Mothering

Ember, emotions, expectations, Lisa Bullard, toddler, traveling - September 11, 2021

Toddler as Travel Companion

Ember has squirmed and cried on our flights.

And breastfed with her feet kicking a minister in the seat next to us, and pooped mid-air. To soothe my anxiety, I asked other moms for their best travel advice. Here are some of the useful tips I received.

What Solids Do I Start My Baby On?

When your 5 or 6 month old baby is watching you eat, gesturing for food, and sitting up (or almost), you are probably asking this question. But, you're confused by popular feeding advice. "Give them iron-fortified rice cereal." suggest many grandparents and pediatricians. Your friend Hannah's baby loves her homemade purees. Auntie Dani dropped off a bag of jarred and squeeze pouches of commercial "baby food." And, all over the internet, you keep stumbling over "baby-led weaning." Rice cereal, the headless dinosaur is still thrashing its deadly tail of malnutrition. The call to feed your baby rice cereal, as the magic bullet to fill them up and make them...

Understanding Temper Tantrums

Temper tantrums are a cry for help.

When having a meltdown, your child is totally overwhelmed and needs support. Unfortunately, few parents received support for their strong feelings as children or learned even basic skills for working through a tantrum.

Thoughts on Gratitude

What are some better titles for what we do? I prefer "professional multi-tasker specializing in damage control" or "personal chef to a person with peculiar eating habits" even "24 hour fresh & local milk provider"

How come you're nursing? You're not a tiny baby!

Recently, my 2 ½ year old daughter and I were at the library socializing with other children her age. A nursing toddler, a little girl, Rita’s size, caught her eye. She hurried over and asked “Are you nursing?” The mother replied “Yes.” politely, while the nursing toddler continued breastfeeding.

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