Contests Archives

The Winner of the Medela Freestyle Pump

June 23, 2008

AND A FURTHER UPDATE: To see a comment from Hope, the pump winner, read below. She lives in Malaysia! There are pumping moms around the world!

Hi Andi! Thank you for giving me the chance to participate and win the Medela Freestyle. I was and still am really excited upon hearing the good news. It's great to know people at Mamaknowsbreast and Medela care about women and their needs as they venture into motherhood. As a reader from Malaysia, I believe your quest in spreading knowledge on the importance of breastfeeding is truly inspiring! I'm sure you've touched the hearts of women all around the world. Keep up the great work! Thank you and God bless! :)

UPDATED: Thank you to everyone who left a comment for a chance to win a Medela Freestyle Pump. I loved reading what you had to say! There really is no shortage to pumping stories! And now...drum roll... the winner is Hope. Congratulations! Here's her comment:

I'm due this coming October and I've been reading up on how to provide the best for my baby. My mom exclusively breastfed my brothers and sisters and I, and I'd love to do the same for my baby. The only difference is that my mom didn't have to go to work, whereas I do. So, I've been reading up on breast pumps and I've found that Medela is the best in the market! But it's quite pricey and I don't know if I can afford it. That's why I was ecstatic when I found this contest. It's like a blessing in disguise. A lot of great information and the chance to win a Medela Freestyle Breastpump. It's the most practical solution because it's lightweight and compact, yet has everything I would need to include breast pumping in my daily schedule. I've also been reading on bpa-free bottles and to know Medela has taken this into account just gives me more confidence in the name itself. I really hope to win so that I can always provide the best for my baby. PS: During our last checkup, we found out our baby's a boy! :)
Posted by: Hope | June 29, 2008 08:55 PM

BACK TO THE ORIGINAL POST:

Ok, all you pumping mamas...here it is. The latest and greatest pump from our friends at Medela. The Freestyle is Medela's first hands-free, double-electric pump. Just attach it to your bra and get back to your emailing and phone calls. It's really small, light-weight and best of all, the Medela bottles are BPA free.

Medela is giving away this pump. So if you'd like a chance to win, leave a comment answering this question: What is your best pumping story? And if you haven't had a baby yet, why do you need this pump? (The deadline to enter is July 1, 2008).

This post is part of our monthly breastfeeding carnival. To read the other entries about pumping, go here:

* The Motherwear Breastfeeding blog has tips for introducing a bottle to a breastfed baby.
* Raising Baby Bee writes about pumping at work.
* Breastfeeding Mums has some pumping tips.
* Breastfeeding 1-2-3 writes about exclusively pumping for a baby with a cleft palate.
* Hobo Mama writes about donating milk for an adopted baby.
* Adventures of a Breastfeeding Mother shares her pumping tips.
* Mike and Toni's writes about how a pumping experience turned into a business idea-- hands free pumping supports.

Updated: The Winners of the method Baby Products

June 11, 2008

UPDATED: Here are the winners:

"The most surprising part about becoming a parent: how much my view of the world has changed, including how I both gained additional understanding for my parents and yet also felt additional confusion. " Posted by: Ewokmama

"The most surprising thing for me, throughout pregnancy and now while nursing my twins, is how different men and women really are. Physically, my husband can't do as much for the boys as I do (nursing) and emotionally we respond to them in different, but both loving, ways." Posted by: Sally

If you won, please email me your mailing address.

AND HERE'S THE ORIGINAL POST:

I've had allergies all spring. Either that, or a cold. Or maybe both. Who knows.

I do know I sometimes get exczema, so I'm always on the lookout for "green" personal care and cleaning products. And here's my latest find...method. Actually, to be clear, method found me. Earlier this spring, the method folks emailed me asking me to host a party at their temporary store in New York City. After doing a bit of due diligence, I decided I liked the company's dedication to non-toxic products. And so, I said, sign me up. (To learn more about this, go to the bottom of the method site, click on either FAQ or Company Info.)

