This Surgeon Wants To Offer Cheap MRIs. A State Law Is Getting In His Way
Dr. Gajendra Singh is suing to overturn North Carolina's "certificate of need" law.
July 31, 2018 at 08:05PM
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Tuesday, July 31, 2018
This Surgeon Wants To Offer Cheap MRIs. A State Law Is Getting In His Way
This Surgeon Wants To Offer Cheap MRIs. A State Law Is Getting In His Way
Dr. Gajendra Singh is suing to overturn North Carolina's "certificate of need" law.
July 31, 2018 at 08:05PM
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A Solid Night's Sleep Is The New Luxury Good. Have Fun Affording It
A Solid Night's Sleep Is The New Luxury Good. Have Fun Affording It
How much would you pay to sleep better?
July 31, 2018 at 07:09PM
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Lactation energy balls
Ingredients
⅓ cup of steel cut oats
¼ cup of tahini
4 medjool dates
1 tbsp of almond meal
1 tsp of flaxseed
1 tsp of coconut oil
1 tsp of fenugreek
Instructions
- Mix first 5 ingredients in a food processor on low. Remove batter and place in a bowl.
- Heat coconut oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Turn down heat to low and add fenugreek. Heat butter with fenugreek for 2 minutes.
- Add fenugreek butter to batter and mix well.
- Form batter into bite size balls.
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article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
5 reasons why women stop breastfeeding
Have you seen the latest video of Chrissy Teigen trying to salvage as much of her spilled breast milk as possible? She’s disappointed that she doesn’t produce enough milk for her 9-week-old son and later reveals on Twitter that she supplements with formula.
I can laugh about the video now because Chrissy’s experience is so relatable — I, too, struggled to produce enough milk for my son. The entire breastfeeding process didn’t come as naturally as I would’ve liked. Even with lactation consultants, it took weeks for my son to properly latch (he was never diagnosed as being tongue-tied). When I wasn’t breastfeeding, I was expressing or pumping, which meant I wasn’t sleeping. I was consumed with guilt when I resorted to supplementing and the guilt resurfaced when I weaned him off breast milk completely before he was 12-months old.
What struck me about the video was not so much the content but the number of comments from other moms who’ve also struggled with breastfeeding and milk supply.
Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to exclusively breastfeed? Because we know that breastmilk is liquid gold.
Breastfed babies are less likely to have infections.
- “The risk of hospitalization for lower respiratory tract infections in the first year is reduced 72% if infants breastfed exclusively for more than 4 months.”
- “Any breastfeeding is associated with a 64% reduction in the incidence of nonspecific gastrointestinal tract infections, and this effect lasts for 2 months after cessation of breastfeeding.”
Breastfed babies are less likely to get certain types of diseases.
- There is “a protective effect of exclusive breastfeeding for 3 to 4 months in reducing the incidence of clinical asthma, atopic dermatitis, and eczema by 27% in a low-risk population and up to 42% in infants with positive family history.”
- There is “an association between increased duration of breastfeeding and reduced risk of celiac disease.”
- “Breastfeeding is associated with a 31% reduction in the risk of childhood inflammatory bowel disease.”
Breastfed babies are less likely to be obese as adults.
- “[B]ecause breastfed infants self-regulate intake volume irrespective of maneuvers that increase available milk volume, and the early programming of self-regulation, in turn, affects adult weight gain.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) regularly reviews the research available on breastfeeding and their findings continue to support their recommendation for “exclusive breastfeeding for about 6 months, with continuation of breastfeeding for 1 year or longer as mutually desired by mother and infant”. And yet, moms who start off breastfeeding often don’t end up meeting the AAP’s suggested 6-month minimum requirement to exclusively breastfed. Why?
According to the Office of the Surgeon General, the top reasons why moms stop breastfeeding include:
Embarrassment
Photo by MIXU on Pexels.com
Do you own a nursing cover? Have you ever opted to feed your child with the bottle because you were afraid to “whip out” your boobs for all the world to see?
All 50 states in the US protect a mother’s right to breastfeed in public, with Idaho and Utah as the last states enacting law to do so this year. While the law is now in place nationally, shifting cultural norms is difficult. Breasts have historically been overly sexualized in mass media and this has had the unintended consequence of viewing breastfeeding as a lude act.
