MAMs the word

Most parents out there have a favorite brand for all the baby "tools" they use. For example, I prefer a Graco Pack N' Play over other options while some swear by Chicco. Maybe one isn't better than the other, it's just preference. So, with that said I prefer (aka secretly think it's superior to all other brands) MAM bottles and pacifiers. My daughter was given a MAM pacifier in the hospital and will not take anything else (or should I say less....bwahahaha)

Why, you ask, do I prefer these bottles? Well, my daughter is a squeaker. Don't ask me the medical term, I doubt there is one. Maybe squeak-itis? I asked the dr about it and basically there is no explanation since her lungs and breathing are normal. Her loud squeaking as she's eating is usually the first indicator of how well she will do with a brand of bottle. And no, I have not tried every brand but I have tried a fair few. Here is my highly scientific checkpoints I study when trying put a bottle:
1) How loud is said squeak? Louder or quieter than me seeing a hairy spider on my leg?
2) How much of it is making it into her mouth and how much is on her chin, neck rolls and chest?
3) Is she sucking consistently or is she stopping every few seconds?
4) How's that startle reflex? Under control or looking like your dance-challenged uncle trying to dance to upbeat techno music?
5) How long is she taking to eat? Longer or shorter than the Presidential debate?
6) Is the bottle leaking from other places than it should? Example: lid, vented bottom, around the nipple? (this one trumps the rest if it gets all over Sophia or myself at any time. What? Formula smells awful!)

These have been my finds and thoughts on the other brands:
Advent: Initially my favorite, but she struggles to drink sometimes with the slow nipple. She can't seem to drink it fast enough to be satisfied, but the medium flow nipple just about drowns her. Her squeaking is at an acceptable level with this one. One annoyance is the little rubber ring that fits between the lid and bottle. It's got something to do with their pumps if you choose to use it. Unfortunately,  if at 3am, you forget such rubber piece, you and baby will wear a good bit of formula.
Nuk:  Also mediocre. She tends to drip this one everywhere with the slow nipple. Squeaking at a pretty high decibel on this one. But wide mouth opening is a bonus so I get less powdered formula on my counter when I make a bottle. And also in fun colors. Also small bonus.
Gerber: I really had issues with these. The lid leaked, not passing checkpoint 6 at all. And I also think she had it all down her front because of the nipple (although it is hard to tell for sure with the lid mimicking Niagara Falls). Plus her startle reflex was triggered constantly. And once formula, expensive and smelly, gets everywhere, I throw in the milk-sodden towel.
Parents choice: Otherwise known as the Walmart brand. And, I have to admit, for being a store brand, I have few complaints. But complaints I do have involve the non-venting bottles and the small mouth opening. Because there is no air release (probably not the technical term) as in other bottles, my daughter struggles with it as soon as she has a good suction. Maybe it's because my kid only comes up for air to burp and when the bottle is empty, but it takes her forever to drink a bottle. Without going into an unwanted science lesson, when you create a good suction on a bottle, if you don't let air in somewhere, it gets increasing difficult to extract the liquid as time goes on.  However, minimal mess from the bottle overall and squeaking is someone controlled. The small mouth opening leaves a ring of formula around the bottle on the counter. But that could also be attributed to my own clumsiness.
Playtex Vent-air: Now, when my parents had a daycare when I was in high school, these were the the preferred bottle. The one I have now leaks like crazy from all possible areas and Sophie startles every second or two with this one. And startle = squeaking at an earsplitting level. So I don't know if the bottles have changed or if I'm just a moron and it's a user error. Either way, they have come off any future shopping lists.
MAM: Ah, finally. My precious MAM bottle. Little to no squeaking, no leaking, very little startling and she seems to get the easiest meal with this one. (Think Goldilocks: this nipple is too fast, this one is too slow, but this one is juuust right.) Also something I hadn't mentioned but is noteworthy for any babies with gas issues. Sophie doesn't usually have many issues, but any issues she does have have decreased dramatically with these bottles. I don't know if the flatter nipple as opposed to the rounded nipple is the sole difference, but I like these the best. But if I had to make a complaint, I'd have to say the lack of fun colors would be it. And honestly, that's a small complaint. I added a picture of my bottle below.

