introducing baby sign language

Guest post by Misty Weaver, editor of www.babysignlanguage.com

Baby sign language is a way of teaching your baby to communicate by way of special hand gestures. It’s fun, it’s free, and best of all it really works! Based on ASL (American Sign Language), baby sign language it is a simplified version for babies and young children. You can start to sign with your baby from birth – or sooner. Many moms learn the basic signs while baby is still in the womb, so they're ready to go. The important things with baby sign language are to be consistent, have fun, repeat the signs as often as you can, and have a lot of patience.

How To Start With Baby Sign Language

It’s best to start with signs that you can introduce on a daily basis. Signs like Mommy, Daddy, Milk and More are great for beginners. More is often the first sign a baby learns! Signs that represent something which exciting or interesting to your baby will be easier for him or her to learn. Begin with these starter signs then build up your repertoire to include other objects, ideas and emotions. 

How To Sign To Your Baby

Practice the signs beforehand so you feel confident and clear about what you are doing. You need to make the sign every time you say the relevant word to your baby. Say the word that goes with the sign clearly, with good eye contact, while pointing to the thing or person you are describing. It’s important to repeat the sign as often as possible. Be sure to sign when your baby is alert and not tired. 

Make It Fun

Baby sign language can be an important part of communication for parents and babies, but it works best when you make it fun. Don’t take signing too seriously. Sign as part of your everyday routine and enjoy it! If you’re not having fun you’re doing it wrong. Baby will only pick up the signs and want to use them if he or she sees that you are enjoying signing too. 

Be Patient

Don’t expect too much from your baby – or yourself – too soon. Your baby is unlikely to be signing for milk if only four months old and you’ve been signing together for a week! Research by Dr. Joseph Garcia, one of the founders of Baby Sign Language, found that a typical baby who starts learning signs at seven months old needs about two months of repetition and exposure to a sign to start using it.

Basic Starter Signs To Get You Going

• To sign Mommy extend and spread apart your fingers. With your pinkie facing forward, tap your thumb on your chin. This is the sign for Mommy.
• To sign Daddy, extend and spread out your five fingers on your strong hand. Tap your hand on your forehead. Done right you will look like a turkey.
• The sign for Milk is a lot like milking a cow, but without the vertical motion – you are just squeezing the udder. Take both hands, make them into a fist, relax, and repeat.
• For More, flatten out your hands then bring your thumbs under to make an O shape. Then, bring your hands together and separate them repeatedly. Baby will often simplify "more" by clapping their fists together.  

Note: You can find Misty at Baby Sign Language.com and on Facebook.

Dear friends, don't you love that the sign for "Daddy" looks like a turkey?! {grin} We started using a few signs with Levi around 6.5 months old... He definitely understands what we're saying, but has yet to sign back. (He's now 8.5 months.) And you? What is your experience? Have you used baby sign language? Considered introducing it?


love communicating with my baby,

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adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

10 tips and tricks for breastfeeding in public

my little peanut at about two weeks old

Ah, breastfeeding. I'm an advocate... but I don't have my head in the sand either. I realize that not every woman who desires to is able to breastfeed. There are many things that can factor into whether or not it will work like we hope for it to. And just like I'm a member of the Moms Who Give Birth Club, I'm also a member of the Moms Who Feed Their Babies Club. There's no judging here... as long as we're all feeding our babies.

But this post is for the breastfeeding chapter of the Moms Who Feed Their Babies Club... So if that's you, read on!

Does the thought of breastfeeding in public make you self-conscious?

If so, don’t worry, you are not alone! Many women deal with fears and anxieties related to the assumed perception of others’ opinions. It not only prevents them from feeding their sweet babes on-the-go, it robs them of their confidence to do what they desire.

But the reality is we eat out… So is there any reason bub shouldn’t be "allowed" to as well?

If you’ve been hesitant about breastfeeding in public (and you desire to), I hope these simple tips will help you find some confidence.

