Increasing Milk Supply

 

Welp. I took my cutie pie Nora into her 6 month doctor appointment last week and found out that she has dropped from the 40th percentile in weight to the 9th percentile. It's pretty hard for me to hear. I had great plans to nurse Nora exclusively for 8 months and never introduce a bottle. But, alas, sometimes things don't go as planned.

I've successfully breastfed two of my children without milk supply issues. With the other two, I had to stop breastfeeding at 4 months and 8 months. And now, here I am with my 5th baby. Her doctor is telling me my milk supply must not be where it should be. I'm pretty heartbroken. This is my last baby, and I wanted to really enjoy this last time breastfeeding. I love it so much, and I don't want it to end so early.

He sent me home with a bunch of formula, and I have put it away for now. I really don't want to use it. Don't get me wrong, I have bottle fed two of my kids and I don't think that each mother has to do things the way that she thinks is best. But, I really have a strong desire to nurse as long as possible. And I know as soon as I start supplementing, my milk will dry up. My baby is happy and looks healthy, so until she starts acting like she needs more than what I am giving her, I'm going to continue breastfeeding and doing everything I can to increase my milk supply.

So, I'm doing several things and have already noticed an increase in supply! I am so hopeful!! Here is what I have learned through my research and that have been prescribed to me by a doctor that you could implement in your diet and regime if you are struggling with the same issue:

1. Apply 1 drop of Fennel and Basil topically to support increased milk supply; avoiding the nipple area. I try to do this after Nora is done eating so that the smell isn't too strong while she is nursing. (If you would like to purchase these essential oils for your regime, message me and I'll help you out!)

2. Drink Traditional Medicinals Mother's Milk Herbal Tea every morning. This tea is supportive to increasing milk supply as well. I first heard about it at my pediatrician's office and immediately went to Whole Foods to purchase. It is an acquired taste, but I don't mind it. And I'll do just about anything to help with this!

3. Take 2 capsules of Fenugreek every morning and night. Another supplement known to increase milk supply. I am using the brand "Nature's Way," and purchased this at Whole Foods as well.

4. Eat foods that are known to increase milk supply like oatmeal, brown rice, spinach, asparagus, salmon, apricots, papaya, hummus, and carrots. This is a great article that talks about why each of those things are important.

5. Increase Water Intake! It seems pretty obvious to me that if you are dehydrated, your body will have a harder time producing milk. I am currently trying to drink a gallon everyday. It's a doable challenge!

2

Welcome to the World, Baby D.Now a mother of three

We are so in love with the new mini-member of our family. He arrived with style at 12:27 a.m. on 01.09.10. The doctor deemed him "Speedy Gonzalez" when he was born less than an hour after we arrived at the hospital. The chubby-cherub weighed in at 8lbs 13oz and we absolutely adore every squishable roll he sports.

Our nearly 4-day old babe lacks the ability to sleep more than an hour at night and seems to have mistaken the night for the day. We are seriously sleep deprived. Good thing these little ones are so dang cute. I actually don't mind waking up to my little sweet baby.

Please excuse my sparse postings over the next 3 weeks. I will be on maternity leave and enjoying every non-working, computer-free moment with my 3 cute kiddos.

A special thanks to all you sweet readers who have shown so much love and excitement during this special time for our family. I'm so grateful for you.

68

...moving right along

Received an email today with the notification above. I can't believe I am 38 weeks! This pregnancy has flown by, but at the same time, it seems that I have been pregnant forever. I can't remember what it feels like to not be uncomfortable. I visited with my darling friend, Christina, last week to drop off a baby gift and sneak a peek of her little new cutie. Oh, my! The sweetest little baby boy. He made me so excited to hold my own little one.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was absolutely perfect and simple. I loved being with my family. Parents flew in from Hawaii, brother flew in from DC and the rest of my family drove in from their corners of the state. It was wonderful to be together.

I'm signing off for a while to ring in the new year and prepare for another cute babe in the house. Who knows...maybe my next post will be to introduce you all to him.

Any ideas for cute boy names? (Middle name has been chosen for 9 months but we are majorly struggling with the first.)

24

...34 weeks

I love comparing this pregnancy to my others. With my first, we were oh-so prepared. Every article of clothing was washed and hung by size and color. The blankets were cleverly rolled and displayed on her perfect little shelf. Her crib was set up and decorated months in advanced with her one-of-a-kind bedding made by my mother. The toys were in place, the carseat installed and her little take home outfit from The Gap was packed two months before her expected arrival. I remember the excitment as I peeked into the her empty room. The anticipation! I'd sit on my new glider and dream of rocking her.

