We Are 250K Views Strong

Our blog about birth in Monaco has received over 20,000 views

by Glenni Lorick, IBCLC
Since starting this blog in 2011, we have covered some amazing topics. As we approach 250,000 views, we thought it would be fun to look back at some of your (and our) favorite posts.

We love customer reviews and look forward to more of those in coming months. This review of several different diapers was one of our first big hits back in 2011.

Bethany's post about being a teen mom is amazing!

Blogs about birth are very popular. Our most recent post by Erin Mize about her natural birth in a local hospital was an immediate success. When Bethany Hyder shared the story of her pregnancy while she was still a teenager, you loved it.  ANM intern Marley Phillips did a series of posts on childbirth abroad. Her post about childbirth in Monaco is the most popular blog we have ever posted!

Current events have inspired some of our most widely read posts. Response to my experience with scammers was overwhelming. The disappointing political tactics that led to the tabling of the Home Birth Safety Act three years ago led to one of our most popular posts. Five years ago, Target was the target of another one of our most popular posts; fortunately, they have come a long way in training their employees to support breastfeeding mothers.

Extended breastfeeding is a topic you loved.

Of course breastfeeding posts rank high among your favorites. This blog about extended nursing struck a responsive chord with many of you. This post about Tongue-tie provided valuable information that many of you appreciated. The response to Blue Cross Blue Shield providing breast pumps was also very enthusiastic. Of course a perennial favorite post is the recipe for our delicious lactation cookies.

I have to admit, however, that my personal favorite post is about the birth of my grandson Nicholas four years ago and the outstanding care he received in the Huntsville Hospital NICU. We want to know your favorite post. We are giving away a $50 gift card to A Nurturing Moment. Enter by liking our Facebook page and posting a link to your favorite blog and why. The Facebook post with the most likes by Friday will win!

ANM Makes Life Easier for Moms!

by Glenni Lorick, IBCLC

You're sitting at home with your newborn wishing you had some Motherlove nipple cream today. You could order it on Amazon and get it in 2 days. OR you could call us and have it delivered to your door today! We guarantee delivery on anything in the store from breast pumps to galactagogues to diapers within 24 hours of the moment you place your order. Ninety percent of the time, you will receive your merchandise the very same day. If you live in one of the outlying areas, it may be the next day.

You will always get free delivery on your Best Chair!

Prices range from $2 to $15 depending upon where you live. We will bring your purchase directly to your door. Obviously the closer you live to the store, the cheaper the delivery rate. However, if you prefer to meet in a central location close to where you live, we can negotiate a significantly reduced delivery fee. We've been meeting moms to drop off purchases in various places for several years. Any purchase over $250 merits free delivery, so when you order your chair from us, it won't cost you an extra penny to get it delivered to your door!.

Curbside Assistance

We also offer free curbside assistance for those times that you have a sleeping baby in the car, a tired toddler, or are feeling under the weather and don't want to share your germs. Call us when you get here (256-489-2590), we will meet you at your car, pick up your payment and bring your purchases to you. If you're just dropping off a pump or scale that you've rented, there's no need to even get out of your vehicle!

Our goal at A Nurturing Moment is to make your life as a mother easier. We nurture mommies so that you can nurture your baby!

Mom Achieves Beautiful Breastfeeding Goal Despite Difficult Hospital Start

by Kim Jones, Guest blogger

Hi my name is Kimberly Jones. I have one child who is 16 months old. From day one I knew I wanted to breastfeed.  I attempted to breastfeed her from the moment my daughter was born. Everything was going great for the first 24 hours, then the nurse gave her a pacifier (after my husband had written on the information card that we don't want to use a pacifier). My daughter refused to latch back onto the breast after that.

I asked the nurse for a pump and some bottle nipples so that I could feed my daughter. I continued to pump for her for 5 days. My husband went to the local Walmart to get me a nipple shield so I could get baby back on the breast. After I started feeling depressed from not being able to keep to my goal I posted to Facebook for help. One of my friends gave me information for a store on South Parkway named A Nurturing Moment. I called to speak to the lactation consultant so I could get help. She immediately told me to come in the next morning.

 I went to talk to Glenni Lorick the next day. She helped me with our latch issues and talked about more ways to work on getting her on the breast without the shield. I was so happy with our consult that within the next week my daughter was back on the breast without the shield. Glenni helped me continue breastfeeding! I was ready to give up and just start giving my daughter formula. I am glad she helped us achieve our breastfeeding goal.


Not only did I achieve our goal, but I also had to pump because I had an over supply. I pumped so much milk I had to store most of my milk in my husband's grandparent's deep freezer. I eventually couldn't store anymore there or at my house, so I had to donate it. I asked a few people who could use the milk and they sent me many names. I became a donor for a little boy that was only 1 month and 1 day younger than my daughter. My daughter is still being breastfed and will continue to be until she decides to stop. I love our bond and am not ready to stop yet. I will not let anyone tell me that I need to stop feeding because my daughter is a toddler.

FaceBook Is Blocking This Breastfeeding Blog!

By Glenni Lorick, IBCLC
Today I created a brand new blog called TechNOboobies in response to Facebook's ongoing insistence on blocking this blog, Nurturing Moments. I really hate that it has come to this, but Facebook seems to have absolute disregard for nursing mothers and babies. In their own information, they proclaim that they don't block breastfeeding images, yet they have a long history of doing just that. And now they have resorted to blocking my blog  that deals with Breastfeeding.