Just a couple of weeks ago, two moms, Stephanie Buchanan and Mary Davis, were asked to leave a public pool in Minnesota because other patrons were uncomfortable watching them breastfeed in public.
To avoid this type of public shaming, I remember going out of my way to find secluded areas where I could nurse, which, at times, were in cramp and questionable bathroom stalls. It was when my baby was sweltering under the nursing cover during an exceptionally hot summer day that I decided enough was enough. I needed to get over the fear of public breastfeeding and put the health and safety of my baby first. Imagine that. I had been so hardwired to think that showing my breasts even if to simply feed my child could be misconstrued as sexual. Fortunately, I was never asked to cover up or leave a public area while breastfeeding but I would hope that if I did, other moms would show their support.
Stephanie and Mary’s story spread. It prompted a sit-in outside of the pool where they had been asked to leave. Dozens of moms breastfed openly as a show of solidarity.
Employment and child care
Photo by Christina Morillo on Pexels.com
When I moved back to the US, it took me a few months to find a job. If anyone has had to apply to jobs in the traditional way (responding to online posts), you know it’s full-time work. On top of this, I was a 24/7 mom to a toddler. I postponed putting my child in daycare for as long as I could because it just didn’t make financial sense. But being a 24/7 mom does make you go a little bonkers at times. So when my little kiddo and I would go out on the weekdays, to parks or libraries, I had hoped to find other parents to talk to. Instead, what I found was a community of lovely, friendly, and supportive nannies and caregivers. I was, however, in the minority as a parent. This was an eye-opening experience for me and a real cultural shock, especially when I learned that some of the babies being cared for by nannies or caregivers were as young as a month old.
If you’re a working mom in the US, you are not alone. Currently, the majority of women having children are also working moms. In 2016, the American Community Survey (ACS) estimates approximately 4 million women gave birth in the US, 62.4% of whom are in the labor force, with some moms going back to work just a fews weeks after giving birth.
Going back to work within 6 weeks after giving birth could jeopardize a mother’s ability to successfully establish breastfeeding and pose a significant barrier to exclusive breastfeeding. Fortunately, there are companies that have updated their work policy to better support new moms, giving them flexibility in their working hours to find time to express milk as well as providing a safe and hygienic room to express and store their milk. But these companies are few and far between, and often reserved for white collar jobs.
The US Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid time off, falls short of what other countries offer. Germany gives parents a full year of family leave with 60% pay. In the UK, my company gave me 6 months of full paid time off. But even with that length of time, I have to admit, it was still a struggle for me to establish adequate milk supply. So it’s not surprising that a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report found the rates of exclusive breastfeeding in US drops from 65% at 7 days down to only 25% at 6 months.
Lactation Problems
According to one national study, about half of mothers surveyed noted insufficient milk supply as their reason for stopping breastfeeding. Concern about insufficient milk supply could be due to improper latch, especially in the early stages. I can not stress this enough: please speak with a lactation consultant as soon as possible in order to get the technique down right.
In hindsight, I should have hired an experienced lactation consultant from the start. I was a newbie mom and thought the midwives at the hospital were experts in breastfeeding. What I faced were varied feedback and advice, which didn’t help with my confidence.
If you’re not sure where to even begin, the Office of Women’s Health’s website lists common breastfeeding challenges and provides helpful solutions.
Poor family and social support
I kept the word “poor” in the header of this paragraph because that’s how the Surgeon General’s report refers to it. I personally wouldn’t use such a negative term because let’s face it, in the past, bottle-feeding was the norm. A good majority of my friends and family who were born in the 1980s were primarily bottle fed and because they all turned out relatively okay, giving a child formula may not seem harmful at all.
It’s only recently that breastfeeding is getting all of the glorious attention that it deserves. But if not everyone in your immediate social circle is bought-in to the fact that breast is best, any sort of challenges you face in breastfeeding become heightened. In an effort to alleviate you from the pains and stress of breastfeeding, friends and family members could be quick to suggest giving your baby a bottle of formula instead. This isn’t particularly helpful though if your confidence already waning.
