SAHM Survival Tips!

It's been almost three years that I've been a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM). Imagine all that I could have done in that three years..be it furthering my education, working, or even traveling the world like what most of my peers are doing/have done. I'll admit it that at times I do wonder about all the possibilities, but the the truth is I really wouldn't feel right leaving Kaitlin in the care of someone else be it the grandparents, helper or childcare option.

Most people have the misconception that being a SAHM is all fun and that we lead the tai tai life. People assume we get to watch the kids grow up and just spend our day playing with them. Yes, we do that..but we also do alot more like cooking for them, showering them, picking up after them, researching and doing fun activities with them and the one that's the hardest..disciplining them. Yes, just like how you have a full-time job, we have one as well. In fact, most times we work 24/7. It's not easy, and even till today I find myself struggling at times. Thankfully though, I've realised and learnt certain things during my SAHM journey that I would like to share with you:


Planning
Planning is so very important for a SAHM. Trust me, whether it's sitting down at the table and planning your to-do list or planning it in your head, just do it.

This includes planning activities for your kids, meal planning, planning for outings and the list goes on.

I find that it helps me feel less stress and more prepared for the day/week. I know what I've to do, what I've to prepare and what to expect and in turn a less stressed mom means a happier mom.

What I find helpful is to write up a to-do list at the start of the week. Whether or not I follow through with all the things (trust me, I have yet to cross everything off so chill if you can't finish doing everything), at least I know what I've to do. I feel pretty accomplished when I manage to check off a few things and that sort of also gives me encouragement that I will be able to get through the entire week.

When I'm on the go or putting Kaitlin to sleep, I'll spend time planning as well. I'll just plan on my phone and I find that I've more time to do other stuff this way.


Prepping
Similar to planning, prepping helps a whole lot instead of leaving things to the last minute. Trust me, you don't want to be in situation when you are rushing to get everything ready while having a toddler clamouring for your attention

If you know where you and your bub will be heading to the next day, pack the night before after he/she has gone to bed. If not, wake up a little earlier to pack.

If you are going to be cooking that day, prepare the your ingredients while your child is asleep, and if you've more time you can even start cooking, that way the meal will be ready when your child wakes up and you can give time your full attention.


Meals
I personally feel that homecooked meals are the best for our kids. Not only is it cost-efficient, it is also healthier. It may seem like alot of hard work, but trust me it's not.

Firstly, cooking in batches will help you to save time, and you have a ready supply of food kept in the freezer should there be a day when you simply aren't able to cook and manage the kids. I usually cook big portions of soup, stock and sauce and then store them.

A good way to save space is to first store them in ice cube trays in the freezer, and then remove and transfer them into ziplock bags. Don't forget to label the bags so you know when you should finish them by.

Steam or bake. These two are my favourite methods of cooking for Kaitlin as they are healthy, and most importantly you don't have to constantly check on the food or be busy stir frying at the stove while looking after the kids.

There are lots of recipe ideas on the net and even baby cookbooks you can borrow from the library. Give it a try, and you'll realise it's not all the hard.


Involvement
I try to involve Kaitlin as much as I can when I'm trying to get things done. This helps me to keep her occupied, she learns new things along the way and I get to keep a close eye on her.

This includes cooking, simple chores, and preparing materials for our activities. Of course, do exercise caution. For cooking, I let her do simple tasks like cracking a hardboiled egg and cutting a banana with a butter knife.

Kaitlin loves to help me with hanging out the laundry. I only let her carry the clothes from one room to the other and I do the actual hanging myself. As for preparing materials, I let her grab her own art materials other than those that are sharp like scissors or items that are hard to reach.

Involve the kids as much as you can even when clearing up. Throwing the rubbish away, wiping the table after and keeping their toys away. This might not make the cleaning up process easier for you at the start (they make more of a mess) but it teaches the kids about independence and responsibility and in the long run when they get the hang of it, they'll actually be helping you out.


