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No More Boobie Milk

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You may have noticed I’ve been a little quieter on here lately. I’m on some medication which has made me feel a little fuzzy headed and I’m having some difficulty in concentrating on things. Hopefully this marshmallow head feeling won’t last too much longer.

I’m a bit emotional this evening because yesterday I made a rather huge ( to me anyway ) decision to stop breastfeeding. For a number of reasons, firstly I’m on medication which although my GP says it’s safe for me to continue feeding it still states on the info leaflet that it passes into the milk and I’m not 100% comfortable with that, secondly I think it’s affecting her sleep – she feeds for comfort at night and that needs to stop really at over 1 year old. Thirdly I’m just rundown. I’m always unwell, tired..drained and the feeding doesn’t help with that at all. Lastly we think Chloe has a milk allergy and although this probably sounds very selfish I don’t want to give up dairy. I’ve given up caffeine and alcohol ( for the most part) for over a year which has been hard and I don’t want to give up anymore.

So plenty of perfectly valid reasons for ending our breastfeeding journey but I still feel guilty. I’m sat here with swollen breasts and it would be so easy to pop upstairs and feed her but I can’t. I know it’s the right time. Although she still loves to feed and will poke at my chest with her tongue out when she wants it, she doesn’t actually NEED it much anymore. She is eating a lot more food and she only really has short feeds and only at night time. I’m trying to convince myself that it’s for the best. Because it really is, in the long run it will leave me with more energy for her and for Izzy. She won’t be as dependent on me for comfort at night and hopefully she will be less tired.

I should be proud of feeding for over a year, through trying, emotional times and when it felt extremely hard. We didn’t even stop after I had an emergency lumbar puncture and had to stay in hospital.

But instead of feeling proud tonight I’m a bit weepy.

I will miss it.

Her first feed:
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Munchkin Latch Review – The Miracle Bottle

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If you are a regular reader of this blog you will know that we had quite a lot of difficulty getting Chloe to accept a bottle.

She is nearly 1 ( next week – arrgghh) and for most of her life she has been exclusively breastfed from me. I tried quite a few times at the beginning of our breastfeeding journey to get her to take a bottle – I expressed when I could and built up a little stock in the freezer but I was spending a lot of my time pumping and the majority of it was being poured away.

At around the 10 month mark we had a little success using a beaker but we found she would never take more than an ounce or so and it made her very windy as she seemed to gulp at it.

Then I decided to try a Latch bottle that I had been gifted at Britmums Live from Munchkin UK. This bottle seemed different. The teat was soft and flexible and it didn’t just look like a nipple as some brands do but it also mimics the action of a nipple while the baby feeds.

“A correct latch is achieved when mums nipple reaches all the way back to baby’s soft palate. The accordion-style teat on the LATCH™ bottle stretches like the breast, helping baby latch easily & correctly.”

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Chloe took the bottle immediately. She drank 4oz on that first attempt and we have used it every day since. It’s helped us so much. It’s meant that I can continue breastfeeding but I can also have a much needed break. Chloe has one bottle now during the day and also one from her Dad during the night at some point. She still has feeds from me in the evening, morning and at least twice in the night so it hasn’t affected our breastfeeding relationship at all. Later this month I am having a night away with Andrew and it makes me feel so much better knowing she will happily take a bottle.

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I cannot recommend this bottle enough for parents who are looking to combine breastfeeding with bottle feeding.

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* I received one bottle free at the Britmums live conference and a starter set was sent to me for the purpose of a review.

Avoid Teething Torture With Camilia

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Teething doesn’t just affect the baby. It has an impact on the whole family. There is less sleep and more tears so everyone is tired and grumpy. Snappy and surly.

Your normally smiley, happy baby is a like a different child. Crying, clingy..also tired. Your other children get frustrated as so much of your time is taken up with comforting the baby.

If you breastfeed there is every chance that your baby will decide that your nipples look like great teething toys and that normal feeding will be interrupted as their poor gums are so sore. Being bitten on both nipples after a night of extreme comfort feeding is far from pleasant.

So what can you do?

