Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

military life

Top Five Tips For Increasing Milk Production

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Top Five Tips For Increasing Milk Production

Top Five Tips For Increasing Milk Production

This is a sponsored post by the Breastfeeding Shop. 

Breastfeeding was something I knew I always wanted to do with my babies. However, getting started with breastfeeding wasn’t easy for me, especially with my oldest son. I had a lot of concerns about if he was getting enough of my milk. If only I could go back in time, I would have made things a little easier for myself through the process.

There are things you can do as a new mom to help increase your milk supply. This helps the breastfeeding relationship as well as making sure your baby is getting all the nutrition they need.

1. Nurse your baby often

Make sure you are nursing your baby often. Breast milk is digested quickly and the more you nurse, the more milk you will make. Feeding on-demand vs a rigid schedule is the best way to go. That way you are meeting your baby’s needs as much as you can. If your baby is going through a growth spurt, they will want to nurse even more, and that is okay too.

2. Double check your latch

Sometimes our milk supply issues are due to a bad latch. When your baby is not latching on the breast correctly, they are not getting all of the milk that they should. If you have a question about your latch, you should go and see a lactation consultant. They will be able to check on your latch or help you with other breastfeeding questions.

3. Drink water, eat healthy foods

When you are nursing you want to make sure you are drinking enough water, as well as eating a healthy diet. Doing both of those things will help your milk production if you are struggling. Keep a water bottle within reach when you are nursing or pumping and try to have a lot of healthy snacks available for you as you go about your day.

4. Use your breast pump

Pumping in between feeding sessions can help with your milk supply. While you are pumping, you will be making more milk, and that will increase how much milk you should be making. Make sure that you have taken advantage of your TRICARE benefit regarding breast pumps. You are eligible for one breast pump for every birth event. Head over to The Breastfeeding Shop to find your breast pump and start the process. They make ordering your breast pump pretty easy too.

5. Get enough rest

While this is much easier said than done, especially with a newborn, make sure you are getting as much rest as you can. Say no to unnecessary commitments while you are trying to build up your milk supply. See if you can hire a babysitter for your older kids and if your spouse is home, make sure they are helping you with everything that needs to get done. Try to sleep when you can and take the time to rest as much as possible.

Interested in more information about your TRICARE benefit breast pump and The Breastfeeding Shop? Check out these blog posts too:

The Easy Way To Order Your No Cost Breast Pump

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

FAQs About Your TRICARE Benefit Breast Pump Through The Breastfeeding Shop

 

Why the Military Life Isn’t Like Any Other Life

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Why the Military Life Isn’t Like Any Other Life

The military life is a unique life. It just is. Saying it is “just like any other life” doesn’t make any sense.

Why the Military Life Isn't Like Any Other Life

I wish serving in the military was just like any other job, but it isn’t.

I wish my husband hadn’t missed my son’s birth and pretty much his entire first year. Most parents don’t have to do that, and the thought of doing so would be unbelievable. But missing a whole year of a child’s life is not uncommon in the military world.

I wish that none of my friends ever had to PCS. Saying goodbye to your good friends is the worst. While everyone does experience friends moving away, or even moving themselves, the military does so on a regular basis. This is one of the many things we experience as a military spouse.

The Military Life Isn't Like Any Other Life

I wish serving in the military was just like any other job, but it isn’t.

I wish my husband had been able to have been there during the difficult years of adapting to an autism diagnosis. That was such a difficult time for us. My son really did need two parents in the house but he only had one. I did the best that I could, but there was a big loss there, one that was felt by all of us.

I wish so many spouses were not hurting because of a military-related loss. I have friends whose husbands never came home from deployments. I have friends whose husbands came home, only to be completely different people. There are so many military families out there struggling, trying to heal from the wounds of war, whatever they might be.

I wish serving in the military was just like any other job, but it isn’t.

I wish that when war was being talked about I could just ignore it because it didn’t affect me at all. But it does. What the US does overseas affects us, military families, greatly. There is no way to turn that off. We can’t do that like others can. We can’t just ignore it. We worry about war, new wars, and wars we have been in for years.

I am not sure where the idea came from that military life is simply a job, just like any other job. While there are plenty of other difficult jobs out there, each with their own struggles, the military life is a unique life, not like any other. And that is why we have the support systems we do.

As military spouses, we simply can’t go through this life alone. We need our people. Whether our people is a group of friends, a best friend that we can always talk to, or online friends we met through a support group. We reach out because we need to find people who understand what being a military spouse is all about, or at least listen to us as we make our way through this life.

