Say What? An IRS Tax Break for Breastfeeding!

Attention, nursing mamas! It now pays to breastfeed your little ones in more ways than one. In addition to it being a great way to feed your baby, thanks to the IRS, you will be able to write off the cost of breast pumps and nursing supplies as medical deductions. That’s fantastic news!Attention, nursing mamas! It now pays to breastfeed your little ones in more ways than one. In addition to it being a great way to feed your baby, thanks to the IRS, you will be able to write off the cost of breast pumps and nursing supplies as medical deductions. That’s fantastic news!

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has been pushing for this breastfeeding tax code change for a very long time. When things like vasectomies and weight-loss programs are considered allowable medical expenses, one has to wonder why lactation supplies and things that promote and support breastfeeding have gone without consideration for so long. In other words, it’s about time!

New moms: Here’s what you need to know to get a tax break for breastfeeding…

Breastfeeding Tax Breaks Basics

Of course, there is a catch: In order to deduct such medical expenses, your costs associated with nursing have to exceed 10 percent of your adjusted gross income. But don’t fret. Crossing that threshold, especially in your baby’s first year of life, will come before you know it. Breast pumps and supplies can be incredibly expensive, not to mention trips to the pediatrician’s office, classes, and lactation workshops, and the other various prenatal and post-natal expenses can rack up pretty quickly. Keep track of all your related expenditures!

What’s Included in the IRS’ Tax Breaks for Breastfeeding

Anything used for extracting milk! In a CBSNews.com article, Michelle Eldridge, an IRS spokesperson, explains: “When looking at the supplies, what is really included in this is any item used primarily for extracting milk.”

If the nipple creams, special bras, and lotions are used for medical reasons (can we say “cracked nipples”), they may be considered applicable toward the tax break. But even if they are not, the milk extraction items are generally the most expensive things needed, so those who can reap even that aspect of the tax break can enjoy a big savings.

So How Much Can New Parents Save?

Reuters estimates that the average breast pump is $200+ and other lactation supplies can run up a bill over $1,000. With all the other new baby costs for items, including diapers, clothing, medication, etc., having a baby is very costly. With the tax break for nursing moms, they can use the money toward other needs for their child. Not to mention the health benefits of breastfeeding that are – as you know – priceless!

How to Make Breastfeeding Tax Benefits Work for You

Those who have a flexible spending account (FSA) through their employer are advised to set aside some money to cover the cost of their breast pump and breastfeeding supplies (attachments, cream, bottles, storage bags, nursing pads, etc.). Be sure to check on the specifics of your particular FSA plan (not all of them cover every IRS-approved item) or with your employer’s HR/benefits representative.

For more detailed information, visit the IRS website and/or talk to your financial adviser or tax person. Heck, talk to your mommy friends, too, and spread the word!

Original source Parent Society 

Teach Your Kids Everything They Need to Know for Pre-K and Kinder with School Sparks

One other resource that I found invaluable for teaching your kids at home is the School Sparks website.  This website was designed by a former teacher and has thousands of worksheets on every topic you could imagine (including auditory processing, reading comprehension, fine motor skills and even holiday worksheets!)  One of the best ways to get your kids interested in learning at home is by starting with the holiday worksheets.  They are more interesting to them, more colorful and they get them into the spirit of the season.  Since we're in October, take a look at their Halloween worksheets and print some out at home to get your kids started. Click the link to get to the worksheets that you can print for FREE!

If you like the site, you may want to save money and order all of their worksheets in a bound book.  It includes over 450 of their best worksheets for only $28.  A great deal that was an excellent resource for me as well as many other mom friends that ordered it.  And by the way, I was not paid or compensated in any way to write this review on School Sparks.  I simply loved the site and had to tell other moms about it.  So check it out and use it with your kids. You'll be benefiting them more than you know and you'll be saving money on preschool too!

