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.

Am I too late?

Recently I received this email from one of my mom's who was having concerns about breastfeeding:

I had my baby boy Friday Morning. We had a lot happen recently and I thought I was going to have to go back to work within the next ten days so I chose to bottle feed. :( so not proud of that decision. I found out today I will be able to stay home for at least six weeks. So now I'm wondering am I to late to try? Is it possible I could still breast feed or did I really mess this up?

This was my response to her:

No worries, it is absolutely still possible.  Many women go through similar experiences and are still able to convince baby to breastfeed.  Baby’s who end up in NICU, Moms who have difficulties and are not immediately able to breast feed, even adoptive parents are sometimes able to breastfeed.  The reality of it is you may have a little struggle but you can do it.  Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

     1.       First of all, stay calm.  It may be a little stressful latching baby on because he does not realize milk     comes from breasts, he believes that we eat from bottles.  But your breast milk should just be coming in and you will be able to feed him when he figures it out.

     2.       Bottles work because gravity pulls the milk out for baby.  Breasts work because baby massages them with his tongue and milk ejects from the breast so it may take him a few tries before he figures out to work his tongue differently than he has been.

     3.       It is important to keep up your milk supply while we are waiting for baby to come around.  If you have an electric pump, this is a great time to use it.  This will allow baby to eat breast milk, instead of formula, from the bottle if he does not  latch right away.  Also, it will tell your body that you need to make milk.  Whatever you remove from the breasts, your body will put that much milk back plus just a little bit more.  If we don’t remove milk then the milk supply goes away,so keep pumping.

     4.       Don’t give up.  Keep offering the breast first at every feeding.  Baby may fight you at first and there will be tears but he is learning right now and if we give up and give him a bottle when he cries, then he has learned that crying changes things.  He will fight for the bottle and now you have a fussy baby because he believes that he has to be in a fit to get what he wants.  However, if you can endure and keep trying through the crying, he will figure out how to remove milk from the breast and then you won’t have to work so hard to convince him to breast feed at the next feeding.

     5.       Don’t be afraid to ask for help.  Jill (IBCLC) and I are here every day.  Feel free to come by the office around feeding times and we will help you get baby latched on and hopefully help you feel less stressed as you go through this.  Also, you can call me 24 hours a day on the breastfeeding helpline 417-315-2135. 

We really want you to be successful.  We have been where you are and felt what you are feeling when we were breastfeeding our own babies.  Please don’t hesitate to call, or come by whenever you need us.  We are here to help.

Benefits of Breastfeeding

This cute story was sent to me in an email recently.  I thought it was funny and wanted to share it with you.

BIOLOGY EXAM

Students in an advanced Biology class were taking their mid-term exam. The last question was, 'Name seven advantages of Mother's Milk.? The question was worth 70 points or none at all.

One student, in particular, was hard put to think of seven advantages.

However, he wrote:

1) It is perfect formula for the child.

2) It provides immunity against several diseases.

3) It is always the right temperature.

4) It is inexpensive.

5) It bonds the child to mother, and vice versa.

6) It is always available as needed. And then the student was stuck.

Finally, in desperation, just before the bell rang indicating the end of the test, he wrote:

7 ) It comes in two attractive containers and it's high enough off the ground where the cat can't get it.

He got an A.

Happy Birthday Hayden!!!!

At our house, April is a very busy birthday month, so once again I am giving a shout out to one of my baby's.

At almost 8 months old, he had the look of a cherub and
his mother was convinced that he was an angel.

Happy 7th Birthday Hayden!!! 

 To the child who taught me all about frogs and snails and puppy dog tails, you are certainly what little boys are made of!

It took him less than 4 years to disprove my "angel theory".
 (I know this picture looks pretty scary and the first time I saw it, it took my breath away,
 but I promise it is staged.)

Too bad this wasn't the same day as the
chicken coop experience!  My cherub has
turned into an energetic bean pole.

