Happy B-day!

Today is my lovey-cakes' 30th birthday!!!

THIRTY!

 There's never a dull moment when you're around.

I want to wish the happiest of birthdays to my incredible, loving, funny, sarcastic, goofy, patient, smokin-hot hubby. I love you far beyond what words could describe! You're the greatest husband and my perfect complement. I've loved watching you become the best daddy to our little boy. Seeing the way you love him makes my heart melt for you all over again. You're the best! 

Happy Birthday Jordan!

Vlog-a-hollic?

Ohhhh shoot.

If writing about my life wasn't vulnerable enough already, it's about to get REAL in here.... Feast your eyes on my very first vlog. Check it out:

(FYI: I didn't get compensated for the review, it's just what I really thought about this product. Boscia doesn't know me from Adam.)

Milk (no cookies) take 2

So when we left off, I'd told you that breastfeeding takes stamina, determination, frequent nursing sessions, and maybe a LOT of Lanolin.

Onward and forward we go. What about formula? What happens if supplementation is necessary? First off, formula is a totally acceptable form of nutrition and there are many circumstances where supplementing with formula is needed. Prematurity (this includes late-pretermers too), low blood sugar, excessive weight loss, significant jaundice, or maternal reasons (illness or complications from delivery) are all valid reasons for formula supplementation. It doesn't mean you're a failure. It also doesn't have to ruin your desire to breastfeed. Don't forget, you gotta be stubborn!

Resist the urge to supplement with formula in the few days between birth and when the breast milk comes in. Remember when I said it can take several days for mature milk to arrive? Healthy, full-term babies are born with a little extra chub-chub to burn off during those first few days. In fact, it's not uncommon for babies to lose up to 10% of their initial body weight. If your bundle of joy weighs 9 and a half pounds at birth like mine did, losing 10% can look like a LOT of weight. Just keep going back to the breast regularly, and watch your baby's output. The number of wet and dirty diapers is your clue as to whether or not he is getting enough.

Source

Prematurity can certainly lead to the longest period of supplementation, depending on how early your baby arrives. In this case, a good breast pump will be your greatest asset - because it may be your only means of stimulating a milk supply. This girl has written a great blog post with tons of great info about exclusively pumping. Keep in mind that most premature babies not only lack a strong suck reflex, but also don't have the energy required to nurse. For extended periods of separation, as in long NICU stays, you'll want to pump as often as your baby would nurse (10-12x per day). Maintain close contact with your NICU nurses and a lactation consultant to ensure the greatest chance for success in getting breast milk to your little peanut. Breast milk is FAR superior nutrition for premature babies, and although some supplementation will likely be necessary, any amount of breast milk will be ideal. Be diligent to pump, be protective of your milk supply, and be openly flexible in regards to feeding your baby expressed milk from a bottle.

Source

Low blood sugar, excessive weight loss, jaundice, and maternal reasons are typically short-lived instances of supplementation. We're talking as little as one bottle and as much as a week or so. When possible, always offer both breasts as a feeding prior to finishing a feeding with formula. This is ideal, as it still provides stimulation for milk production. In the absence of this option, pumping each feeding is needed to prevent a decrease in milk supply. If you're worried about "nipple confusion," ask your nursery nurse if it's possible to either gavage feed or use a supplemental nurser.

Maybe you're as stubborn as a mule and yet things just aren't working out like you'd hoped. There are certainly speed bumps that can pop up, which can make navigating around breastfeeding a lot more difficult. Low production, flat or inverted nipples, issues with latch, tongue tie, mastitis, engorgement, and nipple breakdown are some of the most common problems encountered while breastfeeding. My advice? Call a Lactation consultant. Certified lactation consultants can be a wealth of knowledge. Establishing contact with an LC prior to hospital discharge is a great foundation for future success.

Finally, with increased education comes increased chances of success. I can think of about a dozen more talking points regarding nursing, there is still so much to say! If you are serious about breastfeeding, look into taking a class. There are also tons of books, websites and blogs that are WAY more informative.

I know I've already said "finally," but I have one more thing to say about breastfeeding. There's this turning point that happens one day and suddenly things start getting easier. You see, despite it being exhausting, anxiety-inducing, and grit-my-teeth painful (lanolin, cold gel soothies, and nipple shells were my go-to comfort for nipple soreness), breastfeeding is also kinda magical. For the first 6 months of my son's life, my body provided every drop of nourishment his little body needed. I also protected him from disease (including one particularly nasty stomach bug that everyone in the house got except him). I've read to him, sang to him, prayed over him, studied his perfect little features and kissed his chubby cheeks. For a few minutes each day, he is once again a part of me.

