Your first date and a book giveaway contest!
Today, Rachel’s essay about her first-ever blind date — as a single mom — is live at Salon.com.
After you read “Lust and the Lactating Mother,” please comment!
Salon.com is known for its notoriously negative comments. As yet, “gross” and “disgusting” are some of the kinder remarks. Thanks!
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Rachel’s essay is forthcoming in the anthology Unbuttoned: Women Open Up About the Pains, Pleasures, and Politics of Breastfeeding (Harvard Common Press, April ‘09).
In this collection, edited by Dana Sullivan and Maureen Connolly, 25 women share their thoughts and feelings about breastfeeding, including:
Best-selling author Julia Glass, who nursed her two sons after being treated for breast cancer; Rebecca Walker, who breastfed her seriously ill baby in the neonatal intensive care unit; and columnist Patricia Berry defends her decision to bottle-feed her three daughters.
On that note, Harvard Common Press is giving away copies to two of you!
How can you win?
Easy! Tell us about a “first date”, if you’d like.
Or simply say hello.
Heads up: The contest is only open to U.S. and Canadian residents. Also you’ll get your copy in April, when the book comes out.
The contest is open to ALL readers, single moms, married moms, dads….
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Ultimate go-to guide for single mothers. The Complete Single Mother is the only comprehensive and best selling self help book ever written for single parents. It’s packed with savvy advice, sisterly comfort, as well as reassuring answers to all your single mom challenges. |
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Read the book! Single Mom Seeking is a tell-all about how to date and remain a dedicated and involved parent. It’s a spunky, sexy, and moving chronicle of the humor, pitfalls, and rewards of balancing it all — single-mom style. |
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Twitter @ blacktating
I am not a single mom, but I’d love to enter the contest. I have heard about this book and was looking forward to reading it. Although I am not a single mom, my first date with my hubby post-baby was to a fancy dinner hosted by the publisher of his yearbook (he is the advisor at his high school). We had filet mignon and wine and it was nice to feel like a grown-up again and get out of the house and schmooze with other people. I had pumped so my mom could watch the baby. I think I called her about 10 times that night to check on him and was so glad to get home and cuddle him.
Elita’s last blog post..Winner: Black Woman’s Guide to Breastfeeding
Elita: Everyone, not just single moms (and dads), is welcome at singlemommyhood. Thanks for entering our contest.
Well, I’m not a single mom (yet) – give me a year or two! – but I think this essay was really powerful and brave and would love to read the rest of the book. Go Rachel!
Twitter @ http://lovebabz.blogspot.com
I left my comment over at salon.com. Good for her for getting what she needed in that moment.
Grown women don’t need permission to live free!
lovebabz’s last blog post..LENTEN JOURNEY: AD MAIOREM DEI GLORIAM
Twitter @ singlemommyhood
Thanks Rachel and LoveBabz!!
I’m going out to buy some thick skin, I hear they’re having a sale at Macy’s.
Elita: I added a line to clarify that the contest is open to ALL readers. Thanks so much!
I’m not a single mom either, but I do remember my first date with my husband after our first daughter was born. His parents watched the baby, and we went out to dinner, and then stopped at a bar for a drink on the way home. We felt like teenagers staying out past curfew – it was so ‘daring’ to stop for that drink. LOL
First Date after Baby– Test driving mini-vans and grocery shopping…ohhhh the excitement !! I was nervous the entire time and felt like we had to rush everything to get home that I didn’t even enjoy it.
Shawnna’s last blog post..Progress
It’s not a first date story, but it’s one of the sweetest most romantic (in a really messed up way!) memories I have of my ex. When Squirt was born (almost six weeks early) he was unable to nurse so I pumped for him. The lactation consultant at the hospital was on vacation when he was born so the L&D nurses brought me a pump and told me it’s pretty self-explanatory. No one told me how often or how long to pump. If you’ve nursed, you know that the first couple of days, you’re lucky to get a few drops. Well, this was my first time around so I didn’t know that! I stayed on the pump pretty much constantly trying to get a respectable amount of milk for my little one. When we came home from the hospital, I got to keep the cheapo little handheld part of the hospital pump. The way you had to squeeze this thing was a NIGHTMARE. And I was still pumping literally constantly. In the middle of the night our second night at home, I was sitting on the bed pumping with this little manual pump and crying because my hands were stiff and sore, my boobs were sore, no milk was coming out, I was exhausted, I was frustrated, etc. Now, you’d have to know my Ex to know how out of character this was for him, but without saying a word, he got out of bed, picked up the instructions for the pump, and started reading. He was so cute…”It says you should feel a tingle when the milk lets down. Do you feel a tingle?” I didn’t know whether to laugh at him or smack him or what! Finally, he took the pump out of my hand and told me to get some sleep…he’d work the pump so I could get a break. I thought that was hilarious but I woke up a little while later to him still pumping me and asking how long he was supposed to keep it up. Talk about feeling like a cow! All that pumping did pay off…by the time I woke up the next morning, my milk had come in with a vengeance. I could barely stand upright without toppling over! Eventually Squirt did figure out how to latch on and he continued to nurse until halfway through my pregnancy with Pork Chop. Pork Chop nursed till he was almost a year old (he never was a boob man!) So I have my fair share of nursing and pumping (and leaking) memories, but nothing will ever top that night, falling asleep while my husband pumped me!
Wondermom’s last blog post..Sooo….Sleeeepy…
this sounds fabulous as for my first date well just lets say it was the seventies and rather not elaborate thanks for the giveaway
I’ve been a “single mom” for the past year since my husband has been in Afghanistan. I have been breastfeeding my youngest daughter (11 months) and I’m sure we’ll have an awkward 1st date to chat about soon!
