Speechless...

I found this website and am IN LOVE!!! I adore the baby tees.



Click here to check out this adorable line of baby wear!

Looking for a good, clean time?

As a Proud Breastfeeding Mom (going on 5 1/2 years) I am always looking for ways to learn about ways to encourage other Moms. I have experienced different challenges with each child. Number one was getting comfortable NIP (Nursing in public), an incorrect latch, and some witty responses to naysayers that questioned breastfeeding past my son turning six months old. With the second child, it was colic induced by hyperlactation and pumping every day for a year and a half. Then came baby number three. She latched right away and was a constant nurser. Out of the blue, I was hit with Mastitis when she was four months old. Ugh, I hope to never experience that again.

One thing, however, remains the same. It can be hard and frustrating to find a place to NIP.

While attending a twitter party tonight, I found out about a spectacular tool for parents.

Bye Bye with Baby is a website that serves as a directory of baby-friendly places. You can search by location (radius of 5-100 miles) for locations depending on your criteria. Sure, one of the choices is Nursing/Breastfeeding, but there are other choices such as Urgent Care and Clean Gas Station. They also just created a new form on the website if you’re looking to suggest a location.

I can just imagine how helpful this site can be when planning a trip. Soon, the site will have an iPhone App. Wow!

Engorgement hurts.

Several times unfortunately I have experienced engorgement while breastfeeding.

The first time was when my 1st child was stillborn at 28 weeks. My milk came in a few days after delivering him. I had no idea what to do and my Dr. gave me no Rx or advice. So I just suffered thru it. :(

With my 2nd, I was engorged while away from him for a business conference for about five days. Along with pumping and an OTC pain reliever, I took a lot of hot showers.

With my 3rd, I was working part-time and going to school full-time while she was in child care, so I had some episodes of engorgement. I would just try to pump as often as possible when away from her.

This time (4th) I am happy to say I have only been engorged once, when I had mastitis. I used cold packs, hot showers, pumped, and tried to nurse as often as possible. It still was like carrying rocks around. Did I mention I am a size 44H? Yeah - the size of most people's heads. HUGE rocks.

I sure WISH I knew about Earth Mama Angel Baby Bosom Buddies. ugh.

Check out the EMAB Facbook page for more details. Trust me, you will want relief as soon as possible.

What's for dinner?

My daughter may soon be sporting one of these shirts...

Mom's Milk Boutique Giveaway

Have you ever checked out the website ~ Mom's Milk Boutique~ ? If not, you definitely should. MMB started as a brick & mortar store in Southern Illinois by two sisters and has since expanded to offer an online store.

To celebrate the huge number of fans they have, the ladies at MMB are holding a giveaway and one lucky person is going to win a Butterfly II Beco Baby Carrier! Click here to check it out.

Oh, and good luck!!

Airplanes, babywearing, boobies, oh my....

I just read a tweet linking a story of a Mom who was recently harassed about wearing her baby in a carrier while on a airplane.

As I read her tale, it brought back memories of a similar situation that happened to me with my oldest daughter four years ago. We were on a flight from Portland to Chicago to attend the wedding of my oldest sister. My babe was just a little thing, all of three months old at the time. I had her in a pouch sling and was focused on making her comfortable (Read:quiet) so as not to disturb the other passengers. She was very content in her sling and I was holding off on nursing her until takeoff, so as to avoid any discomfort in her tiny ears.

I was approached by one of the flight attendants, who demanded that I take my daughter out of the sling, so that "in case of an accident she would be protected" in my arms.My first thought was what?...that doesn't seem very logical. If she was out of the sling, her safety would depend on me holding her. My mind raced thinking of possible scenarios. What if I was jolted and instinctively tried to grab for something to hold?  I told the attendant that I didn't think it was safer. She then insisted that I needed to take her out anyway so that she would be facing forward. Before I had a chance to respond, she walked away to help another passenger.

I was at a loss of what to do. Should I follow my gut instinct or listen to the flight attendant? The woman sitting next to me (perfect stranger), leaned over and whispered "just ignore her, do what you think is right". So I did. I kept my babe in the pouch sling and just made a point to not look at the flight attendant. On our return flight home, I did the same thing I did on the first flight. Not a single flight attendant said anything to me in regards to my babe being in her sling.

That's where my story is different from Jen Starks. In her situation, she was harassed further by a Delta flight attendant, who called the police on Jen. Yes, I am serious. Read her story here.

For the record, this is from Delta's website in regards to their official policy on Infant & Child Seating;
"An adult (12 years or older) may hold an infant or place the infant in a FAA-approved child restraint during take-off and landing." That's it. Nothing stating what position the child must be held in or which direction the child must face.

