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Friday, January 31, 2020
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Lactation Biscuits
Firstly, congratulations on the arrival of your precious little one. Breastfeeding can be challenging at the start (or throughout), remember if you are concerned about your breast milk supply, you should speak to a medical professional. If you have any issues at all – please contact the Australian Breastfeeding Association (free) or get a lactation consultant (worth the money).
Galactagogues are found in brewer’s yeast, as well as flaxseed and oats. Galactagogues are foods, herbs or medications that may help to increase breastmilk supply. These biscuits are suitable for pregnant women, breastfeeding women… actually, they are suitable for most people! You can ask your friends to bake them and bring them over. Something to add to your meal train request (meal train- organise one- it takes a village). The biscuits may not work for everyone, but definitely worth a tasty try. Of course, a well balanced, nourishing diet is always suggested, especially for new mums, and these biscuits are still biscuits.
In our fourth trimester, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine may help with many symptoms and changes to our bodies. If you have any of the following concerns, please get in touch: low energy, constipation, night sweats, anxiety, depression, pain, headaches and so on. Phone consultations are especially handy during the fourth trimester. And remember to come in for your 6 weeks post partum treatment and bring your bubs. Jane will look after bubs while you have your acunap (Acunap = the nap that you take during your acupuncture treatment, when you are neither fully awake or fully asleep, yet when you are finished you feel fully refreshed).
Lactation Biscuits Recipe
Prep time: 15 minutes (1 hour and 45 minutes if you are trying to do this with a baby)
Cook time: 12 minutes
Oven temp: Preheat to 170C
Makes: 15(ish) biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 cup self raising wholemeal flour (if you only have plain flour, just add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder)
- 110g butter or organic virgin coconut oil
- 3/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons of water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons of brewers yeast (must be brewers yeast – non negotiable)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 & 1/2 cups oats – organic, steel cut oats or rolled oats
Lactation Biscuits Method
- Cream the butter and sugar.
- Add the egg and vanilla. 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 (apart from the oats and your optional biscuit ingredients) and mix well again.
- Stir in the oats and your additional ingredients.
- Using a dessert spoon, scoop the mixture into your hand and roll it into a ball.
- Place the biscuits onto a lightly greased baking tray.
- Flatten them a little
- Bake for around 10-12 minutes (depending on how well cooked or crunchy you like your biscuits).
*Do not eat uncooked dough if you are pregnant – raw egg! But do eat if you are breastfeeding, it seems to be even more effective at increasing supply.
**When making these lactation biscuits, please try to source organic, local ingredients wherever possible. Please contact us, as Acupuncture Fitzroy now stocks brewers yeast and organic oats and will post to you.
***Trying to be “healthy”, however, lactation biscuits need to be sweet enough to hide the very bitter taste of some of the ingredients.
****For the low carbers, you’ll have to play with coconut flour and you might need to add an extra egg.
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Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
(C97) [Milky souffle (Shisyo)] SUCCUEEZE/
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Does your breastfed baby need vitamins?
Not just any vitamin. Specifically Vitamin D and iron. Have you ever wondered if you should be giving your baby extra anything? I mean, as adults it always seems like we need something extra, right? I could probably name several vitamins or nutrients I am deficient in as I sit here and type. Does that mean your baby needs something in addition to breastmilk?
The short answer is NO. The long answer is that there are always exceptions. Read on.
Your breastmilk has whatever the baby needs. In addition, the nutrients in your breastmilk are bioavailable, which means that the baby is able to absorb them better. For example, iron in breastmilk is absorbed into the baby ‘s system much more efficiently than iron from milk based formulas. Basically, the baby’s body “likes” the iron from the breastmilk much better and hangs on to it for safe keeping. Iron from other sources is foreign to babies’ little system, and they kick that stranger to the curb instead of letting it in.
It’s true that Vitamin D is low in breastmilk, but do you know why? Because it is low in everyone. It is not a negative on breastmilk, but a wake up call to all of us to make sure our Vitamin D is where it should be. There are options – supplementing your baby or supplementing yourself.
As I said, there are always exceptions. Premature babies, medical problems for either mother or baby…this is where things become cloudy. Talk with your provider about specific issues or questions.