A Call to Action

I would like to ask everybody who reads this to do two things:
1. Please share the link to this blog post, then when you see the Security Check at the left saying the link might be unsafe, please click on "let us know" and let Facebook know that they need to stop blocking Nurturing Moments because there is nothing unsafe here!
2. Share the link to TechNOBoobies.  I would like to highlight stories of social media discrimination against breastfeeding everywhere they occur. This isn't just about Nurturing Moments. It is a war to normalize breastfeeding within our culture. Are you up for the fight?

High 5 Rocket Quilt

I was blown away Saturday morning when Beth Partain walked in with her mom and 3 children. She smiled and handed me something, explaining that her mom had made it for us to raffle off as part of the Give a High 5 for ANM campaign. When I unfolded it, I saw a magnificent hand made rocket quilt! The detailing is exquisite, down to the rocket on the back of the quilt and the very cool graph paper material!

Kathleen Payment, Beth's mother, is the lady who so lovingly made this quilt. It was her way of saying "Thank you" for helping her grandbabies receive breast milk for the first year (or more) of their lives. Beth feels like she wouldn't have made it through breastfeeding without the support she got from A Nurturing Moment. The fact that Kathleen put so much time, effort and money into this labor of love for us makes it extra special.

She wanted us to raffle it, so that's what we are doing. She has at least $75 worth of all organic cotton in the quilt and hours of loving labor! Each raffle entry is $10. You can enter 1 of two ways: Use the Rafflecopter system below and make your payment through Paypal to anm@knology.net. For every $10 donation you will receive one entry. Or you can enter at the store using cash, check or credit card. We will add your information into the Rafflecopter database  - one entry for every $10 you donate! We've already started getting entries at the store and will be adding them to the database in the next few days!

The winner will be drawn on August 9 at the end of the "Give a High 5 for ANM" promotion!


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Give A High 5 for ANM

One of the great groups to come out of ANM!

By Glenni Lorick, IBCLC

We love our mamas and babies. You are the reason we are here! Our passion is to help make the early days of parenting and breastfeeding your baby as easy as possible!

We have been through lots of changes over the years. Some of the business decisions we have made ended up hurting us more than helping us. However, our desire to provide the very best possible service to every one or our mamas has remained the same.

We Are a Community

One of the things that I love the most about A Nurturing Moment is that we have cultivated a real sense of community here. Our ANM family keeps growing as new parents connect with us and with each other and find ways to plug in. Whether it is Mommy Milk Meet-up, a cloth diapering class, an attachment parenting meet-up or a Rocket City Sling Swap get together, our families love to be with each other. Often we will have two or three moms just plan to meet here to hang out, catch up or even trade some diapers or handmade goodies.

Join the fun at Mom Prom!

Some of the moms in our community have really stepped into leadership positions with organizations that are dear to our heart. From ICAN to the North Alabama Cloth Diaper Bank, our ANM mamas are growing into amazing leaders and mentors for other moms. I am so proud of every one of our moms who has stepped out of her comfort zone to serve other mothers.

We Are Struggling

You may have noticed that we don't always have as much stock as we need - we may be low on cloth diapers or bras, for example. We try to manage the resources we've been given very wisely, but we do have some debt that is really hurting us. Our goal is to always pay our bills and still have money for plenty of inventory so you will have what you need any time you come in!

You Can Be Part of the Solution

Over the next couple of months we have some creative initiatives that will involve you! Later this summer you will have a chance to be part of the publication process for Glenni's book, The Creator's Guide to Infant Feeding. We will have some really exciting opportunities for you to be involved, maybe even have your baby's picture on the cover of the book!

Give a High 5 for ANM!

But for right now we have a really fun way you can help make a difference. Give A High 5 for ANM is a campaign that will allow you to have your child's hand print permanently placed on our wall! For a minimum donation of just $20 per hand print, you will be able to participate! We will apply paint to your child's hand, and let him give our wall a high 5! Then we will write his name and age right underneath it! Isn't that cool?

We will have two dates in June, two in July and two in August.

• June 21 and 28 from 11-3
• July 12 and 19 from 11-3
• August 2 and 9 from 11 - 3

So make your plans now to be one of the very first to give a High 5 for ANM!!! Then share this post with 10 mommy friends who would love to have their child's hand print on our wall, too!

100,000 Blog Views Giveaway!

Marley's post about Monaco has thousands of page views.

We are less than 900 page views away from having our blog posts viewed 100,000 times. That's pretty exciting. Since we started Nurturing Moments with our very first post on Oct. 6, 2011, we've had some posts that have really been fan favorites. Our readers really like current-issue based posts like this one that dealt with American Airlines and this one that dealt with Target stores a couple of years ago. Recently we had a very popular guest blog about this year's legislative session and the bill to decriminalize home birth.

One of our most viewed posts was written by Marley Phillips when she was interning with us last summer. Marley was studying the relationship between childbirth culture and infant mortality in countries with very low infant mortality rates. Her post about Monaco still gets hundreds of views each week!

Another one of our top five most frequently viewed posts is one I wrote about insurance and breast pumps. The information is still relevant! Of course no review of our blog would be complete without making mention of our most DELiCiOus post ever: the recipe for Mommy Milk Cookies!

