Mother’s Day is just around the river bend — and what better way to mark the moment you became a mom than by traveling back in time to revisit each milestone in your adventure? While the kids make presents, your partner preps Sunday morning brunch and you celebrate all the ways those little hands and feet have permanently changed your world, we’re throwing a big ole’ party for you, mama!

For all our moms, this one’s for you! Here’s to motherhood, every step of the way:

1. You take a pregnancy test — and it’s POSITIVE.

2. No, really — it’s POSITIVE! You’re going to be someone’s MOMMY!

3. YOU TELL YOUR PARTNER THE GOOD NEWS AND MAGICAL THINGS HAPPEN (like fireworks!)

4.  You tell Facebook (obvi!) and keep track of how many “likes” you get!

5. You start to feel a little different about things because you’re busy growing another HUMAN inside your belly.

6. You start asking for sweets at all hours of the day.

7. No, not sweets. BURGERS. BURGERS EVERY DAY.

8. You try your best to focus at work but — OH LOOK, OREOS!

9. At the end of your third trimester, no matter how many outfits you try on, you just can’t get comfortable.

10. Your water breaks! And you make all sorts of funny faces when doctors tell you to “push!”

11. The moment you meet baby you realize you’ve never met anything so lovely and perfect and beautiful.

12. You hope baby gets all your best qualities (and none of your mother-in-laws).

13. Those first few weeks together take a little getting used to.

14. But after awhile, you get the hang of things.

15. You learn each and every one of baby’s faces — and what they mean.

And…

And oh, yeah…

16. You’re so in love with your little bundle, nothing else matters.

17. You realize just how amazing it is to have created a life (and a mini-you!).

18. And how much being a mom is the most amazing experience in the world.

19. Even if there is a lot of this.

You love it anyway.

Happy Mother’s Day, moms, from all of us…

(and Ryan Gosling!)

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer sparked controversy earlier this year, when she announced that her company’s employees would no longer be able to work from home. That’s so anti-working-parent, people thought. But yesterday, Mayer made an announcement that may have people thinking her workplace is more family friendly: Maternity and paternity leave has been extended.

“Under the new policy, mothers can take 16 weeks of paid leave with benefits, and fathers can take up to eight weeks, each time they have a new child via childbirth. Both parents receive eight weeks of paid leave for new children via adoption, foster child placement or surrogacy,” reports NBC Bay Area. This is about double the maternity leave the company’s old policy allowed. This may allow Yahoo to better compete with nearby tech companies Google and Facebook for talent. Google offers 18 to 22 weeks of paid maternity leave, and Facebook offers four months of paid leave to both mothers and fathers.

So, is this normal? Well, no, it’s not. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Women’s Health USA 2011 report, the average length of maternity leave was 10.3 weeks, and only 24.9 percent of women had paid maternity leave for more than two months. In fact almost one-third (29.4 percent) didn’t take any maternity leave, and 33.1 percent of those who took it didn’t have any portion of their leave paid.

In the US, companies are required by law to hold a parent’s job for 12 weeks after the birth of a child, but that’s only if the company and employee both qualify under the Family Leave and Medical Act (FMLA). For example, if your company has fewer than 50 employees or you’ve worked for the company for less than 12 months, you wouldn’t qualify. And, none of those 12 weeks are required to be paid. How much you’re paid for depends on your employer’s policies.

So there’s quite a range, as working moms on The Bump message boards demonstrate:

“I took 12 weeks which was as much as was allowed by my employer. 6 weeks were paid. However I did just hear that our maternity policy changed and now they are paying the full 12-week period. So when I’m out this September with baby #2 it will be paid for. Yay!” – RedDDD

“I will take eight weeks off. I work for a small company and don’t qualify for FMLA. I negotiated it with my employer up from six weeks. I will have four weeks paid, made up of two weeks vacation and two weeks paid maternity leave. I am the first in my company to have a baby and two weeks paid maternity and paternity leave is now written into our company policy. I am proud to be a part of that added benefit.” – jlaOK

“I took two weeks before birth and 20 afterwards. This is two weeks beyond my company’s maximum policy. An exception was allowed since I had a huge vacation balance and the last two weeks fell during the holidays which are slow for us. The company fully paid my salary for the two weeks before and I had a combination of Short Term Disability and pay (for a total of my whole salary) for 12 weeks after birth. I was then able to use sick and vacation pay for weeks 13 through 20.” – whynotwhynot

