Working women all over know the joy that comes when they find out there will soon be a baby added to their family.  She and her spouse have a lot of planning to do and a long time to plan.  Many women decide to breastfeed their babies and wonder how being a breastfeeding mom will affect their job.

Breastfeeding isn’t always easy no matter how natural it is.  Add job stress to the fears you may already have about not being able to supply enough milk for your baby, and you may be concerned about the prospects of being able to do both.  You may be glad to know that millions of women have been breastfeeding moms and held down their regular job.

Employers are required by law not to discriminate against breastfeeding moms.  In fact, they may also be required to provide you with a relaxing place where you can pump while you’re at work.  Of course, you would have to pump during your scheduled breaks and during your lunch hour, but they cannot keep you from doing so.

You may wonder if it’s worth the effort to continue breastfeeding.  Here are some reasons why continuing to breastfeed even though you’re stressed from work is a good idea:

* Breastfeeding provides the best nutrition possible for your baby. 

* Pumping while at work will make breastfeeding while you’re at home easier.

* Breastfeeding can save you quite a bit of money. 

* Your baby will be healthier because your breast milk provides antibodies and nutrients that just aren’t available in formula.

* Because your baby is healthier, you’ll miss less work.  This should be enough reason for your employer to encourage your choice to pump while you’re at work.

* You won’t miss your baby as much which could make you more productive.

Be sure to let your boss know that you plan to breastfeed and that you intend to pump during the day to provide your baby with the best possible start.  Talking with them ahead of time will enable them to research the laws concerning breastfeeding and to set aside a private area where you can pump in privacy.

If your company doesn’t have a refrigerator, plan to bring a small cooler that you can use to store the breast milk.  You’ll also need to bring an electric breast pump to make expressing milk quicker.

Don’t beat yourself up if you find that pumping while at work doesn’t work for you.  Remember that your baby will still get the benefits of breast milk while you’re at home on maternity leave.  If you continue to breastfeed when you get home, your child will receive the benefits of breast milk but you’ll have formula to fall back on while you’re apart.

Read: The Nursing Mother’s Companion: Revised Edition

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

After your first few weeks, breastfeeding in the comfort of your own home is
enjoyable. But sometimes but nursing around your relatives during the busy holiday season, at family reunions and other events has its challenges. Some moms have complained that their family members give unwanted advice, especially around discipline or weaning. It’s not uncommon for relatives to criticize your parenting choices especially when those differ from their choices.

Another issue when breastfeeding around extended family are difficulties in regards to the act of nursing in public itself – whether to do so discreetly where you are or to retreat to another area. No one wants to hide away as if nursing is shameful, but what if you get only flack from your relatives when it’s time to meet baby’s needs?

Here are a few suggestions on how to make things a little easier.

Some moms choose to pump their milk and bottle feed it during this time. That is an option, however, if you are not accustomed to using a breast pump, the additional stress of learning the pump combined with other busyness and stress common to the holiday season might prove to be too much. It could be discouraging when you do not get as much milk as you think you should (since babies are far better at extracting milk from the breast than any pump) and if your pump is not a high quality pump, you could even cause yourself pain.
It is far easier to simply nurse the baby as you would at home, but how do you get around some of these challenges?

Many moms find that a baby sling is an absolute heaven send when breastfeeding around family or at other times when your privacy may be invaded by people or noise.
A baby sling covers you up but also creates a little cocoon for baby so he can get down to business and breastfeed effectively. If your baby skips feedings due to being over stimulated, you may end up with a plugged duct or worse, mastitis. You do not want that during this busy season.

Plugged ducts are common during the holidays anyway due to the additional activity and stress associated with it. A plugged duct can turn into mastitis, which is quite painful and can leave you feeling like you have been hit by a truck, so make sure you take the time to settle baby down and nurse on a regular basis.

