Shout Out to Lansinoh

As a nursing mom who works full time, an absolute essential in my life is my breastpump. Without it, I'd swell up like a balloon and baby wouldn't get fed.

Over at "How to Have a Baby," I've written of some of my initial struggles to get a breastpump that really worked for me. My Lansinoh double electric was my third option. (The expensive Medela pump I had at first was a total failure for me. Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch.)

So when my pump crapped out earlier this week, I panicked. My budget doesn't include buying a new one. But I need one. And then I remembered...the warranty.

I got on the phone to Lansinoh, and the line was ANSWERED by a REAL PERSON on the second ring. I was almost too shocked to respond to her cheery hello.

After a painless 5-minute phone call, I had a return number, and was promised that if I overnighted the broken unit to them, they'd overnight a new unit to me in return and I'd be back in business. Off to Fed Ex I went (thank GOD for my work discount) and off the broken pump went.

Yesterday afternoon, my new pump arrived. Not only is it a new pump, it's their new design. (My old one was purchased a month before their new design went out.) And it works like a charm.

Many, many, many props to Lansinoh for their awesome customer service. I only had to "make do" with my old pump for 2 days before moving back to a much preferred format.

I cannot say enough good things about this company.

YAY for Lansinoh!

On Sleep and Exhaustion

I'm pretty sure that every friend that I have who has children has managed to find a way to tell me over the last few months that their child/children slept through the night by the time they were 3/4/5/6 months old.

So here I am, with a six month old. Almost 7 months old, really. Not sleeping through the night. Still up 1/2/3 times. Completely inconsistent bed times. Completely inconsistent nap times. Completely inconsistent get up times. We've tried to do the same things at the same times every day...and we've been consistent in trying.

Side note...if you know me, you know how type A I am. Trust me when I say that we've tried and tried and tried and tried.

In any case, if she's not ready to get up or go down, she completely resists. Like we're talking flat out fits. Screaming, shaking.

So she ends up going to sleep at night, napping, and getting up in the morning when she wants, resisting all scheduling attempts.

And naps for *maybe* 45 minutes at a time. Sometimes stays down for up to 4 hours at a stretch at night...but sometimes half that or less.

I'm feeling a little frustrated. Anyone have any advice to offer?

Mystery Mouseketool

Anyone watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with their kiddos? I had a post up on my Twitter earlier today musing that, just once, I wish that the mystery mouseketool was a taser.

Anyone ever have that wish?

How about an electrified collar? Maybe an EASY button, since Mickey et al would be totally screwed without the Handy Helpers.

I wonder about the lessons this show teaches, quite honestly. I took along some DVDs of Mickey episodes when we went to my mom's house earlier this month, and she remarked that they don't seem as, ah, challenging as the Mickey of 20 years ago.

It just seems that some curious episodes are aired. Like the one with Donald and the Beanstalk. He gave away his chicken. Then stole it back. Um, are we really teaching our kiddos to steal?

Ok, so I'm being a little tongue in cheek here, but really, to get back to my main point, it's time to taser Mickey! (And time for our household to find new kids shows to watch!)

What's your favorite show to watch with your kiddos?