Sync Up with Your Kiddos

Do any of you remember those phones that you could press the backs of them together they would share files together? I was thought they were like magic. And then I had a baby and they realized that the real magic is in the bond that you have with your child.

Right after the baby is born you have this magical time to create a bond with your baby. It's called Skin on skin time. No I didn't get this time right away because I had to have an emergency C-section. But as soon as they would allow me to I held my son up against my chest and kissed his face.

Skin on skin contact with a baby especially a newborn it's just like those phones that sync up. That baby is biorhythms (their heartbeat, their blood pressure, even their stress level) sync up with your's. It's amazing!

This syncing can be done anytime, anywhere (within the laws decency). It doesn't have to be against your chest. I'm sure my elementary aged son would hate that! It can be as simple as holding hands.

AND it can be done by Dads too! Yes, Dads everywhere, you can bond with your infant. You don't have to wait until they can throw a ball.

It's also a two-way street. Have you ever heard about how people can help themselves but to smell the top of an infant's head? That's because in infants especially in newborns there is a special chemical reaction that is started when smelling their heads. It's the love drug of hormones called Oxytocin. This hormone instantly ignites the dopamine receptors and links that interaction to our pleasure centers.

See he still lets me hold his hand.

Along Came Izzy Part 1

Some of the best conversations with my son happen right before he falls asleep. He's so sweet and open. From time to time he asks me to tell him different aspects of his birth story. I love this, not just because it gives me a chance to remind him how hard I worked to get him here and therefore reinforce his obligation of caring for me as an old lady...but because it helps us bond even more.

So, I've decided to make it into a children's book for him. I'm not an illustrator but my bff is awesome at taking photos and drawing them.

I think this will be wonderful way to share how I prepares for him.

What ideas would you be open to do for your kiddos?

I feel like a freaking milk cow...my breastfeeding woes

I think every mother who decides to breastfeed has this image of herself in a white cotton dress in the middle of a field lovingly caressing her child's cheek as they breastfeed. Rarely does this ever happen.

As a mother and as my job as a family Support specialist I have learned that breastfeeding is as challenging as it is rewarding.

As my experience, I faced a giant problem...rather two giant problems.
My girls got too big. I realize this when I went to the hospital to get a great nursing tank top and they measured me as a size double M! Up until that point I did not know that there was ever a size double M. I was shocked and horrified. The attendant and the breastfeeding coaches at the hospital assured me that some babies don't have any problem with large breasts. Of course, I didn't get a baby that didn't have problems with large breasts.

I tried everything. I tried those little nipple hat things that they give you in the hospital that are supposed to help the baby latch on but they don't ever work. I tried drinking a beer thinking that my milk just hadn't come in yet. It had. In fact I had so much milk it would spray the mirror when I got into the shower. I had a lactation consultant come to my home. I went back to the hospital on more than one occasion to try to get tips from the lactation consultant. Now, normally, a lactation consultant is a combination of breastfeeding Nazi and holistic hippie healer. They normally do not give up on breastfeeding. But my breast were that large and even the lactation consultant asked if I could bear to just formula feed.

The answer was I could not.

It took two months before my child was able to latch on properly. Two months! That meant two months of pumping. Two months of bottle feeding. Two months of a screaming baby who wanted me to hold him while I was pumping. I was exhausted and very stubborn. So, I took the two months on the chin and pumped my heart out.

My very supportive mother tried to convince me to just formula feed. She told me my baby would be smart and we would still have a bond. But I was stubborn. I do not recommend this for everyone.

One thing I do recommend is that every mother decide for herself if this is what she needs to do for her child. If you do decide to breastfeed make sure that you're surrounded by supportive people and that you log on to the La Leche League website. It's a great website for support and it's completely free.

From My Heart to Yours
Amy B

What Did I Get Myself Into...And other parenting questions

What Did I Get Myself Into...And other parenting questions

There comes a point in time where you ask yourself, "Is this whole parenting thing really for me?" If you already have kids it may be a little late to ask. But we've all been there.

My "Oh No!" moment came when I was pregnant and I couldn't find my socks...not that I could have bent over to put them on by myself...but I needed to find them. I realized, "Oh No! I'm the MOM! I'm supposed to know this stuff. I'm supposed to the be finder of all lost things. I'm not sure I'm cut out for this."

My best friend had her moment in the hospital when the nurse told her it was about time to take her baby home. My friend started crying hysterically, "Are you sure I can just take her? I mean, isn't there a class or something I have to take?"

The cold truth is that there really isn't a class you can take to master parenting before you are a parent. Most of us just wing it. Some days I'm like, "Mother of the Year Award, right here." Other days...most days...I'm hiding the evidence of a major screw up and hoping no one notices.

The point is that you try your best and when you do screw up you blog about it so the rest of us can laugh at you...I mean learn from you.

That's what this blog is all about. I'm sharing whatever wisdom I have learned over the years of parenting and being a parent educator in hopes that I can encourage you on your journey....or at the very least give you a good laugh.

From My Heart to Yours,
Enjoy!

Amy B.