Things are different with baby #3. We are still just as excited, but I don't have the time I used to. No napping, no relaxing; I have other children now. The take-home outfit is unpurchased...and may end up being a hand-me-down from his big brother. The car seat is somewhere in storage. We have not chosen a name.

But, we are still just as excited. Last night, my husband and I entertained ourselves by watching my belly contort and move. We wondered what new personality this babe will bring into our home. I thought with excitement of what life will be like in a month; holding a little babe in my arms.

I am also thinking about my son's cousin, Michael, whose life was shortened by a heart condition. Michael passed away last Friday, and our whole family is mourning with his parents. He will always be missed, especially by his mother and father. His little life made me reevaluate my own. I no longer find a need to complain about this pregnancy; I am thankful for every kick and prod. They let me know that my babe is healthy and strong. Michael made me rethink my parenting. I want to be kinder, more patient, and to enjoy every moment with my sweet little ones. Michael truly touched our lives for the better, just by being born. We love him and his sweet family. I'm so grateful to be his aunt.

5

...8.5 weeks to go!

Pregnancy has its drawbacks: insomnia, heartburn, backaches, nausea, breathlessness, exhaustion, etc. I'd be lying if I said I never complained.

But...it also has its joys. I love dreaming of my baby. What color will his hair be? Will he, like my other two children, have his daddy's blue-blue eyes or will this baby get my green? What personality will he bring into our family? A attention-seeking jokester like his brother? A sensitive, sweet soul like his sister? Stubborn like his mother? Compassionate like his father? I have a feeling he will be his own person, though, bringing a new dimension into our home.

I love feeling his crazy movements; even his painful jabs in my ribs. He is a strong, active baby. Much more than my other two were. He keeps me awake all night...and keeps me thinking about him constantly.

I bought pretty yarn for his blankie today. Cream and green. Can't wait to wrap the little guy in something warm made with love by his adoring mother.

16

...thankful

He is a wise man who
does not grieve for the things
which he has not,
but rejoices for those
which he has.
-Epictetus

I love November. This month is still magical. The anticipation of the BIG holidays is upon us. (Not to mention my birthday, which is also celebrated this month.) Now that I have Halloween out of the way, I am ready to start my holiday planning. I already have my Thanksgiving trip planned, Christmas giving-to list made, and homemade cookie dough in the freezer, ready to be baked and delivered to neighbors. I chose the pie I want to make for Thanksgiving and the recipes printed for my family's Christmas Around the World party. I am ready.

Christmas also marks the day this bouncing baby in my belly becomes full term. From that day on, we will be ready to welcome the darling babe into this world. Yes, the holidays will be happy this year.

But, let us not forget Thanksgiving: the holiday of good food and family. The holiday where we remember the abundance in our life. And, I do have plenty of things to be grateful for. Today, I am thinking about the loved ones in my life:

01. My sweet husband. How could I not think of him first? J is the ultimate. He is so kind. A magnificent father, and a caring friend and son, and a sweet & gentle husband. He is perfect, or at least very, very close.
02. My adorable son who always is wearing that silly grin and making us laugh with his teasing ways.
03. My sensitive, loving daughter who takes after her father in so many ways. She teaches me to think of others and to love unconditionally.
04. My sisters/best friends: Sarah for being such an elegant example. She is always dressed to the hilt and cooking the gourmet. Ready for a party at all times and suppling nursing advise generously. Missy for loving my kids and being so generous in every way. Jenny for making sure our kids are the best of buds and for all the phone calls and chats. Hilary for being so kind and fun. For the long talks about our pregnancies and work.
05. My parents for their support and concern. Dad for knowing all the answers and loving my kids. Mom for being my favorite person to talk to and always making me laugh.
06. My new pup. We are still getting to know each other, but the whole family has fallen head-over-heels for the havanese cutie.
I have so many others I could list: my brothers, my teachers, my friends. I have such a wonderful support system in my life. So many great people. My heart is truly full thinking about everyone.

And that is what this month is about for me. Carrying a heart full of gratitude with me always. Seeing how good I really have it.

5

...29 weeks

This is a horrible scan of the sweet little profile, but you can still tell he is a cutie. Check out his handsome profile! He looks like his daddy.

Had an ultrasound today to confirm that my baby's brain problems had fixed themselves. He had some sort of hole in his brain from a cyst. My husband and I were so relieved when they gave him a clean bill of health.

The ultrasound tech told me through a smile that I had a "dancer" in my belly and that he was "not cooperating with the measurements because he was too hyper." Didn't surprise me. This little guy doesn't sleep. I can always feel him squirming around. She also told me he looked like he was jumping on a trampoline. She kept saying, "Holy Cow!! Are you feeling that??" I looked at her like she was crazy. OF COURSE I can feel this crazy babe in my belly!

