To be completely honest, it's not something I have ever thought of signing up to, I love planning out my meals for the week, but I have recently started studying again and trying to juggle everything has been hard, so I was super excited when @myfoodbag asked whether I would be interested in trying out and reviewing their limited edition #winterwarmers box. The ease of having my box arrive on the doorstep on Sunday night was such a breath of fresh air, all packed nicely with a cold pack, in recyclable and compostable materials. The kids were busting to get in and unpack it all to see what we were going to be cooking and eating for the week. I was excited to be able to focus on study while still knowing my family were going to be eating nutritious and delicious meals. I was particularly excited about the two slow cooked meals that come with Winter Warmers each week, what better to have after a day of study than dinner waiting for me after cooking away all day! My kid’s love helping to prepare dinner so with the step by step Instructions and the ingredient list this made it even easier for them to get involved. The meat is all top quality free range grass fed and the vegetables are sourced within NZ and super fresh. The 4 recipes we made this week were all delicious and meals that we wouldn’t normally cook, so it was lovely to branch out of the comfort zone using different cuts of meat and different flavors to our usual. The 4 meals in the #winterwarmers box are Beef Bibimbap, Lamb Dahl, Chicken and Leek pie with Broccoli and Pulled Beef Stroganoff with Potato Mash. All 4 were mouthwatering delicious and perfect for these cooler winter nights we have been having. The Lamb Dahl and the Pulled Beef Stroganoff were the slow cooked recipes and they were particularly good. When I priced it out, it's more than what I would normally spend on 4 meals, but is so stress-free and easy that some weeks it would be worth spending the extra money in order to focus on my assignments rather than meal planning and grocery shopping –two things that take a lot of time. If you are a busy Mum that wants your family to eat healthy without having to plan out your weekly meals and head off to the supermarket,then #myfoodbag is perfect for you. To be able to prepare your meals in less than an hour or prep slow cooker meals in 10mins in the morning before heading out the door is so easy.
For more info check out: www.myfoodbag.co.nz/products/my-winter-warmers-bag Discount Code: code: ANNAJ to give you $30 off your first order. The code expired 31st July and is available on MFB sister brands - Bargain Box and First Fresh :)
0 Comments
We have celebrated our of our kids 1st birthdays with a big party! Its such a massive milestone getting through that first year - it aint easy, the sleepless nights, the forever loop of change/feed/play/sleep so why not throw a party and celebrate your babies first year of life! You don't have to spend a lot of money to have an awesome party, I was super lucky to have friends help me along the way which is always helpful but I will outlaw some of my costings below. The biggest cost for us was probably the food - but naturally it depends on how many people you have coming as to how much food you are going to have to supply. we had 36 adults and 37 children for afternoon tea so a graze table was the perfect option for us. For Paige's party we had a pig on the spit and did coleslaw and buns which was really cost effective for a big amount of people and for Ruby's we did all the kiddie party food which I think was more time consuming and probably cost more in the long run. Balloon garlands look like a lot of work but really the hardest part is blowing up all those balloons without peeing ya pants haha. Get some helpers in to do the blowing and then set your self up with either from balloon garland tape or a string with a bobby pin on the end and thread those babies on! Balloons are super cheap if you go to Kmart or Look Sharp - I think I ended up buying around 125 balloons for the two garland. For both cakes I used a 'chocolate brick cake' recipe (insert below) which was super easy and tasted so delicious! Would you believe there was actually no cake left after the party!! The letters spelling out their names were from Kmart at $2 a letter and are now on the wall of their bedrooms. Some of the animal toppers were from our collection but I did have to buy a few more from paper plus. They are the schleich animals and range in price from $6.99 to $17.99 depending on size. The wee paper garland on Zoes cake was made with skewers, brown paper and string and the roses were from my friends garden. The happy birthday topper on Jacks cake from $2 from kmart. The cake stands were a log that was out in our wood pile that Hamish sliced through with his chainsaw the night before the party! The twins were lucky enough to be gifted the beautiful milestone prints from 'forts and fonts' - these too now adorn their bedroom wall. We set up a corner of the lounge as a baby designated safe area so they didn't get trampled by everyone else and it worked a treat! The kids tables were set up by my friend Melina from @cm_bespoke_events - They specialise in event styling and getaway organising. The paper cups and wooden utensils were all from Look Sharp for $2 a pack and the rest belongs to CM Bespoke Events. My lovely neighbour Vien came over and helped Melina and I to do the graze table.. It was almost too beautiful to eat. At a guess it was probably a couple of hundred dollars worth of food, I got the things that were on special at pak and save and ordered the cheeses from a bulk supplier through a friend of mine who's a chef. There was very minimal left on the table by the end of the afternoon - mainly cheese and fruit. The added extra cost was a massive bouncey castle which we got from a local guy here in wanaka. This was $220 for the day and was such a godsend as it kept all the kids entertained. I actually didn't realise how many kids there was until they all came in for cake. Hamish has fun putting it up haha my measurements weren't so great and it only just fit in the backyard... opps! The twins wee Tshirts are from @tinkertailorkids and I have a discount code to share with you all - code: ANNA10 They are super cute and fitted in with their theme perfectly. Zoe is also wearing @LeEdit bloomers and a @little_nz Bow. And then when it was all only, cleaned up and the kids were in bed, I chucked on my comfy @etc tracks, poured myself a drink and lay in front of the outdoor fire for the rest of the evening. The perfect end to an awesome 1st Birthday! Chocolate Brick Cake:
