Too Cute ... and Breastfeeding ...

So, I'm getting pretty nervous about this breastfeeding thing ... whenever I tell other mommies about my desire to breastfeed ... it's almost as if, "there's no guarantee that you'll be able to so don't set yourself up for disappointment in the event that you're unable." I hear this a lot but honestly, as a first time mom 2b ... I have absolutely no idea of what that really means (kinda like the whole epidural thing ... which I'll talk about at a later time) ... I guess breastfeeding isn't simply a matter of:

1. making sure baby doesn't fall asleep (tickle tickle)
2. pulling down baby's chin until I see "duck lips (got that from a baby story on TLC)" so that baby is ready to latch on
3. baby latches on
   
4. the action begins ...
   

Again ... you'll have to excuse my ignorance ... I have no idea of what I'm getting myself into ... but I will say that I love this website ... http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/learning/ ... lots of helpful information ...

I guess we'll see what happens but my goal is definitely to breastfeed ... after all ... there are unparalleled benefits (provides substantial health, nutrition, and emotional benefits to mother and child alike) ... regardless of what happens, I'll definitely pump ... I plan on sharing the responsibility of feeding time with others ...

Oh ... that reminds me ... last weekend, I purchased my breastpump ... BabyDepot at Burlington Coat Factory is having a 25% off sale on all Medela items including breastpumps ... score ... the pump is actually a gift from my mom ... unfortunately I don't know how long the sale will last ... I also found a place (Cutie Poops and Bottoms - http://www.cutiepoopsandbottoms.com/) in Orland Park (right outside of Chicago) that just opened a couple of days ago ... anything and everything cloth diaper as well as other stuff like clothing, natural skin care, shoes, toys, baby accessories, diaper bags, changing pads, baby carriers, breastfeeding care, belly casting, books/DVDs, and even classes ... oh and "interesting stuff" like, "mama jewels" ... uh ... what the heck is a "mama jewel" you ask? Well, apparently "you need" them because of the following:

• Breastfeeding reminder for the first 8-12 weeks of breastfeeding
• Promotes nursing evenly to reduce discomfort, maximize milk production, and improve success
• Portion of sales donated to breast cancer research (well now I have to admit that you can't beat that)

NOTE: on the other hand, not sure why you couldn't just use a safety pin and make a donation to breast cancer research ...

Again, I digress ... I will say that Cutie Poops and Bottoms is pretty expensive ... fortunately, I had already purchased the bulk of my cloth diaper stash - both new and used (SUPER SCORE) but this was done primarily through research online - different to see everything in person ... and the owner Sherri is AMAZINGLY KNOWLEDGEABLE and BEYOND HELPFUL ... talk about customer service ... I was there for like an hour and a half and received excellent advice ... we went through everything and she even quizzed me before we moved on to another something or the other ... she's going to begin buying back used pumps for those of you who are interested.

While at cutie poops and bottoms, I found this adorable long sleeve shirt and beanie that I plan on having my little lady wear at the hospital ... couldn't help myself, I had to get it ...