Tongue and Lip Ties

From the moment Cove was born there was something off about his latch. It was very painful (more than the usual), his upper lip was curled under, it was a very shallow latch and he kept coming off of the breast and we would have to latch again. He would latch a little better when I wore a nipple shield, but while nursing it was as if he was chewing instead of sucking. It was very painful! Even when I would think it was a decent latch, he still didn't drain me and I would end up needing to pump and give him a bottle. I tried for about a week, but then realized it just wasn't working (I was getting clogged ducts) and his latch wasn't improving so I started to fully pump.

our sweet boy

When Cove was 3 weeks old we took him to the doctor to get checked for a tongue tie. I had started looking into more information about tongue ties because I came across an article that listed symptoms of a tongue tie and it REALLY sounded like what he had! So I brought him in to get looked at and our doctor said no, he isn't tongue tied. Unfortunately, where I live there aren't many resources for support when it came to breastfeeding. Our local lactation consultant moved away so I would need to travel to make appointments with one in British Columbia.

I kept digging for more information and then came across an article about a lip tie. Again, all of the symptoms listed for a lip tie sounded exactly like what we had been experiencing with Cove! I lifted his lip up and sure enough I could see a lip tie! Now I wasn't 100% because I had never even known about lip ties before but I was pretty damn certain that's what we were dealing with.

Again, I made an appointment with our doctor to get his lip tie looked at but once again I wasn't satisfied with the answer. As my doctor explained it.. in her point of view as his doctor she doesn't see his lip tie as a concern because he is able to eat from a bottle and is gaining weight. BUT from a dentists point of view they might see it as a problem due to their training and concerns. It made sense the way she explained it to me, however I just felt like I couldn't get a straight answer!! It was so frustrating. 

I ended up joining a tongue and lip tie Facebook support group and I was able to reach out and talk with other mom's dealing with the same issue. 

US - https://www.facebook.com/groups/tonguetiebabies/

Canada - https://www.facebook.com/groups/CanadianTongueTieSupport/

I found these support groups very helpful! What I had learned in these groups were that tongue and lip ties are starting to become more well known and more babies are being born with them. It is kind of a controversial subject when it comes to speaking with a doctor about them because many doctors don't have any training on them and it is easy for them to dismiss them. There are lists of preferred providers who are trained on ties and are able to preform revisions on tongue and lip ties. 

You can find your local providers here - https://www.tt-lt-support-network.com

Bottom line. YOU have to do your own research and be the advocate for you baby!! I'll be honest, I still find the whole thing confusing and overwhelming. I have been researching and looking into what to do about Cove's lip tie and went back and forth to whether we needed to see a preferred provider. Since I wasn't nursing I wasn't sure if we still needed to get his lip tie released. We made an appointment with a Dr. Chan in North Vancouver who was listed as a preferred provider. He is a dentist, has further training in ties and with breastfeeding. I had read a lot of good things about him in the support group so I felt good about seeing him and to get some answers.

Vancouver bound

On Monday we flew to Vancouver and I felt very nervous, but at the same time ready to get this appointment over with. Dr. Chan seemed very knowledgeable, took pictures of Cove's lip tie and possible tongue tie and then went into detail to find out information from us about his symptoms. NOW, this is where it started to get confusing to me. Dr. Chan seemed very PRO breastfeeding (which is great) however it seemed he kept going back to the fact that because I am not nursing and Cove is able to get milk from a bottle then he didn't fully see a need to release his lip tie. He explained his point of view, listened to our concerns and then stepped out of the room to let Sean and I discuss and come up with a decision. In that very moment I felt like a lost, confused, unsure, not confident mother. I was hearing what Dr. Chan was saying, BUT because of the fact that Cove wasn't able to nurse I DO see a huge issue. Even when he feeds from a bottle he has a poor latch, pops off, gets extra air, seems to get frustrated while eating, has a huge gap between his front teeth and I don't want to wait and see other issues come in the near future. I have read they can have speech issues and dental issues. So we decided to go through with the procedure. Now I don't want to scare anyone who may be needing to get the procedure done, but it is never fun to hear your baby cry or in pain. Sean said it was probably harder on me than it was on Cove. I had to keep telling myself he won't remember this and why we are doing it.

