The Holidays And Being A Breastfeeding Mom

Welcome to the Carnival of Breastfeeding for December! This month’s theme is, “Taking care of yourself during the holidays.” You can see lots of other great posts by following the links at the end of this article.

Being a breastfeeding mom during the holidays can be very stressful for some moms. You might be traveling to see family – which puts you out of your normal routine, or you might have guests coming over – which puts you in overdrive! You also might be faced with the presence of friends or family who aren’t as comfortable with your breastfeeding as you would like them to be. Below are a few tips and tricks to help you get through the next few weeks.

Traveling

If you are going to be traveling for the holidays, be sure to plan ahead. Take lots of water and healthy snacks with you and be sure to allow extra time for baby changing, taking a break to nurse and some rest room visits (after all you’ll be drinking lots of water!). Drinking water is so important. Your whole schedule is going to be out-of-sync from what you are accustomed to – so you’ll want to be sure to take good care of yourself and your little one! If you are traveling by car – bring lots of water and have it easily accessible so that you can reach it from the front seat. Bring healthy snacks like grapes, granola bars, even pack some sandwiches. Having some of your favorite foods around will make the trip more pleasant and will help you to stay nourished during your journey. If you are traveling by plane, you won’t be able to bring as much with you, but be sure to stock up in the airport so that you have plenty of snacks and liquids for your flight. Be sure to look here for more holiday travel tips.

Having Family Come Visit

If you are having family or friends come to your house for the holidays – try not to stress about it too much. You are a new mom – no one expects you to have a perfect house. Hire a cleaning service to come over and help you out or convince a friend to come and help you prepare for your guests. Try to get as much of your shopping and cooking done ahead of time so that you can enjoy your time with your visitors. Remember – this is a time to enjoy your family and friends – so be sure to take some time out for all of the fun parts of having holiday visitors!

Less Than Supportive Voices

If you think you might encounter some “less than supportive” comments about your breastfeeding during any of your holiday events – the best thing you can do it prepare yourself ahead of time. Decide now – who might say something, what might they say and how will you respond to it. If you go over the scenarios in your head before-hand, then you will be better prepared for if and when something happens. If you are traveling, look up your rights before you go. Know what the laws are of the state or country that you might be visiting. If it is a family member – go through the scenario in your head ahead of time. And if you are pleasantly surprised – embrace every moment of acceptance!!

I remember when my son was 5 months old, I was visiting my family out of state and my entire extended family was there for Christmas Eve. I was nursing my son on the sofa sitting next to my very conservative Aunt. I had a festive nursing top on – which I don’t think anyone even realized was a breastfeeding top! My aunt looked at me and said “Is he nursing?” and I answered “yes” and then she said “Well you can’t even tell!” It was about the nicest thing I could have expected her to say to me. I was so happy and relieved and it made for such a wonderful experience!

Most importantly – during all of your holiday festivities – if you are traveling or staying home or having visitors – remember that this time is about family and about enjoying yourself. So take some time away from the hustle and bustle and be sure to take a moment to just enjoy the holiday!

Do you have any great holiday tips that have helped you to enjoy this time of year? Please leave a comment and share them with the other moms reading this article!

And don’t forget to visit the other Carnival of Breastfeeding Posts at the great blogs listed below (NOTE: this list will be updated throughout the day, so please check back often!):

• Cave Mother: A Mother’s Christmas
• Mama Knows Breast: A Breastfeeding Poem: Twas the Breastfeeder’s Nighttime
• Chronicles of a Nursing Mom: Don’t Forget the Pump!
• Blisstree.com’s Breastfeeding 1-2-3: Breastfeeding and Dehydration
• Accidental Pharmacist: Motherhood Statement
• Hobo Mama: Breastfeeding and the holidays: How to take care of yourself
• The Adventures of Lactating Girl: Breastfeeding And Holidays
• Happy Bambino: How To Take Care Of Ourselves During The Holidays
• Breastfeeding Mums: Looking After Yourself During the Holidays: 7 Tips for Breastfeeding Mothers
• Motherwear Blog: Taking Care Of Yourself And Your Baby During the Holidays
• Breastfeeding Moms Unite: Caring For A High Needs Baby During The Holidays
• Blacktating: Advice for the Holidays

Back Seat Driving – BabyStyle!

