Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

Julie

5 Tips For Using Your TRICARE Benefit Breast Pump

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5 Tips For Using Your TRICARE Benefit Breast Pump


5 Tips For Using Your TRICARE Benefit Breast Pump

This post is sponsored by the Breastfeeding Shop!

If you are pregnant or have a new baby, you could be getting ready to purchase or find your breast pump. Having a breast pump can be a good idea for a variety of reasons. Breast pumps are useful for encouraging your milk supply, to allow you to continue to breastfeed when you go back to work, and to help you store milk if you do need to be away from your baby for any reason.

Here are five tips for using your breast pump so you can get the most out of what the pump can provide for you and your baby. 

  • Have a nice set up area for your breast pump

Find a good place in your home where you will set up your breast pump. You can keep everything you need in that spot, and make sure the area gives you the space you need to pump. Once your baby comes, you will always have a place to go to pump or nurse your baby. 

  • Order your breast pump early

Make sure you order your breast pump early so that it is ready for when your baby comes. The Breastfeeding Shop is the best place to do so in order to receive your no-cost breast pump through your TRICARE benefit. You can easily fill out their order form, all you need is a prescription from your doctor. You can also use their handy app to order as well. The Breastfeeding Shop has quite a variety of breast pumps to choose from.

  • Find the right breast pump for your needs

When you are picking out your breast pump, make sure to find the one that works the best for your needs. Some moms will be returning to a job outside the home and will need to use a pump every day. Others will only be using their pumps when they need to make extra milk or to build up their supply. Research the different breast pumps to find the one that will work best. 

  • Learn how to use the breast pump before your baby comes

Once you get your breast pump, make sure you know how to use the pump before the baby comes. Get the parts and accessories cleaned and ready. This will save you time during those newborn and early baby days. 

  • Make sure you have supplies and accessories

In additions to breast pumps, you are also entitled to breast pump accessories through your TRICARE benefit. You will want to start out with enough of them and then plan to order more as need be. There are limits on what you can receive with your TRICARE benefit and you can order them from the Breastfeeding Shop too. 

If you are pregnant or just had a baby and have TRICARE, make sure you order your breast pump. The Breastfeeding Shop can get you started.

Top 10 Blog Posts of 2018

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Can you believe this is the last day of the year? 2019…here we come.

Top 10 Blog Posts of 2018

It’s been an interesting year for me. I started school, have taken on a lot more freelance writing work, and of course, seen my boys grow a little older. We had a big trip to California and have enjoyed another year here in the Fort Campbell area.

And as always, I have continued to blog. As I look at my stats for 2018, here are the top 10 blog posts of 2018, from Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life…

10. 10 Memes for the Military Spouse With Children-

If you are a military spouse with children, here are some memes just for you.

9. For the Military Spouse, When The Deployment Begins-

When a deployment first starts, you can be hit with so many emotions. Here is a reminder about how to get through.

8. Why The Military Should Always Be Paid, Always-

Because of what happens in Washington DC, military families sometimes have to worry about not being paid. That’s not cool and this post is all about why the military should always be paid no matter what.

7. Why You Should Be Tipping the Commissary Baggers-

If you are going to use the Commissary, and have someone take your bags out to your car for you, please tip them. This is a part of how the Commissary works and it doesn’t have to be a big deal.

6. To the Military Spouse Starting Their First Deployment This Year-

If you haven’t ever gone through a deployment before, you might be pretty overwhelmed and not sure what to expect. Know that you are not alone in this, many are going through the same thing.

5. 9 Things You Can Say To People Who Tell You They Could Never Do Military Spouse Life-

Ever have someone tell you they could never do the military spouse life? If so, here is what you can say to them.

4. What a Government Shutdown Means to a Military Family-

A government shutdown can be a big deal to a military family. This post explains why.

3. 15 Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like-

Memes are fun to make and I enjoy sharing them so much! This meme post is for more general military life memes. Enjoy!

2. The Big List of Facebook Groups For Military Spouses You Should Absolutely Join-

There are quite a few Facebook groups just for Military Spouses. This post will tell you about a lot of them. See any you want to join?