One of my personal favorites will always be the post I wrote when my precious grandson was born prematurely two years ago! (He turns 2 next month and you'd never know he started out so tiny!)

In honor of this approaching milestone, and because it is almost Easter, we are having a special contest. Two winners will receive a special Easter Basket gift of their choosing. We just ask that you tell us in the comments below what YOUR favorite post ever in Nurturing Moments is and why. The contest will end the day that we hit 100,000 page views....it may one day, it might be two, but I'm pretty sure it won't be more than three! So enter now!!

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Share the Love

By Sarah Bailey

 Early in 2012, I responded to an email from Cotton Babies, a cloth diapering company in St. Louis.  Cotton Babies was seeking volunteers to start local cloth diaper banks.  A few months later, I became a Cotton Babies Share the Love Host for Huntsville, Alabama.  As a Share the Love host, I serve all areas within 40 miles of Huntsville.    

Share the Love is a sustainable, local cloth diaper bank.  Huntsville is fortunate to have supportive and giving residents.  Our bank has flourished as a result.  Community members recognized the success of this bank and started another bank.  Many banks struggle to get donations to meet the demand of applicants.   Huntsville Share the Love is seeking applicants, and has diapers ready to loan. 

As a host, I accept donations on behalf of the program and grant cloth diapers to qualifying families.   As a completely cashless diaper bank, local Share the Love host sites accept the following donations:

• New or gently used cloth diapers
• Cloth diapering supplies
• Cloth baby wipes
• Wet bags
• Cloth diaper detergent
• Cloth diaper repair supplies -  snaps, velcro, elastic
• 100% cotton t shirts (we sew these into diaper inserts)
• Flannel fabric or flannel blankets (to make cloth wipes)
• Empty conventional baby wipe boxes (cloth wipes are loaned out in a box) 

Donations can be dropped off at A Nurturing Moment, Posh Mommy and Baby Too, or at my home. I will also pick up any donations if you are not able to drop off donations at these convenient locations.  Please contact me to verify that this diaper bank can use your diapers prior to donating.  Most products and brands are accepted, but there are a few exceptions according to guidelines that are being continuously updated by Cotton Babies. 

Many of you may want to support this diaper bank but do not have gently used items to donate.  An easy way to donate new diapers or supplies on a national level or local level is by visiting and making a purchase from the Cotton Babies Share the Love Registry.  You will find a variety of cloth diapering items local banks can use.  You may specify which of the banks you would like your donation to benefit. 

Another way to donate to cloth diaper banks is to purchase diapers from local cloth diaper retailers.  Cloud 9 are cloth diaper retailers in our area that I am familiar with.  (Cloud 9 does not yet have a collection bin.)  In addition, every new Cotton Babies product purchase supports the efforts of Share the Love local cloth diaper banks. 

Simply place your donation in the bins located at the local cloth diaper stores.  A store associate will be happy to help you make a selection.  A Nurturing Moment, Posh Mommy and Baby Too, and Cloud 9 are cloth diaper retailers in our area that I am familiar with.  (Cloud 9 does not yet have a collection bin.)  In addition, every new Cotton Babies product purchase supports the efforts of Share the Love local cloth diaper banks. 

Help grow our bank by sewing or collecting supplies.  Volunteers are needed to cut and/or sew cloth wipes and t-shirt cloth diaper soakers.  Share the Love has provided a video with instructions for making t-shirt cloth diaper soakers.  Holding a drive to collect items such as flannel or t-shirts would make a great service project for scout troops.  Share the Love would be delighted to collaborate with local sewing groups from women in churches to crafting guilds. 

We need help advertising.  Share information about this program by posting on social media outlets or taking fliers to businesses or places families gather.  Other volunteer opportunities may be available.   For more information regarding volunteering, contact me via FB pm being sure to provide your email address.  I will follow-up with you via a official Share the Love email.

Suds Diaper Service and Soft Bottoms Diaper Service have both graciously offered to help launder, sanitize, and prep all donations.   Having the help of these professional diaper cleaners is truly wonderful and literally lightens my load.

Families qualify for a cloth diaper grant if they are receiving federal food and nutrition supplements via WIC. Huntsville has diapers ready to loan to families receiving WIC in all sizes.  Each family receives 15 diaper changes made up of a variety of cloth diaper brands and types depending upon current inventory.  Apply for a grant by clicking here.  In addition to issuing diapers, I help families throughout their cloth diapering journey, providing washing and care instructions.  When families are no longer using the diapers or children turn three years of age, the diapers are returned. Diapers are sanitized, refurbished if necessary, and issued to another family in need.   

The connections I've made with the community and the families I have met via my volunteering have been phenomenal.  Providing diapers in a time of need has tremendously helped families in more ways than I would have ever dreamed.  One family returned the diapers after just six months as the parents were able to buy their own cloth diapers every month with the money they saved from not purchasing disposables.  The diapers they returned are already on the bums of children in another family.  Most of the families have given back to the program in some way. 

Helping families would not be possible without our community working together.  Every donation and contribution helps Share the Love help families keep the bottoms of babies dry and clean while freeing up money to use for other necessities for the family.  Thank you so much for supporting Share the Love, providing our local area with resources to make things a little bit easier for struggling families. 

Facts and tidbits about Cotton Babies Share the Love

Across the US, Share the Love has

• Provided diapers to more than 100 families.
• Recruited volunteer hosts in more than 100 areas of the country 

 As of April 1, 2014, Share the Love Huntsville Host site has . . 

