Mom Tip: Trust Your Instincts

This post is sponsored by Tommee Tippee. All opinions are 100% my own.

Tommee Tippee is supporting mom’s instincts with the #ParentOn campaign. #ParentOn encourages parents to ignore the unsolicited advice they may receive, trust their instincts and embrace all of the perfectly imperfect parenting moments as their children grow! If you are a parent I am sure you have several of your own #ParentOn stories….here’s a couple of mine!

I can’t tell you how many times I have been given unsolicited parenting advice. In fact, I feel like when you become a first time parent, suddenly everyone around you feels like they know more than you and should offer advice you may or may not want. After I had my first child, I remember holding her while shopping in a children’s clothing store, only to have some older lady come to me and tell me how to “hold” my baby properly. Let me tell you – wow was I offended.

But the biggest most stressful piece of parenting advice I was ever give (and it was with each and every one of my four babies) was to give them formula and fatty calories, because they were not “growing” fast enough. I remember taking my oldest daughter to her 5 month checkout so excited to show off my beautiful baby girl, only to have my joy crushed by the doctors and nurses who told me she was not “big” enough. They suggested I supplement her with formula. I knew my daughter was eating enough and I knew both myself and my husband were little babies (I was only 12 pounds at 1 years old). Also it is obvious were were going to have small babies, I am only 5 ft tall and my husband is Asian. I took what the doctors said to heart, considered my options and decided I did not agree with their suggestions.

When I went home and shared this information with my friends and family, they all judged me. They all told me that I should be supplementing my baby with formula and making sure she is gaining weight faster. But as her mamma, I knew she was eating enough. I knew she was growing just the way the Lord wanted her to. So I decided to ignore all of those pieces of “advice” and guess what?!?! She is now a perfectly healthy, beautiful 11 year old athletic girl and she eventually caught up to the 30-50% percentile!  All without having to add a bunch of fats and calories to her diet!

Sometimes mamma’s just know what’s best! I am not saying that if you have a child and they recommend supplementing with formula you should ignore your doctors. But know that breastfed babies grow differently than formula fed babies.  In fact ALL babies grow differently, depending on genetics, ethnicity, gender and several other economic considerations. YOU need to go with your instincts! As mom I truly believe you know your baby best, and most of the time a mom’s instincts are right!

To celebrate your mamma instincts and Tommee Tippee’s support with the #ParentOn campaign I am hosting a giveaway for a set of feeding bottles and pacifiers! We are giving away a 2-pack of 9 oz. feeding bottles and a pack of 0-6m pacifiers. Simply enter the giveaway below and watch carefully on Facebook for the winner’s name to be announced!

Do you have a #ParentOn story? A time where you were given unsolicited advice you chose to ignore? Please share!