My Two Favorite Online Resources for Parents

Image by Pusteblumenland

When I got pregnant the first time, I knew I would breastfeed if at all humanly possible. It was VERY important to me…and so I set out to learn all I could about it. I spent a lot of wasted time reading JUNK that clouded my judgment and made my first few months with Annie very hard.

Annie was not an easy breastfeeder. We really struggled at first, which led to a lot of crying – MY CRYING. Eventually I was led to some great resources from my awesome friend, Brandy…and I’m thankful. It really made breastfeeding this time around a lot easier on me – mentally and physically.

Image by myfuture.com

Along those same lines, I decided that this time around I would do things differently in the medical world as well. I wanted to try natural remedies before relying on pharmaceuticals. Annie has never had antibiotics and she’s 3 years old. Would I give them if she needed them? Yes. However, I try natural methods first to see if they work.

I want to be a more natural, baby wearing, breastfeeding Mama. Why? Because I really think that’s how it’s meant to be. It’s what works for me…but it’s not easy. It requires knowledge and research. But once I started reading into these options (breastfeeding, baby wearing, and attachment parenting), I realized that it resonated with my heart – it made sense.

Image by Daquella manera

So, today I want to share with you two resources that I use very often…for breastfeeding and for natural parenting. They’re both free and available online anytime. When I freak out (which I do regularly), I go to these sites first (and Brandy too…hi Brandy!) and see what the right option might be.

They’ve been a huge blessing to me, so I wanted to pass them along to you. Do I agree with everything they say? Heck no…I don’t agree with everything ANYONE says, not even Barry (sorry, honey). If you agreed with everything someone said, that would just be weird – it would mean they were YOU. <— Tweet This

Image by KellyMom

The first site is Kelly Mom. What a GREAT site!!! I’ve found an answer to every single breastfeeding question that I’ve had – all right at the tip of my fingers. Rock on!

Breastfeeding is the main focus on this site, but it’s not the only thing there. If you’re a breastfeeding mama, then you know that all of life affects your feeding – so there are lots of issues discussed on this site.

I like Kelly Mom because all the articles posted are EVIDENCE BASED – meaning they don’t just post opinions there. You can get support there through the message boards and even on their Facebook page.

What do you find at Kelly Mom? Information on pregnancy, breastfeeding, what to expect in different childhood stages, parenting, health, nutrition, and even some fun stuff! Can’t beat it. Check it out!

Image by Dr. Sears

My second favorite site is Ask Dr. Sears. I’m a big Dr. Sears fan…so it makes sense that I would also enjoy his website. I have almost all his books already, but on the website I can find the information that I need – quickly.

When I was a very new mom with Annie, I read a lot of trash that kept me anxious and worried about her…and then I found Dr. Sears (thanks Brandy!). His approach to parenting just seems natural to me. I enjoy his advice and I’ve found lots of answers to our problems on his website.

What do I like best about Dr. Sears? He’s a REAL DAD…to 8 children! His advice is from a medical standpoint AND a dad standpoint…and that holds a lot of clout with me. He works together with his wife making it even better – I love Mommy Advice from a Mommy who has been there.

What will you find at Ask Dr. Sears? Pregnancy and Childbirth information (I love his childbirth book!), breastfeeding information, information on attachment parenting, nutrition, and even vaccines. It’s a GREAT resource…I love it. Did I already say that?

So, there you have it. Those are my two favorite – I hope you find them helpful as well.

What are your favorite parent resources?

Disclosure: Some posts include links to sponsors or affiliates, which give me a small percentage of the sale. You are not obligated to use these links when you make a purchase, but when you do so it helps to support this site, so thank you!

http://impossibleway.livejournal.com Brandy

Hi, Stacy! You are so sweet to me.
- Stacy
  
  Wellllll, you know.
evelyn

I love both of those sites as well. I wish I knew of them with my first born becaused we struggled and I gave up breastfeeding at 5 months. Worst decision ever. My second nursed for 26 months. My oldest had repeated infections and antibiotics from 3 months to 12 months. I wish I would have had these resources (and you) to help me learn more about natural choices. Thanks for sharing and I hope you help at least one person find help! By the way I like Modern Natural Mama as well.
- Stacy
  
  Thanks for passing that one along!
Amanda

I used Dr Sears a lot with Brady and baby wearing.
- Stacy
  
  LOVE my Moby wrap!!!
http://www.simplyhomemaking60.blogspot.com Yolanda

Have you read “The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding” published by La Leche League?
- Stacy
  
  No….I will have to see if the library has it!
Amanda

Whenever I see sites or comments about breastfeeding, I always feel the need to share my story in brief form. To sum it all up in one sentence: not all women can breastfeed. No, I’m not talking about the ones who give it a good try and it just isn’t easy, or convenient, or whatever (although I do not judge any woman for her choices), but rather women who are physically incapable of breastfeeding. I have three children and tried DESPERATELY to nurse each of them. I did everything you are supposed to do to make more milk, to get your baby to feed effieciently, EVERYTHING. Each of them saw drastic weight loss in their first week of life to the point that it was getting dangerous for their health. Finally, after my third child, a nurse examined me and we FINALLY had an answer: I have hypoplastic breasts. (I hate that term by the way.) Basically, I have, at best, only 50% of the milk glands/ducts that I should. So no matter what I did, I would only be producing half (at best) of the milk necessary to nourish my babies. It was a relief to finally know it was NOT something I was doing “wrong.”