Do you want to hear more about this and learn the science behind it all? Check out the Badass Breastfeeding Podcast this week and become informed. Education is power.
127 – Vitamin D and Iron Supplements For Breastfeeding Babies
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Monday, January 27, 2020
Haakaa Pump Review
Guys- if you are a breastfeeding mama, you NEED a Haakaa pump in your life.
As a mom who always struggles to maintain milk supply, I have an overflowing freezer stash of milk, all because of the Haakaa’s passive let down collection. By catching letdown milk as I nurse baby, I have amassed over 40oz of expressed milk in my freezer.
I love that the Haakaa is food grade silicone and BPA free. I also appreciate that it doesn’t have any cords, plugs, batteries, etc. And it isn’t increasing demand; it’s simply collecting for storage what otherwise would have been wasted in a nursing pad! It is very comfortable, and doesn’t elicit uterine cramping. The passivity of its design is fabulous. The cute little flower stopper and suction cup bottom prevent spilling that liquid gold! I don’t have to schedule extra pumping sessions- I just keep baby’s regular feeding pattern.
Here’s a video explaining how to use the Haakaa!
I’m not affiliated with Haakaa, I just love the product. It’s a game changer, especially if you’re a working mama; you can build up your milk stash quick and easy. This is my new “go-to” baby shower gift for mamas who plan to breastfeed.
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Sunday, January 26, 2020
More lactation treats
Look what my Amazon Delivery guy left at my doorstep today! My sissy sent a sweet surprise my way. Her recommendation “eat in the morning and drink tons of water all day”. So… I’ll be trying these out this week! If anything, I already love them because of the name https://www.boobie-brands.com/
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Lactation Cookies review
The lactation cookies I wrote about a few days ago were better than I expected. The package included 6 jumbo sized cookies meant to last 6-12 days (mine lasted 6). They are really tasty, hence me finishing the box in 6 days. And I’m not exaggerating… I saw more pumped milk the same day. They will give you a free product for leaving a review on Amazon also, so I’ll be trying their cookie mix once I receive my complementary product.
Now, I can’t buy them every week because lactation cookies are not cheap! But every once in a while I will splurge on some cookies… anything for my baby girl.
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100 Days with Erwin, day 78
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Saturday, January 25, 2020
(C97) [Suzune Rai Chikashitsu (Suzune Rai)] Noja Loli Babaa Kitsune-sama Double Paizuri
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Canine haiku
Puppies feeding
Mother is vigilant:
A fine family portrait
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Friday, January 24, 2020
Preparing For Life With Your Baby
How to use your antenatal period to understand breastfeeding.
You are pregnant, congratulations!! There is a lot to think about and it can become overwhelming. You may have already started to look into your birth choices and are envisaging the type of birth that you would like to experience. You may also start thinking about names, buggies, where your baby will sleep and what kind of parent you are going to be.
Have you started to think about and prepare yourself for how you will feed your baby?
Breastfeeding is natural, it is the biological norm for mammals and therefor humans. It is not our cultural norm though. We don’t grow up seeing it, immersed in it as a normal part of life. You may have gone your whole life not actually seeing anyone close to you do it. So while it is natural it can be challenging but completely worth it.
It is important to prepare for breastfeeding as much as you prepare for the birth of your baby. Thinking about it and knowing what to potentially expect during your pregnancy can take a lot of the surprise out the whole situation when it comes.
We plan for birth. Are you ready to plan for breastfeeding?
How to prepare for breastfeeding?
It is important to do reading around the subject. Amy Brown’s The Positive Breastfeeding Book: Everything you need to feed your baby with confidence is a good place to start (her other book Informed is best: How to spot fake news about your pregnancy, birth and baby is well worth a read too). The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International is another book you may find helpful. Or The Mindful Breastfeeding Book: Preparing you for calm and connected feeding by Anna Le Grange These are only a few and there are so many, you need to find one that speaks to you.
You may also want to book onto breastfeeding specific antenatal classes. These are another way of receiving information. Gathering information in different media sources is important. You may feel that you learn one way, maybe you are logical and analytical but hormones in pregnancy may change the way that you learn, so watching videos of breastfeeding, looking at pictures, going to workshops and reading will give you a full scope of different ways to learn. Antenatal classes can be one to one or in a group. Group classes can a good way to meet other mums and gain a support group.