It is also important that you get plenty of rest. At the very least, take time to put your feet up when it is time for a feeding, and close your eyes and nap if possible. Do not forget to feed yourself well too. Don’t binge on junk food commonly served during holiday and other festivities, but keep eating a healthy, whole foods diet to keep your immune system strong.

How do you deal with criticism from relatives who don’t respect your parenting philosophies? That can be a tough nut to crack. If the relative in question is a mother herself, it helps to remember that her own experience with breastfeeding colors her perspective. If she had a hard time or was not successful with breastfeeding, her guilt may come out as criticism of you.

If this is a person you see only rarely (such as once a year at Thanksgiving), it might be best to drop the subject and just let the comments slide right by without acknowledgement. But if it is going to be an ongoing problem, try to head off comments at the pass by saying something like:

” I do appreciate your perspective on things, however we have decided to do what we feel is best for our family .”

Breastfeeding book author Amy Spangler suggests that instead of answering the question directly, we direct it back to the person. Ask about their breastfeeding experience, and listen empathically. Point out that your choices are not a criticism of their choices.
Setting appropriate boundaries with family is an important lesson to learn, regardless of the area of discussion.

Doula comes from the Greek word for “woman servant”. A doula is someone, usually a female, who attends to the pregnant mom during labor. She is useful for a variety of reasons, from being your biggest advocate, to help keep things under control, and being a wonderful supporter. A doula can run hundreds of dollars if you go through a private business. However, some hospitals and natural student schools offer doulas for around $100-$150. If you are able to find one for that price and are pregnant, I highly recommend splurging for one as you could really use the support in one of your most challenging endeavors in life!

First, you’ll meet with your doula a few times before the actual birth to create a birth plan together and get to know one another. A birth plan serves as your “voice” during labor. You can sit down with your partner, or with a loved one if you are single, and discuss how you’d like the labor to go. Do you want to avoid drugs if possible? Do you want a home birth? Do you want to breastfeed your baby directly after giving birth? All of this will go in your birth plan and your doula will help you create that, using your best wishes and intentions.

As soon as you know you are going into labor, you can give your doula a call and she’ll rush to your side. If you’re giving birth at the hospital, she is a great asset is finding out info from your midwife or doctor on your behalf and advocating your wishes from your birth plan. If you are having a home birth, she can play the part of the “nurturer” while your midwife attends to more of your medical needs.

It’s not uncommon to have a doula massage your belly during contractions or even massage the perenial area to soften the tissues for baby’s head. She’ll work with you in the tub if you want or put on some soft music and recite a meditation to help you relax. Think of a doula as your personal servant, as this is what you are paying her to do. She also is very useful in helping couples focus on the birth and one another, rather than worrying about other factors that she’ll take care of.

After giving birth, your doula will assist you in breastfeeding for the first couple of times. Odds are you’ll be very exhausted after giving birth, and even if you have read all the literature on breastfeeding, you might be too sleepy to do it on your own. Luckily, she is there, assisting you, but not taking over so you can still be the one bonding with your new child! Speaking from personal experience, she was more than worth the $100 I spent! (Some doulas will do after-visits as well.)

Cloth diapers are often touted to be the frugal option, and this can certainly be the truth. However, if you’ve seen some of the fancier cloth diapers that cost $15 to $30 a pop you may have your doubts! While some of these diapers are certainly wonderful products, don’t be misled. It’s very possible to cloth diaper successfully as well as inexpensively. Here are a few tips from moms who wanted to save as much as possible while keeping their babies comfy and dry.

Pick your system

One of the reasons cloth diapering may be expensive initially is because of the investment of the first stash of diapers. Babies who are in cloth will be changed more frequently. It’s not uncommon for a young baby to go through ten cloth diapers a day, maybe more for a newborn. Unless a mom wants to wash daily, she’ll need a couple dozen diapers. One way to save money from the get go is to know exactly what kind of cloth diaper “system” you want to go with so you don’t become unhappy with the diapers you’ve chosen and end up selling them at a loss.

