weight loss and breastfeeding

So how's mine going you may wonder. Not too bad so far. I've lost 40lbs and only have 25lbs to go to get to my pre-baby weight. It going so well though I've made a goal to lose another 19lbs after that. What's working the best is counting my calories, I just keep what I eat to under 2,200 a day. I figure if nursing burns 500 calories a day and I am also working out for an hour burning another 300-500 then I'm well below what I should be taking in. So far I've been loosing about 3lbs a week since I started it which is as much as I want to, it's a healthy amount and puts me back to my regular weight in about 10 weeks and then another 5 to my goal. If I don't make it that fast too it's ok so my end goal is just to be down to 130lbs by the time my son turns 1. That gives me another 6 1/2 months to get there.

Aside for that goal I've set smaller ones with my work outs that help out a lot too, like running 3 miles in 30mins. I haven't gotten there yet, but almost (3=33mins right now) and I've dropped two sizes since I had my son so that great too.

It's a lot of work, but I know the breastfeeding really helps get things moving in the right direction for which I am very glad, it's so much work us nursing moms deserve to burn a few extra calories!

Head and Shoulders

Update on the thrush...The medicine worked for a week. Seriously!?! Anyways I found my own way to control it that has been working for two weeks now. Twice a day I apply a water/vinegar mixture. When I have itching I use only disposable pads and change them four times day. Finally I wash my nipples with Head and Shoulders shampoo once a day.

So far so good. It's become a daily ritual, but it's worth it to keep that nasty yeast far far away.

I was currious as to why the shampoo was such a big help in my fight and it turns out dandruff is believed to be caused by yeast. Stop the yeat, stop the dandruff...hence the shampoo. If you give it a try be sure to rinse well after using the shampoo, it's not something you'd want your baby to eat.

Thrush...again

I was hoping this time around to avoid my yeasty friend, but alas I have not. Since I'm storing milk though I looked online for some ways to kill the yeast so the milk I save doesn't go to waste. From what I've read boiling the milk will do it fine. It's also interesting to find out that the yeast is not killed when the milk is frozen, but it is deactivated. No studies have been done to prove whether it could pose a problem of re-infection to a healthy baby.

Read more here:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/thrush/thrush-expressed-milk.html

What am I doing to get rid of it this time?

-Vinegar/water applied after each pumping before my prescription comes in (Lanolin is important to use after as this will dry out nipples)
-changing out my breast pads (for now I am using disposable ones) frequently and boiling my wool pads (they came with instructions of what to do which was very nice)
-adding infant probiotics to my son's first bottle each morning to treat him at the same time
-I also asked my midwife for something other than Nystatin and she's given me a prescription for Diflucan (I'll post back to let you know if it really works or not)

It Looked Like Spilt (Breast)Milk - By:me

My daughter has this book and it's a very cute one (http://www.amazon.com/Looked-Like-Spilt-Milk/dp/0064431592), It Looked Like Spilt Milk.

This morning I thought of it because I spilt my milk. As I was cleaning up the puddle I realized I can remember each and every time I have spilt my milk, is that weird? I think it's because of how much work it is to make and I feel like it's part of me almost.

The first time with my daughter I cried, it was at work and I was pouring the milk from the bottle to the milk storage bag; someone walked behind me and I turned away for one second and the bag went down. Milk was all over the counter.

The second time I had to dump it on purpose because somehow a cricket (gross!) got into the valve of my pump with out me knowing. Yep, the pump did a good job milking the cricket too...I still have no idea how or where it got in there because I put the pump parts together each morning and it was not there that morning. Anyways, watching myself pour it all down the drain was hard, but that time I did not cry (although I felt a little sick to my stomach-bugs gross me out).

The third time was this time around, our bottles have a valve at the bottom that means the bottle comes apart at the top and bottom (supposed to help colic, but honestly I think it's just annoying) anyways I had never put one together and I was trying to help my husband before I went to work and just grabbed the bottle body and poured the new fresh milk in and then watched as it immediately poured out all over the counter (my husband thought it was funny, I did not).

This time it was the bottle again, I put it together, but I didn't do it right and after pouring the nice fresh milk (I pump before leaving for work if my son isn't awake to nurse) into the bottle (plus the last of my colostrum because my son seems to be a little sick) I turned around and saw milk leaking out onto the counter (I saved most of it though). I didn't cry or get sick, but I did continue to tell the bottle to stop it (the bottle did not listen so I got a new bottle out).

I guess as time goes by I get used to seeing spilt milk, but it does still have an impact if I can remember every incidence.

Too much milk!!!