Can't believe I am 29 weeks. The due date is swiftly approaching and the nesting instincts are raging. I'm off to knit a baby blanket...

10

...i don't condone guns

Guns scare me. I didn't grow up in a gun-packing family, but I certainly married into one. J gets great pride every time he can talk me into shooting.

On Saturday morning, we were visiting the in-laws in Idaho. I wandered upstairs after a sick and semi-restless nights sleep to find my little family, in their pjs, shooting a bb gun outside. My heart stopped for a second and quotes from The Christmas Story started flooding my head. I asked my hubby, "What are you doing? I don't want my babies shooting a gun!" But, I also coldn't bare to tear them away. They were getting such a thrill, as was their proud father.

I ended up joining in on the game. It is true. No making fun of my form. I have held a gun a total of 3 times. And I was scared. And I am sporting a mammoth belly. I did pretty well, if I say so myself. Shot the milk carton 10 out of 10 times. J chose a harder target for me: a small metal pole in the garden about 1/2 acre away. Got it on my second try. Beginners luck. I had my eyes closed.

28 weeks pregnant in that picture. Belly is amazingly large with baby #3. Baby Bean jumped with joy after every kick of the gun. I think he takes after his daddy...they'll be hunting buddies one day.

6

...sometimes I wish I wasn't pregnant

I have not been super sick or in an excruciating amount of pain. Really, compared to my last pregnancy, this one has been a walk in the park. I love feeling this peanut baby shake-n-shimmy. I love brainstorming baby names and dreaming about the baby's hair color. (Will he have brown hair like his sister's? Another fiery-but-sweet red-headed boy? Or be a toe-head like his mother was?) There are so many things I love about being pregnant.

But, some days, I wish I was regular-sized. Especially when Shade Clothing has an amazing sale. On EVERYTHING. Go buy something. I'll live vicariously through you.

3

...24 weeks

After recieving a lecture from my mother about not documenting past pregnancies...i promised myself that I would take a weekly photo with #3. I am failing miserably. I shy away every time a camera pops out...or offer to be the photographer for the day so I can hide behind the lens. It is hard to feel beautiful when I am sporting a mammoth torso.

I feel so blessed every time my little one wiggles, kicks, and dances in my tummy. Everyday, I place my hand on my stomach to feel the merengue dance that begins at noon. At night, I lie in bed awake feeling him shake and shimmy inside. I'm guessing we have an acrobat on our hands. It makes me smile.

16 more weeks to go...

16

...oh, boy!

J is so excited to have another son. My daughter is sad about having another boy in the house. My little guy is oblivious. I am thrilled!

I better start searching for a boy name that I like. Why are boy names so hard??

26

We had an ultrasound appointment this morning at 9am. I was so excited. My kids were dressed and ready to go. We ate breakfast and watched the clock. It was almost time to leave...and my phone rang. It was the doctors office postponing my appointment until 11:45. How could they do that to me? I about died.

But...we WILL know what kind of baby we are having today. (Well...if the baby cooperates.) I am so excited!

I am guessing it is a boy because we can only think of a girl's name. That is just how things usually work for us. ;)

1

...a simple life

Sometimes I dream of moving to a farm town. Somewhere slower. Simpler. It seems romantic to me. A life someone would have in the movies.

I love to visit my in-laws. They live in small-town Idaho on a beautiful property with an enormous garden and beautiful sugar beet farm behind their yard. I love to sit outside, smell the clean air and freshly cut hay, and listen to the peace. This weekend, as I sat in the rocker on the back porch of their home, I thought of what it would be like to be a non-working woman in a town like that. It seemed like a dreamy idea to me.

We had a beautiful weekend living outside, away from computers and jobs and smog. My kids were in their element: running, jumping and being free. My husband was in heaven in his hometown, away from our "city." I was pampered. Mother-in-law had all the food prepared and beds ready. I came home today relaxed and refreshed. Idaho, I hope it isn't long before I visit again!

8

...flying away

On most days, I love being pregnant! I love feeling that baby inside me. I love reading pregnancy books (even on my third pregnancy.) I love the planning, the anticipating, and buying new, soft baby clothes. I love brainstorming names and dreaming about my baby's personality.

But...on other days I notice the weird things that it does to my body. Like...new hair, for example. I have hundreds of new little hair growths that are flying everywhere. They have a mind of their own. I can't tame them. Truly. I have tried so many products. Nothing works. And, then there is the issue of clothes, but I am not ready to talk about my depressing maternity wardrobe yet.

I better go read a baby name book to get out of this slump.

