Welcome to the second Breastfeeding Carnival. For those of you just tuning in, once a month four other bloggers and I join together to post on a specific theme. Last month, in time for Thanksgiving, we did Home for the Holidays. This time, we bring you Gifts for the Breastfeeding Mother.
Jennifer at The Lactivist has a list of some goodies we all may want.
Angela at Breastfeeding123 has tips for buying cost-effective gifts.
Tanya at The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog has a lactation consultant’s take on all of this.
Sinead at BreastfeedingMums Blog has her personal wish list; at the top is a full night’s sleep!
We also have some thoughts from two visiting bloggers: I Don’t Know and Momma’s Angel.
As for yours truly, I’ve composed an ode to my digital video recorder. So read on…
I Want My DVR
I want my, I want my, I want my D-V-R…
That is my anthem for the breast feeding mom. For the holidays, there is nothing a breast feeding mom (or any new mom, for that matter) needs more than a Digital Video Recorder. Yes, that’s right, I’m advocating melting your brain while you breast feed. Breast feeding is your license to sit down, kick back, and watch some television in the middle of the day. And with a DVR, you can watch whatever you want, whenever you want.
Dire Straits must have been on to something way back in 1989 when they wrote “Money For Nothing“– a/k/a– “I Want My MTV.” And if the band was around today, I’m certain the lyrics would have been “I Want My D-V-R.” If you weren’t old enough to watch MTV back then, here’s the video from YouTube.
Before our kids were born, I never would have watched TV at 3:00 in the afternoon. First of all, I would have been at work. And if it was the weekend, I would have been doing something more “productive.” The guilt would have been too great. But as a mom, I’ve realized breast feeding is as productive as it gets. Plus, you can’t really send emails or cook dinner while breast feeding (at least most of us can’t) so you might as well relax.
I first discovered the beauty of the DVR when I was pregnant and on bed rest for two months with The Bortski (our now 2 year old). I had resisted the notion of TIVO for months, arguing that it was a waste of money. But then, my husband went ahead and got it anyway. Once it was installed, I begrudgingly admitted that it was pretty cool.
I quickly developed a Sex And The City-Miranda-like obsession with the TIVO. Remember how upset she got when her cleaning lady accidentally deleted her favorite program? Ironically enough, during that pregnancy I watched, thanks to TIVO, every single episode of Sex and The City. I was also really into Arliss, the tale of an uptight sports agent.
Once The Bortski was born, I fell under the spell of Monk, the obsessive compulsive detective with an uncanny ability to solve crimes. And Monk-like, I realized the true benefit of the DVR– I could religiously watch the show without missing a single episode or scene. I could breast feed while watching 20 minutes of the program. Stop. Change a diaper. Go for a walk. Do some work. And when I came back the next day, for another feeding, the show was right there, ready to pick up where I had left off.
As an aside, I have to admit that TIVO and I did have some rough days. For a while, I didn’t have the patience to figure out how to program shows. To top it off, our universal remote sometimes gave me fits. Remember, when I was a kid we had to manually change the channel; there were about 6 channels to choose from, and some stations even went to bars and tone at night. So, a note to gift-givers– please, answer your cell phone in the middle of the day when Mama calls asking you how to turn on the TV.
Now, back the the regularly scheduled program…
When we moved from Boston to New York, and I was pregnant once again with The Bear (our 8 month old), we had to live in a temporary apartment. Our stuff was in storage and we were without our TIVO. Oh, did I suffer withdrawal. If I missed an episode of LOST, it was lost and gone forever. If I had to pee (which we all know was quite often) I couldn’t pause the show. I had to go fast. But if I didn’t have to pee, I actually had to watch the commercials. I kept pressing the remote, hoping I could pause or fast forward the program. The reflex was that ingrained.
Lo and behold, when we finally moved into a permanent apartment, and I was still pregnant, we suffered another TV calamity. The TIVO was broken. Somewhere along the way it had gone on strike. Fortunately, we were able to replace the TIVO with a DVR that was built into our cable box. Back in business.
Since the fall television season started, I’ve got my new list of favorites: How I Met Your Mother (my husband thinks I’m a mix of Lily and Robin); Desperate Housewives (unrealistic, but who cares); 30 Rock (love Alec Baldwin as the meddling boss); Studio 60 (hope the network holds onto this one); Six Degrees (hope the network brings it back soon) and Walking the Bible (an author’s journey to locate key places in the Bible). Boy do I watch a lot of TV! Sorry mom.
All of this brings me to another television item which is a great gift for the breast feeding mom– a premium cable channel. If you pay for HBO, you can watch some of the most creative shows on television. I’ve been hooked, at various times, on Big Love (fascinating characters), Entourage (the guys’ Sex and the City), Curb Your Enthusiasm (how can she be married to that guy?) and The Comeback (almost too painful to watch). Plus, if you get HBO, you’ll also have HBO on Demand which gives you a whole bunch of movies to watch at your leisure…. No, they are not paying me to write this.
Today, The Bear has been less than pleased with my television watching habits. I used to be able to put the TV on mute, and read the captions without distracting him from his meals. But now, when I breast feed, the flashing lights catch his attention and he pops off the boob and cranes his head to see what’s going on. I think my days with the DVR are numbered.
But even if that’s the case, the DVR is already serving another purpose. It’s the perfect babysitter at 6:00 am when The Bortski wants to watch Dora, again and again and again.
