Today I'm Linking Up With...

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SSS {10.9.11}

Howdy! If you've arrived here from the SSS I'd just like to say I'd love to have you follow me, but only if you want to. Please don't follow me JUST because I've followed you, because I'm not going to follow you JUST because you've followed me.

Take a gander, read a few posts, and check out my Proclaimer. Then, if you're still interested, follow in whatever way is most convenient for you.

Do I not have your favorite way to follow implemented? Leave me a comment and I'll see about fixing that for you.

Thanks, have a Super Sunday!

Blog Hops Everyday!

A blog with a lovely collection of weekly blog hops. If you did a different one every week you'd have 35 weeks (of Wednesday hops at least).

 Having discovered this today, I think I will pick a different hop to join for every day of the week. Funsies!

Let’s Get Social Blog Hoppin’ (10/2)

Super Stalker Sunday 23 #Bloghop

Happy Sunday everyone! I've been looking for ways to get more followers so this week I've linked up with Super Stalker Sunday. Hopefully a few SSS travelers will like what they read (I know there's not much here yet, but I am working on it) and follow along for a while.
Don't know about SSS? No, problem!

What is Super Stalker Sunday?

Glad you asked! Super Stalker Sunday is a weekly blog hop hosted by

Marni of Marni's Organized Mess

April of Mama on a Green Mission

Mariah of Formula Mom

Kortney of Kortney's Krazy Life

and Emily of Nap Time is My Time

Blogs hops are a great way to meet other bloggers, socialize and gain more followers. Do you like to socialize? Well, we all like followers, right?!

If you've been around the blogosphere you know there are Blog Hop's for everything you can think of and every day of the week: RSS Feed, Google Friend Connect, Email Readers, Facebook Fans, and Twitter Followers.

Well, why not get all of your followers in one place once a week? This is the place to do just that!

How to Super Stalk

Follow each host at least one way. Don't forget to let them know you did so by commenting on their blog. We will return all follows, but please be patient as we are busy mama's it may take us a few days to return the visit and follow.

You will only have to link up on one of the host sites and your link will appear on all as we use the same linky.

After you follow the hosts, follow as many bloggers in as many ways as you are willing!

Already follow somebody? Consider visiting and following them in another way as well!

Remember: You will only get as much as you give. The more blogs you can visit, the more visits you will gain in return. We are all here to socialize and greet, not visit only your blog.

While we encourage sharing our button and hop with as many as possible, it is not required. The more you spread the word though, the more we socialize and all gain followers!

This week's featured blogger is






We took this opportunity to ask Mehreen a few questions, and she's shared her answers below:


What’s your favorite way to stalk a blog?

I follow via GFC mostly, but I like to follow via Twitter too. I think it's a great way to share useful links plus get links from what my friends are reading and finding useful.


You have an extra hour added to your day,what would you do with it?

I'll definitely be blogging more and doing more research on the SEO side of it too.


Is there a TV show that you have watched every episode?

Not in a long time though. I usually go for comedy series I watch regularly and if I miss any, then thank God for places like YouTube! ;-)


What book is currently on your nightstand?

I have just picked "The Guardian Angel's Journal" by Carolyn Jess-Cooke and gone through the first few pages. Looks promising enough!


Pick a post,any post.

http://www.myperfectline.com/2011/08/some-thoughts-to-live-by-it-is-so-easy.html



If you would like to be a featured blogger,being shared with more than 4,000 combined followers between the hosts of this hop,please link up! At the end of each week we will select a blog via Random.Org to be the featured blog for the following week.

This linky will go live Saturday at 7:00 PM PST and end Monday at 12:00 PM PST.

Thank you for participating, now let’s go “stalk” up a storm!

Night Weaning: Why I Hope It Never Happens

Obviously it will happen at some point in time, but hopefully not until after Baby Bear is at least two years old. Here's why, Lactational Amenorrhea! It isn't fool proof, especially now that BB is 6 months old, but I never go longer than four hours during the day, or six hours at night without feeding him; I don't plan to for as long as I can help it. We have not yet started solids and I'm not going to give him juice or water when I can BF him, or give him BM in a cup.

We bedshare, which really makes the whole night feeding issue a non-issue. BB will start to get a little restless in his sleep, I barely wake up to put a breast in his face, he latches on and I don't really know what happens after that because I am already back to sleep.

Long story short, I'm not in any hurry to night wean because I get plently of sleep. It will happen in it's own non-stressful time.

Nature's Perfect Baby Food

This Week’s Topic: Breastfeeding and the Environment

Do you think breastfeeding helps save the environment? Is it the “green” choice for feeding your child?

Breastfeeding isn't the "green" choice for me, it was the only choice. If your boobs can make milk, why wouldn't you use it? Seems like a waste not to.

I don't know that breastfeeding helps save the environment as much as it does not hurt the environment. I know that sounds like the same thing, but it isn't, at least not in my addled brain.

200+ years ago, there was no such thing as formula and breastfeeding was the only way to feed a baby. It isn't as if breastfeeding is some newfangled hippie dippy* idea; It's how you normally feed a baby. 200+ years ago women had each other to lean on and learn from. If someone REALLY** wasn't able to breastfeed (or they were too snobby), someone else could do it for them, a la wet nurse... or the baby would die. Now, we have formula. Formula was developed as a way to feed those babies that would otherwise die without it. It was never intended to replace breastfeeding.

Between a cranky feverish baby and my own decreased brain function I've lost my ability to have a point. I think my point was breastfeeding doesn't help the environment because it is natural and it is what you're supposed to do in the first place.*** It's all this newfangled prepackaged junk that we buy that harms the environment. But that is a tirade for another day.

