Mutual Interests

If I could take each section of this awesome day and the awesome conversation I had with Kyria and my new friend Kristen and blog about it, this blog would just go on forever. I felt such a high today being with similar thinking people and planning this cloth diaper class. They had such great input. And the moment when all the babies got hungry and WE NURSED IN PUBLIC WITHOUT A COVER all together was just heartwarming. Yes, I've nursed in public without a cover alone and even with Kyria before but 3 of us all at the same time with a toddler, 4 month old and 7 month old...well, it was just...a little piece of heaven that I fit right in. I told Kyria I would love to tag-a-long with her to a LLL meeting sometime in the SLC area. I've never been to one and if she doesn't get her butt in gear then there won't be any here to go to before Ezra weans. I'm planning on child led weaning though so hopefully it will be a nice LOOOONG time (like I can carry him in the Ergo between college classes and nurse him at the same time LOOONG) before he weans completely.

Then I talked to the guy at the library in charge of the classes. I'm sure I've mentioned on here that I was thinking of doing a class. Kyria said she would help me and now I've met Kristen (I HEART Kristen..I seriously have a crush.) who will help also. He was so SO enthusiastic about it. He wanted to know all about it and had such nice things to say. He was PUMPED and made me even more pumped. The more I told him the more he was like this is gonna be GREAT! He even had some personal stories about his own kids and problems with sposies and the chemicals. He was fascinated. I just kept kicking myself that I hadn't brought more examples of the different styles. I only had one in the diaper bag.

The class is set for Jan. 14th at 10 am. I am trying to name it and have got some great suggestions. I'm suppose to be getting back to him so he knows what to call it when they promote it. He said they even have money in the budget to buy some diapers and give them away as part of the advertising for the class! I. AM. ECSTATIC. I really didn't picture this conversation with him going anything like it did. This is gonna be so fun. Now I'm petrified PETRIFIED that no one is gonna come. I'm so excited and have all these plans of what diapers to show and all the stuff I want to cover. Kyria said she will talk about some parts and I might can talk Kristen into doing some talking.

I'm so glad I wasn't too shy (YES, sometimes I am shy people) or unsure of myself (YES, I'm that too.) to say something.

About Kristen, I was commenting on one of Kyria posts and mentioned that I was co-directing Intact Wyoming and she 'liked' it and then messaged and friend requested me. Come to find out, she lives right around the corner from me! She met Kyria in a birthing class and Kyria encapsulated her placenta. She is a 'natural mother' who is breastfeeding, wearing with a Moby (but don't worry I already have her addicted to the swap), cloth diapering and passionate about saving baby boys! She researched circumcision while she was pregnant and was HORRIFIED at what she read. She had a girl but having an intact husband, intact nephew and having informed herself she is passionate about making changes. We messaged all yesterday and we're so simpatico. She said it was like talking to herself, haha. I met her today at the library and she is SO nice. I want to meet her again tomorrow so we can talk more! It was kinda all about the cloth diaper class today and we didn't get to chat...plus she had to leave early because she had already told me she had committed to meeting two other women at 1130.

I even mentioned us getting a booth at the next local shindig (whatever it may be) and just passing out some natural parenting info. They were both down. I love how we are all sorta passionate in a general area but in different things. Kyria is all about improving birth and breastfeeding. I am passionate about intactivism, breastfeeding and baby wearing...ok, fine also cloth diapers. Kristin, intactivism and I haven't felt her out on the rest.

I'm having a lot of fun.

Bi-polar

It's hard to believe I'm the same person that wrote this, ironically just 2 days short of two years later my whole life would be changed. It's been a journey. As I read this over I began to wonder how I wound up where I am today. How did I wind up the person I am? It honestly didn't begin with an article or literature or study. It began with a renewed determination. It really started with the Lactation Consultant in town. From there, it blossomed with reading books like "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" and "Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding". It came full circle when I started reading in my online breastfeeding support group (yes, I was there before I started breastfeeding.) when I saw the same issues and problems repeatedly coming up and the same reliable answers being given. "Yes, you do have enough milk. No, you don't have to stop nursing with that medication. Yes, bedsharing will help you sleep better while breastfeeding....etc."It helped to see nursing Mothers. And when did my mind and whole thought process about breastfeeding change entirely.....when I have and still am breastfeeding my baby because of support and knowledge from other women.

