The Other Breastfeeding Essentials

Today we have a guest post from blogger Kary of Always Painted Usually Chipped, with her recommendations for products that helped her along her breastfeeding journey.

My breastfeeding journey was a long but good 14 months. It started with an extremely anxious pregnant woman and ended with a happy & healthy toddler (and mama!) I’d love to come back to share more details with you, but today I want to share with you my non-traditional list of breastfeeding essentials. Sure, you need your Boppy (LOVE that thing), some burp cloths and of course an iphone to pass the time, but these were my other go to items for the past year (plus!).

1 – Forever 21 $10.81 Jeans – These jeans saved me from a mini breakdown in the mall. After giving birth to my son I was elated to fit back in my prepregnancy jeans pretty quickly. It was so awesome…for about a week. Then I just kept losing more and more and more weight. My body could not keep up with the milk production. I didn’t want to buy all new clothes, but I HAVE to have jeans in my wardrobe. For a self-proclaimed jeans snob, I was shocked when these F21 jeans saved me. They are dirt cheap and fit perfectly. I am just about to outgrow them and get back to my regular jeans, thank goodness, but they were the perfect temporary jeans.

2 - Snacks!! -  In addition to new jeans I also had to buy and eat a TON of food. I like snacks, but the amount I had to eat to keep up with my son eating every two hours was ridiculous. I ate more while breastfeeding than while pregnant, times three. I went through bags of nuts and boxes of these Special K sandwiches, in addition to a ton of oatmeal, guacamole, hummus, string cheese, etc. I felt like I weaned off the snacks as I weaned my son off the breast.

3 – Button-Up Shirts – My personal favorite are from JCrew and JCrew Factory. They are just thick enough so you don’t have to worry about nipple coverage if you just slip on a nursing tank and just thin enough so that you are not sweating (because postpartum hot flashes are no joke!).

4 – Coobie Bras – I wore these bras while pregnant and for a solid year after giving birth. I just put on a real bra for the first time and I feel like a pre-teen with the itch factor going on. These bras fit me from my size A to my full C milk boobs, and back to my size A after breastfeeding. I never found a nursing tank that I LOVED. Sure, there were some that I liked, but I didn’t love any of them like I loved these bras.

5 – Perry Mackin Diaper Bag – I tried quite a few diaper bags. If I’m telling the truth, I tried three. Okay, okay, six. I tried six. After all my trials though I can honestly say that this is the bag for me. I love it and haven’t been inclined to switch since I got it.  You may not think of a diaper bag as a breastfeeding essential, but my son nursed every 2 hours until he was about 8 months old and refused a bottle. If I wanted to leave the house, he was coming with me and that meant bringing diapers, a blanket for a cover, an outfit change, snacks and water for me, etc. Definitely an essential in my book.

6 – Gel Pads – I keep wanting to remove these from my list because I really only used them for the first month, but I can still feel the love I had for these gel pads deep in my heart. The relief of getting one out and putting it on during that first, stress-inducing, nipple-hurting, “can I really do this?" month of breastfeeding keeps them on my list. To be fair, these are not the exact ones that I used since our hospital gave us some, but these seem to be the closest.

Kary is a stay at home mom to an energetic toddler and two cats. She is a military wife to an amazing man and she appreciates him very much for doing the cooking! You can find her over at Always Painted, Usually Chipped.

Thanks, Kary!

For more breastfeeding essentials, check out Christa's post, 5 Things You Really Need to Breastfeed.

You can't eat that...

At just a few weeks Exclusively Breastfeeding I got the dreaded suggestion from my pediatrician...

"Try to go Dairy Free"! My friends- this was the worst news, as I am addicted to CHEESE & Chocolate!
 
Beckett had a HORRIBLE acid rash on his hiney that we could not get rid of after 2 weeks of trying everything (It was bleeding,peeling, & bright red) plus he was extremely colicky, had a terrible belly ache every evening, and had acid reflux.  I felt like the worst mommy ever and I was willing to try anything to make it go away even if that meant giving up the most wonderful food on earth.

Here is Beckett in his Cloth Diaper we tried first to get rid of the rash. Now we always cloth! 

 
She said try it for 2 weeks if symptoms don't improve then we know it wasn't the dairy. Well just 3 days into it his rash started getting better and there was my answer. I was officially Dairy Free! Everyone I told just said "Quit breastfeeding so you can eat what you want" that was in no way an option for me, I would give up anything to make my baby boy happy & healthy! 

