breastfeeding

Five things I wish I had googled as a mum to be

~ Mumsgoneclimbing ~ Leave a comment

Here are five things I wish I had known about before becoming a mum. They are things that have become an important part of my parenting journey, I freakin love the lot of them!

They are just tools and may not be for your belt, but if you are intrigued…you are right?? Just google it!

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1.Co-sleeping

I actually knew about co-sleeping thanks to my beautiful sister in law, but I had decided that it wasn’t for me. Four years later our son sleeps in the king bed with Hubby and our daughter is in the queen bed with me.

2. Baby Wearing

Time saver, life saver, way to transport baby. There are lots of different options; slings, wraps, soft structure carriers (my favourite). Oh and I also wish I knew that Baby Bjorns though popular really aren’t very comfy or very ergonomically correct for baby (try ergo 360 for a better forward facing option).

3. Baby Led Feeding (also known as baby led weaning)

Different approach to introducing solids, love it. Would also like to add a favourite mantra to this “It is my responsibility to prepare a range of healthy options for meals, it is my child’s responsibility to decide which to eat and how much to eat.”

4. Australian Breastfeeding Association

I wish I had found informed support around breastfeeding from day one. Breastfeeding isn’t always easy, but with the right information and support the great majority of women can breastfeed successfully for as long as they choose.

Australian Breastfeeding Association

5. Chole and Lola Breastfeeding Bra’s

Because they are pretty and comfy…and yes they have replaced my normal bra’s!

Chole and Lola

The Newborn Haze

~ Mumsgoneclimbing ~ 3 Comments

I have come to that stage where I am exiting what is referred to as The Newborn Haze. All of a sudden you start to see the world a lot clearer, start to regain some clarity of self, look around and go “oh holy crap the world has kept moving without me!” I have realised it, and I must must must write about the haze before the experience loses freshness. Because I know soon enough the memory will grow mould, decay, turn into amazing fertiliser, then sprout some gorgeous garden of eden so that when I look back I only see roses. IMG_3274_fotorBirth is intense… I don’t care if it is good bad or ugly…it is still a huge physical and emotional journey. And a bloody amazing achievement, GO YOU GOOD WOMEN OF EARTH! But to be honest the bigger challenge for me is those first few weeks.

Day and night blur into one as a cocktail of hormones engulf every corner of my body. Oh my body… that “squatting like a cross fit demon” I did during birth…ahhh yeah I didn’t train for that… and I can now feel it in every muscle running up my legs and around my gorgeously squishy postpartum butt. The screaming muscle awkward shuffle walk (as I like to call it) is also increased by giant absorbent pads stuffed in oversized pregnancy undies. Nothing like a month long period to keep a woman in good spirits.

BONUS! this time around I had only the tiniest of tears, but lets be honest peeing is still a deep breathing exercise. Plus I know somewhere along the line I read about the post labour contractions that get progressively more intense with each pregnancy. Ahhhh WOAH Intense…like WOAH! Nothing like a birthing flash back every time I breastfeed.

Oh and my breasts…oh wait they are not mine any more they are Ruby’s… they may be cracked and leaking and swollen into GIANT milky mountains, but they are hers and she LOVES them.

Thank all the goddesses in the heavens I am exiting the haze, and damn that gorgeous newborn in my arms has my heart one thousand times over and growing daily. But from one mum to all you others out there, when you’re shuffling around like you’ve run a marathon, feeling like a leaky old house, covered in milk and spew, eating breakfast for dinner, donned with out-of-control super soaker breasts that just shot your friend in the face… I feel you…I get it…you are AWESOME.