Ask other cloth diapering moms what they like and why. Some of the questions to ask are: “What types of diapers fit babies with my baby’s body shape best?” “What diapers are best for babies who have other caretakers?” “What’s best for newborns/older babies/heavy wetters/toddlers?” etc.

The cheapest and often simplest cloth diaper system is that of prefolds with waterproof diaper covers. Prefolds are inexpensive and will last for multiple children. They are also quite thirsty and require no special care. Waterproof diaper covers are usually around $10 a pair and only a few are needed in each size. They will also last a long time if washed gently and air dried. All in ones tend to be the costliest diaper system, but are super convenient for babies in day care and for travel. Daddies and Grandmas tend to prefer them too for their ease of use.

Some cloth diaper websites also allow you to try before you buy. For just a few dollars they will send you a diaper and allow you to use and feel it, then return it.

Budget conscious moms should also ask for friends and loved ones to give them cloth diapers as baby shower gifts. Many of the cloth diaper websites offer gift registries. Big box store bought cloth diapers and covers are generally low quality so steer clear of those.

Buy used cloth diapers

Cloth diapers can be obtained at thrift stores, online auctions, diaper swap forums, consignment sales and shops, and more. Just do a Google search to find lots of options.

Some larger cities have diaper services that sell cloth diaper seconds. If their prefolds have a spot on them that can’t be removed, they take them out of circulation. The diaper service sells these perfectly serviceable, high quality prefold diapers for pennies. It’s worth a phone call.

Care for your diapers

Don’t bleach your diapers as this will wear them out fast. Borax also tends to wear diapers prematurely. Even vinegar harms some diapers. It’s best to use a natural detergent and to use as little of it as possible to get the job done. Rely on presoaking in your machine to help with stains instead of using stain removers. Enzyme cleaners can eat away at your diapers too. Many additives are not appropriate for diaper covers. Hang your diapers in the sun to whiten them, and don’t overdry them if you do use a dryer. Baking them for too long in the dryer breaks down the elastic and cotton.

Cloth diapering is certainly the healthier option, the better option for our planet, and more comfy for babies. With some creativity cloth diapering can also be the frugal choice.

The Natursutten is the latest in safe pacifiers for baby. They are made from pure natural rubber and the name comes from the word Natursut which means “Natural Pacifier.” Natursutten Pacifiers are made in Europe where they have strict standards for safety, health and environment.

With all the talk about BPA (Bisphenol A) in baby teethers and pacifiers it is awesome that the Natursutten is available to provide a safe alternative for baby and peace of mind for mom.

These rubber pacifiers are quite a bit softer than silicone pacifiers and extremely hygienic because they are molded into one piece, so there are no joints or cracks where dirt and bacteria can gather. This also make sit easy to wash. This also ensures that it won’t fall apart and make you worry about potential choking.

I found my baby took to it really well. He was happy as a clam. I was very happy as well to know that his paci had to BPA, chemical softeners, parabens, PVC or phthalates. It is just a useful product without any chemical nasties.

I also found them to be comparable in price to other pacifiers so you aren’t paying a premium for safety. They can be found online for as little $5.95. The Natursutten is also a green product as it produced using a sustainable raw material, the tree sap from the rubber tree.

To care for it we just sterilized in boiling water before the first use and then we followed up from then on with soap and water since our baby is older than six months.

Where to buy: Amazon.com

Do you know what is in the diapers you put on your baby? Unfortunately most people don’t know what is in the diapers they purchase for their small children. Since they are widely accepted as the diapering standard, they use them without ever considering alternatives. After all, cloth diapers are such a pain to take care of, and kids just wet through them, right?

Actually cloth diapers have come a long way. There are several options available for cloth diapering and there are several reasons to use them as well. Take a look at the following:

Cloth diapers are better for baby’s skin. Disposable diapers are loaded with chemicals that can irritate baby’s tender skin, Cloth diapers often sport natural fibers like cotton that are soothing to the skin and very breathable. They get fewer diaper rashes, which means less discomfort for baby and less crying.

