Happy Blogversary To Me!

May 7, 2012
source

 I told my hubby “it’s my anniversary” and he looked at me like I was crazy.  He finally got it when I said “it’s my blogversary,” hence the weird title.

I can’t believe it’s been a year!  I never thought I’d have a blog.  My first post explains why.  I really didn’t know what to expect.  But, I’m pleasantly surprised at the positive feedback that I’ve received.  Someone told me that they were inspired by my nursing diaries.  Whenever I here those words, “I love your blog,” I get so excited.  On the flip side, I didn’t know how difficult blogging could be.

I thought writing a post would be a no brainer, but sometimes I struggle to gather my thoughts.  I also wonder whether or not I’m being too personal.  The internet could be a great place to connect.  But, it could also be scary.  I worry if something I’ve written would ever come back to bite me in the you know what.  Overall, it’s been a great experience.  My blog has been a great tool in keeping in contact with family and friends.  It’s been my escape and my place to vent.  Most importantly, Princess will one day read this blog.  I hope that by documenting my journey to balance career and motherhood (along with so many other things), she’ll get to know her mama in a different way.  She’ll know that her mama was determined at giving her the best life ever.

I look forward to many more years of blogging.  Here’s what I hope to accomplish within the next year.

1.  I hope to gain more followers.  My goal was to get 100 followers in a year or less.  But, 91 ain’t too bad.  If you haven’t joined my site yet, please do.  All ya gotta do is click that blue button that says ‘join this site’ to the right and follow the simple directions from there.  You can also follow by email.  While your at it, connect with  me on twitter, pinterest, vimeo, facebook, youtube, and google +.  Princess also has a tumblr account, in case you want to follow that too. Btw, she doesn’t know that I know about it.
2. Host more giveaways.  I never wanted my blog to be all about prizes.  But, I would like show my readers how much I value them.  So far, I’ve given away tickets to Madam Tussauds, a gift card Target, makeup, and some fab earrings.
3.  I would love to keep writing for other blogs.  I’ve done some guest posts for Baby Center and Snugabell so far.
4.  Hit up some conferences.  I’ve already signed up for Blogher and I can’t wait to go, and meet other bloggers.
5.  Keep blogging, and post great pics!  I need help in the photography department.  I may just have to take a class.

I want to thank everyone for visiting Weather Anchor Mama.  I appreciate all the feedback and advice that I get.  So, keep ‘em coming.  What you like/dislike about my blog?  I’m a big girl.  I can take the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Weather Anchor Mama
Share

Filed Under: anniversary, Babycenter, blog, facebook, google+, Happy Birthday, Nursing, pinterest, Snugabell, twitter, vimeo, youtube 7 Comments

Nursing Diaries (Part Four)

October 29, 2011

“Pumping At Work”

As I mentioned in Part One, there isn’t always time to pump at work.  When there’s active weather, my job takes precedence.  Thankfully that’s not always the case.  I have a pretty understanding employer who allows me a place to express milk each day.  Some may feel they don’t have the opportunity to pump at work.  But I firmly believe that you can do it.  It’s just a matter of planning and asking your employer for assistance.

When I made the announcement that my hubby and I were expecting, I immediately told the HR representative that I planned on breastfeeding and began making arrangements, as I drew closer to my due date.  I had heard stories about moms pumping in the bathroom and decided early on that that wasn’t going to be me.  I wanted a nice clean and comfy environment to pump in.

 I can’t say it’s a spa like setting, but it’s sufficient.  It’s neatly tucked away from everyone, and the office came complete with a microwave and refrigerator.   I’ve been able to pump during my lunch hour and store away my milk for the remainder of my shift.  Talk about convenience!!  I also had a key, which was icing on the cake. 



 

My goal was to pump for one year and I’m proud to say that I’ve exceeded that!  I’d sneak away two to three times during my shift, in between shows (for about 15-20 minutes a session).   It can be a bit tedious, carrying all that gear and washing all the parts after each use.  But, it’s worth it!  I’ve spoken with other moms who’ve mentioned that they tried doing the deed for a number of months, but later gave up.  So, I want to share some tips with those of you planning on nursing, and pumping at work that has help me tremendously!

1.  Don’t be afraid to plan early!  Once you make the announcement to your boss, ask about a pumping room.  I know there may be some exceptions, but most businesses provide a pumping room (not the bathroom).