Why, might you ask, would I go to the trouble of this post? Well because, MAM is often lost in the sea of more popular brands, like Playtex and Nuk and usually only has one or two spots on the shelf. And if you can't afford Medela, Dr.  Brown or Tommee Tippee, (like me) it could be worth a try. And I do think it's a quality product that gets overlooked by many.

And for you naysayers?  At the end of the day, as long as your kid is eating, gaining weight and is healthy, it doesn't matter what brand you use as long as it works for both of you.

Reflections from a child

At no certain, defined moment in my life did my parents go from just my parents to people. When you are a child, who your parents are as people seems like an unimportant issue. You know they are "good", they love you and take care of you. As an adult, I see my parents as people. People with hopes and dreams. People with lives, juggling a million hats at once. Parent, worker, friend, child, sibling, bill payer, dog walker, maid, dry cleaner, contractor, sport star, landscaper, baker, seamstress, teacher, cook... the list can go on forever.  At a certain point, you see all your parent's faults, their mistakes and their downfalls as people. And you choose to love them anyways. I consider my parents now to be good friends who offer advice during my trials and tribulations as an adult. As a child, I saw them as bossy creatures that loved us dearly, but made me clean my room and deterred me from hitting my whiny brat of a brother (little punk deserved it... I think). You never think about how your words or behavior (teenage tantrums,  anyone?) affect your parents. In truth,children are selfish within their innocence of the world.

Even a year ago, I still maintained a certain level of that selfishness. Sure, I empathized with my parents about life when I could and sympathized with them when I couldn't. I did care about their lives and the turmoil within it. But nothing took over the one essential aspect of my life: how did it affect me. Where was I going in life. What are my problems? Me, me, me, I, I, I. Like I said, selfish. Nothing like having a baby to slap you with a reality check! Now, I see my parents in a whole new light. A light that was only possible by having a child of my own. And while I hope she maintains a level of selfishness within her innocence for a very long time, I also know that one day, she will look to me as a person and not just "mom".

Sometimes I worry about what she will think when she does finally see me as more than a parent. It makes life decisions now clearer than ever. Admittedly, I've been haphazardly drifting through life, just going with the flow up until this point. Should I go back to school or not? Should I open my own business? Should I make an effort to live healthier? Before, my favorite answer would have been, "I don't know." It all seemed exhausting, because everything takes so much work to be successful. And to be honest, it still sounds exhausting. But what has changed is the desire to do it anyways. Because I have more than myself to think about. I have a pint-sized version of me that will live by my example. And if I want her to be successful, I'm going to have to show her how to achieve it. And unfortunately for my lazy side, the only way to show her is to do it myself, first. Because if nothing else, helping my child to be successful and happy will be the biggest success I could ever dream of as a parent.

There are more important things than success on paper though. I count my daughter's success and happiness to also include things like: acceptance of all people, dancing like a fool in the kitchen to the radio, laughing everyday, living with integrity, standing up for what's right, living with purpose and self-respect, experiencing life fearlessly, having fun when she can, being kind to everyone she meets, endlessly using her brilliant imagination, following her dreams (even the crazy ones), learning at all times and always being herself, because being herself is being magnificent.  Those are things my parents taught me that I continue to value to this day. More than once I have been caught dancing like a fool in the kitchen.  And it has taught me hope, love and understanding...something many people sadly live without.

Listen, I'm not saying it's going to be easy. I'm not even going to claim to enjoy the uphill journey to my own goals. But my daughter is worth it. And if she's proud of me later when she sees me as "Cristine" instead of "Mom", I know I have succeeded.