Posted in Breastfeeding, Childhood, Children, Family, Grandchildren, Just for Fun, Le Top, le•top Takes: mouths of babes, Tantrums, Travel, tagged air travel, airplane, boobie, Breastfeeding, funny stories, great grandson, I want Boobie, kids say, kids say the darndest things, kids say the funniest things, le top, le top blog, le top children's wear, out of the mouths of babes, pounding fists, silly stories, story telling, tantrum, too old to breastfeed, Vermont, waiting room on February 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »
I was having a conversation with an elderly lady in the waiting room and she told me a story about her great grandson. She thought perhaps he may be a bit too old to still be breastfeeding. She was traveling to Vermont with him and his family when he started to throw a tantrum. He stood in his seat, pounding his fists on the headrest while chanting at the top of lungs,
I WANT BOOBIE! I WANT BOOBIE!”
–Daniel, age 5
Editor’s Note:
Please spread the giggles by sharing your funny quotes with us!
Posted in Baby, Baby Clothes, Childhood, Children, Children's Clothes, Children's Health, Le Top, Le Top Online Boutique, le•top, le•top Tips, tagged American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Breastfeeding, formula fed, how long to breastfeed, le top blog, letop, research study on children, risk of obesity, solid foods before four months, weaning, World Health Organization on February 8, 2011| 4 Comments »
Is breast best? I was just speaking with my good friend Megan yesterday about how long she plans on breast-feeding before she starts her twins on solid foods. She wasn’t sure, but knew she was surely going to start weaning in the next few months now that they are a little over 4 months old. New mothers are often faced with a dilemma about how long they should breastfeed their babies and when they can start their little ones on solid foods.
According to World Health Organization recommendations, babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months. In addition, the current US guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies should be fed solid foods after six months of age. But some argue that delaying the introduction of solid foods might actually promote unhealthful eating habits by preventing babies from developing tastes for such things as bitter foods (including leafy greens).
It was announced yesterday that the “AAP’s journal, Pediatrics has published the results of a research carried out by the Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard University scientists who found that babies who were fed solids before they turned four months old, are six times as likely to become obese, by the time they are 3 years old. This was seen in babies who were never breastfed or were weaned away before they completed four months. However, in children who were breastfed, the timing of introduction of solid foods had no effect on the obesity risk, at age three.”
In the study, researchers tracked 847 babies, 33% were on formula feeds while 67% were breastfed. Researchers collected and analyzed data about the timing of introduction of solid foods, height and weight for the three-year period, and measured fat on skin folds, to arrive at the results.
Why is this all so important? The study explains:
The researchers point out, “Our data suggest that increased adherence to the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines has the potential to reduce the risk of obesity in children in the United States, given the relatively high prevalence of infants who are formula- fed or breastfed for less than 4 months. Approximately one-quarter of infants in the United States are never breastfed, and approximately half are breastfed for less than 4 months.”
What do you think about this study and do you think this study rings true with your children? Please share your experiences!
Posted in Baby, Breastfeeding, Children, Family, Just for Fun, le•top Takes: mouths of babes, Nephew, tagged Baby, breast feeding, breast milk, Breastfeeding, Family, Funny, funny stories, Just for Fun, kids say, kids say the darndest things, kids say the funniest things, laugh out loud, le top, le•top, le•top Takes: mouths of babes, letop, nephew, newborns, Nursing, out of the mouths of babes, silly stories on June 3, 2009| 1 Comment »
No, I did NOT say that!
One day, while at my parents’ house waiting for guests to arrive, I was sitting in the family room nursing my newborn son. I heard the doorbell ring, signaling that my brother and his family had arrived. My 6-year old nephew came barreling into the room, gasped and froze. Then said,
Oops! Sorry… I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were BEST-feeding!”
– Jordan, Age 6
Haha! Yes, little does he know that breastfeeding is the BEST.
Editor’s Note:
Please spread the giggles by sharing your funny quotes with us!
Posted in Activities for Children, Baby, Breastfeeding, Children, Community, Friends, le•top, Parenting, tagged bonding through breastfeeding, Breastfeeding, children interrupting adult conversations, children's activities, Community, community involvement, families, Friends, friendships formed with moms in playgroups, introducing children to playgroups, kids at play, kids playgroups, leleche, leleche league, local parks for kids, making friends in a new town, McDonalds, meeting new people in a new community, moms and toddlers, mother's support groups, mothers' groups, Moving families, Nursing, nursing toddler, Parenting, parenting styles, perspectives on parenting, playgroups, preschool, relationship bond during breastfeeding, social gatherings with children, stay at home mom, stay-at-home mother, trying to have adult conversations with children around on May 28, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Our family moved to a new community when my daughter was 14 months old. It was tough to be a stay at home mom and figure out how to meet new people. I decided to try a local LeLeche League meeting. My daughter and I had a solid breastfeeding relationship going (and yes, she was a nursing toddler). I just felt drawn to meet other mothers in similar situations. One of the best finds from attending this meeting was hearing about a Wednesday playgroup. I got the information and called the woman who organized the activities.
