Breastfeeding moms are generally eager to share their breast feeding expertise with other mothers. A group of them at the mall or local playground can be heard giving advice on breast pumps, formula feeding, caloric intake and good nursing bras. Breastfeeding moms will step in to help out new moms who are struggling with breast feeding their infant.

If you are looking for advice about breast feeding- a nursing mom may be your best source of information. Experience is the best teacher and a nursing mother can tell you all of the intimate details about breast feeding.

While a lactation consultant will provide a wealth of facts and statistics, a breastfeeding mom will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about breast feeding, without the sugar coating.

Another source of support is the internet. Baby websites can be a great way to connect with other moms and get some great tips and facts about breast feeding. Baby websites offer discussion forums, caloric intake calculators, nutrition information and inside tips for nursing moms.

Consulting a few baby websites can be another great way to connect with other moms who have first hand knowledge of the ins and outs of breastfeeding.

If you are looking for information about nutrition, a breast feeding specialist, lactation consultants and nurse practitioners are available to answer your questions. They can even help you develop a personalized eating plan that is healthy for you and your baby.

Many breastfeeding moms worry about losing pregnancy weight while still consuming enough calories to keep their infants healthy. It is possible to balance proper nutrition, breastfeeding and weight loss with a little advanced planning and effort.

Consulting a nutritionist or healthcare provider can help you sort through any confusion you may have regarding nutrition, breast feeding and weight loss.

When breastfeeding women band together, loneliness and isolation dissipate. Sharing friendship with others alike can help a first time mother adjust to her new role without sacrificing her personal identity. The stories, advice and support offered to new mothers by other breastfeeding women can be invaluable.

Joining a breast feeding advocacy group will provide you with access to newsletters, health fairs and a wealth of information about breastfeeding. A breast feeding advocacy group helps to promote its awareness and support in your community. Contact your local La Leche League representative for information about joining a breast feeding advocacy group in your area.

Breastfeeding moms don’t have to suffer alone. Others alike are waiting to offer support, friendship and advice. The bond between those alike is special and often results in friendships that last a lifetime. Other mothers will understand your struggles because often times they have experienced them too.
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I’ve wanted to write something like this for the longest time, really, I have been meaning to write an article like this but never did have enough support and material (and GUTS) to do it.

You see, let’s start with how to evaluate the term ‘housewife’. When you think ‘housewife’ or ‘SAHM’ (Stay At Home Mom), you think of an overblown Barbie doll with five kids hanging off her skirt, broom in hand, unkempt hair and leftover carrots and peas hanging off her smudged apron. Not a very ‘sexy’ image.

On the other hand, think career woman and you think of the actual Barbie doll with heels so high that she’s literally tipping over, she has immaculate dressing, articulate communication skills, laptop over shoulder with a big job title and huge pay at the end of every month. Very attractive….

Which brings me back to my point…this is a case of housewife vs. career woman. Who is worth more? Actually, if you look the word ‘housewife’ up, you’ll see that the term ‘housewife’ is referred to as a kind of occupation…a usually unpaid occupation with primary aim of caring for the family or kids. It’s a job…an unpaid and inglorious one at that. But why?

Caring for loved one is the most important career ever…and I mean, EVER; and we’re practically doing it unselfishly and unconditionally for the sake of the family. Then how come whenever you mention that you’re a stay at home mom or stay at home dad, people give you that….’Oh, so, you don’t work, huh?” look?

In fact, if I had it my way, I would go all out to employ housewives for one simple reason….they are capable of handling stress (think multiple screaming kids and a whole load of laundry to wash, dry and fold) and is so diverse that they can literally do four persons’ job at the same time! As a housewife, they are involved in personal work, volunteer work, outdoor activities, education, religion, health, cooking, hygiene and general medicine! Wow, eh?

And funnily, even as a WORK at home mom, people look at me funny, as in…. “You don’t have a job?” to which my quick retort would be, “Yes, I do. I have a job…two, in fact”. A blank look follows and I quickly explain, “One, as a mother/wife. Two, as a copywriter and designer. Which one do you want me to elaborate on?”.

I think people should give Stay At Home Moms a whole lot more respect that they are getting right now. After all, if you drag a SAHM out of her home and plonk her in one of those nice cushy CEO seats, she can probably do the job decently well. But if you drag a CEO out of her top floor office suite and make her take care of an army of kids, cook, clean, bathe, tutor and manage the home, they’re a goner before the day is gone. Wouldn’t you agree?
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When you were in high school, chances are you spent a lot of time with your friends. You probably talked on the phone with them regularly, discussing everything from that killer biology exam to your latest crush. Maybe you went shopping together on the weekends, or went to the pool once a week in the summer.

Now that high school is behind you, do you still spend time with your female friends? If you do, that’s wonderful. But many of us stay so busy with our families and careers that maintaining friendships gets pushed to the side. Maybe we’ve grown apart from our old friends, or maybe we’ve moved far away and not made any new ones.

