Wednesday, January 31, 2018
How to Not Die in America
How to Not Die in America
I am lucky not for surviving a lethal bacterial infection, but for being a member of a shrinking class of Americans whose lives can absorb a trauma of this magnitude.
January 31, 2018 at 03:19PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2nvn9Mz
The Healthiest And Least Healthy States, According To Life Insurance Companies
The Healthiest And Least Healthy States, According To Life Insurance Companies
Insurance platform PolicyGenius found that overall, life insurance applicants are healthier than the average American.
January 31, 2018 at 02:06PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2rW5eUM
Fertility and Hormones
The thing that I’ve had on my mind a lot lately is the question of when to begin my hormonal transition in relation to what to do about having a child. I’ve known I wanted a baby since I was pretty young, though in more of a maternal parenting role than a paternal one. The only times I’ve questioned that were when the pressures to be a father made me feel inadequate to the task. And especially since learning that induced lactation is possible, I’ve known that starting from infancy is definitely what I want to do.
But the thing is, I’m not in a place yet where I’m ready to start a family. Part of that is personal – I think I need to do more growth and self work before I am ready to devote that much time and attention on a mini human. And part of that is situational – my spouse doesn’t want to be a primary parent and I don’t have anyone else to co-parent with in my life right now.
The part that gives me pause is what to do about my sperm. Once I start hormones it is fairly likely that I will quickly become permanently infertile. There aren’t a lot of studies about what happens when you stop hormones but the advice is to assume that it is a permanent change. I’ve looked into freezing my sperm but that is a very expensive procedure with no guarantee of success, and frankly, I don’t have the money right now dues to other high medical expenses. It also requires me to have good sperm count and motility to begin with and I’m becoming less and less sure that is the case. When my hormone levels were checked recently, my testosterone was low (no surprise) which doesn’t bode well. I also have many habits that tend to lower fertility such as wearing tight clothing, smoking pot, and taking ibuprofen.
So even if I was ready to make a baby right now, there is no guarantee I could do it without major changes that don’t really seem possible. I don’t want to take testosterone supplements because that’s the opposite of what I’m trying to do. It would be very difficult to wear loose clothing with my current style and wardrobe. And cannabis is the only thing I’ve found that makes my chronic pain even tolerable.
As I’ve come to accept that, I’ve realized that I can’t keep waiting on starting my transition. It’s harming my mental health to be stuck in this limbo waiting for a sign. So I’ve setup an appointment with my primary care physician, who luckily specializes in trans patients, to talk about starting hormones. I am going to have to trust that if the universe wants me to have a child, destiny is going to have to meet me halfway.
There are other options for the future. Being nonbinary and nonmonogamous with a nontraditional family structure means that adoption would be difficult, especially through an agency, but there are local places friends have recommended where the birth parent gets to make a choice. What I’m really hoping happens is that I find someone to co-parent with who has a working uterus and possibly another partner with sperm. If not there is always artificial insemination or surrogate parents.
Right now I need to focus on beginning my transition and hopefully along the way find the right way to build a family. If anyone is interested in starting conversations about co-parenting, platonically or otherwise, please let me know.
from lactation « WordPress.com Tag Feed http://ift.tt/2BI8qTo
article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
What to Do When Your Brain Insists You’re Always on a Boat
What to Do When Your Brain Insists You’re Always on a Boat
For most people, the "sea legs" feeling vanishes within minutes or hours. But in rare cases, and for mysterious reasons, the illusion persists for months or even years.
January 31, 2018 at 11:39AM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2GzYAa2
A Winter Harvest and Our New Dynamic Salad Spinner from Johnny's Selected Seeds
from The Martha Stewart Blog http://ift.tt/2rVCzix
via crafterdiy
A Pharmaceutical Treatment For The Terminal Illness Known As 'Parenting'
A Pharmaceutical Treatment For The Terminal Illness Known As 'Parenting'
Kids: you can't live with 'em... but legally you have to. In the mean time, take one of these per day — every day for the rest of your life — and hopefully you won't go clinically insane.