“I am taking six weeks off and then going back part time for six weeks. Then I’ll be working from home two or three days a weeks and in the office either two or three days a week. It will all be paid, thank god.” – JNLSLSM

“I took six weeks with my first child and five weeks with my second. I needed the money, so I returned to work. Besides, both times, my employer called or emailed me while I was off, and I worked from home anyway. Four weeks was paid at 60 percent of my salary. The other two weeks were unpaid.” – LoCarb

“I took the 12 weeks allowed under FMLA. They wouldn’t hold my job any longer than that. I received four weeks of Short Term Disability pay at 60 percent of my wages.” – financial diva

“All in all I took six-and-a-half months. I did a lot off research and the other people in my company who had taken maternity leave said seven months is the max. 16 weeks were paid.” – Brendamndz

“I took 13 weeks off. The plan was 12, but my daughter came early. I’m a teacher, and I had to give a specific date that I could come back, so they could put a substitute on contract. 10 days were paid — five were sick days and five were childbirth leave. The rest was unpaid.” – dizzykates

How much maternity leave did you take or do you plan to take? Do you think more companies should extend their maternity leave, like Yahoo did?

Plus, more from The Bump:

Maternity Leave Around the World

The 10 Hardest Things About Maternity Leave (and How to Deal)

Maternity Leave Checklist: Prep for Your Time Off

I walked into work the other day, fresh off spending the last few hours with my 7-month old. I made the usual rounds, coffee in hand, chatting it up with the boss and co-workers.  I suppose it was about two hours later when I shut the door to my office and settled in for a pumping session — I looked down as I unbuttoned my cardigan to see what I can only describe as Haley’s Comet traveling from my shoulder down the front of my black cardigan. The comet… was a booger.

I had a napkin in my desk drawer and a bottle of water nearby, so I dabbed at my little booger comet to no avail. Rather than blotting it out of the night sky, I only added to its glow with little bits of napkin fuzz. As I contemplated my next move, I realized two things. First, do a spit-up-drool-snot-boogey check before leaving the house. Second, never get caught without a backup.

The first I haven’t quite mastered.  The second, I have.  What do I mean about a backup?  Well, there are several options — all of which will become a working mom’s best friend if you plan ahead.

1. Pack a scarf: Ah, that tasseled, slinky little weave of sanity in an insane world.  The scarf is there when you need to cover the hickey-like splotches on your neck where your little munchkin thought it a good idea to explore the ol’ scratch ‘n pinch on his road to motor skill mastery. The scarf is there when you dribble milk down your front (2% or breast)  It’s great for dabbing messes, covering messes, and even makes a great breastfeeding cover if you need it in a cinch.  They come in approximately 17 billion patterns, colors, and price-points, and they squish, fold, or roll into the tiniest little packet for fitting into purses, diaper bags, or if you’re like me, into a jumbo bin by the front door or under your desk.

2. Grab your pashmina: With the fabric being a wee wider than the scarf, the pashmina is also great for those “oopsy” moments. Where the scarf falls short, the pashmina steps up and swishes its mighty girth over shoulders and around arms — areas which are all fair game for boogies, snot, spittle, and (gasp) even poop. All you need is one or two pashminas in a basic color to keep in your drawer.  Black, gray, or beige and call it a day.

3. Keep an extra cardigan at the office: Finally, the princess of the ball. That cover-all, dress-up, dress-down, all-American, apple-of-my-wardrobe cardigan. A working mom’s wardrobe staple. Not only is the cardiganmy wardrobe must, but it covers up any mess. Who knew? This little miracle garment is available for less than twenty bucks at most Target-like stores, and comes in long-sleeve, short-sleeve, 3/4 sleeve, crop, drop, button, zip, heavy, light (running out of air)… You get the picture. This is the big Kahuna of the working mom’s closet.  I keep a basic black one draped over my office chair for whenever I show up with my blouse crusted over with unknown substances. I’ve also been known to double up a scarf with a cardigan. (Hey, I dribble once in awhile myself.)

Who says we can’t be cute and stylish on the outside even when our boobies are leaking on the inside?  But, what do I know… I’m just the girl with the booger on her shoulder!

What wardrobe stables do you rely on now that you’re a mom?

Plus, more from The Bump:

8 Biggest Mistakes New Moms Make

How to Revamp Your Post-Baby Wardrobe

Quick and Easy New Mom Hairstyles You Can Do

I can remember one specific day in particular when I was struck with that dreaded disease that plagues so many parents: mom guilt. It was a Saturday. My 18-month-old son had been awake, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, since 6:30 a.m. Since we were up and in dire need of caffeine, my husband and I decided to all go out for breakfast.