1. Be informed. In countries like the US and Australia, it is illegal to be discriminated against as a breastfeeding mom in public. (Unless of course you’re trying to do it in places like a bar or a taxi… but common sense and safety would prevent you from doing that anyway.)

2. Practice at home. Some mom-and-baby pairs struggle with latch more than others. There’s nothing wrong with that. Any mom knows that breastfeeding, as natural as it is, is a learned skill for both of you. Adding to that the art of arranging yourself “just right” in public the first few times can be tricky. The good news is that with some practice it can soon become second nature! When first starting out, practice a couple of times at home in "public mode" just as you would if people were watching. 

3. Wear something easy to nurse in. I like to wear nursing tank-tops (with built-in bras) under my clothes. This turns almost any top into a breastfeeding-friendly top. Just lift your outer shirt up and unhook the fastener of the nursing tank-top/bra. The undershirt can stay tucked in so that you don’t have to expose your boob or your belly, while just enough of your breast is free for bubs to latch onto.

4. Use a nursing cover or a blanket. Especially when you’re first beginning, try using a nursing cover. This gives you more freedom to fumble without flashing the world if you and bubs are still getting the hang of things. Once your baby is older he may not like to be covered, but while he’s tiny it won’t make a difference to him at all. My nursing cover helped me build lots of confidence my first few months.

5. Start in a non-threatening place. Don’t make your first attempt at nursing in public in a crowded mall food court or in the grandstands of a baseball game. Start with someplace quieter and less chaotic – a park bench or a mellow café or a “mothers room” in the mall. Once you get the hang of it, you can nurse in line at Disneyland. Until then, cut yourself some slack and start off someplace that’s low-stress.

6. Stay out of the toilet stall. You wouldn’t eat your lunch while sitting on a toilet, so why should your darling bub? Keep it clean, mama. If you feel you need more privacy than you can find, then try the backseat of your car. (Just make sure your car is parked someplace safe and well-lit.)

7. Take a deep breath and relax. Although there are still a few people “out there” that may not understand why you think it’s appropriate to nurse in public, know that they are the minority. (And yeah, I’m writing this with a specific audience in mind, knowing that in some cultures public breastfeeding would be totally inappropriate.)

8. If people stare at you, smile back. Don’t assume they are starting in disapproval. Instead, assume they are staring in admiration {grin} or even just curiosity. Smile and go about your business. You have nothing to be ashamed of and your confidence will deflect most—if not all—gawkers.

9. If you still get nervous, look at your baby. Nothing brings more peace than looking at your newborn baby while he nurses and seeing how happy and contented he is as you’re both doing what you were designed to do. (Zero in on his bliss and enjoy it while you can, because at five or so months he'll have the attention span of a nat while nursing... Dealing with this is a whole separate post!) 

10. Try using a sling. I loved when my babe was a newborn and could easily fit into my sling. Even if roaming the isles of Target with a friend or on an evening walk with my hubs, I could nurse on-the-go in my sling and no one would be the wiser. I think hammock-style slings work best for this, but other moms also nurse in wraps and front carriers. 

I hope these tips are helpful in instilling you with confidence! Breastfeeding is something to be proud of (if that's the choice you've made and your body allows) and it's a wonderful built-in companion for a mom and baby duo on-the-go! 

Dear mommy-friends, was is difficult for you to nurse in public? If so, and you overcame your nerves, what helped you the most? Can you think of anything I've not considered?

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adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

dear God, thank you for a new chapter

Today was Levi's first taste of solids. There *may* have been more than a few laughs. There *may* have been some clapping and cheering. There *may* have been a whole lot of excitement. There *may* have been a game of "airplane". There *may* have been four adults standing around with cameras and videos reeling... And there *may* have been a couple of tears when it was all over. {only momma's}

Oh baby, some days you are... JUST. TOO. MUCH.