January 31, 2018 at 10:39AM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2Gy6fpm
Jared999D] Karen and Bulgan the Impaler Volume 2 #SVSCOMICS.COM#
from lactation « WordPress.com Tag Feed http://ift.tt/2BGZ7Dg
article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
Jared999D] Karen and Bulgan the Impaler Volume 2 #SVSCOMICS.COM#
from lactation « WordPress.com Tag Feed http://ift.tt/2noTVj4
article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
Clive Davis' 2018 Pre-Grammy Gala
from The Martha Stewart Blog http://ift.tt/2GwVCmD
via crafterdiy
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
The world’s most nutritious foods
The world’s most nutritious foods
After analysing more than 1,000 raw foods, researchers ranked the ingredients that provide the best balance of your daily nutritional requirements – and they found a few surprises.
January 30, 2018 at 03:49PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2GtwSLU
Scientists Saved a Bear With Fish Skin—And Stumbled on a Game-Changing Idea
Scientists Saved a Bear With Fish Skin—And Stumbled on a Game-Changing Idea
The story of California's rescued bears isn't just heartwarming. It's the beginning of a new way to think about burn treatment.
January 30, 2018 at 12:09PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2DNesIq
Pushing the Limits of Extreme Breath-Holding
Pushing the Limits of Extreme Breath-Holding
The brain can make the body do remarkable things, but at what cost?
January 30, 2018 at 12:09PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2DPqnBi
Why The Flu Kills Young, Otherwise Healthy People
Why The Flu Kills Young, Otherwise Healthy People
As one of the worst flu seasons in years continues to sicken people across the U.S., one of its most striking aspects are the untimely deaths it’s caused: A 21-year-old bodybuilder; a 12-year-old boy; a 40-year-old marathoner.
January 30, 2018 at 10:54AM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2DZ0bHT
Amazon, JPMorgan, Berkshire Creating New Health Care Company
Amazon, JPMorgan, Berkshire Creating New Health Care Company
Amazon is diving into health care, teaming up with Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and the New York bank JPMorgan Chase, to create a company that helps their US employees find quality care "at a reasonable cost."
January 30, 2018 at 08:56AM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2DWrJOh
Astronauts lose weight in space, and it might be because their food is literally floating around inside them
Astronauts lose weight in space, and it might be because their food is literally floating around inside them
Stomachs weren't built for space.
January 30, 2018 at 08:56AM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2FtE3Cw
The Sun Wine & Food Fest in Uncasville, Connecticut
from The Martha Stewart Blog http://ift.tt/2E0vbY8
via crafterdiy
Monday, January 29, 2018
A prisoner in my own body: This is what it’s like to have sleep paralysis.
A prisoner in my own body: This is what it’s like to have sleep paralysis.
I went to pull the blankets up and realized I couldn't move. I tried to scream, but no words came out.
January 29, 2018 at 06:17PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2rOhiaq
Preventive Care Saves Money? Sorry, It’s Too Good to Be True
Preventive Care Saves Money? Sorry, It’s Too Good to Be True
Contrary to conventional wisdom, it tends to cost money, but it improves quality of life at a very reasonable price.
January 29, 2018 at 05:13PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2nk9VmG
A Harrowing Tale Of What The Tide Pod Challenge Could Do To Your Lungs
A Harrowing Tale Of What The Tide Pod Challenge Could Do To Your Lungs
In case you haven't already gotten the message: don't put laundry pods anywhere near your mouth. Seriously.
January 29, 2018 at 04:50PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2DZX6Hs
Hey, Remember That Time I Casually Mentioned Breastfeeding to My Spirit Animal?
It’s been over two years since Emily weaned. I don’t write about breastfeeding or nursing anymore, unless it is in response to a comment on my nipple trauma post, still my most popular post on this blog.
It gratifies me to know I’ve left even a tiny mark on the world of breastfeeding health and lactivism.
I miss nursing, but I don’t really feel the urge to write about it anymore. And unless I am doling out obnoxiously unsolicited advice to a new mom, I rarely talk about it.
Well, that’s not entirely true.
Since I nursed Emily until she was a little past four, when she naturally weaned herself, she remembers her time at the breast. She occasionally mentions it to me. She reminisces, and even wishes she could still be a cozy little nursling.
It is also gratifying to know my daughter has happy, safe, sweet memories of nursing and will hopefully grow up with positive attitudes about breastfeeding.
But I digress. . .
What I really wanted to tell you about was meeting my all time musical idol a few months back.
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a HUGE Regina Spektor fan. My obsession for her cannot be stifled.
Regina is a Russian immigrant who came here as a child to escape religious persecution for being Jewish. She is a classically trained pianist who writes insanely creative songs in the indie-anti-folk-alternative genre.
