babies & boobies [a breastfeeding post!]

here’s a topic that i’ve never really gathered all my thoughts on before!! so, partially because i’m feeling a bit sentimental here at 10 months postpartum… partially because i’ve done a whole lot of googling since 2012, and i’d hate to forget it all… and! partially because i feel like one day my own baby girl will have babies and they’ll have invented some new fangled attempts at nursing your young, but i deeply hope the timeless art of breastfeeding never truly changes… here they are. 🙂

it’s kiiinda humorous when you think about it… as a pre-teen girl, you go to all the trouble to pick out little bras for your awkward mini-boobs, then you go through your teen years comparing sizes, as if it matters at. all. your adult years you’re just finding suitable attire for your particular physique and getting re-measured at victoria’s secret, because maybe you’ve been wearing the wrong size apparatus for years… all this attention for these appealing yet useless lady lumps! and then one day… THEY HAVE A PURPOSE! they do productive things! they grow humans into yummy love chunks while being aesthetically pleasing, and finally there is balance in the universe! i can’t help but love this kind of use and efficiency.

nursing babies is something i’ve been doing off and on for 7 years now! isn’t that crazy? and gosh. i have loved it. although, it’s never, ever started out easy, like i’d assumed it would. i’ve had pain… terrible amounts of spitup… unsightly wounds [um, yes, very unfortunate]… and babies losing weight when they’re supposed to be gaining. ugh. it can be such a massive challenge, but thankfully, we’ve been able to push through each time!

now, OF COURSE i believe, most importantly, that fed is best… a fed baby is a happy baby! either way, moms work so hard at making sure their baby is thriving, and that’s what it comes down to. but wow, i just can’t help but realize how lucky i’ve been to have gotten to nurse my babies for a total of abouuut… 62 months now! and hopefully a while more. it’s cozy and it’s comforting. it fixes tears and helps keep them healthy. it gives you and your baby the opportunity to take much needed breaks together in a time of life when you both really need them. and it’s like, the most brilliant science ever. i mean, breastmilk actually adjusts to meet the baby’s needs, even producing more antibodies when the baby is sick. that just amazes me.

so! i thought i’d make a list of pertinent items and things i’ve learned over the years!! it’s crazy how much things change from one baby to the next. although, this is just from my own little experience… i’m not a working mom, i don’t have to pump, i have only experienced my own set of issues, and i’m sure i’ll forget a whole bunch of decent points, but anyway… still thought i’d share. 🙂

first super important thing: fuel!!

–order some lactation treats!! i recently tried these delish goodies from love majka and they’re a perfectly yummy way to build your milk supply! these have amazing ingredients, and it’s so helpful to have some things like little cookie bites, that are easy to grab late at night or first thing in the morning when you’re holding a baby aaand attempting to take care of yourself for a half second! there’s a vanilla chai drink powder that is soo perfect for mixing up and getting cozy with, as well!!

–eat!!! healthy fats are good… coconut oil, avocado, grass fed butter… you know! also, oatmeal is great for supply. i always have instant oatmeal on hand, and i stir in a spoonful of coconut oil for an extra boost! also, i can’t tell you how many times steven cooked a plate full of eggs and basically hand fed me. and my mom was always pouring power smoothies full of everything down my throat! fuel is super important for keeping your body and milk going in those first several weeks. it can also be incredibly challenging to feed yourself with there’s a new baby, so you have to be intentional!

–bake some cookies to freeze ahead of time… i made these lactation cookies for my friend while i was pregnant and let’s just say i nibbled as i went! they totally worked on me, just way too early. haha! woops.

–supplement with vitamin D! i was told with my firstborn that sufficient vitamin D did not pass through the breastmilk and to supplement my baby pretty much right off the bat. i was skeptical that this was God’s design for milk? like, okay baby, you get everything you need but not vitamin D!!! as it turns out, according to more recent studies, if the mother is taking in 6400 iu of vitamin D a day… the baby will indeed get enough! yay! supplementing with a liquid D3/K2 helps my energy level a whole lot, as well.

some tips and things…

–it’s okay if you’re waking up a lot to nurse! breastfeeding at night is important. prolactin levels are highest at night, so nursing around the clock is a super good thing for supply.

