This Holiday Season we wanted to lend a hand in finding great gifts for your babies, toddlers and young children. We put together a list of  some of our favorite books that include photos and stories about breastfeeding! Each of the photos is a live link to purchase the books on the Barnes and Noble site.

We have all seen or heard lots of great reasons to breastfeed our children.  The MILC Group wanted to provide five more reasons that are a little less "traditional."  These are brought to you by Tina whose son just started college in Olympia, Washington.

1. When you choose to breastfeed your child you will feel rest assured that you provided them with a hearty immune system as they embark on their college journey far away from home.
2. A breastfed child (particularly one breastfed beyond a year) may be very independent since they had all their early attachment needs met.  Thus you will know that you provided the roots for them to grow and the wings for them to fly....possibly thousands of miles from home.  
3. If your child chooses to attend a hippie liberal arts college (as Tina's has done) they will immediately have so much street cred.  Being able to share that they were breastfed into toddlerhood holds a lot of weight with hippie kids.  If your kid was also homebirthed, co-slept, etc. then they are in!  Tina's son is able to say that his Mama is a La Leche League Leader, IBCLC and Birth Doula...he's Golden!
4. Raising a child in a breastfeeding friendly environment can aid in developing a very kind, generous and loving human being.  Being able to send one of those out into the world is a pretty good thing!  
5. Breastfeeding could possible aid in intelligence.  For years we have heard that breastfed children score higher on IQ tests.  Whether or not you choose to believe that tidbit we are here to say that we have seen this in our own children.  Tina's son proudly received a National Hispanic Merit Scholar Award and was ranked 35th out of 500 kids in his class.  He had his pick of colleges and was awarded multiple scholarships and awards helping him to attend the college of his choice.  
   

We are sure you didn't need more reasons to breastfeed but we wanted to let you know that all the effort you mamas are putting in today WILL pay off in the future!  

Starting childcare and going back to work may be an emotionally challenging time for parents and baby. Here are some tips that can help families and caregivers make this transition:

1.    Parents might consider spending time at the childcare center before they return to work or school in order to let their baby get comfortable with their new surroundings. 

2.    Parents may also consider returning to work on a graduated schedule, or working shorter weeks at first.

3.    Parents might leave something that smells like mother; for example, some parents may leave a T-shirt mom may have slept in.
                                                                                                                                         
4.    Baby may cluster feed in the evening or wake more often to feed at night; during the first few weeks in childcare, it is normal for breastfed babies to choose to not feed during the day while in childcare.

5.    Getting a daily update on baby’s activities to include diapers and feeding can make parents feel more connected with their child’s day.

6.    Parents may find that wearing or holding their babies often in the evening helps reestablish the emotional connection.

7.    Mothers may plan to breastfeed at the childcare facility when dropping off and picking up to ease the transition.