About Me

My photo
DFW, Texas, United States
I am a new mom navigating the world of baby wearing, co-sleeping, breastfeeding, and becoming a parent. And we do all this while living on the llama farm. These are my random writings, rants, raves, and ramblings.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Banana Chocolate Chip Lactation Bread Recipe Posted!

If you'd like an alternative to the lactation cookies, give this recipe a try!  It turned out pretty well, and even Mark liked it.  Feel free to use and make it your own.  Please let me know what changes you make to the recipe - I'm always interested in variations!

Milk Makin' Mamas

I've been meaning to sit down and write this post for awhile now, but being sick and having a sick kiddo have sidelined it for a bit.
Recently, I've had a lot of friends with babies ask me about milk supply - certainly not because I know anything more than what the internet lends, but that we're all trying to bounce ideas off of each other.  Around a month post partum, nursng was well established for us, and supply was maintaining really well; so much that I was fortunate enough to donate around 60 or 70 ounces.  But a few months ago I ended up with a nasty case of mastitis that all but killed my milk supply.
Since then I've been fighting plugged ducts and working like crazy to re-establish a supply.  I tried to nurse, and nurse, drink lots of water, nurse some more, and always have a stash of lactation cookies on hand.  I started back on the fenugreek and watched my food (calorie) intake.  I felt like I was just barely making it, but I kept trying to "trust my body".
Reagan's nursing behavior was getting really bad.  He would tug, pull away, turn his head, and kick.  I didn't know why he was nursing this way, but I kept thinking something was wrong.
The other night at the TCBN meeting, I was fortunate enough to briefly talk with Mellanie Sheppard, an IBCLC, about Reagan's vicious nursing behavior.  She said that between 3 or 4 months post partum, milk production will even out and his behavior could be due to a slower let down or decreased supply.  Since then I've made it my mission to find something that worked.
My midwife suggested a supplement by Mountain Meadow Herbs called Maxi Milk that seemed to make a difference.  It tastes awful, but whatever works, right?
A friend wrote me and said that her La Leche League contact suggested a hospital grade pump, which sounded like great advice to me, so I thought I'd give it a try as well.
So, if you're curious, or in need of suggestions, this has become my milk-makin' repertoire:
Maxi Milk -  3x's a day, as directed
Prenatal vitamins
Fenugreek caplets - either 3 caplets 2x's a day or 2 caplets 3x's a day
Probiotics
Echinacea caplets
Pumping with the Medela Symphony pump
Lactation cookies, bread, or smoothies