Outings
I find that bringing Kaitlin out makes not just her, but also myself a happier person! I like to bring Kaitlin to explore new places and expose her to environments and situations that she isn't usually used to at home. It gives her a chance to socialise with other kids and I especially like how I get to teach her new concepts and vocabulary while we are out. It's a fun way of teaching her and I find that she learns better this way.

Head to an indoor playground, or if you are feeling adventurous head outdoors and expose the kids to nature at the park or beach. The Zoo, museums and supermarkets are great options as well.

Not only do we get to have fun with the kids (a bonus if the hubs can join us!), we moms get to take small breaks while the kids are exploring and playing on their own.


Rest and Relaxation
This is the most important of all and you should't deprive yourself from any rest and relaxation. If you can afford to, nap with your child when they are napping. Sleep as early as you can as well. Rest is important cos we really need all the energy when the kids are up. Also, a more rested mom means a less grumpy one. As moms, we have an endless list of things to do but the fact is we can never ever finish all of it in a day. If you can, that's great. If you can't, don't beat yourself up about it. Prioritise what's important and do what you need to first, then get some rest and continue again.

If you are able to, get the husband or anyone else your are comfortable with leaving your children with to to help you out while you take a nap or do something that helps you unwind. It could be going for a spa session, out for coffee with friends, taking a long shower (10 minutes instead of 3 minutes makes a world of difference!) or even just using Facebook for a few minutes. It can be stressful with so much to do in a day and having to deal with tantrums, so these moments really help us to take a breather so that we don't end up hollering at the kids more than we should.


That's all the tips I've got to share! I hope it helps you in one way or other. If not, don't fret cos this post is part of a daily blogging series in May started by Gingerbreadmum, where 30 other Stay At Home Moms share their tips on how they cope.

Next up on the blog train is Adeline:

Apart from being a SAHM, Adeline from accidental-mom-blogger.com also took the opportunity to pursue her passion in jewelry making while juggling her time looking after her children for the past 13 years. Although her children are now in their teens, she recalls and share the times she coped when her children were much younger.

Kaitlin is 32 Months Old!

Kaitlin is growing up so fast that my once innocent newborn has now become quite the rebel and has even developed a sense of humor.

In the past month..

Kaitlin has been pretty expressive with her emotions, be it frustration or excitement she shows it all
She's able to joke with us
We are able to hold longer conversations with her
She has been using manners like "please", "thank you", "no thank you" and "excuse me". Sometimes prompting is needed, and she would know what she should say.



Able to identify right and wrong actions. Like hitting and kicking is wrong. She does it, but she understands it's not right.
Loves wearing her raincoat
Able to carry an umbrella on her own and shelter herself
Can hold a pencil with a thumb and two fingers
Is able to join dots
Able to draw simple shapes like square and circle



Current favourite fruits: bananas, watermelon, grapes, papaya
Current favourite foods: xiao long baos, buns, noodles, waffles and cake
She is able to recall certain events that have happened even after a week
Did her first tunnel crawl and tunnel slide!
Interacts with kids at the playground
Likes to climb up and downs stairs
Loves bouncing on the bed
Runs very fast and able to avoid most obstacles

Can recognize most upper case alphabets and some lower case alphabets
Understands the concept of now, later, today and tomorrow
Participates in cooking activities together
Is able to crack and peel the shell of hardboiled eggs
Learnt how to peel a banana skin
Able to help herself to drink water in the middle of the night

Review: Mustela Stelatopia Range - Skincare for babies and toddlers with Dry Skin

Where it comes to matters concerning Kaitlin, I'll admit that I can get pretty fastidious about the food she consumes, hygiene matters and especially the products that we use on her.

I'll make it a point to always read up about the products, do the usual Google search and read reviews about the product before actually letting her use it.

Since Kaitlin has slight eczema, I am very careful with the skincare products that we use on her. She'll be scratching during day time and will tell us about how itchy it is. At times, she'll even cry about it and get cranky. The worst is how it disturbs her slumber at night.

