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breastfeeding

9 Postpartum Must-Haves

August 28, 2018 by Rachel 27 Comments

Bringing a new baby home is a huge adjustment — both for the new mom and the family. But one of the best things that you can do as a mom is to take care of yourself. It’s taken a few years to learn these things, but here is my list of postpartum must-haves for all moms!

1. Motrin.

I’ve been through three very different deliveries and each time I’ve needed help with aches and pains postpartum. Whether you’ve been through a drug-free delivery, a vaginal delivery with an epidural, or a c-section, Motrin will be your new BFF — at least for a few days.

Birth is traumatic, ya’ll. Even when it isn’t, it is. Whichever way you bring a new life into this world, it’s rough on your body. Don’t be a martyr, take the Motrin and take it often. I learned the first time around that it’s not a good idea to wait until you need it; instead just take it when you’re allowed.

2. Meals. 

Ready-to-eat frozen meals, restaurant gift cards, a meal train — all of it. Whether you’re adding baby number one or baby number 7 to your family, the last thing a new mom wants to do is prepare food. In fact, you’ll need to eat as soon as you get a free moment.

If anyone asks if they can bring you a meal or a gift card to a restaurant, absolutely accept it. I felt so guilty about doing this the first time around, but I realized long afterward that I could do this for other people and pay it forward. So with baby number two and number three, I accepted every meal gift. Mostly it’s just moms who have been there and know how difficult it can be.

3. Comfortable clothes/pajamas.

The days (and weeks) that follow the birth of a new child will be days (and weeks) of hunkering down at home. If it’s your first child, you may think you need to wear real clothes. I’m here to tell you, just don’t. I mean, sure — shower and try to get yourself together because it will make you feel better. But you also need to feel comfortable. Your body, regardless of what kind of birth you’ve had, has been through trauma. So make sure you have several sets of comfortable clothes whether it be pajamas or sweatpants or whatever.

4. Depends.

Everyone will tell you how much you need the giant pads but I’m here to tell you that I’m not about that life. Did you know that Depends Silhouettes exist?! Because they are glorious! They are not like diapers in any way, shape, or form; in fact, they are (almost) comfortable. So ditch the pads — buy the depends.

5. Stool Softeners. 

Whatever experience you’ve had with birth, a child has exited your body. And for 40-weeks a baby has grown inside of you. Your organs have shifted to make room and then shifted back very, very, suddenly. This and hormonal changes wreak havoc on our digestive systems. Whether or not you think you need them, take the stool softeners. They’ll be offered to you in the hospital — take them. And make sure you have a small pack of them at home to get you through the first week or two.

6. Breastpads. 

Whether you decide to breastfeed or formula-feed, your breasts will leak — and you should most certainly be prepared. While I so desperately want to be a supporter of reusable breast pads, I have to say that I’ve tried the silicone breast pads and they are massively uncomfortable. Either get yourself the fabric reusables or the disposables.

7. Comfortable Nursing Bras + Tanks.

Comfort is key postpartum! Your tatas will hurt. So make them comfortable by finding bras and tanks that are secure but also not too tight.

8. Air Conditioning.

Hormones do crazy things. One of those things is making us sweat our booty off postpartum! Even after having my January baby, I was sweating like crazy — so much so that my husband had to sleep in the other room because I was freezing him out! So you’ll need air conditioning or, at the very least, a really good fan to circulate the air.

But no worries, because your hormones will even out and you’ll be back at a normal resting temperature before you know it!

9. Grace.

I’ve talked a lot about grace and motherhood. But I promise you it is not to be cliché. It is the one thing that has saved me, often times from myself. After becoming a mom for the first time I realized that I had put way too much pressure on myself, especially in those first few postpartum weeks. I accepted too many visitors and I stressed myself out by trying to ‘keep up’ with housework.

Just don’t. Breathe. Delegate. And give yourself all of the grace.

What are some

of the items

on your postpartum

must-have list?

