Breastfeeding and Exhaustion

Blessed Nest.comDo you find yourself extremely tired these days?   If you have a baby and are breastfeeding, you don't even have to answer that question.  Even though the main reason you are so tired is because you aren't sleeping, there might be something you can do to feel better during the day and help with your overall energy levels.  Drink more water.  It sounds simple, and even if you think you drink enough, you might be mildly dehydrated.  It makes sense because breastmilk is 88% water, and if you don't drink enough plain water your body will squeeze it from every cell in your body.  This leads to irritability and extreme fatigue.  What can you do? 
Make a habit of drinking room temperature water every time you nurse your baby. 
Ask for support- talk with your husband in advance, and ask him to bring you a glass of water everytime he sees you breastfeeding- whether you ask for it or not.   
Plan ahead- buy a stainless steel water bottle and fill it before you leave the house.  It's easy to forget to drink water while you're out and away from your normal routine. 
If you drink any caffienated or alcoholic beverages, add one glass of water (in addition to the water you are already drinking) per drink. 
Eat lots of hydrating foods-  Focus on fresh fruits that are in season, green vegetables and broths or water based soups.  Some good choices are apples, kiwi, watermelon, grapefruit, coconut, berries, bok choy, celery, escarole, kale, spinach, cabbage, and broccoli.
Above all, don't wait until you're thirsty to drink water.  Feeling thirsty is a sign of dehydration, and the thirst mechanism diminishes as we age- so you might be parched and not even know it.  Prevention is best- drink a big glass of water when you wake up in the morning and then regularly throughout the day. 
You'll be surprised how much better you feel!

One more thing to keep in mind: Women should not drink out of plastic bottles- the plastic leeches xenoestrogens-hormones that mimic estrogen in extremely high and dangerous levels in the body-into the water.

Find Holly at Integrative Mom.com

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Need A Little Support~ Have you heard?

Just in case you haven't heard the big news, Blessed Nest was featured as a "Must Have Staff Pick" in the March issue of Pregnancy Magazine!

 I think we'll sit here for a bit, take it all in! Have a wonderful weekend. We'll be back Monday with a new post!

Use "Tweet" at check out on our web site BlessedNest.com  for 10% off~ Enjoy!

Love to the moon and back,

,

 

I Am Grieving, Rejoicing...

photo by Kristen Cannegieter

Today's post written by Chrysula.

I am grieving. I am rejoicing. I feel loss. I feel relief. 

My youngest and last child weaned himself a few days ago. I have four children and have nursed all of them. In fact, I’ve either been pregnant or nursing for the last eight years. It has generally been easy for me. My body worked as it was meant to most of the time, allowing me generous supply and minimal infections or interruptions.

My first child, a daughter took her sweet time - at least twenty minutes per side. We both nearly always fell asleep, me usually sitting up, waking with an almighty crick in my neck. I went back to work full time when she was four months old and pumped as long as I could. I got her to nine months before my supply gave out. The pumping just wasn’t as effective as she was. But I was pleased with my efforts. The battle for a private space in my all glass open plan office is the story of another post. Suffice to say I fought a good fight and my openness and insistence on speaking about my breast requirements to our all-male leadership team helped others follow suit. 

My second daughter was the Queen of Efficiency. Fast and furious, she could empty a breast in under five minutes. I again went back to work when she was four months old but resigned a couple of months later. She was a dream to nurse and we went to fifteen months before the unique bond that is breastfeeding was broken in a very gradual and easy fashion. We were both ready. 

My first son, after some early but mild mastitis, was also a Master nurser. As the number of children increased, my quiet time with the baby lessened. Nursing was a pivotal way to carve out time with my little one that was just ours. Never one to particularly enjoy those “in the quiet of the night” moments with my baby because I was usually so bleary eyed and hungry for sleep, I did find the odd moment of midnight stillness to appreciate the gift I’d been given. At ten months he went on a sudden nursing strike. After three swollen and frustrating weeks, he took a bottle and was weaned. 

