Congratulations!  Congratulations!  Congratulations!

Congratulations to Sandra Clinton!  She won the drawing for the May Prize Basket from the Polk County Health Center.  Sandra took home this Stork basket full of goodies.  Winning is easy.  If you are a pregnant or breastfeeding mom in the area, stop by the Polk County Health Center and fill out a drawing ticket.  If stopping by is too inconvenient, there are other ways to enter too:

- Click on the link at the top of this page.

- Click on the 'contact us' link below.

- Call me

- Text me

- Email me 

Traci Volcko, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

Polk County Health Center

417-326-7250

417-315-2135 24hr Breastfeeding helpline

volckt@lpha.mopublic.org

There is another Breast Feeding Prize Basket, just waiting for you!  Good Luck!

CONGRATULATIONS! CONGRATS! CONGRATULATIONS! 

Congratulations to Mrs. Stacey Barnoskie!  She won the drawing for the September Prize Basket from the Polk County Health Center.   Stacey took home this Boppy and a basket full of goodies and you can too.  Winning is easy.  If you are a pregnant or breastfeeding mom in the area, stop by the Polk County Health Center and fill out a drawing ticket.  If stopping by is too inconvenient, there are other ways to enter too:

- Click on the link at the top of this page.

- Click on the 'contact us' link below.

- Call me

- Text me

- Email me 

Traci Volcko, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

Polk County Health Center

417-326-7250

417-315-2135 24hr Breastfeeding helpline

volckt@lpha.mopublic.org

There is another Boppy basket, just waiting for you!  Good Luck!

Hear One, Do One, Teach One

Someone once told me the best way to learn something is to remember to "hear one, do one, and teach one".  The more I think about that one simple statement, the more sense it makes.  Now don't get me wrong, I still have LOTS to learn, but thankfully I have lots of kiddos still living at home and they do a great job of teaching me all about life.  As I think about my life's path leading me to this breast feeding business, I realize just how much "hear one, do one, and teach one" has helped me.  Hopefully, this awesome education will help me help you as you travel down your breast feeding path.
    Hear one:
I was raised among a family of breast feeders.  My grandmother's breast fed their babies. And when their daughters became mothers, they taught them to breastfeed their babies.  So I was always around a breastfeeding mother, whether it was an aunt, cousin, or my own mother.  It was not only natural, it was normal. They never tried to hide breastfeeding from me and therefore, I really wasn't that curious. As a child, I don't remember watching anyone breastfeed, because it wasn't that interesting to me.  They were just feeding their baby.  Big deal!  I had acres of fields and creeks to play in and that is exactly where I spent most of my childhood.  
    As I grew older, and decidedly had to pretend to be a grown up, the day came that I became a mother myself.  Following in the footsteps of the mothers before me, I knew I would breastfeed.  There was no choice or decision in it at all.  That's how women feed babies.  That's what our bodies are designed to do.  That's the healthiest choice for baby and I was going to be the perfect mother.  She would grow up to be the most sheltered, cared for baby in the world. (Quit giggling, she was my first.  Now a broken nose, dislocated elbow, chicken pox scars and plenty of tears, bumps and bruises later, I realize perfect mother does not equal good mother).  
     Do one:
 What my babyies taught me about breast feeding could fill volumes, some of it can be found in breastfeeding books all over book stores every where.  Some of it I had to learn myself, and you won't find it in the books, but thankfully I had really great teachers.
What my babies taught me:
Abbi - She was a natural nurser.  She wanted to eat every 3 hours (Not every 4 like the books about putting baby on a schedule had warned me never to veer away from).  My breasts would be larger, harder, and more tender than ever before.  My nipples would crack, and bleed.  And for the first 10 seconds of every nursing session, I would be digging my fingernails into the arm of my chair while I waited for the pain to subside.

Does she look like I starved her?