–oxytocin and prolactin hormones associated with breastfeeding help boost bonding and relaxation!! although, if you find yourself feeling anxious and negative every time you nurse, you might have D-MER. don’t feel guilty, if so!

–anxiety and stress can inhibit successful breastfeeding! i don’t feel like people talk enough on how to combat this! but there can be so much pressure when a baby is screaming and you’re trying to get the hang of things and there’s hustle and bustle around you. i learned that if i was feeling anxious, it was only going to snowball [stressy mom, hungry baby, milk not flowing… things escalate quickly!] unless i went somewhere cozy and quiet and redirected my thoughts! your mind is incredibly powerful. i would picture flowing milk, waterfalls, and focus on my baby, tuning everything else out. relax, breathe, drink water, cuddle, aaaaand letttt the miiiiilk floooooooow.

–obviously, be on the lookout for other issues that can make nursing difficult. a tongue or lip-tie situation is not uncommon, although, we’ve not had either of those. both my boys were sleepy nursers, however, and in the first few weeks preferred sleeping to nursing and lost too much weight! ugh. gotta keep those babies drinking.

–thrush [yeast overgrowth – ew] is also not an uncommon problem to deal with, but i have found that – for me, at least! rubbing on a little coconut oil can help prevent it.

–plugged ducts can lead to mastitis, yikes… if you feel a sore spot or lump, indicating a plugged duct, it’s good to nurse that side a ton, massage the area, apply a warm washcloth, and avoid restrictive bras!

a few necessary/helpful items…

–nursing bras: this is obvious, i suppose! i love comfy bralettes for night & lounging. i’ve gotten a couple from target that i’ve used since my first! and i have two bravado underwire bras that i’ve also used for years.

–breast pads: i’ve used the washable, but prefer the disposable kind because i personally think it’s easier to stay fresh and prevent bacteria overgrowth!

–lanolin: man, this stuff is a game changer when you have a painful, cracked situation going. it’s literally *the worst,* trying to nurse through that pain. this stuff helps you heal pretty quickly. i also use it on my hands and cuticles and lips or whatever else is dry!

–40 oz water bottle: drinking enough water is crucial! i aim to drink 3 of these big bottles full a day while nursing. it helps when you get one in your fav color, obviously.

–silicone milk collector: this do-hickey just suctions onto the side you aren’t nursing and collects milk that would otherwise go to waste! it’s brilliant. and so easy.

–manual pump: i never had any pump at all with my first baby, so i’m not a pumping pro, but i’ve used a manual pump that i got with baby #2 and then had to use for a week with lazy latcher baby #3 to get some extra calories down him! it’s fine for here and there if you’re not looking to pump around the clock.

–nipple shields: i know a lot of people have success utilizing these, but i did not! you can always try!!

–nursing positioning pillow: i almost forgot!! i definitely used this with all three. not for super long, but it can be really helpful when those babies are sooo tiny! and when they get bigger i prop them up in it. 🙂

nursing mama support!

–love majka‘s instagram always makes me smile! ha, this post is so true. 😉

-when i’d be up in the middle of the night, i loooved the topics discussed on lynzy’s late night nursing feed! made me feel way less alone at 4am!!

-another good one with a lot of funny memes and personal stories is @bfmamatalk on IG!

-also, i’ve gone to kellymom for info for years now.

-i know there are so many breastfeeding/motherhood podcasts, too! i keep meaning to do more podcasts, but i always fall asleep or accidentally stop listening. haha! #momprobs

-also, you can always contact le leche league and find help right in your area!! i know, at least around here, there are even lactation consultants that will come to your house.

other uses for that liquid gold!

-put it directly on rashes or booboos

-use it in baby’s eye if they have a plugged tear duct! i did this with one [or two?] of mine, and it’s the only thing that fixed it!

-mix with coconut oil and some vaseline as a healing balm

-make popsicles for teething babies

-i’ve read that people blend it with bananas, or mix with chia seeds and yogurt to make pudding!

…and for what it’s worth, i’ve typed most of this post while nursing. 🙂

[and love majka did send me those yummy nursing treats to try, so thank you so much!!]

xoxoxo