Have you ever thought about why we are told to swaddle our babies? Why they seem to smooth to the shhing noise? Or by being upright on your chest? 

All these things remind them of being in the womb, our heart beat, the sound of the blood in the umbilical cord, being all snug and squished as they grow inside of us. 

I've spent these past eight weeks nurturing him, providing him all the comfort he cries for, feeding on demand and surrendering myself to his needs. I'm pouring in so much effort to one tiny human sometimes I'm forgetting to show affection to the other two males in my life.  

But there is never a right or wrong in parenting, my techniques with Archer are almost opposite to the techniques I used with Charlie. Maybe that's because I know I am not having anymore children, maybe I'm trying to keep him little forever. Maybe there are some deeper underlying issues of my own. Whatever the case, don't let anyone tell you your doing it wrong. Do it however you please. 

They are only little for so long, enjoy it, embrace it and be content with however you choose to raise your child. 

If only you would feed. Occasional sucking isn't quite cutting it, my milk is overflowing and we are both being showered. It would be a perfect pumping opportunity, a chance to store some milk away. But with you using my nipple as a dummy I wouldn't dare even move an inch. 

Be milk drunk my darling, fill your little belly to its limits. Sigh and flop into my arms and fall into a deep sleep.

The Milk Pantry is an Australian owned, Queensland based, independent store ran by a mumma of three kiddies who goes by the name of Jess. Jess has had hands on experience with breastfeeding and has fought her own battles with lactation. Here is a little about Jess, her journey and The Milk Pantry in her own words. 

• cookie mixes

• brownie mix

• bliss bites mix

• mumma musili

• mumma shakes

 

How would you like to win some of the milk pantries lactation products plus some breast feeding essentials? 

ALL FREE no charge at all, not even postage! 

Well it's coming, make sure your tuned into Instagram or Facebook so you don't miss out. 

themilkpantry.com

The Milk Pantry on Facebook

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WOW.. Back up a second. Are you reccomend ing this? Or are you forcing it upon me? 

The above quote was what was said to me recently at Charlie's 12 month health check. But, a few things have me a little confused. 

Why am I being told to take him off formula, when there are toddler formulas out there? 

Once upon a time you were super encouraging breastfeeding and now telling me to take him off the substitute of breast milk? Would you tell me to stop breastfeeding if I was still nursing him? 

I've decided to do what I believe is right for my little man and my family. In a perfect world I would love to still be breastfeeding Charlie but I haven't been since around 7 months.
You can read about my breastfeeding journey by clicking on this link... It will take you to all posts including topics of breastfeeding! Your Mummy Blogger - Breastfeeding Blogs
So now I am facing the transition to cows milk. Charlie currently has two bottles a day. One when he first wakes up of a morning around 6.30/7am and another after his bath, before bedtime at night at 7.30/8pm. I have decided to take on hand what my health nurse suggested but also tweak it to fit with my own beliefs. Charlie now has one bottle of full cream cows milk in the morning and 12 month + toddler formula as his night time bottle. Once he adjusts to this dietary change which now includes more dairy I might consider changing his night bottle over to cows milk too. But for the time being I like the idea of him having those extra vitamins ect which are in the formula.

But what to do about the "no bottles after 15 months" comment she made. I personally believe its all preference. I do understand the reasoning why my health nurse made the suggestion. Changing up a 15 month olds routine to incorporate a sippy cup of milk instead of a bottle of milk would be a lot easier. Rather than attempting to cold turkey take bottles and milk out of your 2 or 3 year olds routine. By that time it would be a comfort and a habbit, which would be stressful to break all at once at that age.
For Charlie his night time bottle is a relaxation and calming part of our nightly routine, which I don't want to disrupt at this stage. When I think that his at ready to attempt the sippy cup instead of bottle transition I will introduce this only with his morning bottle to begin with.

My little boy is no longer a baby. Its hard to believe so much time has past! soon he will be transitioning into a toddler bed and revamping his room from the classic nursery to little boys room. But at this point I think ill focus on one thing at a time.

 

Of course everyone is different, everyone's bodies are different! So these changes I experienced may or may not happen to you. 

Surprisingly enough this was my first sign of pregnancy! Giggle if you wish, it is sort of funny. My periods ALWAYS came as they pleased so the fact it didn't say hello one month didn't concern me. What did concern me was itch nipples, it drove me insane! I ended up phoning my trusty pal google. He told me I either had breast cancer or I was pregnant.... 

I gloated to everyone bout how I was 36 weeks and no stretch marks! Little did I know... Over night I would magically triple in size and wake up with stretch marks all over my back, my stomach, my thighs and even my arms! 

Once you give birth and your milk comes in it starts. You will leak through breast pads, through your bra, all over your clothes. Rotten breast milk becomes your perfume. 

That one part of my tummy that I can't seem to tighten! Hello lose skin and tiger stripes. 

Some of you may have tried your little heart out to breast feed and couldn't, well don't let it bring you down! The rest have you might have chosen not to breast feed for personal reasons and I am not here to judge that either! In the end we are all still feeding our babies right?

| breast feeding is easier, in my opinion anyway! No making bottles, no formula, no carrying extra things around with you! 

| but then again with bottle feeding you know exactly how much your baby is being fed and it forms more of a structures feeding routine! 

| since formula feeding Charlie sleeps through the night 🙌

| other people cn help with feeding your baby when they are having bottles 

| I don't feel as you bond as closely when bottle feeding.