{I was going to link in with Simplicity's photo challenge, but I just clicked over to enter and realized that I missed it. Anyway... this is my "clean" baby in the before shot.}

Yes, mommy friends, just a momma-bragging post today. Feel free to gush about how gorgeous my boy is. {grin} Or, you're more than welcome to leave me tips on starting solids! Specifically, what time of day did you start the first meal? When/how did you know to transition to two "meals"? Any good recipes or on-line baby food recipe sites you've found?

P.S. If you're a member of the Mom Bloggers Club, I just started a new group for baby blogs and bump blogs. It's called Oh Baby! Come join and register your blog if that applies to you and you're interested: Oh Baby! {pregnancy & baby blogs} 

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these are a few of my favorite things {sweet, sweet baby}

Five months old. As tough an age as this is in some ways (can anyone say teething, developmental leaps, and nap time dramas?), this is by far the best age yet. SO. MUCH. FUN. 

Here are just a few of the reasons why:

1.            Pulling off for a moment while nursing just to look up at me and smile before continuing on with business as usual.
{OhMeltMyHeart.}

2.            Being able to toss baby in the air during playtime.
{WeeeItsSuperbaby!}

3.            Helping momma by putting his legs up in the air and lifting his bum while getting a diaper change.
{SoFreakingCute.}

4.            Toes in the mouth!
{EnoughSaid.}

5.            When being held by someone else in a crowded room… turning his head to make eye contact with me when he hears my voice.
{NewMommyGushing.}

6.            Uncontrollable baby giggles when I say anything with an excited expression and raised eyebrows.
{WhyHelloTherePoopyPants!}

7.            That look of wonder and awe when he watches mommy and daddy eating “big boy food.”
{PleaseLetMeHaveSomeNowMomma!}

8.            The “drunken sailor wobbling hula” when he practices standing up while holding onto my hands.
{DontGainYourBalanceTooQuicklyCauseMommasLovingThis.}

9.            Thirty-second 360’s on his tummy.
{WhenTheHeckDidYouGetSoFast?!}

10.        Screams of delight when being mildly (deliberately) startled.
{WhoKnewPeekabooCouldBeSoHilarious?}

11.        The frustrated arm-waiving when throwing a fit.
{FunnyExceptForThoseTimesWhenMommyIsSuperTiredAndOverIt.}

12.        Having his arms stretched out to me when he wants to be picked up.
{IsItWrongThatISometimesPutHimDownJustSoHeCanDoItAgain?}

13.        Head resting on my shoulder and super sweet cuddles when he first wakes up from naptime.
{GetsMeEveryTime.}

14.        The skin… oh, the skin.
{ICantStopTouchingYourChubbyLittleThighs.}

15.        That little baby sigh of relief and pleasure that comes about thirty seconds after nursing has begun.
{TooCuteForYourOwnGood.}

16.        The after-bath hair styles.
{ThankYouDaddy.}

17.        That priceless look of “I-just-accomplished-an-incredible-trick-did-you-see-that?” while making splashes in the bath and saturating daddy.
{YesSweetPeaMommysProudOfYou.}

18.        Being able to sing baby to sleep in five minutes tops if he’s crying in the car due to over-tiredness.
{IKnewIShouldHaveBeenARecordingArtist...ButWhyDoesntThisWorkAtBedtime?}

19.        You know those sneezes that start and then stop mid-sneeze? Baby’s getting those.
{LittleManIsSoFunny.}

20.          When babe sticks his thumb in his mouth while nursing... thinking more is better?
{YouKnowThatIKnowYoureDoneEatingWhenYouDoThatRightSon?}

21.          The paci is no longer for sucking and calming but for chewing and playing.
{SoothieTurnedTeether2For1Deal.}

22.           Those precious moments while nursing that babe reaches up to touch my face or to stroke my chest.

         {PleaseBurnTheseIntoMyMemoryForever.}

Dear mommy friends, I could have gone on and on with this list! Don’t we have so much to enjoy and be thankful for? What are your favorite things about your child at his/her current age?

