Feeding a Newborn Baby Resource Guide

Hey!! So it's been a REALLY long time since I've written a blog post, I apologize for that. Life sure likes to get in the way, doesn't it?! This topic has been on my mind for awhile now, so I figured I'd go ahead and do a blog post about it.

Feeding a newborn baby should be a pretty cut and dry subject one would think...think again!! Feeding a newborn is definitely one of the hardest aspects of parenting. As a breastfeeding Mom you're constantly questioning yourself, mainly because you want the VERY best for your baby!! So I figured I'd put together this awesome resource guide. No matter if you're pregnant, just had a baby, or your baby is older, I'd like to say it's a good guide!

A little bit about my breastfeeding journey, I've collectively nursed my two children for just over 2.5 years. Hank who's now 3.5 nursed until he was 18 months and Remi who's now 14 months old nursed until he was 12.5 months.

Hank's breastfeeding journey started off very rocky as his latch was HORRIBLE causing me extreme pain, bleeding, cracking, you name it!! Once we fixed it (Medela Therashells cough cough, nipple cream, lots of air & making sure his mouth was open wide), it was pretty much smooth sailing all the way until he weaned at 18 months.

Remi's early breastfeeding journey wasn't much better since he was born with a lip tie and has an extremely high palate (the breastfeeding odds were stacked against him). We went through many nursing strikes with him and finally got his lip tie fixed at 6 months (after being told he didn't have one). Don't be like Angie and wonder haha. Go to an IBCLC and have them check it out!! After getting that fixed, he nursed much better! And with him things were *mostly* smooth-sailing until he weaned at 12.5 months.

So seriously, if I can do it with the odds thrown against me, anyone can haha!!

Because I have such passion for breastfeeding, after studying for over a year, in June, 2016, I officially became a Breastfeeding Counselor through Breastfeeding USA! Yay! What do I do? I provide peer support to mothers using evidence based information! It's so rewarding!!

So here's my favorite list of resources, if you have some favorites, please comment and I'll check them out and possibly even update the list!!

1) IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) Directory. IBCLC's are the BEES KNEES when it comes to breastfeeding. They know all when it comes to lactation. And they are GREAT to have on your side for any/all support! They are healthcare professionals specializing in the clinical management of breastfeeding and lactation. You may even have one right in the town you live in, look one up and "put them in your back pocket" http://www.ilca.org/why-ibclc/falc

2) Breastfeeding USA's website! Lots of great articles here: https://breastfeedingusa.org/content/article/breastfeeding-information-articles and to find a breastfeeding counselor near you: https://breastfeedingusa.org/content/breastfeeding-counselor-locations -- I do most of my BC work online so definitely feel free to reach out to me personally as well via our chapter facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BFUSAWNY/ or shoot me an email!

3) Kelly Mom -- Ahh one of my favorite resources!! So much evidence based information on here. Everything from how much should you pump while away, to seeing if your baby has a good latch, to what to do if baby goes through a nursing strike. You name it, you'll find some great information on this website! http://kellymom.com/

4) The Honest Company's Feeding Page. Lots of great supplements here!

• Their organic nipple balm is awesome and no need to wipe it off before you latch the baby, which is such a plus!! 
• I really love their whole-food based prenatal. Mama needs to take care of herself in order to take care of her baby. So having the best prenatal is so important (YES, you need to still be taking prenatals even after you have your baby!)
• Another thing I really loved was their lactation plus! It's made to help support healthy lactation & breastmilk production. It was just the kick in the butt I needed to up my supply for when I was pumping at work while away from baby
• Check out the page here: https://www.honest.com/feeding

Like I said, I'm still looking for more breastfeeding resources to add to my back pocket so if you have some, please tell me about them!! Haha! I'm very interested in evidence based articles that are non-biased and helpful to mothers just trying to feed their babies! 

Healthy Baby Home Party

Seventh Generation is doing their latest round of Healthy Baby Healthy Home parties!! Below is information & how to apply!! You get enough goodies for 10 guests to try all sorts of products!! Seventh Generation is an awesome eco-friendly company with great products!! By posting this on my blog & sharing with all of you earns me an extra entry into getting selected to host a party!

What is a Healthy Baby Home Party? 

Seventh Generation's home parties are powered by people like you who are focused on creating a healthy environment for the next generation. Developed with input from non-profit partner, Healthy Child Healthy World, they are a great way to get together with friends, share helpful information, and make an impact!

Healthy Baby Home Party kits are provided to all selected hosts and are filled with educational info about our environment, helpful tips, a fun game, and samples and coupons from Seventh Generation and other favorite family-friendly brands like bobble, Plum Organics and Zarbee's Naturals.

What is the Application Process?

• Sign up at generationgood.net to join the Generation Good community, or log in if already a member.
• Accept the Healthy Baby Home Party Application offer on your Generation Good dashboard and complete the application.
• Applicants will be notified by end of March if they have been selected to host a party, via an email to the email address assigned to their Generation Good member profile.
• All selected applicants will then need to confirm their participation by accepting the Healthy Baby Home Party Mission in Generation Good and confirming their shipping address.
• 1,900 FREE Party Kits will be distributed in this round.
• Hosting spots are open to US residents only at this time. Canadian parties are planned for later in 2016!
• Full terms and conditions are available within Generation Good in the "Healthy Baby Home Party Application" offer.