I have read that MOST lip ties also come with a posterior tongue tie. Again, we have been told he doesn't have a tongue tie, but since he has a lip tie I was still concerned. When Dr. Chan examined Cove's ties I felt as though I couldn't get a straight answer from him! It was kind of frustrating. He kept explaining how everyone is born with some degree of ties, but it depends on the function and symptoms of the ties whether to get the released or not. I get THAT.. but does he have a tongue tie too or not!? He didn't seem concerned about his tongue at all so we only had his lip tie released. 

Sleeping on the plane

Poor baby boy was so tired, uncomfortable and in pain after the procedure

This whole topic gives me a headache to be honest.. One moment I feel like we have done our job with doing the research, seeing a preferred provider, taking his symptoms into consideration and going with what we felt was right, but then I start to worry again. Should I get second opinion for another preferred provider about his tongue?? At this moment in time we just have to focus on Cove healing and continue doing his stretches. (There are lip stretches that need to be done before we feeds to make sure the lip tie doesn't grow back. It isn't very easy or fun to do!)

I wanted to write this blog post just to let other mom's out there know they're not alone, to help give some direction in resources and to also just spread more awareness about ties. I wish so badly I would have known about Cove's lip tie when he was a newborn! I always wonder if I would have been able to nurse him if we would have had his lip tie revised sooner. Hopefully this will all be done and behind us soon and please feel free to reach out to me if you'd like any more information or have any questions! 

xo Ashley

I love my baby, but I hate pumping.

It's kind of funny because I remember when I was nursing Harbor and hear about moms that were exclusively pumping I would think to myself, "There is no way I could do that! I hate pumping. I would be using formula." And now here I am. 

Since the day Cove was born he never had a good latch. In the hospital I had a difficult time trying to get a good latch with him. He always tucked his bottom lip in and it was like he would chew instead of suck while nursing. It was very painful! I tried a nipple shield and it seemed to help him latch a bit better but he just kept pulling off and chewing. It just wasn't working. I tried and I tried and it always ended with both of us just feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. I have to admit I felt defeated. I wanted to be able to nurse Cove SO bad. I was able to nurse my first child, but I won't be able to with my second?! I guess I just never even thought this would be an issue! We had the doctor check to see if he was tongue tied as well. I did a lot of reading about babies who are tongue tied and troubles with latches so I wanted to get him checked out, but no he isn't tongue tied.

So after about a week of trying to nurse, then pumping, and then feeding Cove a bottle I had to just come to terms I wasn't going to be able to nurse him. I started to exclusively pump. I was pumping for 30 minutes every 2-3 hours. It was a full time job! My milk supply came in strong too. I started pumping so much that I would end up just freezing all of my milk from the day because Cove still hadn't even touched the milk that was sitting in the fridge. I was pumping around 60-80 ounces per day.

When Cove was about 8 weeks old we started our summer traveling to visit family and to go to friend's weddings so I did A LOT of pumping on the go.

At the family cabin I was sitting on the deck with my nursing cover on pumping. I was needing to boil my pump parts to make sure they were fully sanitized at the cabin.

I did A LOT of pumping in the car. I was pumping in the passenger seat and rinsing my pump parts with bottled water. I would ask Sean to please not stop right next to a vehicle so they couldn't look over and see me.

The most challenging moment I had with pumping was when we flew down to Minnesota. We checked into our hotel room and MAYBE got 3 hours of sleep (not recommended with a newborn and toddler!) and then had to check in for our next flight at 4am. I REALLY needed to pump. I was in pain. I planned on pumping while waiting at the gate for our next flight, but we didn't have enough time! So I ended up pumping on the plane. I managed to hold Cove in one arm and to pump one boob with the other. It was NOT easy, but my boobs were like rocks and I had to pump! One of the flight attendance came by and said to me, "Now that's a good mom right there!" and winked at me. I needed to hear that cause in that moment I was so exhausted, in pain and was on the verge of tears.

While at the Minnesota State Fair I couldn't find an area exclusively for nursing mothers so I sat at a table in the beer garden, sipped on a beer and pumped. I didn't even care if I looked silly with my nursing cover over my double pump sticking out off of my boobs. I didn't want to be in pain the whole time at the fair.