P.S. For any of you following me that read Dear Nap Time, I've just gotta report back. Two days of perfect naps since then. Can't believe I'm doing this but... kudos to the postal system! That letter was received! {*grin*} I'll keep that in mind for next time.

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clicking my way to be a better mom: the kelly mom (part 3 of 3)

Look at this sweet photo of my son and I, taken just a few hours after he was born. I was totally in love... And--like all first time mommas--I was at the beginning of a very steep learning curve!

As I said in part 1 (the baby whisperer) and part 2 (the babywise mom) of this series, I have used the internet tirelessly for help in knowing how to care for my precious baby, as well as how to understand the changes within my own body, both during pregnancy and in the first weeks post-partum. Not only have I found practical advice, but also lots of encouragement as I’ve begun to navigate the (often confusing) realm of mommyhood.

In light of that I wanted to share with you my top three favourite mommyhood resource sites at the moment. (If you missed my first two posts, you should read them as well: the Baby Whisperer message boards and the Chronicles of a Babywise Mom.)

And before I go on, I must say here that I realize parenting philosophies are so controversial! I had no idea how much so until becoming a mom for myself. (And this was hit home again on my last post in this series about the Babywise Mom where I only got two comments… and the rest in emails! Touchy subject… but I do sincerely appreciate the feedback! *smile*)

So yeah… parenting philosophies are all over the shop! Things like feeding schedules, demand feeding, sleep training, co-sleeping, cry-it-out… There is such a vast spectrum of opinion, and I think that’s great! My intention with these particular posts is not to debate which of them are better than the others - I've seen parents with hugely differing philosophies raise well-adjusted, happy, healthy kids and I'm of the firm belief that each family needs to decide what's best for them.

I personally believe you should do research on a bunch of different philosophies and then piece together what fits with your values, personality, circumstances, etc! I think you can find incredible truth and practical help from an array of angles. 

So, now that that's all "out there"... onto part 3 of clicking my way to be a better mom!

My third favourite resource site: The Kelly Mom.

The Kelly Mom is a site authored by a mom of three kids who follows the Attachment Parenting philosophy advocated by Dr. Sears. This is the best site I’ve found for information on the ins and outs of breastfeeding.

She has taken the time and researched all the information from the top organizations such as La Leche League, World Health Organization, American Paediatrics Association, etc. and has written on everything you can possibly imagine in relation to breast-feeding.

Although I wouldn’t call myself an AP-er (if we want to get into labelling our parenting *eck*), I do love this website. (And besides, I think that term is crazy… because what parent doesn’t want to be “attached” with their child!) Anyway, back to my review on the Kelly Mom site! 

First of all, it’s clear, easy to navigate, very professional, and (from what I can tell) sound in its documentation. In addition to all things surrounding breast feeding, Kelly Mom also writes on other parenting and life-with-baby topics. But since I haven’t read much of those other areas in her site I will limit my comments to the information on breastfeeding.

The Kelly Mom’s articles on breast feeding are wonderful! I’ve used her site for finding advice on things such as getting rid of a plugged duct, tips on pumping, identifying foods to eat for increasing supply, what to do when baby fusses at the breast, how to handle a distracted eater, introducing bottle-feeding, and many other breastfeeding topics.

If you’re a breastfeeding mom, I would highly recommend that you bookmark Kelly Mom as a resource go-to!

In closing this series (for now at least!), I hope you’ve found some helpful resources, and that we can keep sharing information that’s mutually beneficial.

I’m sure as my son gets older I will find other sites that are age-appropriate on things like discipline, creative play and learning activities, etc., but for now these are my top three visits on the world wide web for practical help in caring for my baby:

• The Baby Whisperer Message Boards (See that review here.)
• The Chronicles of a Babywise Mom (See that review here.)
• The Kelly Mom

Dear mommy-friends, what are your favourite online resources that have helped you care for your little one(s)?