Teething has to happen which is unfortunate for both babies and parents but there are lots of ways to soothe by various methods:

* Using teething toys straight from the fridge. We like Munchkin teething toys and also Sophie the giraffe.

* If you are wearing try using cold chunks of cucumber so that they can gnaw away with the cold slightly numbing the pain. Frozen fruits in a mesh feeder can also be helpful

* Crusts of bread/breadsticks work well to chew on as do soft weaning spoons – always keep a close eye on your child when eating to avoid choking.

* Use medicines when it gets extreme. Homeopathic medicines such as Camilia are excellent at soothing and come in single-dose containers which are easy to carry and perfect for holidays/festivals or just out and about. They help with easing the pain and irritability of a teething child and can be used 2-3 times a day.

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* Most teething babies get nappy rash so try to avoid this by using a good barrier cream.

* Distraction – sometimes the pain will be too much for them and you will need to distract them until it eases. I find playing loud, happy music or singing her favourite songs can help.

*Comfort – Your baby is upset and in pain so lots of cuddles, feeds and kisses are what he/she is craving so be generous with them and remember it really doesn’t last forever.

Here is a little more information about Camilia:

Camilia® Oral Solution is a homeopathic medicinal product used within the homeopathic tradition for the relief of teething pain and other minor symptoms associated with teething in babies and toddlers.

Active Ingredients:
Chamomilla 9C – Relieves teething pain accompanied by irritability
Phytolacca decandra 5C – Relieves painful gums
Rheum officinale 5C – Relieves minor digestive disorders associated with teething
Inactive Ingredient:
Purified water

As with any medicines please be sure to read the label

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Camilia is becoming available in UK wide pharmacies and is also available in Boots.

*This post was written in collaboration with Camilia. All opinions are my own.

Growth Spurts – How To Cope

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We are just coming through the other side of a growth spurt. Chloe has also just cut another tooth. I’ve been feeling unwell all week and I think it’s pretty much entirely down to the fact that I’m tired and drained.

Growth spurts in the first year are typically supposed to occur:

Between 1-3wks
Between 6-8wks
At 3 months
At 6 months
At 9 months

But this is just a guide and each baby is different. Chloe has had all of hers around 4 weeks early and I do wonder if this is because she was overdue?

Most growth spurts last a few days but can be longer. Our last one was roughly 8 days and it was hard. Possibly the hardest one so far. Chloe fed like a newborn and I really struggled with it. Last night she slept for 6.5hrs straight through without a feed for the first time in ages. I feel like a new woman today..well almost.

Tips to get you through a growth spurt:

1. Drink plenty. If water bores you then get juice, flavoured waters, decaffeinated tea etc etc. You MUST increase your fluid intake or you will feel awful.

2. Eat plenty. Don’t diet through a growth spurt. I’ve tried and it’s not fun. You need extra calories if anything so eat healthy and generously sized meals with snacks in between and of course ..puddings or cake.

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3. Sleep whenever you can. Or rest. Your body is effectively running a marathon at this time and it needs to recuperate.

4. Have long, lazy baths. Have your partner bring the baby into you for a feed and take him/her away when finished. Relax. If your baby wants more milk then you feel you are producing a warm bath can stimulate milk production.

5. Sore nipples? Put some flannels in the fridge to cool and use them to soothe your nipples. Also Lansinoh is great.

6. Treat yourself. Buy yourself a good book to read during feeds or watch a rom com and eat something delicious.

7. If your baby is on solids get them lots of small, heathy snacks to chew on if you absolutely need to get something done but try not to avoids feeds as a growth spurt is baby’s way of increasing your milk supply to cope with their growing demands.

8. Don’t give up on your worst day. Wise advice from a good friend of mine. Last week saw me once again close to wanting to stop breastfeeding. I didn’t and I’m glad. We are 8 months in and I’m thrilled we have done so well.

9. Up all night feeding? Go on social media and chat to other mums who are going through the same thing. Search for breastfeeding hashtags, growth spurt or zombie mums. There is ALWAYS someone to talk to. I’m @writingforfun if you want to follow.

10. Remember it does end. It doesn’t feel like it but it does I promise.

Any other tips? Let me know and I will add them to the list.