If you can’t find the type of support you need from your immediate circle of friends and family, there are an incredible amount of breastfeeding resources online. La Leche League USA is a good place to start if you’re looking for local breastfeeding support groups in your area.
Self-care
Photo by Josh Willink on Pexels.com
Finally, although it’s not explicitly mentioned in the report, having the confidence in your ability to breastfeed starts with you and taking care of yourself.
From my experience, I didn’t do enough to take care of myself and I think this affected my milk supply. Aside from lack of sleep, I barely had time to eat a proper meal, and when I did, what I ate wasn’t the best. As someone who loves to cook and eat healthy, I was surprised to find myself munching on chocolate bars, cookies, crisps or chips, and literally any other processed snack I could get my hands on. Even when I’d go through the effort of microwaving one of those pre-made meals for myself, I’d take a couple of bites, and mommy duties would take over again. What I’d return to was a cold, or sometimes if I’m lucky, lukewarm meal, that was always undesirable.
While I put so much emphasis on eating well when I was pregnant, I didn’t have the same level of concern when I was breastfeeding.
This is why I’m on a mission to find the best recipes for new moms. Recipes that are not only healthy, but also fit within our busy schedule and lifestyle.
Please subscribe to my blog if you’d like to follow me on this journey, and if you’re hungry.
Thanks for reading,
Regina
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Staircases in Space: Why Are Places in Science Fiction Not Wheelchair-Accessible?
Staircases in Space: Why Are Places in Science Fiction Not Wheelchair-Accessible?
Space remains a vast, untamed place, penned in only by the limits of our own imaginations. So why the hell are there so many staircases in space?
July 31, 2018 at 01:08PM
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The Long, Noble And Stinky Quest To Make Human Shit Useful
The Long, Noble And Stinky Quest To Make Human Shit Useful
With 2.3 billion people denied access to basic sanitation, and aging sewers not fit for purpose, could there be another way of handling human feces?
July 31, 2018 at 10:00AM
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After Doctors Cut Their Opioids, Patients Turn To A Risky Treatment For Back Pain
After Doctors Cut Their Opioids, Patients Turn To A Risky Treatment For Back Pain
An injectable drug that the manufacturer says is too dangerous to use along the spine is growing in popularity for back pain as doctors turn away from opioids.
July 31, 2018 at 08:54AM
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Monday, July 30, 2018
Koch-Backed Think Tank Finds That 'Medicare For All' Would Cut Health Care Spending And Raise Wages. Whoops
Koch-Backed Think Tank Finds That 'Medicare For All' Would Cut Health Care Spending And Raise Wages. Whoops
A Koch brothers-backed economist makes a $3 trillion error, but still finds that "Medicare for All" reduces costs and boosts wages.
July 30, 2018 at 09:15PM
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The Real-Life Diet of Mat Fraser, The Fittest Man on Earth
The Real-Life Diet of Mat Fraser, The Fittest Man on Earth
The back-to-back CrossFit Games champion shares his secrets for dieting, training, sleeping, and staying positive throughout all of it.
July 30, 2018 at 03:44PM
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Can You Get Sick From Air Conditioning?
Can You Get Sick From Air Conditioning?
Air-conditioning can seem almost too good to be true. It is one of the few staples of modernity without severe and readily apparent downsides: all it does, or all it seems to do, is make things cooler, while generating a soft, lulling noise redolent of childhood afternoons spent indoors watching cartoons.
July 30, 2018 at 02:34PM
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Woman Coming Out Of Anesthesia Is Convinced That Doctors Operated On The Wrong Foot
Woman Coming Out Of Anesthesia Is Convinced That Doctors Operated On The Wrong Foot
And, boy, is she amped about Canadian healthcare.
July 30, 2018 at 11:05AM
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Sunday, July 29, 2018
How Climate Change Is Ruining Our Indoor Air
How Climate Change Is Ruining Our Indoor Air
It would take an unreasonable amount of plants to balance rising CO2 levels being found at home, school, and work.
July 29, 2018 at 08:05PM
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Powerlifting Doesn't Care What I Look Like
Powerlifting Doesn't Care What I Look Like
It only cares how strong you are.