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clicking my way to be a better mom: the chronicles of a babywise mom (part 2 of 3)

I am, no doubt, an internet-loving mommy. As I said in clicking my way to be a better mom, part 1 (featuring the baby whisperer), I love and appreciate having the information of the world at my fingertips... especially when it comes to getting better equipped about parenting.

I wanted to continuing sharing with you my top three favorite internet resources. These are my most well-clicked and loved mommyhood resources. (If you missed Part 1 on how much I love the Baby Whisperer Message Boards, make sure to check it out too and then visit the BW message boards.)

Now, for my second favourite resource site: The Chronicles of a Babywise Mom.

This is a blog started by a mom who follows the Babywise methods of sleep training. She started her blog after scouring the web for resources to expound on some of the principles taught in the Babywise series of books… and not finding any. As a woman who’s had a lot of success implementing the Babywise strategies with her three children, she’s able to write endless “how to’s” (with the authority that comes from experience and success!) that the books could never have contained unless they were far, far too long.

Although I am not a Babywise “follower” myself, I’ve had lots of friends go the Babywise route (for sleep training their babies) and sing of its praises. The Chronicles of a Babywise Mom covers anything and everything you’d like to know about the Babywise method of sleep training… but also so much more: tantrums, reflux, high chair manners, teething, milestones, feeding issues, discipline, diapering, staying sane as a stay-at-home-mom, and the list goes on!

She has a huge list of labels down her side-bar that cover an incredible array of topics, and I have spent many an hour clicking through them even before I became a “blogger” myself. (And this is actually one thing I really love about her site – it’s a great resource for any mom, even those who aren’t into blogging.)

The Babywise Mom also has posts week-by-week about her children’s development and milestones so you can follow along and compare with your own little one’s progress. (And I’ve never seen someone record so meticulously… and yet still manage to not sound tedious!) I found these really interesting and helpful as a first-time-mom always wanting to know if what we were experiencing was “normal”. Especially during my first two months as a mom when I had questions about everything, it was nice reading from a real-live woman at times, rather than just organization websites like What to Expect (which of course is always great too).

The only drawbacks to her site are that it is a little weighed down with gismos along the side bars, which can slow page-loads down a bit, and she doesn’t have as many photos as I’d like (which is really just a personal preference). However, because her site is quite information-driven, I can look past these things since the content is more than worth it to me.

Oh, I should also mention, she does post back (directly on her blog) to her readers’ comments when they have questions in regards to specific problems they’re having with their kids. I understand the wait-time for a response is two weeks, which she’s clear and up-front about this (another thing I like). I’ve not had personal experience with soliciting tailored advice since I visit her site much more like I would a website (informational resource) rather than the way I approach blogs. But as I’ve read comments from other readers, and her responses back to them, I can tell that they are served tremendously by her help.

Overall the Babywise Mom writes good, practical information and always relates back to her readers, even those who aren't "Babywise parents" in philosophy. She does not push the Babywise sleep training methods for those that aren’t into CIO (although teaches well for those that do), and she offers outstanding advice for any mom on so many subjects. I’d highly recommend for you to have a browse around her site.

The "clicking my way to be a better mom" series:

If you missed part one of this series, you can read it here – clicking my way to be a better mom: the baby whisperer (part 1 of 3). My final post in this series (for now) will be – clicking my way to be a better mom: the kelly mom (part 3 of 3).

In closing…

I’m sure as my son gets older I will find other resources that are age-appropriate on things like discipline, creative play and learning activities, etc., but for now these are my top three visits on the world wide web for practical help in caring for my baby.

Dear mommy-friends, what are your favourite online resources that have helped you care for your little one(s)?