Alli-  I didn't know what an easy baby was until Allison arrived.  She taught me that some babies want to eat every 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Some babies prefer one breast over the other.  She taught me that a nursing session can only last 7 minutes and baby can get exactly what she needs to be a rollie pollie healthy girl.  She taught me that breasts don't have to crack or bleed while breastfeeding.  She also, taught me about plugged milk ducts.  Whew! that was a lesson I have never forgotten.
Hannah: She taught me how to multitask.  For the first 18 months of Hannah's life she was on my left hip or in my arms 24 hours a day.  Yes, we co-slept; (I know, I know) yes, I had angry aunts and grandmas when Hannah screamed for me the minute I handed her off; yes, my left biceps were noticeably larger than my right. With Hannah it didn't matter how often or how long she nursed because I wasn't allowed to put her down anyway.
Hayden:  He taught me that a boy with a beautiful smile, will always melt your heart.  Even when they are biting.  Even when they are participating in a full on nursing strike.  He also taught me that it is okay to ask questions even if you know it all because you have grown up in a family of breast feeders and nursed four babies of your own.

See....the smile does it every time!

     Teach one:
When Hayden was about 6 months old, I became the Breast Feeding Peer Counselor for the Health Dept.  My job was to interact, support, and encourage breastfeeding women like me. I could take my baby with me and nurse whenever necessary.  How hard could it be?  I had certainly done my share of breastfeeding.  
     Well, I found out quickly, what I did not know.  My kids never taught me about thrush, yeast infections, low milk supply, tongue-tie, blebs, or lactose sensitivities.  They didn't teach me how to use an electric hospital grade pump or how to return to work and continue working.   They didn't teach me how quickly breastfeeding can get you down.  They really took it pretty easy on me and I was successful because although determined to breastfeed, I did not have a lot of obstacles to overcome with my own breastfeeding experience.
     I was left in good hands, though.  Thanks to all of you that have come to me with breastfeeding questions and concerns.  I have learned so much and in my effort to help you, you have taught me so much.  I now feel confident to answer questions or find answers to concerns as my new nursing mamas come to me.  Thank you all for being such great teachers and helping me learn how to help you.

~T

How to get it all done when you're a Mom on the run.....

Do you ever feel overwhelmed??  Okay, okay stop laughing.  I knew it was a silly question when I asked it, but I also knew you needed a laugh today.  The truth is from the minute we saw the positive on the pregnancy test, we began to feel overwhelmed.  You may have asked:
 "Am I ready for this?"
"Will I be a good mom?"
"How will we afford a baby?"
"Where will we put the baby?"  
"What will happen to my body?" 
"Will I ever get to spend time with my husband again?"  
     And then a few months later the baby arrives and all of those questions are answered.  If you are like me you probably replaced those questions with new ones like:
"What did I do with all of my spare time before we had the baby?"
"Why is she changing so fast?"
"How many diapers do I have to change today?"
"When was the last time I ate, slept or had a shower?"
"Will I ever get to spend time with my husband again?"
     (Yes, I know I asked the last question twice, but I really like my husband). The truth is after having a baby, time seems to speed up and it becomes harder and harder to feel like you are getting everything done in a day.  You may not have big plans, but going to the grocery store or visiting Grandma, can sometimes take all of the energy you have to spend.  Keeping that in mind, I have decided to help make your life a little easier with this month's prize basket.  I have put together a few things to make those outings not so stressful.  How would you like a "basket" a.k.a cooler filled with ice packs, a hand pump, nursing pads, nursing cream, sunscreen for baby and information about our next infant feeding classes?  I thought you might!
     Stop by the health center and enter our monthly prize drawing today!  Or of course, you can call, text, email me or just click on the contact us button below or the one in the side bar and I will get you signed up.

Good Luck!

Traci Volcko, Breastfeeding Consultant
volckt@lpha.mopublic.org
417-326-7250 (health center)
417-315-2135 (helpline)

Oops! Sorry Kids...

So, I have some bad news....We will not be having the next infant feeding class, Breastfeeding Barriers.  This class was scheduled to be held on August 22, 2013 at 1:30 pm but I will be out of the office at a breastfeeding conference.  So sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and I do so look forward to meeting with you next time.  The next class is scheduled for September 5th from 9:00 am - 10:00 am.  The class is called "Attention Dad!" and will be full of helpful strategies for Dad and new baby, support from him to mom, and what to expect when everyone comes home from the hospital.  Hope to see you there!


