Freebie from Enfamil for Nursing Moms

I nursed my son for 16 months, so I'm a big proponent of breastfeeding.

But I know that many women struggle with breastfeeding, and support is so important to new mothers. I was lucky enough to attend a breastfeeding class before giving birth and receive coaching at the hospital. But my biggest supporter was my mom, who nursed all three of her children and encouraged me and praised me as I was learning the ropes with my son.

I know many women who wanted to breastfeed but who ultimately abandoned those plans. Barring any medical complications, I believe that any woman who wants to can breastfeed her baby. But adequate support is crucial, especially in the beginning.

Breastfeeding is tough, and there's a learning curve. Some women may experience sensitivity, and some babies may have difficulty latching on in the beginning. Then there are those worries about milk supply and whether the baby is getting adequate nourishment.

I'm thrilled to be able to offer my blog readers a terrific freebie from Enfamil, the baby formula folks. Enfamil is offering nursing moms a breastfeeding support kit, which includes tips, advice and product samples. I received something similar when my son was a baby, and my kit included a great insulated bag, DHA nutritional supplements and all kinds of other goodies.

If you're a nursing mom or know one, please sign up for your Enfamil breastfeeding support kit.



Speaking of baby formula, as a new nursing mom, I was adamantly against feeding my son formula or feeding him from a bottle. I was afraid that he'd take to the bottle and thus would end our breastfeeding journey.

But I changed my mind quickly, realizing that my milk and formula both did a great job in nurturing my baby and helping him grow healthy and strong.

My son weighed 9 lbs, 13 ounces at birth, but he lost quite a bit of weight in his first week of life. So much, that our pediatrician recommended supplementing 2 ounces of formula after every breastfeeding. I cried when she "prescribed" that course of action, thinking that I'd somehow failed in my very first act as a mother.

But I soon realized that supplementing with formula was taking some of the pressure off of me, and it actually made me more successful at breastfeeding. Eventually, we were able to stop supplementing entirely.

However, I always kept a carton of formula on hand. I never had much success with pumping -- never had the patience for it -- so having formula on hand allowed me to leave my son in the capable hands of his Daddy or grandparents. I never had to worry that my son would be hungry in my absence because he there was always formula -- almost as good as his mother's milk -- in the cabinet.

If you're a nursing mom or if you plan to nurse, I would encourage you to sign up for the breastfeeding support kit from Enfamil. I would also encourage you to accept any free formula samples your pediatrician and obstetrician offer. Even if you plan to breastfeed exclusively, you may find that having a backup plan relieves some of the stress.

Finally, I also signed up to receive gift checks for formula from Enfamil. If you have to buy formula in a pinch, why should you pay full price for it? I've also given away formula gift checks to other moms. I still remember the gratitude from one young couple with twins when I gave them gift checks worth $16 while waiting in the grocery line. They were obviously strapped for cash, and they couldn't stop thanking me for my little act of kindness.

If you're a breastfeeding mom, I salute you. And if you're a breastfeeding mom who needs some support and a cheerleader, please feel free to send me a message or leave a comment here. I'm happy to share my own experiences with you.

Now, go cuddle those babies.

Using Free Checklists to Track Life's To-Dos

I am a consummate list maker.

That's because I suffer from momnesia. If I don't write things down, chances are pretty good that I will forget them. That's how I wound up at my in-laws' house one Thanksgiving morning without any makeup packed.

Now, whether we're planning a week-long vacation or just an overnight trip, I make a list of everything we need to pack, take and do before we leave. I usually post the list on the fridge or on the back of the door -- the two most visible spots in our home.

Photo by Marcin Wichary

I don't limit my checklists to travel. I have a running checklist of home repairs, so when the handyman visits, we won't overlook some major or minor repair. I also use checklists to keep holiday stress at bay, when I'm planning a party and to manage big life changes, like moving or having a baby.

While sometimes it's necessary to create a custom checklist for your particular situation, I've often found free checklists online to help me tackle all the to-dos in my life.

Here are some checklists I've found to make my life easier.

