Breastfeeding tips from a nursing MOM

Breastfeeding can be daunting, especially since no one ever prepares you for the roadblocks that show up from feeding or not feeding.  I've breastfed all my babies (my first well beyond 1 year) and I was sure surprised to see how easy it got as it progressed.  Beware though, I believe the first 3-4 weeks are the hardest, it's a test of your will.  I've read so many articles and tips, talked to multiple lactation consultants, and have had my husband back me up 100%. Here are some tips so you can hang in there while you work things out to provide the very best for your special little angel(s).

FIGURE A

1. It helps to talk to your baby and make eye contact as you nurse, this stimulates your brain and sends your glands a message to produce more milk and make your letdown flow easier.
2. In the beginning, you'll feel like you don't make enough milk. This could be that your baby hasn't learned to productively suck well yet or you're engorged (painfully full). It takes time (about a month) so don't reach for the formula or bottle just yet. If you're engorged, try gently pressing with your finger tips around your nipple for 10-second presses as flower petals (figure A) to soften your nipple to make it easier to feed from.
3. A good latch is when your baby's mouth is open wide, chin gently massaging your breast underneath, and tip of your nipple way past the front of your baby's tongue inside.  THIS is what makes your milk letdown be better and leads to you producing what your baby needs.
4. Breastfeeding your baby is time-consuming, it's part of being a nursing mom. Don't feel that it will tie you down, instead feel the bond you're building that is irreplaceable. 
5. When you start feeling pain (like dozens of paper cuts on your nipples), then soothe with simple things like lanolin, Olive Oil, your own milk rubbed on, and sleeping topless...yes, this works wonders! Just cover your volumptious beauties with small towels and sleep on your back. The towels will air-dry fast while gravity will help your milk not leak out like if you sleep on your side or sleep on your tummy (which can lead to painful infections from the pressure).
6. Don't get into a diet just yet! If you eat a restricted diet to get back into shape or take pills or "diet" smoothies, then you're robbing your baby's milk from good fat he/she needs. Many moms experience disappointment when their babies aren't gaining enough weight as they grow, but they are more focused in what they eat to stay thin. Guess what? YOU eat less, then so will baby. Your milk will have all the minerals and nutrients your baby will ever need, but the quality of it will depend on you eating right, resulting in a fuller baby quicker. Wait until baby starts solids to get on a diet. No one is rushing you, and if they do, what's more important: baby or someone's harsh opinion?
7. Whatever you do, don't supplement with formula to provide "more." If you allow your body to produce for small meals, then it won't magically produce bigger meals in time. In fact, you might end up drying up by 3 months (a very common mistake in moms).
8. Your mind being determined is key! When you start to get fear every time your baby has to latch on because of the pain you may start to feel, then just push through it. I used to chant, "Push through it, it's worth it" and chewed on ice. The ice lowered my upper chest temperature and lessened the pain (it's about the sensory receptors here being kinda numbed.)
9. Try pumping to produce more if your body is lagging in milk production. These foods and herbs help production increase: oatmeal, red and orange veggies, barley in porridge, fenugreek (herb), and fennel seed (herb). If you're like me, a heavy producer, then massaging between meals helps alleviate engorgement and placing cool cabbage leaves (just ONCE a day) in your bra will slow production (3 times a day will dry you up!).
10. Feed ON DEMAND AND ON SCHEDULE...don't get it? This means to feed when baby shows signs of hunger and to never let baby go unfed for more than 3 hours as well. Feeding on demand works perfectly while at home, but when you're out and about, your baby will get too stimulated by his/ her surroundings and may slide on to skipping a meal even. Keep an eye on that because once you start to skip meals or prolong break times, your body will then think it needs to produce less since baby isn't eating like before.
11. It may take up to 2 days for your body to readjust as your baby grows from time to time and feeding demands change. So give it time as baby grows.
12. If your baby sleeps through most of the night, you might be engorged by morning and baby won't eat everything you have in one feeding.  This is the best time to pump, before they wake up, and store in the freezer for future dates with the husband or doctor visits. You'll be surprised at how much milk you'll accumulate.
13. You relaxing and your comfort level helps in your willingness to keep going too so: sit up and use a pillow under baby if feeding upright, lay down and get comfy before feeding, or close your eyes if you're tired. Avoid bad posture and back pain. Avoid feeding baby if you're too emotionally stressed (crying, super angry, etc), it can lead to acid in your milk for baby = more spit up.
14. Baby will never "empty" you.  Our womanly bodies are a beautiful thing, and were made to feed and nurture babies, so even when you feel like your empty when baby seems to be hungry still, just switch sides and feed until he/she is full. THIS is how you make your body produce more. THIS is how you show your determination to be a nursing mom to a healthy breastfed baby.
15. If you do get a breast infection, my advice is to push through the pain, unless your baby has thrush, then go to a doctor.  I've had breast infections with my babies and I freaked out with my first and they gave me antibiotics to help, which still took days. With my second, I simply fed less from that side, and when I was sitting I placed diapers with warm water inside on my breast. The diaper's warmth alleviated my pain and soaked up milk that would run out. Easier than going to the doc's, getting a prescription  and taking pills.
16. Get support. If you live with your significant other, ask them for support and to let you relax while you feed. My husband is an angel during these times, propped up my pillows, brought me water and ice, wakes up to get baby at night crying, and often gets the baby as soon as I'm done feeding and bonding to help me relax. You'll need help since nursing does take energy from you (burns about 500 calories per feeding), you'll maybe feel weak, tired and overwhelmed...it's completely normal, but you still need special attention too ;-).
17. You're still eating for 2 as long as you're breastfeeding, so drink plenty of water and avoid the urges to snack o anything. I've eliminated sweet snacks and salty snacks at home to force my cravings to resort to fruits, small veggies (like baby carrots), and water. This happens because your body is still sharing what you consume with 2 bodies. 