Please feel free to contact me anytime:

Traci Volcko, Breastfeeding Consultant
417-326-7250
417-315-2135
volckt@lpha.mopublic.org

It's not too late.....

Signing up for the monthly prize drawing or registering for the Infant feeding classes just got a little easier.  If you look to the side bar, you will notice two "Contact Us" buttons.  Clicking on them makes it easy to sign up for the next Infant Feeding support group or entering in the monthly prize drawing.  Come join us on August 8th at 9:00 am and learn the difference between real breastfeeding barriers and perceived ones.  You will take away valuable information about how to continue breastfeeding when you might otherwise have given up.  



Also, take advantage of the many opportunities to sign up for our monthly prize drawings.  This month expect another Boppy to be offered as a prize, with goodies for Mom and baby as well.  Please enter as often as you like.  Good Luck!  I look forward to hearing from you all soon.

Breastfeeding Barriers

      Breastfeeding barriers are those things that can stand in the way of successful breastfeeding.  Many times there are real issues that can prevent a mom from breastfeeding such as substance abuse, certain prescribed medications, cancer treatments, and certain illnesses such as herpes simplex virus, Hepatitis C, Tuberculosis or Varicella if left untreated.  However, there are times when we think that breastfeeding may not be possible when it actually is perfectly within reach.  Have you ever wondered about those times when breastfeeding doesn't seem like a possibility?  Some mothers who smoke, like to have an occasional drink, or simply cannot give up their caffeine, feel that it would just be too difficult to adjust their lifestyle to be successful at breastfeeding.  



Well girls, it is simply not so!  Many of our perceived barriers are not barriers at all, and in fact sometimes breastfeeding is necessary if your baby is going to be in those environments.     
     

Moms who go back to school are happy to breastfeed! 

Caffeinated Moms are
happy to breastfeed

Moms who return to work are happy to breastfeed.

Join us at the next Infant Feeding Class at the Polk County Health Center as we discuss Breastfeeding Barriers.  Come with questions for our group discussion.  
If you are an old pro at this breastfeeding gig, come with answers, there are many moms in our community who are looking for mentors like you.

Classes on this topic will be held Thursdays:
     August 8th from 9:00 -10:00 am OR
     August 22nd from 1:30 - 2:30 pm

Just click on the Contact us button below to register for the next class by the Wednesday before class so that I can make arrangements for refreshments.  Or you can email, call the help line, call the Polk County Health Center or comment on the blog.

Traci Volcko
Breastfeeding Consultant
417-326-7250
417-315-2135
volckt@lpha.mopublic.org
www.polkcountymilkweeds.blogspot.com

July Prize Basket Drawing

It's not too late to sign up for the July prize basket!  

     This month you could win a Boppy nursing pillow with a basket of goodies tucked into the center of the pillow.  The basket is filled with bibs, onsie, nursing pads, Lansinoh cream, a fluffy blanket and more.  Just click on the link below and fill out your drawing ticket.  Or, if you would rather you can stop by the Polk County Health Center, email me, text me, or call me.



Traci Volcko
Breastfeeding Consultant
Polk County Health Center
1317 West Broadway 
Bolivar, MO 65613

417-326-7250 (center line)
417-315-2135 (breastfeeding helpline)

volckt@lpha.mopublic.org

Good Luck!  I will be announcing the winner soon!  Looking forward to hearing from you.

