The BabyLoveWrap Blog

2012-01-17T01:19:00.000-08:00

They pick on you
Play tricks on you
They talk behind your back
A hundred whispers to your one
To tempt you from your track

They mock your path
They block your path
They do it every day
For sheep aren't meant to wander off
And go the other way
They sneer at you
Put fear in you
So scared that you'll go far
And then they point and laugh at you
To cram your head with scars

They think the same
They shrink the same
When you are not afraid
And friends begin to follow you
The scars and bullies fade

You go so far
You grow so far
Proud what you became
You made it down the different path
And beat the plague of same

©2009 Mark C Bird

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

2012-01-01T10:23:00.001-08:00

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

2011-12-30T15:47:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE ON MAYIM BIALIK

I love Mayim so much. She is so smart and wise and I have such respect for her. Mayim calls herself “an accidental advocate for attachment parenting,” but still enjoys helping other moms trust their own instincts. “I don’t really think that I have any authority to write a parenting book,” she says, “so basically, I wrote what this style of parenting looks like in our own house. Well said and exactly how I stand for what I do as a mother. I don't judge others, I can only say what it looks like in my house and in my experience. Looking forward to the book!

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

2011-11-30T00:47:00.001-08:00

Unsupportive Support: Cultural Breastfeeding Ignorance...toddlers (Click Here to Read)

This is a great article on lack of support in regard to extended nursing. I've learned that support would be lovely but I don't need it nor am I afraid of the judgement. I am proud and grateful for the gift of this time and the nursing relationship I've had thus far with my boys. To those of you that are offended, what is it that bothers you so much or what are you afraid of? I'd also love to hear from those of you nursing beyond that time most people are comfortable with. How are things going for you?

Much Love, Respect and Support!

Sandy
sandy@babylovewrap.com

2011-11-23T22:25:00.001-08:00

According to the 2011 Small Business Saturday Consumer Spend Survey, 89 million people said they plan to Shop Small on Small Business Saturday. Will you be one of them?

Please join us this Saturday and Shop Small at www.babylovewrap.com

Let's support our economy and nurture our babies!

Sandy Frankfort
LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

2011-11-23T00:40:00.001-08:00

Click here to read: Interview with Mayim Bialik

This is an excellent article on one of my favorite attachment parenting mamas..Mayim Bialik!
Here's an excerpt from it....I just love her and relate to her so much. It's amazing when you find a like-minded person in the world that makes you realize you are not alone. Thank you Mayim. You have my deep respect.

"Our parenting style relies heavily on intuitive knowledge that all mammals are born with: stay close to your baby as much as possible, sleep near them, breastfeed them as if there is no other option, carry them close to your body, and don’t force them to sleep when you want them to sleep or eat when you want them to eat. We believe in honoring the human body and its ability to birth naturally and produce milk, and we believe in not viewing a baby as a manipulator or a clingy dependent being that needs to be made independent as soon as possible. Healthy dependence leads to healthy independence in time. The book includes introductions to human hormones of attachment, birth, breastfeeding, and early bonding, but it basically opens up our home to readers by showing what these principles look like in action. I don’t sugarcoat anything; it’s exhausting to be any kind of parent, and I don’t presume to know how you should parent; I simply share what works for us and how you can implement even parts of an intuitive style to make your life easier and your kids hopefully confident and secure and loved."

Her new book "Beyond the Sling" will be released in March 2012.

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

Breastfeeding-Our Country's Lactation Intolerance

2011-09-02T21:06:00.000-07:00

This is a great article about the new breastfeeding doll that is apparently creating a lot of controversy here in the US. It is just so sad to me that, for the most part, our country supports and is comfortable with bottles nourishing babies and yet, so uncomfortable with the breast as an object of nourishment. The fact that people are saying this doll is "sexualizing" children and that it "grosses them out" is appalling. I truly wish people would embrace or simply accept the beautiful and miraculous gift that our breasts were intended for. I support all of you breastfeeding mamas out there! You are amazing!