Babies and Kids

If you're looking for checklists for what to buy for your new baby, Tiny Tot Lot is a good place to go. The site is baby checklist central with a focus on educating new mothers about what they need for there newborns -- everything for the nursery, travel gear, safety essentials and bath supplies. You'll also find safety and nursing tips there.

Check out Tiny Tot Lot's:

• newborn checklist
• safety checklist
• travel checklist
• health checklist
• baby shower checklist
  

Babies R Us also has a must-have checklist of everything you'll need to welcome a newborn and get your child through babyhood. But be careful not to fall into the trap that so many new parents do of thinking you need everything. You don't. (But that didn't stop me from buying it.)

If you're looking for a gift for a new mom and her newborn, Martha Stewart offers a checklist of mom and baby essentials.

I also like Martha's

• Basic baby kit
• Tips for organizing baby clothes
• Baby laundry 101

We're gearing up to potty train in our house, so I'm particularly interested to know what supplies, tricks and treats I need to have on hand. I like:

• Potty training readiness checklist from BabyCenter
• Potty training checklist from Parenting Science

I'm not convinced that you can potty train a child in one day, but even so, Potty Training in One Day has some good checklists:

Potty training equipment checklist
Poop and pee charts

I know summer has just started, but there's no reason you can't get a jump start on getting the kids ready for school.

Check out these handy lists:

• Everything back-to-school checklist
• Another comprehensive back-to-school list
• School supplies checklist
  

Home Keeping

When it comes to housekeeping, home keeping and home maintenance, Real Simple magazine is my go-to source for advice. The Real Simple Web site is also chock full of checklists that are will help you keep your home in tip-top shape. But I like them because they're simple; in other words, they're checkable. Some of my favorites:

• Pantry staples checklist
• Closet organizing checklist
• Childproofing checklist
• Kitchen essentials checklist
• Emergency plan checklist

Who knew there were so many checklists? Too many for one blog post, so I'll post another installment later in the week with links to my favorite holiday, travel, party-planning and health checklists.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with my favorite checklist of the moment, Real Simple's July 2009 Keep-It Together Checklist.

50 Free Photos from CVS

I can't get enough photos of my super-cute kid, so I'm jazzed about the latest freebie from CVS.

If you sign up for a CVS Photo Center account and link it to your ExtraCare card number, you can earn 50 free prints.

I find it so convenient to upload my photos to a store's Web site, then pick up my prints in the store when I'm out running errands or doing my regular shopping. Quite often, my husband will order a second set of prints for his parents and they'll pick them up at the store in their town. For us this is much easier than making double prints and remembering to take them the next time we visit.

Of course, if in-store pickup isn't convenient for you, with CVS Photo Center you also have the option of having your photos shipped directly to you.

You can sign up for a CVS Photo Center account by clicking here or on the link in my sidebar.

Sample New Products Before Anyone Else

How would you like the chance to try new Kraft Foods products FOR FREE before they hit the market?

Then you'll definitely want to sign up for Kraft's First Taste program by clicking here.

Sign up and Kraft will send you samples and freebie coupons to try its latest product introductions.

Just today, I cashed in a coupon for a free DiGiorno Flat Melt, which will make a nice free lunch sometime this week.

If you're a freebie and bargain hunter, I recommend that you sign up for all of Kraft's newsletters and coupons.

I'm a big fan of the quarterly Kraft Food & Family magazine, which is chock full of on-the-go recipes, kitchen money-saving and time-saving tips and high-value coupons. I've scored quite a few freebies from this magazine, and I've also found some great, quick and easy meal ideas.

Goo Goo Giveaway: $25 Gift Certificate to the Store of Your Choice

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how using coupons as cash netted me nearly $100 worth of food and merchandise for less than $12.

I know there are bargainistas out there who can one-up me when it comes to saving money. I want to hear from you. And to sweeten the deal, I'm giving away a $25 gift certificate to one of these stores: Target, Walmart, Kmart or CVS. You get to choose.

For this Goo Goo Giveaway, I want to hear how you stretch your hard-earned money.