~ Here's to happy, healthy, and whole ~

YOLO! (You Only Lactate Often)

Photo courtesy of Jackie Johnson Smith

Did you all see this???!!!!  I am so impressed.  My faith in humanity has been restored.  I can totally see me doing this for some one (just as soon as I see someone breastfeeding some place other than my office or a breast feeding conference)!  Please, please visit the site and read his mom's encouraging story.  
     She and her husband were going out to eat for her birthday.  Though she was a little leery of taking the children to a restaurant downtown, they loaded up the little ones and went out for dinner.  As any of you with several kiddos know, when they get a little restless and bored, they find ways to keep busy.  This mama had her hands full and found a great solution to keep her baby happy.  She breastfed!  She also worried about what others would think or say, but was pleasantly surprised at the end of the night to find out her waitress had paid part of her tab, to say thanks for breastfeeding.  
     I am getting a little excited, but I am pretty sure I felt our culture begin to shift a little.  Did you feel that acceptance of beautiful and natural acts?  Maybe it's just me ~ sometimes I am a little sensitive.  Go check out the thread at Yahoo! shine.  I have embedded a link in the picture above.  Yay Jackie Johnson Smith.  Thank you for breastfeeding!

It is okay to swear, but only in the living room....

THIS JUST GOT REAL

     This is my Sydney.  She is a sweetheart.  Loves music, family, and much to her fathers dismay, cats.  She rarely has a scowl on her face and most generally you will find her peaceful and smiling. She is the complete and total opposite of this picture. 
      The day we found this shirt, I had taken a couple of my girls shopping, which in and of itself is ironic.  I don't enjoy shopping.  It costs money. And lots of people go shopping...at the same time....at the same places... and sometimes they touch you.  Too close for comfort for me and therefore, I am not a fun person to shop with nor do I intend to do anything to change that.  (People stop inviting you to go if you aren't fun).  I did try to stay on my best behavior and make it a fun experience for the girls, but as you can see by reading the shirt, the devil got the best of me when it came to this purchase.  
     The girls had talked me into going to the mall. (Uggh!!)  We had walked a lot and maneuvered around people and the carnies. (You know, those people who stand in the middle aisles at the mall, trying to get you to try their product and spend 100's of dollars on items you can buy on Amazon for $32.89. ) The girls tell me it's not nice to call them carnies, but then I explain to them that I am old and can do what I want because I don't have to be politically correct anymore.  They still don't understand all of my rules, but have learned to go with it.  Anyway, where were we??  
     So, we duck into this little t-shirt shop and began reading the funny messages across the fronts of them.  We were giggling so much that I almost forgot to hate shopping.  I picked up this t-shirt and showed Sydney who got wide-eyed and in all seriousness, said, "Traci, pleeeaaaseeee let me have this shirt.  It is so funny and it is on sale and I HAVE to see Dad's face when he sees this shirt on me.  Please, please, please I will pay for it myself and I promise to only wear it in the living room!"
     Okay, what????  Sydney then explained to me that she thought that was one of the rules. You should never swear, but if you must swear, you can only do it in the living room.  My other four children had convinced her of this one evening.  They weren't being mean jokesters, they literally believed that this had been an established rule.  The story goes like this....                                                                                                                                           
     One evening while watching the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall (I know it is not the best family movie choice, but I didn't realize it until we were playing the DVD.  I promise, I fast forwarded through the good stuff).  Anyway, if you have seen the movie, you know there is a part where Russell Brandt in his best English accent swears repeatedly and it sounds like he is saying "Boo sh*t, Boo sh*t, Boo sh*t".  This all happened before I could hit fast forward and my kids erupted into a fit of giggles.  Partly, because of my accidental lack of censorship and also because of the awkwardness of swear words exploding from the TV.  Then, my youngest repeated the vulgarity to get a laugh himself.  Oh my, this went the wrong direction in a hurry!  I explained to him that those weren't words that we should say and that it would be okay, but this shouldn't leave the living room.  Ta dah...... a rule is born.
     As you can see by the picture above, we did by the shirt.  Sydney couldn't wait to take her shower and change into her jammies that night (aka the t-shirt and pajama pants).  She came into the living room, laid down on the couch and tried her best not to smile while watching TV with her Dad and I.  Finally, Steve looked over at her to talk, stopped mid sentence and said, "Sydney, what does your shirt say??"  She proudly stood and read the front of the shirt to him and collapsed on the couch in a fit of giggles.  And it was all okay because we were in the living room.