Disposable diapers are also filled with toxic allergens. Your baby might even be allergic to disposable diapers. There are many things in them that can cause allergic reactions, such as problems breathing and rashes. If your child is having these problems you should consider cloth diapers.

Cloth diapers are better for the environment and your pocketbook. Cloth diapers are reusable from child to child, which means less waste going into our already overstuffed landfills. You should figure that in the years one child is diapered you will go through on average, 2500 to 3000 diapers. With cloth diapers you could easily get by with using only 3-4 dozen diapers and those diapers can be used on one or more subsequent children.

When you are done with your cloth diapers you can sell them too at usually 50-75% of the retail price of new ones. That means you can get back 3/4 the cost of using cloth diapers. Even after you factor in water, time and detergent you are still winning out compared to the $20 a week you spend on diapers.

Washing diapers is very easy too. It should not amount to more than a load or two of extra laundry each week. Wet diapers can be tossed into a diaper pail to wait for cleaning and diapers with loose stools can be shaken out over the toilet before they too are stored before washing. Odor issues can be controlled by placing a tissue with a few drops of essential oil at the bottom of the diaper pail or sprinkling the pail with baking soda.

Cloth diapers have also greatly evolved in terms of style and ease of use. There are many options available for cloth diapers including some all-in-one (AIO) varieties that closely resemble disposable diapers as far as ease of use goes. There are pocket diapers for parents who want to customize absorbency and there are one-size diapers for parents who want a diaper that will grow with their children. There are also diapers available to use for night time, and diapers to use while potty training.

You can also make your own cloth diapers with several patterns available online. That reduces the cost even more. It really is easier to use cloth diapers than you might think. Before you check them off as an option, give them a shot, you might really like the benefits and how happy your baby is in them.

It’s surprisingly easy to start elimination communication (EC) with your baby.  It’s really a matter of being observant about the times your baby naturally eliminates, then anticipating those times, cuing baby when he goes and catching his offerings.  Here are a few more pointers about the process.

Part of getting baby to pee in a container, rather than in his diaper, is to reinforce for him the dry feeling, and how that feels so much better than being wet.  This is the part about EC that does take more work.  An infant can pee as often as every twenty minutes, and if you’re using prefold cloth diapers, it doesn’t take much wee to wet the diaper.  You won’t catch every pee, and that shouldn’t even be a goal.  But you do want to get baby out of his wet diaper as soon as you can, preferably immediately after baby wets it.  You want baby to be dry most of the time, so even during times that you’re not trying to get baby to pee in the potty, you want to be checking his diaper at least every half hour and changing it as needed.  If you happen to catch baby in the act of wetting his diaper, you should cue him to strengthen his association between your cue and his elimination.

This brings up the question of whether you can successfully EC using disposable diapers or even some of those more high tech cloth diaper systems that try to keep baby feeling dry even when the diaper is wet.  You can EC with disposable diapers, but the challenge will be that since wet disposable diapers don’t feel wet your baby is less likely to develop a strong connection between peeing in a diaper and being wet or feel much difference between “wet” and “dry.”  You can still observe baby’s elimination functions and work with him on EC when you know he’s likely to go.

Once you start ECing your baby, you will tend to find more times that he’s likely to go and be able to anticipate those times.  You may have gotten started on a pattern of peeing right after nap.  But then you noticed baby also likes to pee right after nursing.  As you see more patterns, go with them.  You can also start trying to encourage baby to go by using your cue.  At first, you’re merely anticipating what he was going to do anyway.  But by using the cue, you create an association for him between your cue and eliminating, and this allows for you to encourage baby to eliminate at times he might not otherwise.  Some babies are really sensitive to the association, and others are less so.  Still, if you EC baby regularly throughout the day, most babies will begin to hold it at least for a few minutes.