Filed Under: #MomLife, babies, breastfeeding, busy mom, children, family, health, mental health, mommyhood, Oh baby!, parenthood, postpartum, tips + tricks, wellness Tagged With: #MomLife, babies, being a mom, breastfeeding, busy mom, children, family, health, mental health, mommyhood, motherhood, oh baby, parenthood, postpartum, tips + tricks, wellness

Breastfeeding Tips for Increasing Milk Supply

August 14, 2018 by Rachel 24 Comments

My breastfeeding journey is complicated. And before I get started I need to disclose that fed is best. Period. But for me, it was absolutely important personal decision that my children be breastfed. That does not, by any means, mean that this has been an easy journey.

When my first child was born nearly 6 years ago, he had issues latching in the hospital. A couple of months later he was diagnosed with a pretty severe tongue tie, but at that point, I had already been exclusively pumping every 3 hours. Yes, I would even wake up in the middle of the night to pump and make sure that I kept my milk supply up for my baby. It was exhausting.

So when my daughter was born a couple of years later, I was determined that she would latch. I had several visits from the lactation consultant while in the hospital and they confirmed no tongue tie and her latch was great. My milk even came in while I was only 24 hours postpartum! It was crazy. In fact, I had an oversupply (thanks to my body being in overdrive from exclusively pumping with baby number 1). I needed to use a nipple shield to prevent my oversupply from choking my poor baby! But we worked through it.

Fast forward to the present day. I’m 7 weeks postpartum with my final exclusively breastfed baby. My milk came in even faster than with baby number 2. The lactation consultants actually came to visit me in the hospital because I was an anomaly with an oversupply and they wanted to talk to me about it. Obviously, I realize this is a great problem to have; but my supply has evened itself out already and we’re just trucking along.

So my body has literally been all over the place when it comes to breastfeeding — exclusively pumping, oversupply, undersupply, and everywhere in between.

Here’s what I can share with you to help

increase your milk supply while breastfeeding.

Eat and Drink. 

It can be difficult to make sure you’re eating enough when you’re stuck underneath a needy newborn, but the most important thing you can do for your milk supply is to keep a constant supply of water on hand and plenty of snacks. Our bodies use a lot of energy to create the milk for our babies. If we aren’t keeping up with our own caloric and water intake, our bodies won’t be able to produce food for our babies.

Empty your breasts after each feeding.

After you finish nursing your little one the last thing you want to do is be tied down even more. I know. But set that little lovebug down and bust out your breast pump and fully finish emptying your breasts. It will seem tedious at first and you likely won’t get much milk expressed, but if you keep up this practice it will help keep up with the demands of feeding.

Every new mom can check to see if they qualify through insurance for a new breast pump. The Aeroflow Breastpumps website makes it super easy to find out! All you do is complete the Aeroflow qualification form and then Aeroflow contacts your insurance provider and submits the paperwork to your doctor — and you get to choose your brand new breast pump!

If you’re serious about building your supply I suggest using a double-pump. My personal favorite (and go-to since baby number 1) is the Medela Pump In Style. The backpack design makes it super convenient for busy moms and the double-pump design maximizes your time by letting down both sides at once.

If you’re looking for a manual pump, Aeroflow Breastpumps also offers an array of those. Whatever your style is, just make sure you have a breast pump on hand to help with your supply. Even if you’re not getting much milk from expression, it is helping your body to know to produce more for your baby.

Make cookies!

Does it sound too good to be true? It isn’t! Eating the right kind of oatmeal or oatmeal cookies have been shown to increase a mothers milk supply.)* The combination of oats, brewers yeast, and flaxseed seems to do the trick! I’ve found a couple of great make-at-home recipes here and here.

If you’re not a baker and prefer to purchase cookies premade, I’ve had both Milk Bliss cookies and MilkMakers lactation cookies. Both are good, but as someone who doesn’t like chocolate, I prefer to make my own.

Have a beer. 

Again, this is not too good to be true! Hops, fennel, and barley are all known for increasing milk supply — and those are all found in beer! Now, I’m not saying have 5 beers, but an occasional beer before bed has helped myself and other mamas I know to increase our supply.

A bonus? It can help you to relax, which in turn will help you to produce more milk.

Pop a fenugreek pill.