When we would fly back from our trips I had to check in a cooler filled with frozen breastmilk. One time while checking in our bags a customer service agent said, "This whole bag is frozen breastmilk?" and I replied, "Yes." The look on her face was so surprised haha. Yes lady, that is 25 pounds of liquid gold! Please tag it correctly to my final destination!

During all of this time of pumping while traveling I really think it made it more difficult. To always make sure I had my pump charged, pump parts cleaned, milk storage bags on hand, the little cooler with a freezer pack inside of it and clean water to wash the parts with...
I just wanted to be done.

The other thing that makes pumping so difficult is have a crazy, busy, active toddler!! I have to strategize when I am going to pump to make sure Harbor is content and not going to get into anything. I usually try to pump when she is in her booster seat eating and Cove is content in the mamaroo. Otherwise, Harbor would most likely be getting into something she shouldn't, I chase after her, bend over, spill milk everywhere and then I just want to lose it!

Harbor also likes to snuggle while I pump for some reason which isn't very easy to do!


I debated non stop about being done pumping. One day I would feel good about it and tell myself, "No, I can do this. I want Cove to get my breastmilk. I'm not ready to stop." Other days I would be telling myself, "UGH I am so over pumping. I want to start weaning and just be done."

Why is it so hard for us mothers to be okay with the decision to be done breastfeeding? It's like we have a goal in mind of how long we will nurse for (I told myself 6 months) and if we don't meet that goal we have failed. It is hard to describe how torn I have been feeling about pumping and being done with it. Sean has reassured me that I have done such a good job with exclusively pumping and that I have so much frozen milk to use that it is okay to stop. And I agree with him.. but I also feel like Cove is only a baby for so long and that this is my duty as a mother to produce milk for him! It is a short chunk of my life to make the sacrifice of pumping. So this is why I end up going back and forth!

So here I am about 4.5 months postpartum and still pumping. I am down to pumping 3 times a day at least. We bought a deep freezer and it is STUFFED full of frozen breastmilk. I have been starting to use the frozen milk and then freezing the newly pumped milk. I recently feel like I have come to terms with being done, but now I just don't know how to stop! Every time I try to stop I end up with mastitis :( I just have to slowly but surely wean and eventually I will be done pumping. Until then, I will be pumpin away!

** Just yesterday I stumbled upon an article about a tongue tie vs lip tie and I wish I would have seen it sooner! I strongly believe Cove has a lip tie on his upper lip. I am making an appointment with our doctor and going to look further into it. I will post an update about it!

Here is the article if you're interested in reading it https://www.mommypotamus.com/a-step-by-step-guide-to-diagnosing-tongue-ties/


xo Ashley

Cove's Birth Story

Wednesday, June 14th 2017

That evening I worked my last shift at WestJet and my sister flew in on our flight! I was SO excited for that flight to get in! Once my sister arrived and I got to hug her I instantly felt relieved and ready for baby boy to make his arrival. That was one of my biggest worries before I went into labor was thinking of who was going to watch Harbor for us. Something you don't have to think about with the birth of you first baby! So knowing that my sister was here and that I had just finished my last day of work I felt ready to have this baby!

Thursday, June 15th 2017

Thursday morning I had a membrane sweep scheduled with the OBGYN. I had purposely pushed the sweep back until my sister was in town JUST in case it actually did put me into labor. My sister, Chelsea stayed home with Harbor while Sean and I went to the appointment. Holy CRAP. That sweep was like no sweep I have ever had before! It literally took me off the table, made my eyes water and took my breath away. The OBGYN wasn't messing around. After the appointment I even told Sean, "If that sweep doesn't make me go into labor than I don't know what will!"

An hour later I had a hair appointment (it was the ONLY day I could get in and I desperately needed my hair done so had to do it!) I even joked telling my hair gal that I apologize in advance if my water breaks in her chair haha I was so uncomfortable and was in pain.. I felt beat up down there.