Despite using the prescribed steroid creams from our paediatrician, Kaitlin's eczema problem still exists, and when they flare up it can get pretty bad. That's why besides the creams, I have also tried different skin care products on her. In fact we've already tried out four different baby/toddler body soap brands on her. Her condition has improved slightly with the change of soaps and creams, but I'm still on the lookout for any other products that might improve her skin condition and help soothe the itchiness.

When Mustela sent over their Stelatopia range of products, I couldn't wait to let Kaitlin give it a try. Afterall, Mustela has been a trusted brand that moms have been using on their babies and toddlers.

In case you didn't know, Mustela products are hypoallergenic and contain no parabens, phenoxyethanol, phthalates or alcohol, which makes it safe for even newborns with the most delicate skin.

The Mustela Stelatopia range has been specially designed for newborns and toddlers who have atopic dermatitis. The great thing about this range is that sunflower distillate oil which has a rich content of Vitamin E and essential fatty acids with antioxidant, nourishing, firming and regenerating properties is included.

Kaitlin herself was excited to try out the new bodycare products when I showed them to her!

For the past two weeks, we've been using the Mustela Stelatopia Cleansing Cream whenever we give Kaitlin a shower. At the least, that's two times a day. I like how the practical pump dispenser makes it easy for Kaitlin to soap herself. Besides that, I noticed that the cleansing cream has no strong scents which makes me feel at ease that the product does not contain perfumes which might irritate her already dry skin. This product contains sunflower oil distillate which soothes the skin.

Right after Kaitlin's shower I will immediately moisturize her skin with the Stelatopia Emollient Cream. According to dermatologists, the best time to apply moisturizer is right after a bath as the product would be able to trap some of the water still on the body and use it to hydrate the skin. Kaitlin likes doing it herself as well and would remind us to do it when we are changing her.



I like how the texture of the emollient cream is smooth and does not sting Kaitlin's skin unlike some other products we have used. It moisturizes her skin leaving it supple and yet does not have a sticky after-feel which can get pretty uncomfortable especially in our humid weather. This product contains both sunflower oil distillate and plum oil which softens the skin.

Before we started using the Mustela products, Kaitlin had frequent eczema flare ups on parts of her skin, such as the back of her knees. I applied the Stelatria Purifying Recovery Cream on her skin two to three times a day and noticed a reduce in skin irritation and an improvement in her skin appearance.

Overall, I'm pretty impressed with the Mustela Stelatopia range. Within the two weeks that we tried the products, Kaitlin's skin condition has improved. Her eczema problem still exists, but it is definitely more controlled with lesser flare ups and we've also noticed that the itchiness has reduced.

Seeing the results thus far, I do think that using the products over a prolonged period of time would have more effective results on her skin. Moreover, I do like how the products are safe and contain natural ingredients.

Having had pretty bad eczema when I was young and even with occasional flare ups now, I do understand how frustrating eczema can be as there is no real cure. As such, for reduced irritations and itching, and a reduction in skin dryness I do recommend giving the Mustela Stelatopia range a try.

Disclaimer: I received the Mustela Stelatopia range of products for the purpose of this review. All opinions and views are my own and was not influenced by any external factors.

Good Friday & Easter Weekend

The long weekend last week was just what I needed (yes, even as a SAHM a long weekend is better than a regular weekend cos that means an extra pair of hands to help out around the home!), and I was happy that I managed to spend time with people that matter the most.

Spent Good Friday morning having brunch at Strangers Reunion and going to the playground with Kaitlin and her new best friend ;)

Strangers Reunion was pretty crowded and Kaitlin was restless, thankfully I could still manage her and I was surprised that I didn't have to scold her or resort to technology. That same day I had wanted to bring her to an indoor playground/go out to grab some eggs to decorate but since it was pouring heavily so we stayed home instead and did arts and craft with babygirl.

On Saturday, Daddy Li went to work while Kaitlin and I spent the morning together. We did more craft work and played around the house.

After Kaitlin woke up from her afternoon nap, we brought her to Happy Willow! It's been sometime since we last brought her to an indoor playground, and since they were having Easter activities, it was a perfect time to go.

I think it was not just a workout for Kaitlin, but a workout for us as well!

