My Wordy Wordless Wednesday | Helping Moms & Thankful Moms | Psalms 136.1-9

Helping Moms In Business Does Mean More Than You Think!

My mother posted the little graphic above and it's BIG message really touched my heart. I have been waiting for Wordless Wednesday, so I could share it with you. Isn't this quote so true? This quote makes me feel like emailing everyone in the world; especially CEOs of companies. They have no clue how hard it is for some mothers to establish themselves as virtual assistants, mom business owners, work at home moms, etc. These moms really do have to possess more drive, organization and commitment - than the average person - in order to become successful mom business owners or telecommuting moms - while raising children and managing a household. I know this from experience ... CEOs do not just throw opportunities into mom's laps ... these mothers have to find work they can do at home! This is why so many moms turn to direct marketing companies and / or learning how to market online. Yes, there are some moms that dream of starting a business, but there are even more moms that just need to make money working from home and do whatever they can.

If CEOs REALLY understood this, there would be more onshore telecommute jobs and less struggling moms / mom business owners!

Regardless, I am grateful for how "things" are in comparison to what the Internet was like 13 years ago ... If you did not know computer programming or have a direct marketing business offline (Mary Kay, Avon, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, etc), then your work from home options were very limited. We did not have Google Ads and Facebook networks at that time; there were only a few mommy websites to browse for opportunities and these were very basic HTML sites without Craigslist, Elance and Freelancer feeds because those resources did not exist. Thinking of this reminds me that we are fortunate to have the Internet ... Yet, there are still not enough work at home "jobs" in comparison to work at home opportunities. This is why it is important for more people to support mom business owners opposed to Amazon, Ebay and larger corporations that sell the same types of products. Unfortunately, this is something that has not changed as much as the Internet. People still prefer to shop at Walmart for pink slime meat than support their local farms; they prefer to shop at Bath & Body at the mall opposed to supporting a friend selling Avon.

This really needs to change and this is why I like that little graphic so much. It's huge message made me think towards the sky ... not just "the sky is the limit" ... I looked out the window to the beautiful sky and I prayed. I thanked God for all of the challenges and opportunities; I also prayed for his mercy and change :)

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks to the Lord of Lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.
~ Psalms 136.1-9

No matter what our economy or personal situations, we have the love, support and grace of our Lord and he provides the discernment, strength, humbleness, knowledge and motivation to do all that we need to do. We just need to remain faithful and grateful during our life processes. Be thankful for where you are at in your business / work at home experience; also, if possible, help other moms accomplish their goals by assisting them in their work, training them in what they do not know and buying from mom business owners.

Hugs & blessings to all mom business owners, mom bloggers, mom marketers and virtual assistants that are "doing your thing" to contribute to your household ... while raising children and handling all that is involved with having a family.


In Motherly Love,
Mother Baby Child

Natural / Organic Food - Monsanto / Pesticide Free - Why Is It So Hard To Buy Local Foods

This is not a radical anti-establishment / horrible Monsanto post, that will come later. Mine is a story of guilt and anger over processed foods, genetically altered, pesticide & fast foods ... How could we let them do this to us? How could I ignore the facts and God's will?

I have struggled with my weight since having children (18 years ago). This is not because I didn't eat my veges or couldn't lose weight, but that the "bad foods" always took over my willpower; especially when it came to choosing which foods to buy according to our budget (I love a good deal) and portion sizes. As a result, it would take me years to lose weight after having a baby. I also fed my family professed foods, genetically altered foods, fast foods, corn syrup and pesticide infected meats and vegetables that I thought were healthy.


Sustainable Food Movement - Pesticide Free / Healthy Organic Foods Movement

This chapter of my life is titled "My Personal Struggle". It involves guilt ridden realizations that motivated me into taking responsibility for the food choices that I have made for my family and dedication to breaking the cycle.

