Sometimes I feel like we are living decades behind the times, where women could not vote, could not wear pants, or could not hold specific jobs.
...Sometimes I feel like we are living decades behind the times, where women could not vote, could not wear pants, or could not hold specific jobs.
...I've talked about this topic before, but I am frequently reminded of the conflicts which moms feel when talking to other moms, whether they are friends, family members, co-workers, or even parenting partners. These conflicting opinions can strain relationships, make a mom doubt her instincts, and bring worry where it doesn't need to be.
...Most of us have taken trips: trips with our friends, trips with our families, trips with our children. If we haven't taken the trip, we've talked about the trip - let's go to Vegas for your 40th, let's meet the Sullivans in Colorado to go skiing, let's get all the cousins together and rent a beach house next year.
...Planning to return to work from your maternity leave can create a lot of anxiety but planning where you will pump should not contribute to that worry. The Affordable Care Act changed part of the rules for the Fair Labor Standards Act and requires employers to give employees “reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for one year after the child’s birth each time such employee has need to express the milk.”
...Back in 2010, our government felt that breast pumps were not a medical "necessity" and therefore did not qualify for tax breaks or for any deductions from federal income taxes. Then in 2011, it became a part of the new tax code that breast pumps and accessories that "promote lactation" can be used as a tax break for some women. I am not a tax expert, and this is not official taxation advisement, but here are some things to consider when trying to use this tax benefit.
...Do you "do" New Year's Resolutions? Some moms do, some moms don't. Here's a list of some resolutions to consider for you and your families when looking at the New Year ahead:
...Holiday music, decorating gingerbread houses at the library, Santa Claus on the fire truck -- these are all signs it's holiday time in my community. In my house, though, it wouldn't be Christmas unless one of my children is sick or has a fever. This is just the way it's worked out the past few years. One year it was the flu - and we were all quarantined. Last year it was a stomach bug and this year the littlest one has a fever so we won't be doing our normal Christmas Eve routine tonight.
...Last night I was watching an old episode of Law & Order from 2000, named Mother's Milk. They addressed the concepts of inexperienced motherhood, breastfeeding, lactation consultants and the dreaded "failure to thrive". I found it very interesting that almost 15 years later some of the same concepts are today affecting mothers we speak to about breastfeeding.
...This hectic time of year reminds me of my awkward moments in breast pumping. The most awkward was answering the front door to our mailman Kevin (who has three kids my sons' ages). He held out the holiday packages very gingerly, never lost eye contact, and rushed away from the porch before I could yell "Happy Holidays" or "Don't forget your cookies in the mailbox". I closed my door and looked down - my shirt was unbuttoned, nursing bra was undone on both sides because I had been nursing and pumping at the same time: I had flashed my poor mailman because I put the pump and baby down to run to answer the door. Poor Kevin. I made a normal moment for me a very awkward moment for him.
...I live next door to wonderful people. Mr. and Mrs. D have been happily married for almost fifty years and raised three children in a small house. They came over to meet each of my sons within hours of us arriving home from the hospital with them. They're great people, inside and out.
...My children know this is my favorite holiday - the one without the presents, the one without candles to blow out, the one without crazy amounts of candy. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it's the one where we sit down together, enjoy each other's company, and share what we're thankful for.
...There's nothing like the holiday season in New York City. The tree, the shopping, the roasted peanuts, the parade, the parties -- but what about pumping?
...His arrival was the most peaceful moment of our lives. The midwife and nurse left the room, and my husband and I looked down at our red-headed angel and agreed - he was perfect.
...When I returned to work after having my first child, my boss was a full-time working mom and our employer was a small division of a large, multi-national corporation. I am thankful that my superiors and co-workers were so accommodating to help me comfortably pump but still get my work done.
...I was recently in Chelsea for a series of work meetings and was able to steal five minutes alone to visit the High Line. It was a beautiful fall day, the sun was shining, and I felt a few minutes of calm and quiet - even while being in the middle of New York City.
...I recently had coffee with a friend who is 9 months pregnant and she was sharing comments that some of her male co-workers had made during her pregnancy. Most common are statements about how she should try her best to schedule her delivery as close to the due date as possible so that she won't miss work before she's "scheduled to". This made me laugh at first because the men she was working with really don't seem to understand how the birthing process works (such as the BABY is in charge) -- but then I remembered some of the insensitive comments I had received while I was pregnant:
...I have a first grader who loves to read all kinds of books - including anatomy books. This week I had a meeting with his teacher about a class party and she revealed that he shared his anatomy books with the class recently.
...Pumps are pricey items - and even if you are fortunate to obtain one through your health insurance plan, all the accessories and parts can add up quickly. Feeling overwhelmed by the whole pumping process can easily happen, but here's a breakdown of the benefits:
...I'm friends with lots of moms who run. Moms with three kids, moms with four kids, moms with toddlers, moms with newborns, and even one avid runner friend who was running a 5K several times a week right through her 40th week of pregnancy (with her OB's approval). I'm amazed at these moms -- how do you do it?
...
1:(r)An employer shall provide—
(A) a reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for 1 year after the child’s birth each time such employee has need to express the milk; and
(B) a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk.
2: An employer shall not be required to compensate an employee receiving reasonable break time under paragraph (1) for any work time spent for such purpose.
3: An employer that employs less than 50 employees shall not be subject to the requirements of this subsection, if such requirements would impose an undue hardship by causing the employer significant difficulty or expense when considered in relation to the size, financial resources, nature, or structure of the employer’s business.