We picked a neighborhood restaurant, nicer than a diner but still kid-friendly. Or so I thought. As a pile of crumbs and table scraps began to accumulate under my son’s high chair, I saw the guy who was sweeping the floor eye him warily. “Sorry about that. He’s going to keep you busy,” I half-joked. The guy did not smile back. Nice. The sun was barely up and I was already feeling guilty.

Since I became a mom, guilt is pretty much my constant state of being. I felt guilty for keeping my doula at the hospital for the bazillion hours I was in labor. I felt guilty for sending the baby to the nursery for a couple hours so I could sleep. I felt guilty for not being overjoyed every second of every day. I felt guilty for snapping at my husband. I felt guilty for not calling people back. You name it, I felt guilty about it.

Guilt is a funny thing. There are some people who will tell you it’s a wasted emotion. Get over it, get on with it. I am in awe of people who can do that. But then there are other people who feed your guilt. Just mention breastfeeding, natural childbirth, or working vs. stay-at-home moms, stand back, and watch the guilt-inducing comments fly.

The thing I’ve gradually realized, though, is that you can either make it your problem or not. Just because someone’s trying to make you feel guilty about something doesn’t mean you have to let them. And you know what else? Most of the time, people like that are feeling guilty about something THEMSELVES. Why else would someone get all bent out of shape over a stranger’s choice about how to live her life?

Even though I’ve gotten better about it, I haven’t given mom guilt the boot entirely. No way. I still overtip at restaurants if when my children make a mess and/or misbehave. But there are some things I refuse to feel guilty about. Like my particular work/family balance, or what I feed my kids, or paying a professional to clean my house from time to time.

There are plenty of legitimate reasons to feel guilty as a parent. But leaving some crumbs under a highchair at a restaurant is not one of them. Save it for when your kid’s older and you forget – again – to send in money on school picture day and your child is the only one not photographed for the yearbook. Oops. Guilty as charged.

How do you deal with mom guilt?

Plus, more from The Bump:

How to Deal With Working Mom Guilt

You Know You’re a Mom When…

12 Worst Things Ever Said to a New Mom

This is a guest blog by Kelly, an SVP of E-Commerce at a large nonprofit and mom to a 6-year-old, 3-year-old and 5-month-old. Here’s an inside look at what goes on in a typical week for this busy mom of three.

MONDAY:  Wake up, get breakfast for everyone, pack lunches, backpacks, daycare bag. Collaborate with husband to get everyone dressed, brush everyone’s hair and brush and floss all the teeth in the house (except my husband’s – I leave that to him!). Today is a work-from-home day, so I don’t take the time to shower or put on real clothes. Put the first grader on the school bus, send the other two kids with dad to be dropped off on his way to work. Pump, then make a quick run to grocery store (speed grocery shopping should be an Olympic sport). Back at home in time to start the work day. Emails, meetings, pumping. Repeat. At the end of the work day, quickly assemble a dinner that can bake in the oven while I go pick up all the kids. Dinner, homework, bedtime (usually I put the baby down and my husband puts the two older kids down). Once kids are in bed, reset the house and bags for tomorrow. My husband compares this process to the scene in the movie “50 First Dates,” where they return the house to the same state each night after Drew Barrymore is in bed. Tomorrow is a work-at-work day, so all lunches, etc. must be packed tonight, including breast pump and supplies. Make a dinner for tomorrow night. Start dishwasher. Check and answer work email. Go to bed.

TUESDAY:  Wake up, get breakfast for everyone, jump in shower. Primp (basic makeup and thickening spray on hair is about all I can handle). I pump in the car while my husband drives. Drop off younger kids at daycare and preschool, park at subway, commute into city. Stop at cafeteria to get oatmeal (hoping it boosts milk supply) and hot water for tea. Emails, meetings, pumping. Repeat. On a good day, I’ll have a work lunch that allows me to slow down and enjoy myself at a restaurant. Sitter picks up kids and puts my pre-made dinner in the oven. Commute home, dinner, homework, bedtime. Reset house, pack lunches, breast pump, supplies. Start dishwasher. Check & answer work email. Go to bed. Sensing a pattern here?