You might know her as the singer who wrote and performed the Orange is the New Black theme song. She also recently did a cover of While My Guitar Gently Weeps for the animated movie, Kubo and the Two Strings.
Her presence in the world brings me joy and hope. It’s no hyperbole to say her music changed my life. It may have even altered my DNA at a molecular level.
Regina toured this past year, and I got to see her three times. THREE TIMES you guys!!!
I saw her in my home state, and in New York City at Radio City Music Hall in March. Then I got to see her in November in Northampton, MA. Through a confluence of rare and unusual events, a friend managed to obtain backstage passes to meet Ms. Spektor after the show in Northampton.
OMGOMGOMG!!! I know, right!!!
It was going to be really hard to play it cool, but that was the plan. The entire show was like an out of body experience, and she sang Loveology and Pound of Flesh and Flyin‘ and a bunch of other oldies I’d never heard live before.
Oh, and also my friend and I were in the second row, just so, so, so close to this woman who has more artistic energy in a fingernail clipping than most people can imagine in their entire lifetimes! The show was unreal, and even if I’d never met Regina that night, it still would have pretty much been a perfect experience.
So, we stuck our backstage passes on our lapels after the show and waited in the appointed spot for the tour manager. There were people hanging around who didn’t have backstage passes, and they didn’t even try to hide their envy as they asked how we got “on the list”.
Finally the tour manager came to get us, and he led us down some stairs to a chamber that was all brick and basement and lacking in any glamour or glitz. And there she was. Regina Freaking Spektor. My spirit animal.
She greeted us with genuine warmth and kindness that set me instantly at ease. She was soft spoken and almost shy. We chatted about this and that and fuck tRump!
I got to tell her how I’d seen her at RCMH and how I heard her speak about Purim and the importance of resistance and how meaningful and prescient this had been to me at the time. I shared with her that I worked for a Jewish agency and she seemed truly delighted by this little fact about me.
While we were talking, her tour manager came up to her with a bag of lentils. She thanked him and turned back to us. “If you ever need to make a heat pack in a pinch,” she said. “Lentils work great! Stick them in a sock in the microwave.”
“Rice in a sock works good too,” I added.
“Oh yeah?”
“Sure,” I offered confidently. “Came in handy during breastfeeding.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I was sure I’d said the most flagrantly awkward thing on the planet. Who meets their idol and starts talking about breastfeeding? I apologized with a little laugh.
“No!” Regina said with a pleasant and unflappable grace. “That’s so real. Breastfeeding is real. I remember. . .” Somehow we got on another subject and then she signed my poster for my daughter and me. Love and peace and fun.
She gave us hugs and we took photos together.
The whole encounter didn’t last more than ten minutes and then my friend and I were on the road back home.
I haven’t posted here in a long while, and I haven’t posted about breastfeeding in a longer while. It occurred to me that this was a sharable little nugget.
I’m always searching for ways to integrate all these random bits of myself; to reconcile all of the parts of who I am to make something whole and awesome. There is me as an artist, woman, mom, wife, worker, and friend. There is me as someone who hopes and hurts and heals and hides. There is me as a sexual goddess being, created of life. There is me who is very private. There is me who is very proud and enthusiastic.
In a way, it is so totally perfect that I managed to casually weave a thread of one of my life’s greatest passions into my tiny interaction with my greatest hero. It felt awkward and crazy and just right. To me, that’s what my integration is all about, and it was received with gracious humor that night.
from lactation « WordPress.com Tag Feed http://ift.tt/2EmGvLX
article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
A Workout-Tracking App Accidentally Revealed The Location Of A Bunch Of Secret Military Bases
A Workout-Tracking App Accidentally Revealed The Location Of A Bunch Of Secret Military Bases
Observers noticed that Strava's global workout heatmap apparently revealed the location of secret military bases around the world and the exercise habits of individual troops on those bases.
January 29, 2018 at 02:01PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2Eknt8Q
An ER visit, a $12,000 bill — and a health insurer that wouldn’t pay
An ER visit, a $12,000 bill — and a health insurer that wouldn’t pay
A new insurance policy expects patients to diagnose themselves.
January 29, 2018 at 01:29PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2DNjMvx
The Startling Link Between Sugar And Alzheimer's
The Startling Link Between Sugar And Alzheimer's
A high-carb diet, and the attendant high blood sugar, are now associated with cognitive decline.
