But now, there’s another dilemma.

Being a stay at home mom has not affected my personality, of course, so I still have a lot of creative energy pent up inside! I thought to myself one day, “what better way to use this energy than to work towards a goal—perhaps start a business?” Not only would it bring in a nice supplementary income for my family, but having a business (or craft or hobby) would enhance my creative skills and strengthen my business expertise. I call it project of my lifetime.

The first thing I did was a little soul searching to seek God’s direction for type of business or project He would have me to embark on. I realized right away that although my personality was suited for several types of business ventures (selling crafts, designing websites, or providing secretarial services), I would soon either have to narrow it down to one choice, or start a business that combined all or most of my skills and interests. For me, choosing right business was hardest part. Once I settled on freelance web design and writing, it soon became my ultimate goal to find out as much as possible about these particular industries. In my thought, education and information is what separates amateurs from professionals. My goal was to be a professional in my field. This is where networking is highly important.

Why is nursing first few hours so important? Well, one important reason nursing first few hours is so important, is Mom’s production of colostrum, which is first foods your baby will receive from you (as opposed to mature breastmilk). Colostrum is a clear, yellowish substance that is often termed “liquid gold”, which has many antibiotic and beneficial features for your baby. This colostrum seals your baby’s intestines to protect him from harmful bacteria. The high protein colostrum diet stimulates your baby’s first bowel movement (the meconium) as well and decreases incidence of jaundice.

Besides receiving a beneficial high protein, low fat meal straight from Mom, Baby will also learn to latch onto breast correctly within a few days of giving birth, especially if Mom is persistent and available to feed regularly.

About supplements No doubt if you give birth in a hospital, your baby may very well be offered sugar water or a pacifier. The hospital staff mean well, but if you plan to nurse your baby regularly, getting your baby off to a good start first few days are crucial. You can ask your nurses not to offer a pacifier to your baby, and explain that you will be happy to nurse whenever your baby gets fussy. Pacifiers have been associated with problems such as ear infections and early weaning. In addition, using pacifiers interferes with Mom’s milk supply. For first few weeks, especially, it is important to keep Baby in practice with learning to nurse. Sugar water, on other hand, may be given for necessary and medical reasons, such as for a baby who has low sugar levels, or one who has undergone much stress during labor and delivery. But if there are no medical reasons for offering sugar water, ask nurses to bring your baby to you for feedings regularly.