1. What You Should Do When Your Boyfriend Wants to Join the Military-

There are so many military girlfriends out there, who are not quite sure what to think about their boyfriend wanting to join the military. This post is all about that and what you can do if you find yourself in this type of situation.

Here on Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life you will find posts on surviving deployment, going through a PCS, military marriage, military children, and more.

Thank you for being a fan! I am looking forward to bring you more GREAT content in 2019! 



How to Plan a PCS Road Trip

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This post is sponsored by Pcsing.com! 

You are stationed in New York, and your spouse gets orders to Arizona. Report date? June 15th! With your three kids, two dogs, and big old van, why not turn your PCS into a PCS road trip?

Sometimes when you PCS you will get on an airplane, and land in your new location hours later. You are excited about your new duty station, but the plane trip? Not so much. If you go on a PCS road trip, the actual time it takes to get there can be just as exciting.

When planning such a trip, there are a few things you should keep in mind in order to make your trip successful. 

Check the routes

You know where you are and where you need to go. Check and see which route would be best. Is there anything you really want to see? Use Roadtrippers.com to help you plan your trip. There might be a quicker way to get to your new city, but if you want to have a better trip, it might be worth taking a longer route to see landmarks and sights you never would otherwise be able to see. 

Watch the weather

Think about the time of year you are leaving and plan accordingly. You don’t want to get stuck in Colorado in January. If you do have to drive during the winter months, taking the southern route might be a better idea. Still, no matter what your route is, keep an eye on the weather and add in extra days just in case. 

Give yourself enough time

Your spouse has to report on a certain date, make sure you plan for that. Give yourselves a lot of extra time so you can enjoy the ride and not be rushed. Think about all you want to see on the way and plan accordingly. 

Stop early for the day

If you have kids, and pets, or even if you don’t, stop in the afternoon so there is time to go swimming, let the kids play on a playground, and have dinner together. You don’t want to pull into a hotel at 9 pm at night, still needing to find some dinner for the kids. 

Prep your kids

If your kids are old enough, prep them for the trip. Let them know your route and give them their own map. Let them help plan some of the stops. Bring “surprises” for them to open during the more boring parts of the drive. 

Have back up plans

What will you do if you have a hotel reservation in Utah but get stuck in a massive traffic jam while still in California? Think about back up plans, and make sure you have extra money to spend in case you need to add unexpected stops or if you have a car emergency along the way. 

Connect with friends

If you have friends along your route, see if you can see them. You might even be able to stay with them instead of a hotel. If nothing else, you can plan your meals so that you are able to meet up and connect, if only for a few hours over lunch. 

Don’t forget the snacks

You are going to need snacks, and many of them. You could always purchase them on the way but having a snack plan is a must. This will help if you still have an hour to go before it is time to stop for dinner and someone gets hungry. You also will want to have snacks for the hotel room or even for when you get to your new area. 

Plan for pets

If you are on a PCS road trip, you are going to have your pets with you. Make plans for them. Does your dog get car sickness? Does your cat suffer from anxiety in the car? Talk to your vet about what you might need and make sure that anywhere you will be staying allows pets. Some hotels and motels do not.

Pcsing across the country can be overwhelming but turning that trip into a fun road trip can be the way to go.

Have you ever gone on a PCS road trip? Where did you go?

Visit PCSing.com for your next PCS! You can find out information about your next duty station, read articles about PCSing, and more. 

The Best Ways to Celebrate Your Marriage From Across the Miles

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The Best Ways to Celebrate Your Marriage From Across the Miles

The Best Ways to Celebrate Your Marriage From Across the Miles

It was our 5th anniversary. I woke up that morning and something was different, something was off. We had spent our 1st anniversary on a weekend getaway, our 2nd, 3rd and 4th anniversary, we had a nice dinner together. But this was number 5. That’s a big deal when you are newly married. 5 years is longer than high school or college and gives you enough time to look back on where you have been. But this anniversary was going to be different. He was deployed. He was in Iraq and we would not be spending our special day together.

I knew that in order to have a good day I would have to make it so. We would not be going on any trips or going out to dinner. We wouldn’t be going to the movies or a play or even just have a lazy day together. No, this anniversary would be different.