ingredients: 2 cups sugar 1 cup butter (softened) 1.5 tsp vanilla essence 3 large eggs 2.5 cups flour 1 cup cocoa 2 tsp baking soda 1 sachet instant pudding mix 2 1/4 cups of buttermilk 1 cup melted chocolate Preheat oven to 180degrees. Beat sugar,butter and vanilla together. beat in eggs. Mix in flour, cocoa, baking soda,instant pud mix and buttermilk. stir through the chocolate. pour into creased pan ( i used 2 20cm tins). bake for 30-40 mins until skewer comes out clean. I just used butter cream icing but you could use whatever:) Travelling with Kids can be pretty daunting, especially when you have two babies. I've been putting off so many trips since having the twins deeming it “too hard”, “impossible” or “too much work”. Recently though I have come to realize that things aren’t going to get any easier, they are just going to get a different kind of hard. I don’t want to miss out on fun experiences and making memories with my family - so no more “too hard basket”. We just have to be prepared for every occasion, while still packing light enough to fit us all in the car with our belongings….. sounds easy right! Packing light isn't easy with 6 of us to pack for (including two babies). We can't go anywhere without our pram and that takes up the full boot space if we have all the seats up in our car. Luckily the traveller cots are small enough to fit down in the floor space in front of the twins carseats and I've managed to hone in on my Tetris skills when it comes to packing the car. One of the biggest things about going away with kids is making sure you all get sleep, as we all know without sleep things tend to get a little overwhelming! I find the best way to do this is try and keep all conditions the same as they are at home. For us that is a dark room with white noise. I take our glow dreaming everywhere, even if its just to my parents for a night. But on our last trip to Twizel camping, I got half way there before realising I had left it behind! This meant solely relying on the lulla dolls and shusher and I was pleasantly surprised to find that they worked a treat and the twins actually slept their 'normal' hours. I also ended up covering the twins porta cots with a blanket for them to fall asleep, as they are so nosey they just kept looking around at everything. This in turn worked really well for when it cooled down over night, keeping them that little bit warmer. ( if you want to do this, be sure to keep checking as the temperature of a covered cot or buggy can rise to be more than 15 degrees hotter that outside air temp) Paige and Ruby are "seasoned campers" they have both been camping since they were just a few months old, so they slip straight in to the camping life-style without too much hassle. This is another big reason to stop putting off trips with the twins - Camping is one of our main holidays every year and now with 4 kids, its probably going to be the cheapest form of holidaying we can do as a family. The only way the twins are going to get used to it, is by experiencing it, so starting them young is important! Camping with Paige at 4 months The Phil&Ted cots we use are awesome! Not only as a cot but also doubling as a playpen. They have a shade that attaches over the top which makes them perfect for taking to the beach/lake/canals with you to stop some of that sun and also the bugs. Our car boot is actually the perfect size for setting one up inside, meaning if you are hanging out somewhere beside your car (like when we were fishing) there is no excuse for baby to miss their nap. They are light, easy to pop up and take down, take up minimal room and also come in handy bag with a strap you can pop over your shoulder. Another big thing to remember is FOOD! take all the food, as long as the kids are fed and watered they are content to play and enjoy the day. I found having an area to keep the twins contained a life saver, it meant i could turn my back to organise dinner or get myself sorted without having to have eyes in the back of my head. Our first camping trip went so well, that i got home and booked a 10 day holiday round the north island. We fly in to Auckland and plan to get a rental car and mission around seeing a few different places..... this is really going to be a different kind of hard as i navigate flying with twins, Do I take our carseats? do I take my big mountain buggy or hire compact strollers we can take on board? so many questions, but thats a blog for another day! Products:
Phil & Ted = Porta Cots and carseats Sleepytot_nz = Shusher, Lulla Dolls, Glow Dreaming. Bathing the twins solo is something I put off for months, I always made sure I had Hamish home, or a friend here to help but I knew it was something I had to be able to do alone at some point. I have tried all the different options out there for bathing, starting with a big bulky baby bath that was heavy to move once full of water, this option also meant one baby had to wait while I did the other often resulting in having one baby upset while I had my hands full quickly washing and dressing the other. This made for bath time to be rather stressful, with all the crying. I then tried the kitchen sink, this saved my back with not having to lug the baby bath full of water to be emptied - but I still had the problem of one baby having to wait. (I have got the babies in a pretty good routine where they are both ready for food and sleep at the same times so if i can do their routine care things at the same time, it makes everything much calmer and run smoother.) We then tried moving the baby seats (which we got from 'The Warehouse') to the big bath in the bathroom, so that I could do two babies at once - I found this abit tricky though as I couldn't keep an eye on my other kids while bathing so this meant it was a rushed experience - not one the babies got to enjoy. I also found I had to constantly tip water over each baby to keep them warm. I tried having them just lie in the bottom of the bath, once they had bit more head control which seemed to be the best option for solo bathing - the babies loved being able to kick around and they were warmer than when using the seats. We then found the DooMoo Shantala Baths (from 'Baby Toolbox') and wow what a game changer! These baths meant I could do both twins at once, in the lounge. I could keep an eye on the other kids while bathing and the best bit - you don't need hardly any water at all, so they are light to lift. The babies love being able to sit up and see whats going on, still have room to splash and play with toys and can see each other while bathing. It means I can set up all the things I need for washing and dressing the babies on the lounge floor, so one baby can still be playing in the bath happy, while I'm sitting right there beside them dressing the other. No tears, no stress - overall a fun, enjoyable bathing experience by all. When Hamish is home, we tend to just take a baby in the shower with one of us and then the other dresses them, which also works really well. Nappies: Rascal and Friends Wipes: Waterwipes Toys: Oball from Kmart, Matchstick monkey from SleepyTot NZ. Bibs: Lizi J Dummies: Bibs pacifiers from Classical Child Clean and ready for bed in our snuggly sleepy hugs (from 'SleepyTot NZ').
After having each of my babies – normally around the 4-5 month mark I seem to fall in to a bit of a funk… all the baby/mum routines, losing all the ‘Anna’ time and basically just being slave to everyone and feeling like I’m slowly losing my own identity – cue my old friends anxiety and depression make an appearance.
After having Paige (as I’ve mentioned in earlier blogs) I had a few pretty dark months mostly due to my feeding journey, my dislike for breastfeeding, and generally just the unknown territory of becoming a new mum. This crept up on me without me even realizing, all I had ever wanted was to be a mother and I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t happy, why wasn’t it like it was in the movies? Why was I in tears all the time, not wanting to leave my own house, overthinking everything and imagining the worst case scenario every single time? I ended up throwing myself in to a distance learning course and studied a diploma in Professional Photography by correspondence and started forcing myself to get out walking every day (even if it was just around the block). These two things alone helped me along and I was back to my usual happy go lucky self pretty quickly. Fast forward through life 18 months give or take a few later and I’m experiencing all these feelings again although in a much deeper way. We were in the process of building our own home so Hamish was away most evenings and weekends working on that and I was home alone with a newborn Ruby and a very busy little Paige. This time round I knew what I was experiencing – I tried my best to get out exercising, taking photos and enjoy life as a busy mum of 2, but try as I might I couldn’t seem to get out of the funk I was falling in to. I paid a visit to my lovely GP and after trying to voice how I was feeling and breaking down in tears, handed her a list of everything I was feeling. I recommend writing it all down as it’s a hard thing to admit to yourself let alone others. My GP instantly put me at ease telling me how common it was to feel this way and we talked through all the different options available. Due to having two small dependents I decided on the quickest fix and started taking medication and before long I was back to being “Happy Anna” again. The main difference this time was I talked about what I was experiencing. I let others know how I was feeling and I was surprised to hear how many others were going through similar. My main reason for sharing all of this with you all is recently I found myself heading in the same direction. I am much more aware of the symptoms this time round, and I am getting on top of it straight away, being a mum of 4 including twins is super busy and it’s a given you aren’t going to have as much time for yourself anymore, but its about ‘making time’. I talked it through with my husband how I was feeling and we started by getting a weekly house clean to take away the burden of routine cleaning – this alone made a huge difference to me as when my house is messy/unorganized then my brain is the same. I now know that every Tuesday my house will be cleaned from top to bottom and it doesn’t get on top of me, thus giving me more time for other things I actually enjoying doing. I am also trying to get out walking each day, the twins happily sleep in their buggy so if I time it right, this actually means I could get out walking for a 2 hour block each day, should I wish to. I am looking in to getting this mummy brain back in to action and learning a new trade as well, my husband has his own company so it makes sense if I can help out with that. I have also found that limiting my social media use has made a huge difference. I have suffered with anxiety on and off for the past 7 years, I’m not ashamed to admit this to the world – at my worst point I couldn’t even pick up my baby for fear of dropping her as my hands just