Does your baby hate to be in the car? Does he/she cry while you are driving?? Does this stress you out as much as it did for me? When my son was a baby he HATED to be in the car. Other moms would take a drive to calm their babies – but mine just screamed!! He would cry where ever we went and by the time we got there, I would be on edge! The minute I took him out of the car, he would promptly fall asleep. So what did I do? Well I certainly couldn’t stop driving – so I thought:

Maybe he is lonely! Maybe he doesn’t realize I am closeby – even though he can hear my voice or even though I am playing his favorite music!

So I went out and I bought a TON of those “links” teething toys. And I strung them across the back seat of my car. I hung little animals and toys from them and I mixed up lots of colors and shapes and even types of links.

The Result: A MUCH happier car ride. Now my baby had something to look at while we were driving and he didn’t feel so alone in the back seat. And me – well lets just say it did wonders for my nerves! Our car trips were no longer dreaded adventures!

Do you have any tips or tricks for babies that don’t like car rides? Please leave a comment and share them with our readers!

Holiday Season Traveling Tips

To Grandmother’s house we go! And you’ll be in the car for five whole hours- how can you make the trip enjoyable with a baby along?

Learn about it
There’s no question: Marathon car trips with a baby on board take a good amount of planning and organization. But it can be done- and yes, it can even be fun!

Planning the trip
In the hustle that precedes a trip, it can be easy to let things happen, instead of make things happen. Be proactive in making your trip decisions. Contemplating these questions, and coming up with the right answers, can help make your trip more successful:

Does your baby sleep well in the car? If yes, plan your travel time to coincide with a nap or bedtime so your baby can sleep through part of the journey. If not, plan to leave immediately after a nap or upon waking in the morning. Don’t fool yourself into thinking your baby will behave differently than usual in the car just because it’s a special occasion.

Is it necessary to make the trip all at once, or can you break it up with stops along the way? The longer your baby is strapped in the carseat, the more likely he’ll become fussy. Planning a few breaks can keep everyone in a better frame of mind.

When estimating an arrival time, have you factored in plenty of extra time for unplanned surprises? A diaper explosion that requires a complete change of clothes or a baby whose inconsolable crying requires an unexpected 20-minute stop are just two of the things that can easily happen.

Do you have everything you need to make the trip pleasant? Items like:

• Window shades to protect your baby from the sun and create a darker, nap-inducing atmosphere.
• A cooler for cold drinks; a bottle warmer if needed.
• Plenty of toys that are new or forgotten favorites saved just for the trip.
• Baby-friendly music on tape or CD.
• A rear-view baby mirror to keep on eye on baby (unless a second person will be sitting with your little one)
• Books to read to your baby.

Preparing the car
Take plenty of time to get the car ready for your trip. If two adults are traveling, consider yourself lucky and arrange for one person to sit in the backseat next to the baby. If you are traveling alone with your little one, you’ll need to be more creative in setting up the car, and you’ll need to plan for more frequent stops along the way.

Here are a few tips for making the car a traveling entertainment center for your baby:

Use ribbon or yarn and safety pins or tape to hang an array of lightweight toys from the ceiling of the car to hang over your baby. An alternative is to string a line from one side of the car to the other with an array of toys attached by ribbons. Bring along an assortment of new toys that can be exchanged when you stop the car for a rest. Just be sure to use small toys and keep them out of the driver’s line of view

Tape brightly colored pictures of toys on the back of the seat that your baby will be facing.

If no one will be sitting next to your baby and your child is old enough to reach for toys, set up an upside-down box next to the car seat with a shallow box or a tray with ledges on top of it. Fill this with toys that your baby can reach for by himself. You might also shop around for a baby activity center that attaches directly to the carseat.