January 29, 2018 at 09:34AM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2nl9lFj
My Newest Offerings on QVC
from The Martha Stewart Blog http://ift.tt/2GrFDGh
via crafterdiy
Sunday, January 28, 2018
10 Days of Eating Fat, for My Mental Health
10 Days of Eating Fat, for My Mental Health
The ketogenic diet is showing scientific promise as a treatment for some psychiatric disorders.
January 28, 2018 at 11:06PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2DSuAYq
Order online!
Hi! Guess what? Mommy’s Little Cupcake products can now be purchased on Shopee! Simply search for us or you can also type in shop.ph/mommyslittlecupcake
Check out the site because they offer the Shopee Guarantee which makes sure your payment is safe and they have plenty of promos and flash sales, too!
from lactation « WordPress.com Tag Feed http://ift.tt/2nhMxGo
article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
Searching for an Alzheimer’s cure while my father slips away
Searching for an Alzheimer’s cure while my father slips away
At the beginning, we searched frantically for any medical breakthrough that might hint at a cure. Then hope gave way to the unbearable truth.
January 28, 2018 at 09:03PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2rNszb1
What If Parasitic Worms Are Actually... Good For You?
What If Parasitic Worms Are Actually... Good For You?
We know, we know. Worms are gross. But this video actually makes a pretty persuasive case for some types of parasitic worms.
January 28, 2018 at 06:17PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2Fop2Cd
Sorry, Kid, I Spent All My Money On Your Existence
Sorry, Kid, I Spent All My Money On Your Existence
I've spent thousands of dollars trying to get pregnant, and will spend many thousands more on my surrogate. And there's still no guarantee of a baby.
January 28, 2018 at 09:30AM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2nl1x5p
Saturday, January 27, 2018
My Pacemaker Is Tracking Me From Inside My Body
My Pacemaker Is Tracking Me From Inside My Body
Cloud-connected medical devices save lives, but also raise questions about privacy, security, and oversight.
January 27, 2018 at 02:02PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2BxBddz
Workplace Wellness Programs Really Don't Work
Workplace Wellness Programs Really Don't Work
They don't save money or make employees healthier, a new study finds.
January 27, 2018 at 09:42AM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2BxGLo8
Decorating with Orchids in My Home
from The Martha Stewart Blog http://ift.tt/2ni8yUH
via crafterdiy
Great, Now In Addition To Air Pollution We Also Have To Worry About Noise Pollution
Great, Now In Addition To Air Pollution We Also Have To Worry About Noise Pollution
Incessant noise isn't just annoying — it's also a serious public health problem.
January 26, 2018 at 11:54PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2GlSwln
Friday, January 26, 2018
Citing Deaths of Lab Monkeys, F.D.A. Ends an Addiction Study
Domperidone, The Champagne of Breastfeeding Mothers
One of the most exciting thoughts to me when I was going through my two pregnancies was the thought of breastfeeding my child. Now I definitely understand that not all mothers choose to breastfeed for various reasons and I totally appreciate each individual woman’s choice.
My reasons were somewhat complicated. I am not sure how I would have felt if I had not already experienced the past that I already endured with my breasts. We already had a close and tense relationship.
When I was 35, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in my left breast. I had a lumpectomy, followed by chemotherapy, followed by 6 weeks of daily radiation, followed by post cancer tamoxifen. It was a long road, but it was finally over and I was left with a distorted breast and little confidence that I’d be able to feed any future children.
I’ve had two post cancer babies. That in itself is the biggest blue ribbon prize I can think of for any woman who wants children, who has gone through a cancer process, and can still bear children after chemotherapy courses through their veins.
The breastfeeding piece, however, became nerve wracking for me. I was anxious about it as I had read so many articles about women not producing right away or not having enough with one breast even if they were able to produce milk. I was preoccupied as the day approached to meet my son.
The day finally came and as I had anticipated, I struggled. My son lost over a pound in the hospital and I was already devastated. If you’ve been a woman who really wants to breastfeed and are motivated to make it work, you put in hours of time into making it work. You feed every 20 minutes and have pumping regimens to try and get your milk going.
I did this for 6 weeks. I took herbal supplements, drank teas and did everything “natural” that was recommended, but nothing worked. I remember I cried a lot. My breasts had screwed me over again and I was in a situation that was beyond my control. I hated them.