The party wasn't your typical "tupperware" fest. In fact, there was little talk of cleaning. Instead, a "mixologist" taught us how to make organic drinks. The Liquid Muse...aka Natalie...made the best mojito I have EVER had. Ever. And fortunately, I'm not pregnant or breastfeeding, so I didn't have to consider anything other than my low tolerance.

Here's the recipe for that mojito.
Method Mojito
(Recipe created by The Liquid Muse, and inspired by Method Home)
1 heaping tablespoon of peeled, seeded and diced organic cucumber
1 heaping tablespoon of diced organic lime
1 teaspoon raw brown sugar
3-5 torn mint leaves
1 1/2 ounces organic vodka (Square One has a new cucumber-infused one!)
organic sparkling lemonade
Muddle cucumber, sugar and mint leaves in tall glass. Pour in vodka. Fill with ice. Top with sparkling lemonade. Garnish with a sprig of mint or lime wheel.

Now for the exciting part...I have a giveaway of method's new line of baby and kids' products. You can read about them here on the method blog. The kind folks at method have put together a collection of theses items.

To win, please leave a comment answering this question: What has been the most surprising part of being pregnant or a new parent? The deadline to enter this contest is June 25th. I'll be away until then, so you may not see your comment posted until I get back.

Winners of the Book "Margarita Mama"

May 15, 2008

And now for the winners of the new book "Margarita Mama: Mocktails for Moms To Be." Thanks to everyone who submitted a comment to the contest, telling us their pregnancy cravings.

Alyssa, the author, picked the following winners. Ladies, please email me if you won:

Regina
Biggest craving: I took the train the entire time i was pregnant,it was during all of the sweaty months. people would have this oniony body odor that would make me want chicken soup and lobster bisque. Gross in retrospect yes but I would stop at nothing to get these two soups!

Lindsie
My biggest craving were those red, white and blue popsicles which isn't weird in and of itself but this was January! I sent Hubby to the local gas station every night to get them!

Kate5405
Biggest craving: Fish & Chips from Arctic Circle. I had to have them almost every day. Even when labor started, I made my hubby stop at Arctic Circle on the way to the hospital and I ate my fish in the car.
I would love these books for my daughter-in-law who is pregnant with her first baby.

CarynB
My husband and I were living in Scotland during the first 13 weeks of my pregnancy. Scottish food is very...heavy. I was so nauseous...all day...every day. The only thing I wanted was cheese. Grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese...cheese!

Angela
Biggest craving: I craved Margaritas!! My husband was so sweet and helped me out by making me some delicious "virgin" ones. They tasted pretty good!!

BettyRood
my craving was for honey...but i was lucky .a very elderly neighbor had his own bee hives,when he found out i was craving it ,he brought me a fresh quart every week!! i still remeber that fondly 28 years later...and by the way,what is my 28 year old's fav thing to eat??HONEY,,,LOL

Jenny
And my craziest craving was for tons and tons of strawberries. It was an expensive craving, because this was not during strawberry season and I could eat half a pound of them in one sitting.

Danielle
Strangest Craving: FISH!!! I have ALWAYS hated all fish and seafood. The smell alone makes me nauseous, but for some reason when I was preggo with my first, I craved it SO BAD! I still couldn't get past the mental part of actually allowing myself to eat it, but I would go to fast food places, order a fish sandwich and just smell it! WIERDO! ;-)

Andrea
I craved lemon juice with a little bit of water and without sugar.

Vicky
My biggest craving and how I satisfied it...I had craved fruit, but I think the biggest fit I had with one was I wanted Iced Coffee Frappacino-like drink. Problem was I didn't consume caffine and I had gestational diabetes. I went to a specialty coffee shop and had them make a custom-made drink. It was sugar free, caffine free, and the best tasting coffee drink I ever had. They even put a very small dollop of whip cream with cinnamon spice. YUM!