How to Relax

"In raising my children, I have lost my mind but found my soul"   Lisa T. Shepherd

     I have to begin by telling you that I have always been the kind of person who likes things to go according to the plan.  I like structure, organization and rules.  These things make me feel in balance and calm.  Without these things I feel scattered, nervous and I kind of shut down. 

      I have a little competitive streak mixed with a little stubbornness.  I only mention this because as any of you with children know, they will push and see if you will budge.  They will question the rules and test you to see if you will stand firm.  To put it mildly, I always stand firm (thank you stubbornness).

     It has always been this way with me, but something changed when the children came.  (Don't worry, I have maintained my stubbornness).  Somewhere along the way, I became too overwhelmed with sleepless nights, diaper changes, prayer and protection of the children to maintain life without chaos. It is because of this, that many have heard me say, "I have left my modesty and memory in labor and delivery somewhere!"

   Through the years more children have arrived and shared my home, each one teaching me valuable life lessons.  I was 25 when I had my first baby, and now at almost 40, I find myself wondering if they have finally taught me to relax.  

     I came across some pictures that we took over the 4th of July last year.  And I have to admit, looking at them now, I can't help but smile, but that night I was close to tears and not sure if I would in fact be able to breathe through this.  My husband and I were getting ready to go to a very important meeting.  I had to speak in front of people whom I have the highest respect.  I was pretty sure I would hyperventilate and pass out in front of them all.  I was pretty sure that I would mess up and be embarrassed. And I was pretty sure that the people would point and laugh and run me out of the village with fiery stakes in their hands.  I was pretty sure my imagination was running away with me, but couldn't get logic to outweigh the crazy that night.

     We had stopped by the in-laws to let the kids play at Grandma and Grandpa's while we were out, and also to visit for a few minutes.  Just as we stood to leave, my sister-in-law came in the back door with a kind of fearful smile across her face.  She looked at me and said, "Traci you have got to see this."  I followed her out the back door, literally 5 minutes before we needed to be on the road driving and found three of my children and a cousin had turned "Grandma, can we check the chicken coop for eggs?" into "who wants to have a mud fight?"  

 Do you know what kind of "mud" grows in a chicken coop?  Not MUD!!!  My kids were actively throwing chicken poop at each other.  They were rolling in it and wiping it on each other.    They were giggly kids having the best time with very little thought as to what was actually happening.  There was no thought as to what was going in their ears, up their noses and down their swimsuit bottoms.  It never occurred to them that they would stink or may not be allowed into Grandmas swimming pool later.  They had no plan as to how they would get cleaned up or if their suits would ever be worn again. They were absolutely,  joyfully, lighthearted and carefree. I assure you chaos was everywhere and it is NOT something they learned from me!!

Here is Hayden rubbing a little bit on his arms (Uggh!!)

And Hannah getting in on the action.....

 Now he is literally rolling in it.  I would love to say that this is just a boy thing......

 But look at the smile on his sister's face.

We later posted the picture on the right on Facebook.  You will notice that Olivia's smile was not as broad, because she had just learned that she was covered in poop instead of mud.  She hates this picture and will deny to this day that she ever did such a thing.  But that is just how today goes.  On that day, she was a happy kid and I personally think she is beautiful when she is smiling.

So how does this article have anything to do with me learning to relax??  Well, I will tell you!  My husband and I hosed off the kids (yes, literally), jumped in the car, and headed off to our meeting.  And, while I was still nervous, I couldn't help but be a little distracted by the kids actions.  They were joyful and carefree for a few minutes and it didn't hurt anybody to let a little chaos in.  I even giggled a little as we drove down the road.  I also lived through the night, without anyone running me out of the village with fiery steaks.  All in all a pretty good night.  Later that night, after fireworks and ice cream, we tucked our kids in bed and told them "Goodnight"  thanking God once again for keeping them happy, healthy and whole~

Independence Day - Celebrate Your Freedom to Breastfeed

     

 Oh the wonderful sunny days of Summer are upon us.  Laying out at the beach, baseball games, and family reunions.  Summer involves lots of outings and family gatherings. 

