The Breastfeeding Doll

There seems to be a lot of discussion in the media about a breastfeeding doll that teaches young girls to breastfeed. The doll comes with a floral halter top which has sensors that mimic a sucking noise when the doll is brought close to the chest. Currently the doll is only available in Spain, but the manufacturer intends on bringing it to America next year.



Many are calling the doll "gross" and very inappropriate citing that it will promote teenage pregnancy and force girls to grow up too fast. Some have even described the doll as "sick".

Considering it's completely socially acceptable for children to carry around dolls that require diaper changing because they wet themselves and dolls that actually bottle feed, is this doll really offensive?

I question the necessity of the doll: I just don't feel that the halter and suckling noises are necessary. However I feel that way about all dolls that feature real life bodily functions. My thoughts are that children can imagine all those acts themselves. I know a few mothers that have given their first born children a doll when a new sibling has come into the family. When it comes time for the new baby to nurse, the older child has to feed their baby, too. Is that odd? Or is it teaching tool?

Thinking forward to if we were to have a sibling for Ember, I would absolutely give her a "baby" to help her ease into her new role as big sister. I expect that she would mimic nursing her doll as I would be nursing a baby, just as she would burp it, change its diaper and take it for a walk.

I'm dying to know - what are your thoughts?? Let's discuss.

Mommy Milk

I've been thinking about nursing a lot lately. I am still breastfeeding my little meatloaf.

I didn't set out to breastfeed for this long. My original goal was to nurse until Ember was 12 months old and after that I'd address it. That milestone has come and gone and here I am, still milking it. Basically, Andrew and I felt that with a daily feeding, Ember was getting a great multi-vitamin that she wouldn't get anywhere else. I wasn't returning to work so it wasn't a hindrance in my life.

Ember began to wean herself in January so I thought I'd let her do the work; we were down to nursing for nap time only. And then she got sick and she reverted. She was nursing several times a day again. Considering she was dehydrated and wasn't interested in food, I was more than happy to oblige. I'm so grateful that I hadn't weaned because I believe it played a HUGE role in Ember recuperating so quickly from the RS virus. Since being sick, we've taken some time to get back to where we were but we're back to nap and bed time nursing only.
No more night time feedings at all!!

Now that Ember is 15 months old, my new goal is her second birthday. If Ember weans herself before then, great, I won't discourage it. However, I would continue to pump for her to have a sippy cup once a day.

Sometimes I'm surprised by myself and this decision. But for our situation, I feel it's the right one. I'm home, it's easy to pump. And, with Ember's allergies, I believe that breast milk can only serve as a benefit to her immune system and fat intake.

I'm curious to know your experiencing with breastfeeding. How long did you nurse? Did you have a goal? Mums to be - what are you thoughts, do you intend to nurse?

Things I Wished I'd Known About Breastfeeding

Nearly ten months into this breastfeeding gig, I've learned a few things that I didn't know going in. Often girlfriends and I discuss the items that follow as they surprised us so I thought I'd share them here.

1. Cushion for the pushin'. After complaining to other mums about the weight I gained at three months postpartum, I learned that you need a few extra pounds to breastfeed. How much? I've heard varying amounts and I bet it varies to each individual but take comfort in that you need a little extra cushion for pushin' milk. A friend even says that she doesn't lose all her baby weight until she stops breastfeeding.

2. Eat!! My husband theorizes that I gained weight while breastfeeding because my body went into starvation mode. Sweet, right? During pregnancy, I did really well at only eating to my hunger, nothing more so I didn't gain an exorbitant amount of weight. I kept that habit up into nursing. Oops. So many extra calories being burned and not taking the time to eat proper meals may have thrown my system for a loop. I suggest always having healthy snacks on hand. Trail mix, protein bars, washed fruit are all great options and can be eaten with one hand while nursing. I also found myself quite thirsty, always keep water close by. Throw some milk into the mix, too - it is filling and offers nutrients.

3. Get Comfy. In the early months, I'm pretty sure I spent more time in the armchair with Ember on my boob than I did doing anything else. Growth spurts had me on the couch every two hours for up to 40 minutes at a time. Cluster feeding, oh cluster feeding meant Ember on my chest for three hours per evening in those early weeks. At times I found it pretty annoying to have to stop what I'm doing to sit down and find my girl. But honestly there is no sense in combating it. Invest in a good nursing pillow and learn what nursing position is most comfy for you. Download a few seasons of Entourage. Sit back and relax. In the thick of it, I had moments where I wanted to pull my hair out but looking back, it doesn't seem so rough now. I loved Ember's little face looking up at me, smiling, playing with my hair and eventually dozing off. My heart swells.

4. It's not a bad habit!! For us, the only way to get Ember to sleep is for me to nurse her down. For the first six months-ish, it took a while for her to really conk out. For a while, I just called it a night early and went to bed with her. When I saw a breast-feeding specialist I asked how I should wean Ember of this habit. Very quickly I was set straight! This is not a bad habit, I was told, this is perfectly natural and that it provides my babe with confidence, trust and security. Just relax and go with it, I was instructed, she will grow out of it. 'Watch the Animal channel if you want parenting advice,' the doctor continued, 'you never see a monkey pull their baby off their body, put it on a branch and swing away.' I laughed and nodded.