Fenugreek, an herb, can be found in many lactation tea blends, but it doesn’t taste very good. With my first child, I bought fenugreek supplements at my local pharmacy (most big box retailers will have them near the prenatal vitamins). These, along with the methods above were honestly the key to my success with exclusively pumping for one whole year with baby number one.

Here’s the deal with breastfeeding — it’s hard. It’s really, really, hard. But never once was it not worth it. It was always worth it for me. And if you find yourself reading this, and looking for tips to help you on your breastfeeding journey, it’s obviously important for you, too.

So I will leave you with this advice: Seek out support and know that your body is capable of amazing things. And if at any time you need advice or a listening ear or just to vent, please email me. My first breastfeeding adventure was rough and I still decided to have two more babies and breastfeed them both!

*Parenting.com article

Disclaimer: I am not a physician, nutritionist, or lactation consultant. These are just my personal experiences and experiences of those close to me. Always consult with your physician and lactation consultant. And, as always, FED is best.

Filed Under: #MomLife, babies, breast pump, breastfeeding, children, health, mommyhood, Oh baby!, parenthood, postpartum, sponsor, tips + tricks Tagged With: #MomLife, babies, breast pump, breastfeeding, children, health and beauty, mommyhood, oh baby, parenthood, postpartum, sponsor, tips + tricks

What’s In My Hospital Bag

June 10, 2018 by Rachel 17 Comments

Nothing. No seriously. Up until a few days ago, I had zero packed. Not for me, not for the new baby, not for my other two kids (who will, undoubtedly, need a change of clothes and diapers when a friend watches them).

But I finally stopped slacking. I packed my bag with everything but the last minute items. I’ve learned a LOT from two previous hospital deliveries — on what’s totally unnecessary and the things that I truly wish I had the first time around. So here’s what I’m packing in my hospital bag for baby number 3 — and what I wish I would have had for my first labor and delivery!

Peppermint Essential Oil.

I do not handle nausea well. I know this will be my downfall if I can’t keep it under control. So the first thing I put in my hospital bag is doterra peppermint essential oils.

I put a few drops in my hand when I’m feeling nauseated and sniff the inside of my hands. It truly was a lifesaver last time.

Nursing Bras.

Essential, but honestly one of my least favorite purchases. I’m still looking for that ‘perfect’ nursing bra, but I found a few with decent reviews to bring with me in the meantime.

In the hospital, it’s all about comfort. I expect my milk to come in quickly, just like last time. And underwires are not my friend — at least not until the gals start to regulate themselves, milk-wise. So something comfortable is key!

Comfortable pajamas.

All of my pajamas from the last two kids are destroyed, so this time I purchased a few different sets of pajamas and loungewear from Cuddl Duds. I’d heard that they’re incredibly comfortable, so I ordered a few online and tried them on — big mistake because I don’t want to wait until labor and delivery to wear them!

I also got a nice long cardigan to cover up with. Those hospital rooms can be a tad bit chilly and it’s nice to be able to take off layers as needed.

Ollie World Swaddle.

I wish I had known about these Ollie World Swaddles for the first baby, but having them for number 2 was a LIFESAVER. If you’ve ever had an infant, you know that the startle reflex is real — and something that all babies struggle with. And on one wants a baby to struggle to sleep, am I right?!

The stretchy fabric is perfect for use for babies of all sizes — and it’s super soft! Bonus? It opens easily at the bottom for easy diaper changes!

Hospital Outfits for Baby. 

I don’t allow many visitors at home those first couple of weeks, but I do allow for visitors at the hospital. So a couple of cute hospital outfits for the baby are a necessity. A couple is the bare minimum because it’s basically a guarantee that the baby will blow out of at least one outfit in the hospital.

I got several comfy outfits for this baby girl to lounge around in while we spend our 24-48 hours in the Mommy-Baby ward!

Portable Noise Machine.

Everyone in my family uses a noise machine to help us sleep, and what better way to emulate the noises in the womb for a newborn!? So I’ll be bringing along a portable, battery-powered, white noise machine for the hospital stay, that way I can ensure a semi-smooth transition to naps and nighttime sleep!