It really broke my heart when my husband gave our baby a hotdog for the first time. I swore that I wasn't going to do "THAT" to "THIS" child, but who cold blame him? I fed the baby a chicken nugget, crackers and cookies, so many times, and gave him toddler baby formula (soy) after he weaned from breastfeeding. In fact, I put the hotdogs on the store list despite knowing that they are not good for us (even our preferred store bought beef hotdogs). Prior to this baby, my entire family and I have been feeding children and eateneating "bad foods" for generations. It was only my step mother's health obsession (as I was growing up), my grandparent's gardening and fostering my love of vegetables, my mother's "fat" prejudice and going to the farmer's market when I was young, that confirm that I am right about how I feel regardless of whether I ever read an article, food label or warning about the type of food we eat in the United States. Ironically, it was also these family members that embraced processed foods, fad dieting, chemicals, pesticides, fast food, etc, as fell as fostering larger food portions, eating everything on my plate whether I was fool or not, and sweet foods made from unhealthy flours, sugars, etc. I would never blame them because that is how life transpired as we became more industrial in this nation, but they could have done better despite the food fads (like turning off the TV and educating themselves on how to keep "things" as simple as what they had learned from family members on the farms and remembered from their radio listening childhoods. Instead of preserving the "old school" and flower child ideals, they sold out to the bigger, larger, more is better, brainwashing that our corporations and government has supported for decades!



Healthy Food & Lifestyle | Taking Responsibility & Making Changes

I heard the "rumors" about genetically altered foods; knew the benefits of exercising and eating healthy, since I was a child. I know that cigarettes cause cancer, as well as Aspartame and other chemicals in our foods. I remember reading about the first case of BSE when I was a kid (1980s) and especially the Mad Cow Disease epidemic in 1993 because that was when my son was born. It wasn't long after that my mother bought 1/2 a cow from an organic farm near our city and gave me plenty to last. My guilt is in knowing all of the basic health information and ignoring it, as well as not researching and learning more about the "rumors" ... especially since I was a biology student for so many years. I have no excuse for not feeding my children natural / organic foods except for the fact that it was easier, cheaper and, sometimes, more fun to be irresponsible about our health. I also have no excuse for all of the years of smoking, drinking and, various forms of, gluttony after having children. I was just sick with regret for all of the years that I let my children eat processed foods and fast foods, and then anger for feeding them pesticide foods that I thought were good for us once I decided to drop the other bad foods and make more healthy choices.

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Even non-Christians know this scripture quote about our body being temple, yet we ignore it as easily as we ignore God's other instructions and laws. It starts from the top of the food chain and ends in our hearts. The problem that we are having (others and my family) is that the government and corporations have made it virtually impossible to go "back to basics" in this world. I am not only referring to our food sources, but also the generations of change in products, utilities and leadership in this nation.



My husband and I have been making changes since the beginning of this year. It started with childhood and adult experience, listening to people trying to educate us on what is wrong and right according to the Bible, health, etc. I sat and watched Fresh The Movie when they made it available online and free in January 2012. I highly recommend attending a viewing or buying this movie if you can ... it is safe enough for children to watch and educational for those who are interested in a healthier way of life. The problem that I have had since watching Fresh The Movie is the extreme guilt of what I have done to my body and the health of those I love, as well as anger towards the impact of media, corporations and government for the choices they have made for us. For example, soy, potatoes, tomatoes, apples, corn, ice cream, pet food, etc. genetically engineered? Why is our infant formula, flour, syrup, oil, pet food, processed foods, etc made with non conventional ingredients? Why does a bottle of vitamin C taste like salt, plus have sodium and Yellow 6 in it? Why does Monsanto's genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rBGH) infect meats, dairy and pesticides on the vegetables needed to eat and make flour, corn meal, coffee, etc. Why does our local food get shipped to other states and out of the country ... why do we eat imported foods when the exact same foods are exported from our country?



Most importantly ... why is it so hard to find and buy organic foods; especially 100% organic local foods and at the same market value as the "bad foods" that companies and the government approves for us? Why can't I find non-GMO (GMO - Genetically Motified Food) in some cases? Why does the government let Monsanto have such control over our foods and fund industrial farming? I even have to screen every single farmer and take tours in order to buy local organic foods. In many cases, such as pork and certain vegetables, only natural is available and this upsets me.

Change is not easy! On the other hand, it should not be this difficult for those who chose to shop for natural / organic food and products. Our family is making this change despite the costs and time; including growing some of our own foods, exercise and educating our other family members. I am wondering if you have been considering or have made the change to Organic Foods and healthier life changes? Please comment below and follow at networks; I will follow back so that we can learn and share with one another.

Please make sure to register at http://www.freshthemovie.com to learn more about the sustainable food movement and how you can improve the quality of food that you are feeding your family, too!


