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Does Your Husband Care About Breastfeeding?

babysugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:00:56 -0700

My husband is a breastfeeding fanatic. It's not the act he's crazy about, but the benefits for our lil guy that keep him pushing me to nurse longer. While I know "breast is best" sometimes I just want to stock up on formula and bottles. I don't mind the act itself. What bothers me is the need to wear nursing pads 24/7, pump at work, and that I am the only person fit to feed our son at 3:00 a.m.

It's fantastic that my hubby cares about the health of our boy; only I wonder if it was up to him, could he nurse for a year?
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Desperate Housewives Rundown Season 6 Premiere "Nice Is Different Than Good"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:30:36 -0700

The season six premiere of Desperate Housewives opens with Mike's much-anticipated wedding and then takes us on a series of flashbacks to the weeks leading up to the big event.

With Edie out of the picture and a new housewife on the block, Mike's marriage isn't the only scandal happening on Wisteria Lane. To chat about the exciting season premiere, just read more.

Susan - She's been avoiding Katherine since she and Mike got back together but is forced to see her when she stops by Bree's house. Hiding behind Lynette, she manages to avoid a confrontation until a delivery man leaves Susan's wedding dress at Katherine's house, leaving her no choice but to go over and pick it up. When Susan stops by, Katherine opens the door wearing the dress - and teases her by cooking red pasta sauce dangerously close to the dress. It's obvious that Katherine is upset about the wedding, but Susan is determined that it be her special day. Susan might have more than Katherine to worry about with Julie back in town being courted by Danny, the new housewife's son.

Bree - Still estranged from Orson and toying with an affair with her divorce lawyer Carl, Bree struggles with her adulterous feelings. When Orson begs her to rethink the divorce and consider counseling, she realizes that "guilt is a small price to pay for happiness" and books a hotel room for a rendezvous with Carl - in clean sheets, of course.

Gaby - Carlos's niece Mariana is living at the house and pushing Gaby's patience. Gaby sees right through Mariana's tricks and tries to keep her teenage ways under control by monitoring what she wears to school and implementing a 10 p.m. curfew. Gaby sees a lot of her teenage self in Mariana and doesn't want her to have to go through the same struggles that she did, so she signs papers to legalize her and Carlos's guardianship over Mariana.

Lynette - Three months pregnant with twins and realizing she'll be 60 years old when they graduate from high school, Lynette is stressed out about the idea of adding two more to the family. In the waiting room at the doctor's office, she scares a young new mom-to-be out of her elation with details about saggy boobs, constant breastfeeding, and absent husbands. Later, she and Tom are together for the first ultrasound, and when she doesn't show any excitement for the babies, Tom confronts her. She breaks down and says she doesn't love the babies liked she loved their other kids. Tom assures her that once she holds them she will, but she doesn't seem too convinced.

Katherine - Crazed from losing Mike, Katherine is a mix of depressed and resentful. She and Susan still haven't spoken since the breakup, and she intends to get a public apology from Susan - at her and Mike's wedding. Susan refuses and locks her in a closet before the ceremony, but she manages to get out and meet them in the aisle after the ceremony. Even after Susan gives in and apologizes in front of the entire church, it's pretty clear that Katherine won't be letting go of her heartbreak, or resentment for Susan, any time soon.

Angie - The mysterious new housewife on the block (spitfire Drea de Matteo) brings her husband Nick and son Danny to Fairview. We see that, obviously, they left some dark past behind when we get a glimpse of some pretty gnarly scars on Angie's back. But Angie won't be the only one stirring things up since Danny seems to have a sordid past too. After he and Julie go on a date and get in a fight and he goes missing after Mike and Susan's wedding, we are left to wonder who mysteriously strangled Julie and escaped the scene.

What did you think of the season premiere? Was there enough crazy and intrigue to keep you watching another season?

Handling Differences of Opinion on Feeding Baby

LilSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:00:05 -0700

New mamas face plenty of unsolicited advice as they begin navigating life with their newborn. From day one there are opinions about rooming in during your hospital stay, vaccination schedules and breast versus bottle feeding. Assuming you are secure in your feeding decision, it may take some time to convince family and friends about the choice you made.

On this week's episode of Weeds, Mary Louise Parker's character had little to do with her husband and his daughter, after he instructed the baby nurse to feed the wee one formula despite the fact that mama was breastfeeding. While most of us do not find ourselves combating Mexican drug lords, like Parker's character, the issue is universal. How did you handle well-meaning friends and relatives who questioned your choice?

