Have a little chocolate to get you through the weekend.

24 Feb

Ok, I don’t know about you but I am a little addicted to pinterest.  I found this chocolate chip lava cookie recipe that is to die for.  I just use a chocolate chip cookie mix from the store and it made it so easy.  So here is the recipe.  Try it over the weekend.  Your doing your best to feed your little one so treat yourself to a fabulous dessert.  It is definitely worth it.

Happy Baking!

 

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Use meat tenderizer to get breastmilk out of clothes

22 Feb

I remember many outfits of not only my baby’s  but mine too that had breastmilk on it that would never come out.  It left this light yellowish stain.  I was just thinking there had to be a way to get that out – well it looks like meat tenderizer may well do the trick.

Getting to the stain ASAP ensures the best results. But if is a real stubborn stain try these steps.

    • Take off the soiled garment. Wet down two tightly folded paper towels and place one on each side of the stain. Press down on the towels firmly, holding them in place for about 10 minutes and re-wetting them when necessary. This step should draw out any stain-causing liquid that remains in the clothing.

    • Lay the garment flat. Apply a small amount of liquid laundry detergent to the stain. Rub the detergent in with a paper towel or your fingers. Let the detergent soak in for about 15 minutes, then launder the item of clothing in the hottest water appropriate for the material.

    • Check the garment after it comes out of the washer. If a trace of the stain remains, unseasoned meat tenderizer can sometimes be effective in breaking it down. Mix a generous pinch of the meat tenderizer with water until it makes a paste. Apply it to the stain and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Rewash and dry the garment.

I also heard letting the garment soak in Oxiclean for 15 mins may do the trick too!!

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How much fluids do you really need when breastfeeding?

20 Feb

It certainly is important for breastfeeding mamas to make sure they are taking care of themselves, and that includes making sure they are drinking to their thirst. The problem is that because moms in general tend to be busy people sometimes, well, they forget about being thirsty and start to become dehyrdrated. Obviously, that’s something to avoid.

Breastfeeding moms (and everyone else) should simply make sure that they are taking in fluids appropriately by drinking regularly. Some early signs of dehydration include a dry mouth, dark urine, constipation, dizziness, headaches, and muscle weakness. To avoid dehydration, I encourage moms to keep a water bottle around, stow it in a diaper bag pocket when you are out and about, and do your best to be aware of your thirst level.

The bottom line: water is good for you. It doesn’t have added sugars, caffeine, or calories. It’s generally plentiful and easily accessible. It can be drank warm or cold. It doesn’t stain when spilled. Not to mention those new water bottles make you look awfully trendy.

Water is clearly (pardon the pun) an exceptionally healthful choice. BUT… For healthy women, the idea that it has to be water and nothing else, just isn’t true. There are plenty of other options for fluids – from nutritious juices to comforting teas, these fluids will keep you hydrated as well. Even soda can help replace your body fluids. Just keep in mind that not only will the mother be adding fluid to her body but likely sugars, caffeine, and empty calories right along with it.

Happy Drinking..

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President’s Day Sale!! 15% off everything

19 Feb

We are having a President’s Day sale until Monday at midnight.  Go to our website www.thebuttonbarn.com and at the checkout enter   Presidents  to receive 15% off your total purchase.  This includes our cuddly minky blankets!!  Even if you might not need a latchOn or a blanket right now, this would be a great time to stock up for future baby gifts.

Have a great weekend!!

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Fun Friday – Dr. Oz Breast Milk Soap recipe

17 Feb

Hey – if Dr. Oz says it works, that’s good enough for us.  Pantry Spa posted this Dr. Oz recipe for soap made from human breast milk.  Supposedly, the lactic acid found in breast milk is a natural alpha-hydroxy — great for exfoliating the skin.  Apparently, breast milk also contains anti-inflammatory properties as well.

So check out this recipe, and if any of you have actually made or used the soap, we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Breast cancer risk lowered by breast feeding

15 Feb

Here’s an interesting article about a study conducted by the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.  The study showed that women who breast feed are significantly less likely to get breast cancer, and links breast feeding to a decrease in other cancers as well.  Not only is nursing great for baby, but for mom as well!

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Can breast feeding decrease behavior problems in children?

13 Feb

We know that there are SO many benefits of breast feeding our little ones.  But could one advantage possibly be that nursing our babies actually improves their behavior as children?

Here’s a link to an interesting Science Daily article.  It references a study conducted by Oxford University that linked prolonged breast feeding (at least 4 months) to a decrease in behavioral problems in children at age 5.   So if you’re wondering how long to nurse your baby, here’s a great reason to continue on for several months!

- marci

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Fun Friday – What are you doing for Valentine’s Day?

10 Feb

Being a mom is hard work so when holidays come around there is even more added pressure.  So Valentine’s Day is coming up and every mom wants to do something fun for her kids and husband, but that means finding the time and a cute idea.  So I thought I would search out some fun Valentine’s Day ideas.

