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Levi – A Birth Story
It wasn’t my idea to get pregnant. We were on vacation, taking a walk along the beach, when my husband nonchalantly said he had had a dream the previous night that we had a little boy. “I was throwing him up in the air and catching up, and everyone loved him,” he said. I wasn’t sure how to receive this information, and am not sure what I said in response, but I saw a vision of the scene playing out before me, my husband tossing up a small child in the air, laughing and smiling. I smiled for a moment, too, until Kevin said, “Let’s have a baby.” An…
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Attachment Parenting: Nurturing a Secure Attachment with your Baby
That tiny little hand wrapped around your thumb. That indescribable scent of that downy-soft head. That feeling of warm, sweet breath against your skin. The sound of the little sighs and coos. As a first time mother, I couldn't get enough of holding my baby. I was amazed at how how deeply connected I felt to my child, how powerful my maternal instinct was, how strongly I desired to be near and nurture my little one.
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Attachment Parenting: How We Got There
These are some things I believed about myself and my children before I became a mom: I would breastfeed on a schedule, for my children needed to adhere to my routines and schedule. My children would sleep in our room for a short time, then sleep in their own room, and we would sleep-train them to sleep through the night. My children would never be allowed in on our bed, for our bed was sacred. I would discipline my children firmly and physically when needed. Then, I became a mom. My children were breastfed on demand their first year of life and well beyond. My children slept in our…
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11 Surprising Things I’ve Learned about Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is one of those things I always planned on doing. But, just as most things with parenthood, I found so many things surprising (and amazing) about it! Here are eleven things I’ve learned from research and experience. 1. Breastfeeding is Instinctual for Babies During our classes at Lifecycle Woman Care, we were taught about the importance of the first “golden hour” after birth. During this time, the baby is alert and intent on connecting to the mother they previously only knew on the inside. When newborns are placed on their mother’s bare body, they have an innate drive to connect to the breast, and the breast crawl ensues. Babies…
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“let’s write a blog.”
I’ve heard it said recently that the inciting incident for every story is either the beginning of a journey or a stranger coming to town. In the case of parenting, I think it’s both. Our journey began about four years ago when my husband said to me, completely nonchalant and out of the blue, “Let’s have a baby.” My heart started pounding, and a list of excuses as to why we weren’t ready began pouring out of my mouth. He insisted that the time was right, and that if I always submitted to my fears, we would never have children. A huge argument and many tears ensued. Long story short,…