When I read what I wrote here I think about how I have admitted (though maybe not on my blog) that I felt that breastfeeding Mothers were trying to make me feel guilty or they were bragging and somehow in someway it was belittling to me...but now that I am one, I know that it has never been my intention. My intention is always to support and encourage nursing Mothers or those that intend to nurse. It's to encourage people to get informed on the subject. Even with all the things I had read in magazines and books, some of it was just not true. Just simply not true. I have never had mastitis, bleeding nipples, thrush...the only thing I've ever had is a milk blister twice but it wasn't horrible and went away on it's own. I CAN drink and breastfeed (I just can't get drunk.). I can pump. I can have a life. I can feed him in public. I don't have to feel trapped. My body is enough. My baby can be satisfied with what I make. Nobody EVER said those things to me. EVER. Nobody ever told me that your milk changes with your baby's needs. Nobody ever said hey, do you think formula could be to blame for all the allergies and stomach issues that kids have today? Nobody ever said hey, formula is made in a factory and could/probably does have bug parts in it. Nobody ever said hey, have you ever thought about a possible link between obesity and formula? If I had ever once been supported like I should have with my other 3 kids then they would have been breastfed too. Am I to blame? Partially, a little..I really blame the media, the pamphlets, books, hospitals that I read that were misinforming me. Yes, my kids were fairly healthy but think how MUCH healthier they would have been with breast milk. The bond is amazing. The sacrifice worth it.

Yes, by the time I was already feeding my babies formula it might have been too late, too hard to hear how great breastfeeding was. Maybe someone should have mentioned re-lactation. Hell, I might have tried it. Who knows? I'm a very different person than I was then. The same yet different.

How I raved about parent choices puts me in mind of circumcision. Lord knows I wasn't talking about that but now I feel differently about that too. I also feel that if Mothers are properly educated about breastfeeding and circumcision then I know what choice they will make...the choice that has the best interests of their child at heart.

I guess I should say that when I go around 'thrusting literature in your face' that my target audience is those breastfeeding or those who may have children in the future and wish to breastfeed.

I wish I had known then what I know now. Truth was, I was angry. I wish I had breastfed the girls. I wish it with all my heart. But maybe my anger should have been directed at those who deserve it. Those formula companies, literature and pediatricians who lie to and misinform women like me to set us up for failure.

I don't know if I'll help another woman with my literature and knowledge that I have now. I HAVE helped one already. I talked my cousin through her rough patches. I had her buy the LLL book. If nothing else comes of what I am trying to do with my informative posts then at least I have that. And if she helps one person then it lives on.

I want to strip away the lies, push back the curtains on the misinformation and HELP women. Help them break free. Find themselves. Find their power, feel their strength. Women helping women is the most beautiful thing.

I don't know if I was eloquent enough in this post. I don't know if I fully explained but I guess what I mostly have to say is I'm allowed to change my mind. I'm allowed to change me. I have really come 180 on many of my ideas and thoughts about lots of things. It really started with a few seeds and a few people and blossomed from there.

MotherLove

I started a new page on Facebook. My goal is to make it a place to share and talk about things that interest myself and others. I HOPE that it will become a hub for info about babywearing and the lending library I hope to start, breastfeeding if Kyria will get focused on her leader goals, cloth diapering and other natural parenting ideas. I want to talk about the cloth diaper class I'm planning. Anyways, I'm making some cards to hand out when people ask me about my wraps and cloth diapers so I can talk with them there instead of inviting everyone to my personal page. I will be handing the cards out to people who show interest and hopefully at the cloth diaper class. I am meeting with Kyria on Tuesday to start discussing ideas for the class. The Facebook page is www.facebook.com/motherwithlove . Please "like" it so I can get started spreading the word or if you have any good input or would like to help me or join me in any way. I hope if Kyria likes the idea she will agree to admin the page as well.

I told ya I was gonna do it!

Pardon me looking like crap, I hadn't combed my hair or put makeup on or anything. I was just wrapping so I could cook breakfast. This is a lot looser than I would like but it was my first try. I have decided instead of my usual ADD thing ;) that I will stick with this Half JBC w/CCCB til I improve it. Then I will move to a new back carry. I really like a Tibetan Tie or something that is a chest tie off much more than any other ways to tie off. It pulls the ruck straps together so they don't slide off my shoulders and it puts the weight more on my chest which I like.

I think it could have been a little lower but again, my first try. I'm thinking of braving a back carry at Walmart today. Wish me luck!

This is my new Violet Pfau 5 btw. It's soooo soooo beautiful. 

Half JBC w/CCCB (Boo-ya!)

Here is a video of a Half JBC w/CCCB. (HA, I'm so happy I'm learning acronyms so I'm bombing you with them!). This is a half Jordan's Back Carry with a candy cane chest belt. I'm gonna try this one next. I got my Violet Pfau 5 and I'm excited to try this. I don't have any pics yet because I was gonna wait til I wrapped with it. I hope tomorrow when I have time to try something new.

I've seen the candy cane chest belt and it's very pretty with a wrap that has different colors on each side.

