Apparently, following directions is a hard skill to learn

ETA: Bumbo seats just got recalled because parents FAILED to comprehend and/or follow the directions of DO NOT PUT YOUR KID IN THE SEAT ON AN ELEVATED SURFACE AND STOP PAYING ATTENTION.
     Following Directions. This is a concept we all should have learned in Kindergarten. However, after seeing recall upon recall upon recall...I see that it is a concept lost on most of society.

     Today there was a recall of The Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper Baby Bassinet...it was recalled because parents don't hook the liner into it properly. Let me repeat that. RECALLED. Because the parent's FAILED to put the liner into it properly. Uh, let me get this straight...nothing is wrong with the co-sleeper? It's the parents that can't be bothered to read the instructions or follow them? It isn't that hard to put together. Seriously.

     There was also a recall of the Graco Quattro Stroller...it was recalled because parents FAILED to strap their kids in properly and then failed to notice them sliding out and hanging there. I have to ask...why would you not strap your kid in? How would you not notice them sliding nearly out and strangling? I am NOT a helicopter parent and yet, I would peek in on my child in a stroller enough times so as to avoid them sliding out and dangling.

     Then, the Nap Nanny recall...why? Because people either walked off and left the baby in it, in the crib long enough that the baby leaned forward and fell to the side becoming entrapped long enough to suffocate. If you look at the Nap Nanny, it has a label on it and instructions that clearly states, "DO NOT LEAVE BABY UNATTENDED" "PLACE BABY ON FLAT SURFACE, NOT IN A BED AND NOT ON A TABLE". Hello? How can you miss all of that?

     There are also countless deaths from improperly installed car seats. Car seats that are clearly labelled and come with a booklet of clear instructions and pictures. Not to mention you can go to car seat safety checkpoint installations.

Seriously folks, it isn't that hard to follow instructions. If you cannot follow them, get someone who can to help you. And for goodness sakes, to recall something ONLY because people don't bother and expect the company to pay because of their mistakes. Wow, that says so much about society.

Wear Your Baby's Hiney Out!

     No, not like that...LOL Like this:


Yes, wearing your baby can be an essential asset for a new mom. Baby is close, feels secure and mom can have her arms free to eat or even brush her hair.

     When babies are born, they have a "C" shaped spine and a round head. Time spent laying flat on their backs in cribs, bassinets, car seats, swings, bouncer...you name it, put undue pressure on delicate hip joints and can sometimes lead to flattening of baby's skull. And in these times of  the "Back to Sleep" campaign and portable baby car seat that will go from house to car to stroller to shopping cart, baby spends loads of time on it's back.

     However, you can help lessen that amount of time by wearing your baby at home and out. You can get stuff done at home while baby is in a carrier either on your front or back. You can wear baby through the grocery store or mall. It will also keep baby close, calm and easy to nurse.

I do NOT recommend a Baby Bjorn or any of the "Crotch Dangler" carriers, they too put stress on the baby's hips and spine.

These are some great carriers to try out:

Moby Wrap:

Mei Tai:

Baby K'Tan:

Ergo:

ONLY the Mei Tai and Ergo can be used on the back.  And ALL of them are ok for baby's hips and back.

Breastfeeding is NOT a private bonding experience

     Breastfeeding is NOT a private bonding experience. Breastfeeding is NOT best. Breastfeeding is NOT ugly. Breastfeeding is NOT sexual. Breastfeeding is NOT any other adjective you can throw at it..except for one.

     Breastfeeding IS feeding a baby

     That's it...nothing more, nothing less. It is the biological norm for feeding a child. It is not something to hide, be ashamed of, commit in dark closed off rooms or done solely in private. 

     In fact, I don't even think of it as a superior bonding time at all. Is it bonding? Yes. Is it any different bonding than when I rock my child to sleep, read to them, bathe them, feed them food, sing to them, dress them, play with them? Nope. Not at all. 

     So, why is it that folks automatically associate breastfeeding with "private bonding"? Feeding my child has never been "private bonding". Bottle, breast or solids. Not private bonding. I realize that because there is a breast involved that automatically deems it wrong, gross, private and anything other than feeding a child. Which, IMO is just ridiculous. Just because society "thinks" that something is a certain way doesn't mean we ALL have to think that way also. This breastfeeding is only done in private business has got to stop.

     Now having said all of that... Can breastfeeding be done in private if that is what MOM truly wants? YES!! Can breastfeeding be a private bonding experience? YES!!! Is it ok if MOM wants to only breastfeed in private and use bottles while out? YES!!! And that is my point: If YOU as a mom chooses it to be that way, then I am ALL for you and in your corner come what may. But if you as a mom feel pressured and bullied into this by naysayers, I would hope that you can stand up to them and feel good about what you are doing and do it in spite of them knowing that you have people backing you up.  I get so tired of people trying to tell us how WE should feel about breastfeeding. Telling us that WE should feel ashamed, hidden or private. Why, must WE feel like that when we are only feeding our child in the manner WE chose?  Just because it comes through a different receptacle than another mom chooses doesn't make it wrong or less or private. Only different. No different than if we chose a pink bottle or a green one.