• Provided diapers for 9 children
• Accepted over 100 diapers as donations in the first quarter of 2014
• Shared information at over two dozen community events, including Green U, The Bake, Babypalooza, Holistic Wellness event, Rocket City Weather Fest, Rocket City Sling Swap Monthly Meetings and events (6), Cloth diaper swaps at A Nurturing Moment (4)
• Shared fliers and information in businesses including local pediatrician’s offices, WIC offices, preschools, Lowe Mill, Starbucks, Garden Cove, A Nurturing Moment, Posh Mommy and Baby Too.
• Been featured on AL.com. in the following three posts.

http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2014/03/local_moms_say_cost_savings_is.html
http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2014/03/huntsville_moms_help_families.html
http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2014/03/but_what_about_the_poop_huntsv.html

A Long-Term Vision

If you've been around A Nurturing Moment very much, you know that I often say I have the best job in the world. I love getting to help mothers breastfeed their babies. I love holding sweet newborns on a daily basis! I love encouraging moms and seeing their excitement when baby latches on and nurses well!

You may have also noticed the cross with Jeremiah 29:11 sitting in front of the desktop computer on  our counter. It is there as a constant reminder to me that A Nurturing Moment doesn't belong to me. It belongs to my Lord.  Therefore, as I make plans for the future of this business, I want to make sure that I am simply following His leading. I want to reflect Him in my interactions with customers, vendors, creditors, my landlord...everyone I meet. I know I don't always do as good a job of that as I should...I'm definitely still a work in progress!! But I AM in progress...He is guiding my steps daily! In fact, He often uses you, the mothers I work with, to help me gain wisdom and direction.

A Corner Of Our Own 
I don't remember the exact day when I first felt drawn to consider the piece of property at the corner of Airport Rd. and Memorial Parkway. But I do remember getting chills of confirmation the first time I pulled in the parking lot and actually drove around it. I believe that is supposed to be the ultimate location for A Nurturing Moment! I've told a lot of you that in person, but this is the first time I have actually written it down for the whole world to see! It's one thing to talk about a vision for the future, but quite another to step out in faith and record it for all posterity. After all, what if it doesn't happen?  I guess that's just a risk I will have to take.

So here is the vision that I believe God has placed in my heart for A Nurturing Moment - I will bullet the various parts of it to make it easier to read (and digest!)

View Larger Map
• Purchase the piece of property on the northwest corner of Airport Rd. and Memorial Parkway.
• Tear down the abandoned and dilapidated restaurant that currently occupies that corner, and build a two story building there.
• The first floor will house A Nurturing Moment. Our actual storefront doesn't really need to be much bigger than what we have now. However, we will have a MUCH larger classroom area that will also serve as a Mom Internet Cafe and hangout spot. I also want a small separate classroom for prenatal yoga and infant massage. There will be a couple of offices for lactation consultation and a place for doulas to meet with their clients. The Mom Foundation office will be there as well.
• The second floor will be home to a Birthing Center owned and operated by an Ob/Gyn who employs midwives! It will offer a homelike environment with the security of knowing you are just minutes from the hospital in case of an emergency. Although they are very common in other parts of the country, there is not a single birthing center in Alabama. About 17 years ago, Crestwood actually did open a birthing center with a Certified Nurse Midwife as the administrator. It was phenomenal, as any mother who delivered there will tell you. It was, however, also very short lived. It just wasn't the right time! I also hope to have a chiropracter who specializes in working with mothers and babies in the office space there. 

Getting From Here to There

A dream is a wonderful thing to have. All too often, however, we look at our dreams and think they are impossible to attain, so we just give up. If I didn't feel so certain that this is the direction the Lord wants us to go, I certainly wouldn't think there is any way we can ever get there. But I am absolutely convinced that this IS the path we're supposed to be on. So I am taking the necessary steps to move in that direction.

We are in a 5 year lease that began last October. So we have 4 years to purchase our corner and build A Nurturing Moment there. The asking price for that corner was somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.6 million dollars the last time I checked. Then we have to demolish the building that is there and rebuild. And I really don't think that I am supposed to incur any more debt. In fact, the more I learn about business, the more I really hate debt.

That sounds like a pretty impossible order. Actually from a purely human standpoint it sounds just plain foolish. So how in the world are we going to get there? 

As I pray about it, several action steps stand out in my mind:

1. Be the very best at what we do. We provide education, information, support and encouragement for hopeful, expectant and new parents. We need to be the #1 resource in North Alabama for new parents. We need to make every mother who walks through our door know how special she is and how glad we are that she came to see us. If we don't have what she needs, we need to figure out who does and help her get it as quickly as possible.
2. Seek partners for The Mom Foundation. We are the only non-profit that I know of in North Alabama dedicated to providing professional breastfeeding support to low-income and teen moms. We have attempted to write several grant proposals, but don't really know what we're doing. We need someone experienced in non-profit fundraising to come alongside us and guide us as we grow the non-profit arm of A Nurturing Moment. On average we provide about $250 worth of lactation services a month right now to mothers who would not otherwise be able to get the help. We also give out numerous nursing bras each month to moms in the WIC progam.
3. Publish The Creator's Guide to Infant Feeding. Although many outstanding books have been written about breastfeeding, not a single one that I've ever read approaches it from a Christian perspective. So several years ago, I wrote this book. I have looked at several publishing options and even had a literary agent working with me for a while. Unfortunately the one deal we were able to get with a major publisher fell through. However, with renewed interest in breastfeeding in this country, I think it is time to publish.
4. Talk openly about our vision any time I have the opportunity. It is amazing how God puts the right people in your path at the right time. I have no idea who all will be involved in the project, but I do know that I certainly won't achieve it by myself! I've already met an amazing commercial interior architectural designer who I know will be instrumental in the design of our new facility.
5. Build a team of families who will become an integral part of this vision. We are already doing this
   