I grabbed this one from Target — it’s small enough that I can keep it in a diaper bag and even keep it next to her in the car.

Nursing Pillow.

If you plan on breastfeeding, set yourself up for as much immediate success as possible by bringing a nursing pillow with you to the hospital. Some of my best experiences, postpartum, have been with the help of the lactation consultants in the hospital.

The Milk Boss nursing pillow from Itzy Ritzy is amazing! It’s different from traditional nursing pillows because you don’t have to worry about it falling off of your lap — you loop your arm right through it! How cool is that!?

Other necessities.

Phone charger. Camera. Toiletries (Toothbrush, makeup, hair products, etc). Contacts/solution. Identification/insurance information.

As important as all of this is, here’s what is NOT important to bring in your hospital bag: 

Lots of real underwear. You won’t wear it — just stick to the mesh stuff they give you. Just bring one pair to go home in.

Pads. They will have THE best pads in the hospital. In fact? Take some with you.

Diapers/wipes. Again, they will be provided for you.

A water bottle. One of my favorite ‘things’ to bring home from the hospital, aside from my baby of course, is the mega water bottle — oh and the hospital ice! So yes, leave your straw cups and water bottles at home. Take full advantage of the giant cups they give you instead!


Tell me:

 

What’s on your must-bring list for the hospital?

 

Disclosure: I received the Ollie World Swaddle and the Milk Boss infant feeding pillow in exchange for an honest review. As always, all thoughts herein are solely my own.

Filed Under: #MomLife, babies, breastfeeding, children, labor and delivery, lists, maternity leave, mommyhood, Oh baby!, parenthood, postpartum, pregnancy, review, sponsor, tips + tricks Tagged With: #MomLife, babies, breastfeeding, children, labor and delivery, love list, maternity leave, mommyhood, oh baby, parenthood, postpartum, pregnancy, review, sponsor, tips + tricks

Digging Deep in Motherhood // Opening Up About My Infant Feeding Journey

October 8, 2017 by Rachel 20 Comments

 

 


From the moment Remy Bea was born, everything changed. Sure, that’s to be expected when having a second child; but I mean it in the way that my world was turned upside down — this child was unlike anything I could have ever imagined.

But the one thing she was always good at was breastfeeding. Granted, she would pretty much breastfeed 24-hours a day — and refused to take a bottle — but it was literally the only thing she was good at. See, she refused to sleep. Like, at all. I’m not just saying that — she actually would sleep for an average of 1-3 hours in a 24-hour period. Now, it turns out that she had a series of undiagnosed UTI’s and an issue with her spinal alignment, but that wasn’t discovered for about 7 months.

And once she felt better, this little girl became an amazing little human. I felt closer to her than I had ever really felt with Ari at that age. I was home with her all of the time, I was watching her grow, and she was attached to me almost always. It was lovely.

Until she decided that she was done with breastfeeding.


Cue the panic and all of the sadness…

The panic was regarding nutrition. I was concerned about how I was going to transition her to a formula that was similar to breastmilk and be able to supplement the solids she had started.

I’m forever grateful to the Happy Family brands for being supportive of ALL mamas feeding their babies. They offered online support through lactation consultants and helped to ease my mind and soul during this time of transition to Happy Family Stage 2 Organic Infant Formula.



An additional source of panic was the fact that Remy Bea still would not take a bottle. Her downright refusal came after trying literally every bottle and nipple on the market — including discontinued nipples that cost $40 on Amazon! But with the help of the nutritionists from Happy Family, we decided to try her on a tiny straw sippy cup instead. Sure, not the most traditional route — but it worked!


The sadness? Well, the sadness was a little bit more difficult to overcome. But, at some point I managed to convince myself that each story of feeding babies is different, but they are all good!

