The BEST of Columbia SC Moms Blog :: Top 10 Blog Posts of 2015

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2015 was truly an incredible second year for the Columbia SC Moms Blog! We are so thankful to all you, our readers, who were right there with us as we shared stories about our families, highlighted all the fun things to do in this city we live in and encouraged each other in the equally rewarding and challenging life of being a mom. It has been a rewarding experience and we are in awe that our vision has come to fruition, with almost 1,060,000 pageviews in 2015 – truly humbled at the support each and every one of you has shown!

To cap off 2015, we wanted to share our top 10 most-read blog posts from this year. They are stories of motherhood, daily life, loss, humor and making the most of this great city we live in. We hope you enjoy revisiting them as much as we did.

the Best of Columbia SC Moms Blog - Top 10 Posts of 2015


6 ways to maintain and increase your milk supply - columbia sc moms blog1. 6 Ways to Increase and Maintain Your Milk Supply

It happened to me. I woke up one morning when my son was almost 8 months old and I was completely empty.

Not an ounce of milk.

“How can that be? I have nursed him since day one! He has always been able to nurse … now what?”

I knew I had to kick into high gear. It was time to go “back to the basics” of milk production and add some new things to my routine to up my supply.


15 Things Babyloss Parents Do When They(1)2. 15 Things Babyloss Parents Do When They Get Pregnant Again

I had finally accepted that I would forever be the mother of an only child – and now I was staring at my future.

Maybe.

Or maybe not. Because I had no guarantee that this pregnancy would turn out any differently than my previous three.

That knowledge haunted me for the next nine months – some of the most anxious, joyful, exciting, terrifying, confusing months of my life, until my son was born, alive and well. During that time, I met a lot of other PAL (pregnant after loss) moms who were experiencing the same wild mix of emotions and discovered to my relief that in spite of feeling like I was going crazy, I was actually quite normal.


walking with a friend through the loss of a child - Columbia SC Moms Blog3. Walking with a Friend Through the Loss of a Child

When the unthinkable happens to a friend or family member, we often feel lost. Whether the loss is from difficulties in pregnancy, or cancer, or an accident, we want to make it better … but feel helpless because we can’t turn back time, or speak health and life into what happened.


9 things the mom of a type 1 diabetes child won't tell you4. 9 Things a Mom of a Type 1 Diabetes Child Won’t Tell You … or Maybe She Would

Two summers ago, we got word that our 9-year-old nephew Timothy had been rushed to the emergency room, and then admitted to the hospital, with alarming symptoms. He was subsequently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, and his mom and dad started a crash course in what that meant, how to care for him, and how it would change their lives.

 


what normal looks like - columbia sc moms blog5. What Normal Looks Like

“Oh, I can’t have you over,” other moms always say. “My house is a mess.” I arrive for a playdate and as soon as I come in the door, I’m told, “Don’t judge me, the house is a wreck. No, seriously, it’s destroyed. Please don’t look. I’m so embarrassed.”

Lies. Lies, lies, lies.

 


 6. CCarried with love - the story of mia rose tipping - columbia sc moms blogarried With Love :: The Story of Mia Rose

Courtney and Allen are now expecting again, their ninth child, a daughter they have named Mia Rose. They have a C-section scheduled for early November. Sadly, Mia is not expected to live, as she has been diagnosed with a condition called acrania. The Tippings have been very open about their journey with Mia Rose, and we are thankful they agreed to share part of their experience with us.


10 old wives tales to predict baby gender7. Fact or Fiction? 10 Old Wives Tales to Predict Baby’s Gender

While comments about your appearance or weight gain can lead any mom-to-be to roll their eyes at the predicting party, it is fun to see how the old wives tales hold up once your little bundle’s gender is known. Here are some of the oldest tales in the book and the verdict — whether it was accurate or not — according to my second pregnancy with a baby boy.


6 Things I'll Do Different With Baby Number 2 - Columbia SC Moms Blog8. 6 Things I’ll Do Differently With Baby Number 2

With my first child I planned and planned before she arrived, only to find that those little babies have minds of their own! (Who knew?!) As I patiently await the arrival of Baby #2, I again find myself making a list of things I want to try with this baby. Maybe we will successfully conquer the following, maybe we won’t, but I will certainly try.