On Easter Sunday, we finally went for brunch! It was a last minute decision, but yay for spontaneous decisions like this :) We had wanted to go to Symmetry, but we had to wait quite abit so we decided to walk a little further down to Artistry and we were pleasantly surprised with the place. In fact, I actually liked that Artistry wasn't as crowded.

Daddy Li ordered the Big Breakfast and I got the Squid Ink Crabmeat Burger. Both were yummy and I definitely recommend trying out the Squid Ink Burger. The cakes on display looked lovely too, but we decided not to be piggish.

After Kaitlin's class, we checked out Shrove Tuesday to have some waffles. Kaitlin got to play at the playground nearby as well, and she totally enjoyed herself. She's getting more adventurous and is able to play independently now. 

Our weekend was a good mix of chilling around and having lots of fast-paced fun. I'm thankful for weekends like this where I get to enjoy the company of people whom I love dearly. Can't wait for the upcoming weekend :D

Kaitlin is 31 Months Old!

Kaitlin turned 31 months old last Friday! My once vulnerable babygirl is now growing up to be more independent and assertive. At the same time, she still has her moments where she wants to be carried and wants me to hold her hand when she goes to sleep. Other than the times when I'm really having difficulty carrying or attending to her, I would say that I still very much enjoy the close bond we have.

Here are some of her milestones this past month:

Kaitlin is able to identify and name fruits, veggies and animals in English and Chinese
She can also identify most uppercase alphabets
Uses adjectives
Describes objects by their colour, shape and size
Knows the difference between more and less
She can count to 20
Able to draw lines to join dots together

Kaitlin can complete 12-piece puzzles
She is able to put her laundry into the laundry bin herself

Plays more independently at playgrounds

Likes to make choices in terms of what she eats, the cup/bottle she uses, what she plays and her shoes

Will point out if we have done something wrong and tell us what we should do instead
Shows sympathy and concern

Doesn't Kaitlin look all grown up :') Not long before I'll have to start planning for her third birthday!

Tuesday Thoughts

I've been pretty busy the past week that there has been rarely any time for me to rest and I'm a person who needs my rest cos I generally fall ill very easily. I'm really thankful that despite the lack of rest and having to run around more than usual, I'm still well! I don't want to jinx it cos I honestly think I may fall ill soon, but thank goodness I'm still hanging in there and also for the existence of YL essential oils.

Another thing I'm thankful for is that Kaitlin didn't catch the nasty stomach flu bug from her class. I honestly was pretty pissed off that the school did not inform us earlier cos I would have definitely kept her away from school once I knew. Well, I didn't bring her to school yesterday, but she ended up catching a cold in the evening so I kept her away from school today as well. Needless to say I woke up quite a number of times at night but I'm thankful that it's just a flu bug and nothing serious that I can't handle. I'm really thankful that I've the chance to stay at home and care for Kaitlin, cos in situations like this I won't have to worry about her in school and I would be able to look after her myself.

Moreover, I got to spend precious time with Kaitlin! Even though babygirl attends half-day school and we spend most of the rest of our time together, I still enjoyed our extra morning together very much. It made my Monday better and I was actually feeling nostalgic. I recalled the times we would spend entire days together before she had started school. We would play at home, some days we would head outdoors to catch some sun or we would go to indoor playgrounds and on other days I would bring her with me to run errands. Yes, despite having to carry our diaper bag and her (not so light as before!), having a not-so-peaceful brekkie and rushing around..it was one of the best Mondays ever.

Aside from all that, I'm really glad for how these past few weeks has been. It's been tiring physically and mostly emotionally and at times to the point where I've questioned myself over and over again and felt like utter crap..but I guess some things in life happen for a reason and that matter alot. Some that are important to you and that you wouldn't want to risk losing or letting go, and some that you choose to ignore or forget cos it seems like the better option.