July 29, 2018 at 05:57PM
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Another American Is Fatally Shot. And Marlon West Does Another Push-Up
Another American Is Fatally Shot. And Marlon West Does Another Push-Up
Amid ceaseless reports of shootings, it can be easy to feel helpless and overwhelmed, unsure what to do. With his push-up project, West joins a scattered group of concerned citizens finding unique ways to acknowledge violence.
July 29, 2018 at 09:07AM
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Why Did 11 Babies Die in a Generic Viagra Trial?
Why Did 11 Babies Die in a Generic Viagra Trial?
Why was a drug best known for treating erectile dysfunction being tested in pregnant woman at all? There is one answer rooted in biology and another rooted in economics.
July 29, 2018 at 02:21AM
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Saturday, July 28, 2018
A lesson in breastfeeding...
If you are currently breastfeeding or pumping for the first time, or plan to in the future, chances are you have some concerns or doubts of how your experience will play out. How does this work? Will my baby be able to latch? Will I produce enough milk? What are the things they don’t tell you about breastfeeding? Below is a list I have compiled throughout my breastfeeding journey, which still continues at 6 months postpartum (see my first breastfeeding post here). Everyone has a different experience and these are the most important things I have learned along the way.
1. Do not lose hope!!!
This is probably the best advice I can give to a new mom. It is so easy to feel defeated during your breastfeeding journey. There are so many bumps in the road, whether it be your babies latch, your supply being sufficient, not having access to a pump, mastitis or clogged duct, or even pure confusion on what you are supposed to be doing. You will most likely have those bad days, but it is important to remember that nothing is permanent! All of these issues have solutions or ways you can work on them. Just because your baby didn’t latch today or you didn’t produce enough, does not mean it can’t happen tomorrow, or the next day, or even next month.
2. Pumping
Pumping is your best friend if you have access to one. Manual or electric. Get in touch with your healthcare provider and see if you qualify for a hospital grade pump to rent. These are much more powerful than some of the ones you can buy at the store.
I learned this one the hard way because I was uneducated on when and how to use a breast pump and was a intimidated by that little machine to be honest. In the days following my daughter’s birth, my breasts filled up with milk and leaked excessively, especially after the shower. I had fed the baby until she was satisfied but I had all this excess milk I didn’t know what to do with. I would stuff my bra with nursing pads and hope it would stop. BIG MISTAKE. When you are leaking breast milk, PUMP IT OUT AND SAVE IT FOR GOD’S SAKE!! It may mean stopping what you are doing but it is totally worth it . This stuff is liquid gold and you should capture as much of it as possible. Milk lasts a few days in the refrigerator, and even longer in the freezer. If I could go back in time to the day I came home from the hospital, I would have pumped as much as possible.
If your baby wont latch, PUMP! Even if your baby never latches, you can still keep your supply going with a pump and feed by bottle.
If your baby has just eaten, wait 10-15 minutes and PUMP!
If you have an extra 10 minutes in your day, PUMP!!
If you think your supply is decreasing, PUMP!
If you feel engorged, PUMP! Mastitis and clogged ducts can be caused by the breast not being fully emptied of milk, and by pumping you are giving yourself the best odds of avoiding these painful complications!
My point here is that if you pump as much as possible, you are capitalizing on your milk production and starting a stockpile for your freezer. This can come in handy if you have problems producing milk later on down the road, or if you simply just want to have some on hand and plan on introducing a bottle to your baby.
Now lets be real here, it is not always possible to sit and pump for 15 minutes several times a day uninterrupted with a newborn. Not everyone has help and I know it was really hard for me to find the time to do so and take care of my baby during the day. If you can, invest in a hands-free bra for your pump. I didn’t get one of these and wish that I did. I believe you can find them relatively cheap on Amazon. And just do your best! Take advantage of every opportunity you have to pump, but if your body or baby won’t allow you to, then wait until you can.