WEDNESDAY:  Same as Tuesday, but I alternate leaving early with my husband to pick up the kids at the end of the day. Forget (for the third week in a row!) that oldest child’s library books are due on Wednesdays. Accidentally leave nursing pads out on my desk after pumping and hope no one noticed.  Tonight is bath night, which thankfully my husband almost always handles (yes, we only bathe our kids twice a week). Realize that Friday is “Dress as Your Favorite Character Day” at school and frantically figure out how to make or order a costume in time (thank you Amazon Prime). Reset house, pack lunches, breast pump, supplies. Start dishwasher. Check & answer work email. Collapse into bed.

THURSDAY:  Wake up to one of my kids crying, calling for me or standing next to my bed. Exhausted, tell them to go watch TV. Wonder out loud why I’m the only person I know with 3 kids who works full-time and doesn’t have a nanny. Question many of my prior decisions. Same commute and day as Tuesday and Wednesday, but my parents pick up the kids and bring dinner every other week. Have a multi-generational dinner, happy that my kids are getting quality time with their grandparents. My mother usually unloads the dishwasher for which I am eternally grateful. Fold laundry. I LOVE laundry because it’s a reason to sit still and watch Modern Family. Start dishwasher. Check & answer work email. Collapse into bed.

FRIDAY:  Work-from-home day, so repeat Monday morning routine, but replace trip to the grocery store with quiet (no interruptions!) shower for me after everyone has left the house. At lunchtime, I either volunteer at my daughter’s school, have lunch with a friend or run errands. Knock off work a little early and pick up the kids while it’s still daylight. Make dinner and enjoy a slightly more relaxed evening routine. Maybe even take a walk as a family after dinner in the nice weather. Once kids are in bed we watch half of a movie (while I check and answer work email on my phone from the couch) before I am exhausted and go to bed, thankful to have survived the week.

Can you relate? What’s your working week like?

Plus, more from The Bump:

A Week in the Life of a Stay-at-Home Mom

A Day in the Life of a Work-at-Home Mom

What Being a Working Mom is (Really) Like

I’ve successfully worked at home for the last six years. Because my work is quite literally in my bedroom, I basically have zero work/life balance. Somehow, though,  it works! With the time I save in commuting (especially in LA), plus the quiet time to focus (I do miss out on those office cupcakes), I find I put in significantly more hours in this setup than I did commuting to the office. So that’s a win for my company. The big win for me, is that I get some extra, pretty special time with my kids (even if half of it is disciplining and referring). Here’s a typical day:

6:30am: Rise and shine! With bleary eyes, I check work emails on my phone (darn that time zone difference!). Shower…sometimes.

7:15am: Drag (and I mean drag) my two kids out of bed. Send one to the shower (he’s 9), carry the 7 year old half asleep to the breakfast table (is it sick that I love her morning breath?). Set out a wall of cereal boxes in between them to eliminate morning bickering. Make sure each kid has an equal quantity of cereal box backs to read so they won’t accuse me of loving one of them more.

7:30am: Yikes, 9 year old is still in the shower. I yell down the hallway he better get out or I’m tossing his syrup…um, I mean pancakes. He appears wet headed (whether he actually washed it I’ll never know). Set the timer and make the lunches while they eat.

8:00am: I’m not really sure what happens here – it’s a blur. There’s usually yelling about teeth brushing, arguing about shoelaces, outfit choices, filling last minute water bottles (cleaning of ice that flies out all over the floor, every. single. time), and signing progress reports. Off to school we go!

8:30am: Brew a mug of coffee the size of my head. Thank you, Katie Keurig, for being so lovingly supportive. Commute to work (which is located in a small corner of my bedroom). Resist the urge to go RIGHT BACK TO BED THAT IS RIGHT THERE BEHIND ME. I don’t have a problem at all resisting the the laundry pile as tall as Kobe Bryant next to the bed.

1:30pm: During a conference call, the dog starts barking like crazy over the menacing looking pest control guy outside. Mute! Mute!

3:00pm: “MOMMMMMYYYY!!!!!!” OMG. They are home already!? I haven’t gotten up from my desk or eaten! They jump in my lap (even my 9 year old!) and this could be my favorite part of my day. How lucky I am to greet them after school! Time for a coffee refill as I chat interrogate the kids about their day.

3:15pm: “Okay, mommy’s going back to work now, you know the rules.” What should happen: they go into their rooms and work on their homework, only interrupting for important questions. If my door sign is showing “On a Call”, they are to slip a note under the door. What actually happens: “Mommy, can I go poop in your bathroom?”, “Mommy, can I go outside to play with the neighbors?” “Mommmy! Sophie just ate 7 Thin Mints and a drumstick as her snack!” The Evil Mommy voice arrives: “MOMMY IS WORKING! IF YOU DON’T STOP INTERRUPTING YOU WILL GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AFTER SCHOOL!” (Hmm, now that I’m thinking of this threat, perhaps they would prefer this?)