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

Today is the Day! Shop with us and get $25 back from American Express

2010-11-27T08:50:00.000-08:00

Click Here and Start Shopping

www.babylovewrap.com

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

Please shop with us at www.babylovewrap.com this Saturday and receive $25 from American Express

2010-11-23T22:35:00.000-08:00

JOIN THE MOVEMENT AND SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES, LIKE BABY LOVE WRAP

In honor of the first-ever Small Business Saturday,SM American Express® Cardmembers will be rewarded for shopping small.

Receive a $25 statement credit when you spend $25 or more at participating small businesses using your registered American Express Card. Availability is limited, so register today atSmallBusinessSaturday.com.

To be eligible for the statement credit, you must register your eligible American Express Card at SmallBusinessSaturday.com between November 8, 2010, and November 27, 2010. You may only register one Card for this offer. Using your registered American Express Card, you must spend $25 or more at participating small business merchants on 11/27/2010 to receive the $25 statement credit. Eligible merchants include any independently owned small businesses that accept the American Express Card.

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

My thoughts on Erica Jong's Wall Street Journal article, "Mother Madness."

2010-11-23T22:25:00.000-08:00

I feel compelled to share my thoughts on Erica Jong's debatable article featuring quotes such as, "Attachment Parenting comes with an exquisite progressive pedigree." She claims, "Our obsession with parenting is an avoidance strategy. It allows us to substitute our own small world for the world as a whole. But the entire planet is a child's home, and other adults are also mothers and fathers. We cannot separate our children from the ills that affect everyone, however hard we try. Aspiring to be perfect parents seems like a pathetic attempt to control what we can while ignoring problems that seem beyond our reach."

 I disagree. Aspiring to be a perfect parent doesn't mean we're going to be perfect nor would I call our attempt pathetic. I believe we are just doing our best to protect our children and raise them with an awareness and consciousness that didn't exist in previous generations. Why do so many people want to find fault with nurturing and bonding and loving our children? When my first son was born, I didn't have an attachment parent role model. I didn't even know the term existed. I didn't know if I was going to breastfeed or co-sleep and I didn't know I was going to wear my baby! It was all instinctual and I trusted myself and my love for my newborn son. People questioned me, doubted me, and judged me and I kept standing for what felt right and for the choices I was making. This debate about it binding us and imprisoning us is unfair. We all have a choice. Some women choose to stay home and do it all themselves, some women choose to go to work and some women have to go to work and wish they could be home. However you look at it, we are all doing our best. We have to accept our realities and work toward changing them if the sacrifices are too great. In parenting, just like in life, we have the power to change. If something isn't working, we can choose to turn it all around. It's up to us.   

Jong gives many reasons she feels that attachment parenting is a prison. Her true argument is that it's a prison for the working mother. She states "attachment parenting, especially when combined with environmental correctness, has encouraged female victimization. Women feel not only that they must be ever-present for their children but also that they must breast-feed, make their own baby food and eschew disposable diapers. It's a prison for mothers, and it represents as much of a backlash against women's freedom as the right-to-life movement."  

"Is it even possible to satisfy the needs of both parents and children? In agrarian societies, perhaps wearing your baby was the norm, but today's corporate culture scarcely makes room for breast-feeding on the job, let alone baby wearing. So it seems we have devised a new torture for mothers—a set of expectations that makes them feel inadequate no matter how passionately they attend to their children." 

 This is where I have the problem with her argument. This female victimization and inadequacy that she claims working mothers have is not our fault. Just because I, along with many other women, choose to be attachment parents, shouldn't put pressure on women who aren't or make them feel like imperfect mothers. Whether we choose to stay home, are given the luxury to stay home or work from home, we work just as hard as the mother that goes to work. Some women envy that mom who gets to grab her Starbucks in the morning and head to her office.  I personally love and am grateful for managing my business from home and being a stay at home mom with my boys. They run this business with me. It certainly has its challenges but I do my best and wouldn't change it. I love that we all do this together.

 None of us are perfect. I believe we all feel inadequate at some point or another if not most of the time. There are no rules. There are benefits to staying at home, working and or/ doing both and there are huge sacrifices made on both sides as well.  

 Thanks to feminism we have CHOICES. We have options. Life is about making choices and sacrifices and as a parent; your choices will always affect your kids. Again we can only do our best and only we know what that is.