Remi's Birth Story

I've been meaning to post this for awhile. I don't even have any excuses because I had this mostly typed up in the hospital!! Oops!! Anyways, here it is :)

Monday morning 10/26/15

* I woke up with lots of pressure, took Hank to daycare, came home and hung out & watched my newest guilty pleasure, The Real Housewives of Orange County

* Had a lot of Braxton Hicks, that were wrapping around to my back, but they were not intense

* Tracked my "contractions" on & off and they were about 8 minutes apart then I stopped tracking because I got annoyed! LOL

* Chatted with a girlfriend saying we were ready to have our babies and she told me to drink some of my red raspberry leaf tea!

* Picked up Hank from daycare at 12:30 pm & mentioned to the girls that I was feeling "off", I got home and put him down for nap & ate some lunch

* Timed contractions again & they were about 5 minutes apart but a little more intense than they were in the morning, but still not bad by any means (snuggling with Hank when he woke up) 

* Because they were averaging about 5 minutes apart, I called my OB at 2:20 pm and they said to head to L&D to get checked out

* Called Casey to come home from work & told him to take his time because I wasn't sure if I was in actual labor or not. I texted Mary that she needed to take Hank and she sent Marcus over to pick Hank up and we headed to the hospital at 3:20 pm, but not without stopping at Redbox first to drop off my movie (Pitch Perfect 2) 

* Contractions got closer (about every 2.5 minutes) and much more intense on the way to hospital. I think Casey was getting a little nervous as I kept grabbing ahold of the "oh shit handle". Thank goodness we were before rush hour and didn't run into any traffic problems!

* Casey dropped me off while he went to park his car, I went to the ER and got lots of stares and the person on duty brought me up to the L&D unit. 

* Got into triage and was checked and the resident estimated I was around 5 cm, but then the Doctor came in and estimated I was closer to 7 cm. Holy shit! I really was in labor. While waiting to get into a delivery room, I went to the bathroom and saw my bloody show. I also texted my birth photographer, Lisa, to let her know she should head to the hospital. I think I gave her a mini heart attack 

* I was officially admitted at 4:38 pm

* Contractions were getting really intense and I asked for epidural because the back pain was unbearable. At this point I was picturing a long night ahead of us. So, I asked for the epidural at 5:30 pm.

* They started an IV and wanted to get antibiotics started ASAP since I was GBS+. They prefer to have the antibiotics in for at least 4 hours. They were happy I asked for the epidural in hopes it would stall labor a bit so I could have as much of the antibiotic as possible. 

Mid contraction:

In between contractions:

* After the epidural was placed I was feeling the contractions still & at this point the contractions were on top of each other with virtually no break in between them, so the doctor gave me a second dose and it finally started kicking in by probably 7 pm

* I told them I kept feeling pressure in my bum so they decided to have me checked again and I was fully dilated. This was just minutes after the epidural had kicked in. 

* So I started pushing at 7:10 pm 

* I said "maybe baby will be born in the caul!" because at this point my water still had not broken & they said waters bulging, then pop and it broke 

* Since the epidural had just kicked in, I couldn't feel when I was pushing, so it was basically guessing game. It's not something I would recommend. I would rather have that feeling of when to push. Had I realized I was "right there" I wouldn't have gotten the epidural. 

* I got to feel his head as he was crowning, it was the coolest thing!

* I had Remington Scott Astry at 7:50 pm. 7 lb 15 oz, 18 3/4 inches. We were "team green" and Casey told me "Remi has a weiner!" Apparently the OB spilled the beans in the delivery room when I was pushing, but neither of us caught it thankfully!! Haha!

* I needed an episiotomy (again) and had a 3rd degree tear in the same spot as I had with Hank. They told me the healing process would likely be worse this time around but instead I healed much faster and felt much better after this birth than I did with Hank. I had no problem at all moving around!

* I was able to do skin to skin with Remi for probably an hour, during which that time he pooped on me! They said he probably would've been 8 lbs had they weighed him when he was first born haha!! 

* We nursed for the first time in the delivery room when he was about an hour old, he had a VERY strong latch! I told the doctors he was a little piranha!!

Overall, I had an awesome labor and delivery experience! I hope my next labor goes just as fast!! I'm so glad I hired a birth photographer to capture my labor & delivery, if you'd like to see the pictures, here's the link: http://dorkystorkphotography.pixieset.com/remingtonastrybirth/

I also ended up getting my placenta encapsulated this time and I'm so glad I did!! I felt so amazing just days after giving birth & best of all, no PPD!! Hallelujah!! 

First picture as a family of 4: 

Look at that hair!!

Heading home: 

Here's my Detailed contraction history from the "Full Term" app: 

My morning contractions :