And finally my youngest son. Our early time together was the easiest yet. Nursing was simple and at a good pace. With this being my fourth child, nursing really was one of the few times of day and night that I could be exclusively with him. But the last three months have been painfully difficult. He took to biting down hard at every nursing session and in the last few weeks drew blood on multiple occasions. He would laugh when I cried out, thinking it was a new game. When I gently flicked his cheek, he stopped biting for a couple of weeks, but then it started again and the flick only worked that one time. I’d tried bottles and formula in the past to ease the way for babysitting but he was the first of my children to emphatically and without exception refuse them.

I persisted with nursing. I talked about weaning for weeks, but just couldn’t bear the thought of weaning him in anger and frustration, knowing this was something I would never do again. The biting got worse and finally ten days ago, the pain was unbearable from bruising and breaks in my skin.

I tried the bottle once more, and “bingo”. He drowned eight ounces in record time. Clearly he’d been trying to tell me something. He nursed a couple of times over the next two days. Then nursed only at night for two more evenings. The next night, almost a week ago, he refused completely. That was that. It was done.

I am grieving because there will be no more babies. And no more babies lives being sustained from my body. I am rejoicing because I can leave him with a babysitter and not be traumatized that he won’t drink anything or cry himself to sleep without comfort. I feel loss at the sudden removal of this bond between my child and myself; our intimate physical connection gone.

I feel relief that I am no longer in pain, that my body is my own again, that my husband and others can share more in his care, that I am one step closer to some of my personal goals and dreams being fulfilled as my children gently stretch towards independence.

But it is a bittersweet time.

Will you share your story or reflections on nursing or bottle feeding your child? Remember, at the Nest, it’s a no guilt kind of place.



Love to the moon and back

(C) Copyright Chrysula Winegar

  Find Chrysula at her blog or follow her on twitter

Happy Day! New Blessed Nest web site

Yes, we are thrilled that our new web site is up and running! No more problems with check out. Heather decided to design our web site herself. I guess once a designer, always a designer. But I know she never planned to do web design. We are so pleased with the site and the server!

Pop on over top Blessed Nest.com. We will be adding pages, videos, resources but I couldn't hold back any longer. I needed to share the great news.

All though we are not a nursing pillow company, we are known for having the best nursing pillow available. ( I know a shamless plug but the Nesting Pillow was originally designed for me as a gift because of my breastfeeding difficulties so I can say it is so!)

"The Nesting Pillow is by far the best nursing pillow I have come across. Not only is it extremely beneficial for positioning the nursing baby correctly, but it is also excellent at providing a brand new mother the support she needs to be comfortable while breastfeeding, while allowing the baby to suckle appropriately. This pillow is also beneficial at providing good labor support to the birthing mother. I would highly recommend this product to any new mother to be."

Danielle Gauss, CCE, CD, CLE
Orange County, CA

Thank you for reading our blog here at the perch. We don't always brag about our products but every now and again you will see a glimpse from our brag book. We love that you are part of our family at Blessed Nest and we brag about you too!

August fund raiser. Help our 7 year old little friend raise money for fresh water wells. Purchase a Riley Raindrop ( our organic take a long pillow) details below.

The Riley Project!

 We are offering The Riley Raindrop ( our Aqua, organic take a long pillow) at the retail price of 39.00 for the Month of August. Regular price is $42.00 plus shipping.

$30.00 from  each sale of  "Riley's Raindrop" will  go directly  to The Riley Project!

This little raindrop is perfect for moms and kids on the go. It is filled with Organic buckwheat and has a washable slipcover! My daughters love to use theirs for a car seat pillow, doll pillow and sleep pillow!

Originally designed to add comfort for the nursing Mom and a little lift for babies head while breastfeeding.

You can purchase your Riley Raindrop organic pillow at our Perch store by clicking here for the Month of August.

Remember your $39.00 purchase helps to build fresh water wells!

Another bonus for purchasing a Riley Raindrop; ALL customers who purchase a Riley Raindrop during the Month of August will be placed in a drawing to win a  Blessed Nest organic Nesting Pillow!