I love my sons with all of my heart. They are my life. They make me want to be better every single day. They inspire me to achieve, to dream, to succeed. I want to provide a safe, secure and loving home for them. I want them to know that they can tell me anything, that they are a part of me and that I will never abandon them. I want them to never feel afraid. I’m not perfect and I don’t try to be. I suppose that is really the heart of what I Erica Jong is saying. She is asking women to stop being imprisoned by the notion of perfection. I just want to love my boys and give them everything I can while simultaneously finding the balance in my marriage, my business and my own identity as a woman. That is not prison to me. Is it easy? No. Would I change any of it? No. This is my life. This is my family. These are my choices. I am grounded in them, I am proud of them, and I will continue loving and learning every day. I will make mistakes and I will be judged along the way. I am fine with that. My love and wanting the best for my kids, will hopefully contribute to their lives in positive ways and the nurturing and bonding will be felt through their lifetimes.

  There are no rules. Women shouldn't feel imperfect or less than the mother who is doing whatever it is that they are not doing. We are all different and yet we're all the same. We are mothers. No one can take that away from us and no one, other than a mother, can truly understand the connection you have with your child and why you do the things you do. So I say, do your best, embrace this amazing role you’ve been given and enjoy every minute. It goes by too fast and I certainly can say that I will never regret my choice to be an attachment parent. It is the greatest gift I can give my boys and myself.

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

Baby Love Wrap is in the OC Register today!

2010-11-12T07:58:00.001-08:00

Click here to read article

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

LoveWrap is named a winner in StartUp Nation's Leading Moms in Business!

2010-11-10T17:20:00.000-08:00

Hi to all of my mom friends, family and everyone else who supported me in the StartUp Nation's Leading Moms in Business 2010 Competition. I am just so excited about it and I'm so proud to be amongst such strong, smart and creative women! I am back to writing again and I have so much to share with all of you. My little one is 11 months old and I just can't believe how quickly time flies! Pierce, my 2 1/2 year old is stretching out and looking like a young man already! It's all so crazy and I'm so grateful for every precious moment I spend with them. Fall is here and the weather is beautiful. Exciting stuff on the horizon...be back shortly to fill you in!
Thank you all again for your love and support!
xoxo

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

Start Up Nation Leading Moms in Business

2010-05-27T10:46:00.000-07:00

Hi my fellow moms!

Would you please be so kind and vote for my business in this competition! You can vote once a day! Thank you so, so much!!!
Please Vote Here!
Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

Adventures in tandem nursing and co-sleeping

2010-05-21T23:57:00.000-07:00

I'm in bed with both boys asleep next to me and so happy to be writing a new post! It's been too long and I've had so much to share and yet, so little time...as all mothers understand.

I'm currently nursing my 27 month old, Pierce and my 6 month old, Aston. It has been interesting and every day truly is an adventure. I love the fact that Pierce is not jealous of his brother. I believe it's because he shares and bonds in this experience that once was his and now is theirs. They hold hands, smile at each other and nurse on their Mommy with a comfort in knowing they are loved and nurtured more than anything.

I feel completely comfortable with my choices although many people will question me and certainly judge. I am ok with that. The boy's pediatrician, whom I love and respect, had "the talk" with me also. I told her that I just am not ready to let go and I know it will happen one day and it will all work out. So far, everything else has.

Co-sleeping is the greatest and tandem nursing allows me to get both boys to bed at the same time. Pierce has always co-slept with us and when we brought Aston home from the hospital, he slept so well at night right away. I just have him on the other side of me and after they both nurse, they both go to sleep. It makes for such easy access and more comfort for everyone. I usually have the tiniest bit of space for myself between them in bed because they both want to be right against me.

I can't tell you how amazing both of these experiences are. Even with the once and awhile-sleepless nights, the limited space in bed, and the physical demands of nursing two, I wouldn't change any of it for any thing. I truly understand the "Life is Short" and "It goes by too fast" sayings. I cherish and savor every single second with my boys and with my family. I do not have any regrets and the sacrifices made during this time are so worth it. One day, too soon, my boys won't be sleeping with me and won't be drinking my milk and looking up at me with their sweet and innocent eyes.