I quickly learned there are a lot of replacements for things that are just as yummy! Most restuarants have an allergen menu online so I would just look up what I would eat prior to our visit to the restaurant, you can also usually ask the manager to prepare your food without butter etc. if you cant find an allergen menu! Caution some people do not understand food allergies/intolerance; I could not tell you the number of times I would get "all we can do is give you the gluten free option"... UGGHHHH- I just sighed everytime, said "bring me a water", & prayed for our uneducated society! Also note- fries are not usually an option because all fried foods go in the same oil!

About 1 month later some of his belly aches returned. His Pediatrician  asked me to keep a food diary for a week. I consumed an ungodly amount of peanut butter (what can I say I love it! & I don't eat a lot of meat so its great protein). She said again 'cut it out & see what happens'... again success; I was now a dairy free & peanut free mommy. Repeat after me *** ANYTHING FOR MY BABY***  This process repeated yet again a few weeks later and I was asked to also lose ALL CAFFEINE! (Thats no cheese, no chocolate, no peanut butter, & no diet Dr Pepper!) At that moment in life I thought all things delicious were done for in my diet but the positive note was that I could lose weight by only eating spinach & celery right?!?! HAHA!  

 Another good note was that at 4 months I could try to reintroduce one thing at a time to see if he could tolerate it yet! I prayed every day that Becks would not grow up to be allergic to all these things!

Quickly I learned more yummy things to eat here are some options besides meat & veggies:

Oreos

Bunny Brand Bread (toasted with Almond butter)

Almond butter

Minute Maid Honey Graham Crackers

Pumpkin & Flax seed Kashi Bars

Oatmeal Clif bars

Enjoy Life brand chocolate chips (in lactation cookies)

Little Caesars pizza can be ordered with toppings minus the cheese!

Special K cereal with soy milk or coconut milk

Parkay brand squeeze butter (only the squeeze kind)

Wheat Thins

Homemade desserts (sub butter with coconut oil)

 

 There is so much more I could name! I joined a facebook group (Dairy free mommies), researched online, read labels on EVERYTHING, and searched pintrest for recipes! *(note- many recipes online are lactose free not dairy free so be cautious)*

Breastfeeding is the most difficult but rewarding part of motherhood and cutting out all those yummy processed foods is extremely difficult but the health & comfort of my baby boy is all I need to make it worth it!

What did you give up to continue to breastfeed? What other food could you add to my list of allergy friendly yummies?

"Pumping It Up!" while pumping and breastfeeding

Please welcome guest poster Amy to Adventures in Breastfeeding! We know it can be difficult to get in shape when you have a hungry baby to feed, but Amy has tips and motivation to help you reach your goals!

Yes! You can do intense workouts and get back to your pre-pregnancy weight while breastfeeding!  I’ve debunked that myth.  As a group fitness instructor and mom of a 9 ½ month old baby girl, fitness and nutrition are a major part of my lifestyle.  Like many moms, I was eager to shed the pregnancy weight once I had my baby.  I gained about 40 lbs, and lost a lot of muscle tone.  Prior to getting pregnant, I was in the best physical shape of my life.  Having a baby and getting back into shape has truly been humbling.

Be realistic.  I certainly couldn’t pick up from where I left off with my extreme workouts and competitive running once the baby was born.  So, I walked.  My belly bounced and I was easily winded.  During those boring walks, my mind wandered.  I envisioned myself running strong again, and even coming back faster.  It became my motivation. 

Find your comfort zone, then get out of it.  Eventually, I began incorporating some jogging with my walking.  I started working out in my home gym.  It was tough.  My belly would touch the ground when I did push-ups.  I was easily winded.  However, I never gave up. 

Be patient with weight loss.  I was working out every day.  My strength and endurance was improving.  However, the scale wasn’t budging.  I became frustrated.  As a fitness instructor, I’ve helped people lose hundreds of pounds, but couldn’t lose the weight myself.  I started to resent people who said that the weight would come off easily because I was breastfeeding.  Typically, those people have a commonality: They either don’t have kids, or have never breastfed. With very little sleep and a massive appetite from breast feeding, I thought I was doomed to never lose the pregnancy weight.

1st place in a 5K after having Ava!

No gimmicks.  I did gradually start losing weight, because I was doing it the healthy way with proper diet and exercise.  I never deprive myself of food.  I eat when I’m hungry, but make wise choices.  I think of food as fuel for my workouts, but most importantly as giving the best nutrition to my baby.  No crazy diets.  No fad supplements.  No trendy workouts where I could easily get injured.  It took about 7 months, but I finally felt comfortable in my pre-pregnancy clothes. 