Since it would take a while for Ember to settle, i just got into my comfy chair with my pillow (see number 3) and Andrew and I would watch a movie/TV together. Ember would nurse right into la-la land and I would move her to bed. Now, Ember nurses for five minutes to settle down and I move her to bed to fall asleep. As promised, she's moved past it.

5. Papier Mache. Nursing pads a boatload of necessary. I highly recommend Lansinoh by the way. Friends have had success with cloth pads but if you have a lot of milk, a la moi, those puppies won't cut it. I'll spare you an embarrassing story of me on the sideline of the rugby pitch with cotton saucers in my bra, oh white T-shirt and the bottom half of boobs soaked. What fun to discover that on a trip to bathroom?! Anyway, I didn't have nursing pads for the few days of nursing life and I was stuffing with Kleenex. Oh the irony.

6. The best. Despite the hardships and how taxing it can sometimes feel, it's amazing to know that those little chubby cheeks, pudgy ham hocks and buddha belly are because of me. 'Tis a grand feeling.

Those are the biggies for me. Is there anything I'm missing that you weren't expecting or really surprised me? Share, share!

Suck It!!!

I'm grateful everyday that breastfeeding came easily to Ember and me. She quickly established an excellent latch and we're still going strong seven months in, even with the eruption of a couple of teeth. I've not had any issues with milk shortage - this dairy queen is producing. I know all women aren't as lucky; I'm grateful.

However it hasn't been without its difficulties. There is a crack in Righty (that is now a permanent part of my anatomy), which prompted the use of a nipple shield and the subsequent reliance that had to be broken. Oh and let's not forget the bout of thrush, blanching and vasospasm because I had too much milk rushing at her.

I think any breastfeeding veteran, newcomer or mummy-to-be will get a kick out of Parenting.com's guide in how to "really" prepare for breastfeeding. It's lighthearted, not meant to be taken seriously and I can certainly relate. Especially with Day 3 and Day 6 - hubby can attest to that.

Over The Shoulder Boulder Holder

Running with breastfeeding sized boobs has necessitated a new sports bra. Enter the Shock Absorber.

This thing is intense. Imagine wearing three sports bra, and then wrapping the girls, nah the ladies, in duct tape. There is no bounce!

So the straps are the size of seatbelts... whatever.

Weight for It

Pregnancy was good to me. Outside of the horrible nausea in the first four months, I felt fantastic. I gained a grand total of nine pounds. I walked all the time, several kilometres a day and stayed in great shape.

I'm pretty sure my taste buds went into hibernation. Chocolate tasted awful as did most sweets. Anything greasy triggered my gag reflex. Food was just there for survival, and I had superhero strength to maintain a healthy diet. This meant great things for me and postpartum weight loss - I was down 20 lbs lighter at Ember's two week check up. Woo hoo! Let the streamers and confetti fly!! I fit into all my clothes and felt freaking fantastic.

Pregnancy was the best diet I ever want on. Breastfeeding, on the other hand, the worst.

At three and a half months post-partum, I lost control of things. Out of nowhere came an insatiable appetite and re-awakened taste buds. Food tasted fantastic and I couldn't get enough. That coupled with the fact that daily exercise wasn't always an option equals a 20 pound head start down the drain.

Okay, I haven't gained 20 pounds but I know my clothes are beginning to look like sausage casing. I feel dreadful and my self esteem is taking a nose dive. Now that summer and reliable weather are here, I've vowed to get back in shape. We have a family reunion in August and I will be back in fighting form by then. I'm running again which isn't the most comfortable thing right now considering the life bags strapped to my chest. But it's worth it, as are the beautiful clothes hanging in my closet.

I really wasn't expecting this hormone roller coaster to go on for so long. Oh mummyhood.

#3 - Nursing Cover

When I was pregnant, I compiled the large list of items we'd need to buy. On that list were 'necessities' and 'wants'. A nursing cover was on the 'want' list. It seemed a bit indulgent to purchase a glorified apron when a receiving blanket would do the trick. However the more I read, the more I was convinced that it needed to cross over from the 'want' list and become and a necessity. Andrew's mom made the decision a moot point by buying one for me. It is easily one of best baby related gifts I received.

I love my nursing cover!! It is worth its weight in gold as far as I'm concerned. Looking back, it has made nursing so easy. Silly as it may sound, I feel my nursing cover has helped ease me into motherhood. While I was still figuring nursing out, the apron style kept me covered while juggling my newborn. It allows me to comfortably nurse in public and in front of family. It acts as a block from the wind and sun when nursing outside. And, now that Ember is older and the world is such a fascinating place to look at, the cover blocks distractions and helps her focus on the task at hand.



Andrew and I still manage to do everything we did before having a baby. That means enjoying meals out, taking in a rugby game at the club and taking day trips. For me, the nursing cover makes me more comfortable and therein all of the aforementioned easier. It's not necessary all the time but I feel a lot better knowing I have it with me at all times.

*I know a lot of women out there feel a cover is unnecessary. I'm not trying suggest that you NEED to cover up. Breastfeeding is nothing you should feel ashamed of or the need to hide - it's a beautiful thing.
*My nursing cover is a Peanut Shell in Park Avenue.
*A huge bonus of the apron, it acts as a giant bib when nursing during meals.