I am getting back to business with my baby wraps and starting to feel great again. After a rough pregnancy and many months of little sleep, I am feeling strong and healthy. I have so much more to say and will continue to write more often. I would love to hear about your experiences so please share with me!

There is nothing like feeding life to life. It is an absolute miracle and joy every day. I feel so lucky to have enough milk to sustain my baby boy and to nurture my big baby boy at the same time. I often say "mooooooooooooo" as I lay with both boys on my breasts at once because a cow, I can definitely relate to now!

Much Love and Luck in your own adventures.

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

Love My Boys!

2010-02-07T14:01:00.000-08:00

I'm Back! My son is 2 months old and I am getting back to business with my blog! I've missed writing and sharing. There is just so much to say! Today, I just wanted to say hello and tell you that I am so, so grateful for my sons and for my husband. I love being a mother more than anything. We went for a beautiful walk today and I just couldn't be happier. Pierce is taking his nap and Aston is asleep on me in the wrap right now. As peaceful as it is, and I need this time to catch up on "me" stuff, I just miss them and get so excited at the first peep from one of them. More stories to follow....tandem nursing, loads of milk, pregnancy ailments no more, co-sleeping adventures, etc. Enjoy Super Bowl Sunday and I'll talk to you soon!

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T20:49:00.000-08:00

Hello all,

I'm so sorry I've been out of touch. This pregnancy has been quite difficult and I've just been trying to get through each day. My lupus has been a major problem this time around and I am just so anxious to deliver this little man so we can all be comfortable and healthy again! I'm hopeful that once I give birth, my many symptoms and ailments will disappear!

I hope you all are having a wonderful Thanksgiving and I will be back in communication once my new little angel arrives and I'm back to feeling well again! He will be here any day now or perhaps any minute! Keep in touch, as I love hearing from you!

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

To Each Her Own...

2009-08-06T12:14:00.000-07:00

I am writing today about how different we all are as Mothers and how that really should just be ok. I am finding, in my experience, that people don't seem to have a problem telling me what or how to do something in terms of mothering my child. They give me their bossy opinions when I don't ask for them and they continue to tell me what I seem to be doing wrong. I find this all so interesting and of course bothersome, yet I want to make peace with it so I don't have to continue getting upset. I am a very PROUD attachment parent. I, as well as my husband, am in agreement with how we are raising our son. That is all that matters to me. Everyone else can raise their children however they choose to and you don't ever have to worry about me judging or throwing in my 2 cents about how you're doing it. So, I ask that you do the same for me. It doesn't seem to be enough that I feel completely confident and grounded in my decisions or my mothering style. I used to think that's why people felt they could say the things they did. They found a weakness and wanted to play on that. Well, I definitely don't feel weak and I definitely love the love in our home and the product of all of our choices, our beautiful son. We are all doing our best to figure things out daily in taking care of our children, our partner, and ourselves. I am sharing this because I want you to believe in yourself and know that other people who question what you are doing, especially when it's based in Love and your motherly instinct, are coming from a place that you don't have to accept. Just smile and say, "It's working for us" or "Thank you for sharing." Don't doubt yourself and try not to let it aggravate you as I have let it aggravate me. I am letting go of that and moving on. I love being a mom and my husband is a wonderful father. We are so happy and confident in our parenting style. Our son is such proof that it is all working out over here. He is a pure, sweet, kind, generous, independent and happy boy. That is once again, all that matters to me. Have a beautiful day!

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

My Family Man

2009-07-29T09:59:00.000-07:00

Of course you've seen the movie...one of my favorites, and you remember the scene where Nicolas Cage woke up one morning after being in his new life with the wife and kids and everything was different and quite scary. He was resisting the whole family thing and desperately wanted to get back to his other sexy and single life. On this particular morning however, everything clicked and he woke up, took the dog out, warmed the baby's milk, and changed a diaper.

Well, that morning took place here one day and continues occurring daily in our home now. My husband, and I love him so much, was one of those men who had somewhat of a difficult time really embracing being a father, the reality of our life and how much it changed once having our son. We struggled quite a bit for the first several months because of that. I was so in love with our son and so committed (still am) and so tired of course. I just wanted to do the best I could every day and wanted my husband to support me and at the very least, understand and not give me a hard time about the way things had changed. I would've been happy with him simply accepting our reality. That would've been enough.