Later that evening my sister and I took Harbor to the park and I kept telling Chels that I just didn't feel the best. When we got back home I laid down on the couch and took a little nap. I just felt kind of off and sick. We had dinner, put Harbor down for bed and then washed up for bed myself. That night Sean slept in the guest room so my sister and I could sleep together (we always stay up late talking and catching up). 

10:00 pm

I started to get some stronger contractions. "A good one" is what I always say when I have to close my eyes and breathe through the pain! After laying in bed and chatting for a while Chelsea dozed off, but I just couldn't sleep through the contractions. I ended up waking her up once they seemed closer together. Chelsea timed them and said, "Yeah they are like 3 minutes apart Ash! You should fix up, do what you need to do before heading into the hospital and I will go wake up Sean." She was right.. while brushing my teeth and grabbing my stuff the contractions got WAY more intense. Before we headed out the door I tip toed into Harbor's room and rubbed her head and said bye. (I couldn't lean over her crib anymore to kiss her with my huge belly!) While walking to the garage I started to tear up.. Harbor won't be my only baby anymore and I already felt like I missed her. I felt a mix of emotions I just couldn't explain. 

Friday, June 16th 2017

2:50 am

When we got to the hospital they checked me and I was at about 3 cm dilated. My contractions were about 3 minutes apart. I was given a shot of Morphine/Gravol to help with the pain a bit. I honestly didn't feel like it helped at all. It made me feel a bit tired, but that was it. Sean walked the halls with me and I also labored on an exercise ball until the nurse came in to check me again. 

4:00 am

I was 4 cm dilated and contractions were still strong so they admitted me and we checked in to room #3. Once we got into our room Sean ran the bath for me and I labored in the bath. I felt calm and focused in the bath. Sean played the music playlist that I had created (it was actually the playlist I created for Harbor's labor and delivery but I never used it) and it was so nice to try and relax, listen to the music and focus on it. I felt like that really made a difference for me. It was peaceful and exactly what I was hoping for.

6:00 am

My nurse came in to check on me and said I should hop out of the bath so they can check me again. I was 6 cm dilated and baby boy had dropped a lot lower. I then stayed out of the bath for the rest of my laboring. At this point I started inhaling Entinox (laughing gas) to help me breathe during contractions. The laughing gas definitely didn't take the pain away, but helped me focus on my deep breathing. When we first had checked into the hospital I was very honest and open with my nurse about my birth with my first child and how anxious and nervous I was about this delivery. I told her this time around I am definitely open to having an epidural. She was very positive and kept reminding me that it was going to be a different scenario this time around and that I CAN do it. I appreciated her positivity and I remember just telling myself that, "I CAN do this!"

6:24 am

8 cm dilated

8:10 am

9 cm dilated 

9:24 am

My water still hadn't broke so the doctor said if it didn't soon he would break it. I started receiving doses of Fentanyl to help with pain. I started to doze off in-between contractions. 

10:34 am

I was fully dilated, the doctor broke my water and I started pushing. No more Fentanyl or laughing gas could be given.

While pushing I tried in multiple different positions. Laying on my back, kneeling and hugging the back of the bed, standing and wrapping my arms around Sean, squatting on the side of the bed and even sitting on the toilet. I didn't really find one position more effective than another so I ended up laying on the bed for the most part. Sean kept giving me juice to sip on and kept putting cool cloths on me from the freezer that my sister had previously made up and froze. The cloths were frozen with water and lavender oil in them. I do remember them feeling really good in the moment cause i was really hot and sweating.  I remember asking Sean and the nurses over and over if I was making progress. During the excruciating pain I needed to hear that I was getting somewhere! They did say I was making progress and that baby boy's head was crowning and the had dark hair! 

11:00am 

My nurse said to me, "He is right there Ashley! You will have baby boy in your arms by 11:15am!" and I couldn't believe that she really thought I was going to push this baby out within 15 minutes!

12:00 pm

Still pushing... 

12:30pm

I was still pushing, but baby boy was now stuck and I wasn't making progress. :( The nurses were calling my doctor, but just my luck he was in the middle of a c-section! This was the part of the delivery that felt like it took forever. I was in SO much pain, felt so much pressure and kept pushing, but baby boy wasn't moving! It was awful. I remember at this point feeling so weak and telling Sean that I didn't think I could go any longer.