P.S. Until becoming a mom for myself I had no idea how controversial "sleep training" is! I know amazing parents who have polar opposite philosophies when it comes to things like scheduling, feeding on demand, cry-it-out, and so on. My intention is not to debate which is better than the other - I've seen these parents with hugely differing philosophies raise well-adjusted, happy, healthy kids and I'm of the firm belief that each family needs to decide what's best for them. I personally believe you should research a bunch of different philosophies and then piece together what fits with your values, personality, circumstances, etc. etc! As you will see through all three parts in this series, I think you can find incredible truth and practical help from an array of angles.

[Above photo: momma, daddy, and Levi at just a few hours old on our first night together... love. x]

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mommy for president

Nurse your baby to sleep! Never nurse your baby to sleep!

A paci will save your life! On your life, don’t you dare use a paci!

Cry it out! Don't traumatize your baby!

Wear your child to promote bonding! Don’t wear your child to promote independence!

Disposables! Cloth!

Breastmilk! Formula!

Back! Tummy!

Hyperscheduling! Demand feeding!

Family bed! Baby bed!

Okay... You get the point.

One of the first things I learned when I became pregnant with my first child is that there is an expert opinion on everything related to babies and parenthood… Not only does every parenting issue have a “right” and “wrong”, but there are plenty of experts to back these claims up!

And these don’t seem to be just preferences… these are outright carved in stone! We’re talking Right with a capital “R” and Wrong with a capital “W”. (Totally reminds me of American politics you’ve gotta pick a side folks!)

But yeah, for a first time mom it can be absolutely overwhelming. You read one book, and that’s it – you’re convinced. That is, until you read the other side which is equally convincing. It can be not only overwhelming, but frustrating and discouraging when you’re longing desperately to know what’s best for your child.

There’s an old proverb that says, “The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him” (Pr 18:17). Hmmmm, sounds about right to me.

So I’ve realized that not only are there “expert” opinions on everything… but I’m also learning how to listen to both sides and filter them through my own intuition.

Because you know the absolute most important thing that I’ve quickly learned so far?

I’ve learned that I’m the only one that knows what’s best for my child. (Well, let’s include my dear husband in that category.) Ok, so make that: I’ve learned that my husband and I know what’s best for our child.

I confess, I’m still reading books on babies and parenting and all the rest of it. I’m still searching blogs and websites. I’m still chatting with my mommy-friends on facebook and by email and at my mum’s group. And yet now I’m doing it with a different perspective. I’m doing it as a mommy who knows that I know best.

So… there will be no picking sides for me; no fighting across the aisle. (Let’s leave politics out of parenting!) Every mom needs to find what works for her little one, for her, and for her family.

And that’s it! I’ve decided to form my own “party” in which I am the chief expert. Yes, in my parenting party, I am the President... President Mommy.

If you enjoy The Mommyhood Memos, please vote for me: 

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mom-friendly tech: muddled mommy needs help

When Levi was first born, trying to remember the details of when he last ate, for how long, which boob had been out... well, it all just felt completely overwhelming. Add to that, trying to recall when he last slept... and woke up… Let’s just say I was completely confused.

To make matters even more complicated, when your bub is first born the doc says to keep track of how many wees and poos they have in a day so you’ll know if the feeding is going well and your milk supply is on track.

Because I was also trying to keep tabs of when I last had what pain reliever (as I recovered from my C-Section), it was all just too much information for this muddled mommy brain to hold and process.

I tried writing it all down in a notebook, but that was hard to keep up for whatever reason, and I kept forgetting things and getting more frustrated trying to “back-log” things. As I sat there aggravated one afternoon thinking that there must be a better way... my eyes wandered to my husband’s iPhone.

Now, you have to understand that he uses that phone for everything you can imagine – not just the basics like calls, texts, and emails – but also things like storing recipes, doing conversions, tracking weather patterns, and playing bowling. (Several times I’ve heard those pins being knocked over from behind the locked bathroom door... I’ve finally discovered why he takes so long in the loo: he’s bowling! Or fishing or playing golf... But, I digress. Focus Mommy!)