What do you think? Was the flight attendant in the right? Should all children be forced to have their own seat and in turn, plane ticket?

Easy Peasy Giveaway ~ Bummis Fabulous Wet Bag

This goes out to all the ladies like me that don't have the time or patience for giveaways with multiple steps to enter...

Large Fabulous Bag Giveaway

This giveaway is open to residents of the USA and Canada only. The contest is open until midnight EST on August 27th, 2010(Friday).

Good grief Charlie Brown!

Last week, I came across a product that props a bottle for a baby in a stroller.

Then tonight, I came across this while researching a tweet about bottle propping in a car seat.

And if that wasn't bad enough, I found this product .

I am just furious now. Only time I would EVER see this being a positive thing is in the case of multiples. According to the products website, "The Baba Buddy was designed by two mothers, a mother of four with twins, and a mother of three." However... it is being marketed to "every Mother".

When did convenience take a front seat to safety or love? This just pisses me off that a parent would not stop to take the time to hold their baby & their bottle just to "fold the clothes, empty the dishwasher, cook dinner, or just get yourself dressed and ready for the day!"

Why are these people procreating to begin with? Somebody should point them in the direction of the nearest animal shelter. What moron told them that babies don't need attention or love?

I could care less whether a parents feeds their child a bottle, but for goodness sake - take the time to hold your baby, bond with your baby, and make sure your baby doesn't choke on their propped bottle while you are driving somewhere "important".

Children grow up so fast and become independent when they are ready. Why force it just for the sake of your selfish need to get things done?

Earth Mama Angel Baby SALE

Don't miss out on a great sale during this month!

Booby Tubes® are a natural, safe, gel-free breast pack made with a 100% organic cotton shell and filled with all-natural flax seed. Use warm or cold, depending on your nursing needs.

Bosom Buddies™ is a blend of healing herbs, cabbage leaves and black tea (ever hear a grandma say that nursing women should put cabbage leaves or tea bags on their breasts? Turns out grandma is right!) along with organic calendula blossoms, organic plantain and organic marshmallow root.

Earth Mama Angel Baby's Breastfeeding Support Kit has four of our best all-natural necessities for every breastfeeding mama! Our most requested nursing tea helps support healthy breast milk production, lanolin-free nipple cream helps prevent sore, cracked nipples, gel-free breast packs ease breasts sore from engorgement or mastitis, and organic, herbal breast compresses provide extra nipple and engorgement care.

Ruby red, minty, refreshing and delicious, USDA Certified 100% Organic & Certified Kosher No More Milk Tea is a blend of herbs traditionally used to naturally reduce the production of breast milk. Lovely iced or hot, Mama suggests drinking up to three cups a day.

PumpEase 1/2 off sale

THIS MONTH ONLY to celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness Month ~ 50% off the regular price of PumpEase Petite!

The picture above might look strange to you - it sure did to me. Then I read about it and thought about how hard it was for me the year and a half that I pumped for my oldest daughter and WISH I had something like the PumpEase.

An excerpt from the description on the PumpEase website explains the benefits;

Wrap PumpEase™ hands-free pumping support around your chest and fasten in the front over your nursing bra, nursing top (lower panels first) or over nothing at all. Insert the breast pump horns into the openings, centering over your nipples and start pumping. You will enjoy having both hands free for checking email, taking phone calls, banking online, writing thank you cards or tending to baby - all while pumping!

Glamourmom BoGo

In celebration of National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, Glamourmom has put together a donation program 'Buy One, Give One', which will run until August 31, 2010. Any purchase of a nursing bra tank on www.glamourmom.com during the duration will be matched and will be donated to moms in need.

Earth Mama Angel Baby FREEBIE

You’ve heard there are herbs that can help stingy milk, and you know there are herbs you shouldn’t use while breastfeeding. But what if you don’t know your Pimpinella anisum from your Borago officinalis? Now there’s a book to make it all easy for you.

Filled with herbs, breastfeeding tips and advice from Mama, EMAB’s A Comprehensive Guide to Herbs and Breastfeeding is an essential reference for careful mamas who want to safely harness the goodness of herbs. Best of all, it's FREE!!



Simply click the picture above to fill out a form and you will get an email with the secret link so you can download your very own copy.

Pacifiers Recalled

Link to CPSC;

Pacifiers Recalled by Antonio Flores Due to Choking Hazard


Sold in California and Texas.

****The nipple is filled with corn syrup.*** ====> However - not the reason for the recall. Sheez.

Laugh or cry?

I don't know what to make of this product I stumbled upon (thanks insomnia).