The Baby Carrier Wars: Ergo 360 versus Baby Bjorn One

     versus

I've owed this review for a WHILE and I've finally had the chance to sit down and write it!  First of all, let me begin with the fact that I've been using my Ergo 360 A LOT lately.  It's like my stroller.  I don't leave home without it.  I've also had a lot of opportunities to compare it to the Baby Bjorn One I tried and a few things stand out.

Front Facing Seated vs. Hanging Position
First and foremost, I have to address the baby "sits" in the Ergo 360 versus the way the baby "hangs" in the Baby Bjorn One. Baby Bjorn has long had it's critics because of the way babies hang in their carriers.  It is not considered ideal for baby's hips.  Bjorn has made a marked improvement in the way baby is seated in the One while facing mom or dad in the front of back carry position in the carrier so that is a plus.  But, baby still hangs versus sits while in the front carry position   A seated position is always preferred and is ideal for baby's developing hips but it is difficult master when designing a carrier. Well, Ergo mastered it with their Ergo 360.  If you look at a baby in the Ergo 360, the carrier forms like a cup under baby's bottom and baby is sitting in the carrier versus dangling with his/her legs spread out.  The baby looks and feels much more comfortable than in the Baby Bjorn One.

Front, Back, Forward, Rear and Side Carries
Both carriers offer you the ability to carry baby on your back and on the front.  They also both offer a front facing position.  What the Ergo 360 offers that the Bjorn one doesn't is the ability to do a side carry.  This can be more comfortable, putting less direct pressure on your lower back and can help get things done while wearing baby since baby isn't directly in front of you.


Padded Shoulders
Both carriers excel in this arena and have very padded shoulders to help alleviate the pressure from carrying baby.  Ergo also sells suck pads (shown below) to place around the shoulder straps to help prevent excess wear to your carrier when a teething baby sucks on the straps or drools all over them as they most do :).  Mine were a little high because I had not yet adjusted them when hubby took the photo but you get the point :)

Head Support
Both carriers have sturdy, adjustable head support that can be folded down when baby is older and can support his or her own head.  This is very handy when they're newborns though.  One perk to the Ergo 360 that the Bjorn does not have is the hood that is concealed within the head support area.  When unfolded and snapped into place on the shoulder straps, it protects and covers baby's head.  This comes in very handy when breastfeeding in the carrier and/or out in the sun to protect baby's head from the harmful rays of the sun.

Bib
This is the only thing that I think the Ergo does not have that the Bjorn does.  When baby is carried in the front facing position, the baby's drool may get the front portion of the carrier wet.  Bjorn makes a bib that attaches to the front of the Bjorn one to protect the carrier and keep it dry.

Price
When it comes to price, the Ergo 360 stands ahead as well. The Ergo 360 retails for $160 while the Bjorn One is $199.

Age and Weight
The Bjorn can be used from newborn up until approximately 3 years of age.  The minimum weight is 3.5kg or 8lb and baby must measure at least 53 cm or 21 in.   The max weight is 15kg or 33lbs and the max length is 100cm or 39 in. Bjorn recommends not carrying baby in the front carry position until at least 5 months of age and not past 12kg or 26lbs.  The Ergo 360 is usable with baby from day one.  The company suggests using the newborn insert (sold separately) until baby is at least 12 lbs or 5.5kg.  The Ergo 360 can be used until baby until baby is approximately 3 years old and is 15 kg or 33 lbs.

Material
The Bjorn One is made out of a cotton blend with 60% cotton and 40% polyester.  The waist belt lining is 100% polyester.  The Ergo 360 is 100% and machine washable.  That comes in very handy with kids as any mom can tell you!

Overall
Overall, I'd have to say that the Ergo 360 is superior to the Baby Bjorn One.  The fact that baby is in a seated position versus a hanging position not ideal for baby's hips alone is enough to deter me from using that carrier.  I have long been an Ergo carrier fan and used the original Ergo I bought for my daughter for over 3 years.  It was very comfortable, never hurt my back and she loved it. My son now loves the 360 and can sit in there for hours as we go for walks, go shopping, etc.  He sleeps in there, breastfeeds and just hangs out without fussing.   The Ergo's price and the fact that it's 100% cotton is also a plus since the polyester can get uncomfortable and hot in the summer.  Last but not least, the hood that comes on the Ergo 360 is great! I can nurse him while I walk around and no one can even tell I'm doing it.  It's great to be able to do that and not have to use my nursing cover since it can be cumbersome and get in the way.