wouldn’t work. I’m not really sure where I was going with this blog post but I guess I hope that it raises awareness. I do know that I never want to let this illness control my life or ruin my positive outlook and happy go lucky attitude the way it has in the past. If you are reading this, nodding your head, thinking my story sounds familiar to your own then feel free to drop me a message and remember you aren’t alone! Love Anna xx How to get your baby to sleep? Probably the most googled question by any new parent am I right?! The problem is, its one of those questions where there is no 'right" answer. Every baby is different, every house hold is different - do what works for you and your family! For me, the evenings are really important - they are adult time, time when Hamish and I can sit, be together, have a drink, catch up on each others days, make plans etc etc... so this means I like to have all children in bed by 6.30pm - which isn't always easy and sometimes we run a little bit later but on the whole - most nights we have all 4 kids asleep or at least in bed by 7pm, giving us a couple of hours together before I (normally) head to bed for an early night (or an instal-scroll haha)! I don't know how we've managed it but the twins seemed to slot in to this routine relatively easily give or take the odd night where we have had them up hanging out with us. So what do we do to achieve this, I hear you ask....... I have kinda gone with what MY "perfect" sleep environment would be! -Dark, Warm, Cosy and Quiet with the sound of rain pounding on the roof - haha So first thing is, all 4 Children have thick black out curtains - like their bedrooms are super super dark. This means whether they are sleeping during the day or the night, summer or winter their bedrooms are always dark. The twins room is a little different which is dark except for the Glow Dreaming machine- see below image. We keep the twins bedroom at a consistent temperature using an oil heater that has a thermostat - we have found this dimplex one hasn't hiked up the power bill too noticeably which is an added bonus - it sits at around 19-20degrees. The twins have been swaddled since day one using the Love to Dream arms up swaddles. As soon as we pop them in their swaddle or "Bat suit" as we call it, their wee eyes start to roll back in their heads. This is the first sign for them that they are about to have a sleep. We are currently in the process of transitioning them in to Sleepy Hugs swaddles which are a looser fit and I guess more similar to a sleeping bag with cuffed sleeves which still cover their wee hands, giving them more movement and allowing them to be able to roll around in their cots using their arms and legs - a much safer option for once your baby starts to roll. The transition is going smoothly so far by still having their body wrapped tight with a wrap and their arms more freer, and we will slowly loosen the wrap around so they get used to having more freedom. When we take them to their bedroom, it is all ready for sleep. Its dark, warm and we have the glow dreaming machine on. The Glow Dreaming is our newest and most helpful sleep aid addition to the twins bedroom - it has replaced our nightlight, pink noise machine and humidifier and I can't recommend it highly enough - this is probably up there as one of my top purchases for the twins, I even took it to my parents when we went for the weekend to keep our routines in place! (We got ours from www.sleepytot.co.nz) This runs all night with the pink noise at the highest level, the red light on the dimmest setting and the humidifier on with which ever essential oil I deem appropriate for that night, whether it be the twinkle star or a nose, throat chest one if they are under the weather. If we go in during the night, we brighten the red light if we need more light and in the morning when its "time to wake" we will change it to the relaxing, calming green light. We then give them their dummy and cuddly which they snuggle in to. All of our children have had dummies to help them settle and we have had no issues with ditching them when the times comes. The twins also have a cuddly rag type square which they seem to love (me, not so much - especially as it worries me that should we loose one, I have no idea where I would buy one to replace it, so if they are going to have a cuddly/toy that they are attached to, I personally would rather it be something I can find easily in store, should I need to replace it). I am slowly trying to switch this to the sleepy tot bunny which feels similar but I'm not having too much success as they burrow their wee faces in to the cuddly to fall asleep - so in the meantime I'll go with what is working.. My sleep is way too important! Next up, we turn on the Lulla Dolls which we were lucky enough to be gifted. These are so awesome and have worked so well with Zoe and Jack - although I do put that down to the fact that until we got the Glow Dreaming machine they had been using a pink noise which was a heartbeat and womb sounds so the lulla doll really replaced this. They go everywhere with us - are used for all day sleeps as well, whether at home, in the pram or at friends houses. The only down side to them is that I have to replace the batteries often, as we have them running all night long and then for all day naps as well. I have ended up buying rechargeable batteries which is working well so far! We also use the Shusher for the first 30minutes they are in bed to assist with settling, and this is also used if they stir or wake during the night for resettling. My shusher goes everywhere with me, and is always in my nappy bag when we are out of the house! Finally a kiss, and a "goodnight" and we leave the room. My biggest thing is that once we have put them in to their bedroom for sleep, we don't bring them out until its time to wake up - all resettling is done in that sleep environment.