I wish I could tell you that this
was just mud, but the truth is
 Grandma let him play in the chicken
coop with the water hose.
I will leave you to your own
conclusions...... 

He does clean up pretty good though.  I don't know about you,
but I am a little crazy about this sharp dressed man.

April Prize

Don't you just love those diaper "cakes" that you see at baby showers?  I thought so!!

You see in April, three of my kiddos have birthdays and a cake seemed to fit my chaotic life right now.  Why not share the good vibes, right?   This is my first attempt, so be kind, but I thought it would be a great prize to give away with tiers stuffed with bibs, lotion, Lansinoh cream, burp cloths, a sleep sack, a sleeper, a couple pairs of booties a breast pump and more!  If you look closely you will even find a "breast" ;)

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!

Happy Birthday Allisissy!!!!

Happy 12th Birthday to my 7-minute kid!

This was my 2nd baby to breast feed but she taught me quite a bit.  I call her the "7-minute kid" because she got in and got things done!  I don't believe I ever nursed her more than 7 minutes, but she doesn't seem to have suffered.

Mattie Allison Ashlock

5 months

3 years

Free spirited 11 year old who often dances like no one is watching

Luvs - Breastfeeding

I LOVE this Luvs commercial!!!!

Have you seen this one?  I don't have TV at my house so I miss out on a lot of the really funny commercials ( I also miss a lot of the crazy, sad, inappropriate stuff that seems to overwhelm the air ways - thus the no TV.  I am not a weirdo, I just choose to raise my kids in a world with as few bad examples as possible).  Anyway, someone shared this commercial with me the other day and it made me giggle.  Hopefully, you will get a kick out of it too.  Enjoy!

March Prize Basket Winner

Congratulations!  Congratulations! Congratulations!

Abby Inglis is our March Prize Winner!!

Abby and Denny Inglis

It is not too late to enter the prize drawings.  I will be putting a new basket together every month.  The April 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 Abby.

Bosom Beanies

Check out her Facebook page Bosom Beanies

Local Mom, Laura Reynolds has been hard at work making the cutest little hats for baby.  After all you wouldn't want their little heads to get cold.

Laura sells the hats for $15.00 and can make them in sizes ranging from newborn to toddler.  So they are not only adorable but also affordable.

Look for one of these to "Spring" up in the prize basket for April. 

Let me know what ya think.  Would you put one of these hats on your baby?  In a baby shower gift?

Pumping isn't the same as breastfeeding. Really?

 I don't own a citrus orchard.  If I need an orange, I cannot just go out to the back yard and pick one off of the tree.  So what is a girl to do when that craving hits?  When my body needs sweet, juicy, fiber rich, vitamin C, what can I possibly do?  You are probably thinking, "Go to the grocery store and buy some oranges, idiot!"  And you would be right.  But how appalled would you be if the produce manager at the store told me I didn't need oranges and instead sold me orange flavored gelatin and a vitamin C supplement?  You had better be pretty darn mad!

      Now you may be thinking, "Why on Earth is the Lactation Liaison talking about oranges on the breast feeding blog?"  Simply because I wanted to make a clear comparison to help folks better understand my views on formula vs breast milk.  (You see, you are the citrus orchard, the baby is the consumer, and the breast pump is the store). Breast milk is designed specifically to meet the nutritional and developmental needs of your baby.  The milk you produce varies from hour to hour, month to month, and even child to child.  It is not the same all of the time but it is exactly right.  There are over 200 things found in breast milk that cannot be duplicated.  So when your produce manager, (ahem, Doctor,nurse, friend, etc.) tells you formula is just as good as breast milk, you may want to do a little research. 

     So, what if I can't breast feed? I do understand that putting baby to the breast is not always an option. Babies are sometimes born with cleft palette. Milk supply can be affected by thyroid disorders, diabetes, smoking, etc.  Sometimes getting the latch-on just right, just doesn't happen.  Well girls, if you can't walk to the orchard, let's find another way to get the wholesomeness of oranges to you.  