The Military Life Isn't Like Any Other Life

The military affects the whole family. In one way or another.

As a National Guard spouse, I can go for periods of time without thinking about the military. But then, I hear about summer AT dates, or possible deployments. I wash his uniform and I remember every time I had to say goodbye to him while he was wearing it. The military is always there.

When my husband was active duty, deploying over and over, the military was even more so in our lives. When they told us my husband might have to deploy, days before my due date. When he was overseas and the deployment got extended, so he would be gone for over a year.

When duty calls, they must go, and we as spouses support them as they do.

The military is very much a part of our lives, there is no way to deny that. This is a completely different experience than a spouse who works a more typical 9-5 job. The military life is its own beast, for good and for bad.

I wish serving in the military was just like any other job, but it isn’t.

How has your spouse joining the military changed your life? 

 

101 Things to Do With Your Kids During a Deployment

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101 Things to Do With Your Kids During a Deployment

So your spouse just deployed and you and your kids are in for a long journey. You look at how many months you have to get through, and you want to cry. How will you deal with this? How will you be able to stay busy enough to make it through?

If you have children, they will keep you busy. But sometimes you might need some ideas. Especially as the deployment goes on.

101 Things to Do With Your Kids During a Deployment

Here are 101 things you can do with your kids during a deployment:

1.  Create a deployment wall

2. Put together a care package

3. Write mom or dad a letter

4. Go to the park

5. Meet friends for dinner

6. Go for a walk

7. Go for a bike ride

8. Go fly kites in the park

9. Go pick out a new movie to watch together

10. Go to the movies

11. Have a picnic

12. Check out a new restaurant

13. Plan a trip

14. Go on a trip

15. Try Space-A

16. Learn to bake together

17. Plan an after deployment trip

18. Visit a new friend

19. Visit a long time friend

20. Visit family

21. Do crafts together

22. Reorganize rooms

23. Have a garage sale

24. Go to an MWR event

101 Things to Do With Your Kids During a Deployment

25. Join the YMCA

26. Go to church

27. Go to the library

28. Go bowling

29. Play miniature golf

 

30. Go roller skating

31. Go for a hike

32. Play dress up

33. Play with Legos

34. Go to Tinkergarden

35. Go out for ice cream

36. Volunteer

37. Go to a splash park

38. Go to MOPS

39. Go to a playgroup

40. Take your camera and go on a photo shoot

41. Go on a retreat

42. Take a train ride

43. Go to Disneyland

44. Go to Walt Disney World

45. Go to Sea World

46. Go to Universal Studios

47. Go to the zoo

48. Explore your city

49. Explore another city close by

101 Things to Do With Your Kids During a Deployment

50. Plan a day trip with friends

51. Walk the dog

 

52. Play with sidewalk chalk

53. Run in the sprinklers

54. Have a Harry Potter movie marathon

55. Have a Marvel movie marathon

56. Have a Star Wars movie marathon

57. Sign up for a fun run

58. Take a cupcake decorating class together

 

59.  Geocaching

60. Hunt for rocks

61. Visit the animals at your local animal shelter

62. Browse a bookstore

63. Get your nails done

64. Go fishing

65. Go shopping

66. Make a video for mom or dad

67. Go to an FRG meeting or event

68. Go on a nature walk

69. Go camping with friends

70. Have a regular pizza night

71. Go strawberry picking

72. Go to a play or musical

73. Go to a farm

74. Go for a drive

101 Things to Do With Your Kids During a Deployment

75. Go to an indoor play place

76. Get smoothies

77. Get slushies

78. Look at wildflowers

79. Go shoe shopping

80. Go back to school shopping

81. Go on a boat ride

82. Walk around your downtown area

83. Go to a farmer’s market

84. Go to a trampoline park

85. Go to Chuck E.Cheese

86. Invite friends over

87. Go to a friend’s house

88. Make a scrapbook

89. Read a book together

90. Play a video game together

91. Go to Target

92. Go to the dollar store

93. Go to yard sales

94. Go to the Disney store

95. Go to Build-a-Bear

96. Go to the beach

97. Go to the pool

98. Go to the lake

99. Go to a dog park

100. Take professional photos

101. Breathe, you guys will make it through this deployment!

What do you and your kids like to do during a deployment?