A good place to start is thinking about how you want to greet your new baby, learning about skin to skin contact and why it’s so important for the newborn. I wrote about this in ‘The Golden Hour’ – The most important hug you will ever give.
Through reading and research you can learn what breastfeeding is like and what your newborn baby may behave like. One of the biggest surprises is what your baby will be like when they are born. They are unlikely to sleep regularly for long periods of time (in fact this is not normal for breastfed babies), they need a lot of comfort and cuddles, they breastfeed incredibly regularly. The average baby will feed as little as 8 times in 24 hours, it can be up to 16 times in 24 hours, this is normal. I wrote a bit about normal baby behaviour in Help! My Baby Is Normal!.
Then I think it’s time to ask yourself some questions and be truthful with yourself. You are going to grow into being a mother.
Start to think about your Goals:
What does breastfeeding your baby look like to you?
What do you know about breastfeeding and is it accurate. You will hear lots and lots of stories about breastfeeding. Some may be helpful, most will not. It’s important to get in your mind a clear picture of what breastfeeding means to you. Learn about and think about:
- The initiation of breastfeeding
- The journey to exclusive breastfeeding
- Your own thoughts, feelings and motivations on breastfeeding
How long do you want to breastfeed your baby for?
The World Health Organisation guidance is exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, after 6 months complementary foods should be introduced and breastfeeding should continue to be a part of the baby’s diet up to 2 years and beyond.
That can sound daunting but if breastfeeding gets off to a really good start then it can be a natural progression to continue on. But things you may want to think about:
- The best way to get breastfeeding off to a good start
- Learn how breastfeeding changes as your baby grows, it doesn’t stay the same
- When do you return to work? How do you think breastfeeding will look at that point for you?
Then it is important to look at the Realities:
As I said above breastfeeding is natural and the biological norm but not necessarily normal for our culture which makes it hard, it is important to do the research and learn as much as possible about normal baby be
What are the realities of breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding can be intense to start, the first 8 weeks can be time consuming, you and your baby are learning a skill like driving a car or riding a bike. Think of a skill that you have. Do you knit? Sew? Play an instrument? Did you learn that skill in a day? A week? A month? The intensity of breastfeeding doesn’t last for the duration of your breastfeeding journey. Your reading will highlight what you might expect during the beginning of your journey.
What are your own responsibilities in your journey?
It is important to own your journey, to learn to advocate for yourself, and know when you need help. This resource from Unicef Baby Friendly Initiative which can help you understand when feeding is going well and when to seek support.
What could stand in the way of your ideal outcome?
There are vary issues that can create some challenges in your breastfeeding journey. I say challenges because a lot of issues in breastfeeding can be overcome or adapted to with time, practice, perseverance and the appropriate support. These can include:
- Pre-existing medical conditions e.g. PCOS, hypothyroidism, diabetes
- Antenatal conditions e.g. gestational diabetes, medicated high blood pressure
- Labour and birth e.g. medications such as pethidine or epidural,induction medication, instrumental births, abdominal births
- Postnatal e.g. low birth weight, premature birth, missed opportunities to learn
Being prepared and understanding breastfeeding will help to mitigate many of these challenges.
You might want to explore your options:
What appeals to you and what would serve you best?
Again you want to think about what breastfeeding looks like to you. Between exclusive breastfeeding and bottlefeeding there is a lot of variation in feeding but how that looks and comes about is up to you and what will work for you and your family. You have to decide what works for you. You then have to decide what will work for your family and your situation.
Do you have the details of local support? What form of support would appeal to you?
Find out where your local voluntary support is. There are a lot of variations of the breastfeeding drop in such as Baby Cafe. Some are run by midwives, health visitors, breastfeeding counsellors or International Board Certified Lactation Consultants often with peer supporters, mothers who have breastfed and had extra training to support you.
Many hospitals run specialist breastfeeding services facilitated by their Infant Feeding Lead in a clinic setting, they may or may not offer frenulotomy services as well.
