CONGRATULATIONS! CONGRATS! CONGRATULATIONS! 

Congratulations to Gloria Ortega!  She won the drawing for the Octoberr Prize Basket from the Polk County Health Center.  Gloria 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

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~

Congratulations to our June Prize Basket Winner!!

Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations!

Congratulations goes to Julie Dobbins as our prize winner this month.  She won the Breastfeeding Survival Basket by entering our monthly drawing and you can too.  It is super simple to get signed up, just fill in a drawing ticket at the Polk County Health Center.  If that doesn't work for you, then please don't hesitate to call me, email me, text me or just click the contact button below and fill in the information there.

Check out next months prize:

Need a boppy? How about a basket full of breastfeeding goodies to go along with it?

Contact me as often as you like to sign up for this awesome goody.

Traci Volcko, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

1317 West Broadway

Bolivar, MO 65613

volckt@lpha.mopublic.org

Polk County Health Center phone: (417)326-7250

Breastfeeding 24 hour helpline (417) 315-2135

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 !!

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.

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.