     For those of you breastfeeding new little ones, enjoying Summertime can require a little planning.   We know that baby is going to eat throughout these gatherings and arrangements will have to be made to provide comfort and discretion for both Mom and baby.

     How can you provide nourishment and share these private moments when you are in public?  Certainly pumping a bottle of breast milk is an option.  However, the heat and the “extra luggage” may throw a kink in your plans.  Breast milk is only good for about 5 hours before it needs refrigerated, but on hot Summer days it can spoil more quickly.  So, without carrying a cooler around, you may have trouble feeding baby good milk. 

     We know that a receiving blanket or a Hooter Hider can conceal breastfeeding from wandering eyes when you are in public places.  But sitting in the sun (or shade, when it’s 90 degrees outside) with a cover up over his head can be very uncomfortable and distracting for baby.  He may get too hot and want to pull the blanket off of his sweaty little head.  When the blanket comes off then Mom becomes uncomfortable.  You may feel exposed to the peepers all around you.  

     How do we solve these dilemmas and still breastfeed?   I always wanted to feel discrete when breastfeeding so that I did not offend anyone around me or embarrass myself.  I did take comfort in the fact that most of the time I was surrounded by my family and friends.  And they were great breastfeeding supporters.  
     Generally, people accept breastfeeding for what it is….taking great care of your baby.  And honestly, when my babies were nursing I was mostly hidden behind baby.  Sure people new I was feeding her, but her head was blocking the most important part.  Plus, her little hands were usually resting on my chest holding her “bottle” hiding even more of me from sight. Next time you are nursing at home, go stand in front of a mirror and you will see that most people can’t see as much as you thought they could. Realizing these things helped to calm my anxiety, and gave me more confidence about nursing in public. 

     But there is more!!  The law is on your side as well.  In September 1999, President Clinton signed into law the "Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act," which included legislative language by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) to make breastfeeding legal anywhere on federal property.

"The last thing a mom needs is someone giving her a hard time about her decision to breastfeed her child or accusing her of violating arcane 'indecent exposure' laws," Maloney says. "The only thing indecent about breastfeeding is that some women have been harassed about it."  

  According to the National Conference of State Legislature website, Forty-three states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands have laws with language specifically allowing women to breastfeed in any public or private location

     Twenty-eight states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws

     Twenty-four states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have laws related to breastfeeding in the workplace

     Twelve states and Puerto Rico exempt breastfeeding mothers from jury duty

     Five states and Puerto Rico have implemented or encouraged the development of a breastfeeding awareness education campaign.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 191.915 (1999) Missouri Law requires hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to provide new mothers with a breastfeeding consultation or information on breastfeeding, the benefits to the child and information on local breastfeeding support groups. The law requires physicians who provide obstetrical or gynecological consultation to inform patients about the postnatal benefits of breastfeeding. The law requires the Department of Health to provide and distribute written information on breastfeeding and the health benefits to the child. (SB 8)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 191.918 (1999) 
Allows a mother, with as much discretion as possible, to breastfeed her child in any public or private location.  Medical experts agree that breastfeeding is superior to formula feeding and recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and continued breastfeeding to 12 months of age and longer thereafter as the mother and baby so desire.
     
     So celebrate your Independence Day and feel free to breastfeed your baby without being harassed or feeling embarrassed.  After all you have the right to "bare arms" and shoulders and even breasts while breastfeeding your baby.

Jump in and breastfeed with
confidence. The law is on your
side. 

If someone asks you to stop breastfeeding in public give them this card to educate them regarding Missouri State Law and Breastfeeding.