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One Day At A Time – Breastfeeding

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Yesterday Chloe had her 6 month check up with our local health visitor. Technically she’s over 7 months but this is when our appointment was given. My HV once again expressed genuine surprise at me still breastfeeding. Apparently in my local area of Wales it’s very unusual for women to breastfeed past 6 months. She asked when I was thinking about stopping.

I don’t know.

A month ago I would have said soon. But now I don’t know. There are days when I get seriously frustrated at being so restricted. I can’t leave Chloe for very long and I can’t drink more than a glass of wine. I can’t drink caffeine as she doesn’t cope with it very well. I watch what I eat, I always worry that I’m not drinking or eating the right things for her. So why am I still doing it?

Because I can.

Izzy was a really difficult feeder and I didn’t get an awful lot of support from health care professionals to rectify that, by 6 months she had more or less decided she didn’t want my boobs anymore. So I expressed for another month or two and then reluctantly I stopped.

When Chloe was born one of my first concerns was will she feed? And she did. Immediately. She hasn’t stopped for breath much since.

She still feeds at least two- three times a night and whereas in the day her feeds are short n sweet her nighttime feeds are longer.. harder.

I have expressed milk and we are trying again soon to get her to feed with a new bottle as I feel that if I have that option I will carry on longer again.

Breastfeeding is hard. I don’t like it sometimes. I love it most of the time.

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My nipples are sore and get bitten daily. Chloe has four teeth, two top front and two bottom front – ouch.

I love when I feed her and she reaches up to smooth my face or hold my hand.

Some days I want to cry out with the frustration of never being alone. Other days I want to cry at the thought of this short time in our lives ending.

I’m not putting a date or time or when I will stop breastfeeding. I guess one day I will just decide enough is enough. Or Chloe will decide for me. I hope it’s not soon.

Medela have released a graphic explaining and answering some of the common breastfeeding questions. The one boob or both caught my eye as Chloe was always a one boob girl but now she’s both every single time.

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Pump Up The Volume

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Today marks the start of another journey in breastfeeding. Expressing or Pumping.

I’m using an electric pump which was kindly gifted to me by Tommee Tippee:

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Pumping isn’t easy. Well I’ve never found it easy but if you can get your baby to take a bottle of expressed milk it can make your life a lot easier. If for example you had an important hospital appointment or meeting and you needed to leave your on demand feeding baby it will be a lot less stressful for you knowing that there is a bottle of milk just waiting for them.

So today. Day 1. First pump of the day and I got a measly 2oz. It’s disheartening especially as I pumped for about 5 times longer than I would feed for.

Having read up a lot about pumping whilst also feeding however I have found this is normal. 1.5-2oz per pumping session is the norm for a full time nursing mum. It means you will need to pump several times a day for a full feed but as I’m not planning on replacing pumping with feeding its not a problem.

I want to breastfeed for a year, that’s my goal. To do that I will certainly need to be away from my baby at some point even if only for a few hours. When Chloe is a little older I want to be able to leave her with my OH for a few hours so I can perhaps take Izzy out for some one on one mammy time.

During my research I’ve found some great pumping tips.

1. First up relax. The more stressed you are about getting enough milk the less milk you will produce.

2. Try to pump from one side whilst feeding from the other.

3. Pump immediately after a warm shower or bath.

4. Drink plenty.

5. Pump first thing in the morning and also late at night after the final feed of the day.

6. Use a good pump.

7. Eat. If you are feeding and pumping now is not the time for a strict diet.

8. Visualisation – some people swear by looking at photos of their baby whilst others imagine running water or streams.

9. If you nipples are sore after pumping rub in some cream such as Lansinoh.

10. During growth spurts your baby will want to feed more which may mean pumping will be more difficult. Try to relax about it during this time.

You will need to buy breast milk storage bags if you want to freeze your milk. Make sure you have adequate room in your freezer.
You can store milk for 5 days in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer. Clearly label each bag with date and amount pumped.

At the end of day 1 I had pumped a total of 6 oz over 3 pumping sessions. On day 2 I had pumped 8oz over 4 sessions. I will keep you posted on my progress.