You can always find local private support from breastfeeding counsellors or IBCLC if you would like personalised support in your own home but this often comes at a cost, but you are paying for specialist and tailored support.
Finally decide on your will to do this:
Exploring your options and deciding on what will work for you also depends on your will. This is going to be the most flexible part of your plan. It will change depending on your lived realities once baby is born
What is the first step?
As discussed above, it’s important to be as prepared as possible. In being prepared and knowing what you want but also what may be a challenge will help you overcome what you may face. Getting to know where your local support and building your village will help you feel that you have people to talk to. Writing down your plan helps to make it clear in your mind but also makes it easy for you to share with your husband, wife or partner.
Realistically how do feel your commitment is to your goals?
Breastfeeding takes a trust of your body and your baby, a commitment to the time that it will take to build the relationship with your baby and learn a new skill.
How does your plan sound and feel to you?
Your plan has to feel right for you, you don’t have to do anything that you do not feel that you want to do. If your plan doesn’t feel right then change it. Goals can always change and should always change. With the Grow model of preparation you should review your plan in a cycle. As your ideas change, as new information comes to you, as you face little challenges, as your goals move you can review your plan and adapt it. It should build and grow in a spiral of preparation, grow like a tree.
I hope this has been helpful for you, even if just for the links to the information on breastfeeding. This way of preparing isn’t the only way and if it doesn’t speak to you then find one that does. But if it does speak to you I hope it helps you….
-
…GROW
Adapted from the GROW model https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_89.htm
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100 Days with Erwin, day 76
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Thursday, January 23, 2020
Dear Mom of a newborn | nylc11.wordpress.com
Dear Mom of a newborn,
congratulations, you are finally holding the love of your life in your arms. No matter, if you delivered vaginally or by Cesarean, you have quickly realized everybody expects you to take care of that baby regardless how much you hurt or how tired and smelly you are.
Welcome to motherhood
I know how you feel as I’ve been there a few times myself. Some days I couldn’t stand the way I looked. My body ached, my boobs were gigantic, and my nipples cracked and bleeding. Every time my baby latched, I had to grit my teeth. Thankfully that part only lasted a week.
Despite the fact I am a lactation counselor, my breastfeeding journey didn’t begin easily. Both of my children were tongue-tied and one of them had torticollis. None of the hospital nurses noticed or helped me at all.
Help is available
Later I was often too proud to ask anyone, so I was stuck with learning by doing and this is why what I am about to say is important:
1. Your baby needs to feed. It doesn’t matter if you decide to breast-or bottlefeed, you have to feed your newborn every couple of hours. Watch for feeding cues as that will give the baby a sense of assurance he or she isn’t alone.
2. Your baby needs you. It doesn’t matter what anyone else is saying to you, Mama. You will not spoil your newborn by snuggling plenty. Your household and cleaning tasks could be delegated to someone else. Consider making a list of helpers you can call.
3. Your husband or partner needs to help you. If he or she needs guidance, please consider making a list of things and how you want them done BEFORE the baby arrives. That way you don’t get frustrated with each other.
4. Your intimacy will change. Your body changed. Your hormones are changing. You are tired. You are adjusting. It isn’t forever and it isn’t uncommon for intimacy to take a backseat. If it doesn’t, well hurray for you, but do not think for a second that you are alone in that department.
If you have any questions or concerns or need help, please reach out. I am a certified lactation counselor and glad to have a look, help out, listen and recommend.
Contact me by clicking HERE
You might also like:
- Dear Mom of a newborn | nylc11.wordpress.com
- The C(h)ristmas Letter 2019 | nylc11.wordpress.com
- Fresh Start Bible Review | nylc11.wordpress.com
- Nobody is perfect or why step-mothering isn’t my favorite | nylc11.wordpress.com
- Remembering September 11 | nylc11.wordpress.com
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Wednesday, January 22, 2020
More lactation cookies
I am trying a new lactation cookie. I love the ones I make myself but baking cookies from scratch is time consuming and. It always practical. I ordered these off of Amazon. My sister has tried the mix and said she sees an increase in her supply. I also saw that this particular brand and cookie had great reviews. I’ll see how they work and let you know!
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