T

The BIGGEST Misconception About Breastfeeding!

When it comes to breastfeeding, you are going to get A LOT of advice from A LOT of people. What's important is being informed and not being too hard on yourself if you're having difficulty with it.  I have two kids and had no problem at all with my first.  She latched on right away and would have breastfed for hours if I let her.  She gained weight quickly and was at the top of the percentile bracket across the board.  My second baby, however, did not make it so easy for me.  He had some trouble latching on, moved around a lot while feeding and seemed to lose interest quickly.  To make matters worse, he wasn't gaining weight as he should have and was in the 1-2 percentile from his 2 week appointment through 4 months.  This is even though he was born at a whopping 8 lbs. 6 oz. at birth.

What my biggest problem was with him was figuring out how much milk he was getting from me.  This was actually a problem for me with my first as well but, since she was growing so well and so quickly, I didn't worry about it and figured she had to be eating enough.  When I talked to my husband about my frustrations, he said, "Well, he may not be getting enough because look how little you get when you pump each time."  And what he's referring to is when I'd pump after 3-4 hours of not breastfeeding or pumping.  I immediately got worried and started trying anything and everything I could think of to increase my supply.  I tried drops, pills, teas....anything I could find!  While some products seem to have worked a little bit, none really increased my supply to the point where I'd pump any more than 3 oz at a time.  I got very depressed and spoke with my son's pediatrician.  This is the best thing I could have done.  My children's pediatrician is amazing and, although she knew he was slightly under weight, she knew I was trying to avoid formula and exclusively breastfeed, so she supported me as much as she could.  So, here's the answer to the BIGGEST BREASTFEEDING MISCONCEPTION.... JUST BECAUSE YOU PUMP ONLY 2 OZ DOESN'T MEAN THAT'S ALL BABIES GETTING WHEN HE OR SHE EATS.  Read on for the explanation!

The pump is not a natural way to remove milk.  The body knows this and will not excrete nearly as much as when a baby is breastfeeding.  She explained that you can pump 2 ounces and seem like you have nothing left but, if you latch baby on right afterwards, he or she will be able to get a lot more from you!

So, I went home and did exactly as she told me to.  I put baby down for a nap and, after about 2.5 hours (30 minutes or so before I expected him to wake), I pumped for 15 minutes and got only 2 ounces out. My son then woke up about 45 minutes later. I did as she said and weighed him just prior to feeding. I made sure he had a dry clean diaper on and nothing else. As soon as I was finished feeding him, I weighed him again.  To my surprise, his weight was up 5 1/2 ounces!! Which meant he was able to get an additional 5 1/2 ounces out of me that the pump could not!

 This shocked me and also gave me an ENORMOUS sense of relief!  I wasn't starving my baby after all. I was about to throw in the towel and supplement with formula and, thanks to this piece of advice, I realized I didn't have a supply issue at all. My body just prefers baby versus the pump and that was the only difference.  After having my first and now my second, I have spoken to SO many moms that have the same preconceived notions about breastfeeding. They are afraid of supply issues and, because they didn't think they made enough for their first baby and/or their current one when they pumped, they started supplementing with formula and eventually gave up breastfeeding all together. See, if you breastfeed less often (when you supplement with formula, this will happen) your supply WILL go down. The way to keep supply up is to feed more often, hence supply and demand.  While some women may not be able to breastfeed, either due to personal or medical reasons, if you can, it is THE BEST choice and the HEALTHIEST choice for your little ones.  Not to mention the cheapest!  It's a free nutrient we have within us and it's an incredible natural remedy as well! Stay tuned for my next post on the many ways breastmilk can heal your baby AND you!

