Features
-
My breast milk is better than yours
I don’t know about you ladies but I am feeling particularly magical today. Why? Well, because it’s World Breastfeeding Week (Aug 1 – 7) and to commemorate, I read up a whole bunch of fascinating facts about breastfeeding and breast milk. I love that we were designed to nourish our infants. I love that my milk contains everything my kid would need in the first few years of his life. And I love that my body knows what to do and when to do it (except for that one time in Pick n Pay, when I sneezed and milk came out). Anyways, my body knows what’s up, okay? Just believe me, you won’t regret it. But hey, enough chit chat, check out these facts, Jack:
Your breast milk has magical powers
Okay, not magical powers per say, but it IS rich in vitamins and minerals, amino acids, enzymes, white cells, carbohydrates and fats (but like, the good ones) and more than 80% of water. Did you know that your mommy milk can apparently clear up eczema, eye infections and even heal cracked nipples? In fact, it contains antibodies that provide baby with natural immunity to any illnesses that you are immune to.Your breast milk changes at night
Yes, I am implying that your breast milk is a superhero. According to studies by researchers in Spain,night time breast milk is rich in tryptophan – a sleep inducing amino acid. In a nutshell, the more your kid gets the better his sleep cycle will be. Sounds like a superhero to me.Your breast milk matures with age
Much like a fine wine, your mommy milk actually changes as your kids needs change. So when your toddler needs that extra dose of immune boosters, your breast milk is all topped up with it, ready for action. I think it’s so cool that premature babies moms can produce milk that is just right for them – containing MORE calories, protein, sodium and all that other good stuff that they need. Makes you say WOW, right?Baby kisses changes your milk
So this is one that I enjoyed reading about: kissing your baby will help to boost their immune system! In a nutshell, when you smooch your little one, you sample or pick up pathogens on your kid’s skin, which is transferred to your lymphatic system. This is where you produce antibodies. The antibodies are then passed on to your baby via your breast milk. Ta daaaaa!!! So basically you’re a mommy ninja, knocking germs out one smooch at a time. I know, right?.It’s good for you too
Did you know that the longer a woman breastfeeds, the lower her risk becomes of getting ovarian and breast cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis. I also read that breastfeeding helps your body to recover from pregnancy and childbirth more quickly. And yes, that may include weight loss. Currently: Feeding my baby and waiting around for my Baywatch beach bod to appear in a poof of smoke.There’s a bunch of other amazing facts about breastfeeding and breast milk over on these websites: Beautiful Breastfeeding and Conservamom.
Happy Breastfeeding Week to you, Super Mom!
Disclaimer: I do believe that “FED is best” and I salute all those moms who have powered through formula feeds because that in itself holds a lot of challenges, so big ups to you. But this week is in celebration of World Breastfeeding Week Aug 1 – 7, so mention must be given to those who have chosen to breastfeed.
-
Snazzy new Tommee Tippee sippee cups made this mama happy
So if you guys recall, I previously chatted about the Tommee Tippee sippee cups and how moms around the world claimed that these non-spill cups were prone to mold build up. Pictures circulated the net and the drama was rife. As you can believe, some moms were down right furious, while others were willing to give the popular baby brand another try. I fell into the latter group because I had always been a huge fan of their stuff. Their Closer To Nature bottles were a lifesaver when I struggled to transition Curly from breast to bottle. Sure, the hard to clean non-spill valves on the sippee cup was a concern for me too, but surely the clever people over at Tommee Tippee would do something about it. Right? Well… -
Want to cook like a gourmet chef with Daily Dish?
