Breastfeeding without Pain

Recently a friend gave birth to a baby and she was having nipple pain. The baby mouth is small and sucking milk by gripping the nipple instead of the outer area of nipple.

I taugh my friend to try my method:

1. When baby crying for milk, use the nipple to touch baby lower lip.
2. When baby opens her mouth, with your body movement, quickly push the whole breast onto baby's mouth fully (do not worry even baby nose were being covered for a while).
3. Then use a finger to press down a small portion of the breast (which covering the baby's nose) for the baby to breath.
4. If baby is gripping the outer area of your nipple, you will feel comfortable and no pain. Continue pressing for the baby to breath and drink.
5. If the baby grab only the nipple portion, put your finger in from the side of baby's lips to let the air enter baby's mouth to release the suction, then you can try again the above steps.

It works for me and my friend.

All the best to you, mommy! ;D

The 9 Abilities that Affect a Child's Life

How do I define success as a parent? I want to raise my children to become a successful person in life. Success in terms of having good personality, able to build happy relationship, etc. Not so much on being a multi-millionaire I think.

I always wonder what kind of elements needed to at least get the child heading towards a proper path of becoming successful in life? I know it is not purely education, it is not purely environment. Everyone knows: A child get into a good school does not guarantee he/she will become a successful person. A child born in a poor family does not mean the child will not be a successful person.

Until one day I saw and read this book "The Great Mom and Success of Child" (a Korean book translated to Chinese), and it gave me some great guidelines:

Nine basic abilities that affect a child's life
(1) Ability to handle failure
(2) Ability to evaluate philosophy and creation
(3) Ability to feel blessed or create blessed condition
(4) Ability to lead and think for others
(5) Ability to read and understand others point of view
(6) Ability to communicate - listening, talking, thinking, repeat
(7) Ability to pick up useful languages
(8) Ability to earn and managed money
(9) Ability to work and have good work habit

I highly recommend friends (especially moms) to read this book!

I'm back to school

I ended my 3 years of homeschooling, and got my daughter into school today.

Getting up early to prepare food, wake up the kid, dress her the school uniform... feels like going back to school myself. Well, I guess I will be doing this till all the kids turn 18? The younger brother and sister also feel excited and wore their school bag on the shoulders.

The transition is smooth, no crying of 'mommy, mommy I want to go home'. I brought the little brother along to check out the area. I left after accompany her for 15 minutes. She was ready to meet all the other small fellow and mingle around.

Why not continuing the homeschooling? Not that the kid cannot follow (in fact she is ahead of schedule). I was the one find hard to concentrate to teach and manage the household, plus the other 2 little ones keeps on demanding for attention.

Well, I'm not so worried now like I used to about educating the kids. Especially after reading 'The Great Mom' (I mentioned earlier in my previous post). May be I should quickly compound the main points and share with you all on my next post. Keep an eye on my next one. *wink*