At the end of the day, what’s important is that I’ve successfully made it through the hardest part — infancy. We did it, baby girl! We survived. Thanks to our tribe and our Happy Family. xo

Filed Under: #MomLife, babies, breastfeeding, busy mom, children, crunchy granola, family, health, life, mommyhood, parenthood Tagged With: #MomLife, babies, being a mom, breastfeeding, busy mom, children, crunchy granola, family, health, life, mommyhood, motherhood, oh baby, parenthood

When Breastfeeding Ends // a story of grief and pride

August 4, 2017 by Rachel 15 Comments

Disclaimer: I’m not advocating for only breastfeeding babies. Ultimately, it’s a very personal decision. I believe fed is best. Period. I’m just sharing my personal adventure with breastfeeding.

This week is World Breastfeeding Week. And, if I’m being honest, my heart is hurting a little. See, I’m doing extended breastfeeding with Miss Bea. And, while I realize that’s not up everyone’s alley, it is mine. But I fear our time is coming to an end.

I didn’t expect to find myself here, deep in this previously unknown grief. Remy Bea was such an awful baby — screaming and furious most of her days (and nights), riddled with UTIs gone undetected for months. At the time it was all I could do to wish she would take a bottle. I had been pumping so that someone — anyone other than me — could spend a few moments with her, day or night.

 

It’s hard to believe that we completed our family ONE WHOLE year ago! She may have been an impossible baby, but I wouldn’t trade her for the world. #missbea #remybea

A post shared by Rachel L (@itsahero) on Jan 23, 2017 at 7:36pm PST

But she just refused. She needed me. Literally, she needed me for comfort and for nourishment. That’s a lot of pressure to put on a postpartum mom. And I was collapsing from the weight of all of that pressure. In my darkest moments of her screaming and my body aching from constant feedings, I would lose it. My mind, that is. And I mean that in the realest sense. (See more on my PPD+A struggles here).

 

When all you feel as a new mom is darkness. • When all you want to do as a new mom is cry. • When it actually hurts you to smile. • Know you’re not alone. ❤️ Maternal Mental Illness affects 1 in 7 Mothers. I’ve linked up with 3 amazing women (@_themillennialmomblog_, @thesimplemomlife & @bstampedbritt) who have shared their experience, and continue to spread awareness. No mom should ever feel alone because we are all in this together! <<link in profile>> • • • • • #imsobloggingthis #ppdsurvivor #parenthood #honestlymothering #mentalhealthawareness #postpartumdepression #postpartumanxiety

A post shared by Rachel L (@itsahero) on May 9, 2017 at 5:31am PDT

Just as I knew it would, our breastfeeding journey got easier. It got exponentially easier once she started really eating solid foods. I felt a relief that I was no longer her sole source of nourishment. I knew that we had made it through the toughest parts.

And now we’re here — 18 months into our breastfeeding journey together — and I can tell she’s far less interested in nursing. In fact, the only time she nurses is first thing in the morning (for approximately 90 seconds), and in the evening before bed (which is likely more of a comfort-feed than a nourishment-feed). And while she’s generally less interested, I’m becoming more and more aware that our days are numbered.

 

My breastfeeding journey with Miss Bea is over on the blog! It hasn’t been easy but it has made me a stronger person (and mother). || Link in profile.

A post shared by Rachel L (@itsahero) on Dec 21, 2016 at 9:37am PST

But I’m lucky — SO LUCKY! — to have been able to achieve the milestone of 18 months. And I’m so proud of myself — and Miss Bea — for sticking it out for this long. So during this World Breastfeeding Week (August 1st – August 7th) and National Breastfeeding Month (August), I’m going to soak up every last breastfeeding snuggle; I’m going to embrace any opportunities to bond; and I’m going to let her call the shots from hereon out. We’re on this journey together; we’ve both fought the good fight; and she’s going to finish on her terms. ♥ ♥

Tell me, friends — what was your experience with weaning? And how did you cope with the post-breastfeeding blues?

 

Filed Under: #MomLife, babies, breastfeeding, children, family, life, mommyhood, Oh baby!, parenthood, postpartum, wellness Tagged With: #MomLife, babies, being a mom, breastfeeding, children, health, life, mommyhood, motherhood, oh baby, parenthood, postpartum

Breastfeeding Miss Bea //

December 18, 2016 by Rachel 11 Comments

I feel inspired, friends. Inspired to share my story of breastfeeding Remy Bea. It turns out, I haven’t actually mentioned anything specific about our journey, other than the fact that she won’t take a bottle.