Now, I'm just hoping that babygirl recovers soon and that none of us at home gets the flu bug. Faster get well my little sweetheart <3

Linking up with:

Mid-Week Musings

Kaitlin has been very expressive these days, and it can be quite funny to see her get all dramatic, especially when she doesn't get her way and throws a tantrum. Daddy Li thinks she gets it from me..and me..I think that our little girl definitely has a potential future as a child actress.

I started teaching Kaitlin different kinds of emotions and expressions since we received the 'Today I Am' book for review. At that time, she could understand happy, shocked and sad. Now she is able to act out other emotions and is also able to identify how we are feeling most of the time.

For example, if I use a stronger tone, she will tell me to "don't 发脾气". This morning while on the way to school, I was pretend playing with her and telling her that daddy's bullying me and I'm sad. Complete with fake tears and sulking. She asked me "Daddy bully you? You sad?" I said yes, and she told me "I sayang you in the afternoon ok?" Instant heart melt moment please. It's times like these that I feel like having another baby and that dealing with two kids might not be all that bad.

Potty Training Books

I really find that reading potty training books to your toddlers will help to prepare them for what potty training is going to be like and will make them feel less afraid about it when they start.

I've only bought 2 potty training books for Kaitlin and borrowed the rest. Though Kaitlin is halfway into potty training, I intend to borrow more from the library in both English and Chinese titles.

The titles below are the ones we have:

via Amazon

This was the first potty training book I bought for Kaitlin. Back when I bought it I had not done any research about potty training at all but I thought reading such books about using the potty might be a good way to get her interested. So glad I bought it cos it definitely helped to introduce the concept of potty training to her.

via Amazon

I love reading lift-the-flap books to Kaitlin as I find them great for getting young kids like her interested and involved. I like how this book by Karen Katz is written from a child's point of view and encourages children with positive phrases.

Some other titles to check out:
Potty by Leslie Patricelli
Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi
Diapers Are Not Forever by Elizabeth Verdick
Once Upon a Potty - Girl by Alona Frankel
Once Upon a Potty - Boy by Alona Frankel

iLight Marina Bay x Pasarbella and Friends Go To Town

Thanks to Instagram, I found out about iLight Marina Bay (i know i've been living in a cave) and I just had to get our family to check it out, and I'm so glad we did cos Kaitlin loved it!

We don't usually head out in the evenings much, and even if we do we try to go to places near home so that we can get back in time for Kaitlin's bedtime, however this time we decided why not! 

In fact, we had planned to go, but when I was about to meet Daddy Li I kind of felt that it was too far and we might all get grumpy but eventually after all that indecisiveness, we made our way to the Marina area.

Since Daddy Li left work early that day to settle his citizenship matters, we got to meet pretty early and since I was feeling a little peckish (as always!) we headed to Pasarbella's pop-up event at Marina Bay Sands.

Not much was open at that time, so we just got a small bite and some booze (just a little cos Kaitlin was around!).

The roasted pork belly from Keith Crackling Roast was really good!! I even tried to offer Kaitlin some, but she wasn't interested, so more for Daddy Li and I :) 

Despite the really bad haze, it was lovely just being there with Kaitlin and Daddy Li especially since we don't go there very often. For once, it felt really chill! We roamed around outside abit more before going back into the aircon to escape from the haze. 

We ended up at Zara and omg I love this branch because it's so huge!! Anw, I think Kaitlin likes Zara too cos she was touching everything and she would let us put on stuff for her to try like scarfs and hats! That doesn't happen very often actually cos she's quite picky about stuff that we put on her and will resist at times, but not at Zara hehe. 

After roaming aimlessly, we went back out to settle our dinner at Pasarbella's pop-up market. We tried the Lobster Pasta from Oceans of Seafood and of course couldn't say no to getting an Omakase burger!

The pasta was so-so and the lobster wasn't as fresh as we had expected it to be as well, so go for it only if you are not fussy and want a filling bite. The burger from Omakase was as awesome as we last had it at The Grandstand. It's a definite must-eat!