 

The Life of A Military Child

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The Life of A Military Child

April is the month of the military child. The children of those who have chosen to serve their country. The children of those who have given up their normal lives to protect the lives of others. The life of a military child can look very different from the life of a non-military child.

The life of a military child

The life of a military child means a lot of wondering and a lot of waiting. When will daddy be home? When will they be able to talk to mommy again? For the younger child, not knowing when they will see or hear from one of their parents can be confusing.

The life of a military child means having to move too often. Having to start over. Having to say goodbye to friends and not knowing if they will ever see them again. Adults are able to connect with friends through the phone and social media. Kids might not be able to. Once they say goodbye to their friends, they might not ever talk about them again.

The life of a military child can mean disappointment.

Their mom or dad might have to miss that first day of kindergarten, a first communion, or high school graduation. And even if that child understands why their parent has to be away, they still wish they could be there on those special days.

The life of a military child means making memories without both of their parents. There will be times when they go see Grandma, or go camping, or even to Disneyland and mom or dad won’t be able to join them. That through the fun they are having, they are missing a big part of their family. And that isn’t always easy to do.

The life of a military child means being so very proud of what their mom or dad does for a living. It is beaming with pride when they see the flag. It means reading about what the military has done in the past and realizing that their parent is apart of what the military is doing in the future.

The Life of A Military Child

The life of a military child means going to five different schools all before 2nd grade.

It means not being sure about the rules at this school compared to the one they just moved from. It means having to be the new girl or the new boy, more than once.

The life of a military child means meeting people from all over the country and the world. It means making memories with these people, ones that will last forever. It means going off into the world and being able to share the stories of play dates in Germany, and first dates in Japan.

The life of a military child means growing up, watching one of your parents work hard to make life full for them and their siblings, even when it was hard to do so. It means, having patience and knowing that their parents did what they could to make this military life a little bit easier.

The Life of A Military Child

The life of a military child means learning how to be resilient through the challenges military life brings.

It means learning patience at an early age and figuring out how to make the best of a sad situation. To go with the flow, even when that is not what they want to be doing. To realize that there is so much more to this world and that giving back is such a good thing to do.

The life of a military child means saying goodbye, and saying hello again, with bright smiles on their face. It means feeling so excited that Dad is coming home that they can’t even sleep the night before and that this homecoming will feel better than Christmas.

The life of a military child means that in the future, they will know how to handle military life if they choose to join themselves. It means following in their parent’s footsteps who might have followed in their own parent’s footsteps too. It means understanding what you have to give up when you join the military and signing up anyway.

The life of a military child means that in the future when meeting new people, and the person they eventually marry, that they know what saying yes to a military service member will mean. It means knowing what a PCS is, or what it means to shop at the Commissary.

The Life of A Military Child

The life of a military child means that other children might not understand what their life is like.

It’s sharing with their civilian friends about their journey and what their childhood was like. It’s reaching out to others and showing them compassion when they are going through a difficult time since they have been through so many themselves.

The life of a military child is filled with the good and the bad. The hello, the goodbye. It means always learning, always meeting new people, always having to adjust.

The life of a military child means sleepless nights, so many tears, and wondering what will happen next. It also means knowing that they are apart of history and that what their parent do matters, oh it matters so very much.

The life of a military child should be celebrated as we do every April.

As military spouses, we are raising our own military children to the best of our abilities. We know that many parts of this military life are not easy for them, just like they are not easy for us. Yet, we do what we can to make sure they feel loved and can find the extra help they might need to get through.

We help them stay busy, we make plans, we take them on trips. We listen when they share how badly they miss their mom or dad. We hug them and let them know that we miss them too. Even if we are not sure that our words will help, we pray that they do.

How many military children are you raising? How old are they???

 

A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

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A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

Being a military spouse, I get asked all the time if I watched Army Wives. There is something about military themed movies and tv shows that can show our civilian friends a window into our world. Some of these are really good at showing our military lives and others, not as much.

A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

Most of the military themed movies and tv shows out there focus on the service member. Either showing a war, life after war, or a humorous take on it all. Some include the military spouse, and of course, we have Army Wives.

When watching some of these movies, we might laugh at how wrong they are wearing their uniform, or cry at how real they were able to show the emotions of those dealing with deployments and everything that comes with military life. We might get excited to see our favorite actor putting on a uniform, or watch with nostalgia, a movie or television show we remember watching when we were younger.