So let me tell you a little bit about breastfeeding Miss Bea…

img_3687
*Note: Until now, I’ve never shared a single photo of myself while breastfeeding. But, after seeing several other bloggers post tasteful, and colorful, photos of themselves on their own journey, I decided to share some of my own. And, gosh, this baby is just beautiful.* 

The Beginning  //

As soon as I met Miss Bea, she latched. Easily, happily, latched. It was perfect. She nursed and nursed and nursed. My milk even managed to come in at the hospital — not at all the norm!

But a couple of days after we came home, my breasts became engorged and my nipples inverted. As much as I tried to nurse her, I reached out for some physical support — the nipple shield.

With the assistance of the shield, she continued to nurse and continued to thrive. Even after the engorgement went away, I still had such an oversupply of milk that I kept using the shield just prevent her from choking on the surplus.

The Middle  //

For some, it’s hard to judge a book by it’s cover. For me, it’s hard to judge our breastfeeding journey by it’s middle. The middle was riddled with doubts, anxieties, and so, so, very many sleepless nights. The struggle was real. For a long time.

So I just kept on breastfeeding her on-demand, which was every 3 hours. A very consistent, every three hours, per her rules (and screaming). It was just a game of survival.

There were many times I tried to get her to nurse without the shield. And each time, she would refuse and scream even more. It was a war of wills, and she won. I gave up the battle, but kept on at the breastfeeding war.

I thought for certain since she would only nurse with the shield, that she would undoubtedly take a bottle. But nope. Never. And because she was still nursing every three hours, even throughout the night, I was pretty much the only one who could care for her. It sucked.

There were so many times I thought about how much easier it would be to just give up. There were moments where people would say “You know, if she just tried formula in a bottle, I’m sure you could get some rest.” But, for personal reasons, this breastfeeding journey was non-negotiable for me.

We just kept on.

And then, after we finally bit the bullet and took Miss Bea to the chiropractor, things took a turn for the better. After several appointments, and several adjustments, our pediatric chiropractor suggested, quite strongly, that I give up dairy. Per the doctor, dairy is very hard on babies tummies; and Miss Bea’s system has been riddled with antibiotics because of her UTIs, which leaves her gut extra-sensitive.

So I began our dairy-free journey!

img_3684
The Second-Middle  //

I would call it something else, but I know we’re not anywhere near the end. Miss Bea is almost 11-months old and our breastfeeding journey is probably just halfway through.

But I’ve learned so much.

For one, I learned that I should have given up dairy when she started with the colic. I am stunned by the change in her mood and general temperament since removing dairy from my diet. So much so that I wish I would have just done it at the beginning. She’s seriously a different baby.

She still isn’t a great sleeper, but she is sleeping so much better than before. And she is just so much happier in general, which has made the no-bottle-feeding, only-taking-the-breastfeeding, feel so much more rewarding.

I’ve also learned that the relationship between a nursing baby and Mama is a special one. She will randomly glance up at me with her milk-drunk smile, and my heart will just explode into a million pieces. So although breastfeeding has been a major cause of stress and anxiety over the past 10.5 months, it’s also been one of the things to help bring me out of my postpartum depression.

img_3675
The End  //

We’re nowhere near the end of our breastfeeding journey. Yes, I’m one of those ‘breast is best,’ extended breastfeeding, Moms. No, I don’t plan on breastfeeding her until she’s 5, but at this point I’ll keep it up for as long as is appropriate for our family.

And for those of you that have followed us on our journey, thank you so much for your love and support. I’ve been amazed at how much ‘help’ a breastfeeding mother needs on her journey — especially emotional and mental support! So thank you from the bottom of my heart!

 

 

feeding-miss-bea

Filed Under: #MomLife, breastfeeding, children, crunchy granola, health, mommyhood, parenthood, postpartum Tagged With: #MomLife, babies, breastfeeding, children, crunchy granola, health, mommyhood, parenthood, postpartum

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