When Birth Control Gets a FAIL

babysugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:15:25 -0700

Could someone be pregnant and truly not know it? As crazy as that sounds, it's not such a far-fetched idea for a woman on the pill, using an IUD (intrauterine device), breastfeeding, or using other highly preventative birth control measures. At some point, she'll probably tune into the fact that she's carrying a baby, but it may take her a little while to entertain the notion of buying a pregnancy test. One mother of two declared her pregnancy days a thing of the past and chose to have an IUD implanted as it is one of the most effective contraceptives. Much to the woman's surprise, she discovered she's expecting her third child! A blessing in disguise, the mother was eventually thrilled with the "mishap," but is now considering a vasectomy for her husband. More common than it seems, many moms think they are finished having babies and find themselves sporting a bump when they least expected it. Did you or anyone you know get pregnant while practicing "safe sex"?

What to Expect at Your Postpartum Checkup

LilSugar — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:00:00 -0700

Mamas wait for what seems like an eternity for their babies, so when they finally arrive it's a big relief. There's another wonderful thing that comes with holding the warm bundle of joy, clearing your calendar of prenatal appointments! But, before women can pencil in other activities, they need to go in for their six week postpartum checkup. Here's what to expect during the visit:

A thorough pelvic exam, including a pap smear, an examination of any episiotomy, vaginal tear, or C-section scar healing and a check of the uterus's return to its prepregnancy size.
A breast exam including a breast cancer screening and checks for infections and abscess that may result from breastfeeding.
Blood work to check for anemia or thyroid issues.
A mental health evaluation to screen for postpartum depression and determine the mother's overall well-being.
A discussion about birth control options. Depending on a woman's breastfeeding goals and her plans for subsequent children, her contraceptive options may vary from her prepregnancy ones. Be sure to discuss all options with your doctor.
Clearance for postpartum sexual activity. Many husbands view the six-week postpartum checkup as the green light for resuming sexual activity. If your doctor does say it is OK to proceed, discuss any tips she might have to get you started again.

Lactation Consultants Lead Babies to Mother's Milk

babysugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:00:08 -0700

Expectant mamas planning on nursing their newborn straight out of the womb are often surprised by the task - especially first time mothers. Some lucky mamas may slip into a nice natural groove while others, like myself, find themselves tortured by the pain. After a few agitated days of breastfeeding, I buckled under pressure and sought out a lactation consultant to advise me on my practices.

We shook hands and introduced ourselves as any strangers might do in a work place. But then we quickly got down to business. She asked me the details of my daughter's nursing habits - when, how long, what position and which sides, etc. To judge for herself, she asked me to put my daughter on the breast. In her small office, I sat in the most upright position with a nursing stool, a Brest Friend wrapped around my waist, and fed my newborn as my husband, mom and lactation consultant looked on.

To see how it all worked out, read more.
Quickly she pressed my infant's face harder onto the boob leaving her little room to pull off. After a few minutes of purveying the situation, the consultant scribbled a page worth of notes, handed me a pack of Lily Padz for my ailing tatas and weighed my baby. Almost instantly, she had the answer to my problem. After about 30 minutes of counseling, I thanked her and offered her a hug as if I had known her my whole life. I guess baring my breasts to a total stranger has that effect on me. But more than that, I wanted her to know how much I appreciated her helping me along the path to successful and (less) painless breastfeeding.

Did you seek out a lactation consultant?
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Tell Mommy: The Case Against Breastfeeding

LilSugar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:00:14 -0700

Since 1997, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended exclusive breastfeeding for a baby's first six months of life and in 2004, the Department of Health and Human Services launched their famous National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign. With these two influential organizations strongly advocating "breast is best," new moms have been inundated with statistics and information encouraging them to nurse.

This month's Atlantic Monthly presents the opposing view, with Hannah Rosin's Case Against Breast-Feeding. In her article, Rosin claims that statistics showing the benefits of breast milk have been greatly exaggerated and that societal pressure to breastfeed is preventing women from advancing to powerful positions in the business world. She suggests that the act itself leads to gender role assignments that also make co-parenting unattainable. It said:

Even in the best of marriages, the domestic burden shifts, in incremental, mostly unacknowledged ways, onto the woman. Breast-feeding plays a central role in the shift. In my set, no husband tells his wife that it is her womanly duty to stay home and nurse the child. Instead, both parents together weigh the evidence and then make a rational, informed decision that she should do so. Then other, logical decisions follow: she alone fed the child, so she naturally knows better how to comfort the child, so she is the better judge to pick a school for the child and the better nurse when the child is sick, and so on.

Do you believe that societal pressure to breastfeed has played such a central role in defining parental roles and career advancement?

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Wonder Woman: Natalie Morales

LilSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 08:00:42 -0700

Most moms don't fondly reminisce about the mornings they watched the sun rise while trying to coax a tot back into bed. After three years in her current news desk role on NBC's Today Show, Natalie Morales has seen more than her fair share of early mornings.