5:00pm: Husband enters my room to change after work, and I tattle on the kids and the way they drove me crazy. He takes over and starts dinner.

6:00pm: “Dinner’s ready!!” Okay, okay, I’m coming, just one more email!

7:00pm: After a dinner (where my husband and I stare at each other and wonder just how much noise two children can make and why our daughter still eats with her hands), we clean up. The breakfast dishes are still sitting out! We check homework.

7:30pm: Shower time for the youngest and this is never, I repeat never, met with an “okay!” Call in the Whine Police.

8:00pm: Reading time! Right now we’re reading the Narnia series together. This is another highlight of my day, as I get to share my love of books. But, then they argue about who is getting more real estate next to our dog, start hyper correcting each other’s pronunciations, and I call it The End of Reading Time.

8:30pm: “Snuggle time” = 1×1 time with each kid. This goes waaaaay too long but it’s the first real, quality, one on one time I’ve had with them all day. This is where I find out the real deal about their friends, their loves and hates, and I get to think of new crazy ways to describe how much I love them (louder than all the screams on all the roller coasters ever built combined!)

9:00pm: I think I might be done with bedtime…but no. There’s still ice water, I can’t sleep, my music doesn’t work, it’s too dark, fill up the humidifiers, it’s too bright, my P.J.’s are itchy, I forgot to do my math homework, I have to go potty, I need one more hug, I’m scared of the dark/smoke alarms.

9:30pm: Grab a Skinny Cow ice cream and sit back at my desk to finish up on work.

10:30pm: Commute to my bed just behind me and curl up with all my “With Friends” games to unwind.

11:30pm: Husband joins me in bed after his class or zombie show. We hold hands while we read. As I fall asleep I think this (in no particular order): “I am grateful for a job I love. My kids who are healthy and safe in their beds. My husband who I like so much I wish I did see him more. My house that I’ve made a home. My dog who follows me everywhere. And Katie Keurig.”

Plus, more from TheBump.com

A Week in the Life of a Stay at Home Mom

How I Knew I Wanted to Quit and Stay Home

What Being a Working Mom is (Really) Like

If you’ve read the title of this post, you probably are expecting a clear, concise answer as to how the heck you can get out of your home in one piece with two small children… I hate to disappoint you, but I don’t know either.

After recently adding a newborn daughter to our family of three, I’ve taken her on several solo trips while my husband watches our toddler son.  Taking her out by herself to doctor’s appointments, the store, etc. has been infinitely easier than initially taking my newborn son out.  I’m not stressed about anything.  I keep a few diapers and wipes as well as an extra outfit and pacifier in a purse that stays in my car.  Basically all I need walking out the door is my daughter and her car seat.

But both children?  I haven’t even attempted it yet.

I know I’ll have to take both children somewhere, and likely soon.  My husband is now back to work and my parents have gone home as well.  My support system during the day is now just me.  Inevitably, there will be more doctor’s appointments for both children as well as myself.  And mainly, my problem is in the logistics of taking two children somewhere.

Who do I put in the car first?  Do I bring them both out to the garage with me or leave one baby in the house initially?  Who do I take out of the car first?  Does my son stand and wait while I get his sister out or do I set the car seat on the ground while I get my toddler out of the car?  Would wearing the baby (or the toddler?) make this any easier?  Would taking a stroller be easier when we’re somewhere without grocery carts?  When we’re out (at a store, appointment, or otherwise), what happens when someone inevitably goes to the bathroom?  Where is there enough space to change either child with the other contained and unable to get into trouble?

Obviously, at this point, I haven’t quite figured it out.  I’m sure it will get easier with time and practice, but for now, my husband seems to be running a lot of errands!

What are your tips on how to leave the house with two children?  Help a lady out!

Plus, more from The Bump:

Are You Ready for Another Baby? — Take Our Quiz!

13 Signs You’re Ready for Another Baby

Does Having a Second Child Really Make That Much of a Difference?

I never really compared Lovie to other children when she was smaller. In hindsight, I think I didn’t compare because I didn’t have to—Lovie was ahead with a lot of milestones.  Instead of realizing that’s why I didn’t really compare, I told myself I was just so enamored with finally being a mom that I just enjoyed being a mom and being one to a pretty kick-butt baby girl.

