Thursday, January 28, 2010

Day Three

Well over night I only pumped every 3 hours or so, so I got larger quantities but it wasn't optimal (thank goodness for my amazing supportive husband who took over the two night feeds despite needing to get up for work in the morning!). However, my supply is increasing! Slowly but surely!

I went and picked up some more EBM for my baby boy from a lovely Mum a fair drive away and when I got there she had made some lactation cookies for me! They're super yummy and they are meant to help increase my supply too!

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Lactation Cookies!

* 250g of butter
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 4 tablespoons water
* 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal (linseed meal)
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 cups oats
* 1 cup or more chocolate chips*
* 2 heaped tablespoons of brewers yeast

·Preheat oven at 180 degrees C

.Mix together 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal and water, set aside for 3-5 minutes.

·Cream (beat well) margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mix well. Stir flaxseed mixture and add with vanilla to the margarine mix. Beat until blended.

·Sift together dry ingredients, except oats and chips. Add to margarine mixture.

·Stir in oats then chips.

·Scoop or drop about a heaped teaspoon of mix onto baking sheet, lined with baking paper. Leave plenty of space as they will spread.

·Bake for approx 8-12 mins depending on size until browned.

* NB Chocolate can cause colic in some babies through breastmilk so best to omit until you know either way.

How do they work? The cookies are high in omega 3 (through the eggs and the linseed/flaxseed meal) which is proven to boost breast milk supply. Brewers Yeast is also meant to be a milk supply helper, and is high in protein.

Brewers Yeast and Flaxseed/Linseed meal can be found at health food stores.

Add your own subsitution for chocolate if you wish - e.g dried apricots, mashed banana, almonds/cashews, coconut, etc.

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I'm now getting around 12 mL all up from both breasts if I'm expressing every 2 hours (I did get 24 mL at one expression because it had been a bit in between travelling). Cameron is more than happy to suckle at the breast for a decent amount of time now and I think the SNS will make this even more great.

Speaking of the SNS, it has been express posted to me today so I *should* get it tomorrow which will be so great! I am doing as much research about it as possible!

I'm still only hand expressing as the electric pump isn't very effective with so little milk and doesn't really mimick a baby feeding as well as I can with my hands.

Briefly, what I do is wash my hands before I start. Then, I place my thumb around 4-5cm away from my nipple and my fingers below so that they form a "C" around the areola, and squeeze my finger and thumb together.

I use a sterile container to collect the milk and syringe it to measure it. I used to just discard of it once I'd finished because of how little I was getting but I'm starting to collect it and feed it to Cameron at the start of his feeds which makes me so happy!

Cameron is having around 650-750 mLs a day at this point and I'm able to express 120 so that's pretty impressive :D

OH and also, my breasts have begun to feel more full as I'm approaching my 2 hours since pumping and they can ache! So exciting!

I'll post again tomorrow - hopefully with my first impressions of the SNS!!!

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If you have found this relactation blog as a result of currently relactating or considering relactation; I hope this serves as inspiration for you and hope

Don't hesitate to contact me (racheous [at] live .com.au)

You can see how we are doing now at Racheous 

2 comments:

  1. 120mls a day, that's fantastic Rach!! It's great to hear that Cameron is happily helping the cause too.

    You're doing great! So is your husband, kudos to Mike for stepping up to the plate and giving you all that wonderful support.

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  2. Hi Racheous! I'm a big fan of your youtube vlogs and your blog, and I just wanted to say that I think what you're doing is amazing. I'm definitely planning on breastfeeding, but if I had gone through the difficulties you've been experiencing after birth and then lost my milk supply, I think I would've just given up. I'm expecting my baby girl in about 10 weeks and am so excited to bf, but thinking about you makes me realize that the unexpected can always happen but it's what we decide to do about it that makes all the difference. So if I encounter difficulties in breastfeeding I know I can work through them to give my baby the best, just as you are. Thank you!

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