So, that's it! You'll be happy you breastfed your child once they begin to grow and learn. You'll also not spend of tons of money on baby bottles, formula, proper water for formula, and time in preparing bottles at home or while out and about. Here's some quick facts too about breastfeeding benefits:

Winter Beauty Tips - Fighting the Winter Blahs

So, here is a list I made just for all you of how I take care of my skin during winter.  It did take me some few years to figure it all out and experiment and I find these work for me and I go back to them everytime the sun doesn't show it's kind face here in Utah:

**FACE**!
LIPS:  Our mouth is one of the biggest factors during conversations besides eye contact! Flaky lips are just as bad as cracked lips and look super white!  This might seem weird to you, but my father recommended this to me the winter before moving away and it is a miracle!!! It works in less than 30 seconds and completely heals in about 20 minutes!!!! SERIOUS!!!

Before you try this little potion on, scrub your lips gently in small circles with a toothbrush to brush off excess dead flakes right after you wash your face or after a shower.  Then RUB in circular motions some Vicks Vapor Rub on top and bottom lips getting into corner of lips as well.  You'll feel a tingle immediately!  End with a light top coat of more Vicks like lip gloss. EXTRA PERK: It works as a lip plumper too!

SKIN:  Your skin will be super dry because of cold weather and central heating indoors...resulting in extra dry skin that is unable to replenish on it's own.  You need to remove that ashy layer by exfoliating with a nourishing scrub.

I simply take a big tablespoon of brown sugar and mix in half of that same spoon with Olive Oil in a small dish and wet my clean face.  You can use the rule of thumb: 1 cup Sugar, 1/2 cup EVOO.  This may feel oily at first, but it is opening up pores and clearing out your surface.  Do this in small circular motions all over for about 2 minutes and rinse off with WARM water. You will feel and see the radiant difference on your skin!

OLIVE OIL: Make sure you always store Olive Oil inside cupboards and at decent temperatures, never letting the bottle stay near a stove when cooking and never allow it to sit in direct sunlight.  If it does, then it will pretty much just be regular oil.  Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), First Cold Pressed is the best Olive Oil type out there and because of it, you must take good care of it in order to last and not lose it's potency.

CREAM: This is my GO-TO skin cream for everything since I became a college student, it helped me prevent stretch marks during pregnancy (I can show you in person!), and it always heals up my dry patches and smoothes out my skin!  I even smother it on my lips when I put it on and make sure I massage it well around my eyes to prevent premature aging with the stress we women carry on a daily basis.  So, make sure you get yourself one of these and keep it a home.  It currently costs around $8 at Sam's Club (which is the only place that sells it, so I always let friend/relative buy it for me with my money).  In warmer places this can last up to a year and is great on legs after shaving and on elbows and knees to make them super soft.  In colder, dry places (like Utah) it'll last me about 5-6 months.  It's the only lotion I use, which saves me loads of money and when you spritz on perfume on yourself, it will last longer because your skin is retaining more! How cool is that?!?!?