2.  Research different pumps.  I swear by Madela.  I’ve heard that hospital pumps are the best.  But, I feel that Madela is right up there!  It’s pretty expensive.  So, be sure to add it to your registry.  If no one buys it, you get a percentage off after your new arrival!  My little one also enjoys drinking from the Madela bottles.  Maybe your baby will too!


3.  Also, get some storage bags and containers.  I tried a few, but I like Lansinoh bags because it stores and pours easily and it’s affordable.


4.  If you do decide to pump at work, don’t forget to pump and/or nurse at home.  Your boobies and baby will thank you later for keeping that supply going!  I’ll talk more about how I was able to rebuild my milk supply in Part 5.

5.  If you’re not comfortable with your pumping conditions at work like the location or conditions, then speak up!  You want your pumping experience to be as confortable as possible.

I hope you find these tips helpful.  For more info on pumping and breastfeeding laws, visit http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=14389

Happy pumping!

Filed Under: Nursing, Nursing Diaries 3 Comments

Nursing Diaries (Part Two)

August 30, 2011
“Nursing Around the Clock”


After giving birth some moms may opt to have their newborns spend some time in the nursery, while they catch up on sleep.  But, I wanted my baby with me 24/7.  It wasn’t because I didn’t trust the hospital staff.  I wanted that time to nurse and bond with my baby.  It was something I planned to do early on, so I was prepared to miss out on sleep.  Some people thought I was crazy, but I didn’t care.  I was committed and ready for the long haul.  The first two nights in the hospital I don’t think my hubby and I got any rest.  My baby girl kept us pretty busy.  She loved nursing from the moment her lips came in contact with my boob.  Breast-fed babies usually nurse every two hours, but it seemed like Princess nursed throughout the entire day.  At one point it was like every five to ten minutes.  I had already informed my doctor and the nursing staff that I intended on exclusively nursing, so formula was not an option.  At one point, I was offered to pump.  But, I thought by introducing the bottle this early could possibly create nipple confusion.  With the exception of the normal check ups, Princess stayed with us the whole time in the hospital.  But, we eventually reached a point where we both needed to get some shuteye.  I asked one of the nurses take her to the nursery for a couple hours.  It was a smart move on our part because once we got home; sleep time for us was a rare occasion.  Let me rephrase that, I barely got any sleep.

When you decide to nurse, you are the only one that can feed your baby.  It seemed like Princess wanted the boob around the clock.  It’s now a blur to me, but my hubby says that I was like a machine.  We chose not to have too many people around the first few weeks because she was so new.  Plus, we both wanted to spend as much time as possible bonding with her.  As I mentioned before, my work schedule could be pretty grueling.  I knew that in a matter of months, most of my baby’s time would be spent at daycare.  So, I sucked it up and did what I had to do.  But, my saving grace was my hubby.  Everyone has a breaking point, and I am no different.  Not only did she always want to nuzzle up to my breast, my baby girl would only nap while in motion.  She didn’t like the swing or the vibrating bouncers, which meant that I had to walk around the entire house to get her to fall asleep.  Most of the time I was a walking zombie, so my hubby took over touring duties.  I don’t know what I would do, if I were alone.  I give all you single parents a lot of credit.

After a few weeks, we introduced her to the bottle (which I will chat more about in Part three).  It was a much-needed break for me.  I’d pump and my hubby would feed her, while I caught up on some z’s.  I’m not talking a full night’s rest, but more like a couple of hours here and there.  However, it was still a nice break.

My daughter will be one this week and she still loves the boobies.  She’s already eating table foods, but she enjoys nursing before bed and before she heads of to daycare.  She hasn’t been sleeping through the night for the past few months because of teething issues.  So, she finds comfort being breast fed overnight too.  My doc says that at her age she shouldn’t be nursing through the night, but it helps her sleep.  I choose to bask in these nursing days because it will eventually come to an end.  There will come a time when she won’t want to nestle up to my boob anymore.  

A lot has changed since we bought Princess home almost one year ago.  I’ve gone from getting about a couple hours to about five hours of sleep during the night.  Even though I’m still missing out on my beauty rest, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  My baby is happy and healthy.  I thank God for that each day.




Weather Anchor Mama

Filed Under: breastfeeding, Nursing, Nursing Diaries, Pumping with weather anchor mama 2 Comments