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    My top 4 tips - breastfeeding on the go!

    My top 4 tips - breastfeeding on the go!

    Breastfeeding my firstborn (6 years ago) to breastfeeding my third child were two totally different experiences for me. Perhaps it was being a new first time mother going through the emotions of the unknown, being conscious and worried about everything you do, or perhaps breastfeeding today is more open and widely spoken about than it was six years ago (I’m making it sound as though I’m living in the 1900s!). When out and about with my firstborn, as soon as I heard the sounds of my baby crying hungry for some milk, I would immediately find a quiet place, a corner of a cafe or restaurant or even behind closed curtains in fitting rooms, and feed my little one.   I only really felt comfortable breastfeeding when I was in the comfort of my own home where I could just take my time, not worry about who was around and just let my breasts hang out! Maybe it's my personality that made me more reserved and shy about feeding in public - I like to keep certain personal things private and as natural as breastfeeding your baby is and should be, for me, it was a private matter and something I would only do in front of my immediate family and closest of friends. I was always much more conscious of what I looked like when breastfeeding. Being conscious of appearance whilst breastfeeding was not about me being vain about my physical appearance, it was more worrying about whether I was breastfeeding my child properly, would I be judged if I wasn't holding him in the correct position, whether I was flashing my post baby stomach to the public or worse, my boob!  I am far from those yummy mummy type of women who look effortlessly immaculate (even with a newborn baby),.I was probably edging more towards the zombie faced, sleep deprived, panda eyed look, that people didn’t even try to pretend and say ‘you look well’ to me! 

    Fast forward a few years, third time round, breastfeeding was a totally different experience. I was much more comfortable about feeding out and about, in front of large groups of people, I would just whip 'em out, so to speak! Perhaps the fact that having two older kids to look after meant I didn’t have time to get comfortable (literally) and therefore didn’t have time to even worry about what I looked like. I remember being on holiday in the middle of street markets and restaurants in the bustling city of Kuala Lumpur and baby no.3 was crying out for a feed, nowhere to go, nowhere to sit so I lowered him in my carrier, whipped my breastfeeding cover over us and pulled down my top to feed. This is feeding on the go! It was easy! Why did I not do this before? If you are relaxed and confident, breastfeeding on the go is so much easier and much more sociable than sitting in a quiet room, sometimes for hours waiting for your baby to finish.

    Although I am all for breastfeeding your baby in public, I personally, am not one to just pull my top down and feed my baby. So if any of you are like me, here are a few hints and tips for breastfeeding on the go.

    Tip no.1 - breastfeeding cover

    Personally, I like to be covered up or be a little more discreet (unlike Alice!) so my first tip for anyone who doesn’t like to display to the world that you are breastfeeding your child, is to purchase a breastfeeding cover. Click here to shop Onco's recommendation.

    Tip no.2 - one up and one down

    There are many nursing vests and tops on the market but I personally don’t think it’s necessary. All you need are a couple of string vests underneath your normal tops and jumpers and when you are ready to feed, you pull your outer top up and pull your vest down from the top and under your boob. This also helps to cover up and keep your stomach and back areas warm. In addition, wearing button up shirts, tops, dresses or front zip clothing are also quick and easy clothing for breastfeeding on the go.

    Tip no.3 - feeding in a sling/carrier

    Adjust position of baby and sling so that baby’s head is level with your breast and voila! There are some slings and carriers that are designed for nursing so you can always hunt for these but I think most slings/carriers work. Click here to shop Onco's recommendation.

    Tip no.4 - be relaxed and confident

    Most people will not notice you are even breastfeeding if you are relaxed and confident. Carry on with what you are doing, whether it’s in conversation, eating or reading, enjoy as these precious moments do not last long and before you know it, it's all over. 

    luggage

    Where's my baby's suitcase?

    Some people would say the difficulty we had with LO's passport as a sign that perhaps you should give up.  And some people just see them as obstacles that you overcome to achieve your goal.

    So when I was sitting in the lounge enjoying a quick hot chocolate with Connie before heading to the gate I was able to take a deep breath, relieved to be on the other side of check in and security.

    At the departure gate we folded the stroller away and put LO in the baby carrier.  The airline staff then asked to check my hand luggage in as it was on the larger side and the flight was full. We just wanted to walk off the plane and head straight to our hotel which was in another town.  But as we had to wait for the stroller we thought it wouldn't make any difference so we even manage to check in Connie's luggage in too.

    Just before the aircraft door we left our stroller with the two suitcases and settled in our seats.  LO fell asleep and we 'enjoyed' the one hour flight delay! It wasn't so relaxed on the way down though. LO wasn't keen and made everybody aware of it!

    Finally we landed and peace at last.  

    We collected our stroller just as we got out.  I opened it and wheeled it along the jetbridge.  About halfway along - somebody was running after us - and gave us a wheel.  It was the wheel from our stroller. I was wheeling it along with only 3 wheels and hadn't even noticed. 

    Connie went ahead to the baggage belt as I wanted to change LO.  I then made my way to the belt and Connie was still there. Bagless!  The belt had stopped and she had already enquired that there were no more bags coming from the aircraft!