In Motherly Love,
Lea @ Mother Baby Child

Monday Marketing Tip | Brilliant Ideas Reality

A Brilliant Idea Turned Into A Reality | Monday Marketing Tip

One of my cousins has always had a plethora of information to share. As a child, he was the "go to guy" in his own right; he was our walking encyclopedia of interesting facts, biblical scriptures, solutions to problems and brilliant ideas. He spoke with such passion and variety that I felt like I was hanging out with my own little Albert Einstein. On the other hand, conversations sometimes became overwhelming because he tried to share everything on his mind at one time. It wasn't until recently that I realized that our family did my cousin an injustice. Although each one of us was a listening ear at one point or another, the adults should have taught him how to filter and turn those brilliant ideas into reality. If they had, he might have been a millionaire by now! The issue is that one has to recognize "genius" for what it is in order to know how to foster it. This Monday Marketing Tip will discuss how to recognize, filter and foster good ideas for yourself or clients. Think of it as an unofficial guide for turning ideas into reality :)

"Everyone is in love with their own ideas." - Carl Jung

I hadn't spoken with that cousin in a while, so his mother passed him the phone to say "hello" one day. He barely made it through 3 minutes of small talk before he jumped into a 1/2 hour conversation about an ingenious idea that he had been wanting to share with me. It truly was a brilliant idea, but I did not bite. He was just not persuasive enough to get me moving on it. He was excitedly in love with this idea (which I still would help him with after he does more research), but it did not naturally peak my interests on a professional level. On the other hand, I am very much interested in the subject on a personal level. If we had discussed it as a hobby for 1/2 hour, it might have taken just 3 minutes to make me understand why I should help with the brilliant idea. THAT is marketing! Everyone loves their own business, ideas, topics of interest ... it is your job to determine whether it is a good enough one to share with others (even if it is your own) and how you will accomplish that task.

"You can have brilliant ideas, but if you cannot get them across, your ideas will not get you anywhere." ~ Lee Iacocca

My cousin is an Einstein in his own right and has always had brilliant ideas! The problem is that he does not know how to present his idea, so that others will become as passionate as he is about the concept. He shares all of his brilliant ideas with the expectation that others will understand the potential and turn the ideas into reality. Meanwhile, they are extremely niche ideas that someone would have to be equally passionate about to deal with the complications of putting them into action. What does this mean to you? It means that you might come up with a business or idea that you think is good, but what matters is whether it will interest others. In some cases, you can create the market, though you have to weigh whether that business or idea is worth the work and time. For example, you must present a business or product for review that will interest your followers and project what your followers will respond to.

"A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one." - Mary Kay Ash

On the other hand, my cousin only presented one brilliant idea to me. He did not overwhelm me with information or take up too much time on his interest. He has learned how to filter through ideas and for the right audience. In his mind, I was the right family member to present his most recent idea to because it is relative to the type of work that I do. Although that is just one part of filtering and presenting a brilliant idea, it is an important factor especially for Mom Bloggers that represent products, services and giveaways. You have to choose the right product for the right markets. You have to decide whether it is best to select one product that is reared towards your existing blog following or 10 products that you will tweet in hopes of getting a better response.

"Ideas won't keep. Something must be done
about them." - Alfred North Whitehead

Whether you are a mom blogger or marketing executive, you need to know how to narrow down the options and choose what will work well. The next step if to present this information to the correct markets in order to obtain desirable results. This takes time to perfect, but not as long as seeing a brilliant concept or business dream go nowhere ... Take time to learn how to turn ideas into reality!


In Motherly Love,
Mother Baby Child

Wordless Wednesday - Baby's 1st Ice Cream Cone @ Chinese Restaurant (14 Months Old)

We haven't taken our baby out to a restaurant in 6 months. 1st because I get all freaked out that he's going to get sick from touching and trying to eat everything he touches. 2nd because there are no organic food restaurants where we live and 3rd because I worry about how the food is cooked ... I was outnumbered this time and ended up giving into my husband and 12 year old! We took the baby to have his 1st Chinese restaurant experience (scrubbed the table and chair with Purell). He loved it and was such a good baby!

Wordless Wednesday pictures of our 14 month old eating his first ice cream cone (well, it was really frozen yogurt). We enjoyed watching him!

Mama, what is this?


Ice cream? I'll just give it a little lick, ok?


Can I use it as a microphone ... "La La La"?


That is what cold is ...? This is a brain freeze?


