Update on Random stuff

It is amazing how fast he is growing. He is quick to miss his sister. Since she loves to sing everywhere she goes he can hear her anywhere in the house. He scoots and pulls himself until he finds her. I was in the kitchen with her and this tiny head pops out from the side of the couch. His face just lit up in smiles.

He is doing very well with waving. He wants to wave at everyone and when they wave back he gets overly excited he waves with both arms. He will start to babble at certain people to get their attention especially if he is waving.

He is still fragile. I don't particularly want to say frail but he lacks muscle definition and fat on his arms and legs. His face seems to be clearing up after the breakout we had last week. I added goat cheese into my diet. This was to not only increase calories but to see if he was allergic to goats milk potentially. A disaster. He was covered in hives.

I made turkey meat balls... because we can't have beef. Instead of using any flour I added oatmeal. They turned out great plus there is just something about oatmeal that helps produce milk. I pumped 5 ounces each session.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Zebra head

He gets so excited to see me. It makes my heart bounce.

He gets so excited to see me. It makes my heart bounce.

I added goat cheese into my diet to see if that would make a difference. I am pumping 17-20 ounces a day to try to maintain enough for him. We thought if we could add goats milk or make a formula it'd help.

Obviously by the redness of his skin in the photo that was a bad idea.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Best FREEBE

Medela Free style pump

This is the pump I am currently using. We pump 4-5 times a day for 15 minutes each session except when I'm trying to increase my milk.

I would NOT recommend the freestyle version. (See below for pump recommendation) While the digital clock is awesome and the hands free is exciting it is a far stretch from the Medela Advance Backpack Style pump below.

I've been breast feeding for 11 months and pumping consistently for 7-8 months (whenever I went back to work). I have replaced the motor 3 times.

I do love the fancy digital clock. The parts are super easy to clean. Much easier to clean that the other options.

I have the Medela Advanced backpack from my first child. I pumped or breast fed every 3 hours for 2 years. I have never replaced anything other than the tubing or the parts. I hate cleaning and sanitizing parts. So I would buy a couple components and wash them to use.

I recommend this one because it pulls harder and seems faster still without insane pain. I've still had days where I've pulled this out of the closet instead of using my new one.

Cambridge Medical Supply will send you a free pump. www.Cambridgemedicalsupply.com. All you have to do is call them.

I paid to upgrade mine. I had to give them my insurance information and sign something and 2 days later it came in the mail.

Best secret for new moms EVER!

I also have a playtex brand cheap ($80) pump that I attempted to use. It's awkward and hurt like someone was cutting me with scissors. Lets just say that's used in the utter most extreme situations. Now that I have the two Medela pumps I don't need it. There are days when I've forgotten the pump bag at work and it's a relief to have a back up at home.

My Pump Schedule:
7:30am breast feed
9:30am pump.
12:30pm pump
3:30pm (usually turns into 4pm) pump
5:30pm breast feed
7:30pm breast feed
9:30 to 10:30pm pump depending on how tired I am and how full.

With my daughter I pumped every three hours regularly because I wasn't eating meat or dairy. She also woke every three hours on the dot. with Jace he sleeps through the night so I haven't gotten up to pump. Although in the beginning I was up every 2-3 hours whether he was or not. To me that's THE ONLY way to get your milk in and keep it up. Now if you're a stay at home mom that's a different story but working moms have to pump.

As they grow it takes more 1-2 pumping sessions for every 1 feeding. So you want to have a large reserve. With my daughter we had an abundance. With Jace I'm waiting up to pump so he will have enough for tomorrow.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Must have Barlean's Oil

In order for my milk to stay up with my little ones needs I had to start adding more fat into my diet. I'm pumping every 3 hours but if I don't eat enough my milk suffers.

I noticed with certain foods my milk was watery white and didn't weigh much. So I added fish oil. I started with the Whole Mega Salmon pills that are about $40 a bottle. That lasted a month. I didn't notice an increase in my milk supply but my milk went from watery to a thick yellow color.

I hate taking pills. I'm taking calcium. I'm taking zinc. I'm taking a prenatal and now fish oil. It was too much to remember.

So this month I decided to try Barlean's flax oil. I had tried the chocolate flavor before so I knew it didn't taste like something from the bottom of the sewer as most flax oils do. I saw lemon flavor and thought I'd try it. I had no idea the lemon swirl flavor was fish oil and not actually flax until I got home.

I figured I would try it. There is something about Salmon oil that helps with milk supply. I pumped 9 oz the next morning. I couldn't believe I got 4.5 ounces out both sides even out of my stubborn breast. There is always one side that seems to want to be difficult.

I've been breast feeding for 11 months now on my second child so it's not like my milk fluctuates like a new moms would. Generally I pump 3-4 ounces each pumping.

I'm hooked! I swear it's the added fat into my diet. Plus there is no pill to take and it actually tastes good. The best part... I've noticed an improvement in Jace's skin. It sounds crazy. I was taking supposedly the best Salmon oil paying $40 a bottle with nowhere near the results.

So I paid over $30 at WholeFoods. While I love WholeFoods their supplements are insanely over priced. I found it at The Vitamin shop on sale for $21.99.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]