And that makes it all worth it.

All the milk and none of the cookies

Moving forward with L&D 1102, we've got another loaded topic to discuss. The questions I received were "When does the milk come in?" and "What about formula supplementation? Will it screw up breastfeeding?" So I'll get to those questions and maybe a few others also, because at work, I often hear the same questions over and over again.

What this post isn't: a litany of awesome reasons to breastfeed (I mean, we already know this, right?)

What this post is: the ins & outs, and what/where/when/why/how's of breastfeeding. I left off the who, because surely that's an obvious answer.

Source.

And no good L&D post comes without a disclaimer. It's the one you've all grown familiar with: I'm not an expert. I'm not a lactation consultant - just speaking from experience. What I talk about here can't ever replace your doctor's advice.

So lets get started. You want to breastfeed, and you've just been handed a squishy newborn. What now? First things first, just dig your heels in, get stubborn, and prepare yourself to work hard. Breastfeeding your first baby isn't exactly rainbows and cupcakes. It takes a lot of energy when you're the most exhausted. It's easy to throw in the towel, but it takes some determination to see things out to completion. Anyone can do the bottle shake, but there's only one person who can nurse your child (even at 3am-- and then again at 4:15). That's you and it's an important job.

After you've decided that you're in this for the long haul, it's time to latch that baby on. There are lots of nursing positions: Cradle, Cross-Cradle, Side-Lying, Football (which is my personal favorite for the floppy newborn phase), so pick one, and grab a couple of pillows. Positioning is really important in those first few weeks. I can't tell you how many times I ended up with a sore neck or shoulders from hunching one way or the other just to make nursing as easy as possible for my little man. Pay attention to this: A newborn doesn't have the neck control or the strength to hold himself on the breast all by himself. One hand has to support your breast, while the other holds the baby to the breast. This won't go on forever, but in the early days, it's really key to good nursing sessions. Once you're all set up in a good position (tummy to tummy, nipple to nose!), it's time to get the nipple to the mouth. When he's all wide-mouthed and "baby birding" it, that's the perfect time to latch on. A word about latching on: It's more than just having a nipple in a mouth. We're talking Dyson Root Cyclone Technology pulling the entire nipple (including almost all of the areola as well) into his mouth. When it happens, you'll know. Honestly, I didn't get the full latch-on until my second or third nursing session, but from that point on, I knew exactly what I was going for when it was time to nurse.

As a warning, it can be painful. Let me reword that: It's probably going to be painful. Now there are definitely instances where pain is the result of poor latch or other issue. But, I also think it's a widely held misconception that nursing shouldn't be uncomfortable, because even with a great latch and intact nipples, the first minute or two of each nursing session would make my toes curl. Remember that stubborn-ness? This is where you dig your heels in, grit your teeth and get over yourself.

So, When does the milk come in? In short, it can take days for your milk to come in. This means that at first it will appear as if you aren't making anything at all. The #1 most asked question/most heard excuse is "but I'm not making any milk." When your baby is only hours old, there is very little milk being made (like, as in drops of milk), and not only is that first milk super concentrated and extra fortified, but also your 2 hour old newborn has a stomach the size of a marble. It doesn't take much to fill up that tiny tummy. You'll go through three stages on the way to mature milk: Colostrum is first and it's that super concentrated, extra fortified milk I just mentioned. It's thick and sticky and a golden yellow color. Transitional milk is what comes around between colostrum and mature milk. It's less thick, higher in volume and still a yellowy color. Lastly, mature milk comes in. It's the highest in volume, the most thin and almost a bluish white in color. Typically it takes 48-72 hours for your milk to come in, but it can be transitioning as early as 24 hours or as late as 5 days (for me, it was 4 days).

Aside from being stubborn as a mule, breastfeeding success comes with repetition. Demand leads to supply, so stimulation is needed for milk production. This means that in those early days, baby goes to the breast frequently. Your goal is a well-nourished baby and a stable milk supply, which unfortunately comes with little sleep and majorly sore nipples. Whether you're reading hunger cues or trying to maintain some semblance of a nursing schedule, you should shoot for 8-12 nursing sessions in a 24 hour period. For the first 4 weeks, I nursed at least every 3 hours while awake. He always went to the breast for feedings, and if my boy only nursed on one side, I'd pump the other. I also got into the habit of pumping after the first feeding of the day and prior to going to bed. As my milk supply leveled out, I dropped to either morning pumping session or evening pumping session. Nowadays, I only pump at work or if I've missed a feeding and am feeling engorged. Being really diligent in a nursing schedule means routine stimulation which in turn equals milk production.

