Best Nursing Top

Hi Moms,

After trying many different nursing tops from many different retailers (price ranging from $10 to $40), my favorite this year would have to be the peasant top from Joe Fresh for $14. It is 100% cotton, the elastic collar pulls down, the midsection is generous for the postpartum baby bump and comes in different colours. I wear a nursing tank under it and a pair of cotton shorts (also from Joe Fresh.) It is number one on comfort, cuteness, and affordability. With its variety of colours, I had fun mix and matching tops and shorts this summer.

Since I am running around all day with 3 kids this summer, this ensemble took me everywhere!

I hope that saves some moms out there some time.
If your location does not have a Joe Fresh, look for peasant tops at your nearest retailer. If you catch them on sale, you won't have to pay over $30 at a maternity store.

Happy nursing!

Top Seven Secrets

Here are some secrets (my opinion only) summarized on one page based on a more than a decade of experience with scientific colleagues in and out of academia. You may read more about each in detail on my other posts.

1. To save a few years in the academic track, use your PhD as a base when deciding on the postdoc. Either stay with the same technology and apply it to a different model OR stay in your area of research and learn a new technology to expand it. For example, my PhD was in the genomic mapping of a pediatric illness. A good postdoc geared towards an academic career would have been to expand my genomic mapping skills to another illness OR performed proteomics (next step) for the same illness. Some postdocs do change everything in it entirety - but then be prepared to spend more time as a PDF. Remember however, if you take some part of your PhD with you, find an agreement with your advisor so you are not competing with each other in future work. 

2. Optimize your PhD - try to make it the best in science and collaborations so that you might even start an innovation, patent, or company from it.

3. Find mentors 5-10 years your senior so they can tell you which grants to apply for as a postdoc and a young professor or which biotech companies have good science and good people.

4. Read everything so you know what is going on in this world. Figure out the need, combine your passion and scientific background and CREATE something good. Talk to the right people who can advise you on the marketability. Communications is key. Here is an inspirational example of baby Embrace started by Stanford grad students which I have spoken about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWaifO274UQ 

Everyone of you have this potential.

5. If you are pursuing an academic postdoc and you realize you are off to industry, publish more collaborative papers. Industry looks for collaborative, excellent scientists.

6. Maintain research integrity, know the legal issues which revolve around science patents and company partnerships.

7. Creativity again is essential in integrating the rest of life, especially when having children. Create and propose a shift in your career that works for both you and the company/institution. 

Challenges of Professional Nursing Moms

During my maternity "break," I have had some meetings on skype, conference calls and in person. I must say that all of these were only possible with my trusted team, both at work and at home. At work, I have a great team of graduate students and administrative help. At home, I have a great mother's assistant who helps with school drop-offs and pick-ups for my older children, lunch with them, baby, laundry and light housekeeping. I also have some trusted mothers who can also take my school children for lunch and after school if I am late either nursing baby or at a meeting.

One of the challenges through all this was to find nursing-friendly clothing for postpartum working women. We are definitely not all supermodels who fit back into our form-fitting outfits 4 months later. Most nursing wear are too casual for work. I have a formal work conference coming up, and it was a big challenge just to find the best outfit to nurse in, feel good yet professional in. Button down shirt with a suit? Too stuffy. Nursing tops? All of them were too casual. Wrap-dresses can reveal too much cleavage. After many attempts, I finally found a button-down dress made of fabric and colour (black with fun pattern and colours) which I felt good in. Shoes are black sandal wedges with back-up flats as I will be working all day.

Anyone want to tackle retail for real, nursing women?
This is a definite need.

Finding the Confidence to "Be the Change"

Fabulous!

I recently spoke at a career symposium for grad students and PDFs and the lead coordinator for the event was one of my students from the course I taught last fall. She mentioned she was always a shy person, and never imagined she could do something like this.

I hope my motivational talks helped her out of her shell.
Congratulations I say!

As I say in my talks, "You are a PhD! You are smart and can move the world in your own way. Seize the opportunity!"

It's lovely to see young scientists, especially women, find their worldly confidence!

"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Ghandi

Funniest Things Kids Have Said Lately

"Where did you learn the word 'foolish' ?" I asked.
"Well, big sister taught me the word 'fool' from the silly boys in her class. And I added 'ish.' "
:)

On another day, I was speaking to an adult.
"I tend to find parents of an only child to be a bit more protective since they...." I paused a bit to tend to baby and my kindergarten child finished the statement for me.

"Because they don't have a BACK-UP kid?"


This was followed by tears of laughter....for a long time.

What to Expect During the First Three Months of Baby

1. Sleep swaddled
2. Nurse one side
3. Sometimes poo, change diaper
4. Nurse other side
5. Sleep swaddled
6. Goto 1.

Other activities:
Step 3) may happen at anytime.
Random moments of wakefulness during the 24 hour cycle.
Random moments of crying anytime.
Lot of hugging and holding.
Lots of looking at baby in amazement...a miracle she is.

For the Mom:
1. Adjusting to breastfeeding takes a month or more.
2. Critical is a cellphone with texting ability to reach out to friends, baby caretakers, husband when you are immobile while you nurse.
3. Your hair will start falling out after 3 months, some more than others. This may be a good time to enjoy a fresh, new haircut.
4. You will no longer need mat clothes at 3 months, but won't be able to fit into your previous skinny jeans. You may need to purchase some "interim" pants and button down shirts, if nursing.
5. Purchase a breastpump - critical for emergencies.
6. A nursing pillow that has a velcro belt works best, not the U shapes ones. They tend to slip out.
7. Take time everyday to shower, take care of your hair and makeup so you feel good about yourself. A disheveled mom is not a happy mom.

Enjoy this early baby time - it goes by quickly!

Biomedical Career Development Workshop 2013

Here are the sessions for the Career Development Workshop coming in June, 2013. Open to 200 graduate students, PDFs and professionals, it will address the transitions of the life science career path while integrating the rest of life. Proposal was sent to American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and was awarded! Other sponsors include CSMB, Depts of Biochemistry, Immunology, U of Toronto. Thank you to the sponsors and the students who are helping me organize the logistics.

Plenary
9-10 How to Succeed in Academia
10-11 How to Optimize your Scientific Career
11-12 Successful Careers outside of Academia

Networking Lunch
1:30 - 3 Concurrent sessionals
    Intellectual Property and Ethics
    Mentorship
    Global Trends / Innovation
    Choosing the Best PostDoc and Preparing for the Job After

3:15 - 4:30 Afternoon Plenary
Career Transitions Throughout Life

4:30 - 5 Keynote Speaker Matt Buist, Director of Life Science Ontario
Networking