Next up we see if Chloe will take a bottle. Following tips from others I am going to ask my OH to do this while I’m in another room. Planning to try this within the next fortnight.

Breastfeeding Take Two

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I remember when I was preparing to breastfeed for the first time I kind of expected it to be easy. I soon found out it wasn’t and this time I went into it fully expecting it to be difficult and to have to fight to get her to feed at all – after all it took Izzy 5 days to latch on and she was never easy to feed.

Chloe latched on within minutes of being born. She seemed to instantly love it and it was more of a fight to get her off than on.

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Because of how easy and naturally she fed straightaway I thought wahey this is going to be a breeze but of course it isn’t.

Breastfeeding is rarely easy. Cheaper? Yes. Less hassle than bottles? Yes for the most part. But easy? No.

Lets start with the ouch factor. Yes it really really hurts sometimes. Most feeds are fine but when you have days and nights of cluster feeding every latch will make your toes curl. Don’t get me started on the teething.

Mastitis? This is common in breastfeeding mums and I’ve had it three times this time around. It’s painful and in most circumstances you will need antibiotics to clear it. It doesn’t just hurt your boobs it makes you feel like absolute rubbish. You feel like you have flu at the same time as having incredibly painful nipples and the way to help it the most is to feed..arrrrhhhh. You will feel like giving up.

Being tied to your baby. If you choose to exclusively breastfeed you can’t really do anything without your baby for at least the first 6 months. Unless you express (which takes time and effort) and your baby will accept a bottle.

The weight loss. Initially your breastfeeding will help you to lose your baby weight. It uses up around 500 calories a day and it helps your uterus contract back to its normal size so your bump will shrink a lot quicker. BUT your body is designed to hold onto fat stores to produce the milk so until your baby starts on solids and feeds less or your wean off the breast you may find that the final stone is the hardest one to shift.

So why do we do it? Because in spite of all the negatives the positive aspects are incredible. You will look back on the times that you spent feeding as incredibly special moments. When your baby stops feeding midway just to smile up at you the feeling makes your heart melt. As do the swollen cheek, slightly milk drunk faces they have afterwards.

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You can dash out of the house with just nappies, wipes and spare clothes without worrying about a flask of water or sterile bottles and it saves you a fortune. The health benefits for both you and your baby are massive.

When I fed Izzy I found it awkward at times and always worried about being hidden. This time I feed anywhere, I am mostly covered up with a muslin or nursing shawl but we have fed everywhere. In restaurants, while shopping, on the bus, on the train, at the beach – even at a Christmas parade.

And yes being unable to book a haircut in case your baby can’t last that length of time or not being able to drink more than one glass of wine is a pain but its really not for a long time. In fact it goes by in the blink of an eye.

You could say I’m pro breastfeeding and I’d agree – this doesn’t make me anti formula.

Choose what suits you. Forcing yourself to breastfeed won’t make you or your child any happier. If you choose to do it then great but if you don’t then that’s great too. The best way to feed your baby is your way. Breastfeeding is my way but I’m realistic enough to know it may not be for 2 whole years. I’d like it to be but if I choose to stop at anytime I’m not going to feel guilty for that. I will however be forever glad for this time that I have done it. Every week is a bonus in my eyes. We are 13 weeks in and I don’t see us stopping anytime soon. I do plan to start expressing regularly so that if I need an hour or two away from home that will be ok. More on my expressing journey to come.

What was your experience of breastfeeding? Did you enjoy it?

How To Achieve Calm?

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The last few days I have felt far from calm. Chloe is having what seems like another growth spurt and she seems to be either constantly attached to my chest or whining and rooting around to get on my chest. I love breastfeeding I really do but it’s not easy on days like this. My arms and back hurt and don’t get me started on my nipples. Owww. I’ve started re reading a book that my OH gave me years ago called ‘The Little Book of Calm’ written by Paul Wilson. I’ve found that some of the quotes and tips in the book really help me to take a step back and chill out.

One of my biggest problems is expecting too much of myself. This tip helps..I just need to reread it more!