I'd love to hear what works for others, drop me a message with your go to's for sleep! This is not a debate on what method of feeding your baby is best. All parenting decisions are deeply rooted with intense emotions and your decisions all come back to personal experiences and preferences, making this topic (along with the topics of sleep and vaccines) very controversial in the parenting world! [Please note: This is my experience, how I do things and not necessarily the “right” way to do things!] As I’ve muddled my way through formula feeding my babies I have found a few things that make life easier which I have pretty much answered in the questions below. With my first baby I was guilt ridden, I felt like everyone was judging me over my decision to feed my baby formula. Really, I had nothing to feel guilty about – I had tried to breastfeed, I persevered for around two months, I tried syringe feeding, finger feeding, nipple shields – you name it, I tried it but when it came down to it, it just wasn’t for me – I was a much better mum once I changed over to formula feeding! With my second baby I tried to be strong and straight up about my plans, when the hospital midwives came in to help me with getting her to latch to the breast soon after birth I straight up told them that they could help, but as soon as I got home she would be going on to formula. From that moment on, I felt like I didn’t get checked on as often and decided to discharge myself the next day. The early newborn days with Ruby were completely different to those with Paige – I spent the days gazing at my beautiful baby (whilst wrangling a toddler) happily feeding her bottles, chatting to her, cuddling her and overall just having a lovely nice experience forming bonds with my new baby which is something I look back and feel was compromised with Paige due to the fact that I was dreading each feed. Fast track to now and my decision to formula feed the twins. I told my midwife from day one that I am a bottle feeding mum and it was written in my notes, so straight after birth the twins were given a bottle and we were shown where all the bottle feeding supplies were at the hospital for during our stay there. I found everyone really supportive and I felt no guilt what so ever. It has been 5 years since I was feeding my babies and things have changed or I’ve forgotten and I found that when it came to finding out information it was rather tricky to find. Don’t get me wrong, I understand all about the ‘baby friendly initiative’ and the reasons why this is in place, but I also think that once you have made an informed decision to formula feed there should be somewhere you can go to get some information or advice and you shouldn’t have to keep explaining yourself, giving reason for your decision. For info on the baby friendly initiative: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK153464/ You can’t even go on to the nurture formula website without having to click that you understand that breast is best and that you have talked to a health professional regarding your decision to formula feed. While in hospital we had to sign to say that we were artificially feeding our babies and that we understood breastfeeding was the best option. The Formula itself is kept in a locked cabinet in a completely different room to the bottle feeding supplies and has all forms of branding removed so the hospital is not seen to be favouring a certain kind. Being a multiple club member I can order formula in bulk from the supplier but in order to do this I need, not only proof of my membership and also a letter from a health professional stating that I have made an informed decision to formula feed. This doesn’t really seem right to me, once you have made a decision which isn’t an easy one to begin with, you then have all these ‘road blocks’ in place, if this doesn’t start to make a mother feel guilty about her decision you then get all the assumptions from people that you are of course, breast feeding. I would love to see a change in the way we all think – can it not just be called infant feeding? Why breast feeding or formula feeding or as they call it in the hospital - artificially feeding! Stop with the assumptions, the judgments, the guilt trips! Let’s be accepting, understanding and kind! Questions and Answers:What supplies do I need/are useful to have for bottle-feeding?