Now lets talk about power pumping. While this may sound like a move in a Richard Simmons exercise tape, all it means is you set a time during the day (preferably in the early morning or morning since this is the window of time that you will produce the most) you pump both breasts for 20 minutes, rest for 10 mins, pump for 10 mins, rest for 10 mins, pump for 10 mins. I know this sounds overwhelming but if you have an hour in the morning before the baby wakes up, I found watching the news was an easy way to keep track of the time since its right there on the screen or you could always set some alarms in your phone. If done consistently, this can definitely increase your milk supply. And if you can’t do it at the same time everyday, that’s OK, just do it as soon as you get a chance.
Lastly, I wanted to mention something else that greatly affected my supply. I didn’t even realize this one until my supply was almost gone completely: the flanges on the breast pump I was using were too large. There should be some size options with whatever pump you have and here is how your nipple should fit in the flange.
3. Remedies to a decreased milk supply
I have tried every one of these. Some didn’t work for me, but they may work for you. Most of these were purchased off of Amazon. I found that was where they were the least expensive, I will include links for you.
Fenugreek- Nature’s Way Fenugreek
Lactation cookies- Lactation Cookie Mix
Tea- Organic Mother’s Tea
Birth control- some birth control methods can cause a decrease in milk supply, ask your doctor about methods that don’t inhibit milk production.
Oatmeal- not the instant kind. The steel cut variety is the good stuff, and it doesn’t taste bad! Steel Cut Oats
Drink lots and lots and lots of water. Like every time you think about water, DRINK WATER!!!
4. Take care of your ta-tas
The effects of breastfeeding and pumping so frequently can do a number on your breasts. Your nipples may crack, bleed, or even clog up. I used lanolin on my nipples frequently. It relieves any itching and is safe for the baby. Also found this on Amazon for less than in stores. Lansinoh Lanolin Nipple Cream
Empty your breasts completely and frequently! Now I never got mastitis but I got close to it. I was not emptying my breasts all the way and got a few clogged ducts over a short period of time. The symptoms came on pretty quickly, it started with a large red area on my breast, it almost looked like a sunburn. Then came the chills and fever. I got the chills so bad and I could not warm up. I had an appointment with my lactation consultant the next day and she confirmed that I did have a clogged duct. I was instructed to diligently massage the area with warm compresses, empty my breast as often as possible, and to keep an eye out for any cracks in my nipples that looked infected. Sounds gross but this is real life people and you really have to watch out for that because it can cause serious pain. Anyway, I found that using the shower head and the warm water on my skin really helped clear it up.
5. Talk with your pediatrician before deciding to supplement with formula!!
This one is huge. I decided to supplement with formula before speaking with my pediatrician and I highly regret it. My baby never had a decrease of wet diapers, but instead I got into my own head and convinced myself that she wasn’t being satisfied by my breast. This is the thinking that contributed to the decrease in my supply. Because the baby was eating formula, she wasn’t as hungry when I would breastfeed, thus telling my body not to make as much milk. My body was still establishing a supply when I started using formula and I interfered with that when I should have let a trained professional make that call. This was a hard pill to swallow, and it still is today. My baby is healthy and that is all I can focus on or I will keep punishing myself.
This whole breastfeeding thing really knocked me over the head and kicked my ass but hey, that’s life in general and we just have to do the best we can and move on.
That is all I have for now. I hope that these tips help you in your breastfeeding journey!
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The secret in my blood
The secret in my blood
I've had this since I was eight years old, and I was always told I'd have two years to live.
July 28, 2018 at 04:34PM
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How I Survived Cancer in Prison
How I Survived Cancer in Prison
"I fought first for my rights, and then for my life."
July 28, 2018 at 03:04PM
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Friday, July 27, 2018
Passengers Hospitalized After Mysterious 'Dirty Socks' Odor Stinks Up Plane
Passengers Hospitalized After Mysterious 'Dirty Socks' Odor Stinks Up Plane
And a Hazmat team couldn't figure out why the smell made people sick.
July 27, 2018 at 11:39PM
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Lactation Oatmeal
As I am writing this recipe to share with you I am in the process of increasing my milk supply! This oatmeal recipe helped me get my supply up to 5 ounces in 2 days after it had decreased to where I was BARELY getting an ounce!
Ingredients
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
1 Tbsp Brewers Yeast
1 Tbsp flaxseed Meal
1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
1 Cup Milk of your choosing
1-2 Tbsp sweetener of your choosing
Top off with any fruits nuts, berries you would like!
