped me when I was on the verge of quitting, those sample cans of formula looking all too appealing.  There were times when my husband literally took my breast in his hand and latched D on because I would get so frustrated and start crying.  I can not stress enough how important support is to your breastfeeding journey!

Around the time Declan was 3 weeks old, we had gotten the hang of breastfeeding…and I had gotten my first milk bleb, on top of my already sore nipples.  My latch has always been off on my right side (and still is), even after trying to correct it, so I’ve gotten milk blisters on multiple occasions.  Milk blisters are probably the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced (imagine someone taking a knife and repeatedly stabbing through your nipple & into your breast), and nursing through them has been excruciating.  I’ve taken a sterilized pin to puncture them (it doesn’t tickle), nursed on all fours over Declan, massaged through the pain in a hot shower – whatever it took.  I would not, and have not, let milk blebs or clogged ducts derail me from my nursing journey.  The reality is that the best way to clear them up is to nurse them out.  It happens, but please don’t let it stop you.

I could go on forever, but the best thing for me to do is to divide my journey into separate posts, as there are hurdles (and successes!) at different ages and stages.  My advice for those early days is as follows:

  • Line up your support before your baby arrives.  Your husband doesn’t have to be on board (but it’s super great if he is), but make sure that you have a girlfriend, sister, mother, etc. that you can call if & when the going gets tough.
  • Locate a Lactation Consultant in your area and have that number ready and available.  If you’re having a hospital birth, use the LC while you’re there as much as you possibly can (I was too embarrassed to continue to call for one and I regret it).
  • While I never used one, have the number(s) for local breastfeeding support groups or your local La Leche League chapter.  This is especially great if you have absolutely no support around you.
  • Don’t ever hesitate to reach out — so many women have been where you are.  Breastfeeding is difficult at first, but it’s likely one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do.

Kellymom.com was recommended to me by a breastfeeding girlfriend of mine, and has proven to be an invaluable resource throughout my journey, from those early days to getting pregnant while nursing.  If I ever have a breastfeeding question, I find my answer there!

Breastfeedingplace.com is another great resource you can consult, with a lot of different moms sharing their tips and experience.

One of my earliest resources?  The Leaky Boob.  I love her blog and Facebook page – amazing anecdotes and real people asking questions and getting responses from other nursing moms.

I love hearing other women’s experiences with breastfeeding, especially when they keep it real (because those early days are not all rainbows and kittens).  Here are some breastfeeding posts from other bloggers:

Life as a Wife, Mummy, Nurse – it’s not always fun, but having a supportive husband helps
The Inquisitive Mom –  overcoming early breastfeeding hurdles with the help of a friend
Simply Me Plus 3 – normalizing breastfeeding and correcting misconceptions
Spit Up Is The New Black – early breastfeeding hurdles & having a supportive partner
Sew Fatty – “…breastfeeding does get easier”

To be continued…

Feel free to link up your breastfeeding posts below:

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Filed Under: all, breastfeeding, Editorial, Natural Living Tagged With: breastfeeding, lactating, nursing

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Lauren B. Stevens is a former publishing rep-turned-writer, whose work can be found on ChildVantage, The Huffington Post, Scary Mommy and Care.com, among many other websites. When she's not chasing her precocious preschooler, Lauren pens hilarious and heartwarming stories about her life as a mother, ghostwrites blogs for businesses, and sometimes even finds the time to write a bit of creative non-fiction.
Look for Lauren's published essays in the books listed below:

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