Winners of the Book "The Rookie Mom's Handbook"

Thanks to everyone who sent in their "rookie mom" mistakes for the Mother's Day Contest here. Boy have we all done some pretty funny things! And below you'll find the ten winners of the new book "The Rookie Mom's Handbook." The authors themselves picked their favorite entries. Let me know if you're on the list!

Vicky:
My biggest rookie mistake is a classic I am sure any mom of a little boy has made.... What am I going to do with a winkie?" I think I asked that 100 times the last 1/2 of my pregnancy. I soon found out. I made the mistake of changing my little guy slowly and took the chance of getting a diaper with ease. Before I knew what had happen, I had pee shot in my eye. (I had glasses on, no clue how he managed that one) Then rookie mom here decided to scream...in my mouth the pee went! NOW...I KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH A WINKIE!! FYI- my next baby boy never got me like that and never will.

Sarah:
Biggest mistake - not finishing the remodel on our old house BEFORE the first baby. Now four years and two kids later, I'm stuck in remodel land and miserable with it. No time, no money.

Andrea:
When my son was three weeks old, I was so tired that one evening I brushed my teeth with diaper ointment (which came in a tube) instead of toothpaste and only noticed a while afterwards because my lips were white. And...I did it again a few weeks later.

Regina:
biggest rookie mistake: I would say not taking folks up on their offers to help out, or not speaking up more on the train when i was 8 months pregnant and people wouldn't get up.

Lindsie:
My biggest rookie mistake was putting carrier into the car without the baby being buckled. We had been somewhere and I unbuckled her and never buckled it back up. When I went to get her out and saw that I felt like the worst mom in the world.

Vicky:
My biggest rookie mom mistake was comparing my baby to other babies too much. It is hard not to compare but it just made me worry if my baby wasn't doing something someone else was at the same age.

Danielle S.:
Biggest Rookie Mistake: Telling everyone when I was pregnant "I'd never let my child..." I've had to eat ALOT of crow! LOL!

Jenny:
My biggest (or um, grossest) mistake as a pregnant mom was not realizing I could no longer overeat. I used to LOVE Fuddrucker's, and one day after the morning sickness had subsided (I was sick the first half of my pregnancy) I asked my husband to take me there. After consuming my burger and wayyy too many potato wedges with cheese, we got in the car to leave and the baby was crowding my stomach. I told my husband to stay in the right lane in case we had to pull over, but did he listen? We were in the left lane about to turn when it hit me. "Jordan. PULL! OVER!" It was dark, and he couldn't find the parking lot, so I ended up puking in the middle of the front lawn of a church. I felt terrible about it, but at least they weren't having a service that night!

Katie:
My biggest mistake was putting the baby in bed with me when I wasn't really awake. Bonk! I didn't make that mistake again!
(I've loved the Rookie Moms forever!)

Angela:
My biggest mistake was not getting help sooner when breastfeeding wasn't going well. My daughter lost too much weight because she wasn't latching on right and I then spent the next two weeks seeing a lactation consultant frequently to get her back on track and get my supply back up. I knew it would be hard, but it was a lot of work. I ended up breastfeeding successfully for 11 months while working full time, though! :)

Contest: Leave a Comment to Win Adiri Bottles or a Hands Free Pumping Bra

April 29, 2008

UPDATE: CLICK HERE FOR THE WINNERS.

Welcome back to the big Mother's Day Giveaway here on Mama Knows Breast. Today we have two items for your feeding needs, Adiri Bottles and a Hands-Free Pumping Bra, by Easy Expression Bustier.

First off, Adiri is giving away two sets of bottles. Adiri bottles are 100% BPA free...and we all know that's a good thing. Plus, the unique design looks a lot more like a breast than your typical baby bottle. One reminder...if you do want to give your baby a bottle of pumped breast milk or formula, it's best to wait at least a month before introducing a bottle. This gives you a chance to establish your milk supply and your baby to get accustomed to breastfeeding.