Well, that baby girl is now three. And she’s still very much a kick-butt kid but… she’s not potty trained yet.

And herein lies my current comparisons with other children.

So, why isn’t she potty trained yet?

She’s been in pull-ups for more than six months. She was showing signs of being ready to train (interested in the potty, telling me when she needed a new diaper) when she was 2 years old. Yet here we are, a year later, and she’s still not trained.

Will she sit on the toilet? Yes. Will she pee or poop in the toilet? Yes. She will and she has and she will continue to do so…when she’s taken. She goes potty on the toilet at least once a day, but she’s nowhere near being trained yet. She’s worn undies, but she’s never done so without soiling them. And she’s never, to date, told us or her preschool teachers that she has to go before going.

I’m kind of at a loss.

The other week she even wanted to wear undies to school, so I sent her with five extra pair of clothes. By 10AM (I drop her off at 6:30AM), she was in a pull-up. They’d never seen a child pee so much (two different teachers’ words). They would take her on the potty where she would pee a little and then, minutes later, she’d pee in her pants.

So now what? Do I strap a potty chair to her behind? Do I just let her sit in her soiled underwear? Do I give up and wait another month or two?

We had her 3-year checkup last week and she was an amazing little patient. We really don’t have any issues or concerns with her, but I did ask for advice regarding potty training.

The doctor told us that it was pretty much up to whatever we wanted to do, that there are numerous books and ways to do it. He also said that if she’s resistant at all, that we should back off for a while. He said he had no concern for worry till she was closer to five.

I admit I breathed a huge sigh of relief when he told us this. Maybe now I could stop feeling that pang of jealousy when I hear that some other kid is potty trained?

Later that day when Lovie loaded her pull-up and cleared out the room with the stench… man, why can’t she just go in the potty already?!…I realized that I will still be jealous till this kid is potty trained. I know poop happens, but let’s get it happening on the toilet with the fan on, eh?

Plus, more from The Bump:

5 Wacky Parenting Methods… That Work?

When and How to Start Potty Training

Gear to Make Potty Training Easier

It’s hard to believe my baby girl, Julia, is 3 months old today.

I thoroughly enjoyed the 12 weeks that I had off from work to stay home with her, but our wallets would simply not allow us to live on my husband’s income alone, so as of yesterday, I am officially a working mother.  I am also breastfeeding, and would like to continue to do so exclusively until Julia is at least a year old.  After two days back at work I can already tell that working and breastfeeding is a big commitment, but it’s one I am willing to make for the sake of my baby.

Before coming back to work, I made it clear to my employer that I was planning on breastfeeding and that I was going to need some accommodations and concessions to help allow me to do that.  Luckily, there is a federal law that protects breastfeeding mothers and requires employers to provide them with a reasonable amount of time and a comfortable place, that is not a bathroom, to pump breastmilk.

There are two things that have made this transition go as smoothly as possible.

First, having a Lactation Consultant available who I can contact day or night with questions or concerns about breastfeeding.  She has made herself available by phone or text message to answer any questions I have.  She was very helpful in the early days of breastfeeding when I had questions about latching on, proper positioning, and how often to feed the baby, and she has been equally helpful the past few days as I transition to being a working mother and to nursing only part-time while pumping the rest of the time.

The second thing that has been helpful has been talking to my employer about creative options that make working and breastfeeding a little easier.  There are creative solutions that you and your employer can come up with that will help your breastfeeding relationship with your baby.  Maybe you can work longer hours but take a long break in the middle of the day to go breastfeed the baby at lunch time.  Maybe you can work shorter hours and skip your lunch break (or eat lunch at your desk) so that you don’t have to pump at work as many times.  Most employers are generally open to creative solutions when you can think of them!  After two days I can tell that it’s going to be very time-consuming but it’s worth every ounce that my baby can get!

How do you balance work and breastfeeding?

Plus, more from The Bump:

Top 10 Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms

Best Buys for Breastfeeding Moms

11 Things You Didn’t Know About Breastfeeding

Happy Birthday to the Mom-in-Chief, Michelle Obama! We  wanted to wish the First Lady a Happy Birthday from all of us here at The Bump and in order to do so, we rounded up nine of her most electrifying, heartfelt quotes on motherhood.

Here’s to the next 49!

Plus, more from The Bump:

You Know You’re a Mom When…

Celebrities We’d Hire to Babysit — and Those We’d Skip!

New-Mom Confessions