27

...seventeen weeks

i received an email informing me that i was 17 weeks pregnant today.
this pregnancy is flying by.
even with all the nausea and negative pregnancy symptoms, I still relish every moment
of carrying you with me every where i go.
every little movement and twitch in my tummy is a thrill.
you were stubborn last week; we couldn't tell "what kind of baby" you were.
we'll try again this week
and the next if we need to...cause I can't wait.
i love you, little baby.
I can't wait to meet you.
23 more weeks!

9

...water

In my height of health-freak-ness, I was a water-a-holic. (In my health-counselor days...) It was a serious problem. I never went anywhere without a water bottle in hand. (Well, except for church. Breaking out a water bottle in church meetings is just...inappropriate in my mind. But that is not what this post is about, nor do I want to debate that subject.)

Anyway...I think one of the main reasons I was such a water fan was because I adored my water bottle. It was a lovely bottle with a perfect lip. That is...until my husband froze it and it cracked when he put it under hot water. That was a sad, sad day. It served me well for 2 years and I haven't been able to find a replacement that I loved quite as much. (Which consequently led to the dehydrated state my body is currently in.)

But, recently I have found the PERFECT bottle. Even better than my first love!! It has a straw that you can remove. So, on days I am feeling dainty and proper, I can drink through the straw while reading a book in my lounge chair. Or...on my pregnant, overheated, big-as-a-whale days, I can pull that sucker out of there and guzzle.

So, farwell pink Nalgene bottle. I will miss you and you were well loved. Goodbye dehydrated pregnant body. I have moved on to bigger and better things.

CamelBak BPA-Free Better Bottle with Bite Valve

9

...per requests

Yes...I do realize that I look more than 14 weeks pregnant. And yes, I know that I am in that awkward stage where no one knows whether I am gaining weight or pregnant. And yes, I know that I am carrying a little high and it looks funny. (What does that mean? Boy? Girl?) And yes...I know that my fingers look short and stumpy in this picture. But hey...you asked for it.

11

...lazy days of summer

I have never been a sunbather. Even though I tan up easily, I find it hot and boring. (And...my olive/dark skinned dad lost 1/2 his ear last year to skin cancer. I am now an spf 50 lover and I embrace my naturally light, fair skin.) I am a water lover. I would much rather be splashing and swimming with the kids. But, with all this nasty morning sickness, the thought of a pool didn't really appeal.

My kids, however, were begging to swim and get out of the house. (Poor children of pregnant mothers! They are really deprived!) So, after adorning my kids and myself with layers upon layers of spf 50, we headed to the pool. (With a prayer in my heart that I wouldn't puke.)

I discovered something once I dragged myself to the pool. Floating in the water=morning sickness cure!! Seriously. It was really weird. I started relaxing in the pool and about 5 minutes later started feeling better. I got out of the pool and that heavy, sick feeling came back. So...all your pregnant women out there...get yourself to the pool and see if it works for you!

In the past 9 days, we have been to the pool 6 times. It has been glorious! Nothing beats a break from nausea...

8

...shopping when pregnant

I hate shopping for clothes when I am pregnant. I hate buying anything that I will only get to wear for maybe 6 months, spending a ton of money, and still feeling yucky in my new clothes. In fact, I hate it so much, that I refuse to do it. I have some ugly maternity clothes, and I am just going to deal with them for the next 5.5 months.

I still love shopping, but when I am pregnant I always end up with a bunch of new shoes, bags and accessories. (Cause...no matter how much weight you gain, that cute purse will still fit you.)

I took my kids to target a couple days ago for a little retail therapy. (A bit unusual for me lately, since we are saving for a new car...ick. I hate cars and how much money they are.) While we were there, I bought myself a brand spanken new PURPLE purse and a pair of silver (seriously comfy) shoes. It has been way too long since I bought myself a new purse. I can't wait to try it out! And the best part of the whole experience? I only spent $25 TOTAL! I love you, Target...

SILVER SHOE

PURPLE PURSE

12

...good thing i forget

Baby a month ago, at 9 weeks pregnant

It is a good thing I forgot what it is like to be pregnant, or this baby probably wouldn't be coming to our family. (I am sure I will forget again soon after this baby is born...)

I am now 3 months along and spending 1/2 of my awake time leaning over the toilet seat. I have contemplated moving my computer into the bathroom in an effort to catch up on my work in between throwing up, but realized that I would rather not spend ALL day in there.

However, I am even more excited than I am sick. Every night, I lay in bed trying to feel the baby. I know it is early yet, but I still search for those lovely tummy flutters. I can't wait to feel that. The kicks inside me make the sickness all worthwhile.

12