Make the time. Fitness should be part of your daily routine, not a chore.  If getting in shape is a priority, you’ll find the time.  Get off Facebook.  Quit Candy Crush.  Stop baking cookies and knitting scarves.  Depending on my workout, I wake up every day between 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.  I pump my milk and deposit it to my freezer stash.  I either run or do a workout in my home gym before my baby wakes up at 7:30 a.m.  I really enjoy my workouts and look forward to them.  If you find the workouts you love, you’ll stick to them. 

Drink even more water.  As breastfeeding moms, we already drink an abundant amount of water to maintain our supply.  Well, if you’re exercising, you’ll need to drink even more.  I am pretty much glued to my water bottle all day.  I also drink a lot of coconut water as a natural energy drink.  It’s loaded with electrolytes. 

I did it! Ultimately, the vision and determination of coming back stronger and faster became a reality.  Since having my baby in March and breastfeeding strong, I’ve run six 5K races.  I’ve placed 1^st in my division in every race, and beat my personal best time twice.  I am also looking forward to teaching Body Pump again, a fitness class with weights, beginning January 14^th.  My passion for helping others accomplish their fitness goals is stronger than ever now.  None of this was easy to accomplish.  I am still trying to figure out balance in my life with baby.  My next big challenge to overcome is finding the time to style my hair and put on makeup, which seems almost impossible most days.  Ultimately, it’s all about priorities and perspective.  My workouts give me time to myself.  Sometimes it’s the only time I have for myself the entire day, so I look forward to it.

Do you have health and fitness goals this year? Share your hopes and successes!

Amy Drazen lives in Orlando, Florida with her husband and daughter, Ava. She is an accomplished runner and has won various awards in racing. Amy is a certified Les Mills International Group Fitness Instructor in Body Pump and Body Combat. She enjoys healthy cooking and nutrition.





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Toasty Beef Sandwich and Roasted Roots

The advertising shift from toys and gadgets to fitness memberships and diet plans is a predictable one this time of year. It makes sense. My indulgent eating over the holidays not only impacted my waistline, but my immune system, too. Now I find myself starting out the new year with a stuffy nose and raspy cough.

I didn't always make the connection between what I eat and how I feel. All my life I've enjoyed food, and while I've always eaten vegetables, I would freely partake of junk as well. When I found out I was pregnant I suddenly felt a great responsibility for my health. I realized that now I was nurturing two bodies instead of one and I began to make a shift in my eating habits. This burden has continued now that I breastfeed my little girl; she receives nutrients that I put into my body. She is also starting to share what we have for dinner. I still have a long way to go in cultivating a healthy food culture in my home, but so far I think the key for me is balance. There is no way I will ever eat a salad for every meal, nor should I. Today I'm sharing a simple comfort food recipe that will fill you up with beneficial nutrients and satisfy your taste buds on a cold winter's day.

Toasty Beef Sandwich and Roasted Roots

Sandwich ingredients
2 slices of your favorite bread
Roast beef from the deli
Mayonnaise
Dijon mustard
Raspberry jam
Cheese (I love brie with roast beef, but today I settled for provolone)
EVOO or roasted garlic (optional - but delightful!)
Get creative with add-ons (I love caramelized onions on mine!)

 

Roasted roots
Carrots

Parsnips

EVOO

Salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Scrub your vegetables well as you rinse them if you want to keep the skins on like I did.

Cut the veggies into fairly even pieces and toss with EVOO in a bowl to coat evenly.

 Put some foil on a baking sheet to make cleanup easier, then pour your veggies on. Spread them out so that they are not on top of each other, then salt and pepper them. Throw them in the bottom rack of your oven for about 30 minutes, or until edges are brown and middles can be cut with a fork.

While the veggies are cooking, line another baking sheet with foil and assemble your sandwich. If you have roasted garlic on hand (which you always should), use the oil that it's packed in to spread on each piece of bread. If not, just use EVOO. Put one piece of bread oil side down on the foil. Spread this piece with mayo, then dijon, then raspberry jam. I know this sounds weird, but it is marvelous. Trust me.

Top that bread with your deli meat and cheese and any other delicious add-ons you'd like: caramelized onions, bacon, etc. I like to put the other piece of oiled bread oil-side-up next to it so the cheese can get melty faster.