Another thing to note is what your baby does right before he goes.  Maybe he squirms or wimpers.  Newborns especially seem to get their entire bodies involved in the process of elimination.  That can become baby’s way of communicating to you that he needs to go, and you can then take him to the potty.
Elimination Communication is a journey, not a destination.  It’s a fun way for you and your baby to communicate about an important function.  It’s another way for baby to let you know what he needs.  You should do it as long as you’re both having fun with it and it’s enhancing your relationship.

It is generally believed that little babies have no control over the muscles used in elimination functions. The truth is that a newborn baby does have control over those muscles. Whether baby pees or poops in a diaper or in a container, the baby often does so consciously and deliberately. An observant and in tune parent can work with her baby on the timing and location of those elimination functions. The result is another way to bond with baby and the use of a few less diapers.

People who practice elimination communication (EC) do so on a number of different levels. You have the people who believe diapers are evil and get their babies completely out of diapers within a few months of birth. On the other end, there are parents who keep their babies in diapers for pretty much as long as is normally expected and they work on elimination communication on a part time basis. It is my belief that most of us will fall into that second category. While it is possible to completely potty train an infant, it is a rather time consuming process and you will have a lot of misses, and therefore messes, along the way. I want to establish right now that elimination communication is not an all or nothing proposition, and it does not mean you have to dump your diapers. You can successfully practice it part time. Any amount of time spent working with your baby on elimination will benefit both of you and will lay a good foundation for future potty learning. In other words, you have nothing to lose by trying.

You can start working with a baby on potty functions at any time. However, it is easier if you start before the baby is four months old. I’d recommend beginning somewhere around ten days to two weeks after baby’s birth. In my experience any earlier is overwhelming, though more die hard ECers say it’s best to start with the baby’s meconium movement. In the time that you’re not ECing your baby, you’re most likely noticing when the baby is wetting and soiling his diaper. Maybe baby pees right after nursing, or poops at ten every morning. A real good time for elimination is first thing after baby wakes up and right after a nap. When you start noticing a pattern over a few days, you can anticipate your baby’s elimination and be ready with a container of some sort.

The container can be a small potty, your sink, bathtub or toilet. It can even be a dry diaper. Remove baby’s diaper before he goes, hold him over your chosen container and wait. You can hold baby gently by his thighs and allow him to rest on your forearms. When baby eliminates, give him a cue. It can be a “psss” sound or a phrase. You will use the same cue each time you see baby eliminating. At first, you wait until baby eliminates to give him the cue. After a while, you can use the cue to encourage baby to go.

Once you catch one pee or poo, EC can get pretty addicting because it really is a lot of fun. Here are some important points to remember: This should be fun for both you and your baby. If it stops being fun, it’s a good idea to take a break for a few days. It’s not about catching everything or seeing how quickly you can get baby out of diapers. It’s about bonding and learning with your baby. It should never ever be punitive in any way. While some of us may indeed find we can confidently take our baby out of diapers much earlier than what’s considered normal, most of us will just steadily EC our babies a little here and there and one day, that ECing will morph into gentle potty learning for our toddler.

So you want to raise a natural child. Let’s say you are in the preconception or early pregnancy stage of parenting. What are some of the best ways to get started on the natural path from the beginning?

It all starts with food It might sound obvious to say that the main reason people rely on medicine is poor health, yet to many people good health is a mystery and ill health seems to strike randomly. Almost eighty years ago a dentist name Dr. Weston Price traveled to various primitive people groups around the world searching for their secret to radiant health and near perfect teeth. The most striking and consistent thing he discovered was that as long as they were eating their native diets, they were healthy overall and had very little dental caries. But once they switched to the modern diet, which was high in refined flour and sugar, it didn’t take long for their teeth and health to suffer, and it got worse with each generation. Also interesting were the difficulties women on the newfangled diet had in childbirth. Today degenerative diseases run rampant, and a good argument can be made that our modern diet leaves much to be desired. Begin by educating yourself on what real healthy eating means, and start putting what you learn into practice no matter what age you and your children are.