It was fall season, but the group of moms and toddlers meet every Wednesday morning for two hours with varied activities each week. One week they would do an outdoor adventure, one week they would meet at someone’s home and play with the toys there, and the other two weeks of the month, they would meet at a preschool room of a local church. Such a schedule evolved, as the mothers wanted to avoid spending time at the local McDonalds during those months of poor weather! They meet at local parks during the summer months.
At first, I wondered what a playgroup would be like – would I get to talk with other mothers and visit about parenting ideas? Would my child make new friends and learn different social skills than she got when we were home alone? I soon realized these were high expectations. At the playgroup gatherings those first few months I had to stay pretty close to my daughter as she wanted that more than playing with other children. More than once I wondered if we were getting anything out of it, but the chance to interact with other families made me keep going back each week. Slowly, as my daughter grew up and her confidence blossomed, she was able to play on her own or with others. The mothers could talk a little until a fight broke out about toys, or a child began to do something dangerous.
I began to see it as a new fact of life that seldom were sentences (yet alone conversations) completed without interruptions from children’s needs. The same group continued to meet weekly and time passed into years of attending playgroup. The children watched each other grow up, learned from one another, and the mother’s friendships deepened. As new families would join, we could learn from one another, hear different perspectives on parenting, and see the diversity in children’s behaviors (that was helpful for me – the mother of one!).
One five-year old boy told his mom, “The play is for the kids and the group is for the moms.” He was sure correct on this, as the playgroup gatherings were like a form of therapy and sanity for us all. It’s been seven years now and although schools have forced us apart, our playgroup still comes together for social gatherings several times a year! I’ve been grateful and thankful for this group of families helping me along my parenting journey.
Posted in le•top, Mom, Women's Health, tagged Adrenal fatigue, balancing motherhood, Breastfeeding, Bunco, Bunco groups, Coloring books, coloring books for adults, creative and fun activities for women, creative outlets for adults, health care practitioner, Motherhood, mothers and daughters, new baby fatigue, New Mother, Nursing, nursing mom, nurturing moms, nurturing oneself, Parenting, scrap, scrapbook, Scrapbooking, scrapbooking crops, sleep-deprived new mother, taking time for oneself, tired mother, woman's coloring books, Women's Health on May 12, 2009| 2 Comments »
…submitted by guest contributor: Dawn H.
I was amazed at how demanding having a child was. I was also amazed at how I felt like I never got anything done! I had been married ten years prior to having my daughter. I was used to getting free time and completing my daily “to do” list most days. When my daughter was born, I joked to friends that she was my “new boss”. Little did I know how demanding she would be, wanting to be held most of the time, along with nursing often and only happy if I held her. Shortly after I became a new mother, I had a health care practitioner recommend making it a priority to do something for myself at least once a week. I was surprised to hear this – especially since it came from a male. I guess I was overloaded with my body showing adrenal fatigue. I needed some rest and fun in my life. It was sort of like the announcement that the airlines warn you about “in case of loss of oxygen, please secure your mask first, then help others”. How could I continue to care for my young child (especially when my husband traveled for overnight business often) if I wasn’t balanced myself? I realized I had not done much for myself in those first six months of being a mother.
I tried my best to figure out little ways that I could nurture myself. I started out slow like choosing an activity once a month that I enjoyed. I’d plan a creative outlet with a girlfriend and let my husband care for our daughter. At that time, my main passion was scrapbooking. I could enjoy and relax by getting photos into an album for others to enjoy. I realized after awhile that it was an activity that was still goal-oriented. I was supposed to be doing things for fun, right? If I was worried about finishing something, was that the most fun I could allow myself?
It’s taken me several years to get past this compulsion. I have managed to try a few new things with less pressure – things like playing in a monthly Bunco group, or doing some sort of art project. I rediscovered coloring books – yes, adults can color – it’s not just for kids! A friend shared with me woman’s coloring books with detailed designs that are just fun to color – a little or a lot at once. No deadlines, no pressure, just creative fun. I’m always looking for more ideas of simple, easy-to-do activities and ways to help nurture myself, so please share things that work for you!
Posted in le•top, tagged Baby, baby boy, babysitter, babysitting, Breastfeeding, daddy, Dads, Family, funny sto, funny story, funny things kids say, Just for Fun, kids, kids jokes, kids say, laugh out loud, le top, le•top, le•top Takes: mouths of babes, letop, Little Brothers, Newborn, Nursing, out of the mouths of babes, Siblings, silly stories, Sister on April 22, 2009| 3 Comments »
No, I did NOT say that!