I am so amazed at how much more he has exceeded my hopes and expectations as the father I knew he could be. I do believe it was one morning that I first saw it, just like in the movie. It all just connected for him and he was so into our son and so supportive of me. He truly is wonderful and the most incredible father and husband. Being pregnant, I have been so fatigued and it's been challenging doing everything that I was used to doing before. He not only changes diapers, helps out with our precious dog, Savvy, assists me around the house, etc. He now takes Pierce for walks, plays with him, reads to him, took him on his first man date out to lunch and so much more. There are just so many little things that I can't believe every day. He's such a natural.

I am just so lucky and so happy and so in love with my family. I knew he was the man I wanted to marry and I knew he would be the father I wanted for our children. It took a little time for him to adjust but, as I said, he has done so much more than that. I melt every day watching them and I am just so grateful for all of this. With our new son arriving in December, we are both so excited. Everything is going so well and both of our boys are so healthy and strong. Thank you Family Man for all that you do, for all of your love and support, and for being the man you are. I am so proud of you and I love you so much.

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

A Happy Co-Sleeping Family

2009-07-03T11:02:00.000-07:00

Well, with all of the questions and doubts and adjustments, our family has found our sleeping solution! As I mentioned previously, we were doing the whole "other room" thing and my husband and I weren't sleeping together as I was sleeping with my son. We were going to try the "daddy calms him in the middle of the night in his crib" approach but that didn't exactly work. Not because we tried and failed, but rather because we just all wanted to be together and it didn't feel right putting Pierce in a room across the house. So, we gave it a shot and Pierce went to sleep with us in our bed a couple of weeks ago. He's been so happy and sleeping so well and Dana and I are so happy also. We all get to be together, everyone is getting proper rest, and we say every night how special it is that we can all be so close. I am so lucky to have a husband who is supportive and in love with our son as I am. He supports this whole attachment parenting philosophy that I am practicing and he is a wonderful attachment parent as well. It's so interesting how much you go through before you find what really works. You doubt yourself along the way, you have disagreements, you stand for what you believe in, you realize you share the same views and then you find your path. We have found ours after various trials and I am so grateful and enjoying every second with my family. Pierce wakes up every morning and puts his head on my belly and says, "Baaaaaabbbbbyyyyy!" It is too precious and the smile on his face and all of our faces in the morning definitely remind us that we have found what works for our family. Just as I've said about trusting your instincts regarding breastfeeding, I feel the same about your family and your sleeping situation. If the crib works and you are all happy… excellent. If you can all share a family bed comfortably… fabulous! I told Dana that since we found out we are having another boy, I don't need to start all over with pink and green baby stuff and we'll save a lot of money. Sooooooooo, my new request simply is an extra large (if there is anything out there larger than a king) bed to accommodate our growing family. Ahhhh.... isn’t life sweet? Happy 4th all and enjoy your holiday weekend!

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

I'm pregnant and still nursing...

2009-06-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking so much lately about the fact that I'm pregnant and still nursing. Not because I have any issues with it, but of course because so many other people seem to. It's ok though; I once again possibly doubted my decisions and myself but thankfully have come to my senses. I have heard so many things for so long now regarding the length of time I have chosen to nurse my son. First it was at around the 6 month mark..."how much longer are you going to do that, he can eat food now." Then as I was approaching the one-year mark, "you're going to give it up by his birthday right?" Well, please let me continue only so that any of you that are still nursing can relate and have heard these very same comments. Then it became, "You know you can't get pregnant while you are still nursing..." Oh, but my friends, I did. That however, wasn't the end. Now, I am faced weekly with the, "When are you going to wean him, your depriving your unborn baby." Oh myyyyyyyyyy...first of all, what I really want to know is this. WHY DO YOU CARE SO MUCH? I know I may seem a bit irritated and as I write this I am actually giggling. I just think it's so funny how concerned everyone is about this and yet sometimes.... it’s really just not funny. I love my son more than anything, as I've mentioned before. I feel that our relationship is so amazing and our nursing relationship has just been perfect. It still is. I just read a wonderful article on tandem nursing.... uh oh, yes that's what I said. Don't worry; I'm ready for you. The article mentioned how if your child is willing to nurse through the pregnancy and it's still working for both of you, then tandem nursing is an incredible experience. It said how your body would know to produce plenty for both the newborn and toddler and it actually helps the two of them bond in such a special way. At this point, I am just so, so happy and things are going so well over here. I would never do anything to hurt any of us.... my husband, my son, my unborn baby or myself. That being said, I know that this can't be wrong. The mutual benefit is the best. I will never get this time back and I will never regret giving my son or myself this gift. I just want to say, to any of you who are relating and who ever doubt yourself, trust your instincts. Trust yourself as a woman and as a mother. You do know the answers. I still haven't figured out exactly why people are so concerned or really even where they are coming from but that is ok. I really don't need to understand that now. I just need to continue doing what I'm doing and enjoying every day and allowing nature to take it's course. I will know when it's time to make a change. I will know and so will you. Goodnight all and Happy Breastfeeding!