Consider giving birth at home The way a child enters the world has profound implications on how the child develops. If you want your child to grow up natural, what better way than to welcome him into the world in the most natural way possible, in the comfort and privacy of your own home? In addition to the birth, a home birth midwife can give excellent prenatal care, and often, she will use natural remedies to treat the various complaints of pregnancy. She can also help you keep on track with eating well.

If you’re having a boy, don’t circumcise him Circumcision (other than for religious conviction) is unnecessary and can be harmful. At the least, it’s elective cosmetic surgery. Most experts now agree that routine circumcision is inappropriate. There is nothing dirty or shameful about your baby boy’s anatomy.

Once your baby is born, use cloth diapers in combination with some elimination communication. From birth, your baby can control his toileting functions. Even if you’re only doing EC part time, each time baby pees or poops in the potty, that’s one less diaper you have to wash. When you do use diapers, buy or make cloth diapers. If you want to go further, use an all-natural soap to launder them. Even more important than diaper choice is how you feed your baby.

To raise a baby naturally, you will likely choose to breastfeed the baby. You are probably well aware of the many benefits babies (and moms) gain from breastfeeding. One of the interesting and not totally understood benefits is that the suckling action helps the child’s jaw grow properly, which can save you a mint in future orthodontic bills.

These are just a few natural parenting ideas…

Parents around the world have “worn” their babies in various types of hand made slings for many years.  Today we use the term “babywearing” to describe a way of carrying or transporting our children that creates a positive experience for the parent and the child.

A stroller transports a baby from point A to point B.  But “babywearing” is more than a transport method.  It’s a beautifully creative way to meet the functional needs of daily life while serving the more emotional and developmental needs of baby and parents.  Babywearing is a very natural and human way to introduce our children to the world and to nurture their confidence.

New parents are often counseled by well meaning friends not to hold or pick up an infant too much for fear of spoiling him. So when the baby isn’t being fed, bathed or played with, he is “put down” to sleep. If the baby doesn’t want to sleep he might cry or might simply stare wide eyed at whatever is available to grab his attention—likely a mobile or some corner of the ceiling.

On the other hand, parents who use baby slings carry their child around with them throughout various parts of their day.  The child’s sleeping schedule fits in with mom or dads mobility schedule!

Many claim that babywearing results in children who cry less.  This claim has been observed in other cultures throughout the world where women carry their children around in slings as they go about their daily work or routine.

Advocates believe babies worn in a sling learn more and learn faster.  Sling babies spend more time in a state of “quiet alertness.”  This is a behavioral state in which an infant is calm and content and more likely to have real and positive interaction with his environment.  So during these periods as a child listens to his mother speak or watches others as they speak and gesture towards his mother he is learning about language and movement and social behaviors.

Experts believe that brain growth and development is spurred by the environmental experiences made a available to an infant who is carried in his parent’s sling.  Sling positioning (across the chest, along the hip, facing in or out) allows infants to be closer to people.  With this kind of proximity babies can study facial expressions, develop language skills and learn body language much faster than they would positioned in a car seat, stroller or crib. 

Some contend that parenting abilities are enhanced through babywearing because the mother’s progesterone (mothering hormone) is increased through the constant and close physical contact with her child. More progesterone can help a mother to feel more positive, relaxed and happy caring for her child.
Breastfeeding is another activity that can be enhanced by babywearing.  The positioning of the baby in the sling can make breastfeeding more comfortable and accessible for babies and mothers.  Depending on their physiology, some mothers can nurse “hands-free” while doing activities in the home or outside.  Where breastfeeding is not possible, babywearing can help to encourage closeness during bottle feeding.

One of the best things about babywearing is that it brings parents and their children together in a way that enhances the parent/child relationship and the natural development of the child.

The Moby Wrap!