    What may be the worse job in an airport - the assistant who deals with lost luggage was just - the best word I can use is - gormless.  There was no sympathy, empathy, understanding in her voice.  I suppose she hears the same story all day everyday.

    She didn't know where our luggage was. And was just as surprised as we were that our stroller arrived but luggage didn't.

    We had just the clothes we were wearing on one of the hottest day of the month.  And a baby! The baby. Oh goodness we need baby supplies.  Thank heavens he didn't need anything just as we got off the plane! I would have been fuming otherwise.  I was actually finding this quite amusing as I did not imagine anything else that could stand in our way of this trip.

    The information the assistant gave us was - no information. She didn't know where our bags were, when they will find out or when we would get them.  Can we buy replacements? Will we get reimbursed? That depends she says. On what? Different circumstances? Seriously? What circumstances? Usually we can be reimbursed if the delay is more than 24 hours. But we have a young baby and business meetings to attend tomorrow morning!

    Does she know when we will find out any more information. No. 

    We were just sent away with a reference and telephone number.  

     We had to get basic essentials and at least a change of clothes AND baby things. Nappies, clothes, baby wipes. Luckily LO is still exclusively breastfed so no need to worry about bottles, formula, steriliser etc.

    But where can we get these things? It isn't London. Shops don't stay open late like London.  

    Do we go to the town where our hotel is (over an hour away) before it got dark and try to find something there? Or do we go into town here and get what we can before making our way to the hotel?  Where are the shops? Is it like London that it takes an hour to get to the shops? 

    No internet. Phones low on battery - we need a phone charger! We need to act fast.  Time is not on our side before the shops close in a couple of hours. We have no time for food just yet.   

    We decided to get as much as we could around the airport town then head to the hotel after.  

    Rushing to the train station we found it hard to decipher which train to get so actually missed the train that was sitting on the platform.  So with 20 minutes until the next train we walked (Connie ran) back to the airport to see if there was anything we could get from the airport shops.  It felt like supermarket sweep.  The slowest queue at the tills didn't help us.  

    We made it back to the train with toiletries and nappies.  Stopping in town we got off at the station and there were a few shops at the station where we found a supermarket and even managed to pick up breast pads.  When we were queueing to pay we received a phone call. 7.15pm.  They have located our suitcases.  They will be on the 10.30pm flight and will be delivered to our hotel by taxi. They weren't sure at what time but some point before the morning!  
    So do we continue buying the essentials for the evening as I really wanted a clean set of clothes to sleep in?  It depends said the assistant.  You probably can.  Regardless of reimbursement we needed a fresh set of clothes.  Luckily for them LO did not explode in his nappy as we could not find any shops selling baby items nearby.  

    We grabbed some food and headed to the hotel as LO was fussy, hadn't fed properly - this isn't unusual when we're out and about - he's more interested in what's going on.  

    We gave LO a shower as there obviously wasn't a baby bath available and the sink was too small.  

    As LO slept we caught upon the day's events waiting for our suitcases.

    10.15pm we received a phone call. It was the airline assistant.  

    I'm afraid all flights have been cancelled tonight and tomorrow morning.  We're not sure when they'll be flying again.  We will be in touch.  

    What?! OMG. We stopped buying things because you told us our suitcases would be with us tonight. It's too late now. We have no clothes for our business meeting tomorrow.  

    Grrr.

    And you can't tell us when the suitcases will be with us. 

    With the use of google and emails to our kind host. We found out that the local shops only open at 10am.  There are a few random shops by the station that open at 8am so we had to have an early start to see what was available.  Dressing in our clothes from the day before was less than pleasant as we headed to the shops.  We found one store that we had to choose all our clothes from and you know you can never find underwear when you want them but at the very last minute we popped in to a coffee bar and of all places they sold random piece of clothing and we found underwear. We also had to buy make-up, shoes, hosiery.  But still no baby clothes. 

    At the end of the day - the airline called again and told us that we would get our suitcases that evening but again - were not sure what time it would arrive with us.  So instead of spending the early evening enjoying some dinner and the town we had to go in search of baby clothes.  We really couldn't let LO stay in his clothes wrapped in our cardigan for warmth for much longer.  We had to go in search for baby shops.  How much do we spend? There only seemed to be designer shops.  I had already had enough baby clothes and didn't want to spend too much if we were not going to get reimbursed - so after finding what seems like the German equivalent to John Lewis I bought the cheapest items we could find. LO had fresh clothes and dry bib and other essentials.  We could now relax after freshening up. Time for food. But LO was too tired for us to take out so poor Connie wondered the streets of Germany for take-out.  Don't get us started on ordering take-out online! That may be another blog!

    Lessons learned

    • Save all receipts on the essentials you buy whilst you wait for your suitcase
    • The procedure to get reimbursement is relatively simple and quick for British Airways
    • You don't need to claim this on your travel insurance
    • There is no excess to pay
    • Between the 3 of us we received back over £600 for the essentials we bought
    • We didn't receive compensation for inconvenience
    • Take the minimum baby essentials on the flight with you - just in case your suitcase is lost. Baby items are hard to find.