But I tell you all this for a couple of reasons. First, please don’t assume (and maybe you don’t but some do) that when you see a mother giving her baby a bottle of formula that she doesn’t care about giving her baby the best food for them. I care deeply and every time I see other mothers begin to nurse I feel jealous. Also, just because you don’t give your babies formula please don’t forget about us that do–whether by choice or circumstance. The amount of questionable stuff in formula scares me. I’ve run across one “recipe” for making your own formula with raw cows milk but it is very time consuming AND scares me–what if I accidentally mishandle the ingredients or my raw milk is not as clean as I think it is? Basically, be our advocates for better choices and ingredients in formula. I fully support nursing mothers and their rights and their choice; sometimes though it does not feel reciprocated.

Sometimes some of these websites just perpetuate making those in my shoes feel worse about ourselves for something we cannot help. Some of them don’t mean to, others do. Either way, I just wish they’d realize how they can make some of us feel horrible for not breastfeeding. We love our babies just the same and often still do all the other natural stuff that we can. We have far more in common than we do different. Let’s embrace that!

By the way, if any of you ever come across a brand of formula that is on the “less evil” side of the spectrum as far as purity of ingredients and natural-ness, please share. Along with any recipes for making your own. Us, formula-feeding moms would GREATLY appreciate it!
- Stacy
  
  Thanks for your comment. I didn’t post these resources to make anyone feel bad – I wanted to pass them along because I found them both very helpful to me in my walk as a parent, not just in breastfeeding.Thank you for sharing your story for us all to read and to remind us that we should never point fingers.
- Annaleah
  
  Here are a couple of links to sites that tell how to make your own baby formula from goat’s milk, which closely resembles human milk. As these sites state, I’m not sure that you can use this exclusively, but even if you only used it part time, that would still be less questionable ingredients from regular formula going in your baby! I gave my daughter goat’s milk as a supplement starting around 9 months, then she drank it exclusively starting at 10 months (I lost my milk supply due to being pregnant). Because she was a little older, and also eating lots of solid foods, I didn’t make these actual recipes, but just mixed a powdered infant multivitamin in with the milk. It worked great for us, and I would definitely use it again if we needed to!
  
  Here are the sites:
  http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2009/11/goats-milk-formula-natural-supplementation-for-baby.html
  
  and
  http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/feeding-infants-toddlers/goat-milk
  
  I hope this is helpful!
  - Stacy
    
    Thank you for the great references!
Amanda

Please don’t think for a second that I thought you posted them to make anyone feel bad! So sorry if it came across that way! My youngest is almost 2 so our days of formula (and the hormonal newborn stage) are long since past, but I sure know how I felt when were in the throws of all that when I would read breastfeeding websites, postings, etc. I felt like I was a terrible mother for not breastfeeding even though it was something I simply could not do physically. I just want to be there for other women who may feel the same way. To let them know they are not alone and to give them the support they need to just look past the breastfeeding tips and utilize the info that does help them–baby-wearing, natural remedies, etc. Moms CAN formula feed and still be a part of the natural parenting world. And Stacy, seriously, if you ever do come across more natural feeding solutions for those in my shoes, please post it! I know I am not the only one who would benefit! Thank!
- Stacy
  
  I’ve read a little here and there about natural formulas and making them – or using goat’s milk. You’ve done a great job, mama. Hold that head up high. Thanks for being an encouragement to other moms out there.
  - Melissa
    
    My sister has adopted two little boys in the last couple years. She couldn’t produce milk for them but she does breastfeed them with the help of a contraption with a tube that lays along her breast. The tube goes to a bag of milk hanging around her neck. She has been so pleased with this and has done it for over two years now. It has given her awesome bonding time with her adopted little ones, so for anyone else out there who can’t breastfeed for real, there is a way to do it. Everyone is different, though, but I thought I’d share her experience, that even though she couldn’t even birth her own babies, she could breastfeed her adopted ones and it has made her so happy! She also uses the milk formula recipe from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. Her babies have thrived! I also used this recipe with my last three babies when my milk supply dwindled at about 8 months. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get my supply to continue, so I fed them this recipe.
    - Stacy
      
      That. Is. AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nikki

I love KellyMom and Dr. Sears! I also recommend the “Womanly Art” book (La Leche League). Any question I’ve ever had regarding breastfeeding, attachment parenting, or general baby illnesses I’ve found answers to in one or more of those sources. (:
- Stacy
  
  Love LLL!
http://intentionalbygrace.com Leigh Ann @ Intentional By Grace

Great resources! I’ve used both regularly. Well, both regularly when we were still nursing…oh how I miss those days.
- Stacy
  
  You’ll see them again!
Rachel

I’m a new mama and my lo is 9 weeks old and I had noticed at 4 weeks that my milk production was dwindling at night time and no matter what I tried and did even saw a lactation consultant and they had me pump when it was time to feed him and pump instead to see how much I was making and I only had a few drops on the right and 1/2 oz on the left and I was told that I would have to supplement with formula and so after another week of feeling like a failure we supplement now in the evenings and breastfeed the rest of the time and live a natural lifestyle for our son. I pray that the formula I give him will not harm him. I love that you post about this info so woman like me can have places to go and check out keep it up!!
- Stacy
  
  Maybe you’re like me – I pump very little but still provide enough for my babies to eat. With Annie, I couldn’t get ANYTHING out when trying to pump…and I breastfed her for 14 months. I’m at month 7.5 with Andy and still going strong. I do better with a manual pump than electric, but I still don’t get much out. My babies still grow fine.