Breastfeeding is like a hike through the woods: Natural, but not always simple. In fact, it can be challenging, breathtaking, and full of the unexpected.

The hormones can be intense

Oxytocin:

This powerful hormone is responsible for breast milk “letting down,” or moving to the front of the breasts. And it also happens to be the same chemical released in the brain when a person falls in love, says Laura Viehmann, assistant professor of pediatrics at Brown University and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatricians. No wonder you couldn’t care less about all that spit-up and poop! You’re too busy swooning.

Breastfeeding helps (some) women lose their pregnancy weight

The nursing weight-loss plan doesn’t work for everyone. Some moms find their metabolism slowing to a frustrating crawl. “I nursed my son for 27 months
In fact, in a poll of BabyCenter moms, 40 percent say breastfeeding didn’t help them drop pounds while 60 percent say it did. Interesting….. and it didn’t help me lose weight. Then I lost 15 pounds within about two weeks after weaning,” one mom reports.

Your breast milk is perfectly tailored to your baby

Imagine if every single time you were hungry, you were served a delectable, satisfying meal that contained the perfect balance of electrolytes, fats, and nutrients for your body at that particular time. Amazingly, your breast milk gives your baby exactly what she needs immunologically as well.  The components of the milk shift so that it always complements whatever antibodies the baby is low on at that particular time. This is why breastfeeding can actually keep your baby from getting sick. Welcome to your baby’s world!

Nursing Pillows help make this experience a more relaxed and comfortable one!

The first night home from the hospital you may place your baby in a bassinet within the safety of your own room to stay close to them for nursing purposes, and other reasons. I know that for all my sweet babies I had them sleep in a bassinet for the first 6-8 weeks, then I transitioned them into their crib, located in their own bedroom (providing you have a separate bedroom for your baby).

This can be a challenging transition, especially if your baby was a preemie. If your baby was or is a preemie you may find yourself keeping them in a bassinet a little bit longer.

Some parents do without a crib and just use a bassinet until they are too big or before it becomes unsafe. Bassinets are not as sturdy as cribs so it’s important to know the risks of a bassinet vs a sturdy crib. Let’s look at the cons of a bassinet and the benefits of a crib.

Cons of a bassinet

- Though a bassinet is cheaper than a crib, your baby will outgrow it and then you will end up having to purchase a crib.

- When a baby begins to roll over the bassinet can become a safety hazard. The bassinet can tip over, especially when they start to pull themselves up in it.

- The comfort level is far less than a crib mattress. Bassinets only contain thin pads.

- A bassinet is meant to be portable and lightweight. Anything can happen so it’s important to examine the durability between a crib and a bassinet.

Benefits of a crib

- The swinging or gliding motion of a crib can calm and soothe a fussy baby.

- Your baby has a lot more space than that of a bassinet which means it’s cozier.

- A crib can still be placed next to a parent’s bed, taking into account the size of the crib and the master bedroom.

The only cons of cribs that I see are:

- They are not transportable

- They cost more

Hopefully this gives you a better idea and understanding of the differences between a crib and a bassinet. How about you – which do you prefer, or do you use both in time? We would love to hear from you.

Source: www.ehow.com

Image: Wikimedia Commons

The short answer is no!

With so many products available for pregnancy, infants, and beyond, it can be challenging to keep them all straight. You have probably heard a lot about baby pillows and nursing pillows, but here is one thing you may be surprised to find out – they can be the same thing!

What makes a baby pillow?

If you have seen the beautiful cribs in many baby catalogs, you might be confused to hear that babies really shouldn’t have pillows in their cribs until they are over a year old. Pillows can lead to suffocation or other dangers, which is why baby pillow is often a misnomer. However, babies enjoy resting on pillows, particularly during tummy time as this makes the position more comfortable.

What makes a nursing pillow?

Nursing pillows are a great way to make it more comfortable to breastfeed your baby. It can be difficult to find the ideal position for your baby to latch onto the breast, and once you find that position, it can be difficult or painful to hold it for the many hours spent nursing each day. A nursing pillow solves this problem by proving a secure and safe place for the baby to rest while you nurse, allowing both of you to be more comfortable during these special shared moments. Nursing pillows can be used as baby pillows during tummy time, which means you get two great products in one!

Bigger and better than expected

This week we received another review back from a blogger reviewing one of our products. And this time it was the team at Macaroni Kid, a popular mom blog from York PA, that tested out our Soothing Swaddle Blanket.

We’re pleased to report that they were especially impressed with the size of the blankets – which are over 3 feet long and much longer than many competitor blankets.  And even though they had experience with swaddling their children, they found great value in the instructional DVD that comes with the 3 packs.

Here’s a sample from their review:

That was always a problem that I had with my other swaddling blankets, they never seemed big enough. Along with these extra large blankets comes a DVD with step-by-step demos on how to swaddle your baby. Even after having a child and learning how to swaddle her, I found this helpful for future use and with the larger blankets I know it will be much easier!

> Read the full review from Macaroni Kid

When the weather is warm, it can be hard to encourage your little ones to get outside. After all, who wants to walk into a wall of humidity and heat when the air conditioning and couch are available indoors? However, getting your kids active is a great goal to set this summer.

Make time for fun part of their daily routine

With so much free time, this is the perfect opportunity to work on developing habits that your child will be able to maintain for the rest of their lives.

Make fitness and healthy living fun by incorporating games. It is easy to forget that what you are doing is actually good for you if you are having a good time and competing against friends. During the warm months, it’s a good idea to involve water in the games because it is something that the kids can’t do during the rest of the year and it will keep them cooler despite the heat.

Here are some ideas for fun water games you can play this summer with your kids:

Marco Polo – with one child being “it,” keeping his or her eyes closed, and calling out “Marco,” the other kids respond with “Polo” and try not to be tagged. Once tagged, the next child becomes “it.”

Treasure Hunt – throw coins or other sinkable objects into the deep end of the pool and the older kids can compete to see who can collect the most.

Water Limbo – using a hose instead of a traditional limbo stick, the rest of the game stays the same. See how low you can go!