Hi Anchor Mamas! Especially the preggo anchor mamas. Congratulations!!! Having a baby is such an exciting time and with it comes many important decisions. I've decided to compile 10 of my favorite pages I used to make many of those important parenting choices. Enjoy! :)
*Disclaimer: I am in no way saying if you disagree with me you are making the wrong choice, etc.
10. Birth Without Fear: This page is amazing! Both her blog and her facebook page is full of amazing resources supporting women and birth. It inspires and empowers. And being a mom who had two c-section, never made me feel broken or less. Here is their Facebook page. And here is their blog.
9. Placenta Encapsulation: Yes this sounds so crunchy and strange. But after much research, and having to go back to work part time only a few weeks after the birth, I decided I had nothing to lose! I took my placenta home and had a professional come to the house and encapsulate it. I felt amazing! That energetic "nesting" feeling you have around 6-8 months pregnant, I felt AFTER the csection. I had energy, I wasn't moody, and my milk came in great. Highly recommend it. Here's the lady I use in NC, she could always help find a certified specialist in your area. Wombart Placenta Encapsulation
8. Baby Wearing: With my daughter, I carried her a lot in the infant carseat and stroller system. But between having her and my son, I learned the importance and benefits of baby wearing. It's better for the baby, and much easier for mama. I invested in a moby wrap, a ring sling, and ergo. I love them all! I put my son on my back almost every day. It's the only way I can get anything done, it builds our bond and keeps him happy. If you look back in history, baby wearing was something always done. In fact I read in some primitive areas even today, the baby doesn't touch the ground until a year old! Here's a link to the type of carrier I love (the ergo). Ergo Carrier
7. Baby Led Weaning: Again, I didnt do this with my daughter- but after much research did this with my son! He's exclusively breastfed (currently 10-months) and I feed him what we're eating. If we're eating chicken and rice for dinner, I give him pieces of that. If I'm eating a banana, he eat that. I don't give him pureed food because some research is now saying that pureed food does not teach a baby how to chew or swallow like small pieces of food would, and it doesn't carry the nutritional value of breastmilk. So if a baby fills up on babyfood a few times a day, they're missing out on the crucial nutritional benefits of breastmilk. Here's a great link and read on baby led weaning.
6. Circumcision: This may be one of the more controversial subjects of them all, however this is something you REALLY need to research. I was always one of those "eww, intact penises are gross" kind of people. Everyone in my family did it, my husband is circumcised etc. I even remember dating a guy in highschool and told him there's no way we'd have sex unless he got circumcised. But...then I got pregnant with a boy. And decided to really look into this procedure. I couldn't believe we were one of the only countries in the world that did it. Many people think circumcision helps prevent STD's, yet we have the highest STD rate in the world. I also didn't realize almost 75% of hospital don't use any type of numbing agent, over 100 babies die every year from related causes (hemorrhaging, infection, etc) and thousands of other boys suffer too much skin removed etc. Anyways, my husband (thank goodness) looked at all my research and the fact that no medical organization in the world recommends it- and we are proud to say we left our son intact. Here is an amazing website that can help you understand the functions of the foreskin, why we started circumcising in the USA, etc. The Whole Network. Here's a GREAT short clip to watch about an upcoming documentary: click here
5. Extended Rear-Facing: It used to be thought that babies should turn forward facing around 1 year old. I remember being so eager to turn my daughter around so I could see her precious face and so she could also see me! But crash dummy tests and real life stories are starting to show that infants and toddlers should remain rear facing as long as possible. In Europe, toddlers stay rearfacing until 3 or 4 years old, and their infant mortiality rate by vehicle is much lower. Some parents argue that their legs outgrow the seat rear-facing, but that is okay. They can criss cross their legs, sprawl them out, etc. A fractured leg is much better than a broken spinal cord or death. Here is a video demonstration of how important extended rear-facing is as well as a great page with information. Be sure to check your carseat and see what the maximum rear-facing weight is.
4. Vaccines: This is another touchy subject. All I can recommend here is to research your family history, know your plans to boost immunity (breastfeeding? Is the child staying home or going to school?), research each vaccine, and then make your choices. My daughter is fully vaccinated via the CDC schedule, however with my son we've gone more by the Dr. Sears schedule, spreading them out and delaying many of them since I'm breastfeeding AND he's not in daycare. We opted out of the HepB vaccine at birth to ensure a good breastfeeding start and give his body adequate time to adjust to the world before we went and injected a virus into him. Follow your gut on this one and research what is best for your family and lifestyle. Dr. Sears' page on facebook has great info on delayed schedules and he's great at answering any questions.
3. Delayed Cord Clamping: This is something so simple you can do that can give your baby a great start in life. Research is showing that when a baby is squeezed through the birth canal, almost 30% of their blood still remains in the placenta at birth. When the cord is clamped immediately, much of that blood is then lost and the baby has a harder time with adjusting. If you wait 2-5 minutes, or until the cord stops pulsing, the vital blood from the placenta has time to return to the baby (where it belongs). It also gives the baby more time to adjust to the new world, still attached to the powerful placenta. You can google this and find tons of great videos and research, but here's a great video and a great article. I did this even having a csection! So just ask your doctor for 2-3 minutes before the cord is clamped.
2. Room Sharing: This also is not for everyone, however it worked great for us when our son and daughter were born. We let the staff at the hospital know- no need to ask us if we wanted our baby to go back to the nursery. I was set on extended breastfeeding, and knew that those first couple of days were crucial, so we kept baby by our side the entire time. The nurses were even sweet enough to do the hearing test right in our room. I loved not being asked everyone hour if we wanted them to take the baby so "we could rest". My milk came in so quickly, and my little guy was always happy. The bonding was amazing, and by the time I got home I was already in the hang of things with baby. This is a request you can make with the hospital staff. If this is what you want, don't be afraid to ask. I've even heard of people giving their first bath in the room. How special would that be?!
1. The Leaky Boob: Oh my goodness I love this lady! If you've ever had issues or problems breastfeeding, she and her page can find a way to help. Yes, I know there is a small percentage of women that can't breastfeed. But there are also many women who lose hope and stop because they don't have the support they need. This page is it! I stopped breastfeeding my daughter at 7-months and missed it so much. Not to mention I hated buying formula! When I got pregnant with my son, I was determined to nurse for at least a year. 10-months in with my son, and we're going to strong. He still nurses every 3-4 hours and is such a healthy and happy little boy. If breastfeeding is a goal for you, you must check out this page. <3