Pumping is a great way to get breast milk to your baby.  I have heard the comment, "pumping isn't really breast feeding".  Really?  Well, I don't know what their goal in breast feeding was, but mine was to give my babies the best nutrition, vitamins, minerals that I could.  Pumping allows Mom to feed her baby a substance designed to meet the developmental needs of baby, even if it comes from a bottle.  If milk supply isn't enough to fill baby's tummy, you can always add breast milk to formula.  This will allow baby to get antibodies and the calories he needs.  Pumping can even help increase milk supply to a satisfying level for baby.  Remember, exclusively breast feeding baby is defined as baby receiving no other foods but breast milk.  Pumping is a great way to exclusively breast feed and is much less stressful than dealing with all the side effects of formula feeding.

2013 CMH Baby Fair

Jill and I at the Citizens Memorial Hospital Baby Fair on March 9, 2013. Did you see us there?  Did you sign up for the drawing?

Ashley Nelson did!!  She won a prize basket full of books for and about baby care, a Polk County Health Center bag, a manual breast pump and a travel Boppy!  Congratulations girl!!!  

March Prize

Need a boppy?  How about a cute little hat and bootie set?  Maybe you are looking for a nursing cover up so you can breast feed your baby whenever he is hungry and still maintain some discretion.  Well it is all included in this months prize basket along with some other goodies.  If you are a pregnant or breastfeeding Mom in the area, and would like to sign up for this months drawing, call me, text me, email me, comment on the blog, or just drop by the office.  We would love to see you and get you signed up.  Email: volckt@lpha.mopublic.org, BF Helpline: 417-315-2135 - Just let me know your name, address, phone number and due date.  Thanks and good luck!

What do Milkweeds have to do with breastfeeding?

Milkweeds belong to the family Asclepiadaceae, derived from Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine and healing.  Monarch butterflies are attracted to the plants and lay their eggs there.  The larvae  feed exclusively on milkweeds although it is poisonous to most other insects and animals.  As they grow, the plump, zebra striped caterpillars gorge themselves on the milkweed sap which, in turn, makes them poisonous to birds.  It was designed this way on purpose.

Breast feeding is designed to help baby grow and develop, in a protected safe environment.  Much like the milkweed, breast milk provides nourishment that baby couldn't get from any better source.  The antibodies in breast milk are similar to the protective properties the milkweeds sap offers caterpillars against being eaten by birds.  They help fight against colds, flu, ear infections, etc and many times Mom will not even know baby was about to be attacked by some kind of sickness because her antibodies have passed through the breast milk keeping baby happy healthy and whole. It was designed that way on purpose.

All this talk about caterpillars reminds me of a funny story that happened when my oldest daughter was about two years old. I hope you will get a kick out of it as well.

My Caterpillar

       It had been a long cold winter that year as a stay at home mom, I had begun to develop a serious case of cabin fever.  I was busy, but hadn't had the opportunity to get out and exercise like normal.  I always took a walk everyday and had really started to miss it.  I decided that Miss Abigail and I could go for a walk inside the local Wal-Mart store.  I bundled up my baby girl, jumped in the car and headed to the store.  

My Beautiful Butterfly

      I placed Abbi in the shopping cart and began walking a steady path around the perimeter of the store.  It wasn't long until she began complaining about sitting in the cart and begging to get down and walk too.  I tried distraction, bribery, and reasoning but nothing satisfied her. "Please Mama, let me walk.  I will go real fast.  I want to get down and walk too!!!"  Finally, I stopped the cart, took a deep breath and explained that she was just too little to get down and walk with Mama.  I explained that I was much bigger than she, and I would be walking too fast for her to keep up.  I ended the conversation by saying, " You are are going to have to grow a couple of feet before you can get down and walk beside Mama."  My darling girl looked up at me wide-eyed and a little afraid and said, "Am I going to be a caterpillar?"

Check out my Pinterest Board also named Milk Weeds.