I'd say this is a good stopping point for today. I originally had written a few more paragraphs, but things started to get overwhelming. As with the epidural question, this whole breastfeeding thing could take up about five separate posts. In the next post, we'll tackle formula & supplementation and how that can affect breastfeeding. Later, we'll look at tips, tricks, and must-haves for nursing success.

To Be Continued.......

Prayer Request

Hi Friends!

I'm here today to ask for a very specific prayer request -- would you?

This happens to be my 500th blog post, and I couldn't be more honored to use it to intercede on behalf of another person. One of my great childhood friends is taking her first step today in a battle against cancer. Very recently, her doctor spotted a tumor on her pancreas and biopsy confirmed it was in fact cancer. As I type these words, she is in the middle of a 7 hour surgery to remove the tumor, part of her stomach, pancreas, and small intestine. The surgery is known as a whipple or a pancreaticduodenectomy, which is just as extensive and difficult as it sounds.

Will you pray for her?

The recovery from surgery is extensive -- and then there's also the cancer part of this. To my knowledge, they're still awaiting more tests to see if the cancer is in other parts of her body. From the updates she has sent me, the outlook is not bad or bleak, but the road will be difficult.

I stood by her side when she married her husband and I have oogled and smiled from afar at all three of her beautiful children. Her oldest will celebrate her 5th birthday this month. She is an amazing person with a killer sense of humor and a tender heart. She thinks of others long before taking herself into consideration and is always loving, despite the circumstances. I, personally, would know this from years of being the friend who because of time and great distance became increasingly less communicative. She continues to love me just the same, despite my shortcomings.

In short: she is amazing.

To catch up on the last few weeks of her journey, check out her blog.

29

So, today is the first day of the last year in my 20's. In other words, a year from today, I'll turn 30. I'll weird out about the 30 thing when it gets a little closer, but for now, I'm just 29.

Yesterday I was thinking about all I've accomplished in my 29 years:

• Obviously, starting real early, the basics: feeding, toileting, dressing myself. I've had these things down for a while now.
• Got an "honorable mention" on my project in the science fair- which can still be considered an accomplishment, because even in 4th grade I was a procrastinator. Cant for the life of me remember what my project actually was about.
• Went to all-state band in high school. I played the bassoon. I never said I wasn't nerdy.
• I worked hard and earned my bachelor's degree... although I never did figure out if the bachelor part of the degree is plural or not. Bachelor of science in nursing? Or is it Bachelors of science in nursing? Or is it possessive? Bachelor's of science in nursing? Thankfully, I don't have to know these things to deliver babies, which is the career my degree has afforded me. 
• I met, dated, and married my loving, funny, pretty-much-all-around-perfect-because-he-puts-up-with-me-everyday husband.
• I embarked (with my husband) on our first of many great adventures and set up home in Fort Worth, which was a few states away from where we both cut our teeth.
• Then, a few years later, we went on another adventure and made Rockport our home.
• Most recently, I had my little boy, who incidentally makes me more proud than most anything else in life. He is the answer to several very specific prayers, and yet not one of those prayers was to have a child. God is mysterious and remarkable in that way. 

It's been a pretty fantastic 29 years. 

For some reason, I feel like change is on the horizon. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel like my heart is being prepared for something new and different. It would seem like a 7 month old boy was enough of a change to rock our boat for a while, but the feeling lingers. Only time will reveal if these itchings in my head are for real. 

For now, I'll enjoy a birthday donut.

M4M: Character That Counts!

It's the last day of May, so you know what that means!!! Tonight, Kendra from The Mommy Diaries is joining us to share about building character in our babies. It's a full time job which starts early, so this is a post that all of us mommas need to keep close to our hearts. Check out what she has to say:

Have you ever stopped to think about the impact you are having on your child’s future? I often think of the man Klayton will someday become. I envision Klayton being the friend that parents want their kids to have, I envision people of an older generation not shaking their head in distaste when he walks by-when they see him they only have good things to say. I envision Klayton as a man who will want to honor his parents, will love his wife, provide for his family and tell his children that he loves them. What a humbling thought it is to me when I realize that the training he receives today will be a part of that molding. I realize that I am raising my son in a society that focuses on “getting by” and I don’t want to just “get by” with my child. I want to put effort in him because of the man I hope Klayton will become-by God’s grace of course!