All the pictures look to be of babies in disposable diapers. I find this very intriguing because my daughter , who is almost 16 months old, spends most of her time at home in just a diaper. My older two children never took off their diaper and/or did anything with the contents.

In fact, I was swapping stories recently with a Mommy friend of mine about how our children pick out their own new diaper when it is time to be changed. We both use cloth diapers. Our daughters seem to be in love with their "fluff".


I can't imagine being in this situation as described on an eBay listing for a BUB;

I used to have to duct tape my daughter into her diaper!

Say what?!?



Have you ever seen this product? What do you think?

Soaker Sale @ Have Mercy!

My friend Paige is having a soaker sale in her Etsy Shop right now. I am going to take advantage of this awesome deal to order the next size up for Athena. I am having a hard time deciding what I want to order - I love all the prints we have gotten so far!

Winner - Have Mercy Soaker

True Random Number Generator

Result: 29



#29

NoraCamoProject365 said...

Facebook fan :)

March 26, 2010 2:08 PM

Congratulations to you! E-mail me within 48 hours to claim your soaker!

ERGObaby Carriers on BabySteals today!!!!

I don't think I have ever seen anything still available this late in the day and what a popular item at almost 50% off! Hurry over & catch it while you can!

Organic Black $70.50 (Reg. $135)

Heart Rose $60.50 (Reg. $110)

Have Mercy! Soaker Review & Giveaway

A few months ago, I had no idea what a soaker was. I would have guessed some sort of water gun...but never something that I would end up putting on my child.

According to eHow.com; "fleece diaper covers, also known as soakers, are a good way to keep a baby dry, especially at night. Because the fleece is waterproof, babies do not soak through to their clothes."

A friend of mine recently opened an etsy shop. One of the items she makes and sells is soakers.

Even though Athena wears a hybrid diaper, made by gDiapers, I still ordered her a Whooo's Adorable Fleece Soaker because I fell in love with the print. I figured I would work it into her wardrobe, one way or another, akin to the way us ladies buy shoes first....and the outfit later.

I created an etsy account - no longer an etsy virgin(!) and placed my order. Super easy to pay through paypal and I waited anxiously.


Front of soaker

Back of soaker

I received my soaker later that week and was impressed. The workmanship is detailed and spot on. The fabric was so soft my daughter kept reaching down to touch it.

We recently started using cloth inserts in the gPants, with a Have Mercy! soaker on top at night. We have not had any leaks.

Now that I am starting to peruse the stores for warm weather clothes, I find myself looking for dresses for Athena to wear over the soaker. Who says a girl can't wear her soaker during the day? On lazy days when we don't leave the house, it is perfect with a t-shirt. Even my oldest daughter wants a soaker!

I ordered two more and can't wait to see what fabrics she uses next!

Win a Have Mercy! Soaker

For your first required entry, go visit her etsy store and then come back and tell me what soaker you would chooseif you won by Friday, March 26 at 10 pm,PST.(leave a comment on this post)

Earn extra entries

• Post a link to my blog on your Facebook, blog, or Twitter and then come back here and post a comment with the link. (can be done once per day)
• Become a fan of the Have Mercy! Facebook page
  
• Follow me on Google or subscribe to my RSS feed in a reader
  
• Enter this giveaway in a giveaway linky on another blog. Be sure to leave me the url to the linky you posted the link to! (Can be done twice - Good for 2 extra entries each time)

Good luck!!

~~~~~~ the fine print ~~~~~

This giveaway is open to US Residents 18+ only and will end on Friday, March 26 at 9:59pm PST. One winner will be chosen at random using Random.org and will be posted . Winner has 48 hours to claim his/her prize otherwise a new winner will be picked.

**NOTE: Leave one comment for every entry. You must have a visible email address in your Blogger Profile, otherwise it needs to be listed on every entry!!**

Please note that the opinions and views expressed in this review are my own and based on my personal experience with the product. You may encounter a different experience with this than I did. Have Mercy! is providing the item for the giveaway and I have not been compensated in any way.

Momma wants a new car seat!!

A Mommy friend and I were discussing car seats this morning. A little while later, while perusing the gDiapers Facebook page, I came across a link for a blog that is currently holding a contest giving away a little gPant. Athena has been in gDiapers since she was six weeks old, so of course I am intrigued.

Lo and behold, when I visit the blog, there is also a contest for a Britax Advocate CS Car Seat!

Sweeet! I entered and so should you...or maybe not, that would decrease my chances...oh well!

Attention shoppers!!! Would you like to win a beautiful baby......""

... wrap?? Ha Ha, I would NEVER support giving away children. ;) Check out the details here. Don't delay! The contest ends Dec. 30th, 2009, 12 pm, EST.