Milk and cookies

I wrote last week about not pumping enough milk and trying to boost my supply. The tea isn't really having a big effect. I've been more diligent about nursing her and not letting it go til the last minute. I wanted to add another pumping session but it gets tiring so I've been lackadaisical about that. I'm thinking about getting the More Milk Plus by Motherlove. But I thought I'd try something a little tastier first.

This week I made lactation cookies using this recipe from mama and baby love. They are some kind of tasty and though they are a healthier cookie I wouldn't call them healthy. Too much white flour and sugar. I'm sure there are healthier recipes on the internet. Maybe I'll look one up next time. The key ingredients to milk production are the oats, the brewer's yeast and the flaxseed meal. I used quick oats because that is what I had on hand but I think rolled oats are probably better. The brewer's yeast I found in the organic vitamin section of my grocery. The recipe calls for 2 Tblsp but the can has a lot more than that so I'm sure that I'll make more. As for now I am going to sprinkle some on my morning oatmeal and hope that gives a little boast. The flaxseed meal is found pretty much at any grocery store though I did see some organic the other day. I got mine at Wal-Mart.

They turned out really good. The number one question asked of the non-lactating in the house is if it is okay for them to eat them. Yes it is fine. No one is going to spontaneously start making milk because of the cookies. I only hope they don't eat them all. After all I made them for me. But the recipe made about 3 1/2 dozen drop cookies so there really was plenty.

I'd actually like to try making lactation muffins next. Something I can freeze and heat in the mornings. I don't know if this is going to make much of a difference. I'm hoping between the tea and the cookies and the nursing something will happen.

Hair cutting. Clearly not one of my talents.

The last time Bub had a professional haircut was right before school started. I am terrible at taking him for a cut so I had the lady cut it shorter than she normally would so that it would grow out and still look decent. Over the past few months I've trimmed up the bangs, sides and back as it has grow and that worked for a while. But the last time I did it he ended up looking like Moe from The Three Stooges (something he loved). And then his hair just looked terrible. It was time for a cut. I saw on Pinterest a tutorial on cutting boy hair. Sure, I can do this. Yeah, I can't do this. Hair cutting is not within the realms of my talents. I do not have the hand or patience for such a task.

At first it was going alright and I thought yeah this is going to look fine. But then I cut too short in one area and then had to shorten the rest. Then he moved when I was cutting his bangs so those got all wonky. Long story short (too late) I ended up putting the longest guard we have on my husband's clippers and cut it that short all over. He looks fine. It's nice to see his face again and we can start fresh on growing it out. It's just cold out and now his hair is so short. Poor baby. I just need to own up to my barber failures and just take him to a professional.

Problems at the dairy

People would ask me how long I wanted to breastfeed and I'd say Well I nursed Bub for 10 months so I'd like to go at least that long but ideally till she is a year. I'm happy to say that Button is 9 1/2 months and I've managed to exclusively breastfeed her the entire time. I didn't get this experience with Bub and it's one of the things I regret. But that's just how it worked out and there's no changing it now. With Button, though, it has gone off beautifully. Until now. I had two weeks off of work for Christmas and I thought that being together all that time would do wonders for my milk supply. But she is less interested in nursing now because she is too busy and she is eating more solids so it had the opposite effect. And now I'm really worried since the milk stash I had in the freezer is down to nearly nothing. I'm not pumping nearly as much as I was. I realized that I'm not drinking enough water or taking my vitamins like I should so I'm working to correct that. Another issue that may be effecting my milk supply is that (TMI) I finally started my period again but I don't know if that is part of the problem or not. I'm trying to make her nurse more by taking her into a quiet room away from the other household distractions. But with only two months to go I really want to finish strong. I've worked so hard for this.

I've been eating oatmeal every morning hoping that will help some but so far it hasn't made that much of a difference. Maybe I am not eating enough of it. So I broke down and bought some tea, specifically Traditional Medicinals Organic Mother's Milk tea. I looked into Motherlove More Milk Plus but according to online reviews it taste gross. They have capsules that might not be so bad. If the tea doesn't work out then I'll see if I can find the capsules. The other thing I looked at was Earth Mama Angel Baby Milkmaid Tea but there isn't a place nearby that sells it and I don't feel like waiting on a delivery. All the nursing teas seem to have basically the same ingredients. I think it is really the fenugreek that makes the difference.

So I will see if this works. I just want to make it one year. After that I don't think I'll be putting this much pressure on myself. We can wean or drop breast milk feeding now significantly and I will be okay with that.

Let's play: What's in my diaper bag?

My sister-in-law AKA Hotshot Mama wrote a post recently about what's in her diaper bag. I thought it was fun so here is mine.