 


cookies-780012_6409. Increase Your Milk Supply :: Ultimate Lactation Cookie Recipe

The recipe was surprisingly easy … the clean-up, not so much. But as I watched the cookies rise from the heat in the oven, so did my expectations of what they could do.

And you know what? They did not disappoint!

I went from pumping 2 oz per breast to 5 oz per breast in LESS THAN 48 HOURS. It was amazing, my fears were calmed, and this little recipe became a regular part of my kitchen routine every 3-4 weeks.


when bonding is delayed - columbia sc moms blog10. When Bonding is Delayed

Lucia is our fifth baby; but in some ways she is our first. She is the first baby whose gender I did not know before her birthday. She is the first to be born early. She’s the first to spend time in special care. And she is the first of all my babies whom I did not connect with immediately at delivery.

Of course I loved her; I loved her before I met her. I loved her from the moment I got a positive pregnancy test. But that moment where it hits you that this is your baby, that you are looking down at a piece of your heart? That did not happen right away, and that was a first.


Other Popular Posts

Boys are Just As Sweet, If Not Sweeter – Sarah Bradford

Why I Didn’t Have My Daughter’s Ears Pierced at the Mall – Katrina Siron

6 Things a Woman in Her Third Trimester Doesn’t Want to Hear – Ashleigh Wilder

Surviving a Miscarriage – Kristi Bothur

How I Almost Lost My Daughter to SIDS – Natasha Brown

The Nursing Vacation – Mackie All

How to Handle a Large Family – Laura Ramis

3 Reasons We Held Our Daughter Back From Kindergarten – Kristen McGuire

Cozy Up With a Good Read :: 9 Novels to Add to Your Bookshelf – Simone Praylow

5 Reasons Why My Child Won’t Be Attending Preschool – Lauren George

Dear Parent :: What a Teacher REALLY Wants for Christmas – Lori Clarke

Police Shootings And My Family – Mary McCrary

I Never Thought I’d Become THAT Mom :: Breastfeeding a 4-Year-Old – Marian Cowhig Owen

Why I Try To Wear Mascara In Public – Brittany Arcand

10 Tips to Help a Friend Survive the First Year After Pregnancy or Infant Loss – Alexa Bigwarfe

How to Throw a Frugal Birthday Party in Columbia – Hilda Crowe

Nurser’s Neck (or reason 101 why breastfeeding can suck) – Amy Reeves

My 4th Trimester Body :: How Does My Husband See Me? – Barbara Reggio

Taking Away Food :: The Decision to Tube Feed My Child – Brandi Cade

Top 5 Things I Learned by Week 12 of Pregnancy – Amanda Ketten

When Modesty Matters :: Guide to Nursing Mother’s Rooms in Columbia – Cheryl Nail

A Mother’s Guide to Pumping at Work :: Tips and Tricks – Tiffany Nettles

The Importance of Parking Lot Safety with Toddlers – Ashley Thomas


Other Popular Topics

Saving Money

Easy and Healthy Recipes

Homeschooling

Crafts

School

DIY


There you have it! Our Columbia SC Moms Blog Best of for 2015. Now we want to hear from you! What are your “Best Of” moments from 2015? Thank you again for an awesome year, and we are looking forward to an even better 2016. Happy New Year!

Previous articleHappy Holidays! See You in 2016!
Next articleNormal Thoughts as You Head Back to Work After Baby
Tiffany Nettles
Tiffany traded in back-to-back business meetings and PowerPoint presentations, for sippy cups and play dates – leaving her corporate job behind to become a stay at home mom to her 16-month-old toddler. To say life is different is an understatement, and she now has a new found love and respect for the “hardest” (and best!) job she’s ever had. A native South Carolinian, Tiffany is best described as kind-hearted and friendly, with a quick sense of humor. When she’s not toting her little one around town to the latest kid friendly activity, you can find her enjoying a latte at Drip, catching up on the latest celebrity gossip magazines, or watching old reruns of Beverly Hills 90210 from the early 90′s. She received her Masters Degree in Integrated Communications from the University of South Carolina in 2007, and enjoys reading, writing and all things "mom."

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