License to Breastfeed

Missouri Law:  “A mother may, with as much discretion as possible, breastfeed her child in any public or private location where the mother is otherwise authorized to be.” R.S. Mo. 191.918

June Prize Basket

 

Hannah

 When I was thirty, I found myself sitting in a recliner with a newborn at the breast, a three year old on my lap and a five year old sitting on the arm of the chair beside me.  One arm wrapped around baby with her head in my hand and the other hand holding a story book.  At that time, when Hannah said it was time to eat, my other little girls knew it was story time for them.
     Hannah was (and still is) a cuddley girl.  She wanted to eat at least every two hours, and could see no reason why she couldn't sleep in my arms or at least be held until the next feeding time.  I am not going to say she was needy, but she was over a year old before she walked and I don't believe anyone else was allowed to pick her up or hold her until she was well over 18 months old.  I was a frazzled, tired mess for the next few years after Hannah arrived.
     When you have little kids in the home, you don't stop moving all day long.  From the time your feet hit the floor in the morning, until you finally have them all down for the night, you are in constant motion feeding, bathing, cleaning house, doing laundry, planning meals....the list goes on and on.  And though, I was thankful for the times Hannah required me to sit down and nurse her, it always seemed like there was something I needed that I had forgotten to pick up before I sat down.  Now don't get me wrong, the little girls sitting in the chair with me, loved to be "big helpers" and grab blankets, wipes, diapers, etc. but once the story book was opened they no longer volunteered to help.  It was at this time in my life that I came up with the Breastfeeding Survival Basket.  I cannot tell you how many steps or how much time this basket saved me, but save me it did!  I filled a basket full of diapers, wipes, diaper cream, nursing pads and Lansinoh cream and sat it beside my chair.  Each time Hannah wanted to eat, I grabbed a glass of ice water and my girls grabbed their book of choice.  By the time my fourth baby arrived, the survival basket was a permanent fixture on the side table.  This was probably a good thing, since Hayden didn't mind if we sat in the recliner all day long nursing and rocking.  In those days I think the only time I got out of my chair was to go to the bathroom and feed kids.  
     So, thinking back to those days, gave me an awesome idea for you all.  I have put together a Breastfeeding Survival Basket for this month's prize.  It will help bring a little peace if not organization to the chaos of having a newborn.

Breastfeeding Survival Basket

As always, if you would like to enter the drawing, just let me know.  I just need name, address, phone, email, and due date.

24 hour Breast Feeding Helpline: 417-315-2135

Email: volckt@lpha.mopublic.org

Or stop by the Polk County Health Center.  I would love to talk with you!

Good luck !!

May Prize Winner

Congratulations!!   Congratulations!!   Congratulations!!

Congratulations go out to Casey Stinley and new baby Rosie, winners of the May Prize the Sock bouquet.

It is not too late to enter the prize drawings.  I will be putting a new basket together every month.  Watch the blog to get the first glimpse of the latest goodies.  As always, if you would like to enter the drawing, just let me know.  I just need name, address, phone, email, and due date.

24 hour Breast Feeding Helpline: 417-315-2135

Email: volckt@lpha.mopublic.org

Or stop by the Polk County Health Center.  I would love to talk with you!

Good luck and again congratulations go out to Casey.

They've got an app for that!

     In this day and age, everywhere you look people have phones in their hands.  Phones have replaced cameras, watches and clocks, calendars and planners, even gaming systems and you can text and talk on them too!! Some of us still use the basic cell phone, and it surely serves the purpose for which it was intended. But more and more of the time, I see smart phones in the hands of old and young alike.  These tiny computers are amazing tools and I for one, love that I can use it for work, playing games when I am bored and waiting for kids after school, keeping my appointments and remembering important holidays like Mother's day and the kids birthdays! 
     You may be wondering,"What does any of this have to do with pregnancy and breastfeeding?"  Well, I will tell you!  I found some awesome apps that do everything from sends texts during pregnancy to ease a mother's worries to keeping track of diapers in those foggy days of "newbornhood".  Check them out.




 Sign up for the text4baby program and receive free text messages throughout your pregnancy and for baby's first year.  These tips and tricks will make being a new parent simpler and help put your mind at ease on some issues that you may have questions about.

I'm Expecting app is kind of amazing.  It will help you keep track of everything that is going on with you and baby. Get prepared for your baby’s birth. Get weekly updates of your baby's growth, track your symptoms and compare them to other pregnant moms to see how common they are, share info with your doctor, add doctor appointments, get answers to your questions and more! Simply enter your baby’s due date and get started for free today with this pregnancy tracker from Google play.