If you choose to formula feed right from birth, how many mls would you offer your baby? The twins were the first babies of mine that were fed formula right from birth. We offered them 20mls each as soon as they had been checked over. They slowly took that amount over a period of time... it was slow going haha! By a week old my babies were taking 50mls, and now at 3-4weeks old they are taking 75-100mls. How do I choose a formula? In New Zealand, infant formula manufacture is governed by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) so you cant really go wrong when it comes to making your decision – one brand is not superior to another. Different formula may suit different babies and parents. I haven’t had to go down the route of trying different types – (goats milk formula, Hydrolysed formula, Lactose free infant formula, Reflux infant formula, Allergy and soy formula or Extensively Hydrolysed Formula) but they are out there, and there is always a different option to try should a standard formula not suit your baby. Is the most expensive formula the best? Again due to the strict standards price has no bearing on whether a formula is the best. All formulas must meet the same regulations to be sold in NZ and will be a good choice if breast milk is not an option. Choose a formula that fits your budget. Is Gold formula better than standard? Once again due to the strict standards Gold formula is not necessarily going to be better for your baby than standard. Standard formula contains all the nutrients in the amounts that the infant formula regulations specify. Gold formula contains extra ingredients that the regulations state MAY be added. Therefore, gold formula will be nutritionally complete and balanced and may provide additional benefits. How can I come to terms with my guilt around formula feeding? Firstly why are you feeling guilty? Is it due to what others are thinking/feeling? Is it due to the fact that “breast is best”? Whatever the reason behind your guilt, you do not need to be feeling this way!! My experience is I felt so guilty not being able to breastfeed my first baby, I didn’t want her to miss out so I persevered for around 2 months hating every minute, dreading hearing my baby cry because it meant I had to get a boob out again. With my 2nd baby I started her on formula as soon as I got home from the hospital… and I soon realised it was actually my first baby that missed out…. on having a happy mum! My second baby received the benefits of more cuddling, more talking, more LOVING. I didn't even realize with my first baby how much time and energy went into overcoming my difficulties breastfeeding, and not into cherishing all the first moments with her. I'll never know how much we both missed, and wish I had stopped sooner. Some women have an easy time breastfeeding. If you are not one of these women, don't beat yourself up. Let go of the mummy guilt’s because when mum is unhappy, everyone suffers! What’s the go with sterilising bottles etc? It’s recommended that you sterilize your bottles for the first 12months to kill any harmful germs that may be clinging to the surfaces of your bottles or bottle-feeding equipment. I personally become a bit slack on this once my children are moving around picking up things off the ground, sucking on toys, patting the dog etc. I have chosen to use a microwave steriliser as it means I can quickly wash bottles, chuck them in the sterilser with some 300ml of cold water and zap them in the microwave for 3minutes and they are done! You can also boil your bottles in a pot or use Milton tablets. If I choose not to breast feed, will my milk still come in? Yes, your milk will still come in around day 3. I couldn’t find any info on what to do to help in the situation when you don’t want to breastfeed. The biggest thing I found was not to stimulate the breast at all as you want to try eliminate milk being made. It is really quite uncomfortable, but just hang in there and it will only be about 4 days before your body gets the message that you aren’t using the milk and starts absorbing it. I wore 2 firm bras and then a tight shape wear singlet over top, which (sounds disgusting) I didn’t remove for about 4 days. You will find if you have a hot shower that your breasts will leak so I chose to have by back to the water flow or to take a bath instead. Cabbage leaves can help to soothe and I also used ice packs. I’m worried I wont have the same emotional attachment to my baby if I bottle feed, what’s your thoughts/experience on this? I believe that bottle-fed babies form the same attachments and bonds with their mother as breast-fed babies (they may even form stronger bonds with Dad, due to the fact that he can do some feeding as well). Holding your baby, comforting your baby, and feeding your baby when they are hungry is the foundation for establishing a strong emotional bond It is important to remember:
Not every mother is physically or emotionally able to breastfeed her baby. Lack of milk supply, latching issues, poor infant weight gain, depression, illness, adoption, surrogacy, and beyond are all possible reasons a mother may not breastfeed. For other mothers it’s a personal choice not to breast feed. You don’t know what a mother has been through in order to come to her decision on how to feed her baby and really, it doesn’t affect you – so BE KIND! The Mountain Buggy Duet (with cocoons):This buggy is such a dream to push and it even fits through all the door ways in my house, so the babies can be with me anywhere, whether I am cooking dinner or reading the big kids a bed time story! Looks oh so styley in grey and black, but can be purchased in an array of colours. I am yet to try it out on the tracks around Wanaka, but there is no doubt in my mind that this is the perfect twin buggy for pavement or trails. I also purchased the Cocoons to go inside so it’s the perfect snug