I was starting to lose hope and my son was starting to drink more and more formula. As I was starting to give up the idea that breastfeeding was going to ever work, a family member mentioned the most amazing prospect to me to finally make my milk come in- domperidone.
This does indeed sound like Dom Perignon and in a sense, domperidone is like a fine champagne. Here’s the deal with this amazing drug. It is not available in the US. Sadly, the FDA will not authorize it for use as a breastfeeding drug and in 2017, shortly before I gave birth, they pulled it from all US pharmacies due to a potential heart issue that can occur while taking it. The percentages are small that a consumer would have this heart anomaly, but the concern was great enough to remove it from shelves.
It should be noted that it is not a drug that is indicated for breastfeeding mothers but rather a drug used to treat certain stomach and gastrointestinal issues. The drug can cause the patient to lactate as a side effect. This is the amazing part of this drug: it works.
Within 1 day, I was all of a sudden experiencing an engorged breast, leaking, and enough milk production to feed my son 50% of his daily milk intake. It works differently for every woman and with my second pregnancy, I am currently able to feed my son around 75% of his daily intake. It’s amazing. I went from producing maybe not even an ounce of milk per pump, to 6 ounces of milk per pump.
I was able to have the bonding experience with my child I never thought I could have, nourish him to an extent the way that I wanted, and have some control again over my breasts- something I thought not possible.
The opportunity to make breastfeeding work for me was not only an amazing experience for me and my sons, but it also helped me learn to love a part of my body that once tried to kill me. My breasts became something I admired instead of hating. It also helped me work though my emotions about breast cancer.
How does a person obtain this wonder drug if it is not available in the US? Canadian pharmacies still prescribe the drug and all you need is your OB to write a script. The problem is, however, your OB may be reluctant (mine was) because they are not willing to prescribe a drug banned by the FDA with no availability here. It’s a liability to them if a side effect like the heart anomaly should occur.
I came across an online pharmacy that does not require a prescription and I have been thankfully getting my domperidone shipped to the US. It’s great, it’s legit, and very easy to order. I have now been breastfeeding my second child for almost a year on this drug thanks to this pharmacy.
I will note that I do have one doctor that is in support of me taking this drug contingent I receive an EKG every 2 months or so to monitor for the heart anomaly that can occur. My suggestion is to find a doctor that would monitor this and agree to EKGs for reassurance if there is an interest in domperidone and the ability to breastfeed.
My breastfeeding journey has been amazing and I am grateful to have an experience I never thought possible. For more information on ordering domperidone please visit:
https://www.inhousepharmacy.vu/
from lactation « WordPress.com Tag Feed http://ift.tt/2DCcVku
article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
The female price of male pleasure
The female price of male pleasure
The world is disturbingly comfortable with the fact that women sometimes leave a sexual encounter in tears.
January 26, 2018 at 07:30AM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2DJaaBG
Starting Onions from Seed at My Farm
from The Martha Stewart Blog http://ift.tt/2DCil2K
via crafterdiy
Thursday, January 25, 2018
What Would Happen If You Never Took Off Your Hat?
What Would Happen If You Never Took Off Your Hat?
Hats are fun. They make you look nice and they can keep you warm. So what's the harm in always wearing one?
January 25, 2018 at 06:04PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2DDiYoA
Do Prisoners With a Life-Threatening Disease Deserve an Expensive Cure?
Do Prisoners With a Life-Threatening Disease Deserve an Expensive Cure?
The disease is common in prison populations but states face a catch-22: spend their entire medical budgets on newer drugs or use cheaper treatments that are less effective.
January 25, 2018 at 02:38PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2F7h0xt
Using Beneficial Insects from Koppert Biological Systems
from The Martha Stewart Blog http://ift.tt/2DCZTqT
via crafterdiy
I Am Worried About My Ears
I Am Worried About My Ears
If the wellness boom of the past several years has suggested anything, it's that there is no human deficiency that cannot be fixed. Except for hearing loss, which is crushingly final.
January 25, 2018 at 08:36AM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2Dy0s19
Air Pollution Is Killing Millions Around The Globe Each Year
Air Pollution Is Killing Millions Around The Globe Each Year
It's not listed on death certificates, but it's still considered "one of the great killers of our age."
January 25, 2018 at 04:45AM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2BlT2MF
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
The BEST lactation cookies
As a breastfeeding working mom I had a little help in keeping my supply up: COOKIES!