While our families can success at work are fulfilling, we need the support of our peers. Why? Here are a few reasons:

- Sometimes we need a shoulder to cry on. No matter how great things are with your family and job, no one’s life is perfect. When things go wrong, it’s good for us to have someone to talk to about it. Our female friends can give us advice, or they can just lend a sympathetic ear.

- Our family members and significant others do not always share our interests. Having friends that we have interests in common with can give us the opportunity to discuss them without their eyes glazing over.

- You can be yourself with your friends. As wives, mothers, careerwomen, or any combination of those three, women tend to get caught up in the needs of others and forget about the things that make them unique. Friends give us the incentive to revisit the things we’ve been missing.

Connecting With Old Friends and Making New Ones

Old friends that you’ve lost touch with are great for helping you rediscover forgotten interests. You can also reminisce about good times you had in the “old days” with them. So pick up the phone and give them a call, or email them. If you don’t have their current contact information, their families or mutual friends might be able to help.

Making new friends is also good for you. Getting out and meeting new people can really boost your morale. Some good places to make friends include playgroups for the kids, church functions, and PTA meetings.

Even those of us who can’t seem to find the time to leave the house can connect with others, thanks to the Internet. There are lots of online communities where we can go to find women with similar interests. Finding a good group can provide us with peer support that we can access at our convenience.

In today’s impersonal world, it’s more important than ever for women to stick together. Whether it’s in person or via email, connecting with other women can enrich our lives in many ways. So call up an old friend, or make an effort to make some new ones. You’ll be glad you did.
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Visiting coupon, refunding or bargain sites may, at first, seem
like visiting a foreign country. You see phrases such as:

GDA! BBW B&M BOGO on soaps, HTH

And you think WHAT? Huh? What are they talking about? What
language is THAT?

(Translation: Good Deal Alert! Bath & Body Works
brick-and-mortar store has buy-one-get-one on soaps, hope this
helps!)

I mean, it’s enough to make you want to TYHO!
(Tear Your Hair Out – I made that one up.)

Before you click away in frustration, let me reassure you that
it IS possible to speak like a native – you just need a guide to
the terminology, acronyms, abbreviations, definitions and common
word usage found on rebate and premium product lists, coupon and
online code lists, and refunding and trading forums.

Each site you visit may have its own particular phrases, but
generally speaking the most common terms are found in the list
below.

TTFN…

B&M = Brick & Mortar

B1G1F = Buy One Get One Free

BOGO = (the same as B1G1), Buy One, Get One (usually free)

C/O = Cash Off or Cents Off

CPN = Coupon

CRT = Cash Register Tape

CSR = Customer Service Reps

CVS = A pharmacy/drug store like Rite-Aid

DB = Dear/Darling/Darn Brother

DCRT = Dated Cash Register Receipt

DD* = Dear/Darling/Darn Daughter

DG = Dear/Darling/Darn Girlfriend

DH = Dear/Darling/Darn Husband

DND = Do Not Double

DS* = Dear/Darling/Darn Son

DUPES = Duplicates

DW = Dear/Darling/Darn Wife

EB = Extra Bucks (CVS)

ECB = Extra Care Bucks (CVS)

ESR = Easy Saver Rebate (Walgreens monthly rebate)

FAB = From another Board

GC = Gift Certificate

GDA = Good deal alert

GWP = Gift With Purchase

H/F = Handling Fee

HT/HGT = Hang tag

ISO = In Search Of

LMK = Let Me Know

LOL = Laughing Out Loud and/or Lots of Luck

LPG = Lower Price Guarantee

LSASE = Long self addressed stamped envelope

MIB = Mint in Box

MIL = Mother-in-Law

MMV = Mileage May Vary

MS = Mystery Shopper

NAZ = Name Address Zip code

NED = No expiration date

NIB = New in box

NOCC = No Credit Card

NWOT = New WithOut Tags

NWT = New With Tags

OBO = Or Best Offer

PLMK = Please let me know

POB = Post Office Box

POP = Proof of Purchase

PP = Purchase Price

PPHF = PayPal Handling fee

PREM (Premium) = An item received from a refund offer.

PSTG = Postage

Qualifier (Q)= Proof of Purchase.

RAOK = Random Act of Kindness

RP = Rewards Programs

SAHM = Stay At Home Mom

SASE = Self Addressed Stamped Envelope

SMP = Specially Marked Packages

TMF = Try Me Free

TOS = Terms of Service

TTFN = Ta ta for now

TY/ty = Thank you

UNL = Unlimited

UPC = Universal Product Code

W/L or WL= Wish list

WAHM = Work at home mom

Winetags = coupons found around the neck of a wine bottle

YMMV = Your Merchandise (or Mileage) May Vary

* (Add an S for step _ so DSD is Dear/Darling/Darn Step-Daughter)
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