Whether you love them, or they drive you nuts, here is a super long list of military themed movies and tv shows to watch:

A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

Military themed tv shows and miniseries

Army Wives

The Astronaut Wives Club

Band of Brothers

The Brave

Generation Kill

Enlisted

Hogan’s Heroes

The Last Ship

The Last Post

The Long Road Home

Jag

Mash

McHale’s Navy

NCIS

The Pacific

The Unit

A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

Military themed movies

12 Strong

13 Hours

American Sniper

Black Hawk Down

Born on the 4th of July

Brothers

Captain America

Coming Home

Courage Under Fire

Dear John

Dunkirk

A Few Good Men

Forest Gump

Full Metal Jacket

Fury

Good Morning Vietnam

Gone With the Wind

The Great Escape

Green Zone

Hacksaw Ridge

The Hurt Locker

Jarhead

Lone Survivor

Love and Honor

Lucky One

Max

Megan Leavey

Men of Honor

The Patriot

Patton

Pearl Harbor

Private Benjamin

Three Kings

Sand Castle

Sands of Iwo Jima

Saving Private Ryan

The Shooter

Stop Loss

Thank You For Your Service

Top Gun

We Were Soldiers

Unbroken

White Christmas

Zero Dark Thirty

 

What would you add to this list? What are your favorite military themed movies and television shows?

For the Military Spouse, When The Deployment Begins

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For the Military Spouse, When The Deployment Begins

When the deployment orders come, and the bags start getting packed, we watch, we cry, we understand that this is what they signed up for.

To leave, to deploy, to go too far away and do what they are trained to do.

For the Military Spouse, When The Deployment Begins

When the deployment begins, we start the countdown, we think about the days ahead, we find ways to power through.

We look at our children, we know this will be hard for them too, but we power on, we know this is what we have to do.

We know that deployments don’t last forever, but we also know that the days between saying goodbye and hello again will always seem too long.

We may have been through a deployment before, but that won’t make this deployment any easier.

When the deployment begins, we hope that this time we won’t have as many breakdowns.

That this time we will figure out the right mix of busy, and that we will get through better than the last time.

We know that we have friends we can depend on, but we worry they won’t truly understand. What if this deployment is the one that breaks us? What if even a friend’s hug and a friend’s ear won’t be enough?

We hope that we can help others because we have been through this all before. But we also know that we will have our share of difficult days, that doesn’t stop just because this isn’t the first time we had to say goodbye.

When the deployment begins, we start our daily prayers.

Worrying that they won’t be enough. Worrying that nothing we can do can ensure they will come back when they are supposed to come back.

We try not to think about all that. We try to think about how brave our spouse is and how amazing life can be to be married to someone who serves in the military.

We are proud of them. Proud that they signed up. Proud that they will deploy. Proud that they put on the uniform to help protect our country.

For the Military Spouse, When The Deployment Begins

When the deployment begins, we walk around our home, knowing that everything from their smile to their dirty laundry will be missed during the next few months.

We know that this deployment is just one of our struggles. That this deployment isn’t coming at a good time, but we also wonder if there would ever be a good time for us to say goodbye for nine months.

We understand why they have to go, sorta. Not everything makes sense, but we know that there is a mission and a reason for them to have to go where they have to go.

We make plans with friends, we join groups, we stay busy. We do this because we know how much it works, we do this because we have to.

When the deployment begins, we walk around in a fog, but thankfully that only lasts for a couple of days.

We soon figure out how to carry on, how to get up and get moving, how to find ways to thrive, even in the mist of surviving.

We plan care packages, we write love letters, and we plan for the future.

We think about after the deployment, when things will be normal again, and then wonder how normal they will be after yet another deployment.

When the deployment begins, we don’t have any idea about how we will grow during this time apart.

We hope that we can become stronger so that in the future this won’t be so hard.

We know that even if we do become strong through this deployment, that we will always struggle when we say goodbye to our husband or wife.

We know that starting a deployment is never going to be easy.

For the Military Spouse, When The Deployment Begins

When the deployment begins, life can seem upside down.

We now have a new normal to figure out. One that won’t be easy. One that might not even make any sense.

We can work hard to keep things the same, especially for the kids. But this doesn’t always work, you know there is something missing.

We can do our best to stay positive through everything, but some days we will just want to cry, and we need to remind ourselves that crying is okay to do sometimes.

When the deployment begins, we can look ahead at the time apart and take advantage of what it has to offer.

We can work on ourselves, we can work on our hobbies, we can go to school, we can start a new job, we can do so many things that might be harder to accomplish when they are home.