I decided to order a steak dinner from a local restaurant and have the food delivered after my little boys went to bed. I ate the dinner sitting in front of the computer waiting for my husband to come online. Celebrating your anniversary this way might seem strange but can be normal for a military spouse.

Anniversaries are there to celebrate your marriage. You celebrate the time you have had together. To look at the past and look forward to the future. Celebrating your marriage is important. Whether you have only been married a year or for fifty years.

How can you celebrate your marriage when they are deployed or away at a training? How do you celebrate when your heart aches for them? What can you do to feel closer?

Here are some of the best ways to celebrate your marriage from across the miles…

Write love letters- Love letters are the best. You could write your spouse a love letter about how much you love being married to them. Talk about when you first got married and your hopes for the future. You can pour out your heart on pretty stationery and mail it off to them, or include it in a fun care package. 

Make a scrapbook- There is nothing better than going through old photos and looking back on previous memories during your marriage. You can take some time and put together a scrapbook for your deployed spouse. You could keep it simple and just put photos in an album or you could use stickers, cute paper and add a bit of journaling to the book. You could also make a book on a website like Shutterfly.

Send a care package- Put together a special anniversary care package. Here are some ideas from Jo, My Gosh. You can decorate the box however you want and include some of your favorite items. You could go with a romantic theme, or just put in items you know your spouse would love. If you can’t get the package to them around your anniversary, that is okay too. Anytime would be appreciated. 

Have a video chat date- Planning when they will be online might be difficult but if you can plan for a special video chat date on your anniversary, go for it. You could sit and talk over dinner. You could plan to watch the same movie at the same time or just enjoy being able to see each other on the video. You could also do this over the phone instead. This is not going to replace a real date but it’s the best way to spend time together when you are miles apart. 

Make plans for after the deployment- If you can’t celebrate your marriage during the deployment, make plans to do so after. You could plan a special trip or even just a meal at a nice restaurant. You can always celebrate your anniversary later. There is no rule that it has to be on that day. We have been able to celebrate our anniversaries months later by making a plan for a getaway when we were able to after a deployment.

Leave a comment and let me know how you have celebrated your marriage during a deployment. Have you done anything special and creative?

The Perfect Monthly Box For The Military Spouse

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I was provided a free box for review!

There are so many monthly boxes out there these days. There are boxes for book lovers, pet lovers, health food lovers, and really, a box for everyone and every interest.

Brave Crate Monthly Box

Did you know that there is a box just for military spouses? Brave Crate! If you haven’t heard about them before, Brave Crate is a monthly box made just for us military spouses.

For military spouses, counting down to being reunited with their deployed service member can be miserable! That’s why each month Brave Crate send a box of curated self development and personal wellness products that allow her to shift her focus away from counting the days and onto setting goals and finding joy- so that she can conquer deployment and meet her spouse at homecoming as the strongest and most resilient version of herself.

Brave Crate Monthly Box

I love Brave Crate because they always have a variety of products. And always includes a book, some sort of edible item, a challenge to go along with the monthly theme, and other fun goodies.

During a deployment, a box like this can make your day and help you focus on you instead of just on how much you miss your spouse. Deployment is the perfect time to work on yourself and Brave Crate can help you do so.

Brave Crate Monthly Box

And while Brave Crate is perfect during a deployment, it is also a great box to get even if your spouse is home.

Sound good?

If you are interested, which I hope you are, you can sign up here. Make sure to use the code SWCL to receive $5 off your first box. You will be glad you did!

And make sure to follow Brave Crate on Facebook and Instagram too 🙂

All of the photos in this post are from the December Brave Crate box with a COZY theme 🙂

 

Surviving A Military Deployment

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Surviving A Military Deployment

Surviving A Military Deployment
I am sitting in my living room, in our 3rd-floor stairwell apartment in Schweinfurt, Germany. We just got back from the park, and my two-year-old is finally asleep. I am nursing my baby to sleep and will put him down in a bit.

I plan to take a well-needed bubble bath once I do. It’s been a day. It’s been a week. It’s been a rough deployment.
 
And we still have so much more time to go…
 
Way too many days…way too long. And while every day is a day closer, the time ahead is just…well I am not sure how I am going to do this.
 