My Pregnancy Today app.  Simply enter your baby’s due date and My Pregnancy Today turns your Android into an expert guide for your exact day of pregnancy. Free from Google play.
My Pregnancy Today features: 
✔ Your pregnancy day by day: Learn how your body’s changing, what’s ahead, and how to cope
✔ Fetal development images: See what your baby looks like each week
✔ Pregnancy checklist: Reminders to keep you on track with decisions, appointments, and more
✔ Award-winning videos: Watch your baby grow in the womb, and witness moms giving birth
✔ Birth clubs: Connect with other women due at the same time
✔ Due date calculator: Quickly find your due date 
✔ Nutrition guide: Manage your weight gain with tips and recipes to help you eat well 
✔ Track your progress: Countdown to your big day with weekly notifications
Baby Time is an app to help you keep track of baby's last feeding, diaper change and sleep as well as a left right toggle to help you remember the breast baby last fed on.  This is a free app for your windows phone.

EatSleep is an app that tracks when baby eats, sleeps and has a diaper change. It is available for free on itunes.

The Breast Feeding Tabulator is another app designed to help you keep track of baby's feeding frequency and amount of time spent at the breast.  This one is for Android and is free from Google play.

Another one for Android.  Baby Care Plus tracks baby's feeds, sleep, and diapers and is $1.99 on Google play.

These are just a few apps that I found, but I have to admit, if I were expecting again, I would certainly have several of them on my phone.  Check them out or do some research and see what you can find that suits your needs.  Let me know if you find some great ones, I would love the input and I always love hearing from you.

April Prize Basket Winner

April Prize Basket Winner

Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations!

Jessica Crouch is our Diaper Cake Winner!!

Jessica Crouch

It is not too late to enter the prize drawings.  I will be putting a new basket together every month.  The May basket is still underway, but watch the blog to get the first glimpse of the latest goodies.  As always, if you would like to enter the drawing, just let me know.  I just need name, address, phone, email, and due date.

24 hour Breast Feeding Helpline: 417-315-2135

Email: volckt@lpha.mopublic.org

Or stop by the Polk County Health Center.  I would love to talk with you!

Good luck and again congratulations go out to Jessica.

How can I tell if I'm not producing enough?

"How can I tell if I'm not producing enough? It felt like I wasn't producing milk or at least not very much milk over the weekend, my breast were not very heavy and [my baby] was constantly wanting to eat and she was very cranky. Do you think that was the problem?"

It sounds like you had a rough weekend and it may be stressing you out a little still.    But don’t worry this actually sounds like a growth spurt to me, and it is completely normal. 

     Around 3 weeks of age, baby will suddenly go through a growth spurt.  They may become cranky and it will feel like they just want to eat all of the time, especially during the hours of 6pm – 8pm.  You will probably not feel engorged.  Many moms have come to me in this situation with concerns that their milk is drying up.  I promise that that is not what is happening.  The best thing to do in this situation is just sit back and nurse.  The worst thing to do in this situation is to give baby a bottle of formula.  Right now baby is telling your body to increase the milk supply.  Every time she removes milk,  your body makes that much, plus a little more, to make sure there is enough milk for her as her appetite grows.  If you give her formula, her tummy gets full, but your body does not know she needs more milk and your milk supply will slowly decrease.  You should notice that the fussiness and constant nursing goes away in a few days and the two of you will get back on her normal schedule.  If you feel like you are still not making enough, start pumping about 30 minutes after a feeding and that will help increase your supply as well.  It is important to put baby to the breast first and always nurse more often than you pump in order to keep your supply up.  Also, don’t worry if you notice this happening again in a couple of weeks because babies often go through growth spurts at 6 weeks of age as well.  And then again at 3 months and 6 months.  It will be okay, I promise.  I hope  this answers your questions and gives you some peace.  If you need to call me, feel free the number is 417-315-2135.  And if it would make you feel better to come by and weigh her that is perfectly fine as well.  You don’t need an appointment, just drop by and the nurses or I will weigh her and show you how much she is gaining.