Throw it in the top rack of the oven, above the veggies. Turn your broiler on and watch closely because that bread will brown quickly! Once the lone piece of bread looks toasted, put it on top of the sandwich, flip it, and broil again so it's toasted on the other side. (If you have a toaster oven, obviously that would be the easier method!)

I realize this is not an earth-shattering recipe by any stretch of the imagination. I didn't include amounts in the ingredients because I estimate. The carrots and parsnips pictured made two baking sheets of roasted vegetables. I like to make them all at once and keep them in the fridge so little Boo and I can have them for lunch all week. I also like to switch up the sandwich and veggie combo. I'm crazy about this peanut butter bacon sandwich or sometimes I'm in the mood for turkey and avocado.  I love to use beets, squash, or sweet potatoes for the vegetables as well.

The point is, you can have your veggies and comfort food and use your own favorite stand-by ingredients to eat well and feel well.  I love having a full belly and knowing I'm nourishing myself and my daughter with vital nutrients. Happy New Year, and happy eating!

The Importance of Good Nutrition

We all know that breast milk is the best nourishment for babies (and don't forget toddlers!), but did you know not all breast milk is created equal? Everyone knows how important good nutrition is while pregnant, but what about while nursing? Eating right and putting the most nutritious things in your body will produce the best milk for your baby, full of all the antibodies and nutrients needed.

I follow a traditional style of eating, based on the teachings of Weston A Price. While I don't follow the recommendations to a tee, I do like to use it as a guideline for making sure I'm truly providing the best for my baby and myself. While WAPF recommends following every aspect of the protocol for pregnant and nursing mothers, I realize it isn't practical for everyone. Here are the WAPF recommendations, with notes on what I eat to make sure my nursling gets the best.

Cod Liver Oil to supply 20,000 IU vitamin A and 2000 IU vitamin D per day - I do take CLO, but please keep the warning at the bottom of this post in mind when supplementing with it. My favorite is from Green Pastures, which you can find here.

1 quart (or 32 ounces) whole milk daily, preferably raw and from pasture-fed cows (learn more about raw milk on our website, A Campaign for Real Milk, www.realmilk.com) - I'm lactose intolerant, but I'm able to drink raw milk and all raw milk products from our dairy herd association with no problems. I'm not always able to drink a quart a day, due to production from our cow share. In the spring and summer, we get at least 6 quarts each week so it isn't a problem. In the late fall and winter months, we only get 1 1/2 or 2 quarts a week, so I do the best I can.

4 tablespoons butter daily, preferably from pasture-fed cows - This is an easy one for me! I LOVE butter. Seriously, don't tell my husband about the affair we have going. We use Organic Valley's pasture butter. It is the most delicious flavor and is packed with good levels of vitamins, CLA, and balances omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. I put butter in and on everything I possibly can.

2 or more eggs daily, preferably from pastured chickens - This is another easy one for me. I loved eggs during my pregnancy. More than I ever have before. I'm fortunate to get wonderful eggs from happy, pastured hens that my parents lovingly raise. Eggs from the grocery store just don't have the proper nutrition that pastured eggs do, so it is important to try to find a good source for high quality eggs. When my parents are out of eggs (they only have 6 hens), we buy them from a local health food store that sources them from a local farmer.

Additional egg yolks daily, added to smoothies, salad dressings, scrambled eggs, etc. - This one is hit or miss, but I always try to add in the nutrition of extra eggs whenever possible.

3-4 ounces fresh liver, once or twice per week (If you have been told to avoid liver for fear of getting "too much Vitamin A," be sure to read Vitamin A Saga) - I finally found a good source for liver, but I still couldn't bring myself to do it. I'm hoping to cross this bridge soon because I know the health benefits are worth it. Hey, I consider it a crime if my chicken stock doesn't have feet floating in it now, so I'm sure I can figure out the liver situation ;)

Fresh seafood, 2-4 times per week, particularly wild salmon, shellfish and fish eggs - Living in the Midwest, I don't have great access to fresh seafood. I'm also still a bit concerned about contamination in seafood, but I do enjoy sustainably sourced seafood (say that five times fast!) when I can find it and when it fits in our budget.

Fresh beef or lamb daily, always consumed with the fat - We have great access to the most delicious, locally raised, heritage breed meats! Boy was I glad when I found Grass is Greener Farms. They raise heritage breed cows, pigs, turkeys, chickens, sheep, ducks, and lambs. The bacon and sausage have the most fabulous, buttery flavor, and they melt in your mouth. The chicken and beef are so tender and packed full of healthy nutrients. We eat meat almost every day and always source it from our local farmer. Meat from the grocery store can be loaded with hormones and antibiotics which you don't want to pass on to your baby.