A set of bottles has three bottles. White is slow flow for 0-3 months; blue is medium flow for 3-6 months; and orange is fast flow for 6+ months. To win one of the sets of bottles, leave a comment here answering this question: Why do you need these bottles?
3 stages no cover1.jpg

Now for your pumping needs. Imagine pumping hands free! Email, type, talk on the phone or simply sit back and close your eyes. If you want to win a Hands-Free Pumping Bra from Easy Expression Bustier, answer this question: Why do you need this bra?

EASYEX~4.jpg

The contest deadline is Mother's Day, May 11. For a link to the other Mother's Day contests you can enter on my site, click here. I've got a Graco playcenter and some new parenting books.

Mama Knows Breast Book Contest Winners

Thanks to everyone for sharing their breastfeeding stories for my book giveaway contest.

Here are the ten winners of my book "Mama Knows Breast: A Beginner's Guide to Breastfeeding." Will the following ladies please send me their mailing addresses. Write to mamaknowsbreast@yahoo.com.

1. Lindsie:
I don't have a funny story because I had trouble breastfeeding my first due to inverted nipples. I would like to win a copy of your book because I really want to be able to breastfeed my second.

2. Katie:
The cable guy was working on the TV in another room and suddenly came into the room where I was nursing my daughter. while he was asking me a question I didn't even notice that she detached and my breast was hanging out free! Guess he got a little more of an eyeful than he was bargaining on!
(I would love to have this book for my mother who is a doula. She does a lot of breastfeeding education.)

3. Amira M.
I am not a mom but my good friend, who is a lactation consultant, was breast feeding her son in a lecture hall during a class. now, he has the habit of making lots of very "satisfied" noises while he is feeding and because of where she was sitting in the hall, his suckling was loud enough for the professor to hear! he stopped and everyone was looking around to see what was making the noise, but the baby was nicely hidden under a blanket.

4. Vicky:
I guess one of the funniest times was when I was nursing my second son. My oldest who was around 2 at the time always wanted to help out like a big brother. His baby brother was hungry and I was having one of those hormonal moments....you know the one that can make you cry in an instant because you are lacking sleep. I started boo-hooing and my oldest sat beside me and lifted his shirt and told me he would feed the baby so I could "rest." He immediately turned my tears of frustration to tears of joy.

5. Awesome Mom:
I was not able to nurse my #1 son because of his heart defect. He was too weak to nurse so I pumped 14 months for him. During his second hospital stay for a heart surgery I kept having nurses come in to check in on him because they thought my pump was my son breathing really funny.

6. Chris:
The look I got from a semi-truck driver as I pumped while driving home late from work one day!

7. Lucy:
My first baby is due in June, so I don't really have any stories just yet, but would love to be entered to win (it is a beginners book after all :)).

8. Liz
My craziest breastfeeding moment has to be when I was on a 6 hour car ride to visit family. We had stopped multiple times and the baby was just not happy to be in his seat. I kneeled on the seat next to him and hung over top of his seat and fed him while he was still strapped in! Oh the memories! :)

9. Becky
I wish I had a funny nursing story to tell. My first two attempts were pretty awful, so I don't remember anything funny, just sad. The lactation consultant said in her 25 years of doing this, "I've never seen anything like you." Great! : ) I'm determined to give it a try again this time with baby #3. Thanks for your nice comment on my blog giveaway. This has been so much fun!

10. Audra
I feel asleep feeding my baby in the recliner (don't worry I didn't drop him) and when I woke up awhile later. I found him asleap and me nursing his ear which was filling up with milk! Thanks for the great giveaway! I would love to give this to mis sis-in-law who was anti breastfeeding the first time but has had a change of heart and would like to breastfeed #2.

Book Giveaway-- Leave A Comment to Enter To Win A Book

April 11, 2008

UPDATE: TO SEE THE WINNERS OF THE "ROOKIE MOM'S" BOOK, CLICK HERE.