ELF = D-U-M-B

I just came over to my blog to say...

that I hate that effin' ELF. Ok, so I was in Hastings and I saw this featured on a display and I scan read it. It said something about a Christmas tradition and an elf so I read more in depth.

SO STUPID.

I just hate the idea. "Oooh, kids you better watch out, this fake ridiculous ELF is watching you...but only for a few days every year. This ELF wants you to be good. Not just be good because it's the right thing and because you should but because this ELF will tell on you. Please talk to this ELF and tell him secrets so your Mommy can overhear what your thinking...like that's the only way we can communicate, etc etc.". I hated it immediately and now it's shown up by two friends on my FB. Of course I'm not commenting because I have nothing nice to say but DUMB. This is my blog and I can say how much I hate it. If someone can explain the ELF to me in some way that doesn't make it sound just like it is then I could change my mind but so far, D-U-M-B.

Wraps and Diapers Galore! Foreskins for the win!

I've been meaning to update for awhile. Let's see....

I have been really blessed in the friend department lately. I passed on some of my diapers to people I'm converting and I just got Karma rewarded a 1000 fold! My friend Amanda won a free dipe and she doesn't love the brand so she passed it to me. Let's see if I can find a pic. I love this freakin' thing. Ezra has a HAWT milkstache. ;)

Ezra was Son of the Day over at Saving Our Sons yesterday. :) Danielle even posted about it in our private directors group...where she tagged me and I realized he was featured. I'm glad I shared his pic now and had his diaper on there!

I passed on a Thirsties, a Kim's Cloth and a Fuzzibunz to one of my friends and (she's so FUNNY) she decided she's gonna like fitteds and hybrids better so she's sending them back...and she doesn't even have a baby yet. She's waiting on a foster baby. I couldn't persuade her to wait either. I know that some of the ones I thought I would like the best I was surprised when I actually started putting them on my baby. Poor pockets are getting a bad rep in the cd world right now and I like them just fine. I am feeling the fitted love but I'm not giving up my pockets or even prefolds. ANYWAYS, she is sending them back AND FOUR MORE. I told her she was being way too generous. So now I have to pass them on again....to WHO? ;) I have a friend that's pregnant and expecting in April and she's asked. I also have a friend who isn't pregnant yet but feels she wants to cd with her next baby. I also told Steff (the friend sending me 7 diapers now!) that I'd pass a few to her that Ezra has outgrown that are AI2's or fitteds since she isn't gonna like pockets...she just KNOWS THIS. ;) I know he's outgrown a small The Fluff Wagon. I'm pretty sure I posted a pic here with the colorful baby legs. 

ALSO I told some people (well made a FB post) about my wanting to start a lending library. It was suggested to me that you take 30$ for a yearly membership and they are allowed to take one thing at at a time for 30 days at a time. I think that's a great idea. Even if you only had 10 members that is 300 a year you could spend on new baby wearing stuff. That's what the 30$ membership would go toward. We would take a vote as to what type of device we should buy next. Moby's are going for 25$ on the Swap and Ergo's for about 75 (I've seen them for 50-100). I saw a PPB Ergo that I was SO gonna buy for a 100 and add to my collection but it was already spoken for. I already have the one but since I'm starting the library I am trying to save up. I also have this chick holding a 8 Gira with fringe..one of the rainbow wefts I think..anyways, it's beautiful. But 8's cost 200$. I told her to go ahead and try to sale it because we don't get paid again for 2 more weeks and I can't afford it because I already spent my extra money this pay check. She really wants me to buy it though, lol because I promised not to chop it. I can't stand to hear of people chopping beautiful things. I could buy something chopped (I have my Gira Romantique RS was a conversion) but I can't actually have something chopped. It seems sacrilegious. ANYWAYS, wow, the point was that Allison decided to donate her Moby to my lending library cause. She's so awesome. I am surrounded by awesome people. Kyria saw I bought this and headed over to the swap and bought a Northern Lights Girasol 6 so I told her we could temp trade sometimes so we can try them both out. This is a 5. It's my medium wrap. I have been wanting the pretty peacocks since I saw them the first time and this violet is TO DIE FOR. I know Kyria will help me with my lending library. I hope to use it in conjunction with her LLL meetings (I need to ask her how far she's gotten to being certified as a leader...I bet close) and midwife services (she's still going to school for that). She also encapsulates placentas. 

Here are some of our other new diapers....plus just pictures of my cute little guy and kids from the last week or so. I'm so glad our 'action' shots now contain actually action, haha. 

This is my newest Clover Hill Crafts. 

BumGenius Elemental. I'm sure I've featured it before on here. Very trim for under clothes. That is one thing I will commend the commercial diapers for. 

