This post contains affiliate links. I first noticed the white stuff when Noah was nursing.  I thought it was some milk that had dribbled out onto his lips.  Then later when I buckled him into his carseat I saw it again.  I tried to wipe off the "white skin" on his lip, but it didn't go away.  That is when it hit me.  It wasn't milk or chapped lips.  Noah had thrush. Thrush is an oral yeast infection that is common in babies.  The yeast can also spread to the baby's bottom and/or mom's breasts.  Noah was over a year old when we developed thrush.  I thought only infants contracted thrush, but my pediatrician said it can happen in toddlers … [Read more...]

I breastfed my daughter for 23 months.  Looking back, I am so glad that my husband and I made the choice to do extended breastfeeding in our family, but it wasn't always easy. There were many times I felt insecure and embarrassed. How was I suppose to wean this precious little girl?  How was I suppose to end this nursing relationship that clearly  meant so much to both of us? I decided that it was time to wean Grace when Nate and I decided we wanted to have another baby.  I wasn't interested in nursing a toddler and a newborn at the same time. Many mothers choose to tandem nurse, but one at a time seemed like enough to me. Slowly, I … [Read more...]

I am excited to announce that I am a contributing author for a brand new blog that is dedicated to educating and supporting breastfeeding moms. Breastfeeding Place is written by a collection of different authors with a variety of breastfeeding experiences. Some are lactation consultants, le leche league leaders, moms of multiples, moms who pumped, moms who struggled, and moms who snuggled. We all have a story and we want to encourage you in your story. My first post for Breastfeeding Place is the story of a time when I thanked a mother for nursing in public and the surprising response she gave me. I hope you will head over to … [Read more...]

I clearly remember the first time I witnessed extended breastfeeding.  I was a young teenager when I glanced out my window at work and saw her.  She was nursing her toddler and I was shocked.  He looked so big. Years later I was chatting with a friend and she told me that she was still nursing her one year old son before bed.  Really???  The look of surprise was all over my face. I had no idea that women even did that.  I wouldn't nurse for that long.  Would I? After Grace was born, I expected that we would wean before she turned one.  I had heard of moms having problems with their milk supply as their babies got older.  I had … [Read more...]

If you are a breastfeeding mom you need to own a nursing tank top.  Maybe not just one.  Maybe more like five! I wear a nursing tank top daily.  I layer them under a regular shirt so I can lift my shirt, but still have my back and stomach covered when I am breastfeeding.  Who wants to have their post-baby belly fat showing???  Not me! Nursing tanks really are the key to being able to nurse in front of others while exposing as little skin as possible. I was beyond excited when Bravado Designs sent me their Essential Nursing Tank.  I have ended up loving my Bravado nursing tank so much that I don't like to wear it.  Crazy, right? … [Read more...]

(While I'm snuggling my new baby, I'm delighted to share this guest post by JessieLeigh from Parenting Miracles.) I jokingly refer to myself as an unofficial expert on ways to feed babies-- I have exclusively formula fed, exclusively pumped, and exclusively breastfed. Of the three, it is my opinion that pumping exclusively is the most challenging. It seems to involve all the work of both the other options without some of the fun perks. Still, it is sometimes the best or only option a mother has. Such was the case for me when my second baby arrived four months early and was fed through a feeding tube. If you find yourself in a … [Read more...]