Come to think of it, where is that remote?! “Bortski?!?!?!?”
Gifts for The Breastfeeding Mother
Join the Breast Feeding Bloggers’ Carnival
Last month, four other moms and I who blog about breast feeding– for the sake of brevity, let’s call us “the booby bloggers”– got together to do a carnival, or joint post. As you may recall, we all wrote posts on the theme “Home For the Holidays.”
Next week, we are bringing you our monthly installment once again. This time the theme is “Gifts for the Breast Feeding Mom.” And we’re going to try something new– opening the carnival to other bloggers. We are accepting submissions and will pick five other bloggers to join in. So if you’re a mommy blogger, send me a submission by Friday. And daddy bloggers, we’d love to hear from you too. After all, you and your babes share a common fixation!
A Breast Feeding Poem
You can smell the holidays right around the corner. Christmas commercials. Decorations in stores. Chocolate, food and more chocolate…
Well here are my thoughts for the holiday season– a poem to make you smile. It’s a parody of “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” otherwise known as “The Night Before Christmas.” This poem will be featured tomorrow on the very first Breast Feeding Blogger’s Carnival.
And now, without further ado, I bring you…
‘TWAS THE BREASTFEEDER’S NIGHTTIME
By Andi Silverman, www.mamaknowsbreast.com
‘Twas a holiday eve and the babe was asleep,
Swaddled tight in his crib he made not a peep.
My boobs were depleted from feeding all day.
“Please don’t wake. Sleep all night,” to the babe I did pray.
But his lips, how they moved, as he lay in his bed.
Visions of milky breasts danced in his head.
Dad in his boxers and I in my sweats,
Could we get some shuteye? Go ahead, place your bets.
The moon on the breast of my t-shirt did glow,
Gave a luster to leaking spots set to grow.
My nursing pads were soaked, they fell out of place.
My bra had unsnapped. How I missed sexy lace.
For months I’d been feeding our babe everywhere.
Coffee shop, park bench, museum, movie chair.
All my modesty gone, nothing shy anymore.
If the kiddo was crying, I knew how to score.
And now with the holidays, things often got dire.
While out buying gifts, I sometimes drew ire.
I breastfed in clothing stores. Changing rooms rock.
I breastfed in bookstores. To the stacks I did flock.
When from the babe’s room there arose such a clatter.
We sprang from our bed to see what was the matter.
Away to his room we flew with a flash,
Threw open the door, in the dark I did crash.
What a klutz I can be, ‘twas those bags made me fall.
Sacks for our trip, all arranged in the hall.
We were going to Grandma’s, a five hour drive.
Holiday time—Will I make it alive?
One big huge duffle held all the babe’s stuff.
Diapers, wipes, onesies. Did I bring enough?
Now don’t forget burp cloths, crib sheets and toys.
Books and Bjorn, we’ll exhibit such poise.
On breast pump, on bottles, on stroller and boppy.
On car seat, on cradle, on blanket and binky.
Fill the back of the car, fill the trunk with our haul.
And we’ll drive away, drive away, drive away all.
Now don’t forget stopping to feed long the way.
Gas stations, McDonalds and rest stops, oy vey.
Of course there’ll be lots of those diapers to do.
Get out the Purell, you’ll be covered in poo.
When we finally arrive, now what will await?
Lots of food and embraces, it’ll be really great.
No, no one will not fight. I will not shed a tear.
Ok, a white lie— but rejoice in who’s here.
And what about wine or a champagne or two?
Will it make my milk bad? Old wives tale or true?
And will anyone say, “Can he now take a bottle?”
“How long will you breastfeed?” How these questions can throttle.
Now back to that “clatter,” the babe and that noise.
We had rushed right on in, leaping over the toys.
When what to our wondering eyes did appear,
Our babe still asleep, oh how sweet, oh how dear.
His cheeks, how they glistened, his hair soft and furry.
And I smiled when I saw him, despite all my worry.
How delicious, his belly, moving in and then out.
How precious, his lips in a sweet little pout.
He had not woken up! He did not need to eat.
He had had quite enough, his day quite complete.
And so back to our bed we did quietly crawl.
Happy Holidays to one, happy sleeping to all.
© 2006, Andi Silverman, www.mamaknowsbreast.com
Home For the Holidays
Last month I wrote about the new friends I’ve made through this blog– 4 other women who are also blogging about breastfeeding. There’s Jennifer of The Lactivist, Tanya of Motherwear, Angela of Breastfeeding123 and Sinead of Breastfeedingmums. Well this crew has decided to band together once a month and bring you a “carnival of blogs.” Basically, we’ll all be writing about one particular topic, and linking to each other. This will give you the perspectives of a bunch of different booby bloggers. On my site, I’m going to call this monthly carnival, “Of Babes and Boobs.”
Next week will be the first installment of “Of Babes and Boobs.” The topic is “Home For the Holidays.” So the five of us have our homework cut out for us. We’re trying to come up with tips, stories, advice and inspiration for your holiday season as a breastfeeding mom.
My assignment isn’t due until next week, so for now, I turn to you dear readers. Do you have any stories or ideas for me? Send your letters to “Dear Mama, All I want for Christmas (or Chanukah, or whatever holiday you celebrate) is _______________.” I’ll be here, working on my list.