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

I just can't let him cry...

2009-05-27T19:18:00.000-07:00

Ok....so here I am again, not feeling comfortable about all of these changes I'm supposed to be making for Pierce. I just met a woman with 3 kids at lunch and we got into talking about how we don't sleep much. Her youngest is a year old. I said, "my son is almost 16 months and I'm still not sleeping much either." She said, "I just can't let her cry." Well, I'm with you sister. I can't either and that has been my problem. I know so many people do the various sleep training methods out there and I know they work for them. They have babies sleeping through the night in their own rooms at 2 months old. They are sleeping and well rested for the adventures to come the next day. I have to tell you that I am not complaining. I feel that my son will not be this young forever, he will not need me this way forever, and I will be sleeping all night for the rest of my life again soon. I am watching him grow so fast before my eyes and I look at the big picture and savor these moments and these times with him and know that it will all work out just fine. The only things that ever make me doubt myself are the comments made by other people. When Pierce was born I was bombarded with opinions and I actually sometimes doubted my choices and myself. That was very uncomfortable because my instincts were so strong and so natural and coming from a place of PURE LOVE. I finally realized that I had to trust myself and I no longer doubted my mothering style or my choices and our family was much happier once I realized this. I have not let people affect my decisions or choices in my mothering style since. This plan to adjust the sleeping situation is on hold at the moment because my husband is having a hard time doing it also. So for now, we will do the best we can and continue to love each other and love our son. My morning sickness is getting better and my belly has popped. I do love being pregnant and I love being a mom. These times are going by too fast already. I will never say I didn't enjoy or appreciate every moment and my son will never say he wasn't loved. That's what matters to me. Goodnight all and I love hearing from you.

Sandy Frankfort

LoveWrap - Wrap Your Baby With Love
sandy@babylovewrap.com
http://www.babylovewrap.com

Letting go...my first experience.