Ok, so I was looking at his phone and I thought, if my husband can use that thing as a leveller when he’s installing shelves (yeah, there’s actually an ap for that!) then surely I could use it for something as practical as tracking my baby’s essentials.

I don’t have an iPhone (yes, I covet), but I do have an iTouch, which I love (more about mommy’s little friend the iTouch in another post). So I searched and found a free ap that did the trick: EatSleepLite

It tracks when you feed, for how long, which breast you feed from (and/or what order), when naps and sleeps start and end, and when and how many diapers you change (and what kind – wet or dirty or both). You can look at your results daily or filter it to get summaries of just one category. It was everything I needed, and it was much more fun (and quick) than trying to log things in a notebook. Perfect.

Although I’ve got the hang of things now and don’t use it anymore, it was so helpful to me during my first 8 weeks of learning how to care for bubsy (while my muddled mommy brain slowly cleared up a little... a very little).

So, for all those new mommies of newborns out there, if you have an iPhone or an iTouch, check it out! You’ll love it!

baby faves: peekabooby nursing cover

I love to play peekabooby!

Ok, not really… But I do love my Peekabooby nursing cover!

Let me explain.

Early on in my pregnancy I emailed a bunch of my trusty mommy-friends to ask them what products they thought were “must haves”. There are a bazillion things out there to grab your attention. You know the ones? They’re either too handy, too cute, too time-saving, or too perfect to pass up. And yet, I didn’t want to be suckered in by the allure of this whole new world of spending opportunities. Add to that the fact that my husband and I both work as full-time volunteers for a non-profit organization and so you can appreciate that I’m always looking to make my pennies count! (Not that we have pennies in Australia!)

But yes, I sent out my email soliciting advice, and within minutes my inbox was beginning to fill up. I loved my quick responses from these wonder-mommies! (I’ve since learned that moms LOVE swapping tips – so fun!)

Several of my American friends recommended breast-feeding covers. Now, being in Australia I had never seen these. (They are just starting to catch on here – I’ve seen them sold in one store and have yet to see anyone else in public using one.) When my friends described them to me I immediately thought “gimmick!” I wondered what could possibly be so great about a piece of fabric specially designed to cover up my boobs from accidental public exposure. (I mean, isn’t that what receiving blankets are for?!) I reasoned that surely this wasn’t something I needed to be spending money on.

My friends not only disagreed, but two of them sent me covers before I even knew what hit me.

And now let me just publicly say I was wrong!

I looooooove my Peekabooby Fashion nursing cover in particular! It never falls off, I can keep an eye on my little one to make sure he isn’t falling asleep, and I don’t have to worry about flashing unsuspecting Sunday strollers (until my babe gets a bit older and wants to lift it up himself I suppose!). Oh yeah, and let’s not forget they come in such cute and stylish fabrics. (Being obsessed with all things Asian, I absolutely adore my "Samurai" model - here it is pictured below!)

I also use the cover to slip over the pram (stroller) as an extra sunshield, as well as to hang around my neck and cover over bubs when he's in my front carrier. It both blocks out the sun as well as cuts back on visual stimulation when I'm trying to get him to sleep (and I still get my little peek-hole to keep an eye on him and admire him as he snoozes, which I love).

And one other thing, it gives me a great conversation-starter with other Aussie mums when they stare with wonder at my clever American-made mommy's-helper. :)

So yes, I stand corrected! This is no gimmick.

I not only love my nursing cover but have now recommended them to several friends – both mommies that have bubs older than mine (oooooh, can I really give advice to more experienced mums?!) and also to my friends who are glowing moms-to-be. In fact, I recently purchased four of these during a Baby Steals sale to have on hand as gifts. (Unfortunately it was another brand... but a deal too good to pass up.)

I am now a nursing cover evangelist – buy one of these and it will save your [breast-feeding] life! (grin.)

Yes, I love my Peekabooby... and I don't leave home without it.