The Joy of Breastfeeding
I have been breastfeeding my newborn for the last two weeks, and one time I was teasing my 4-year old daughter that maybe one day Daddy and I can go see a movie while she stayed home and babysat her little brother. She said,
I don’t think milk will come out of my nickels.”
– Miranda, age 4
Editor’s Note:
Please spread the giggles by sharing your funny quotes with us!
Posted in Baby, Baby Shower, Children, Crying, Dad, Mom, Parenting, Siblings, Singing, Sister, Travel, tagged 12 hour roadtrip, 4 year old daughter, 8 hour roadtrip, are we there yet?, Baby, baby boy, Baby Names, Baby Shower, Breastfeeding, Car trips with children, cousins, Crying, crying baby, driving, family roadtrip, High School Musical, hungry baby, le top, le•top, letop, Los Angeles, new baby, Newborn, newborn boy, Nursing, nursing moms, Parenting, roadtrip with the family, San Francisco Bay Area, Singing, singing to baby, Sister, three week old baby, Travel, traveling with baby, Traveling with children, Twinkle twinkle little star on April 21, 2009| 2 Comments »
Last weekend we drove down to Los Angeles (from the Bay Area) for my cousin’s baby shower. The drive there was a piece of cake. It took us about 8 hours with only 2 stops. Amazing, considering we had a newborn. Meanwhile, my 4-year old was her usual self asking us what number to count to before we get to LA, and repeatedly asking, “Are we there yet?” (Click here to read about our memorable trip to San Diego.)
The drive home was a completely different story. It took us almost 12 hours with so many stops that I vowed never to drive a long trip like that ever again! For some reason, my 3-week old was hungry EVERY HOUR. “Didn’t I just feed you?” And other times he would howl and cry, and we couldn’t figure out why. He wasn’t hungry. He wasn’t wet. He wasn’t hurt or sick. He just wanted to be on Daddy’s lap or in Mommy’s embrace. I guess I’d rather have that, too. But after so many stops for no reason other than to take him out of his car seat, we’d had enough. Our so-called “solution” was to let him scream in agony — while we listened in agony! Then, miraculously, Big Sis saved the day. Miranda sang “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and Paulo stopped crying! The first time it happened, we thought it was just luck. But it happened a couple more times, and it worked every time. One time she even sang a different song (some song from “High School Musical”), but it didn’t work. So we asked her to stick to his usual request because that’s what Paulo liked. She gladly complied.
Posted in Family, le•top, New Parents, Parenting, tagged Adventure Travel with Baby, Baby, baby car seats, baby carriers, baby slings, baby wraps, babywearing, Breastfeeding, Dr. William Sears, Hiking with baby, Martha Sears, Maya Baby Sling, Maya baby wraps, Nursing, The Baby Book, Toddler, traveling with baby on April 13, 2009| Leave a Comment »
…submitted by guest contributor: Dawn
No need for carting around a highchair...
When I was pregnant, I was gifted an “Over the Shoulder Baby Holder” (a baby sling) and “The Baby Book” by Dr. William Sears and Martha Sears, R.N.. These two gifts became great aids in my first years of parenting.
I had heard of the concept of babywearing which refers to using a sling or other kind of carrier to hold the baby on the parent’s body while they go about their daily activities like walking, doing chores, attending social gatherings.
The benefits to the infant from babywearing are that the baby feels close and secure to the parent (or caregiver), often the baby is happier and more content, and shows the baby (or growing toddler) how the world is an interesting place to explore from the viewpoint next to their parent.
We began to explore the various ways of carrying our daughter in the baby sling in our first big travels to Alaska when she was 10 weeks old. We spent a week of traveling, hiking (there was one incident of her nursing in the sling, while I was hiking on a trail following my husband trying to avoid the moose below us in the woods! – and my daughter was still happy!), and waiting in lines at restaurants. All the time my daughter was content, whether I was wearing her, or her Dad or a close friend was.
We had the car seat for driving and the airplane ride but it frequently stayed in the car as we explored.
As my daughter grew, we changed how she rode in the sling from a laying down position, to sitting up and seeing the world, to riding on one hip of mine as she became a toddler. This phase was especially nice to keep her near me in the sling and allow me to have a free hand. It also kept her out of trouble at times when we were in stores that didn’t have shopping carts.
I have since noted the growing industry (and therefore, choices!) of baby carriers – front packs, Maya wraps, etc. I’m glad the options are so varied now, making it easier to search for the style that fits best into lifestyles and fashion styles. My daughter even has her own child-sized baby sling so she can keep her baby doll close by while playing!
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