little bed. This buggy is $999 and the cocoons are $120 each. Angelcare Monitor (with breathing sensor pads):Total peace of mind for me, I can even sleep through the night like my husband haha, I don’t feel like I am constantly waking up through the night to go and check on my babies. I feel confident knowing that should they stop breathing in the night, the alarm will sound and wake me. I have used these monitors with all my babies and can't recommend them enough. They have a few different options to choose from on the digital parent display, they show the temp of your babies room and also have a talk back option which is fab when you are reminding hubby to turn off the monitors before taking the baby out of the cot. Quite a pricey item at $399 each, but totally worth it in my opinion. These can be purchased at www.babycity.co.nz Capsules with bases: (I purchased the Phil and Teds capsules and bases, I chose them due to the amount of padding around the head area and also the type of fabric they were made from. It felt really breathable, which we need in the heat here in Wanaka. They are also super light, perfect for carrying around two filled with babies at the same time. I never bothered with bases for my other babies, but with the twins I wanted to make things as easy as possible when it came to getting 4 kids in and out of the car. They are slim enough to fit three seats across the back seat, I also have a Phil and Teds Booster in there for Ruby and Paige. These worked out to be $249 per capsule and $149 per base. *side note: I drive a Holden Trailblazer which is a 7 seater and perfect for 4 kids who are all in carseats* Boon Grass drying rack:This is a must when it comes to bottle feeding! So easy to keep clean and perfect for keeping all your bottles together ready for when you need them. I believe there is also a wee tree and flower you can attach for hanging the lids on. These are super handy for the amount of bottles we need with 2 babies. These can be purchased for $29.99 at www.booborbottle.co.nz for the smaller one or $45.99 for the bigger one. Love to Dream swaddles:All of my babies have loved being swaddled, but they also love having their wee hands up around their face to hold their dummies. These swaddles are perfect for this and come in a range of colours and sizes. They are $44.95 at www.babycity.co.nz A feeding Journal:This has been really important this time round. Hamish and I have done some feeds solo through the night and it means that when the other person gets up they can see exactly how much each baby had and at what time. We don’t bother recording when they woke or fell asleep, but could be handy for those first time parents to look back on as when you are sleep deprived you seem to forget and all the hours roll in to one. I have been using a ‘newbies’ one which can be purchased at www.newbies.co.nz for $19.99. Avent Soothies:These pacifiers/dummies have been great to sooth the babies in between feeds. They are so soft, don’t leave marks on babies face and don’t press to in them while you hug them. They are a big YES! From me. They can be purchased at www.pharmacydirect.co.nz for $18 for a 2 pack. Capsule covers:These have been so great for keeping the weather off the babies, whether it be the sun, rain or wind. It has also stopped people from poking and touching them, which i have been pretty careful about with the latest national outbreak of whooping cough. There is lots of different brands out there if you look around, but I got these ones from www.hearmeroarkids.co.nz for $26.99 each. They have lots of different designs to fit all styles and tastes!
As shared at www.boobnbottle.co.nz on mama chat Monday!Tell us the first word that comes to mind when you think of your feeding journey?
I have a couple. The first being "Depressing" and then second being "stressfree". 2. What best describes the way you feed your child/children? My 1st child was breastfed for the first 10 weeks before going to formula, my 2nd child was on formula the day we got home from the hospital and I plan to put the twins (Due in March) straight on to formula as well. 3. Did you ever feel embarrassed bottle-feeding or breastfeeding in public? Yes and No... Initially I was embarrassed that I had chosen to give up on the breastfeeding journey and switch to formula, I hid the fact that I was formula feeding for weeks - mainly due to the stigma against formula feeding and the pressures to breastfeed - from not only professionals but at the time, what felt like everyone. I now have no problems at all saying I am a bottle mama, breastfeeding is not for me. You are always going to get strong advocates for 'breast is best' but as long as you know in your mummy heart that you have made the best decision for you and your baby, that's all that matters! 4. Are there any products that made your feeding journey easier? Having a microwave steriliser was a game changer, so easy even hubby could do it haha, to be honest, i didn't really find any particular bottles that were better than others, it's just what works for you. The biggest thing I found (although not a product) was talking to other formula feeding mums and hearing all their tricks of the trade as there is not a lot of information around and I found that professionals were reluctant or unable to impart knowledge on formula. 5. If you could give a new mum once piece of advice what would it be? Listen to your gut instinct, what you believe is best for you and your baby, will be the best! Everyone is on their own journey and their experiences and preferences will be completely different to yours. 6.Do you think mothers feel pressure from society regarding feeding? Yes/No If yes why? Yes, the pressure is very real! For me, it felt like I wasn't given an option as to the different feeding options. Right from the start at my anti-natal class, it was discussed in depth about breastfeeding while formula or bottle feeding was completely pushed to the wayside because 'breast is best right?'