**MAKEUP**:  Now, I typically go clean on my face unless I am going out with my family.  3 things I always use are a light foundation, blush, and vitamin E.  Here are the details:

FOUNDATION:  This is one foundation I kept seeing at the drugstores, but never got around to buying it until I went to California over a year ago and bought it for a steal! Since then, my skin pores have not clogged and it blends like a sheer product, but still covers imperfections, never cakes, feels like rose petals, and leaves a light luminosity making it all seem natural! The best part is that it was perfect for my undertones of golden skin tone, so since I am very light colored it's hard to match it without looking pinkish...oh baby, but this was long-awaited discovery for me!  As long as you get the right shade, I promise you will love this too!  Simply apply all over or even just on parts you want to even out.

BLUSH:  This blush looks so very natural and soft.  I always get complemented on how healthy I look when I put it on, but shhhhh! Our little secret.  Now, there are three versions of this blush and I usually just go for the Natural Rose Color.  The other 2 shades are Brick Rose and Silk Rose.  They are so complimentary! They will lightly tint, but not make you look like a clown.  It has a hint of luminosity, but not make you look like you poured on highlighter to look supple.  I mean, this is just like a gentle kiss for your cheeks that will have everyone taking a second look at how much more awake you look.  Here's a few tips I've learned along the way too.  Apply it at the apple of the cheeks, lightly fading away and around.  Then apply sparingly to the bridge and tip of your nose and the part of the forehead that gets most light when in front of a mirror (very lightly), and a light sweep on eye lids. It sounds like a lot, but if you just think of just lightly dusting these parts after your cheeks, you will see a difference and so will everyone else.

EYES and LIPS:  Now, some of you might think I'm crazy, but I like doing this because it works.  During the winter, every exposed area on your face is prone to drying damage.  I like to condition while still showing off what I have.  So, I simply pop with my teeth one soft gel of Vitamin E supplement and squeeze it onto my finger tip to apply to the following:  First, my lips for sheer luminosity that will keep my lips super soft after my treatments above all week.  This will never have your lips begging for more to reapply because they will stay soft all day. Then, squeeze out some more and finger apply to your eyebrows, eyelids, and eyelashes...what?!?! Yes, my dear, just don't let it look goopy.  The trick is in making it sheer because once you brush your eyebrows in place they will look super sophisticated and groomed, while your lids will look supple and highlighted, and your eyelashes will look thicker and so you'll just need to curl them and see it for yourself.  The best part to all this is that you're conditioning the skin, eyebrows (which most people neglect) and your eyelashes. Luminous, soft, and thicker...a triple threat!

EYELASHES:  If putting Vitamin E on your lashes is something you can't walk out with, then try it as you go to sleep so no one will see and wash it off in the morning, but try it!  Sometimes, when I do go out and want to look more put together after applying some eye shadow I will apply some mascara.  I've tried so many and I hate to see clumps and something totally unreal.  So, I found out about Maybelline's Full N' Soft  Mascara.  Holy moly, my outlook sure changed!  This will triple your lashes and make them look full (even my little 21 year-old sister liked this!), and the formula is so thin that it will not clump at all.  It lasts all day and best of all looks natural!  It's great for summer days and winter days where you want that oomph!

**HAIR**

CONDITION:  It doesn't matter what conditioner you buy as long as you use it.  Use it every time you shower!  This will reduce static from putting coats on and then taking them off and back on, etc. It will also help your hair look better too.  Not only is hair dead, but with all the heating and styling we do, we should be replenishing and moisturizing it even more.  Look for a moisturizing and even damage repair conditioner because they have extra benefits for you.