2009-05-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

A very close friend shared something with me when my son was born that someone shared with her when her daughter was born. She held her daughter for the first time after giving birth and someone said, “Now start letting go.”
This is a very understandable concept and yet, not an easy one for me. I love my son so much...more than I can ever, ever explain and I would do anything for him. I am very much an attachment parent and it's all been working well and benefiting all of us. Mostly we see it in Pierce's disposition, his warmth, kindness, sense of humor, willingness to share, communicate and connect on so many levels at such a young age. I, as all of you I'm sure, am a very proud mother. I am going through a bit of something now that needs a slight shift on my part and I know will be better for all of us in the long run. I am pregnant and have been suffering from morning sickness and major fatigue daily. I also have lupus so I definitely need to take care of myself. We went to see Dr. Nancy yesterday; Pierce's amazing pediatrician, and I just feel so lucky that we have her. She is a very similar mother as me, an attachment parent, sensitive, and also chooses homeopathic remedies if needed first, which I am so happy about. We had a discussion yesterday about the nursing, and the sleeping issues I really didn't want to bring up but felt I needed to. As a mother, I realize that I do take care of myself but would definitely sacrifice my health or anything else for Pierce. I know that's not a good thing really because without my strength, I am not of much use to him. Although, trust me, he would never know it, because I would find the strength somewhere and do every day. I've been sleeping with Pierce in the guest room so that we could both sleep and he could nurse if he needed in the middle of the night. This has been our practice for months now. I nurse him until he falls asleep and then I put the monitor on him and go and spend time with my husband. Then I sleep for a while until I hear him and go sleep the rest of the night in there. Lately however, since I've been pregnant, I haven't quite made it into the room to spend time with my husband, because I have not been feeling well and have been so exhausted. I just fall asleep with Pierce at his bedtime. I've known that this hasn't been very healthy for me and certainly isn't making my husband happy. I try to do my best and ask him to understand and support me and he does his best to do that. It still isn't making him happy though and I miss my time with him also. So, back to my talk with Dr. Nancy… She told me that I really need to take care of myself and that it would be so much better for everyone if Pierce was in his crib, in his room, and we were all sleeping well through the night. I agree with this which is why I knew we needed to have this talk, yet I am scared about actually going through what it's going to take to get him there. She said to nurse him before bed and to let Dana go in the middle of the night if he wakes up to soothe him back to sleep. I know most people do this when their babies are only months old but hey, here I am going through it now. I have resisted. The night nursing is not necessary for nourishment at this point and he is only using it for comfort. I want to provide that for him but unfortunately, it isn’t allowing me to sleep, I’m not with my husband, and Pierce isn’t getting the peaceful, uninterrupted sleep he really needs. If it was just I not being ok, I could live with that, but I don’t want to hurt my son or my husband in any way. So, I shall try this. We are going to give it a go this weekend and I’m sure once Pierce realizes the booby isn’t there, he will be so relieved to know he can just sleep. Finally. Anyway, I am preparing and I know everyone will be happier and healthier and it won’t be the big deal that I am making it. So… that letting go thing…here’s my first experience with that.

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Mom Blogging

2009-05-13T15:15:00.000-07:00

Soooo....I have been exploring around the internet and meeting wonderful women and reading all kinds of blogs! I just can't believe how we can all connect and how many resources there are for us to support and learn from each other. It's amazing. I am loving twittermoms.com and also mombloggersclub.com. I will share many others but these are the ones I'm really into at the moment and building my profile and connecting with people. Have fun and I look forward to meeting and tweeting with all of you soon!

Visit our Store for Mother's Day!

2009-04-27T14:51:00.000-07:00

Please visit our store at www.babylovewrap.com and get yourself or a dear friend a wrap to celebrate being a Mother in!! Happy Mother's Day Lovely Ladies!

Actress Kelly Rutherford is an eco-breastfeeding mom!

2009-04-09T22:33:00.000-07:00

Actress Kelly Rutherford is a woman who certainly practices what she preaches! Not only does the soon-to-be mom of two — she expects her daughter in June — take pride in using Seventh Generation cleaning supplies, she tells OK! that she is an “eco-breastfeeding mom” to her 2-year-old son Hermés Gustaf Daniel.

Of her decision to continue nursing her toddler, Kelly has no regrets, but understands that each mother and child pair approach the situation differently. “It’s not good for everyone, but it’s been great for me,” she says. While the initial benefits hold nutritional value, Kelly explains that extended breastfeeding eventually becomes “a bond or a nurturing thing.” Not to worry, laughs the 40-year-old, there is an end date in sight!

“Obviously, before he goes to college, I’ll probably have to quit breastfeeding. You know when it’s right and you feel that.”

Joking aside, the Gossip Girl actress believes her baby boy will wean himself; Until then, Kelly basks in the continued bonding, extremely grateful for the special time with Hermés. “[Some mothers] have to go to work and they can’t always be there,” she notes. “I’ve been fortunate enough to be a mom who has been able to be around and be home.”

Adopting a similar philosophy to deal with the infamous terrible twos, Kelly seeks advice from The Natural Child, a book that discusses fostering a child’s independence. In a plan to “circumvent the terrible twos and the teenage years,” Kelly reveals that the key to it all seems to be a strong parental presence. “If you take the time now to be there and present with them and listen, hopefully you won’t have such a tough time because they’re both natural phases of independence,” she explains.

“I’m doing my best to put a lot of time in now and listen and be present and support [Hermés] having his own mind, opinions, feelings and emotions, and doing the best I can to be present for those things — instead of ignoring them and hoping it all turns out.”