So if you follow me on social media you may have spotted my cooking frenzy last week, as I attempted to cook with Daily Dish. Well, let me start off by saying that I’ve never been a fancy meal kinda girl. In fact, if anything, I’ve always opted for easy meal ideas for my family… mainly because I don’t have the time, know-how and (let’s face it) special ingredients needed to make fancy shmancy dishes. Are you like me? Well then friend, grab a seat because I may have something special for you. -
Spending more time with my teenager
It’s no secret: I am ill-equipped when it comes to understanding “teenager”. My son and I seem to be on opposite sides of the mental highway lately and it kinda sucks sometimes. Well, okay, most times. He is spending the holiday with his dad in Cape Town and as much as it pains me to be away from any of my kids, I also welcome the much needed break from having to deal with having a growing adolescent at home. But, to be honest, the break has also made me realize that I need to be spending more time with my teenager. And I’m guessing that making him clean the kitchen with me does not qualify as “spending quality time together”. Bummer. Back to the drawing board. Here are a few things I came up with instead: -
The ABC’s of making sure your car is road safe
Changing tyres, renewing license discs and car insurance… look, let’s be honest, as moms (and over all wonder women) we have more important things to worry about! Right? But, if you’re anything like me, you’d prefer to have your finger on it anyways. Maybe it’s my inner control freak speaking, but when it comes to making sure my license disc is renewed and my car is road safe, I’d rather not take fat chances. And hey, not having car insurance is like not having wet wipes in your baby bag – yep, you’re always wondering when the poo is going to hit the proverbial fan. -
MyMum: What’s the big deal about muslin?
I love that there are so many new and exciting products available for our little ones. I mean, if I had to choose between today and having to wash my babe’s nappies in the river, with a rock, I would choose today and all it’s new inventions, hands down. With that said, I was especially pleased to learn about MyMum – a PE based baby and mommy brand – and their wonderful muslin and breastfeed friendly products. I got to try some of it out and we would like to give you the opportunity to do so too! (More on that later.) -
Our newborn photo shoot with Cutepix Photography
Remember how much I bragged about Michelle over at Cutepix Photography? Well, the proof is in the pudding and this post right here is the pudding, ladies and gentleman. Well, MY pudding, to be exact… look at that face! I was so chuffed to be able to plan Jonah’s newborn photo shoot with Michelle. After seeing the amazing way she orchestrated Kari’s first birthday cake smash shoot, I knew that I would be pleased with Jo’s pics! I saw this shoot as a way to capture the beauty of our Jonah, fresh out of the oven. But it was also a way to celebrate his life and all the promise that we see over it! I’d like to celebrate with you too! I will be giving away a very special gift at the end of this post. But first… more pics! -
Newborn photography tips
Swoon! I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m convinced that mine is the most beautiful baby in the whole wide world! There’s just something about a fresh baby that melts the heart. Small hands, small toes, inability to backchat (moms of teens, hollar!) The freshness, innocence and purity of a newborn baby is the stuff that broody feelings are made of. We decided to document Jonahs “freshness” but I knew that I had to call in the big guns. I mean, a newborn photo shoot is not exactly something one attempts at home with a cellphone camera. Enter: Michelle of Cutepix Baby and Child Photography! She shared some excellent newborn photography tips and helped to set my mind at ease as I prepped for Jonah’s very first photo shoot. -
ECMeetUp recap – Of unicorn horns and decadent pancakes
So we’re still reeling after having the best #ECMeetUp 2017 this side of the century! Yes, I am still pregnant – even though going into labor at a blogger conference would probably have made the event go viral (hello Facebook Live). But nope, my kid is still happily tucked away in moms tummy. He enjoyed all the amazing food that Ralph and Sarah, of The Plantation, fed our faces with. Uh can you say decadent pancakes (with just about every topping!) and a breakfast that made me feel as if I should have a title infront of my name (Lady Lu sounds good, right?) We were also blown away by the amazing sponsors – like, totally blown away… like so blown away that we have some to give to you too! But first, a ECMeetUp recap: -
Meet the #ECMeetUp 2017 bloggers!
Once upon a time, in a land far away, lived a group of exceptionally creative people who excelled in the art of ‘oversharing with style’. These people were called the #ECMeetUp 2017 bloggers.