OK, I'm gonna slow down and use my finger as a spoon :)

I was amazed by how well he did (he is a very active toddler after all). He was open to trying a variety of foods, though did not like and threw the Chinese donut first (both of his brothers always liked them best). This is the first time that he did not throw his plate of food (as he does at home). He actually ate off of a plate for the entire meal. He did make a little mess on the floor and his face, but no food on his clothes. I could not believe it! I was extremely proud that he DID NOT want to get down and run all over the restaurant.

In Motherly Love,

Mother Baby Child

Monday Marketing Tip - Blog Business or Hobby Blog? You Must Be Serious About Blogging Because You're Reading This!

Blogging for hobby is AWESOME, but don't call your blog business a hobby if  you're serious about it! This week's marketing tip is about mom blogging, blogging for business and mom business mindset!

Ok, here's a question for you ... Why do some moms become "hobbyist" when work and money is involved in "stepping up" their "game"? I am NOT saying this for personal reasons, this week's marketing tip is inspired by some blogs I've been following and blog comments I've read over the past few months.

I am NOT referring to moms who write a blog diary or are genuine blog hobbyists. I enjoy reading and interacting with those moms just as much as I do business minded mom bloggers. Some have content that rocks so hard that they could blog as a business anytime that they wanted. This is because they are amazing writers and interesting people! Isn't that what sponsors look for when willing to pay for representation? My point being that I do respect people that blog for hobby.

(BTW - last week's Monday Marketing Tip provided a few videos from Google and Yahoo / Bing about the importance of quality, unique, website content / blog content. Don't forget to check that out if you are serious about your mom business marketing / mom blog marketing.)

I am referring to mom bloggers / mom website owners that have given up on their dreams / goals because online business and / or blogging is hard for them ... This also applies to those who are just too lazy (not too busy; they are lazy) and too cheap (not one penny invested in themselves) to do what they planned when they launched their blog, website or mom business. They find it too hard to learn because they are either lazy or do not listen when taught. It's understandable that moms want or need to be frugal, but if you cannot learn or do something on your own ... it is money well invested to learn or have someone do for you!

Some of these people have the nerve to comment on others blogs and networks - in a nose turned up in the air manner - that their blogs are "just a hobby". How funny when those are comment threads where others are coming together to share and get advice on how to do better at making money from their blogs. So, I head on over to a few of these hobby blogs to see what their hobby looks like and find that most that claimed that their blog was a hobby actually had blogs with attempted business efforts. Some of the so-called hobbyist had pages stating that they are PR friendly (some included rates for marketing help), as well as Rafflecopter / Giveaway / Contest attempts, Blog Hops / Link Ups, Google and Other Ads, Blog Reviews with links to Amazon products or other affiliate / sponsor type activities, and so on. Some may not have been the best in design or content ... others just missing the "meat & potatoes" that could world of difference ... All did have attempts at making money or assuming a PR role in the mommy blogosphere ...

Some of the "hobby blogs" had potential. There pages were content rich and attractive enough to make $$$, but they were just kind of ... dead ... missing things? 

Next week's marketing tip will share how to deal with a "dead" blog, but this week's marketing tip is with focus on your mom business mindset and motivation, so that you can accomplish your goals ... This starts with determining whether you are really cut out for this mom business blog / mom business marketing world or if you should remain a hobbyist! There is no shame in not pursuing something you really do not like or are not willing to learn, but if this is not the case (you need to make money ... you desire this industry ... you dream of this career), then you should be ashamed of calling yourself a hobbyist instead of trying to become a mom business or mom blog success.



What is the difference between blogging for business or having a hobby blog? 

There is sometimes a fine line between what is a hobby blog or not; especially for those who are making money from a blog that started as a hobby. They love what they write about and it makes them money. This is the dream situation and goals accomplished that I mentioned a few paragraphs above. It looks easy and has been easy for some of these mom bloggers ... On the other hand, most had to work for what they wanted in some respect or another.

Successful bloggers are a classic case of "you either have it or you don't" ... they have "it" now because they either "had it" or did what it took to "have it". In many cases they already "have" the business mindset or developed a business mindset that permitted them to transition from hobby blogger to making money from their blogs. This is the same for those they inspired to start a blog to make money online. Some knew how to do all; it came easy to them. Blog content came easy to some, but the technical and blog business processes did not. Some were not good at writing and organizing content, though the blog subject matter and their ability to market were great. Regardless of what the deficiencies, they took it upon themselves to make their blogs desirable to others and financially productive (not lazy) and even invested in learning and / or producing (not too cheap) in order to become "successful".