   through Team National, an innovative purchasing co-op concept that allows members to save money on the things they buy every day for their families. It also allows them to create a Plan B income that they can use as a college fund, retirement plan or to pay off debt. Many families actually find that the income will allow them to gain more time freedom to actually spend quality time with their children. I am convinced that without Team National, this dream would be nothing more than a pipe dream for me. However, Team National is giving me a way to earn the capitol I will need to make this vision a reality by October of 2017!

Get Involved 

The one thing of which I'm certain is that it will be impossible to achieve this dream by myself. Our Nurturing Moment family will accomplish this together! I need your input. I need to know what we're doing right and where we need to improve. As we get closer, I will put together a focus group of moms to help us design the ideal space. Your suggestions are our lifeblood!

As you read through the action steps, maybe one of them struck you. Maybe you have a specific talent that you would like to offer. It has been so exciting to see various ANM moms take leadership in different local outreaches to other moms that have come out of our store. Maybe you have professional abilities or a relationship with a foundation or corporation that would align well with our goals. Maybe you just like the idea of saving money or making money.

 Perhaps you don't feel like you have much to offer aside from your prayers; that is definitely our greatest need! Please pray for wisdom for me and for clear direction. Pray for God's provision, and pray that we would be a tremendous blessing to moms all over North Alabama.

I have really bared my heart  tonight. But I believe that this is the right time to do so. I'm excited about what the future holds for us and can't wait to see it unfold! Thanks for coming along for the ride!!

Nancie's Tribute

Having Nancie at the store is lots of fun! Here
she is trying to figure out what this is used for.

If you've been in the store in the last few months, you may have met my sweet friend, Nancie Oughton. I've known Nancie for close to ten years. I taught her older two daughters at Westminster Christian Academy. They were about the same age as my oldest daughter and were friends. When my daughter had some struggles, Nancie's oldest daughter Jessica was there for her and loved her through them. In 2006 Jessica was killed in an automobile accident. I remember sobbing when I heard the news, then sitting down at my computer to express my grief in a poem which I gave to Nancie the next day. I tried to be there for Nancie during that horrible time, then we didn't see each other for a while, but would run into each other from time to time and spend an hour catching up!

She finally figured it out!!

About seven months ago, Nancie's first grandson was
born, and she brought her daughter Kellie and baby Noah in to see me.  It was wonderful to reconnect with Nancie and Kellie. Over the next few weeks they were in the store quite a bit, and before long, Nancie had volunteered to help with my bookkeeping (she had no idea what a huge task she was taking on)!

It has been such a blessing to deepen our friendship. I truly love having Nancy around and appreciate her more than words can express! On Saturday at Babypalooza, Kellie brought me this poem that Nancie had written. I can't begin to tell you how precious it is to me, and I wanted to share it with all of you!

A Nurturing Moment

by Nancie Oughton

Breastfeeding Support is needed by many
So let me tell you about my friend Glenni.

A heart of gold – soft spoken and sweet
To be in her presence is such a treat

She helps nurture your young ones (no matter how old)
With love so sincere, she will nourish your soul .

Her passion in life is breastfeeding success
So she shares her knowledge with all in distress.

Small problems are huge when a baby is new,
Ms Glenni goes non-stop to help get you thru

And when frustrations bring on the tears,
Her cheery voice will calm your fears.

Now if your baby hasn’t arrived just yet,
She offers some classes – to help you not fret.

She comes with some letters right after her name.
IBCLC means she’s the best at her game.

The nursing mom and baby are quite a big deal,
But daddies and siblings , their hearts she will steal.

She has a cute store you must stop by to see,
You’ll find Babies and boobies and bum care aplenty.

Shop for a gift or get a new bra, (you know you need more)
check out the diapers and browse thru the store.

When life overwhelms , you feel you can’t take no more,
Just load up the kids and head to her store.

Come in - sit in a comfy chair and give it a rest
This moment in time is when Glenni’s the best.

The very best part of that “drop in” will be –
Visiting Ms Glenni of course!!! You will see.

We Love Doctors Who Refer to IBCLC's!

The amazing doctoras from Lima who first became IBCLC's.

During the 17 years I've been an IBCLC I've had the privilege of knowing some amazing pediatricians. When we were serving as missionaries in Peru, I was very blessed to know Dra. Sicilia Bellomo, Dra. Milagros Raffo, and Dra. Sara Vega. (In Spanish if the doctor is a female, she's a "doctora.") Each of these amazing pediatricians became IBCLC's during our time in Peru, and I felt so honored to know them and be able to refer mothers to them.