1:20pm

My doctor finally arrived and explained to me that he would be using a vacuum to help get baby boy out. I pushed while he pulled and oh my gosh I just wanted baby boy to be out!! The doctor told me he was going to need to do an episiotomy.. When he told me that I really started to panic. After a few more contractions...

1:37pm

Cove was born!

7lbs 13oz

21.25"

My sweet baby boy has arrived! Such a surreal moment holding your baby for the first time. I was so in love and so relieved!

So later on when the doctor came into our room to come check on Cove and I he explained to me that he had actually pushed back his scheduled surgery because he had thought I was going to be delivering right away when I was making progress, but as my progression slowed down he wasn't able to push back the c-section any further! He also explained the anesthesiologist was tied up with him during the c-section so when I was asking for an epidural (after pushing for 2 hours) I wasn't able to get one! This was the hardest part about the delivery.. I felt as though everything went pretty smooth up until he got stuck and I wasn't making any progress. I asked for an epidural but I kept being told, "He is RIGHT there Ashley! You can do this!" but he didn't come right away! It was very frustrating and in the moment I felt so defeated. The doctor also explained to me that he didn't leave his c-section to assist me because both baby and I had good vitals. 

Proud dada!

Meeting auntie!

Meeting his big sister!

My recovery after Cove's birth was much better than my recovery with Harbor (thank you God). I did have an episiotomy but I didn't tear any further. I was happy the laboring went pretty smoothly, but I would be lying if I said the delivery was easier.. the long hours of pushing and him needing to be vacuumed out made me feel disappointed, BUT I have a healthy beautiful baby boy and it was all worth it!

xo

Bumpdate: 21 Weeks

And just like that I am half way there! It really is true what they say about your second pregnancy going by even faster. I feel like before we know it baby boy is going to be here!

We had our 20 week ultrasound last week and it was so amazing to see baby moving around in there. It was for sure confirmed baby is still a BOY! He was moving his arms and legs around, sucking on his thumb and opening his mouth. It is just truly a miracle. 

Baby boy is measuring just a bit over average. 

(Oh PLEASE don't be another almost 10 pounder! haha) 

We have a new due date: June 24, 2017!

We will be meeting baby boy even sooner :)

There are definitely some things that are different this time around compared to when I was pregnant with Harbor. The biggest thing is obviously being more busy with taking care of a busy toddler and not being able to relax or nap when I would like to. I kept a journal during my pregnancy with Harbor and I wrote down a lot. I do currently write in a journal for the 2nd pregnancy, but I am for sure finding it more difficult to find the time to write everything down! I will try my best though. 

I thought it would be fun to do a little comparison of my pregnancy with Harbor and this second pregnancy so far!

Harbor- H    Baby Boy- B

Finding Out the News

H- 5 weeks, boobs KILLED & certain smells would really gross me out

B- 5 weeks, period symptoms.. not really any big signs

First Time Hearing Baby's Heartbeat

H- 9 weeks at the Drs office on ultrasound

B- 11 weeks at the Drs office on ultrasound

Food Cravings/Aversions

H- carbs + fruit through the whole pregnancy

I couldn't eat salad or vegetables!

B- carbs at the beginning + right now currently craving caesar salad quite often

No food aversions thank goodness! 

Bump Showing

H- I think I started showing around 16 weeks. Carried high.

B- I felt like since the day I found out I was pregnant! You really do start to show sooner with baby #2! I was almost worried at the beginning about how big I looked and how we hadn't told anyone the news yet. I think my belly started growing really fast at the beginning, but has slowed down a bit now. Carrying lower.

First Time Feeling Baby Move 

H- 18 weeks

B- 20 weeks 

I found this kind of interesting. I thought for sure I would be able to feel baby #2 sooner than when I did with Harbor since I knew what to expect! Guess not.

Nursery Prep

H- I was planning her nursery since the day we found out we were having a girl!

B- I haven't even thought about the nursery yet. Better get on it!

Bump Pictures

H- I took a weekly bump picture at first, but then every couple of weeks

B- I have only taken 2 so far. Seriously the days fly by!