Oily fish or lard daily, for vitamin D - I use lard or bacon grease to cook everything. When made from properly raised pigs that are able to root and roam freely, these fats are superior to anything you can buy at the store and provide good levels of Vitamin D. I cook everything from eggs to vegetables in lard or bacon grease. If you've never cooked eggs in bacon grease, you are missing out!

2 tablespoons coconut oil daily, used in cooking or smoothies, etc. - I really love finding new ways to get more coconut oil into myself and my family. This stuff is like gold! Lately, I've been enjoying homemade hot cocoa with some coconut oil melted in. I use my immersion blender to make it frothy and creamy. I also love it in fudge, coconut flour muffins, and even straight off the spoon. My favorite coconut oil is from Tropical Traditions and can be purchased here. I order this stuff by the gallon.

Lacto-fermented condiments and beverages - I just started making my own fermented veggies this year. It was a little confusing at first, but a friend helped me out and now I've got the hang of it. The benefits of lacto-fermentation include everything from helping make food more digestible to providing you with plenty of healthy and beneficial bacteria. It's also known to increase vitamin levels.

Bone broths used in soups, stews and sauces - I can't say enough good things about bone broth!  It's always a staple in my house, but especially around the time of year when germs are rampant and everyone is getting sick. It's so simple and cost effective to make your own bone broth, and you'll never get the same goodness from a can or carton of broth. I started using this recipe and have since adapted it by trying different things. I always add chicken feet to my stock to give it extra collagen and gelatin. Yum!

Soaked whole grains - Soaking grains is really important for proper digestion and maximum nutrition. Soaking grains prior to consuming them helps break down and pre-digest the grains, making it easier for your body to absorb the nutrients.

Fresh vegetables and fruits - I think this one is pretty obvious and needs no explanation!

Of course we all indulge and splurge sometimes (my sweet tooth can get quite convincing, sometimes) but eating healthy overall is best for you and baby. Many people follow the 80/20 rule, eating healthy 80% of the time and not worrying about the other 20%. Do you eat healthy while nursing? Do you try to stick to good habits most of the time?

Read more details on fats here.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase coconut oil from Tropical Traditions using my link, I may get a gift certificate for referring you. Your price will remain the same and you will get the same great quality product that I use everyday.

The 5 Things You *Really* Need to Breastfeed

There are so many products out there that people say you *need* in order to raise a baby or even just to breastfeed. The truth is though that you don't really need much to be able to breastfeed successfully. Yes there are some amazing products out there that really helpful for breastfeeding relationship but at the end of the day..this is all you need:

1. A Baby--Barring any medical complications the baby is the first thing you need to breastfeed and once you have one of those you're good to go. Some babies may have a hard time with breastfeeding at first but usually there is a root cause that can be fixed. Babies don't hate breastfeeding, they love it! 

2. Breastmilk aka YOU--More likely than not your body is going to produce just the amount of breastmilk that you need for your baby. The most important thing to remember is bring your baby to your breast as much as possible and let them nurse nurse nurse. It is NORMAL for them to nurse every 1-2 hours. Breastmilk works on a supply and demand basis. The more is demanded (through breastfeeding and even pumping) the more supply you will have. So nurse that sweet babe on demand! 

3. Support--You'll need support through this entire process some of it relies on other people, your partner, friends and family. But a lot of it relies on you too. Making sure that you know a lot about breastfeeding before actually needed to breastfeed and asking for help when you need! If it's late night and you're in a pinch send a message to our FB page, tweet on twitter with the hashtag #Breastfeeding or #BFCafe or check out Kellymom.com. 

4. Adequate Diet--It takes a lot of effort on your body's part to make breast milk so it's important to make sure you're eating correctly, so that your body is energized. Make sure you're getting lots of fruits, vegetables and protein in your diet. One way you can help with this in the early months when you're exhausted is by preparing freezer meals before you have the baby and having quick and healthy snacks on hand. Think pre-washed salads, apples, carrots, etc. 

5. Water, Water, Water--Whenever I sat down to nurse Mason or Kyla I tried to make sure that I had a bottle of water on hand. Water is key to milk production and not staying hydrated can actually cause you have low supply. So drink up ladies!

Do you agree or disagree? Is this really all you need to breastfeed successfully?
 If not, what else do you think should have made the list?