Read Riley's blog here

Donate directly to her cause The Riley Project here

Purchase a "Riley's Raindrop" in support of The Riley Project here

$39.00 regular price $42.00

 Love, to the moon and back

World Breastfeeding Week ~ rescue mission

Today's post written by Donna:

Yesterday we spoke of the importance breastfeeding holds during an emergency situation. We talked about how in third world countries breastfeeding is a must during the first 6 months of a babies life. We mentioned the importance of breastfeeding when clean drinking water is not available. What about here in the states?

Sierra, Heather's sister pointed out a touching story about the importance of bonding with baby.

"I remember a Mom talking about being on the plane that Pilot "Sully" landed in the Hudson. She said that she didn't know what was going to happen so she just started nursing her baby so that they would both be calm and feel that bond, "for maybe one last time". Amazing! Heart wrenching."

Graham from Tumblon who's wife is a pediatrician in NYC said this:

"I attended a breastfeeding workshop put on by a hospital, and was reminded (to my surprise) that breastfeeding is important in an emergency domestically, as well as internationally. When hurricanes rip through the South, the supply of clean water is often disrupted - and so the health of formula-fed children is at risk. Breastfeeding is good for children in so many unnoticed ways!"

Breastfeeding was my planned rescue mission....

Both of my children were born via emergency c-section. Breastfeeding was really important to me and my husband...We didn't have an option for natural birth but we did have an opprotunity to breastfeed. The doctors at Hoag Hospital In CA made sure that we did have that opprotunity soon after my girls were born!

 My first born, Tabitha loved to breastfeed. It was good for her and me in so many of the traditional ways we think of but when Tabitha was 9 months old breastfeeding became a life saver for her. We began to give her a few "solids" and she did not do well. She broke out in a little rash so I changed the food item. Same thing. After several weeks of trying solids, one weekend she broke out all over her little body with a red rash that soon became one BIG black and blue mark all over her body starting with her back and increasing quickly. We rushed her to the emergency room and they gave her a shot to reverse what they said was a possible life threatening allergic reaction to a food item ( or several). What was especially disturbing was this comment by the doctor;

" We can't tell you what the item is that she is allergic to and she is too young to be tested for food allergies." I left in tears, called a  recommended nutritionist and went in to see Dr. Kathy Wong the next day. She was able to test Tabitha in a homeopathic way and we found out that she was allergic to wheat, oats, and many other items you might give a young child. She recommended breastfeeding for 80% of her feedings and suggested that I leave out of my diet the foods that Tabitha was sensitive too. ( The begining of our organic food journey.)

Baby number 2, Sophie had chronic repository issues the first year of her life. She had bronchitis 5 times before she turned one. She would have been hospitalized on several of these occasions but because I was breastfeeding her, they said that I could keep her at home and come in to the doctors office daily to check her breathing. Breast milk was the only thing she could keep down and because of her breathing challenges, she could nurse in small time periods all day long. She didn't over eat and the breast milk was really healing to her tired lungs.

As I look back, I'm so thankful that my little Tabitha nursed until she was three! Tabitha is a very sensory seeking child. Breastfeeding was very nurturing for her and gave her the sensory, touch she needed as a baby and young child.

Sophie breastfed until she was 13 months. She basically wanted a cup like her sister and that was that. Maybe because she nursed on demand for the first 12 months it felt like two years in her mind..hehe

Two unique children, two emergency situations and two healthy breastfed babies.

* All though we believe breastfeeding is best for you and  your child we also realize that there are unique circumstances when breastfeeding is not possible. ( We've experienced that in our own Blessed Nest family by Moms who would have LOVED to breastfeed!) You know what is best for you and your baby.

 Great resource for questions on your unique breastfeeding experience Kelly Mom

Clean drinking water is a huge problem in many countries making formula an unhealthy, un- sanitary option. Breastfeeding is natural....clean water should be too...

Join us in supporting The Riley Project. Help a seven year old little girl fund the building of water wells.

Purchase a "Riley Raindrop". $30.00 from every Riley's Raindrop sold goes to the The Riley Project at Charity: Water.org

Love, to the moon and back