Nerves + Stress

H- I was pretty stressed out about having everything we needed for Harbor and wanting to get the nursery ready. Labor scared me, but I just kept thinking I can do it!

B- Definitely feeling more relaxed since we have all of the main baby items that are needed. Unfortunately, baby boy is going to be using a lot of pink colored items ;) We will have to sit down and make a list of things that we do need for him though. I am so scared of labor this time around. Some moms say they didn't feel as nervous the second time around since they knew what to expect, but I will be honest.. I am scared shitless. After having a pretty traumatic delivery with Harbor I am really nervous for baby boy's entrance into the world. I am just praying it will be a smoother delivery!

I am beyond excited to meet baby boy. I am also really excited to see how Harbor is with him. She will be 19 months old when her baby brother is born so I am not sure if she will be old enough to fully understand, but I really look forward to seeing their bond. Sometimes I do find myself thinking about how once baby boy arrives Harbor won't be the center of our attention anymore.. and it kind of makes me sad. That's normal right? It just kind breaks my heart thinking of my baby girl not being the baby anymore! Well, in the mean time I am going to enjoy my time with Harbor as the only child and enjoy the wonderful movements in my belly from her little brother.

xo Ashley

Breastfeeding: A Love Hate Relationship

I knew while I was pregnant that I wanted to at least try to breastfeed. I knew it wasn't for everyone or  even some moms weren't capable of breastfeeding, but I at least told myself to give it a shot. Even reading on HOW to breastfeed and how the whole thing works I found it confusing. I felt like I read SO many different opinions on this and that! Can someone please just write out an exact HOW TO step by step!? Well little did I know, it's just not that easy.

Love: I've said this in a past post, but the moment I fell in love with breastfeeding was minutes after Harbor was born and when she latched for the first feed. Something inside of me felt at ease. I felt like my body knew what to do, my sweet baby girl knew what to do and in that very moment nothing else mattered.

Hate: Just hours after Harbor was born my nipples KILLED. This whole cluster feeding thing was confusing and oh so painful! I started to bleed and that was my first moment of, "I don't think I can do this." A nurse told me to try using a nipple shield to help with the pain and it made a huge difference! I definitely would recommend using one to new moms who are in a lot of pain while nursing, but make sure you start to feed without the nipple shield here and there to try and get back to eventually nursing without one. 

Love: To be home with a newborn, taking in all of the snuggles and knowing you're giving your baby the nutrition he/she needs is simply amazing. 

Hate: I absolutely loved taking the time out of everyday to nurse, but wow I had no idea just how much time would be spent doing it! Breastfeeding is time consuming and a commitment. A newborn feeds A LOT. I remember at some points I just felt like I couldn't get anything done! I admit it made me feel overwhelmed. I was nursing my newborn on demand, but at the same time was surviving off no sleep, needed to shower and felt like all I was doing was sitting with my breasts out nursing! I didn't read anything about this part.

Love: While nursing it is just such a rewarding feeling. One of my favorite things during it (besides the snuggles) is when Harbor would look up at me with her big blue eyes. It was our bonding moment and I felt grateful.

Hate: Pumping. Not a fan. The first time I got all hooked up to pump I just felt like a big cow. I pumped obviously when I needed to, but it's really not my thing. I give mad props to the ladies that exclusively pump! I don't think I would be able to do it.

THE WORST!

Love: Do you know how many calories breastfeeding burns?! On average 300-500 calories a day. I'll take all the help I can get!

Hate: Mastitis. A horrible horrible thing. I ended up getting mastitis 4 times and it was so painful! Listen to your body and make sure you go in to see your doctor.

We did supplement with formula (to help Harbor gain weight), but I am so glad I stuck with it and kept breastfeeding through the ups and downs. I did set a "goal" for myself to nurse Harbor until her first birthday. I do feel like setting this "goal" helped me push through it. The last time I got mastitis was when she was about 9 months old and I had to tell myself, "3 more months. You can do this!"

When Harbor was 11 months old we needed to buy more bottles so we purchased a new fast flow type and of course Harbor loved them! Well, to my surprise she loved her bottles so much that she did NOT want to breastfeed. It turned into me pretty much forcing her and it was awful.