    Pincer grip baby led weaning baby uses pincer grip to eat peas

    Pinch of pea

    LO was served some prawn fried rice - made following Connie's lovely recipe. It had peas in it and I naturally just served what was in our meal.  8 weeks into our baby led weaning journey I didn't expect LO to eat the peas as they are so small (I use petit pois) but to my surprise he used his fingers and actually managed to pick them up.  This is what is called the pincer grip - using fore finger and thumb to pick things up instead of thumb and palm.  The pincer grip usually develops around 7-9 months of age.  I have been serving him foods of different sizes before this and he has managed to pick most pieces of food up but I don't remember giving him anything quite so small.  Rice doesn't really count as he usually just grabs a hand or fingerful.  Baby led weaning allows the baby to practice their fine motor movements when they grasp or pinch for food to take to their mouths.

    Why does my silicone product smell?

    Why does my silicone product smell?

    The idea of being 100% plastic free really appeals to us, particularly when it comes to what goes into our children's mouth and so, where possible, we try to source products for Onco that are plastic free. With that in mind, you will find that we do not sell plastic products in our Feeding section, and if we do, it is a minimal part of the product. 

    Onco silicone products are made from FDA approved food grade silicone and does not smell before first use.  Ensure all your silicone products are manufactured using food grade silicone.

    Silicone is probably the most natural material (besides glass) for use with feeding children.  You may sometimes notice a distinct smell and these smells that sometimes occur are actually the result of food oils and washing detergents clinging to one another, it is not the silicone material itself. This is because there are no chemicals added into the formula to make the silicone rigid.  

    There are several methods to reduce and remove the smell:

    1. Lemon Juice is a good solution to use when washing the silicone (not necessary all the time as not all foods will cause the silicone to smell  - but if it does, washing with it greatly helps and it is safe).

    2. Baking soda is another product to use. You can wash the silicone product with it when smells are noticed. 

    3. Boiling the silicone for 5 minutes after cleaning will also elminate the smell. 

    4. Baking in the oven for 2 hours at 200F/93C will eliminate the smell.

    Although our products are dishwasher safe, dishwasher detergent can leave a smell on the silicone mat.  We recommend using washing up liquids that do not contain fragrances or additives, this also helps to reduce the incidence of smells.

    What to pack in your hospital bag

    What to pack in your hospital bag

    By week 35 you should pack your hospital bag.  Use a carrier that works best for you - either a holdall, backpack or even a mini suitcase like we did. It’s a good idea to pack for you, baby and birth partner separately so you can find things easily in the moments of labour and then when your baby is born.

    For you

    •  Birth plan and hospital notes (you will need this for your antenatal appointments so keep them on top)
    •  Mobile phone and a charger
    •  
    • Clothes for labour
    •  It will get messy so an old nightie or long t-shirt will do
    •  Dark lightweight dressing gown – in case you’re wandering the corridors
    •  Slipper socks or slippers
    •  Nightie for post labour – something with buttons at the front if you are planning on breastfeeding
    •  Breast pads – 1 box
    •  Nursing bras – 2-3
    •  Nipple cream
    •  Maternity sanitary pads – or long thick sanitary towels (not the thin ones)
    •  Old or disposable knickers - 3
    •  
    • Going home clothes – loose and comfortable
    •  Clothes you wore when you were around 6 months pregnant should be fine (make sure the top is accessible if you plan to breastfeed)
    •  
    • Toiletries
    •  Toothpaste and Toothbrush, deodorant, flannel and shower stuff
    •  Towel
    •  Make up 
    •  Lip balm
    •  Hairbrush and ties/clips for long hair
    • Other 
    •  Snacks/sports drinks or glucose tablets/bottled water with sports top
    •  Laundry bag for dirty clothes
    •  Eye mask – to get as much sleep as you can post labour on the ward
    •  Drink straw - so that you can easily keep yourself hydrated in all birthing positions

    Optional:

    •  TENS machine – if you plan to use one
    •  Music/magazines/entertainment
    •  Comfy pillow
    •  Pen and paper/notebook – to write any questions you may want to ask
    •  Mini fan
    •  Massage oil – if you like to be massaged during labour
    •  Birth ball and pump if your hospital doesn’t have one

    For baby

    •  Baby vests x 5
    •  Sleep suits x 3
    •  Nappies small pack unopened as they take up less space unopened
    •  Baby blanket
    •  hat - hospital usually provide one
    •  Baby jacket/snow suit depending on weather
    •  Cotton wool or baby wipes
    •  Muslin cloths x 5
    •  Nappy ointment

    Optional:

    •  Scratch mittens
    •  Socks or booties
    •  Car seat – if you plan to bring your baby home in a car (even by taxi)

    For birth partner

    •  Clothes/underwear and comfortable shoes
    •  Mobile and charger
    •  Camera and charger
    •  Snacks/food and drinks
    •  Change for parking
    •  Toiletries and towel
    •  List of phone numbers to call

    Optional

    •  Entertainment
    •  Painkillers – for their headaches!
    •  Pillow/blanket
    •  Swimwear if they want to join you in the birth pool