We can find the benefits to this situation, even though a deployment has plenty to get upset about.

We tell ourselves that we are going to kick Murphy’s law to the curb, and then laugh because of how crazy things get anyway.

When the deployment begins, we have the choice to make plans to make it through or walk away. 

We might not know how we are going to handle this, but we know that we want to because we love our service member and as a military spouse we know this is what we have to do.

The truth is, to get through a deployment, we need to figure out what works for us.

We can make lists; we can make plans, we can figure things out so that the days will go by and we can deal with whatever comes our way.

For the Military Spouse, When The Deployment Begins

If you have just started a deployment, think about everything you would need to help you get through. Reach out to other spouses and find people to depend on. Know that you are not the only one feeling like you are feeling right now. Deployments can be rough. But you will be able to find ways to get through, even if you have to take things one day at a time.

Looking for more deployment blog posts? 

Don’t Miss The Costco Military Hour Event On March 24th

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Don’t Miss The Costco Military Hour Event On March 24th

This is a sponsored post! 

 

Raise your hand if you like Costco? I know I do! Costco was one of the places we had to go when we visited home while living in Germany. You can always find something fun to buy and you gotta love the free samples.

I wanted to let you guys know about the Costco Military Hour event coming up March 24th from 8 am to 9:30 am!

What is Costco Military Hour?

The Military Hour is for you and your family to shop together before the doors open to the general public. You will be able to mix and mingle with your local military community, enjoy free samples, exciting product demos, and delicious snacks. The first 100 attendees will receive swag bags filled with goodies!

Sound like fun?

You will need to be a Costco member to attend but if not, no worries.

You can purchase your Costco Membership Activation Certificate today at this link https://hosted-pages.id.me/costcomilitaryhour‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ Take advantage of an exclusive new membership offer for military members who join Costco as new members.

This event will take place at 117 of the warehouses across the U.S. You will need your military ID or your registration confirmation to show at the door at the selected Costco location.

Please visit https://shophourevent.com/ to RSVP to a location near you.‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌

15 Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

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15 Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

15 Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Military life is a world of its own. From navigating deployments to moving every few years. What better way to explain military life than in a meme.

Here are 15 memes that explain what military life is really like:

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Seriously! Some days have you crying in your pillow, that is just the way things go. Luckily, not every day is like that.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

The pre-deployment period is never easy. You might end up fighting a lot and not even sure why. Both of you are stressed, and as much as you hate saying so, you are ready for them to go. Only because you want to start your deployment countdown to get them back home.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Sometimes you just have to say the truth, deployments suck.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Don’t feel like you have to be the perfect military spouse. For one thing, they don’t exist. For another, you will burn yourself out trying. Just be yourself as much as possible. It’s okay to ask for help, cry into your pillow, or just rethink the way you are going to get through deployments.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Over time we get more used to saying goodbye for longer periods. They are not always easy, but we do know that saying goodbye for months at a time can be the norm in our military lives.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Wine. It’s what gets you through. Is there ever enough?

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Keep the lines of communication as open as you can, even if that means writing letters and emails. You won’t always be able to talk in person or on the phone, but you can still work on your relationship. Military marriage brings up extra stresses that other couples don’t have to deal with, but if you put your marriage first, that will go a long way in helping the two of you stay connected through the miles.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

We all need friends, even if it takes us some time to make them.
Keep putting yourself out there, and you will find your tribe. 

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

You never know how strong you are until you have to go through something you didn’t think you could. This is so true for deployments and other parts of military life. We go through things we didn’t think we would ever have to go through. We do it because we love our service member and want to support them as a military spouse.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

There is always so much debate about OPSEC in military spouse circles. Should you say this, should you say that? But in the end, just be careful and if you are not sure if you should post about something, lean on the side of not posting it.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

We, military spouses, love those 5-minute phone calls because they are better than no phone calls. Although, a 45-minute photo call is even better.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

How many times have we been asked for our spouse’s SSN? Do you even still remember yours?

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Binge watching is an excellent way to get through those lonely deployment nights. After the kids go to bed, the nights can get quite lonely. Turn on a new show and get to binging.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Saying goodbye is never easy. Here are some tips to help you if you have to say goodbye to your spouse.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

One thing that can help you through this crazy military life is knowing that you are not alone. You are not the only one going through a deployment. You are not the only one that has to move away from their hometown to a place across the country. You are not the only one who has to move right when you have found your best friends.

Enjoy these memes and remember, you got this military life!