Labor (of the baby variety)

Labor day has me thinking. About Labor. Not labor of the farming/manufacturing/goods and services variety. The other kind. The more, ahem, girly kind. Not that I am not appreciative of laborers. Because I am. But I can't help thinking about the other kind of labor. The baby birthing kind. It too is hard work. It too requires long, hard hours. It too is a struggle. It too is, shall we say, "grunt" work. (Too much? I don't think so either.)

I suppose that's why it's called "labor".

No work is more intense, more tiresome, more of a struggle than bringing a child into this world. But I suppose it's a trade-off. Because no other work will bring you so much joy, or fill your heart with more love than you ever imagined.

Happy labor day.

Monday City Sweeps: Giveaway Linky!

Don't forget to enter my GUIDECRAFT giveaway!

Organic Milkmaid Tea from Earth Mama Angel Baby

My son has been going through a growth spurt lately, and he still isn't eating much solid food. I have been trying to increase my milk supply in order to keep up with his demands. On top of nursing, I was expressing every three hours or so, and still not really producing any more than I already had been. One thing I hadn't tried was Fenugreek - an herb that is supposed to increase lactation. So when Earth Mama Angel Baby contacted me to review their organic Milkmaid Tea, I was eager to try it out!

First of all, I have to admit that I am not a tea drinker. I have had a Chai tea latte once or twice and sampled other varieties on occasion. I have never really loved the stuff (except this one time, a friend of mine brought some tea back from Kenya, and he brewed it with milk and sugar and it was the most delicious hot beverage I have ever had in my life).
Upon receiving the box of tea, I read the ingredients: organic fennel seed, organic fenugreek seed, organic red raspberry leaf, organic stinging nettle leaf, organic spearmint leaf, organic orange peel, organic anise seed*, organic caraway seed, organic alfalfa leaf. Quite the concoction.
*I should mention, I despise anise. To the core of my being. Black licorice disgusts me. So I was a little apprehensive.

I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was it good, it was yummy. In fact, just talking about it makes me want a cup right now (excuse me while I brew some water). I don't even really notice the anise, it blends in with the other flavors quite nicely. I just add a little milk and sugar, and even my hubby loves it. He likes it more than I do, if you want to know the truth. And no, he hasn't began lactating . . . yet.
You can drink it hot or iced, add a little honey, cinnamon, vanilla creamer, etc.

And the lactation? In conjunction with pumping, after drinking Milkmaid Tea a few days in a row, I did notice an increase in milk production. Maybe only a few mLs, but that was after only a couple of days.

If you are a breastfeeding mama who is trying to increase her supply, I would definitely recommend Milkmaid Tea from Earth Mama Angel Baby. And the good news? It's only $6.19.

Guidecraft Review and Giveaway

I am sure by now you have heard of a wonderful company called Guidecraft. They are makers of truly exceptional, educational products for children. They have been around a long long time (so they must be good, right?) and their products are built to last. Among their hundreds of products, you will find furniture, storage and toys. Seriously, if you have children, check them out right this minute. You will find not one, not two, not even three, but dozens of items that you will want to take home.

Look at this sweet table and chairs set:

Or this adorable train toy box:

We received this Hide 'n Seek Shape Sorter from Guidecraft's toys and manipulatives line.

It arrived very quickly, and was packaged very nicely.

There was no assembly required, it was ready to played with!

My son loves the shapes, they are each a different color and are the perfect size for his little hands.

He is only 8 months old, and can't get the shapes in the holes without a little help, but I know he will figure it out soon enough.

The thing that I love about this classic toy, is it's quality. I know it will last through (at least) all of my children, and maybe longer. The shape sorter is solid and sturdy, it will definitely withstand a lot of wear and tear, and dropping, banging and throwing, and whatever else my son may do. The paint is bright, there were no scratches or chips. Plus, I was surprised by how big the sorter is. It really is a substantial size!
The shape sorter is perfect for young children. Not only does it encourage critical thinking (what hole does this piece fit in?), but it offers parents the opportunity to teach toddlers about colors and shapes. What's not to love?!
 
BUY IT: You can buy the Hide 'n Seek Shape Sorter online for $26.50.

WIN IT: One luck reader will win their very own shape sorter from Guidecraft!

To Enter

You must be a follower of Baby in the Big City.

 Mandatory Entry

Visit Guidecraft and tell me another product (not mentioned in this review) that you would absolutely love!

Extra Entries

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 *Grab my new button! (worth 3 entries)

Fine Print
*Open to U.S. residents only.

*Leave your email address in your comments so that I may contact you if you are selected.

*Contest will end Saturday, September 18th.

*I will select a winner using random.org.

*I will email the winner, and announce the winner on this post.

*The selected winner will have 48 hours to respond, or I will select a new winner.

*This product was provided for my review at no cost. I did not receive any sort of monetary compensation. All opinions expressed in this review are solely my own. Your opinions or experience with this product may differ from mine.

Wordless Wednesday: Bubba at the Bean

Big Boy Bath

Lately I have been giving Bubba a bath without his tubby. He likes to move around so much, I kept worrying he was going to fall out of the infant tub or tip it over. I think he likes being able to move around more. I just have to keep a close eye on him so he doesn't slip! (or maybe get some grippy, non-slip stickers for the bottom . . ) I also keep the water pretty shallow so he has less bouyancy and can move around more easily.

The Back-up Plan

Hubby and I watched The Back-up Plan last night. There wasn't much else at the RedBox, so I figured if the movie was awful, it was at least about a topic that intersted me (pregnancy and babies).

I certainly don't claim to be a movie critic, and romantic comedies are typically shallow and campy (and one of my many guilty pleasures), but I have to say, The Back-up Plan was suprisingly. . . cute. Still shallow and campy, but funny (there was actually one scene that was fall-off-the-couch hysterical, illumintaing the pains of labor in a realistic yet slightly demonic light) and relatably honest. If you have given birth, you will enjoy parts of this movie.
Perhaps Romantic Comedies aren't your style. Do not fret, this isn't your typical RomCom. The Back-up Plan brings to light some intersting topics that aren't typically broached in mainstream films. In the midst of a stereotypical pregnancy protrayal, you will find, if only briefly, mentions of breastfeeding, extended breastfeeding, artificial insemination, bearing a child through sperm donation, natural child birth, home births, water birth, single parenthood and same-sex couples raising a child.
If you are familiar with/intersted in/have experience with any of those topics and you are willing to see them from the outside looking in, you will enjoy this endearing little flick. It was defintely worth a $1.09.