My husband and I pray every night with Klayton. We pray for him and with him, my prayers used to be, “thank you Lord for Klayton and please protect him and keep him safe from ALL harm!” Because seriously who wants to see their child get hurt? It really isn’t a bad prayer; but the Lord reminded me that Klayton is a gift that God has given me to raise for HIM! God reminded me what I want for Klayton might not be what He wants for Klayton and there are certain things that must be necessary to shape him into a man. So now I pray, “thank you Lord for Klayton and please God do your will in His life-even now begin shaping him into a man for You”. With prayer comes conviction! Conviction that as a parent I have a part and I have no right to hope and dream my desires for who he will someday be if I am not willing to be the proper example in those areas! You know that phrase, do as I say not as I do

Source: Uploaded by user via Kendra on Pinterest

Well, our actions speak louder than our words and as a mom I want to be the example he needs at home! And in our home we are currently working on 3 things:

1. Obedience.  We often forget that obedience is a key component in forming character. And often if we can raise a child to be obedient most other good character traits will follow! As time goes on our children will have teachers and bosses. And the thing with teachers and bosses is they often tell us what to do and except follow through! We are teaching Klayton that obedience is obeying right away…not the 2nd or 3rd time! I still remember standing behind a mom and daughter, the little girl was throwing the most obnoxious tantrum. The mom would say, “if you don’t stop screaming by the time I count to three I will take that candy bar away from you!” The little girl would continue to scream and mom would begin counting, “one…two…two and a half…” and before she could say three the girl would stop. But, guess what? Ten seconds later this interaction ensued once again! I was embarrassed for that mom and realized that I don’t want to be that mom! So, yep we are those parents who are working at getting our child to do what we say on the first “try” and yes his future bosses, teachers and other authority figures can say, thank you! (Did you notice how I conveniently left out the anecdote of Klayton not obeying right away? Because maybe or maybe not we have never had an experience of a disobedient melt down in public!)                                                                                                                                
2. Be willing to say, "I'm sorry I was wrong". This has been quite the doozy for me-I have LOTS of pride! Just the other day Klayton was having a bad and I was having a bad day -- he hasn’t learned that its not a good idea to share bad days with mommy! Klayton was being needy, he was having lots of potty training accidents. Then he spilled his bag of crackers and spilled his drink all over the floor. It seemed to all happen within 2 seconds and I was very irritated. I harshly sent him to the couch to “ponder” and went to continue my load of laundry that was a mountain high, not to mention the reminder of dishes that had yet to be done beckoned me as I passed the kitchen sink, further adding to my irritation. Before I could even start again on my chores the Lord prompted my heart that I didn’t handle things well. I could go to Klayton explain to him why I reacted that way…I have so much to do and I am having a bad day; but that would just be excusing the apology away. So, I knelt before my little guy and said, “Klayton, I’m sorry I was wrong for reacting the way I did over an accident. I love you, can you forgive me?” Then with a hug and a kiss we were on our way!
   
   Source: pinterest.com via Kendra on Pinterest
   Our society likes to pass the blame to others, never taking responsibility for our wrong doings. If I can teach Klayton now to admit when he has done wrong and make it right…wow!      
                
3. Responsibility. My little guy is only 2 and a half but he already has “jobs”. Around his 2nd birthday I started having him throw his own diaper away. Not a huge thing; but something he can do. He doesn’t always like doing it and I have to remind him that we all have a part and he can do it! We may not always feel like doing something; but that doesn’t mean it is to be ignored. I don’t always feel like paying my bills; but guess what if I didn’t pay our cell phone bill it would be disconnected. But, let me take this moment to brag on Klayton…since he has started throwing his own diapers away he can often be found without me having to ask throwing away trash, putting his own dishes in the sink, picking up his own toys as well as helping me sweep and mop! I want Klayton to grow up to be a man that will be responsible and do what needs to be done to provide for his family and I am often reminded that he is on his way to becoming that man as he realizes he has a “part” in the family and he is accepting that part responsibly! And just so you know I don’t ALWAYS make him throw his own diaper away!

                                                                         Source: kerismith.com via Kendra on Pinterest

Basically, I am constantly looking for teaching moments…things that I know are struggles that his daddy and I have had and can be avoided. For example: Klayton usually wants EVERY ball in the store and yes he already has a gazillion at home! We take those little moments to teach him to be content with what he already has, it is definitely a work in progress. But, this is the thing I don’t expect obedience, being responsible, admitting wrong, contentment or whatever good character trait you want to add to the mix to be developed by the time he is 3! I understand that this journey has many days, weeks, months and years ahead of us. I just think that, sometimes we-myself included-forget to see that there is a bigger picture and what we do with our kids now matters for tomorrow, for their future spouse, their future children! Lets make today count and ask God for lots of grace!

Thanks so much for sharing that Kendra! Go visit her blog for lots of great family stories and cute pictures of her handsome man! If you're interested in contributing to a future month of Month 4 Moms, shoot me an email!