The mom of two - Josh, 5, and Luke, 6 months - juggles a high-powered, very visible job with a knack for running that has seen her complete five marathons. Her powerful interviews, including one this week with the author of the Case Against Breastfeeding story, have earned her the respect of colleagues in the news industry and viewers alike. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, Morales also caught the eye of expectant women with her ability to remain stylish and fit throughout her pregnancies. In announcing her pregnancy, Morales mentioned the struggle she and her husband had trying to conceive. She said:

"When I found out I was pregnant, it was the best news I'd gotten all year. We had been trying for a long time. Most people think you can just decide to have a child, but it just doesn’t work that way."

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Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me? Mastitis

babysugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:30:09 -0800

In my days of baby preparation, I read tons of pregnancy books to soak up as much information as possible. Most of the texts offered up a small section dedicated to mastitis. Seemingly not that common, I skimmed over it and didn't pay much attention to the subject.

To see why that was a mistake, read more.

Ten days into motherhood, my mom, newborn, and I went on a beach walk on a heaven–sent sunny day. About a third of the way into the jaunt I was so achy, tired, and ill feeling that I had to rest my laurels. I assumed I was still lethargic from the labor and delivery, but it was actually the beginning of something much worse.

Early the next morning, I woke up with a fever and mad chills. Still clueless, I thought my night sweating may have been the cause so I robotically went into the nursery and fed my child as I shook uncontrollably. Then I knew something was wrong.

My husband called his mum who suggested I might have mastitis. I shook my head and vehemently denied the possibility. The books all said mastitis would be excruciatingly painful and show itself in a red blotchy manner on my breast, which was not happening.

But as I did my online research I learned I might be wrong. WebMD explains mastitis:

Mastitis usually starts as a painful area in one breast. It may be red or warm to the touch, or both. You may also have fever, chills, and body aches. If you have these symptoms, call your doctor today.

Admittedly I had the flu–like symptoms but was still in denial since my chest still felt and looked normal. To be safe, my husband and I went to triage that night where I was diagnosed and treated for mastitis. The docs gave me a prescription for antibiotics and told me to nurse my way through the pain. I kid you not!

Breastfeeding is tough enough, but add a hard swollen boob, fever, chills, and aches to it and you've got a first-rate nightmare on your hands. And so it was. The worst part about it was that the antibiotics could not be taken two hours before or after eating, which meant my eating periods were laid out for me, which as any new mom knows, you eat when you can, not when you plan on it. To help the growing boob pain, I walked around with frozen peas and corn in my bra. Classy. Very classy.

But alas, I survived to tell about it. And when I told people I had it, I quickly found out how very common it is. I'd say that half of all moms I know toughed their way through it - some multiple times!

If you're pregnant and planning on nursing, take measures to avoid getting the beastly ailment. Here are some tips from WebMD:

Before breastfeeding your baby, place a warm, wet washcloth over the affected breast for about 15 minutes. Try this at least 3 times a day. This increases milk flow in the breast. Massaging the affected breast may also increase milk flow.
If possible, continue breast-feeding on both sides. Ideally, start on the affected side; it's critical that you empty this breast thoroughly. If this breast is too painful to start with, try feeding from the healthy breast first. Then, after your milk is flowing, breast-feed from the affected breast until it feels soft. Switch back to the healthy breast and breast-feed until your baby has finished.
Pump or express milk from the affected breast if pain prevents you from breast-feeding. Nipple pain can be caused by the baby latching on to sore nipples.

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Gwyneth Talks About Image, Her Appearance and Chris

PopSugarUK — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:59:38 -0800

Gwyneth Paltrow takes centre stage on the cover of March's issue of Elle magazine. She sat down with the magazine to talk fashion, appearance and image as well as opening up a little about her lifestyle and her husband Chris Martin.

Here are some excerpts from her interview:

On her image: "I'm probably less square than people think. I wish smoking didn't kill you. And you know what I had the other day which I loved? A French Martini. I had one too many. The last cigarette I smoked was the day I found out I was pregnant with Apple. I'm so pissed off it gives you cancer. But then, once you have children, if you've witnessed a death like I did with my father, you just can't. But I've decided that when I'm about 70 I'm going to start smoking again. Why not? I can't wait!"
On Chris writing songs to help her grieve for her father: "It's so hard for me to listen to some of those songs... I'm amazed he stuck with me [at the time her dad died], because I was a wreck. I can't believe that he did."

To read more from Gwyneth on not attending red carpet events with Chris, and her thoughts on her appearance and fashion, just read more.

On appearing with her hubby in public: "It doesn't behoove us to be a public couple... He certainly doesn't want to be that. We've never ever walked down a red carpet together, we never will. If people think that that means we're not together, then – ha ha ha! – so be it."
On her appearance: "People don't realise, sometimes you wear a dress because your friend made it. I just got out of sweatpants, out of mummy mode. I love fashion, but when you're breastfeeding and you're a stone-and-a-half overweight, it's demoralising to try to wear good clothes."
On getting her trademark long blonde hair cut shorter: "My hairstylist, an old friend, was brushing my hair and I was like, 'F*ck this hair! Cut my hair."

The full interview is in the March issue of Elle magazine, out now!