As I lay my baby down, I have no idea that his Dad won’t see him again until he is almost one. Or that after he comes home, it will be hard for him to bond. I have no idea that the deployment we thought would end in the summer would get extended again, and then again, and that he wouldn’t be home until right before Thanksgiving.
 
I leave the room and run the bath. I will probably read for a bit as I always do but I can’t stop thinking about things.
 
Surviving A Military Deployment
What if my husband never comes back?
 
What if he does and he isn’t the same?
 
What if I have way too hard of a time getting through this that the deployment breaks me forever?
 
It’s so hard not to worry about these things. They happen. They have happened to my friends.
 
It’s so hard to know how to have faith all will be okay when you know it might not be.
 
Deployments are so hard…and it’s okay to feel like you can’t go one more day.
 
It’s been 11 years since that deployment. Time has moved on. My boys have gotten older. We have been through more deployments.
 
Surviving A Military Deployment
They never get any easier. But you do learn how to cope.
 
I still hate the thought of being away from my husband, even though we make it through each and every time.
 
And although I would like to think that I could rock any future deployment we might go through, I also know that they could break me, just like they have done in the past.
 
If you are going through a deployment, know you are not alone. I have been there. Others have been there.
 
If you are about to start a deployment, know it is okay to be scared, that being worried about your spouse and what the deployment will be like is normal.
 
Know that you will grow as a person during the deployment. You will find ways to cope. You will deepen your friendships with others. You will figure out how to get to that finish line.
 
As military spouses, we do what we have to do because of who we love and the career our spouse has picked. But that doesn’t mean everything is easy or that we will never have a bad day. It just means we can find the strength to make it through…whatever comes our way.
 
If you are a military spouse looking for support, please take the time to check out my deployment blog posts here on Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life. I have many posts on deployments based on my own experiences as a military spouse.
 
Remember, you are not alone, there are people who want to help you through this, and people who can stand by you as you do. You got this military spouse, you do <3

Shopping All-American For Your Holiday Decorations

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Shopping All-American For Your Holiday Decorations

Shopping All-American For Your Holiday Decorations

This is a sponsored post! 

The holidays are here! I can’t believe it. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve always seem to come in a blur of excitement and memories.

As you look ahead to these holidays, you might be waiting for your spouse to return home from a deployment. There have been a few times when my husband got home right before Thanksgiving. These holiday homecomings were the best as he was home with us in time to celebrate.

You might be waiting on family to come for a visit. Maybe this is the first time they have visited you at your new duty station and you can’t wait to share your new home with them.

Or maybe you are excited about this season because you plan to host some friends for the holidays. Often times, when the service member is away, spouses get together and celebrate so that the days are still a lot of fun and you can enjoy them with others who understand what it is like to go through a deployment too.

Whatever the reason, as you get ready to decorate your home, how about going with an All-American theme? You can do this by purchasing holiday decorations that were made in the USA. One of the best ways to do so is through the new website, AnytownUSA.

AnytownUSA is a marketplace with sellers from all over the United States. Sellers have to certify that they comply with FTC “Made in the USA” Guidelines.

Why is this so important? A lot of people want products made in the USA. According to a Consumer Reports article, people want to buy “Made in the USA” products for a few different reasons. They want to help keep manufacturing jobs at home, to help the US economy, to keep America strong in the global community, and to be patriotic.

Geralyn Breig, the founder of AnytownUSA felt it is so important to support US businesses. AnytownUSA solves the problem of where to find these products by offering them on in one place.

On AnytownUSA you will:

  • Find one-of-a-kind handmade items, custom-made by skilled craftsmen and women in the US.
  • Discover small and medium regional brands, manufactured in towns across the fifty states from Hawaii to Maine.
  • See select national brands that proudly still manufacture some or all of their product lines right here at home.
  • Learn the stories of these amazing craftspeople and proud companies.

On each product page, you can see the “Made in the USA,” “Made in the USA of US and imported material,” or “Made in the USA of imported material” symbol in order for you to know exactly where your product is coming from. There is also a “Handmade in the USA” symbol to let you know if the item was handmade.

Products sold on anytownusa.com are certified by sellers as produced and labeled in accordance with FTC guidelines for products made in the USA.