Baby Food Recipes: Basic Veggie Blends

If you haven't read my first baby food post, Baby Food 101, then you'll want to read that first. It discusses some of my favorite ways to store my homemade baby food and my favorite machine to use to make it!

For this post,  I'll be sharing a few of my favorite veggie baby foods and veggie blends. I started my little one with carrots, peas, squash, green beans and sweet potato and I make them pretty much the same way.

First off, we'll talk about making Squash, Carrots and/or Sweet Potato Baby Food.  You can either bake them or boil them to soften them up, it's up to you.  Baking the sweet potato makes it a little bit sweeter & can be easier too, but either way is fine. If you'd like, you can also use frozen veggies. That is the easiest and fastest way. Frozen veggies are just as healthy as fresh ones and some believe they're even better for you because they are frozen at their peak.  

Squash, Carrots & Sweet Potato
1.  Place the squash, carrots and/or sweet potato on a cookie sheet.  Bake until soft (approx. 20 min).
--Or you can boil them in a pot of water completely submerged until soft.  

2. Once softened, peeled (carrots don't need to be peeled) and dice up. Place the squash, carrots and/or sweet potato in the blender, add some water and/or breastmilk and blend to the consistency of your choice. 

3.  Once blended,  pour into the containers you've chosen to store the food and either feed to baby within 3 days or freeze.  I always make plenty at a time so I freeze a portion and save a 3 day supply on the refrigerator as well.

Next, we'll do the peas & green beans. I like to buy the frozen peas and green beans since their are all seat to boil and prep.  The canned versions have way too much sodium not only for a baby but for an adult as well. If you opted for frozen carrots, spinach, squash or any other frozen vegetable combination, you can follow the directions below as well.  

Peas & Green Beans 
1.  Steam or boil them in a pot of water completely submerged until soft.

2. Once softened, place them in the blender, add some water and/or breastmilk and blend to the consistency of your choice. 

3.  Once blended,  pour into the containers you've chosen to store the food and either feed to baby within 3 days or freeze.  I always make plenty at a time so I freeze a portion and save a 3 day supply on the refrigerator as well.

And that's how easy it is.  If you are just starting off with solids, make each veggie individually and serve it to baby a few times before combining it with others.  I've combined all of these veggies for my little one (squash, carrots, sweet potato, green beans and peas) in various combinations and all together and he loved them all.  I also add oatmeal cereal to thicken it up a bit, especially after defrosting it.  

The Baby Bjorn One Review!

As a mom and blogger, testing and trying out baby and kid products is something I do not only for myself and my kids but for other moms and dads to learn from as well.  One of my absolute favorite baby products and one of the items I consider a necessity for moms and dads alike is a baby carrier. Unlike a stroller, a baby carrier allows you to carry the baby close to you, hands free and without the hassle of pushing, loading and unloading a bulky stroller. With that said, the abundance of baby carriers on the market can be quite overwhelming.  There are countless varieties, prices ranges, name brands and styles available but one of the most important factors to consider when purchasing a baby carrier is comfort.  If it’s not comfortable, you are not going to want to wear it, period.  Some look comfortable and are quite affordable but, after time, they leave you with back pain and discomfort even after your stop using it.

With my first baby almost five years ago, I tried 5 different types of carriers and was finally satisfied with the last one I purchased.  I tried the Chicco, the Infantino, the Moby Wrap, the Baby Bjorn Original and the Ergo Carrier.  Out of all 5, the only one I used on a regular basis that did not cause any back pain was the Ergo Carrier. Although it had a price tag of over $100, it was well worth it because it helped me get around and get things done while my baby was with me the entire time. One of the biggest drawbacks of the original Ergo, however, is that baby can only face in, not out. That was a bit of a disappointment and something I hoped would change after time.  Lucky for me, Ergo has released a new version, the Ergo 360, which allows for a front facing carry position.  Stay tuned for my review of Ergobaby's 360 coming in a few weeks and see how it compares to the Baby Bjorn One!  