That is that mom business mindset that differentiates the hobbyist from the business woman that makes money online. Which are you right now? How can you improve or help other moms accomplish their goals and dreams? Feel free to CONTACT ME directly if you need help or can offer other's help with training, following, liking, connecting, website design, marketing on your blog or website, or have an interesting blog business that you would like to share with the people I network with online.

Do you have something to share about this "Blog Business / Blog Hobby" post? Did you learn anything or feel inspired? Please feel free to share your thoughts by clicking the comments link or in the comments area below :)


In Motherly Love,

Mother Baby Child

Monday Marketing Tip - Website / Blog Traffic

Mom Website Traffic / Mom Blog Traffic

Having killer website content / blog content is just part of having a successful blog or website. You need to "get it out there", too. Although it is presumed that quality content will drive a bunch of website visitors, the reality is that content, alone, will not always drive the website traffic or blog traffic that you need to accomplish goals. This is especially true if you are writing content to post on a Blogger / Blogspot, niche networks and static pages. In this mommy blog and mom-centric world, there are several standard methods for driving traffic. Some of these include Blog Hops & Linkups, Social Networks, and Communities. The problem is that if you are not a consistent blog hopper or networker, you will not get the exposure needed to drive traffic to your blog. This Monday Marketing Tip provides ways that you can get more traffic for your site or blog.

#1 - Blog Hops & Link Ups

Participating in Blog Hops & Link Ups are great when you are first starting out. This web traffic method provides you with the ability of meeting other mom bloggers by interest and activities. Blog hopping / linking up is very easy. All that you need to do is 1) visit a blog that is hosting a Blog Hop or Link Up, 2) follow the instructions, 3) add your blog link, 4) comment on the hosting blog and 5) visit others blogs, follow and comment. Once you have built up, you can host blog hops and link ups on your blog, too. This is an awesome way to guarantee repeat visitors by providing value to your market.

The advantages of blog hops are that you will get exposure (at least from the host) and, ideally, comments to your blog posts. You will also meet other moms / bloggers and gain web traffic if it is an active blog hop.

The disadvantages to blog hopping is that it is time consuming, some do not produce the results that you expect and the search engines could consider this method spam depending on how you are commenting (are each unique, genuine and with relevant content) and how many blog hops you are doing each week.


Social Networks / Social Networking / Social Media Marketing

Social networking is an effective and fun way to market your blog or website. Networks like Google+, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Linkedin, Tumblr, Pinterest, Myspace, etc. provide you with the ability to share all types of information and for free. Some social networks have "pages" features (Facebook, Google+, etc) that let you create a special page for your blog or business, so that you are not networking or spamming information from your personal profile. It is extremely important to have these separate entities (pages) because social networking is a form of social media marketing. In social media, relation marketing is essential to the social marketing process, therefore leading with your social profile / yourself adds more benefit than leading with a business / blog page on these networks. On the other hand, some people only brand market (use business pages, groups, profiles to connect with others) and build well, though this takes a more aggressive approach than purely social networking. Most social sites also permit you to create groups, blog, participate in forums, add images and videos.

The advantages of social networking / social media marketing is that all of these features help you gain exposure and make friends at the networks. This provides you with the tremendous advantage in generating blog / website traffic. Plus, you can build a larger connection than if you were networking offline. Many shrewd mom bloggers and mom-centric business networkers turn their connections into subscribers and customers that they can remarket to on a regular basis, and without having to frequent the network as often.

The disadvantage to social networks is that you are sometimes limited on how you can market and that your content is no longer your own. For example, if you write blogs or refer friends for points, this adds content and growth to their site and not your own. Social networking can become time consuming if you are not using certain social media marketing processes that attract to you.


Niche Networks & Communities

Niche networks and communities are sometimes even more beneficial than using one of the more popular networks like Facebook, Twitter, etc. This is because you connect with others on specific interests opposed to having to find them at the other networks. These are often much smaller networks / communities, therefore you have a more intimate environment to network and marketing within. This helps drive blog / website traffic like crazy. Examples of niche networks and communities include: Google Friend Connect (for Blogger / Blogspot users), Flicker (photo network), SocialMoms, BlogFrog, Klout, etc.