We had no problems feeding Kaitlin at all. She totally helped herself to the truffle fries and nommed on our pasta. Daddy Li and I loved the atmosphere and I kept telling him that we totally need to return. I actually felt young and alive again! Like I said, we rarely head out at night so this was like a rare night out for all of us and I didn't feel like an old woman for those few hours. No offence to people who like to stay at home. I'm just more of a going out person, and the last few years before I gave birth I never stayed home for an entire day until my confinement period came and I had new responsibilities as a parent. That evening was really relaxing and so much more fun that just hanging out at the malls like how we usually do.

After our yummy dinner, we went to check out the light installations for iLight Marina Bay. 

We didn't finish checking out all the light exhibits but enough for Kaitlin to say that she wants to return for more! Yes, till today she still tells us that she "wants to go see the lights" and I might just give in to her small request cos afterall she did behave herself (till we got home and she went into cranky mode cos she was overtired) and it happens once a year.

iLight Marina Bay 2014 is happening till the end of March (this weekend!). I really think it's worth heading down to the Marina Bay area to check it out. It's really prettyyyyy, super romantic for couples and the kids would totally love it. 

Don't forget to check out the 'Pasarbella and Friends Go To Town' event as well for some good noms and if it gets a little crowded in the evenings, don't worry cos there are food trucks near some of the light installations. 

Why I Breastfed for 27 Months

Breastfeeding for 27 months might seem a little strange or much for some, but if you ask me I don't think it is at all. In fact, now that I've stopped breastfeeding Kaitlin I'm even more glad that I persevered through the initial tough stages of breastfeeding and continued doing what I believed in. No regrets at all.

Since I found out I was pregnant, I've been asked if I would breastfeed. Back then (I was only 19 going on 20!) I had no answer because pregnancy was a whole new thing to me. None of my peers were married, much less pregnant or have had kids so I hadn't heard anything at all. That's when I started picking up brochures about breastfeeding at the clinic and hospital and started reading up more. I decided why not since it benefits the baby? No harm trying.

I remember the first time I tried to breastfeed Kaitlin, I didn't know what I was supposed to do. How to latch? Was I suffocating her? The list of questions went on. Thankfully there were nurses to help. Though it was difficult, carrying Kaitlin in my arms and watching her feed felt like the most special moment ever. I felt so tremendously close to her, a bond that could not be broken. I actually felt that "Hey! Maybe I could do this mom thing afterall". Yeah well that thought lasted for a few seconds.

For the rest of my hospital stay, I was struggling with becoming a new mom. Don't get me wrong, I was very happy but I also felt completely lost and afraid. Afraid that I would accidentally harm my newborn. When it got to the middle of the night and I was alone, I had difficulty latching Kaitlin on. It didn't help that the mom sharing the same room as me was so very experienced (she had been breastfeeding for more than 2 years!). I felt so much pressure at that point in time I almost broke down. Imagine. Crying new born, helpless new mom. I thought of giving up.

Latching on wasn't the only problem I had to deal with. I also had to deal with my fair share of lack of support from the ones around me. The confinement nanny that we had felt that I did not have sufficient milk for Kaitlin and that was why she was crying. Obviously being first time panicky parents, the husband and I were both worried. I wanted to try exclusive breastfeeding for awhile longer, but being coerced by the nanny, Daddy Li and my mom-in-law felt it was best to give Kaitlin some formula milk. So there, we had our first conflicting views as parents. I eventually agreed as I didn't want Kaitlin to starve, but what really angered me was that they tried to give her more formula milk behind my back. Imagine how fuming mad I was that they did not respect me as the mother and would not trust my mommy instincts. No matter the information I gave them from books that I read and information online, they just wouldn't believe that it was possible to breastfeed and understand that I needed some time and to consistently latch Kaitlin on.

I continued breastfeeding and they gave formula milk to Kaitlin whenever they thought she needed it. To make sure that I had a good supply of milk, I consumed whatever suggestions and recommendations I had heard and read, like fish papaya soup, red dates longan tea and drank more fluids and ate bigger portions.

I had also wanted to directly breastfeed Kaitlin whenever she woke up in the middle of the night but the nanny gave reasons why I shouldn't. I don't know why I listened but I did and ended up expressing my milk out so that the she could feed Kaitlin using the bottle.