Since we've been back in Huntsville and I've been with A Nurturing Moment, I have discovered that we have many amazing pediatricians here, as well. When a pediatrician or family practitioner recognizes that a baby has a breastfeeding problem he or she isn't equipped to solve, sometimes they just recommend formula. as a quick fix. However, there are some outstanding doctors who are very quick to recommend seeing an IBCLC for professional breastfeeding support, and very slow to recommend formula.

We appreciate the doctors at Cornerstone Pediatrics who refer moms to us.

Yesterday morning I received two calls from the same doctor at Cornerstone Pediatrics asking us to see two different patients.We were able to see both the same day. The first mother just wasn't making enough milk. The doctor had recommended that she see me and try to get breastfeeding fixed before starting formula. Honestly, in this situation many physicians would have wanted the baby on supplements immediately. But he was more concerned about the breastfeeding getting fixed. After I worked with the mother, the doctor and I agreed that she did need to supplement some at the breast to help baby suck more effectively. I was so impressed, however, that he really wanted this mother and baby to breastfeed well!

We were delighted that Huntsville Pediatric Associates actually hired an IBCLC as part of their staff. There are other doctors who refer patients to us from time to time, but we have very regular referrals from Cornerstone. I've  even had Dr. Michael Powell call me about a specific patient. That tells us that these are practices who are truly concerned about their patients breastfeeding successfully. When you are looking for a physician for your baby, be sure to ask how they handle breastfeeding problems. If they aren't quick to refer to an IBCLC, you just might need to look for a different doctor!

Labor Day Weekend Sale Begins Friday

Monday we will celebrate the working men and women who make America what she is. In the past, ANM has been open on Labor Day, but this year it happens to coincide with a very important 15th birthday celebration and first JV football game, so we made the decision to close.

But that doesn't mean we won't have a Labor Day Sale! In fact, our Labor Day Sale will be Friday Aug. 30 and Saturday Aug. 31.

So just what are we putting on sale? We asked you for ideas on Facebook today and we loved your input. So here are the details of the Labor Day Sale!

• 20% off all Baltic Amber - we will be making an order Saturday, so if we don't have what you want, we'll order it, and you'll STILL get 20% off!
• 20% off all Birthing Gowns and Gownies -- after all you need to look pretty when you're in labor!
• 20% off Medela breastfeeding supplies.
• 10% off any Best Chair or Arm's Reach Co-sleeper order, or take an additional 10% off the already reduced price of any chair on the floor!

My Birthday Verse

My lunch-time view at the Marriott World Resort in Orlando!

I've just returned from an absolutely incredible weekend of training, encouragement and fellowship with some of the most positive people I've ever met. Many of you know that I work with an amazing program that is committed to providing value, saving people money, and allowing them a vehicle to achieve their dreams. One of the things that most impresses me at every convention I attend is the emphasis on faith by so many of the speakers, and the multiple expressions of thankfulness to God from person after person crossing the stage. The culture of this company from the President/CEO down is one of faith and thankfulness. I love that!

Yesterday people who had achieved the distinction of helping 4 other people make at least $4500 were recognized and each shared a nugget of wisdom. One lady from Virginia made mention in passing of her "birthday verse” as having been a guiding force in her journey. She explained that she was born on September 16, and God had used Exodus 9:16 to encourage and motivate her.

Me with my dear friend, Anita Eno who tried to show me
this business 7 years ago, but I wasn't smart enough to listen.

I was intrigued. My birthday is December 13, so I began searching the Bible for every book that had a verse 13 in the twelfth chapter. There were several good ones, but nothing really hit me between the eyes until I happened upon Romans 12:13, “Share with God’s people in need. Practice hospitality.” WOW!!!! I couldn't believe that I found a verse that so perfectly describes what I want to do and who I want to be! And I couldn't believe how aptly this verse unites the various parts of my life into one common thread that I fervently desire to see woven into every fiber of my being. 

I began to think of the various ways that I can fulfill that verse and came up with the following ways I can share.

Sharing Knowledge

The field in which I am most knowledgeable, of course, is breastfeeding. It delights me when I am able to help a mother who is in despair be able to nurse her baby successfully. Because I do want to keep A Nurturing Moment afloat, I charge a fee, but if a mom can’t afford to pay that fee, it doesn't matter. I still love helping her. My motivation isn't money; rather it is the joy of seeing a mother happily nursing her baby, especially when she was struggling to do so before we met.  

Each of us has a gift or ability that we've been given. When we use that gift to share with others who need it, it is the richest blessing imaginable. As I watch various mothers whom I've gotten to know over the years use their talents to help others, I am so honored to be a part of their lives.

Sharing Practical Necessities

Every breastfeeding mother needs nursing bras, but some are hard-pressed to be able to afford them. That’s why we began our Bosom Buddiesproject which provides gently used nursing bras to mothers on the WIC food assistance program. Any time a mom donates bras to the program, we offer her a discount on her in-store purchases that day.

One of our ANM moms, Sarah Bailey, is coordinating a wonderful program called Share the Love which provides cloth diapers to families who must choose between buying diapers and buying food. We are thrilled to be a drop-off location for this amazing program!

Sharing Hospitality

At A Nurturing Moment we love to have moms drop by to hang out, nurse their babies and visit

We love having moms hang out at A Nurturing Moment!

with each other. We offer comfy chairs, nursing pillows, nursing stools and bottles of cold water to our guests (if we ever fail to offer you something, don’t hesitate to ask for it!) In our final “dream” location, we will have a much larger nursing area/ classroom/ playroom/ internet café where you will be able to hang out, meet friends and even get healthy snacks! It does my heart good to hear moms enjoying each other’s company, building friendships, and encouraging each other as they nurse their babies together!