I've had different problems this time around. Right now my biggest one is too much milk. We actually found that it was making our son fussy. The Breastfeeding Book by Dr. Sears mentioned fussiness can be caused by too much foremilk and not enough hindmilk being eaten. The baby still gains weight like a champ, but doesn't get as much fat in the milk so it goes through their system very fast and makes them fussy. Biggest symptom is green poop instead of the regular mustard color.

Yep, that was a problem I didn't expect. Now that I'm back to work I've been struggling with how to deal with this. If I was just at home it's a simple solution...only feed the baby off one side at each feeding. That will regulate your supply and help the baby get that hind milk goodness. Pumping at work recreated this problem though. At first I though I'd just pump less and for less time, but then we'll have the problem of too much foremilk with expressed milk. So I have decided to solve this by pumping more than enough and just finding another baby that needs milk too.

www.milkshare.com is a great resource and there are lots of mommies on there desperate to give their babies milk, but for one reason or another cannot. If you are blessed enough to be able to provide only breastmilk to your baby I highly encourage you to look into donating too. Even if it's just a little bit it matters and if you donate regularly you not only get to help another baby, but that extra session or two burns 100-200 extra calories and you can save a little for your little one just incase ;)

My first week back

We have all almost survived my first week back at work.

There are so many things I had forgotten about breastfeeding and working full-time. Like how much effort it takes to pump, not just pumping the milk, but actually pulling myself away to go do it. And how exhausted I feel after my forth session. I also don't remember being sore from pumping, but last time I came back after 3 months and this time it was a little under 7 weeks when I returned so I think that accounts for the soreness. Careful placing of the breastsheilds seems to have helped with that.

So how's it going this time around?

I once again pump in a small room instead of a nursing mom's room. I almost cried when I found out they don't have one in this building. It's so nice having a place always available to pump (my conference room is frequently taken in the afternoon leaving me no place, but the bathroom). It's also nice to know there are other mom's pumping too. Just knowing that bolsters my resolve to continue the constant pumping.

Good news is that this time my son took to the bottle like a champ. He solves most of his problems with food right now and he's at home with dad so I think that makes a big difference. The younger age might help too. Also I am a pumping champ myself, making twice as much milk as he eats in one day. That is so nice, I love to see all that milk in the fridge.

This time around we didn't run into any bleeding, which is great. Although the first few days of nursing a newborn I was a little sore, but the lactation consultant said that’s just me getting used to nursing again and it went away by the time I left the hospital.

Going all natural and using no pain medicine during labor really made a difference with nursing afterwards. My son took both sides only an hour after being born, I was thrilled!

We did seem to have a little argument about bottle versus mom my third day back to work. My son cried for about 5 minuets till I handed him to dad, then he got to rooting around while dad held him so I took him back and tried to nurse again. He whine/cried (an interesting type of complaining he does) for about a minuet until the milk let down occurred and then he was happily feeding away. It seemed like he was wanting the bottle since it is immediate gratification, but after that he learned the best fresh milk comes from mom and hasn't complained since. I think if we can keep him remembering that for the next 5 weeks (3 months old) our nursing relationship will be set to go for a good long time.

Some tips for any mom's heading towards their second time back to work:

1. Invest in the 8oz milk bottles for your pump, your breasts know what they are doing this time around and do their thing really well.

2. Buy two different types of nipples for your babies bottles, my son definitely prefers the orthodontic nipples so I'm glad we didn't invest too much in bottles before he arrived.

3. If you can afford it buy a pump for home too, it's nice not to have to lug mine back and forth from work.

4. If you used your first one for more than 2 years straight I would recommend buying a new pump regardless, it made a difference. I guess I wore my first one out (although I kept it for sentimental reasons).

5. Wool breastpads are a must, but bring one or two sets with you to work so if you leak through one you aren't sad. On that same note, keep an extra top around too just incase.

6. Start a set pumping routine immediately, once again your breasts will learn when milk is expected and meet your routine (after about two days) and that way you can set your email alarm and get used to it.

7. Remember you're not the only one doing this, it may seem like it, but trust me you aren't.

colostrum

I've read about how some mom's get their colostrum in late into their pregnancy, but I never had that happen until now. I was very excited to wake up the other day feeling very full (and it wasn't because I had just ate...hehe) and then in the shower I noticed the drops of that white gold and I was just as happy as could be. Normally leaking breasts are more of an annoyance, but to me it meant our baby is almost here and my body is ready, willing, and able to give him all he needs. It's the one thing I can do for him that no one else can, which is an especially important thought considering I am a working mom and will leave him in my husband's capably hands during the day. It's nice to know I can give him something wonderful still in spite of working and I am so excited for it to show up this early!