Another exciting thing about AnytownUSA is that they have a military discount. At checkout military members and spouses can click “military discount” to receive 10% off every item, every day, from every seller. This will be done by using ID.Me to verify military service. How great is that?

Let’s get back to the holidays. Whether you simply want to decorate for Thanksgiving or Christmas, or are planning a big holiday dinner, here are some “Made in the USA” products that might work well:

Shopping All-American For Your Holiday Decorations

Pumpkin Spice, Winter Wonderland, and Mulled Cider Soy Candles, 9oz by Sweet Water Decor

These candles smell amazing and are so cute to put on your table this holiday season. Every product from Sweet Water Decor is designed with hand lettering by the creator, so you will be getting something unique with their products.

Shopping All-American For Your Holiday Decorations

Mistletoe Paper Placemats, by Lucy Grymes

These placemats can brighten up any table. They are disposable, which makes for easy cleanup. 24 come in each pad. Lucy Grymes is the creator and has always had an obsession with anything colorful and patterned which comes across in her products both for the holidays and any time of the year.

5 Misconceptions About Breastfeeding

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5 Misconceptions About Breastfeeding

This is a sponsored post! 

Before I ever had children, I knew I wanted to breastfeed once I had them. I was committed to doing this. But once my first baby was born, I realized that I had been wrong about some parts of breastfeeding.

I just assumed that because I wanted to breastfeed my son, and breastfeeding was natural, breastfeeding would be easy for us. That he would be born, I would start to nurse him, and everything would fall into place. In reality, things were more complicated than that.

5 Misconceptions About Breastfeeding

We eventually figured out how to make breastfeeding work, but not without help, many tears, and many frustrating nights.

Although many women do breastfeed successfully, there are many misconceptions about breastfeeding, here are five of them:

Breastfeeding will be easy since it is natural

As I mentioned above, I thought that since I wanted to breastfed so badly, things would work themselves out. In reality, breastfeeding doesn’t always come easy for everyone for many different reasons. A lactation consultant can be a great person to go to if you are struggling to get started with breastfeeding. Give yourself some time and patience and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

You won’t need a breast pump if you breastfeed

Did you know that with your TRICARE benefit you can receive a no-cost breast pump? You might be thinking you won’t need one if you are planning to breastfeed and be a SAHM. Or that you might not need one until the baby is a little older and you feel comfortable leaving them.

The truth is, a breast pump can be so helpful even in those early weeks. Breast pumps can build up an emergency supply of milk, relieve pain from engorgement, and help with your milk supply. Since you can easily order your breast pump through The Breastfeeding Shop, having one available to you from day one is a good idea.

The Breastfeeding Shop has many different choices of breast pumps, and you can easily order your pump through their app or online. You can also order your breast pump accessories or supplies through them. You can start by using their breast pump order form.

5 Misconceptions About Breastfeeding

You have to feed your newborn on a strict schedule

Feeding your baby on demand can be one way to feed your newborn. You don’t have to feed on a strict schedule. Your baby will give you cues to let you know when they are hungry. And in those first months, they will go through different growth spurts where they need to eat more than usual.

Not having your baby on a strict schedule doesn’t mean you can’t have a routine. Establishing routines with a baby can be very important. But not having too strict of a schedule with feeding can make the breastfeeding experience a little easier for everyone.

You can’t breastfeed and go back to work

You might be going back to work after your baby is born and not sure if you should continue to breastfeed. The truth is, you totally can. Going back to work doesn’t mean you have to stop breastfeeding. And can be another reason to order your TRICARE benefit breast pump.  Some breast pumps work better for everyday use than others so make sure to check into what the right breast pump would be for you.

You have to stop breastfeeding at a year

There is no rule that says you have to stop breastfeeding your baby at a year, or at nine months, or at six months. You need to do what works for you and your baby. Different people will have different comfort levels with how long they want to continue breastfeeding for.

Looking for more information on your TRICARE benefit breast pump? Here are some posts for you:

What You Need To Know About Ordering Your TRICARE Benefit Breast Pump Accessories and Supplies

FAQs About Your TRICARE Benefit Breast Pump Through The Breastfeeding Shop

How to Decide What Breast Pump is The Best One For You And Your Baby