There can be many reasons mothers are not able to breastfeed. They may even have intentions but due to certain circumstances, are unable to continue past a few weeks or maybe even a few months. Remember, some is better than none and you can only do what is best for the health of you and your baby. Below is a list from www.motheringfromtheheart.com.

• Children receive the most complete and optimal mix of nutrients & antibodies
• The varying composition of breastmilk keeps pace with the infant’s individual growth and changing nutritional needs
• Have fewer incidences of vomiting and diarrhea in the US (20-35 million episodes of diarrhea occur in children under the age of 5, resulting in over 200,000 hospitalizations and 400-500 deaths in the U.S.)
• Protection against gastroenteritis, necrotizing entercolitis
• Reduced risk of chronic constipation, colic, and other stomach upsets
• Reduced risk of childhood diabetes
• Protection against ear infections, respiratory illnesses, pneumonia, bronchitis, kidney infections, septicemia (blood poisoning),
• Protection against allergies, asthma, eczema, and severity of allergic disease
• Reduced risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) Statistics reveal that for every 87 deaths from SIDS, only 3 are breastfed.
• Protection against meningitis, botulism, childhood lymphoma, crohn’s disease and ulcerative entercolits
• Decreased risk of tooth decay (cavities)
• Nursing promotes facial structure development, enhanced speech, straighter teeth and enhances vision.
• Breastfed infants develop higher IQ’s, and have improved brain and nervous system development; IQ advantage of 10-12 points studied at ages 8, 12, and 18. (Breastfeeding is considered the 4th trimester in brain growth and development…there are specific proteins in human milk that promote brain development))
• Reduced risk of heart disease later in life
• Increased bone density
• Breastfeeding plays an important role in the emotional and spiritual development of babies
• Breastfed babies enjoy a special warm bonding and emotional relationship with their mothers
• Antibody response to vaccines are higher
• Are hospitalized 10 times less than formula fed infants in the first year of life
• The colostrum (first milk) coats the GI tract, preventing harmful bacteria and allergy -triggering protein molecules from crossing into baby’s blood
• Decreased risk for vitamin E and Iron deficiency anemia
• Decreased risk for acute appendicitis, rheumatoid arthritis, inguinal hernia, pyloric stenosis
• There are factors in human milk that destroy E coli, salmonella, shigella, streptococcus, pneumococcus….and many others
• Less risk of childhood obesity

Not to mention the benefits for mom!

• Breastfeeding helps burn extra calories so prepregnancy weight can be attained at a faster rate.
• It’s a great money saving measure as formula can get expensive and so do healthcare costs for sick children.
• Children will stay healthier as they grow which means less time off of work.
• Special child/mother bonds are created.
• There is a reduced risk of anemia.
• Less risk of breast, ovarian, cervical and endometrial cancers.

No matter what, the choice is yours whether you breastfeed your baby or not. The benefits are definitely something to keep in mind and they are profound benefits. If you are having trouble making the decision, get yourself educated on the benefits, weigh your own cons and decide which is best for you and your child. After all, the children are most important.

Do any of these questions sound familiar? You are not alone if you are a parent struggling to potty train your toddler. I have done it twice and really can’t tell you I used any type of “science”. Something just finally worked. Recently a family member and I spoke about her difficulties in potty training her nearly 4 year old son. “He shows no interest and simply refuses to go on the potty!” What do you do when you feel like you’ve tried everything? Rewards, bribes, threats, those pants-free weekend potty retreats- NOTHING WORKS! My advice for her, “It may be time to relax and back off for awhile.”

After you are sure there are no medical reasons for your child’s refusal to use the toilet, it may be that they are not mentally ready for this step or it may be pure stubborness. Sometimes they learn that by NOT going on the potty gets them more attention than possibly going on the potty would so taking a step back can often help make the transition. When your child realizes they do not get attention for going potty in their pants/diaper, they just may quit. Natural consequences may take their course such as them noticing other children their age going on the potty and getting praise for it.

Some children really respond to the reward system of learning. If you know there is something your child really enjoys or really wants, I say use it! Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Make it as small as possible because it can get expensive. My oldest child responded well to getting a sticker for his chart (see below)each time he went potty. After a designated number of stickers were obtained, he received a prize of his choice. On the other hand, my 2nd born needed no reward and simply went in his own sweet time. He was potty trained by about age 3 and that was just fine in my book.

Most importantly, don’t get too frustrated. It can seem embarrassing when you feel your child should be potty trained yet she refuses. In actuality, it has nothing to do with you. Your child will use the potty when she is good and ready (medical issues aside) and you can’t do much at changing that. Figuring out the personality of your child and how to handle it is a very helpful tool to get you through this time. The books below are some of my favorites for this sometimes less than desireable hurdle in your toddler’s life.

Potty training chart: Chart and Stars

Moms have such an important place in the home. They often wear many “hats”. Moms are caregivers, nurses, teachers, maids, psychologists, bankers, referees, nurturers and the list goes on and on. Some moms find being at home with their children a very fullfilling job and couldn’t dream of anything else. These moms don’t feel they need the extra income to survive and prefer to be at home. Other moms are quite unhappy at home and do not provide the home environment they would like due to their dislike of working as an At-Home-Mom. Many moms do not have a choice and must work outside the home for monetary reasons. No matter what your choice in parenting, I feel, the most important choice is not quanitity but quality.

