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My Experience Using a Nipple Shield
I had given birth in the wee hours of the morning. While I was overjoyed at the birth of my daughter, I was beyond frustrated every time I tried to nurse her. Every nursing session was a teary failure. I’d clumsily try to manipulate myself and latch my daughter; she would want nothing to do with me. A LC at the hospital had suggested using a nipple shield in passing, but it was hard to use and I had read that some babies could not transfer milk using them. When my daughter was born, she would not eat. She. Would. Not. Eat. One lactation consultant (or “LC”) said she was…
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Breastfeeding Must Haves
Registering for your baby shower can be overwhelming. I had very little experience with newborns and was clueless as to what I needed. Worse, I was sucked into believing I needed a LOT of things that I didn’t ultimately need. 14 months later, here’s my best advice for breastfeeding must haves. Breastfeeding is free! Except for… If you’re like me, one of the selling points of breastfeeding was the price…free. However, like anything, all those little accessories add up. From cheapest to the most expensive, here is what I recommend for breastfeeding must haves. Duckbill Valves: The standard valve for the Medela pump is a yellow piece of plastic with…
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Cloth Diaper Buyer’s Guide – AIOs
All-In-Ones or AIO’s are a pretty universal diaper design that doesn’t get the love they deserve. We’ll breakdown the Good, Bad, and Ugly in a moment, but AIO’s are my favorite diaper. They tend to be on the more expensive end (as opposed to lower cost covers which you can read about here), but I find they fit my slim girl the best and can offer one of the slimmest fits. So what is an AIO? Simply put, an AIOs is a cloth diaper that is all one part – the cover, insert, and stay dry are all joined together into one cohesive unit. Most AIOs will have some sort…
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Cloth Diaper Buyers Guide – Pockets
If you go to a mainstream baby store today (Buy Buy Baby, Babys R Us) and you roll up to the cloth diaper isle, you will most likely find mainly pocket diapers. Many of the big name brands carried by big box stores – Charlie Banana, Rumperooz, BumGenius – carry pocket diapers so extensively that its would be easy to believe they’re the only option out there, or at least the most popular. Indeed, most major manufacturers have a pocket diaper in their line up, even if they’re not their “signature” diaper. So what is a pocket? Simply put, a pocket is a waterproof, PUL exterior with an inner microfiber…
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Turbo Fire: March Challenge
Like most Americans, I made a New Years resolution to eat healthier and exercise more in 2018. While it took me a few weeks to put that resolution into action, we started a whole-house Weight Watchers plan in late January. Jason and I had tremendous success with Weight Watchers several years ago and I truly believe it is a weight management program that teaches people to eat in real-life, pragmatic ways for long lasting health. Even after we stopped tracking, I kept the weight off for over a year until I hurt my kneed and needed surgery, when the weight start coming back on. That was compounded by starting fertility…
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Homemade Bagels for Breakfast
I had great success with Weight Watchers several years ago. After losing about 30 pounds, I had an overuse kneed injury that required surgery. Even without working out, I was able to maintain most of that weight loss for months…until the holidays. Winter is my comfort food time, and I love holiday food. After two years, a pregnancy, and infertility medication, the weight had all come back. So, like millions of Americans, I made a New Years Resolution with the family to start the new Weight Watcher’s program, Freestyle. We officially started mid-January and I’ve already lost nearly 8 pounds. I started working out last week, mainly delayed because of…
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Mackenzie 02/04/2018
Editing photos is a looooonnnngggg job!Luckily, Mackenzie is a natural model and she gets her beauty, inside and out, from her mom. I can’t believe Caitlin has been my friend and coworker for nearly 5 years now. She and her husband Michael were beaming with love the whole afternoon. Little Mackenzie is in good hands with these naturals. Here’s a sneak preview of this newly expanded family’s photo shoot!!!
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Starbucks Pregnancy Announcement 2017
My friend Michael and his wife Stephanie are expecting their first! Steph works for Starbucks, so we thought a Starbucks pregnancy announcement would fit them best. Because they were announcing to family at Christmas and to friends over New Years, we worked in a Christmas theme, too. Using some items from their house and a roll of bulletin board paper, Mike set up this ultra mini-shoot in about 15 minutes in his classroom. Congratulations Michael and Stephanie! Achieving the Look To get a dreamy look, I used a 2.8 f-stop. With the aperture opened so wide, it allowed a lot of light into the photos as well. I also staged…
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Bone Broth in the Instant Pot
At press time, I’ve been sick for nearly two months straight. Between regular fall allergies, day care, and my own students, our family has bounced a cold back and forth since late October. Although I’m an avid water drinker, water just falls flat on a sick tongue. So, as I started hacking on Christmas evening, I handed over the Instant Pot insert to my husband as he carved the turkey with strict instructions that everything but the meat was to be put in the pot. On the stove, I’d have to wait over 24 hours for the bone broth to be ready. But now, I only have to wait four…
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French Toast for Dinner
Who loves taking the time to cook an from scratch meal for the family on the week nights? No one, that’s who. Usually, we resort to a combination of the following: seared meat, instant pot starch, vegetable. There’s nothing better on a fall night than a big tray of roasted veggies. But it gets old. Sometimes, you just need a change up. Sometimes, you just need delicious and decadent french toast. That’s Not Dinner Food! Enter breakfast for dinner. Just suggesting it when we’re meal planning for the week brings ohhs and ahhs. I always say it in a hushed whisper, as if serving breakfast foods after 2 p.m. is clandestine. My…