To enter the giveaway, post your favorite money-saving tip in the comments section. Make sure to include your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

You can also earn extra entries by:

• Subscribing to my blog (use the links to the right)
• Following Goo Goo Buy Buy on Twitter
  
• Becoming a Fan of Goo Goo Buy Buy on Facebook
• Blogging about this giveaway
• Tweeting this giveaway (three tweets allowed per day; please include a link to your tweet)
• Follow this blog (See the link on the right sidebar)
  
• Linking to a deal you've scored combining coupons and sales

* If you're already a follower and/or a Facebook fan, post a comment letting me know that.

For each entry, please be sure to post a comment here.

This contest ends Wednesday, July 15 at midnight. I will choose a winner randomly from all comments using Random.org.

Happy bargain shopping, and I can't wait to read your money-saving tips.

A Tasty Dessert from the Stockpile

If you've been reading this blog for the past couple of weeks, you know that my family is on a Grocery Free Challenge.

I wanted to see how long we could go cooking and eating exclusively from our stockpile. Trips to the grocery store aren't allowed, except to pick up milk, produce, bread and sodas, which we can't seem to stockpile.

This past weekend, I had a hankering for something sweet and decided to mix up a dessert from ingredients I had on hand. I wanted to use one of the cans of sweetened condensed milk that I had on hand because, quite honestly, I wanted to scrape the empty can and eat the leftovers.

I whipped up a tasty lemon pie, using 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, 1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice, a can of sweetened condensed milk and a prepared graham cracker crust.

A few seconds in the KitchenAid, followed by a half-hour in the fridge and we had a tasty dessert.

Do you have any quick and tasty desserts that will satisfy a sweet tooth without requiring a trip to the grocery store? If so, please comment and post a link.

Grocery Free Challenge: Week 3 Menus

I meant to post this on Sunday, but a sinus infection or some other as yet undiagnosed ailment has been doing a number on me.

Here are our menus for Week 3 of the Grocery Free Challenge. Because I'm sick and don't feel much like cooking and because there aren't two people to tag-team the toddler in the evenings, I've already revised things a bit to allow for some takeout meals.

Sunday:
Breakfast: blueberry muffins
Lunch: Arby's
Dinner: Stovetop Chicken Casserole served on Wacky Mac


Monday:
Breakfast: blueberry muffins
Lunch: leftover Stovetop Chicken Casserole
Dinner: Pork Pad Thai (ramen noodles substituted for rice noodles!)

Tuesday:
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: chicken salad courtesy of Nana, a fig bar for the sick Mommy
Dinner: salad and baked potato from Ruby Tuesday


Wednesday:
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: pizza
Dinner: dirty rice made with turkey sausage, sauteed squash

Thursday:
Breakfast: waffles
Lunch: leftover dirty rice
Dinner: Asian grilled chicken salads with Chinese noodles, mandarin organges, almonds and dried cranberries

Friday:
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: chicken salad
Dinner: Pasta with Italian turkey sausage sauce, salad and homemade bread (if I'm feeling like it!)


Saturday:
Breakfast: pancakes
Lunch: leftover pasta
Dinner: July 4 fireworks picnic with family

Sharing Recipes from our Grocery Free Challenge

I promised that I would share some recipes as we continue on our Grocery Free Challenge (14 days and counting with no grocery shopping!).

This week, there were two dishes, in particular, that we couldn’t stop talking about – our grilled Father’s Day ribs and the scalloped cauliflower I made on Monday.

The rib recipe, Lacquered Baby Back Ribs, came from A New Way To Cook
by Sally Schneider and the cauliflower recipe is from Joy of Cooking, my go-to-guide when I have an ingredient that I’m not sure what to do with.

As always, I tweaked each recipe a bit to make use of what I had in my stockpile. My substitutions are noted in parenthesis.

Lacquered Baby Back Ribs

3 TBS dark brown sugar
1 TBS curry powder
1 tsp whole cloves
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground allspice (nutmeg)
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
¼ cup plus 2 TBS reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
2 TBS fresh lime juice (lemon juice)
2 TBS dark rum (bourbon)
1 TBS minced fresh ginger (skipped it; didn’t have any fresh ginger)
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 racks baby back pork ribs, trimmed of excess fat

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the ribs, mixing well. Add the ribs and turn to coat. Cover and marinate for 2 ½ hours at room temperature. Or refrigerate for up to 12 hours; let sit at room temperature for 1 hour before roasting.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Remove the ribs from the marinade and brush off any cloves or pieces of ginger or garlic; reserve the marinade . Wrap each rack tightly in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast the ribs for 1 ½ hours.