If you plan to have someone sitting next to baby, then provide that person with a gigantic box of toys with which to entertain the little one- distraction works wonders to keep a baby happy in the car. One of the best activities for long car rides is book reading. Check your library’s early reading section; it typically features a large collection of baby-pleasing titles in paperback that are easier to tote along than board books.

Bring along an assortment of snacks and drinks for your older baby who’s regularly eating solids, and remember to bring food for yourself, too. Even if you plan to stop for meals, you may decide to drive on through if your baby is sleeping or content- saving the stops for fussy times.

Bring books on tape or quiet music for the adults for times when your baby is sleeping. The voice on tape may help keep your baby relaxed, and it will be something you can enjoy.

If you’ll be traveling in the dark, bring along a battery-operated nightlight or flashlight.

Car Travel Checklist

• Well-stocked diaper bag
• Baby’s blanket
• Carseat pillow or head support
• Window shades (sun screens)
• Change of clothes for your baby
• Enormous box of toys and books
• Music or books on tape or CDs
• Baby food, snacks, and drinks for your baby
• Sipper cups
• Snacks and drinks for the adults
• Cooler
• Wet washcloths in bags, or moist towelettes
• Empty plastic bags for leftovers and trash
• Bottle warmer
• Cell phone
• Baby’s regular sleep music or white noise (if needed, bring extra batteries)
• First aid kit/prescriptions/medications
• Jumper cables
• Money/wallet/purse/ID
• Medical and insurance information/emergency phone numbers
• Maps/driving directions
• Baby carrier/sling/stroller
• Camera and film
• Suitcases

During the journey
If you’ve carefully planned your trip and prepared your vehicle, you’ve already started out on the right foot. Now keep these things in mind as you make your way down the road:

Be flexible. When traveling with a baby, even the best-laid plans can be disrupted. Try to stay relaxed, accept changes, and go with the flow.
Stop when you need to. Trying to push “just a little farther” with a crying baby in the car can be dangerous, as you’re distracted and nervous. Take the time to stop and calm your baby.

Put safety first. Make sure that you keep your baby in his carseat. Many nursing mothers breastfeed their babies during trips. This can be dangerous in a moving car, even if you are both securely belted: You can’t foresee an accident, and your body could slam forcefully into your baby. Instead, pull over and nurse your baby while he’s still in his carseat. That way, when he falls asleep, you won’t wake him up moving him back into his seat.

Remember: Never, ever leave your baby alone in the car- not even for a minute.

On the way home
You may be so relieved that you lived through your trip that you sort of forget the other trip ahead of you: the trip home. You’ll need to organize the trip home as well as you did the trip out. A few days in advance, make certain that all your supplies are refilled and ready to go. Think about the best time to leave, and plan accordingly. In addition, think about what you learned on the trip to your destination that might make the trip home even easier. Is there something you wish you would have had but didn’t? Something you felt you could have done differently? Did you find yourself saying, “I wish we would have…”? Now’s the time to make any adjustments to your original travel plan so that your trip back home is pleasant and relaxed.

This article is an excerpt from Gentle Baby Care by Elizabeth Pantley. (McGraw-Hill, 2003)

Elizabeth Pantley is a mother, author, and parenting educator. Her books and parenting advice are frequently featured in magazines such as Parents, Parenting, American Baby, and Good Housekeeping. The following books are authored or co-authored by Elizabeth and recommended by A Mother’s Boutique: The No-Cry Discipline Solution, The No-Cry Sleep Solution, The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Pre-schoolers, The No-Cry Potty Training Solution, Gentle Baby Care, Hidden Messages, Perfect Parenting, Kid Cooperation, and The Successful Child.

Huggies Soft Skin Baby Wipes Are Great For On The Run

Huggies Soft Skin Baby Wipes with their cushiony thick goodness and Shea Butter are great for little tushies. But of course!

However they have many other uses-

• For those days after baby’s birth when a shower just is too much work- use these on yourself to freshen up
• Great for wiping down sticky wiggly fingers when a sink is no where to be found
• Can even be used to remove your makeup

These are just three suggestions- what are some uses you can think of?

Make sure you stop over at Martha Baby Steps to request your free 64-wipe sample!