Article Writing / Press Releases

Just as with writing killer website content / blog content is important to your blog or website, it is just as important to networks that permit you to post blogs, articles and press releases. Social networks are a great place to start, though there are specific networks for articles, blog posts and press releases that will drive traffic directly to your mom blog, website, networks, etc. http://www.ezinearticles.com and http://www.articlesbase.com are two popular ones ... Just Google what you want and you will find resources. Offering to write guest posts to struggling or developing blogs, is also an excellent way to position as an authority and gain more blog / website traffic.

The advantage to article / blog / press release marketing is that you can gain more web / blog traffic and create a following of people who are interested in the type of things you write about. You get the word out there more quickly - at the right websites - because these types of sites are authorities in what they do and do their own marketing (it's like having another website working for you); there are search engine ranking benefits, too. People visit those sites to read and share the articles.

The disadvantage is that these are not your own websites / blogs, therefore you are giving them your content (this is hard for people that struggle with writing enough content for their own blogs). Plus, you will not get any exposure / web traffic if you do not write well and / or it is not a popular networks. This method of web traffic generation can become costly.


Banner, Button, Link Exchange

This is not the same as blog hopping. When yo exchange links, buttons or banners, someone is placing a direct link - to your website or blog - on their blog or website. They will often ask you to do the same, but not in all cases. Some will link to you because they value your website or blog. Some people provide linking websites - Picket Fence Blogs is an example - that set up a link network that has voting and giveaway sections. This is extremely helpful and not looked upon poorly by the search engines. On the other hand, other types of link sites are harmful and you should stay away from them. They can hurt your marketing and search engine exposure.


Other blog / web traffic generation ideas ...

There is a world wide web of additional web traffic generation methods and form of online marketing for moms. You just have to delve a bit further and pay attention to what others are doing to marketing their mom blogs and websites. Some moms provide review services; others do giveaways with requirements that drive web traffic and increase network memberships. The sky is the limit when you are marketing on the Internet. The goal is to try new things and keep what does well. This means that you need to learn how to track conversions (web traffic, sales, comments, etc.)

Have a website / blog content tip that I should add to this blog post? Did you learn anything about why you should write the "Quality Unique Website Content"? If so, please take a moment to share your thoughts below in the Comment section of this blog :)

Feel free to CONTACT ME if you ever need website / blog traffic, or with networking and bloging help?


In Motherly Love,

Mother Baby Child

Beyonce Breastfeeding In Public - So What! Nurse Baby Blue Public Bathroom? No Way!

Blue Ivy Carter (Source: helloblueivycarter.tumblr.com)

Beyonce Nurses Baby Blue At Restaurant ... SO WHAT!!! Baby Blue Ivy Was Hungry While She Was Out To Lunch. #Breastfeeding Advocates Proud of Beyonce - Celebrity Mom Plz Be An Example of #Change

I am a somewhat antisocial and private mother in my offline world. I don't like people watching me play outside with my 14 month old. I avoid any outings that might run past 1-2 hours because our baby does not like them. It has been this ways since our baby was 8 to 9 months old. When I nursed during our baby's 1st year, I was cautious about feeding our baby prior to going to the doctors or store. I probably pumped more than the average SAHM because 1) my husband liked to feed the baby as much as I did and 2) I never wanted to leave our baby without milk pumped in case he got hungry when I showered or I had to go somewhere alone (like the doctors). For the most part, our baby nursed every 1 1/2 to 2 hours on the clock, though would sometimes go longer or shorter depending on how active we were that day.

Our toddler still likes to have a bottle or cup on that same hourly schedule. Yes, I let my 14 month old have his bottle ... "so what" ... I take care of his teeth well. I don't believe what the "experts" say ... I don't want our son to stuck in a Freudian Oral Stage). We make choices as parents; we share information and sometimes become positive examples to other moms. I think what happened was a coincidental case of positive influence on Beyonce's part and she could really do something wonderful with it.

I am proud of Beyonce for breastfeeding AND being the mother that she chooses to be! Beyonce, can you "step up to plate" and be even more?

The following video shares the controversial comments about Beyonce breastfeeding in public the other day. My initial reaction was "that's cool" ... then I got REALLY upset at the world!!! I even developed expectation of Beyonce now that I see her as a mother that I can relate to, but I'll explain that later in this blog post ... The point here is why would there be such a big deal about Beyonce nursing her baby? She went out to eat and her baby got hungry, so she fed Blue Ivy, too. What is the big deal? Why are we asking the public to comment on this natural occurrence in her life and why on earth did that man suggest that she should use a public bathroom to nurse her baby ... NO WAY??? That is like pooping in a public bathroom to me ... how gross!!!