Sharing Hope

I often see new moms who are simply distraught and overwhelmed. Our Nurturing Moment family has a very special way of reaching out to and helping each other. You can’t begin to know how proud I am of each one of you who takes a few moments to share hope with another mom. Whether it’s through a Facebook comment, a phone call, or even just a quick (or not so quick) word of encouragement to a new friend you've just met in the store, you shine a ray a hope into the life of a mom who may be truly despondent. Thank you for creating a culture around A Nurturing Moment that shares hope.

Share with God's People in Need. Practice Hospitality

Sharing a Plan for the Future

When I have a mom sitting in front of me wiping away the tears as she talks about returning to work and leaving her baby, my heart just breaks. Sometimes I will mention in passing that I’m part of a company that can help them create a substantial income. But let’s face it, the truth is, I don’t ever want to offend or turn off a customer. I do pray each morning for God to show me who needs to hear about this opportunity, and there are certainly some of you I've shared with because I just knew I was supposed to.

However, after seeing so many people this weekend whose lives God has changed through this company, so many moms who are now able to be home with their children, I just want to make sure that you understand my heart.  I am willing to give 100% to help you be successful in building a business that will allow you to save a lot of money, but enable you to make more than you ever imagined possible if you’re willing to work. It is NOT a “get-rich-quick” scheme. Honestly, anything worth doing requires time, energy and commitment. Nevertheless, I promise you that there is no product to sell, no kind of quota and never any pressure….just me and my desire to “Share with God’s people in need.”

Donate to ABC and Receive Birth Photography!!

Recently photographer Jessica Molepske moved from Texas to Huntsville because of her husband's job. Jessica's work has been featured in the online Newborn Magazine. Before moving here, Jessica contacted me a couple of months before the move to let me know she would like to meet me and to offer a promotion for our customers in order to begin meeting people here.

A couple of weeks ago, I actually met Jessica in person when she came by the store to introduce herself.  We talked about what kind of promotion she wanted to run. Today Jessica came in with information to begin the promotion!

Win a Free Newborn Photo Session

For every $50 you spend in the store between now and July 20, you will receive one entry for a free newborn photo session and photo package. It is a $300 value! The more you spend at A Nurturing Moment, the more chances you have to win.  Jessica likes to do the Newborn Session within 12 days of baby's coming home from the hospital because babies are so sleepy and do very well in a variety of precious poses.

Donate $100 to ABC and Have Your Birth Photographed!

About a week ago, I received this message from Jessica via Facebook:   

Hi Glenni, 

I just recently realized that it's illegal for a midwife to attend a

 homebirth here in AL?? I am so heartbroken over this! I read that article you posted the other day..and I'm wondering is there anything I can do? I wouldn't really know where to start..but this is a change I would like to see! 

Jessica

I suggested that the most important thing she could do is get in touch with the Alabama Birth Coalition. She did just that, and has agreed to photograph the Walk for Midwives this fall. Today Jessica announced that she is offering something VERY special to help raise money for ABC.  Between now and the date of the walk in November, Jessica is offering to photograph your birth in return for a minimum donation of $100 to ABC!! Of course, if you feel led to donate more, that is wonderful. But Jessica is offering her services as a way to support this cause.

We have many amazing photographers here, and Jessica is excited about meeting and working with them. Take just a minute to friend her on Facebook, then come on by and enter to win your newborn session. If YOU aren't pregnant, you can give the session to a friend. What an amazing gift that would be!!

Breastfeeding in a Word

From Tips on Breastfeeding

I asked our ANM moms what one word they would use to describe breastfeeding. The response was varied and interesting. They ranged from "awesome" and "empowering" to "nipple-shredding." One male respondent  actually said "gross." I'm guessing he didn't have a wife who gave his baby the amazing gift of mother's milk! I've divided the responses into several categories.

Practical Benefits of Breastfeeding

"Convenient" and "free" are both very practical benefits of breastfeeding. Of course, it is "natural" and "nurturing,"  and leads to an amazing "connection" between mom and baby. But it is also "relaxing." Some moms feel that breastfeeding is "easy, " while others would say it is "difficult." However, only a nursing mom can truly say that the privilege of feeding her baby is all "mine."

Realism

First and foremost, breastfeeding is a "choice." The reality is that for some mothers, breastfeeding doesn't get off to an idealistic start; for some it is "challenging." One mother called it "painful," while another described it as "(painful) bonding."  Moms recognize that it requires "commitment," "dedication," and "perseverance." One dad pointed out that it can leave mom "peaked." Then, of course, we have the punny mom who points out that breastfeeding "sucks"!

From The Health Age

Sweet Responses

Breastfeeding your baby really is "mothering" at its best; it is truly an act of "love." Baby gets the perfect "entree"! Responses like "contentment," "rewarding," "loving,"  "blessing," "peaceful," "enlightening," "wonderful," "beautiful," "amazing," point out the warm feelings that breastfeeding engenders in many women. It is "comforting - for mom and baby," and leads to an incredible "bond." Another benefit of nursing your baby  is the sweet "snuggles."   