I carry a soft bag made by my mom. It's similar to something I used when Bub was a baby. It has one outside pocket and one inside pocket. It's fairly roomy and not bulky.
In the interest of full disclosure, the only thing I am not documenting is the random candy and coins found at the bottom of it.

1. A blanket. Specifically in this case an Aden + Anais blanket Button got for Christmas. I'd been coveting the cupcake print since before she was born and my cousin sent it for her which was super nice. But I always carry a blanket for a nursing coverup and to cover Button if necessary. You may also notice my nursing strap (the purple thing) next to the blanket. It's something I made from these instructions and it is super handy.

2. Hats and a bow. I don't usually have so many hats but she wore the black one to my mom's the other day and it was in there. Lately I've taken to carrying the Tortoro hat since it cold. But usually I don't have a hat. Bows, on the other, I do usually have one or two stuck in the bag.

3. Food and a cup. Another thing I've just started to carry around since she is eating solids regularly and pretty much demanding food when we eat and snacks are usually a good thing for a bored and hungry month old.. Right now I have a Ella's Kitchen Mangoes and Carrots Nibbly Fingers bar, a pack of Sunny Buddies sunflower butter and berry jam bites and a container of the good old standby of Cheerios. I also have a Nubby bottle/sippy cup since she likes to drink when she eats. Go figure.

4. Pens because it's always handy to have a pen, hand sanitizer for obvious reasons and a bottle of children's Motrin which is actually for Bub and goes in my purse.

5. Diapering paraphernalia. 3 Seventh Generation diapers, one tube of Burt's Bees diaper cream, one changing pad, one wipes case, and some diaper bags for the smelly ones when we are out.

6. Toys. I tend to rotate toys but right now I have two teething toys.

7. A wipeable bib for mealtimes and a burp cloth which is really just for wiping down.

Up and at'em

So I did it. I dragged my lazy butt out of bed and once again started exercising again. I'm going to have to establish a new routine but this morning seemed to run fairly smoothly. I woke up, got dressed, nursed Button, did my workout and then got dressed for the day. I was a little late leaving the house but then when am I not? But I was still at work on time. Bub's new alarm clock helped though he turned it off and went back to bed. He told me that he wasn't ready to get out of bed. Well, buddy, me neither but here I am. Anyway. I really need to get up about 5 or 10 minutes before I did but I did 30 minutes of video and that's more than I've done in a while. So we will see. I really want to stick with it. I was doing so good for so long that I think I can do it again.

Here we go again

So I resolved to exercise more, specifically to do the Couch to 5K program. BT agreed to do it with me and as of today he has completed week 1. Meanwhile, I am, well, still on the couch. I had decided to start on Sunday but it is cold and wet outside and I'm a chicken. It's been a year since I have really worked out and I'm afraid to start with something so strenuous. So this morning when BT came back from his run I mentioned this to him. I think I am going to do the same indoor exercise videos I had been doing to get myself back up to speed and by the time I plateau with those videos it will be light enough outside for me to start running in the morning. Because the other issue I have to resolve is when to do it. Mornings are really the only time for me. Evenings when I get home are taken up with the feedings and homework and bath times and bedtimes. Plus I only have about 4 hours with my kids at night so I want to do things with them. But it's still dark in the mornings and while we live in a safe neighborhood I am still not comfortable running in the dark. It should be getting light out earlier soon so it makes sense for me to wait and in the meantime do something I am comfortable with in the house. I don't know if it will happen today but definitely in the morning. For sure this time.

Resolutions

Like most people I am terrible at upholding my New Years resolutions. But this year I'm trying for a few more attainable goals. Something I can stick with a little more easy than past resolutions.

1. I'd like to start working out again. I was doing really well for a long time and then I got pregnant. Still I worked out til the middle of my 2nd trimester and then I quit and never started again. I'm not resolving to lose weight though that would be nice. I'm resolving to work out more and feel healthy and good about myself again. I started the Couch to 5K last year very briefly and then stopped. So I am going to try that again with the goal of running the Color Run in November in New Orleans.

2. I'd like to be on my phone/electronics less. I had a problem for a while of always being on the computer and not paying attention to Bub. But one day I realized what I was doing ignoring him like that. So I stopped getting on the computer so much. I find that now that I have a smartphone I am on that a lot. And it's not so much that I stay on it constantly because I don't have the kind of time but that I check it all the time. I find too that I do it more when I'm out of the house at my parent's or BT's parents or eating out or whatever. I want to be a good example to my children so I think I need to quit being one of those people I use to hate before I got a smartphone.

3. My eternal struggle: to have more patience. My son can be a lot and he can be a lot most of the time. My daughter hasn't yet reach that stage but I know it will be coming soon within the next year. I want to learn patience and to not yell. I want them to remember me as someone who was loving and kind and not someone who fussed constantly. Patience is not one of my key personality traits so I have to try hard. I am going to continue this year searching for as much patience I can find within myself.