I personally really love to either use Nutella or this Creamed Honey my dad gave me as my sweetener in my oatmeal! 
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Top Foods to Eat When Breastfeeding
Nutrition is always important. But it is even more important when you are breastfeeding! Not only are you providing the nutrients needed for yourself but also for your little one! Here are some of the top foods to help with milk production! (These are my personal findings, I am not a Registered Dietician)
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Oatmeal
- Oatmeal is a power food! A bowl of oats in the morning will help with full breasts in the evening! If you are looking for a lactation oatmeal recipe check HERE!
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Avocado
- I mean how can you say no to this one? Avocados are full of healthy nutrients including folic acid, vitamin c, vitamin e, and potassium. They are also an excellent way to increase your caloric intake as they are ull of those “good fats” our bodies need.
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Nuts
- Nuts are another food packed with those “good fats” we need! They are also an excellent snack to have on hand! So, keep a a ziploc in that diaper bag at all times!
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Brewers Yeast
- Brewers yeast is considered a “general health” type of supplement. And many moms SWEAR by its power to help increase milk production. This is a common ingredient in those “lactation brownies” and “lactation cookies” that you can buy online to help increase milk supply! If you are looking for an at home recipe, check it out here!
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Flaxseed
- This is another ingredient that is almost ALWAYS found in a lactation recipe. I personally use it in all of my recipes from my morning oatmeal to my nighttime dessert! They are full of protein, fiber, and Omega-3 fatty acids! It is important to get the flaxseed meal for digestion to get those much needed ingredients. Here is the brand of Flaxseed Meal I like to use!
Some other top foods to eat while breastfeeding include:
- Green Leafy Vegetables
- Beans
- Fish (like Salmon, be careful of mercury levels)
- Eggs
- Berries (I love to add blueberries to my morning oatmeal)
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6 Ways to Keeping Your Milk Supply UP!
At some point during the breastfeeding journey, many women experience an undersupply. I hope that this is a phase for you if that is why you are visiting this page!
For me, this occured for the first time when Taelyn was almost 7 months old. I caught a tummy bug :( And my assumption is that it dehydrated me so much that my milk supply decreased. Taelyn was getting frustrated so she wasn’t nursing as long to help my supply and then she got the tummy bug and didn’t want to nurse much at all!
So began my research! And my calls to my lactation consultant. (P.S. if you haven’t been to or talk to a lactation consultant I highly recommend it!) Here is what I found! (these are my personal findings and experiences. Please check with your healthcare professional)
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Hydrate!
- One of the biggest most helpful things we can do as nursing moms is to stay hydrated! Our bodies need water to produce our milk! This was definitely one of my problems with my milk supply dropping when I was sick.
- The amount of water you truly need depends on your specific body. ALWAYS drink when you feel thirsy and keep an eye on the color of your urine.
- My goal is always to drink AT LEAST an 8-12 ounce cup of water every time I nurse or pump. And I always keep my cup filled between feeding sessions to sip on because, to be honest, I feel thirsty like ALL THE TIME!
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Eat. Eat. Eat
- Our bodies are still working overtime to produce the nutrients our babies need. It is important that we are eating a healthy, well balanced diet as well as increasing our caloric intake.
- My lactation consultant suggested that I eat at least 2,000 calories a day. The suggested amount is about 400-500 additional calories.
- Need some food suggestions?? Check HERE
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Nurse. Then Nurse some more.
- Our milk supply works on a supply and demand system. The more you can get your baby to latch and suck the better chance you will have at producing more milk!
- Our babies are the best at what they do. They know when to cluster feed if more milk is needed and they have the best suction when they are latched. So, whenever your baby is hungry get them to latch! If you are struggling with latching, even the quickest latch can provide big benefits! Keep trying mama!
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Pump After Nursing
- Because our bodies work on a supply and demand system it is important that all of our milk is taken from our breasts when we are trying to increase our supply. Sometimes, this means pumping after feeding.
- If your supply is really low like mine was, DEFINITELY pump after every feeding, even if nothing is coming out! By pumping even when you are not producing you are telling your body that your baby needs more!