When I was pregnant with Michael my love of chocolate chip cookies greatly intensified and I had at least one a day. My obsession didn’t end with pregnancy and my sweet craving — especially for chocolate chip cookies — has stuck with me ever since.
When Michael was still nursing, I tried a million recipes for lactation cookies — cookies with a purpose! An excuse to eat even more! — and my favorite one came from Milkin’ Mamas, but the link doesn’t work anymore, so I’m re-typing it here.
You know a recipe is legit if it’s posted in the lactation room at work and dated almost two years prior! Enjoy!
The BEST lactation cookies (Makes a lot of cookies! Bake extras to share with your lactation room friends! Freeze what you don’t want to bake now!)
- 2 T flax seed meal
- 4 T water
- 1 c butter, soften to room temperature
- 1.5 c firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs, room teperature
- 1 t vanilla (I usually use don’t measure and just add a steady pour…)
- 2 c flour
- 3-4 T brewer’s yeast
- 1 t baking soda
- 1 t salt
- 3 c rolled oats
- 1 c chocolate chip (I prefer milk chocolate!)
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a small bowl, combine the flax seed meal and water. Let stand for 5 minutes. (This simulates an egg in texture for baking.)
- In a large bowl or mixer, beat butter and brown sugar.
- Add eggs and beat well.
- Add flax seed mixture and vanilla, beat well.
- Add dry ingredients: flour, brewer’s yeast, baking soda, and salt.
- Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
- Scoop rounded tablespoons onto baking tray.
- Bake 12 minutes.
- Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooking rack.
Some notes:
- Use whole oats, not quick oats. Extra thick oats are even better.
- Do not substitute the brewer’s yeast with regular yeast. These are not the same thing. Brewer’s yeast is available on Amazon, as well as at natural food stores.
- Flax seed meal is available at Trader Joe’s and natural food stores.
I would make a large batch of cookie dough, bake the cookies I needed for the week and then freeze the extras, so I could bake them whenever I needed cookies.
Need other ideas for keeping your supply high? Read this post!
from lactation « WordPress.com Tag Feed http://ift.tt/2E7KsnE
article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
A Visit from Koppert Biological Systems
from The Martha Stewart Blog http://ift.tt/2DxpjlE
via crafterdiy
Know Your Citrus: A Field Guide to Oranges, Lemons, Limes, and Beyond
Know Your Citrus: A Field Guide to Oranges, Lemons, Limes, and Beyond
Oranges, kumquats, ugli fruit, and Buddha’s hands may not cure the common cold, but they sure are edible sunshine, packed with the remarkable power to brighten, cure, preserve, acidulate, aromatize, enrich, and utterly transform every food they touch.
January 24, 2018 at 07:24AM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2F7z621
New Index Rates Drug Companies in Fight Against ‘Superbugs’
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Tips for breastfeeding working moms
This post is over a year in the making. Life of a working mom, then-pumping mom, then mom, right?
Having a kid is a lot of fun, but it’s also hard work. (Like, the hardest job I’ve ever had!) One of the hardest/most annoying parts of motherhood is feeding your kid, specifically breastfeeding.
Michael was a good breastfeed-er and we hit our stride pretty early on. But, it was a task; not something I wanted to do, but something I had to do. You know, to feed my kid. Breastfeeding while you’re with the kid is pretty easy to get the hang of, but when you’re away from him and pumping? A whole ‘nother story.
Until recently, and while I was nursing Michael, I worked for the City of Seattle and while some of the city buildings only have adequate pumping facilities, my building’s “mother’s room” is amazing. In addition to a couple of mini fridges, a sink, and microwave (essentials for storing and cleaning your milk), we had plush chairs, private cubicles, and a bank of lockers to store our gear.
By themselves, these attributes made my pumping experience a bit better than some of my friends who didn’t have quite this nice of setup. But it isn’t a standalone thing. The City employs thousands of individuals, and some of them are lactating moms. This is a strong, close-knit community that I was honored to be a part of for close to a year.
It’s not easy going from months off of work, focusing solely on nurturing your new human to working 8+ hours a day, trying to pretend that you didn’t just give birth and don’t have biological needs that have to be addressed. Do you know what it’s like to push your pump break a few minutes only to have to rush to the Emergency Operations Center with your non-parent, mostly male colleagues to address citywide messaging for a huge power outage in downtown Seattle instead of “milking yourself”? I do. It’s not ideal.