*I don't think Hippies are dippy, Hippies are awesome.
** 2-5% of women may truly be unable to breastfeed. The rest, with proper education, help, and support could breastfeed if they wanted to. Unfortunately there are so many booby traps, that moms who fully intended to breastfeed and are able to end up formula feeding.
***This is not a poo-poo on FF moms. If FF moms lived over 200 years ago I'm sure they'd BF like champs but, the times they have a changed.

We Need A Special Doll For This?

The thing that annoys me about this doll is that it has a pacifier. It is a doll and therefore does not need to be pacified. Pacifiers are not always necessary and I believe that when they are used in the first few weeks of baby's life it can actually hurt the breastfeeding relationship. Time spent sucking on a pacifier is time that could be spent getting nutrition and building milk supply.

Back to the doll.

I suppose it is a good doll for someone who wasn't able to (or decided not to) breastfeed to get their child. The kid can't emulate the mother so this doll would do a good job. Besides that scenario I really don't see the point. They cost about a bajillion dollars and then there is the cost of batteries.

When my mom was feeding my little brother, I'd go get a doll, sit beside them, lift up my shirt and feed my baby too.

This doll is also only marketed to little girls. I know of a few little boys who feed stuffed animals and action figures and I think that is really cool and important as well. Little boys need a positive view of breastfeeding so that they will be supportive when they are older and have breastfeeding significant others.

Dear Baby Bear,

I love you Baby Bear.

I'm watching you now, trying to crawl. You've almost got the hang of it. You are very good at tipping over and getting right back into position. I hope you keep that attitude for the rest of your life.

You already set goals for yourself, and achieve them. Even if your goal is to somehow Jedi yourself to my tennis shoes so you can chew on the laces. You're pretty good at that one, keep it up kiddo.

I just want you to know, that no matter what I will love and accept you for who you are. I want you to grow up happy with who you are and know that your father and I will support you and your dreams.

The world isn't always a nice place. We will do our best to prepare you for that so you can handle it on your own. Just remember that you don't have to do it alone if you don't want to. As long as we're around, we will be here for you.

I'm holding you now, you got tired of being on the floor. How do those fingers taste? Now you're yelling at me. I think you're teething. This is all I'm going to be able to write isn't it?

Leading By Example

We live in a world where it is perfectly normal and okay to use breasts to sell just about everything under the sun. However, as soon as we use those breasts the way nature designed and intended people throw up their arms in disgust and have something to say about it. I for one don't give a rat's ass about anything they have to say. If it makes them uncomfortable, that is their problem. You don't want to see me breastfeeding my baby, turn your head in a different direction. It really is that simple.

Luckily I have not run into or noticed any opposition to my breastfeeding in public. I got a few weird looks once in the grocery store, when I was readjusting myself after finishing feeding Baby Bear, but to be fair I would have given myself a few second glances as well. The clip on my nursing tank got stuck and I was muttering to myself with my hand in my shirt. I'm sure it looked silly.

Out in the world I really don't have a favorite place to nurse. I just nurse wherever I feel comfortable, which is pretty much everywhere. And if I don't feel all that comfortable, I just do it anyway and pretend that I am. I want people to see that it is normal and doesn't really deserve a second glance. I want other breastfeeding moms that may have reservations to see me out there doing it and hopefully gain some confidence in themselves to do it where ever they may be.

I really can't think of anyplace that nursing a baby would be inappropriate. I can think of a lot of places where I'd rather nurse than have a pissed off and hungry baby. Funeral, wedding, restaurant, pretty much anywhere. I'd much rather be around a content nursing baby or small child than a screaming one. That would be part of my evil plan if anyone ever said anything to me in a restaurant or similar small place where they are stuck in the same space as me. I'd just unlatch BB and let the unhappy protests of a hungry baby do the talking for me for a minute.

I'm leading by example, and I encourage all nursing moms, veterans and newbies alike to do the same. Not feeling confident? Try it anyway, you might surprise yourself and you could inspire another mom to do the same.

Breastfeeding Celebration

When babies attack!

I'm so glad I didn't get my blog going sooner, because if I had I probably wouldn't have discovered Blog Hopping.

When I was pregnant, I knew I was going to breastfeed and that was it. There was no try, only do. It was difficult at first. Baby latched great we just needed to practice. We were doing well, but I was having a few comfort issues so I finally went to a breastfeeding group at my local hospital at 3 weeks. The LC gave me some pointers and they helped pretty much immediately and I now wish I had gone as soon as I could right after baby was born.

My friend had a baby and I told her she should go ASAP, and she did. It was really hard for her because baby was 3 days old and she was emotional and didn't have a good breastfeeding support at home. She later told me that she would have given up if I hadn't told her about it. Her baby is 8 weeks old now, and they are still having a rough time, but she is not going to give up and I am very proud of her. Especially since her family keeps pressuring her to supplement with formula.

I celebrate breastfeeding my doing it everywhere. I hope by doing this I encourage other breastfeeding moms to breastfeed wherever they are and not go hide somewhere. Breastfeeding is normal, not weird or gross, and I want to take it back. I plan to keep pumping after my baby self weans so I can donate. I find that I really love being a milk maker! Doesn't hurt that it makes my boobs HUGE.

I will have breastfed for 5 months this upcoming Saturday. My goal/milestone will be 1 year EBF, so far so good!

This is my first Blog Hop, please let me know if I need to fix anything! I'm still trying to figure out how to add people with the GFC thing. Today I am technologically challenged.