Here is one that I thought would be simply and you could easily tweak it to give to your kids.  It is candy bar love notes.  You buy different kinds of candy bars and attached tags that go with it.  If you go to this website, you can even print out the tags. http://www.oopseydaisyblog.com/2012/01/candy-bar-love-notes-easy-peasy-valentines.html  Another idea is similar to the candy bar idea but it has all different kinds of food with tags like:

I think you are “soda” amazing!
attached it to a  Soda or Soda Crackers.
So I have decided to be more ambitious this Valentine’s Day.  I’ll start with making French toast with cinnamon bread shaped in to hearts.  I’ll put heart shaped sandwiches in the school lunch with a special treat. Then for dinner, I’ll make spaghetti (at least it is red) with a caramel apple for a treat with a tag that says, “You are the apple of my eye”.  Please share your ideas.  We call all help Valentine’s Day a little sweeter with great easy ideas.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

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Did you know that there was a breastfeeding room for the Super Bowl? – Impressive

8 Feb

I actually like to watch football, especially college football.  But I have to admit that the watching the Super Bowl for me is all about the commercials and the food.  But, I read this article about the Super Bowl trying to accommodate breastfeeding moms and was impressed.  How many times do we find ourselves in a store an event with now comfortable place to really nurse?  I just love the consideration.  Here is the article – tell me what you think.

It’s hard to say how many of the estimated 300,000 people descending upon Indianapolis for the Super Bowl this weekend are nursing mothers. But for those who are, there will be a comfortable place to sit back, relax, watch the game on a high-definition television, talk smack to a Patriots or Giants fan (depending who you’re rooting for) and breastfeed your baby.

It may seem like an unlikely partnership — football and breastfeeding — but last month, when the nonprofit health care provider MESH set up a clinic in Super Bowl Village, it partnered with the Indiana Perinatal Network to include a lactation room.

The space opened Jan. 27 and will be available 24 hours a day until Monday. The small room, 10 feet by 12 feet, is big on amenities — rocking chair, hospital-grade pump and a lactation consultant from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. The room doesn’t provide a place for mothers to store milk. And women won’t be permitted to leave during the game and reenter, since the room is outside the stadium.

“It’s pump and go,” said Chad Priest, chief executive officer of MESH.

Priest said the NFL host committee was “awesome” and “right on board” with the room. The only concern was whether there would be enough demand. That hasn’t been a problem.

“It’s been getting quite a bit of use,” said Priest. “Much more than our clinic. What we’ve been surprised about is how grateful everyone is. These moms are coming in and just gushing.”

The mothers are grateful to have a dedicated — and convenient — room for nursing at a stereotypically macho event. The room also contrasts with criticism of breastfeeding in public that some mothers have faced.

While experts, ranging from accredited pediatricians to vocal mother-in-laws agree that breast is best, NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne, court officials, Target and even the producers of Sesame Street have been called out for being intolerant or unsupportive. Last month, the government started cracking down on employers for failing to comply with federally mandated breaks for nursing mothers and a place to pump.

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How can I boost my Milk Supply?

6 Feb

How can I boost my milk supply?

If you’re not producing as much milk as you (and your baby) would like, try the following:

  • See a lactation professional. She can weigh your baby and give you tips on how to boost your milk supply.
  • Feed your baby often. Frequent nursing sessions stimulate your body to produce more milk. Be sure to offer both breasts at each feeding.
  • Get the best latch-on possible. A lactation consultant can help you with proper positioning at the breast.
  • When your baby’s sucking and swallowing pattern slows down, use breast compression to increase milk flow to your baby and to completely drain the breast. When your milk flow with compression seems to be slowing, switch sides and repeat. Keep switching back and forth between breasts until your baby is satisfied or stops swallowing.
    * Stimulate your body to produce more milk by adding a pumping session between nursings. Store any milk you pump to give your baby at future nursings, if needed, until your milk supply increases.
    * Don’t supplement your baby’s feedings with any solid food or formula, unless you and your caregiver decide that your baby needs supplemental nourishment for medical reasons.
    * Avoid the use of a pacifier. Instead, encourage your baby to comfort himself at the breast – his sucking will stimulate your milk production.
  • A sleepy baby may need to be awakened and encouraged to nurse more vigorously (thus stimulating your glands to produce more milk). To keep him awake and interested, try switching sides frequently, alternating positions, or even undressing him. Some mothers play with their baby’s feet during feedings to keep them awake.
  • Mothers who determine that their milk output is actually low may want to have their thyroid level checked. A low thyroid level is known to reduce milk supply.
  • If you’re not sure your baby is sucking well, or are still concerned about your milk supply, don’t hesitate to call on a lactation consultant for help.
    * Consider herbs that are reputed to increase milk production (these are called galactogogues). You’ll want to check with a reputable herbalist or knowledgeable healthcare provider about the safety of specific herbs during nursing. You may also want to check our breast milk interactions chart.
    If you’ve tried remedies such as these to no avail, your doctor or lactation consultant may recommend medication to increase your milk production and closely follow your progress and condition while you’re taking it.

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