I named the lactation/mother’s room the Pump Haus (or Microsoft, which is what it looks like you’re saying if your colleague mouths “milk yourself” after saying you need to leave a meeting urgently). I made some really great friendships there with moms with kids weeks or months older or younger than Michael. We talked about everything. It was a real, live chat board! The more experienced moms set many of our concerns to rest and I was thankful that I was able to pass along my knowledge to the newbies. We talked sleeping, eating, drinking not just for our babes, but also for ourselves; everything under the sun! We shared sale codes, recipes, and advice about decorating, first birthday parties, vacations, and jobs. I even took a meeting or two in the Pump Haus, with a new-mom colleague. Talk about multi-tasking!
I stopped pumping in September, after Michael’s first birthday. I didn’t realize how emotional it would be, but as I wrote a note to my fellow Pump Haus moms, I teared up. While I blame the hormones for the tears, the Pump Haus and my Pump Haus community were a huge part of last year. I count my blessings that I was able to have such a positive pumping experience, because I know that’s not always the case.
Just before the end of the year Michael nursed for the last time and seems to be doing just fine without breast milk. (YESSSSS!!!) It’s pretty freeing for me and for those of you who are struggling with breastfeeding and/or pumping, or heading back to work soon, I’m here to share my tips with you.
For milk production:
- Drink a lot of water. Like, a lot. Drink one ounce of water for every pound that you weigh. I know. That’s a lot of water, but I promise, it’ll keep your supply up!
- Don’t diet. Making milk burns about 500 calories a day, and you need those calories in order to make the milk, so don’t diet.
- Eat healthy, but… Don’t deny yourself either. I’m a pretty healthy eater, but my milk seemed to increase those days when I had a little bit shittier things to eat (licorice, Cheetos, cookies, etc).
- Drink this tea or take Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle supplements. It tastes gnarly, but it works.
- Eat lactation cookies! I tried a million recipes and my favorite one came from Milkin’ Mamas, but the link doesn’t work anymore, so I’ll be typing up the recipe soon. (You know a recipe is legit if it’s posted in the lactation room at work and dated almost two years prior!) I would make a large batch of cookie dough, bake the cookies I needed for the week and then freeze the extras, so I could bake them whenever I needed cookies.
- Your supply operates on a supply and demand schedule. If there isn’t a demand, there won’t be a supply. So, if you want to keep your supply up, pump as many times as you would normally feed your wee one on the weekend. This also meant pumping before bed for me, which was pretty annoying, but it also meant Michael was a good nighttime sleeper, so a trade-off I was ok with.
- Supplement! Sometimes you just don’t make as much milk as others. It’s most important that your child eat. We used Similac for Supplementation throughout Michael’s first year and he continues to thrive!
Pumping at work:
- Get this bra. It’s sizing is very forgiving (growing and shrinking with you, easy to wash) and you’ll have your hands free to properly search Pinterest. (I mean, respond to work emails.)
- Keeping a pump at work with clutch for me. If possible, keep one at work, so you won’t have to drag it back and forth.
- I can’t say enough about my steam sanitizer. I preferred to wash my pump supplies at home, but have the supplies (soap, brush, steamer) if you’re washing there.
- The jury is out on how long you can leave milk un-refrigerated. I usually kept it out no more than 4 hours.
- Have a waterproof bag for transporting your milk upright. As much as you want those Madela lids to work flawlessly, they don’t.
- I bought these 8 oz Madela bottles and kept my milk in them. It was a lot easier than lugging lots of small bottles around!
I think that’s it. Happy pumping!
from lactation « WordPress.com Tag Feed http://ift.tt/2n6Z0fN
article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
Getting down and medieval: the sex lives of the Middle Ages
Getting down and medieval: the sex lives of the Middle Ages
Medieval people feared death by celibacy as much as venereal disease, and practiced complex sexual health regimens.
January 23, 2018 at 05:13PM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2n2foOP
Everything You Could Want To Know About Ketogenic Diets (And Then Some)
Everything You Could Want To Know About Ketogenic Diets (And Then Some)
Do ketogenic diets, which force your body to use fat instead of carbs for energy, actually work? PBS's Reactions cuts through the lipids to find out.
January 23, 2018 at 10:51AM
via Digg http://ift.tt/2E0KXj6