My Munchi. Her diapers are just sensational. 

All my loves in their Snuggly Noggin hats. That lady makes the most creative things! Kylie's is a monster and the other girls are ponies. Ezra's is a monkey.

Ok, that's all for now. Ezra is 'calling my name'. 

New Admin At Intact Wyoming!

I don't have long to say much (Ezra is an unhappy camper at the moment) but you are looking at a new admin over at Intact Wyoming on FB! Whoop, whoop! I'm scared but I'm ready to take a more active role in preventing what I think is intolerable cruelty to our baby boys based on some super wrong info. I want to inform and educate parents about circumcision. Mostly because if I hadn't met some people that made me question it and did the research then Ezra would be circ'd today and I would regret ANOTHER parenting mistake. I'd like to think that I can admit when I make mistakes. I'm human and I make mistakes. One of them which I will readily tell you was feeding my other children formula. That also was because I was given the wrong information and not educated or informed. Honestly, between bad pediatrician advice about breastfeeding, circumcision and now what I know about vaccines....I have lost all faith in the medical community. Ok, more later......maybe.

I ain't no Rosa Parks!

This happened on the weekend before Halloween but I'm just getting around to blogging it. That I still remember I want to blog it and am still thinking about it shows how much it stuck out.

We went trick or treating downtown (see previous post). We walked quite a ways from our car at some point and as you'll see in the photo all I had was the baby in a carrier. I didn't feel like carrying the diaper bag even if it was an easy backpack. When we had crossed under the overpass where the train is to the other side of town I saw my husband and he was eating at a restaurant there so we decided to eat with him so that we could spend some time with him on this holiday. Well it had easily been 2-3 hours since Ezra had eaten and he never goes that long. He will only go that long if I'm wearing him. So we sat down to eat and he was hungry as well. I had not brought my cover and even though I have fed Ezra without a cover quite a few times I USUALLY have my cover. I feed him at parks, quiet corners, home, friends/relatives house, Applebee's nurse-in without a cover. Let me pause...


To give you some background I recently read about how to maintain your bfing relationship and it was explained like this in the book. If you visited a buffet that you really liked but every time you went they asked you a million questions before you got to eat like "Are you sure? Maybe you want to eat something else? Why do you want that? Why do you want to eat now? Can you wait?..." that as much as you liked it you probably wouldn't go back. You'd go to the buffet you liked less but was easier to get (table food). So as I tried to appease Ezra with table food so I wouldn't have to nurse without a cover in a crowded restaurant with my husbands work guy friends I remembered this article and just thought screw it, and I breastfed him without a cover. The sky didn't fall. The room didn't spin. No cops were called. No one yelled or stared or even saw. It was all uneventful. None of my husbands friends even noticed and my dh barely noted it as he walked out. Nothing was showing and Ezra was appeased with his favorite buffet. :)

Skip forward to Halloween day. We decide to meet Foy at Golden Corral. Not my fav place but I'm kinda sick of everything here so it was that. Foy helped me get the kids out of the car and I told him to grab the diaper bag because it had the nursing cover and Ezra was gonna be hungry. As we walked in, Foy asked where I would like to sit. I had Ezra, Sophie and then me and Foy. I picked a table (because I can't nurse in a booth) close to the food..uh, because I like to eat food and be close to it, lol. He said, Why don't we sit in the back? I said, Why? He said, You know......don't you wanna? Wouldn't it be better.

I realized he meant that because I was gonna nurse Ezra WITH A COVER, MIND YOU that we should sit in the back away from people. Oh, I lost my cool. I was like, What am I? Some kind of 3rd rate citizen? I ain't Rosa Parks! Ezra and I don't have to sit on the back of the bus because him eating makes you or others uncomfortable. I was causing a little scene (so what) and he just wanted to hush me up so he was like sssh,, shhh, we'll sit wherever and wanted me to drop it...so I did. But at the end of our lunch I brought it up in a calmer way. I told him about the buffet analogy. I think I HOPE he understands now. I won't be made to sit in the back or feel ashamed or hide because I give my baby the food that is perfectly made for him and delivered in a God given way. I have prepared myself to stand up to other people because they may try to make me feel this way but it was so disloyal of my husband to have him make me feel this way. I can't perfectly put it into words...I hated having to defend me, my rights, my baby's right to eat to him. Not him of all people. :*(

This calls for a breastfeeding share!

He falls asleep and sleeps peacefully after he nurses. He loves to pile up on his milkies. <3 td="td">

This makes me laugh every time! He loves to nurse standing up. Silly boy. I love his silly nursing antics. :)

A hungry little lion gets the best food on earth for him. I love it.