A woman has the right to breastfeed her baby in any location where she is welcomed, therefore Beyonce has the right to breastfeed her baby girl in public if she pleases and without it being such a huge controversial deal. This unnecessary publicity is why so many celebrities move out of the United States or go into recluse. It irritates me that other countries recognize that breastfeeding is natural, though the USA is still backwards about it. In fact, it is just in recent years that health departments and doctors have been campaigning towards breastfeeding ... way past due!!! On the other hand, celebrity moms need not run from the public eye and to another county; they are in position to become as much of a parental role model, in the United States, as they are in their talents.

I do have an empathy for celebrity moms ...

There have been times when our baby has demanded that I nurse in public; he did not want the bottle because he was tired and wanted to breastfeed. My cousin in law did the same (her baby and Max are just a few weeks apart). Her baby became temperamental about taking pumped milk bottles and refused to take them. Anyways, I wouldn't dare nurse in the middle of a grocery store isle because it would be uncomfortable for the baby and me; not because of other people. We nursed in the car if need be, but I did nurse at the beach and in a restaurant. No one seemed to notice and "so what" if they did. As private as I am, I got over any "stage fright" or apprehension when it came to feeding my baby in public.

Breastfeeding is natural and healthier for our babies - POINT BLANK!!!

As you can imagine, Breastfeeding Advocates are taking this as one for the "home team" ... This is GREAT because if more celebrity moms would advocate nursing, then more mother's would breastfeed throughout future generations. This means less money out of the government's pockets and giving babies a better start because - unless you buy all organic - a baby is going to have plenty of chemicals to eat in their years to come!!!

Although I got a little "ticked" by the media and fans making such a big deal out of Beyonce nursing in public, I am REALLY proud of the decisions Beyonce has made in her life & after the birth of Blue Ivy caused such a hospital ordeal.

• Beyonce planned to start a family after she established her career, and that she did!


• She spent the first month with baby Blue and having family time.


• Beyonce did not sell Blue Ivy's 1st baby pictures. They released them free on Tumblr.


• Beyonce did not gain too much during pregnancy and her baby weight started coming right off of her within a month.


• Beyonce has chosen to breastfeed her baby girl and is comfortable doing this in public!

2012 is another "day and time" of change in the United States.

We have been through years of negative effects of the war and economical changes ... the 2012 presidential campaign is strong with blasts of #change ... sustainable food groups are educating more aggressively to accomplish even small changes in the foods we chose to the point that grocery stores are increasing their organic food supplies ... the job market is shifting predominant industries and new tax credits given companies to inshore outsource ... the health departments are hiring breastfeeding advocates after generations of shaping bottle feeding norms (bottle feeding baby doll manufacturers are guilty for this too) ...

I think it time that we acknowledge celebrities for GOOD parenting choices and encourage them to help with change as well :) I think that Beyonce is making good parenting choices and our "catching" her breastfeeding in public was a natural fluke that could very well have more than a booty popping impact on young girls in this time of change. Now is the time for breastfeeding organizations to attempt to catch the support of this DREAMGIRL and for Beyonce to "step up to plate" for other non-tangible support of change over the years. This will have a far better impact than becoming a Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers beauty ... It is obviously better than packing up the family and relocating to another country ...

We need more celebrity moms to become advocates of change in the USA!!!

Beyonce, in all due respect, could we get some intentional parenting inspiration from you? So many of us are proud of your accomplishments AND to learn that you are not only breastfeeding, but also comfortable with with your mommy role. On the other hand, the childless Beyonce had been the booty popping inspiration for young girls for almost 2 decades. It would be cool if Beyonce "the mother" could become the diva of motherhood for your fans, too??? I would personally love to witness, Beyonce "the mother", as the celebrity face of breastfeeding and perhaps she could use that talented and fit mommy body to assist Michelle Obama "Lets Move" for kids.

No worries about the scanty costumes and booty shaking subject matter ... if Tory Spelling can become the face of good looks and parenting, and Snoop Dogg can make such substantial non-music industry changes in kids lives, society might just welcome Beyonce "the mother" as a role model for their little girls and obese children!

These are my thoughts on Beyonce nursing in public ... I look forward to comments with what you think! Will you be in shock if Beyonce is caught breastfeeding in public again? Was this appropriate or inappropriate? Would you like to see Beyonce in the role of healthy kid or breastfeeding advocate?


In Motherly Love,
Mother Baby Child