Well, back to our current product review, the Baby Bjorn One! So, fast forward 5 years and here I am the mommy of a beautiful little babe once again!  This time, I wanted to find the perfect carrier, if that is at all  possible.  I wanted a comprehensive carrier that provided proper back support, storage areas for my keys, cell phone and cash, sturdy fabric and the ability to carry my little on my chest or my back facing forwards or backwards.  To my surprise, in October of this year, Baby Bjorn released the Baby Bjorn One.  This is said to be the best of the best when it comes to carriers so I had to give it a shot.

From day one, this carrier shocked me.  I took it out of the package and could not believe the difference between this one and previous Bjorn models.  It had SO many features that other carriers didn’t and it was definitely much sturdier and well-built in comparison to past Baby Bjorn models.

Before trying it on, I decided to look over the instruction manual that comes with it and see all it can do.  In short, what sets this carrier apart from others and previous Bjorn models?  For starters, the clips on this carrier are very sturdy and give you the assurance that your child is securely clipped in.  You can clearly hear the sound when the buckles are properly clipped together.

Another feature I love is, not only the option for front facing carry but the accommodations you can make to make baby more comfortable when facing forward.  The Baby Bjorn One has two zippers, one on each size, to allow for better leg positioning when baby is facing forward on your chest.

The straps are another favorite feature on this carrier for me.  The shoulder and back straps are thick and padded to prevent soreness or pain from the weight of the baby.  The strap that goes across the lower back when carrying baby on your chest is thick, easy to buckle and provides ample support to prevent the awful lower back pain that many carriers can cause.

Some of the parameters for use with the Baby Born are as follows:

• Newborn must be at least 20.5 inches long and weigh at least 7 1/2 pounds.
• Can be used until your toddler is 39 inches tall and 33 pounds.
• Baby should be at least 5 months old before carried facing outwards on your chest.
• Baby should be at least 12 months old to be carried on your back.
• Baby Bjorn One is completely machine washable.
• Comes with a thorough user manual that demonstrates how to put it on and adjust it to any size child and any type of carry.

When I received this carrier, I couldn’t wait to use it.  The day I received it I started using it and carried my little man around in it all around the local mall for almost 2 hours.  We happened to go when it was nap time and he slept like a baby in it the entire time.  I never had problems with him slumping over or slipping out of it.  I also did not experience any back pain, which really surprised me.

After my he woke up, I decided to try the front facing carry and the back carry as well.  I read the directions and it was an easy transition to make, even without taking it off.  I was able to transition the carrier from the front to the back on my own, without any help from my husband.  With other carriers, this is impossible to do.  Carrying on my back was very comfortable and felt like a back pack.  The straps are very thick and did not strain my upper back or shoulders at all.  My baby preferred the front facing carry since he loves to see the  world and I was surprised at how comfortable he seemed.  My only concern is that he is still sort of dangling in there instead of being in a seated position as is recommended by physicians.  The dangling is something that doctors have suggested causes hip displasia in babies and I was hoping of a little better design in this one compared to other Bjorn carriers.  

After I wore it, I passed the Baby Bjorn One over to my husband to see how well it fit a bigger build on a man.  I was surprised that it fit him quite well and he did not mind wearing it at all. Definitely a WIN! 

So, if you’re in the market for a carrier, I suggest you give the Baby Bjorn One a shot.  It is a marked improvement from previous Baby Bjorn models and the bells and whistles on it (buckles, straps and adjustments) are pretty awesome. Although the front carry position is still not my ideal, It’s easily one of the most versatile of all carriers on the market for now.  We'll see how my opinion changes when I give the Erobaby 360 a shot! 

Pros

1) It is the only Baby Bjorn that allows for back carry.

2) It can be used with newborns without needing to purchase an additional newborn insert.

3) It can be used well into the toddler years.

4)  Has zippers at the bottom to make baby more comfortable when transitioning from rear facing to front facing carry.

5) It’s easy to put on and transition without help from anyone else.

Cons

1)  The baby still hangs in the front facing position instead of being in a seated position as recommended.

2) At almost $200, it can seem very expensive, especially when compared to other carriers on the market.