- When you are really trying to increase your supply it can be necessary to Power Pump. Not sure what that is? Read more here! This will mimic a cluster feed to help tell your body to increase milk production!
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Monitor Your Stress Levels
- Just like pretty much everything in our lives. Stress can affect your milk production! I know that this seems pretty tough right now to keep your stress levels down but know that you are doing your best for your baby!
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Skin to Skin
- The importance of skin to skin doesn’t disappear after that power hour at the hospital. Skin to skin contact helps you by producing those mama hormones! So take a little staycay and lounge with your sweet little nugget!
- If you are pumping hold your baby near you, look at a picure of your baby, watch a video you recorded. Get those hormones pumping mama!
Good Luck Little Mama! You GOT THIS!
XO,
Ciera
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Breast Pumps
Whether you have already had your baby or are preparing for your sweet childs arrival, you should be looking into getting a breast pump. You may see pricing on these pumps and think, NO WAY! That is so expensive. Do I really need that? But the answer is YES! You never know what you may run into once you start your breastfeeding journey. You could have an oversupply (if you’re lucky), an undersupply, or maybe you are headed back to work. In any case, having a breastpump on hand will be extremely helpful. What many people don’t realize is that they can get a FREE breastpump through their insurance. Yes, you heard that right….. FREE! Just click below to see if you qualify!
But ya’ll…. that seriously isn’t even my favorite part about this company. When it became about time to replace some of my parts they sent me an email! And guess what….those replacement parts are covered by my insurance also!
SO PLEASE! DO NOT BUY A PUMP! Check with Aeroflow and see what you qualify for through your insurance!
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The Art of Latching
My daughter was born January 2nd, 2018. I had already decided that I was going to breastfeed her for many reasons. There are so many health benefits for both mom and baby plus the added bonus of FREE. You never know what kind of struggles you may come across until baby is here and it is time for her to latch.
My labor and delivery came pretty quick. I was extremely lucky! We left our house and got to the hospital around 10 pm and I was still only 1 cm dilated! I am SO SO SO very thankful for the nurse that was on staff at the hospital because she knew that Taelyn was coming that night even when the doctors said it was going to be a while. Taelyn made her debut into the world around 4 am the next morning at 6 lbs 11 ounces. :)
For those of you who have already delivered a baby, you know the importance of skin to skin right away. The nurses try to have the baby on you immediately and try to nurse shortly there after. This is my first baby. No experience nursing. And she WOULD. NOT. LATCH. My worst fear. The nurse gave me a Nipple Shield
In case you don’t know what I am talking about when I say nipple shield, this is what it looks like. I like this particular one because it has the cutout for baby’s nose. This way she/he can smell mommy while eating still.
So how did I get her off the shield?
My goal, was to feed Taelyn without using the shield. Honestly, it was such a hassle to use if I wasn’t at home. Especially for a first time mom. I already wasn’t very comfortable breastfeeding outside of my home in the first place and with the shield I just felt like there was no way to get any privacy!
So, everyday… every feeding, I would first try to have her latch without the shield. For a while, with NO LUCK. I am lucky that my pediatrician I chose has a lactation consultant at our disposal so I went to see her. And I swear lactation consultants are MAGIC. She got her to latch and eat a full meal. Of course, without her I still struggled but she gave me great advice. I kept trying to get her to latch without the shield first. But if she got frustrated I put it on and let her eat. I didn’t want her to have any negative association with being at the breast. Once she got a good suction and had eaten (about halfway through a normal feeding time) I would slip my finger and break her seal and steal the shield away. Then, have her attempt to latch since she had already been eating. Occasionally this worked but a lot of times it didn’t. But my persistence PAID OFF. I did this for about the first MONTH of Taelyn’s life. It was so frustrating. But then one day, MAGIC. She LATCHED. It was then only about a week that she was latching for EVERY. SINGLE. FEED. No more shield was needed. I still carried it with me out and about for a while just because I was so nervous she was going to regress and I wouldn’t be able to feed her. But this never happened. Once she was fully off of using the shield she was off for good.
My thoughts on the whole shield thing?