Lower the crossbars: One of the greatest strains in life is constantly having to live up to the standards we set for ourselves. Do yourself a favour and from time to time relax those standards a little

So maybe I won’t always have an immaculate house or home cooked meals every day, maybe I won’t have sheeny, swingy hair all the time but as long as my family are happy and helps they that’s all that matters yes?

This next one is also important to me right now:

Snatch a couple of minutes: If you feel you need it, take brief cat naps throughout the day. You’ll be surprised at how much peace can come from a few minutes.

I rarely nap although I know I need to. I’m always tired which is how life is with a young baby but I do get opportunities to nap I just don’t take them. I am going to try to take advantage of it more even if just for 15 mins.

I love this next one:

Stockpile beautiful moments – write them down, keep a photo, keep a record in your computer. Recall these moments often, reflecting on them, taking pleasure in them, integrating them into your day to day routine and outlook

I’ve already started on this one, last week I ordered a few hundred photos and they arrived yesterday. I plan to put pics up around the house, keep some in my purse and just remember the happy moments of which there are lots.

Rest in a tub – A leisurely, warm bath soothes like no other method. Lower the lights, add a few drops of your favourite oil and you’ll be transported

I do try to have a relaxing bath each day, the therapist I saw after having Chloe advised it and I know it helps. What I am guilty of is using that short period of relaxation to reply to texts and emails. I need to learn to switch off so from now on no iPhone in the bath and lights dimmed so I can wind down. May have to treat myself to some new oils too.

There are lots more tips in the book and if you need to find some calm in your life I would recommend buying it.

Any tips for achieving calm?

Parents don’t get sick days…

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I remember a time not so long ago when I had a nasty throat/ear infection, it was about a year before I got pregnant with Izzy and I called in sick to work and spent the entire day in bed.. Then the following day I still felt awful so I spent another day in bed. Nothing too strange about that really. I was ill so I helped myself to recuperate by resting.

As a parent you can’t phone in sick or take time off from parental duties. You can get help from your partner and family but you are still a mum or a dad. I bet not many of you have spent an entire day in bed since having children. This week was the first time when I have really felt ill to the point where I needed that but I’m breastfeeding and as such my daughters needs come first. I didn’t quite anticipate how hard that would be when I was unwell. The hardest time being when I had to go in for a lumbar puncture and leave Chloe on the ward with my mum. I fed her like crazy before I went in and just hoped she would be ok while I was gone (she feeds on demand) the lumbar puncture took 4 attempts meaning it was a while before I got back to the ward to my thankfully sleeping baby. I then had to lie flat on my back for at least several hours without getting up for bathroom breaks or to feed. My daughter who would normally have fed at least twice during that period instead chose to take an extra long nap. Isn’t it strange how that works? It was as if she knew. That night I was dreading being alone in my hospital room with Chloe as I had an extremely sore back and head but again she was wonderful, she fed a lot but settled quickly after each feed and every Doctor and nurse that I saw commented on my contented baby. Since coming home I’ve had lots of support luckily as my headache only eases right now while I’m lying down.

I should be feeling better in a week or so but I do wonder how parents with long term health issues cope as its so very hard to be a parent when unwell. I salute all of you.

Sumptuous Style from Seraphine – Nursing Shawl Review

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Some nursing products are practical, others are pretty but it’s rare to get both and add to that a drop of luxury.

Seraphine have managed it with their truly gorgeous nursing shawl:

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I used this so much in my last month of pregnancy when it started to get cold and none of my coats fit around my enormous bump and it was just so comfortable, soft against my skin whilst somehow managing to make me feel stylish at a time when I felt a bit like a beached whale.

I took it into hospital with me and I wore it on our journey home, it makes discreet breastfeeding so simple whilst being incredibly gentle on my baby’s soft face. She loves to cwtch (welsh word which more or less means to snuggle or cuddle up) up in it after a feed and I’ve used it as an extra blanket when out and about.

It’s so versatile that I would recommend it to every pregnant or breastfeeding mama.

Seraphine have also recently launched an online video guide to nursing clothes which is really helpful for new mums who are unsure about what to buy. You can see the video here

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* I received this item free of charge for review purposes.