STYLE:  I have learned to appreciate my hair type and embraced my curls, so I use only one product and let it all air dry while I take care of home duties.  You'd think people would notice I'm being lazy about it, but not a day goes by without some one telling me they're jealous of my hair, or brings up the voluptuous look, or asks how I did it.  To be honest, it's the hair I wake up with and then re-apply this product to tame it and scrunch before I walk out the door.  That's it!  No one ever believes me, but it's what I do so it's what I've got to share with you too.  I never use a comb either and finger-comb this into my hair after a shower.  If I want to add some shine, then I will lightly spread hair serum as well.  The trick to styling is being yourself and being confident. Sometimes adding some "hair flair" is special so I use (not all together now) headbands, bobby pins, sheer flowers, braids, twists, change my hair part, and heck even ear warmers.  My husband still thinks I have a different hairstyle each day!  The best part is reducing the time is takes to style and finish in about 3 minutes so you can get on with helping things run smoother for outings, especially as a mom.

**BODY/ HEALTH**
The sugar and EVOO scrub from above can be used in the shower if put into a container with a lid for softer skin too.

DRY THROAT:  This is very common and can result in strep throat.  So, if you simply slice one lemon or lime in half and squeeze it into a cup and gargle it for about 10 seconds until it's gone, then you'll be good for the day.  If you're like me and live with central heating, then most likely you'll wake up with the same symptoms and need to re-do it every so often to prevent infection.

WATER!!!:  Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! You're body needs this to keep in balance and also to help maintain good weight.  Take one bottle with you in the car and keep it in your cup holder while you're out.  While at home and craving something, first drink 8 oz of water ( a regular glass) and then see if you're really still hungry in about 30 minutes.  Never skip meals, as this makes your body go into starvation mode and stores fat.  The more water you drink, the better you'll feel. :-)

While I'm sick...

So, there are a few things I want to share with you all while I'm still sick, which I must admit I've been really careless due to denial.  I was feeling kinda down and weak, but as a mom, I tried to push my body and keep going strong mentally, but my body screamed otherwise last night at about 4am when I awoke to a tight chest, no voice, dry mouth, and nausea that made me run to the bathroom and let it all out.  I immediately washed my mouth because I hate the smell of vomit, yes, even my child's, and then did some quick home remedies that my dad always gave us to help out and the results were instant, but I must keep taking care of myself to actually fight off this virus trying to bring me down.  My voice still has not returned fully, but I feel better.  So, about getting better, here a few quick tips that always help me:

1 lemon or lime: every 2-4 hours
Slice it and squeeze out the pure juice into any cup.  Gargle a bit at a time for 10 seconds long(ea) until everything is gone.  It stings because it's killing infections in your throat in that moment and I've noticed that brings down any swelling.  After you're done, your throat feels 10 times improved.

ALJ: every 2-4 hours
Take a tablespoon's worth and that's it.  It loosens up any mucus in your lungs, cleaning it out and fighting bad bacteria.  I use the Nature Sunshine brand, but I'm sure there are other brands you can find at your local health food store.

Natural honey: every 2-4 hours
Take one tablespoon and feel it soothe away the soreness in your throat.

Hot water: every 2-4 hours
Usually I boil a bit of water and let it cool just enough to drink and squeeze pure lemon or lime into it and drink it down.  It instantly soothes my aching throat and chest and the heat also opens up my nasal passage a bit.  It also alleviates nausea.

Garlic softgels (odorless are available): every 2-4 hours
I always take these no matter what sickness my body is trying to fight off.

Betacarotene Softgels: 2 times daily
I take 2 softgels to help replenish my body's healing efficiency and quality of healing.

Even though bed rest is the number 1 thing to do, sometimes as a mom, it's impossible, but the 2nd thing that goes hand-in-hand with bed rest is liquids and NO food for at least 24 hours.  Doctors always recommend drinking plenty of fluid, preferably water and pedialite for children.  Now, not eating lets your body focus on taking care of any virus or infection trying to take over and not digesting food instead, though tradition suggests soup, it only temporarily soothes and mentally heals you, but the virus can linger and bring you down even harder soon after or years later.  Our minds are very powerful and though it can literally pick you up, you need to really fix the problem by letting your organs rest in order to battle from within and expels toxins properly on it's own.  As a society, we want quick results and pop in pills, but that suppresses sickness, not eliminating it, resulting in further compressing toxins in your body that lead to inevitable diseases in the long run.  Truth be told, your body knows how long it needs to recuperate and though science can create results, nature (which your body is part of) gets results in it's own way when we know how to help it along.