Even Beyoncé can’t escape mom shaming with Instagram picture
Mothers of the world, stop your hating on one another. When Beyoncé posted a picture on Instagram of her having a glass of wine a few days ago, the haters came out. The assumption was that Beyoncé was nursing her twins, and, therefore, should not be drinking.
Of course, we don’t know if Beyoncé is breastfeeding Rumi and Sir, who were born in June.
Even if she is, notice the picture doesn’t show Beyoncé actually nursing her twins while drinking (that would not be recommended).
What are the rules about breastfeeding and alcohol?
Here’s what the American Academy of Pediatrics says:
■ Drinking beer does not increase your milk supply, as urban myth suggests.
■ Consuming alcohol of any kind may decrease the amount of milk your baby drinks.
■ Alcohol can change the taste of your milk, and this may be objectionable to some babies.
■ If you are going to have an alcoholic drink, it is best to do so just after you nurse or pump milk rather than before.
■ Allow at least two hours per drink before your next breastfeeding or pumping session. That way, your body will have as much time as possible to rid itself of the alcohol before the next feeding and less will reach your infant.
■ One alcoholic drink is the equivalent of a 12-ounce beer, 4-ounce glass of wine, or 1 ounce of hard liquor.
■ There are concerns about long-term, repeated exposures of infants to alcohol via the mother’s milk, so moderation is definitely advised.
■ Medula, the makers of breast pumps, offers these tips:
■ Breastfeed your baby before taking alcoholic beverages. Avoid breastfeeding during and for 2-3 hours after drinking alcohol.
■ Pumping does not get rid of the alcohol in breast milk quicker.
■ If you drink enough to feel “high,” experts advise waiting several hours before nursing the baby. You can pump during this time if you feel uncomfortably full.
■ Consult your doctor about the need for discarding milk for two hours after drinking alcohol. It may not be necessary.
■ When a big celebration is planned, arrange for someone sober to help care for the baby.
Avoid drinking excessive alcohol. Seek help from your doctor if you are concerned about your alcohol use.
Some medications interact with alcohol. Check with your doctor.
Also remember, that while sleeping with your baby in the same bed is not recommended, it’s especially not recommended in parents who have been drinking or are on medication. Doctors have seen a higher rate in suffocation or sudden infant death syndrome when that happens.
Does your child’s teacher need a class pet? How to get one for free
I am the daughter of an elementary school teacher. My mom had in her classroom guinea pigs, a rabbit, chickens, an iguana, hermit crabs, a crayfish, butterflies, opossum babies, and I’m sure more animals that I’ve somehow forgotten. This meant that we also had these animals in our home on the weekends, summer, spring and winter breaks. It was fabulous.
My kids have had the gerbils that wouldn’t stop mating, hissing cockroaches, chickens, goats, ducks, turtles, snakes, therapy dogs, fish and snail aquariums, and more at their schools. It’s made for a rich, handson environment for my children.
Getting a class pet can be an expensive proposition for teachers (who we all know spend a lot of their own money on school supplies for your children). Pets in the Classroom is a nonprofit organization that helps teachers put pets in their classroom by giving out $75 grants to buy a small animal or $125 grants for a reptile, amphibian or aquarium as well as $50 sustaining grants to maintain the current pet. To qualify, a teacher just has to go to www.petsintheclassroom.org and fill out the application. They have to teach in a public or private school classroom in grades Pre-K through ninth. Home school or an in-home day care doesn’t qualify.
They suggest that you wait to find out about classroom allergies before applying for a new-animal grant, so you know what kind of animal to ask for. You can only apply once per year.
Warning to parents, though: We are now the proud owners of a chinchilla, a bearded dragon, an aquarium with some of the snails from fourth-grade, as well as the cats and dog. Why? Every encounter with a new animal in school made my children want one for home. I have managed to not give in to the frequent requests for a snake, though.
And if you are a parent whose child made you get that pet guinea pig only to have that guinea pig be ignored by said child, consider donating the guinea pig to your local school. Call up the office and ask the staff to ask teachers if they would like it for their classroom. Your guinea pig will get loved from 25 eager new owners in that classroom.