. Surely in this day and age mums should be allowed to make informed choices by being told all about both options. Then once I had made my decision to bottle feed, there was no-one to go to, to tell me how to choose what formula was best for my baby, that I needed to sterilise bottles or how long I could keep my made up formula before it needed to be tipped out - all of my findings were from 'Dr Google' and my lovely fellow formula feeding Sister in law. The number of people who have in passing said 'oh its going to be interesting feeding two babies', 'you're going to be like a milking machine' is ridiculous - I am very straight up now and tell others right out that my babies are going straight on to formula. There has been a few raised eyebrows and questioning of my decision, when really would you question a mother on her decision to breastfeed? 7.What do Mum's need to do more of to support other mums? I think we need to be more respectful of our fellow mums, don't make assumptions about each others feeding practices, and don't be judgemental when it comes to other mums choices on how to feed their baby because at the end of the day 'fed is best' and "a happy mum means a happy baby'! Anna's StoryI had a traumatic birth with my first baby, she wouldn't latch well to the breast and to be quite honest I hated the feeling of it. I persevered due to (what felt like) the pressures of my midwife and plunket nurse, I tried different feeding positions and nipple shields until I got to the point where I was a very unhappy mama, who was dreading hearing the cry of her newborn baby as that meant getting a boob out again. I was crying all the time, I dread leaving the house, I couldn't love my baby - I was having some major mummy guilts! Until..... I made the decision to get some formula and give that a go, Paige took to the bottle straight away and I never looked back. When talking to my family and friends about this time they said my whole demeanour changed once I made this decision, I was back to my happy, go lucky self and all of a sudden I loved my baby, I was enjoying that special new born stage with my new baby... but alas that mum guilt was still hanging around and it was a few weeks before I actually came clean with my midwife and plunket nurse about swapping to formula feeding. They were both really understanding and shocked that I had felt I had to hide this decision from them when they were there to support me. When it came to baby number 2, I had planned right from the get-go that she would get colostrum while I was in hospital and then straight on to formula. If I'm honest, I felt really judged while in hospital - the midwives came around with offers to help get Ruby to latch and I told them straight out that she was going to be on the bottle as soon as we got home, I then found I wasn't getting checked on as often as before (whether this was due to the fact it was my 2nd baby or to the fact I was bottle feeding I'm not sure). I was a very relaxed mum with baby number 2, it was a completely different experience to the first time round. so this is the feeding journey I will be taking with the twins when they arrive as well, my mental health is far too important to be messed around with, trying to run a household with two school-aged children and two newborns is going to be an interesting, possibly struggling time without compromising my own wellbeing. Hamish, myself and my cousin Alex (who is a 4th year medical student and is following us for her long posting in maternity) arrived in Queen Mary at 8am ready for induction. Babies were at 37 weeks gestation but growth had started to drop off. Mondays are C-section day in Dunedin so the plan was to break my waters and see what happens and plan to start the syntocin drip once everyone was out of surgery and could be in attendance if needs arose. 'I had a chat with an anesetist regarding epidural and spinals and decided to go natural for the time being and see how things went, I was warned that should the second twin get in to distress and I need a C-section, I would be given a general anesthetic but that things were all looking really good with both babies being head down. I then had a student come and ask whether I was okay with him attending my birth, as it was his last day on the delivery ward and he hadn’t seen a vaginal delivery yet, I thought 'hey what the heck, what’s one more person in the room right?' Waters were broken at around 9.30am and contractions started around 8am and I was in established labour by 11am. I was hooked up to a CTG machine to monitor the babies , and a scalp clip was attached to Zoe. This was my first labour and birth without having pain relief, baby 1 I had a spinal, baby 2 I had an epidural. I was plodding along thinking this isn’t so bad after all – I can totally do this with just gas. Getting cheesy photos in between contractions and chatting away to two of my besties in a group messenger chat until things got heavy. At 1.20pm I felt the urge to push and little Zoe joined us at 1.25pm – baby perfection! So the burn was nothing I had experienced before and Ouch Man, I had to go through that again… I was pretty hesitant to push again, but with everyone’s support and encouragement Jack joined us at 1.40pm – baby perfection no.2! I was really firm on my decision to formula feed this time around (my feeding history is another story) and a midwife turned up soon after they were born with two bottles ready for their first feed while I delivered a massive placenta (their placentas has fused together early in the pregnancy). I was lucky enough to go through this without any trauma caused down below, so was straight in the shower soon after and off to the postnatal ward for a night before heading home the next morning to Wanaka. |