One day instead of latching Harbor bit me and she bit me hard! Soon each feed turned into just biting and I absolutely couldn't handle that. Just like that, Harbor was done breastfeeding. I was kind of shocked! I had to pump a couple times to relieve my boobs a bit, but then about 3 days later I wasn't in pain anymore and that was that!

It's funny because I admit I had so many moments of being like, "Okay, this is it. I think I'm ready to stop breastfeeding," but once I went a full 24 hours of not nursing it was weird! I was kind of sad. That was the last time I would ever nurse my baby Harbor. It's just kind of funny how you go through different emotions!

Even though I nursed Harbor for 11 months and was just shy of reaching my 12 month "goal" I felt proud of myself. I am so glad I gave breastfeeding a chance, for sticking through it after multiple times of getting mastitis, for sometimes feeling like I had no clue if I was doing it all right and for remembering I was blessed to be able to breastfeed and to enjoy it. It was an amazing journey!

Traveling with a Baby

I am no expert by any means, but in the last 9 months we have sure done a lot of traveling with our little miss (26 flights and some road trips) so I thought I would share some tips and products that I found helpful while flying!

Harbor's first flight!

1. Give yourself plenty of time to pack and get to the airport. I am such a last minute person sometimes and it definitely helps to go to bed the night before knowing everything is packed and ready to go! I lay out what I am going to wear for the flight, Harbor's outfit, have our bags packed and have the diaper bag packed the night before. Of course, make sure to get to the airport with plenty of time to check in for your flight. Traveling with a baby you have a lot more baggage and baby equipment to check.

Let the packing begin!

I can't even handle that face!! :)

2. Always pack extra in your diaper bag! We ended up having one of our flights delayed and ran out of diapers! Not good. In my diaper bag I always pack an extra outfit for Harbor, burp cloth, lots of diapers and wipes, diaper cream, a little plastic bag (just in case she has a blow out and we can seal it up), hand sanitizer and nursing cover. I also pack a couple snacks, but nothing too messy. I usually bring some puffs and rice crackers for her to chew on. I also pack her Sophie giraffe and a baby doll. No toys that are really small because chances are she is going to drop them on the plane and I want to be able to find them! I always pack a large ziplock baggie filled with the things I will need DURING the flight for Harbor (snacks, pacifier, toys) so that way it is easier to have them all in one place & to be able to pull them out easily! One of my favorite products to bring on the plane for Harbor is the Glitter & Spice Silicone Teething Necklace. It is a silicone teething necklace that I wear around my neck. Harbor sits on my lap during our flight and will sit and chew on it. It's great!

You can shop their adorable pieces at www.glitterandspice.ca

3. A great traveling stroller is a must! It makes such a difference. We have our Bugaboo Donkey for our everyday stroller, but I am SO glad we purchased the Recaro Easylife Ultra-Lightweight Stroller for our traveling stroller! It only weighs 13lbs, has a multi position reclining seat, folds small enough to fit into the overhead compartment and can be folded up/assembled with just one hand. It is so great to be able to hold Harbor with one arm and use the other to pop open the stroller.

We purchased ours from www.toysrus.ca

4. Find your gate. Go to the nearest restroom and change babe into a fresh diaper. Pre board! Take this time to pre board, get to your seat and pull out everything you need for the flight. I always pull out my nursing cover and the ziplock bag that I pre-pack before the flight with Harbor's goodies in it and put them in the seatback in front of me.

5. While at the gate you can talk to the customer service agent and kindly ask, if possible to move you to a seat where there is no one sitting in the middle seat. It's not always a guarantee they will be able to do so, but it doesn't hurt to ask! Having the extra room between you and another guest can really make a difference. 

6. It might not work for every mom & baby, but I always nurse Harbor for take off and landing. It helps her ears to be sucking and it comforts her so that is what we have always done. If you're not nursing have a bottle ready to feed or a pacifier to help them suck. 9 out of 10 times Harbor falls asleep and then sleeps most of the flight!

7. Last, but not least book your flights with WestJet when possible! ;) They are the best airline to travel with and are so helpful to parents traveling with little ones!