The next absurd thing that happened was that my confinement nanny told me Kaitlin was probably not used to my milk and that's why she kept having reflux. That's when she tried to convince us to switch completely to formula milk. Obviously I refused and she wasn't happy.

I honestly was pretty upset by all this. Though I did read up and stuff, I was still a first-time mom and having lack of support really made me feel quite down and unsure of myself.

Till today I don't own a breast pump. So how did I express my milk? I did it cave woman style! I manually expressed it with my hands, and the husband would help too. I was so uncertain as to how long I would be breastfeeding that I did not want to purchase a breast pump. Eventually when the confinement nanny left, I directly latched Kaitlin on and whenever I had excess I would just manually pump it out and store it in the freezer.

Having gone through all that, I never imagined that I would be breastfeeding Kaitlin till she was 27 months old but I'm glad I held on to what I believed was the best for her. Despite the engorgement, occasional bites from her and sleepless nights, I feel it is all worth it.

Of course along the way, I had to deal with a fair share of judgemental stares and opinions when people see or know that I'm breastfeeding a toddler, but I've learnt to just ignore it. The husband also felt that it was time for me to stop breastfeeding Kaitlin cos she is such a big girl already. He didn't rush me and I explained to him my reasons for wanting to do so and he accepted it.

I had on several attempts tried to wean Kaitlin off but I never continued cos I just couldn't bear to see her cry. I also realised that I too was not ready to let go off this bond I shared with her. I figured that maybe one day she wouldn't want to breastfeed anymore and I will take that as a sign to stop but it didn't happen.



I eventually made the decision to wean Kaitlin off as it seemed to be affecting her sleep. I kind of became a human pacifier, and she would latch on for comfort more than for milk to fill her tummy. I wanted her to be able to self-soothe and sleep through the night. In fact it was an on-the-spot decision I made while we were in bed. I thought I was kidding myself and probably would latch her back on in the middle of the night or the next day but surprisingly I didn't.

To get Kaitlin to wean off, I simply explained to her that my breasts were painful and if she were to latch they would really hurt. She did cry but she could understand what I meant as well so it wasn't a very difficult process. Distracting her with toys and activities did help alot as well.

I definitely learnt alot from this breastfeeding journey with Kaitlin:

Don't let others dictate how you should bring up your child. If you want to breastfeed, go ahead. If you choose formula milk, you're not a bad mom either. Just do what you believe is the best and that's all that matters.

Breastfeeding can be difficult at the start or even when you have got the hang of it, but if you want to continue it is possible. You might have to drink more fluids and no harm in trying foods that are said to increase your milk supply. What I feel is most important is feeling positive about it, even whether you have support or not.

Having small goals help. I initially gave myself a week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months then a year. After a year I was so happy I successfully breastfed longer than I had expected. After that it just went on.

Learning to get your baby to latch on well can be tough at first but you'll get the hang of it soon. When they become a toddler, be prepared for them to nurse in all sorts of almost yoga-like positions.

Wean when you feel you are ready. Don't be swayed by other people's opinions. You shouldn't have to feel pressured to stop nursing your child.

If your a mom struggling with breastfeeding, or a mom-to-be considering to breastfeed your baby, I hope this post has helped you feel less alone. Many at times, I did feel very alone especially without friends in such situations, but what really helped me through it was reading the stories of other moms and knowing that what may seem impossible is actually doable.

This post is a part of a Blog Train hosted by Madeline at MadPsychMum. You can read the breastfeeding journey of 23 other moms by clicking on the button above.

Next on the blog train is Estella from So Oddly Dreamlike.

Mama to a little girl named Joy, Estella is passionate about breastfeeding. She spends her time learning to cook, teach and bring up the love of her life. Estella loves make up, shoes, food and travelling and has recently return to life as an occasional singer/host.

Although Estella enjoys every breastfeeding moment now, but it hasn't always been so. The honest truth about how she managed to breastfeed for 28 months tomorrow on So Oddly Dreamlike.