Meanwhile, if you wish to grill the ribs, light a charcoal or wood fire and allow it to burn down to the white-hot coals. (I used a gas grill and lit it 15 minutes before the end of the roasting time.)

In a small saucepan, bring the marinade to a boil over moderate heat; boil for 30 seconds.

Remove the ribs from the foil, being careful of the escaping steam, and place on a rock on a baking sheet or on the grill rack. Roast or grill, brushing the ribs with marinade every 10 minutes, for 30 minutes. Turn the ribs over and cook, basting every 10 minutes, until the ribs are brown and glazed, about 30 minutes longer. Cut the ribs apart through the joints and serve.

Scalloped Cauliflower

2 lbs. cauliflower, cut into small florets
2/3 cup grated cheese
1 ½ cup Bechamel sauce, mixed with ½ tsp grated or ground nutmeg or 1 TBS Dijon mustard
½ cup plain or buttered fresh breadcrumbs (French’s dried onions)

To make the Bechamel sauce: Combine 1 ¼ cup milk, ¼ onion, 1 bay leaf and 2 whole cloves and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered, to infuse flavor into the milk. Discard the onion, bay leaf and cloves. (I chopped the onion and strained it out for the next step. Then I added the reserved onion in the casserole.)

Meanwhile, melt 2 TBS unsalted butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir in 2 TBS all-purpose flour. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally with a spoon or spatula, over medium-low heat until the roux is just fragrant but not darkened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Slowly whisk in the warm milk and return the saucepan to the heat. Bring the sauce slowly to a simmer, whisking to prevent lumps, and cook, stirring often and skimming any skin that forms on the surface, over low heat without boiling, until it reaches the consistency of thick cream soup, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and ground white pepper to taste.

To make the casserole: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart gratin dish.

Boil or steam the cauliflower. Drain well and spread in the gratin dish. Sprinkle with half of the grated cheese (I used a mix of swiss, cheddar and asiago).

Spoon over with 1 ½ cup Bechamel sauce, mixed with ½ tsp grated or ground nutmeg or 1 TBS Dijon mustard. Top with bread crumbs or dried onions. Bake until browned and bubbly on top, about 25 minutes.

Grocery Free Confession

I was supposed to cook spinach manicotti tonight, but I just didn't feel like it.

Chalk it up to waking up at 4:30 a.m. with a killer sinus headache, a busy workday and a scratchy throat.

So I sent my husband for Chinese takeout. Technically, we're still Grocery Free, but not takeout free.

Oops.

Spiders, spiders everywhere

This post from a friend and the fact that we found a huge spider (unknown type) nesting near the potty in the bathroom this morning, I thought I'd share some spider bite first aid tips I learned a few years ago while working on a client project:

• Only two types of spiders in the United States are poisonous to humans: the black widow and brown recluse.
• Brown recluse spider bites are the most dangerous, and should be treated immediately. Watch for itching, tingling, redness and pain at the site and for a lesion to form within an hour or two. Symptons may progress to include fever, chills, headache and stromach problems. Later, bleeding disorders, kidney failure or major organ failure may occur.
• Symptoms of a black widow bite usually occur within 30 minutes to two hours. They include severe back pain, muscle cramps, rigidity of the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, sweating, restlessness and, in some cases, elevated blood pressure. Seek medical help if any of these occur.
• Other spider bites can be treated at home. First, clean the bite with soap and water and apply antibiotic ointment to prevent infection. You can also use hydrocortisone cream to reduce inflammation, antihistamines to control severe swelling and analgesics for pain. Contact a doctor if the area becomes infected and to see if the bite victim needs a tetanus booster.

Source: American Red Cross

Having just seen Charlotte's Web last week, I was thinking spiders were kinda cute. But the visitor in our bathroom changed my mind. Spiders, particularly black widows and brown recluses, can be very dangerous to kids and adults. You can learn more about spider bites and treatments here. It's spine-tingling but necessary reading.