I am so thankful for it! While it made for a frustrating process trying to get her off of it, it allowed me to breastfeed her when she couldn’t latch. Without this shield, who knows if I could have been able to do this whole breastfeeding journey. If you are having issues with getting your baby to latch and haven’t tried a shield I highly suggest the attempt with it! If you are currently using it and are getting discouraged that you’ll never get your baby off of it, keep on being persistent momma! You got this! It make take time but you’ll get there!
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Teaty Biccies
Curious India helping mummy
Ingredients
Ready to eat!
I am currently feeling a bit like a Jersey Cow, hence the name ‘Teaty Biccies’!
My lactation nurse at hospital was fantastic. She gave me a recipe for lactation biscuits that she suggested I ask a friend to make for me. Reading different things about them left me keen to try them, even if they didn’t work, cookies sounded good to me! So I did have a lovely friend bake them and, boy oh boy did they work!
The first time I had them, I was expressing so much milk that I filled my freezer, the freezer at NICU and still had enough to feed the girls. I will admit that was also having lots of skin to skin with the girls (which studies show helps milk supply). In NICU, you had to hold your baby for at least an hour at a time because of the effort it took for bubs, giving them a good rest once they were out and on you. So I was doing this twice (one baby at a time), in the morning and the afternoon – at least 4 hours a day total. With this skin to skin and the biscuits, I was making so much milk that I ended up getting mastitis (definitely another blog post) because I wasn’t expressing it all out (lesson learnt!).
When the girls came home, I wasn’t having as much skin to skin and life was even busier, so my milk supply dropped. I made a few more batches of the cookies, and each time I saw a definite increase in my milk supply. Of course in the whirlwind of early motherhood, I have misplaced the original recipe, but I found another on the internet that I like: https://www.bellybelly.com.au/breastfeeding/lactation-cookies/
After baking these a few times with some healthified changes, I think I have mastered the perfect recipe!
The last time I made them, I accidently left out the flour. I was wondering why the batch was so small! But you know the saying about mistakes being important because we learn from them? WelI I actually discovered that the biscuits are so much nicer without the flour! They are kind of like a chewy ANZAC if you do it this way. I find with the flour (I usually use a combo of coconut flour and almond flour or gluten free flour) they are a bit dry. I also have made them with a beetroot late spice (instead of the cinnamon) and these were the tastiest yet! The latest batch I tweeked a bit again, adding just a bit of flour (to help them bind better) and I am pretty pleased with the result! Not only do I find it hard to stop at one, but I have to hide them from my hubby!
Here is my adaption of the recipe:
Teaty Biccies
Makes 12 biscuits, cookies, whatever you want to call them!
Ingredients:
¼ cup wholemeal flour
½ cup organic virgin coconut oil (you may need to soften this in the microwave)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup coconut sugar
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
1 egg
2-3 tablespoons of water (depends on how moist you prefer the cookies to be)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (optional, for flavour)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or beetroot late spice)
1-2 tablespoons of brewers yeast
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups oats
1 cup of your favourite biscuit ingredients (coconut, dark choc, raisins, slithered almonds, dried apricots, you get the picture)
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 and line a tray with baking paper.
In a mixing bowl, cream the coconut oil and sugar, then add the egg and vanilla (if using). Mix well.
In a separate bowl, combine the flaxseed and water, let them sit for a few minutes before adding to mix.
Add the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and mix well.
Add the flaxseed mix and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine well.
Finally, stir in your additional ingredients (if using them).
Make the biscuits (using a tablespoon or dessert spoon) and place them onto the lined baking tray. This mix is a little sticky, but it works!
Flatten them just a little with the spoon or a fork.
Bake the lactation cookies for around 12-17 minutes, depending on how well cooked or crunchy you like your biscuits.
Easy peasy!
I should mention that brewers yeast (the ingredient that really helps to get your milk pumping!) has a bit of an unusual taste; yeasty like beer, as you probably guessed! So perhaps use a little less of this ingredient in your first batch and see how you go! Let me know if you make them and what you thought. Also, always happy to hear to any delicious changes that you may have made.
Happy milking mummas!
Just can’t stop at one!!
Love Terri
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article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
Sunday, July 22, 2018
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