Firstly I'll tell you why I decided to wean and dry up and then I'll explain how I did so. (: 

I loved every minute of my breastfeeding journey, the joy it brought me and the bond I shared with Charlie was magical! But it was time, Charlie was fussing lots on the breast and not wanting to nurse. Which was concerning me that he wasn't getting enough. He was also frequently feeding and it was just plain tiring! I think we were both just ready (: 

I went from breastfeeding each feed, to only breastfeeding every second feed and substituting the other feeds with formula. Then I started cutting back down a few more breastfeeds untill I was only breastfeeding at his night time feed. Which was great (: I had no problems with mastits or blocked ducts, no soreness or anything! 

I then read somewhere that after 6months of age babies no longer need that night time feed, so I started substituting his feed for his dummy. After about three nights he no longer woke up for that feed! Crazy right? (: 

Actually that came out completely wrong ahh 😩 I'm not saying not to pump so you can return to work! That's actually fantastic! Good job! I couldn't do it myself, so I would be so proud (: I mean pumping for something like having alcohol isn't worth it, just don't drink haha.

Let's just brush over that and move on shall we.. 

Apparently from doctors and my health nurse as well as some information I have read online, having one standard drink and continuing to breastfeed is okay! Anymore than 2 drinks you would need to pump and dump. (Express and throw away) 

Which is exactly what I had to do! It was awful having to sit their and pump pump pump, especially when pumping takes so much longer to empty your breasts than actually breastfeeding does!

Okay so I wasn't even going to speak about this topic waist personally I have no experience or knowledge in the whole thing. But I thought I should correct what I said earlier (: 

Breast is best! An if your baby cannot drink from your boobie pumping for your bundle of joy is the next best thing! So good on you 😘 keep up the fabulous work babe. 

Keep an eye out for a "breastfeeding starter kit" the one I purchased was from big w. It was closer to nature brand and came with the following: 

• breast pump

• large bottles and teats

• small bottles and teats

• storage/sterilizing container

• dummy

They are the closets bottle/teat I have found in similarity to a breast and Charlie took really well when we came to introduce him (: 

• weight loss! Want to loose all your baby weight? Well breastfeed hunny! In the first 6 weeks post pregnancy, I lost 20kgs! Which is 5kgs more than my baby weight which I put on! Amazing right? 

• more sleep! Maybe not technically, but formula feeders have to get up and make bottles ext, what's wrong with self serve! When I was a new sleep deprived mumma I brought Charlie into bed with me and just let him feed whilst I fell back to sleep 😂 some May call this lazy but eh. 

• bonding time! Knowing that you are the only person that can comfort and provide food to your baby is a special feeling, feeling needed is just so cute! Also breastfeed babies seem to want their mum a little more and tend to e more sooky. Which means more cuddles! Fabulous. (: 

•cheaper! No purchasing tins of formula and bottles and all that stuff! More money to spend on cute baby clothes! 🙌

OMG it's sooooo hot at my place today, deffinitely an overly warm spring at 32! I'm struggling to get Charlie to nap because his so hot and sticky too 😩 but anyway let's talk! 

Blocked Milk Ducts? Yeah I had no idea either, I found myself crying with an 8 week old screaming hungry baby because my left breast was rock hard and I couldn't let down any milk! Charlie had already fed off the right hand side and it was empty. This young first time mum was not calm and relaxed I can say that much, searching google with all my might whilst trying to pump to unblock my nipple! 

I found some information on one site that spoke about milk hardening and blocking the duct in the nipple, and it would appear as a white dot on your nipple. Some people said they used a pin to flick it out as such. That sounded painful to me so I kinda pinched my nipple exactly like you woul pop a pimple I guess :/ yep so painful! But when that little white plug was realised it was instant relief! I ran out to Charlie and made him nurse that second because I was like a fountain of milk! LOL

Well the second time I wasn't as stressed, I'm like okay I got this. But no. It was not as simple as last time. The second bloked duct I had didn't form on the nipple, it must have been inside my breast somewhere. I had a major lump too! It lasted 5 days! 5 days of a bulging boobie full I milk is not comfortable 😭 on the third day I saw my health nurse who told me to use the palm of my hand and work the lump down towards my nipple. I did this under a warm shower, after two or three attemps it worked. I was about to dry up all my milk after that! It was horrible but I pushed trough (: 

Another tip is to always offer the blocked side first! Also try to pump. If problems persist obviously seek medical advice! Because if it's blocked for too long that is when mastitis will occur. 

Happy Nursing my loves. 

I have just recently stopped feeding Charlie, I EBF (exclusively breast fed) for 4 months and then continued to breast feed whilst introducing solids. At 6 and a half months Charlie was on 100% formula and 3 solid meals a day. I weaned him into formula slowly, which not only benefited his belly in the transition but also my boobies whilst drying up! I'll write about that in another post though. So my goal was 6 months and I exceeded that by two weeks yay. (: 

| BREAST PADS!!!! lots and lots of breast pads! I cannot make it any more clear, those nice Lacey bras will become rotten and milk stained I'm sorry girls but it's a part of motherhood. 

| Nursing pillow, it looks like a triangle pillow but it hugs your waist more to comfort your baby to support them in the correct position to breast feed. Trust me your arms will get tired! 

| Nipple Cream. Majority of you will get sore cracked bleeding and blistered nipples. Apply some moisturising nipple cream regularly! Also seek help to re attach bub! If it hurts bub is not attached properly. Breast feeding shouldn't hurt (:

| Breast Pump & closer to nature style bottles. I'll touch base more about this in another post this week, but if your wanting to express milk or even just pump to relieve pressure this is really handy to have in the cupboard! I say closer to nature because their bottles and teats are designed to be the closest to the natural feel and shape of your breast. Charlie transitioned perfectly!

Next week I will be talking all about breast feeding, from how to prepare befor baby is born and the essentials to stock up on.  All the way to weaning and drying up your milk supply if need be (: 

If anyone has any questions that they would like me to answer please please ask! I'll incorporate and include them all! 

Love @mummyblogger xx