Think of it this way…what if you decided to stay home with your children but your heart was not in it. You became resentful and spent most of the time yelling at them. You distance yourself from them since, after all, they are the reason you are home and miserable. You never play games, never talk about their day and never take the time to teach them those valuable life lessons. Does that sound like a nurturing place for a child to blossom? Or…

You have decided that working is what you need and want to do for the present time. After work you take time to sit with your children, ask them about their day, have some special play/snuggle time and make sure your child knows you are there for them to love and support them no matter what.

Which scenario sounds like the better option for your child? If being a stay-at-home-mom is what you really love to do then it is definitely the best choice! But, if you find yourself having to work for various reasons, make the most of the situation. Have no guilt! Your children can and will grow up to be wonderful people. Remember it’s the quality of time you spend with them not quantity.

Need a job? Try Get Childcare Jobs

The problem; the sling holds the infant in a “c” shape which can force the chin into the chest. This position can restrict or even completely block the breathing passageway. Another problem is that the infant can be pushed into the carrier’s chest which can also block oxygen from getting to the infant’s airway.

New information out in late March stated a recall of 1 million Infantino Baby Slings. The two models being recalled are “Slingrider” and “Wendy Bellisimo”. Reports state 3 children died in these slings last year alone. Consumers are instructed to cut off the tags of their slings, contact the Infantino company and a choice of replacement products will be offered in exchange for the voluntary recalled product.

14 deaths have been reported from the use of the baby slings.

1. My rule for hormonal middle-schoolers: Keep your hands where I can see them.

2. My first year of teaching, a fifth-grader actually threw a chair at me. I saw him recently, and he told me he just graduated from college. That’s what makes it all worthwhile.

3. I have parents who are CEOs of their own companies come in and tell me how to run my classroom. I would never think to go to their office and tell them how to do their jobs.

4. We don’t arrive at school 10 minutes before your child does. Andwe don’t leave the minute they get back on the bus. Many of us put in extra hours before and after school. Often, our work has to go home with us too.

5. We are not the enemy. Parents and teachers really are on the same side.

6. The truth is simple: Your kid will lie to get out of trouble.

7. Encourage your child to keep reading. That’s key to success in the classroom at any age.

8. We can tell the difference between a parent helping their child with homework and doing it for them (especially when they’re clueless in class the next day).

9. Teaching is a calling. There’s not a teacher alive who will say she went into this for the money.

10. Just because your child says he did his homework doesn’t mean it’s true. You must check. Every night.

11. Teaching is not as joyful as it once was for many of us; we get jaded too. Disrespectful students and belligerent parents take a toll on us.

12. Parents give their kids the pricey gadgets and labels, but what kids really crave is for you to talk to them. They want to know you are interested in their lives.

13. We spend money out of our own pockets to buy things our students need, such as school supplies and even shoes.

14. Supportive, involved parents are crucial. But some are “helicopter parents”–they hover too much.

15. Having the summer off is great, but many of us have to take on extra jobs–teaching summer school, tutoring–to make ends meet. Much to contrary belief, we do not get paid for these months “off”.

16. Success is not achieved by just making kids memorize flash cards and prepping them for an Ivy League school. Sensible parents know there is a college for every kid, and that responsibility and good citizenship are what really drive success.

17. Nobody says “the dog ate my homework” anymore, but we hear a lot of “I left it on the kitchen table.” And then Mom will send in a note to back up the story.

18. We wish parents would make their kids own up to their actions instead of pressuring us to bend the rules.

19. Please stop doing everything for your child and allow them to make mistakes. How else will they learn? Kids are not motivated to succeed because they feel their parents will bail them out every time.

20. There are days when I just want to quit, but then that one smile from that one kid, changes it all.

21. Public education really isn’t free. We still need extra donations of supplies, kleenex, soap etc. Otherwise, we end up paying for it out of our own pockets.

22. Moving your child away from the “problem” doesn’t really solve the problem at all in most cases. It sends the message to your child that running away is the best way to solve problems.

23. Children learn by example, so be a good one!

24. Teachers truly love children. If not, you can bet we wouldn’t put ourselves through this tough of a job every day.

25. Nothing makes me smile more than a child saying “I love school so much I didn’t want to stay home”. That truly makes it all worth while.

Sources: American Federation of Teachers; interviews with elementary and middle school teachers in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, and Texas.

Every day I step into my classroom I learn a new lesson. This is what I love most about teaching. Children are so honest, fresh, and gentle. It is what they are exposed to that changes that. The longer we can keep them children the sweeter they are and I enjoy every minute of them. This is not to say some days I have less patience and some days I just wish I could curl up with a cup of tea on the couch but most days, I truly love what I do and I wouldn’t change it for the world. If there was one thing I would like the parents of my students to know it would be that I truly love their children. I care about them as individuals, not just as a student in my classroom and in order for education to be a success, we need to work as a team. It takes 3… you, me and your child. When we have that, your child will be a sure success!

Children are my present and everyone’s future so we must nuture them the right way. After all, one of them will be devising a plan for our healthcare someday.