PS. They have a two day seat sale going on now!
www.westjet.com

Safe travels!

xoxo

Ashley

The Good. The Bad & the Ugly.

My baby doll is going to be 7 months old soon...

and in the last 7 months (even before that while I was pregnant) I have learned so much.

7 things I learned while pregnant:

1. You can't plan when you'll get pregnant. Only God can.

2. The constant worrying about baby has just begun.

3. Pregnancy is just a beautiful thing. It really is.. minus the rapid hair growth, body aches, bodily fluids, poop issues, constant peeing, swelling, stretch marks and break outs. :) 

4. Random people are nicer to you. They hold the door open for you, offer you their seat and pick things up for you. It's like people see your belly and just can't help but smile. I'm not sure if they're smiling because they know you're carrying a sweet baby or because they know what you are in for.

5. One of the most amazing feelings in the world is feeling baby move or kick inside of you. As long as they're not kicking you in the ribs.

6. Your vagina is no longer a private part anymore. Doctors and nurses are looking and poking so often down there it is now just a regular ole vagina.

7. While being pregnant you don't have to hold in your tummy. You can just let it it all hang out. I've never loved being in a bikini so much until I was pregnant.

7 things I learned from labor:

1. When your body fully goes into labor and it is time, you'll know.

2. You can't plan how it will go. I still believe not having a "birth plan" is best. You just have to go with the flow and see how labor goes. You might want meds, you might not. You might end up needing a c-section, you might not. Whatever it takes to get baby out as safely and quickly as possible!

3. I remember kinda stressing about what I will look like when I go into labor. I wanted to be showered, make up on and hair done. Once you're in labor the last thing on your mind is if you feel clean or what you look like.

4. Another thing I stressed about was pooping during labor. Gosh I DO NOT want to poop on the table during labor! You know what.. I could fricken care less if I ended up pooping during labor! 

5. There is no honest way to describe what the pain feels like, BUT I got through it, I felt proud of myself and it was totally worth it.

6. My husband is amazing. I honestly had the best support from him during labor. I knew I married a wonderful man and that we have always supported each other, but this experience showed me a whole new level of support from him.

7. It truly is a miracle.

7 things I learned as a new mom so far:

1. Sleep, eat & poop. These are the 3 main things about a newborn. They sleep, but not at night. They eat all the time, but you'll worry if they're eating enough. They poop a lot and apparently gas is a big issue with babies. Who knew. 

2. You learn to function in "zombi mode". It is a whole new category of tiredness. It does get better though and you will be a functioning human again soon.

3. Breastfeeding is a full time job. I just didn't know how time consuming it was and how much work it is, but I love it. I fell in love with it from the first time I nursed Harbor in the hospital. I know there are a lot of women who are not able to breastfeed and I feel very fortunate to be able to. That being said though, I do believe "fed is best" not necassarily "breast is best."

4. It's all about balance. I admit I had a difficult time with this the first few months. I felt like I spent so much time sitting nursing that I couldn't get anything else done! I started to stress about the laundry, the dishes in the sink, need to write thank you cards, getting the house cleaned... but all of that didn't matter. It could wait. I needed to just let myself relax and enjoy the time of sitting to breastfeed and enjoy all the snuggles.

5. Your relationship with your spouse will be different. It's not a bad thing, but it will be different. It's always been just the two of you, but now it's the 3 of you. As new parents we now needed to find the balance and new routine to make it day by day. I think it takes time for every couple to get into the swing of things of how to take care of the baby, give each other some "me" time and also to have some time as a couple. Your relationship is now learning how to adapt to this huge new chapter in life. Oh yes, there will be times where you don't see eye to eye and want to strangle each other, but you have to work as a team.

6. Being a mom is a very selfless job. Yes, I knew this before I became a mom (my mom was a huge example of being selfless for me and my sister our whole lives), but until I became pregnant that is when I truly realized it. You'd do and give up anything for your baby. It starts with your body, sleep, showers and a social life haha.

7. I love being a mom. I feel so blessed to be a mom. It is the hardest job in the world, but the best job. I saw this quote and truly connected with it;

"I didn't lose myself when I became a mother. I found myself."

xoxo Ashley