The way our bodies provide milk is a "miracle." One mom asked, "How can I describe it in only word????" Another mom actually made up a new word to describe this "indescribable" experience: "amazeballs"! 

All in all, most of our moms agree that breast is "best"!  

What words would you add to this list??

Freestyle Breast Pump Review

by Guest Blogger, Elizabeth S., Huntsville, AL

The Medela Freestyle

BACKGROUND:  I am a working mother with a 6 month old.  I pump 3-4 times (30 minutes-1 hr sessions) during the workday and breastfeed 3-5 times a night and all the time on the weekends.  I do not have an over-abundant milk supply, but when breastfeeding exclusively my supply is fine.  I rented a Symphony breast pump for 2 months after my son was born, then switched to the Freestyle a week before I went back to work at 2 months postpartum.   I pumped at work using the Freestyle exclusively for 4 months.  I purchased the Freestyle from a big-box retailer after consulting only online reviews.  At the time I purchased the pump, I didn’t know any lactation consultants or working mothers who pumped, and purely from a research standpoint, the Freestyle sounded like the workhorse I was looking for.  Luckily, between the time I purchased the Freestyle, and the time I needed to use it, I discovered A Nurturing Moment and their team of lactation consultants, so when I had problems, I knew where to start looking for answers. 

RECOMMENDATION: I DO NOT recommend purchasing Medela’s Freestyle Breast Pump. 

“It’s like pumping with a jackhammer.”

PROS:

The membranes, connectors, and backplates are easy to clean (much easier than the Pump-In-Style or

The Freestyle is intended to simplify pumping.

Symphony) and do not extend into the collection bottles, allowing collection of more milk.  The pump is highly portable, small, lightweight, rechargeable (up to 6 hrs of pumping on one charge of the battery, but you have to plug it in whenever you’re not using it), can function plugged into the wall outlet if desired, hands-free (I used the Simple Wishes pumping bra instead of the hands-free adapter kit), has a decent way to secure the pump to your waist,  never got moisture in the tubing, can do single or double pumping, and I loved the included timer and memory button that would remember and repeat your last pumping session.  I really wish I could recommend this pump, because the pros were awesome.

CONS:

With each suck, serious vibration that is part of normal Freestyle pump operation is transferred directly to your breasts.  Over time, this caused me recurring breast tissue irritation, swelling, pain, and damage to my skin.  The pump did not fully empty my breasts at the highest setting I could tolerate (Level 4), which caused me to have issues with engorgement and severe difficulty pumping out enough milk to feed my son.  The only way I could handle the vibration somewhat was to slather myself with Lanolin before every pumping session, but all the symptoms above still occurred.  Medela doesn’t make the SoftFit breastshields that come with this pump in any size besides Medium, does not sell any as spare parts, and I could not use the PersonalFit breastshields (Medela’s regular breastshields) with this pump because they made the vibration issue ten times worse.  The pump is also extremely pricey and twice as loud (at least) as the Pump-In-Style or the Symphony.  I would place the Freestyle on the arm of my chair or on the table and feel the vibration throughout my body.  I changed from the Freestyle to the Symphony, and in the same session where I usually got 5 ounces with the Freestyle, I collected 7 ounces using the Symphony (time of day, pumping duration, and all other variables being equal – I ran this comparison the very next day, so the Symphony hadn’t had time to increase my milk production any). 

PURCHASING TIPS – ITEMS TO CONSIDER:  When you purchase a breast pump, give some thought to the customer service.  I didn’t, and now I’m out ~$400 for the pump, $120 for the connectors, membranes, and backplates, had 4 months of pain and stress, and almost lost my milk twice.  (I just hope there’s no long term damage.)  If you’re a working mother, an inadequate pump can sabotage your breastfeeding relationship with your child.  And the danger can be subtle – it took me a month to figure out what was going on after I realized there was a problem somewhere.  Yes, prices are higher at A Nurturing Moment than at the big-box or online retailers, but there is absolutely no substitute for Glenni’s customer service!  If you want Glenni and her team of lactation consultants to be around to help you with your breast pump and breastfeeding accessory purchases and concerns and problems in the future, then buy things from her today.  Or support your local breastfeeding accessory store and lactation consultants if you don’t live in the Huntsville, AL area.  And no, Glenni didn’t (and won’t) pay me to say that.  It’s just common sense.  Consider the following:

• Will the sales personnel at the retailer where you plan to purchase your breast pump know anything about pumping, about combination breastfeeding and pumping, or about the problems you might encounter? 
• Can your retailer show you how to set up and use your pump?  Yes, I know pumps come with instruction manuals, but I had no idea if my pump was working right after I put it together – it made strange noises, and was awkward, and I had no idea if the breastshields were a good fit.  I needed some hands-on help.  You might too. 
• Does your retailer have lactation consultants on staff you can consult with when you have issues? 
• Will your retailer try and sell you a pump that will meet your personal needs after some discussion with you, or will they just sell you anything? 
• Can you swing by your retailer for help when something’s not working, and physically show them what’s wrong?  Some problems can only be demonstrated. 
• Can your retailer’s lactation consultants provide an informed opinion on whether your problems are caused by your pump, your baby’s suck pattern or latch, your diet, an infection, etc., and provide educated guidance on how to fix them? 

Surely it’s worth the extra few bucks to keep A Nurturing Moment or your local breastfeeding accessory store and lactation consultants in business.