Twitter @ Singlemommyhood
Shawnna: Wow – sounds like you tried to cram a lot into one “first date”. Funny how your perspective changes when you’re a parent. Your thoughts were all about the baby–of course!
Amanda: Wives, girlfriends, and everyone with a special someone serving our country are especially welcome here.
Please visit us again soon.
Dr. Leah’s last blog post..Have you heard about the man who can’t even “buy” a date?
Love the essay. And I love that all your responses on here are so positive! I dont have a first date story, but I do have a story about what encouraged me to breastfeed publicly for the first time..and everytime after that. I was sitting at the ENT’s office, undergoing allergy testing and having them look at the (now we know) retention cyst in my sinus cavity, hunting for a reason for these awful migraines that are almost debilitating…and I was reading an issue of a local parenting magazine. In it there was an article about a woman who was forced to leave a restaurant in Round Rock, TX, the town I grew up in (right up the road from my high school) for breastfeeding. Only the slightest part of her breast was visible, and that was mainly because her daughters hand held it there. The story went on to talk about the “nurse in” that was staged shortly after. I knew little about breastfeeding at the time, only that it was what was best for my daughter, so I was doing it. At that point, I decided I was no longer going to hide in my car to feed my child (i REFUSED to do it in the bathroom). Anywhere I am allowed to eat, so is she. Thankfully, Texas laws protect me, and I have been a part of several nurse-ins..some when I was no longer breastfeeding, just there for support. Including the Disney store in Round Rock, TX at the outlet mall (wow, 2 strikes against that town!). My husband is very supportive of my breastfeeding, even if it does embarass him a little, but hes the first one to stand up for me and defend my right to feed my child if someone says something.
It’s amazing to me that so many people are as stupid as they are.
I cant wait to get this book, whether I win it, or buy it!
Beth’s last blog post..a 2 yr old, a lot of barking, and yeast?
Beth: Thanks so much for telling your story. There is no shortage of stupidity in the world – well said!
Please visit us again soon!
My first date? Its ben so long I can’t remember, but thanks for the giveaway!
Kimspam66(at)yahoo(dot)com
My first date… Ahhh.
I remember it well. I was having some serious wardrobe issues that afternoon, and my hair was a mess. After two previous cancellations, and now five hours past the agreed upon time, I was assured that he was indeed coming, just running a little late. I know, I know, it sounds pathetic that I was still waiting on this mystery man, but he had been hyped up for so long before this that I felt I had no choice but to, at the very least, give him a chance. Even if that chance were fast approaching its expiration date.
Well, he finally arrives and he’s absolutely gorgeous. Just the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, but he barely looks at me before he’s off again. I manage to get out a breathless “Hello” and then he sweeps out of the room without even a wave. Eventually he returns, as if nothing at all was amiss, and for the rest of the evening we just sit there, staring. Finally it’s getting late, this first date did not go at all as I’d planned, and I’m tired and just wishing I were at home in my bed. I’m about to say goodnight when he goes straight for my breast, grabs a handful and just starts going to town!
I was so happy! I breastfed my son for the first time that night, and now, two years and four months later, we are still happily nursing. Although we do talk more now.
Haha, gotcha there, didn’t I? I would be thrilled to own this book. Breastfeeding has been a wonderful experience for me, but it’s one I haven’t been able to share with any other mothers. I can’t wait to read this book.
jibssa (at) gmail (dot) com
P.S. When will you announce the winners?
Just wanted to say hello and enter for the book giveaway. It looks like a good read!
I am a single mom, but I wasn’t when my boys were born. My husband and I enjoyed this pleasure behind closed doors. I realize that some people will find this weird but that is just their opinion. I am glad you wrote this, and would love to read it for myself. I think we as a society need to educate each other. I work in a building where the local Health Department is and we have alot of people that breastfeed and as long as you are discret about it then more power to you. This is so important for our children. I would love to win this.
Saying Hello and wanting to enter the book giveaway! Sounds very interesting!! =)
I am so interested in this topic!! This is a great topic to discuss, because many women go through the wide range of emotions associated with breastfeeding. I do remember vividly the “first date” of my daughter and I, in the hospital when I offered her my breast for the first time. It was an awakening of my self and how important I was to this little being. My mother thought nursing was disgusting, but I was determined to try with an open mind. What a delight for me. It opened up a thousand questions. Could I do this in public? Why do we humans prefer cows milk? Do women sell their breast milk? What if I leak in public? etc… In the bedroom my husband is NOT receptive to anything that has to do with my milk. If I leak it is not a pleasant moment for him. I am really comfortable with my body and nursing and welcome intellectual conversations about the uses and benefits of breast milk. Anyway I would like to enter the contest and can’t wait to read the book.
Thanks for the chance to enter for the book – it sounds really neat!
My first date memories – Hmmm… It’s funny how things change over the years… my “first date” with my husband was dinner at the Reunion Tower in downtown Dallas, TX – at their revolving restaurant. Very romantic. Here recently, our “first date” out after the birth of our daughter (baby #2) was a quick dinner out at Applebee’s and a trip to the grocery store while my dad watched our kids. It was just nice to get out of the house – although I spent most of the night feeling rushed like we just HAD to get home to the kids! I’m still waiting for an actual date…
Brianne’s last blog post..Seth wants one of "Those!"
I read the artical about breatfeeding your date, gotta say I am breastfeed from my wife.I have two boys 9 and 2 and I have to say that I shared a breast while the other one is feeding. It was sweet to taste and mom thought it was weird but enjoyed it, plus it kept them evened out.Thanks can’t wait for the next child… lol Mark