UPDATE: AND FOR THE WINNERS OF THE "MARGARITA MAMA" BOOK, CLICK HERE.

Mother's Day Giveaways Update: I'm also giving away ten copies of my book, "Mama Knows Breast: A Beginner's Guide to Breastfeeding." Click here to enter to win. PLUS...I'm giving away a Baby Enstein discover & play center by Graco. Click here to win. Now, back to the original post...

Hot off the press... I've got two new books for all you moms out there. The Rookie Mom's Handbook and Margarita Mama: Mocktails for Moms-to-Be are both from my publisher, Quirk Books. In honor of Mother's Day (May 11), I'm doing a series of contests for the next few weeks. So we'll kick things off by giving away ten copies of each book. The authors themselves will be the judges and pick the winning entries. The deadline to enter is May 11.

First off, The Rookie Mom's Handbook. Here's what the publisher says:

Bookshelves abound with activity books for babies and toddlers, but The Rookie Mom’s Handbook is the first designed exclusively for first-time mothers. Here are 250 enjoyable activities to help rookie moms maintain their individuality and boost their confidence about leaving the house, socializing, and doing things they’ve always liked to do—either with or without baby. Inspired by the popular Web site www.rookiemoms.com, the book offers bite-sized activities arranged according to the baby’s age. Some are crafty, some are adventurous, and some simply help get a meal on the table.

To win a copy, leave a comment answering the following question: What was your biggest rookie mistake as a pregnant, or newly minted mom?

Now for Margarita Mama. The publisher says...
Margarita Mama offers a pitcherful of delicious “mocktails” designed specifically for moms-to-be. Every drink is 100 percent alcohol free. And they not only taste great, they also provide a healthful treat for both mom and baby! Recipes include twists on old favorites such as Mudslides, Mojitos, Cosmopolitans, and Mimosas, plus yummy new libations like the Materni-Tini, the Raging Hormone, and the Chocolate Crave.

To win a copy, leave a comment answering this question: What was the craziest craving you had when you were pregnant and how did you satisfy it?

Breastfeeding is Good For the Environment

February 28, 2008

Anything you can do to cut down on the amount of stuff you send to a landfill has got to be eco-friendly. Breastfeeding falls into that category. So, boob fed babes=less trash.

Nursing Mother Supplies is recognizing this with an on-line contest. Here's information from the site:

Get your saying on a t-shirt, win a $300 breastfeeding gift basket and help the environment all at the same time. We, at Nursing Mother Supplies, are searching behind every breastpump and baby to find a witty mom. We know there is a mom out there who has the perfect catch phrase to encompass the environmentally friendly impact of breastfeeding.

* The winning phrase will be printed on t-shirts and sold at nursingmothersupplies.com.
* All of the profit generated from the sale of t-shirts will be donated to charity.
* Fifty percent of the profit will be donated to La Leche League International to assist in its effort to promote breastfeeding.
* The other fifty percent will go to an environmental organization chosen by the winner.

Click here to enter. The deadline is April 30th.

Win $5,000 for Your Mom for Mother's Day

February 13, 2008

And now another contest for you to consider....

I'm judging a contest at Mother's Day Central. Here's what you have to do to enter-- write an essay about why your mom rocks and should be named the 2007 Mother of the Year. Mother's Day Central will narrow down the entries to 10 Finalists, and then some other bloggers and I will help pick the winners.

Click here to enter your story. The contest deadline is March 5, 2008.

Contests For Breast Feeding Moms

January 18, 2007

Hey mommas...Here are a couple of things you may want to check out.

Motherwear clothing is running a contest to find the best breast feeding tips. You can send yours to the Motherwear blog for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate. The deadline is Friday the 19th.

Also...there's a photography contest in advance of World BreastFeeding Week (August 1- 7). The deadline to submit your photos is March 15th. Click here for details on how to enter the contest.

And just a little advance warning...I'm going to be running a contest of my own coming soon. The winners will get some really cool baby products. Watch here for more details.