When You Decide Not To Breastfeed

One thing that I was really concerned about during my pregnancy with Graeme was whether or not breastfeeding would work for me. It didn't go as planned when Owen was a newborn, and I was feeling anxious throughout my entire pregnancy with Graeme about our decision surrounding breastfeeding.

When I decided to forgo breastfeeding, I really wasn't sure what to expect from my body. I felt emotionally and mentally confident with my decision, but I had no idea what was going to happen with my body, and how to cope.

Boobs are boobs...and when your milk comes in, there will be engorgement. It can be painful, and if you are not intending to breastfeed it can be difficult to find relief. Ice in freezer bags, cabbage leaves, and ibuprofen can all help with discomfort and pain.

The best tip that I got from my dear friend Stephanie at A Grande Life was to not let the warm (or hot) water of the shower or bath touch my breasts. Sure, it would bring instant relief that will feel incredible and allow the milk to leak a little, but it would also send signals to my body to make more milk to replace the amount that had leaked out. 

Suppressing your supply is probably the most important thing to deal with when you decide that you aren't going to be breatfeeding. Essentially, you have to limit the amount your breasts leak, and you have to not encourage your body to make more milk.

Yes, this means avoiding pumping, warm showers, breast massage and nipple stimulation.

If you're going back on birth control, ones with estrogen have been found to dry up milk supply, and you will want to make sure to stay hydrated as well. Dehydration can trigger milk supply, strangely enough!

At the end of the day, if you decide not to breastfeed...know that it is completely fine. I remember those feelings all too well of guilt, inadequacy, and worry over other people's opinions but ultimately, I had to do what was best for me, my baby and my family. And it didn't make me any less of a mom.

Your supply will dry up. Your hormones will level off.
There will be a day where you feel confident about your decision.

In the meantime, we are here for you to help with the transition.

It's not an easy decision to make, but know in your heart that you are making the best decision that you can for your family. It is absolutely noone elses place to judge, for they are not living in your body, give birth to your baby, tending to your newborn in the middle of the night, or feeling what you are feeling.

You are.

Feel confident in your decision. Feed your baby, your way.

xoxo
Shannon

Lactation Granola Bars #recipe

This Spring when prepping food for a postpartum client, I developed a recipe for a delicious lactation granola bar. After testing out a few versions, I finally settled on one that I was really happy with and one that my clients really enjoy.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt together...

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut oil (no substitutes here!)

When those are combined, you can opt to add 1 cup of chocolate chips (dark for added health benefits) or you can move on to adding the dry ingredients.

Add to your saucepan....

 2.5 cups oats
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup flax seed
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Mix together well and then pour into a 9"x11" pan. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge until firm, about an hour or two. When they are firm and you are ready to cut them, let them sit out for 10-15 minutes to make cutting them into bars a bit easier.

Store in the fridge in an airtight container, or freeze in a bag. Enjoy these cold, as they will get a bit melty when they're sitting out for a bit.

Toddler approved! These bars also make a great after school snack, or a hearty brain-boosting breakfast on rushed mornings.

Cranberry Walnut Lactation Muffin Recipe for Breastfeeding Moms

Have a baby on the way and not really sure where to start with stocking your freezer? Most often we turn to casseroles, but a lot can be said for stocking your freezer with healthy snacks, and ones that support breastfeeding if you know that is something you want to do.

Granola Bars
Muffins
Cookies
Waffles
Pancakes

These are all things that I make for my postpartum doula clients, as one basic recipe can stretch into a load of different, yummy varieties!

Preheat oven to 400F

2.5 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
5 tbsp flax seed
5 tbsp ground oats
1/2 cup melted butter
1.5 cups milk
2 beaten eggs

Mix all of the above ingredients in a large bowl, adding more milk as necessary to thin the batter. Once mixed, add in two big handfuls of dried cranberries, one big handful of chopped walnuts and 2tsp cinnamon.

Line your muffin tin with paper cups, then add batter to the cups so they are about 2/3 full. Bake at 400F for 18 minutes, then allow to cool slightly in the pan. Remove and transfer to a wire rack, and cool completely.

Toss them into freezer bags and store in the freezer! They make a perfect breakfast or snack, and the cinnamon, flax, oats, nuts and cranberries all support lactation!

Carrot Ginger #juice #recipe for Breastfeeding Moms

Proper nutrition when you are breastfeeding is super important, and something that I have been doing alot of research on to help out my postpartum doula clients.

Breastfeeding didn't exactly go as planned for me, so I wanted to make sure that I had a load of knowledge in my doula toolkit...what to eat, how to create a comfortable environment, touch base with local lactation consultants etc.

One way to get amazing lactation boosting nutrients is to juice, and juicing is something that I have become pretty proficient at over the past year, so it is something that I really love to be able to provide my clients with. A fresh juice, delivered to your door? Pretty awesome.

Now, when I'm making juice for my doula clients, I usually like to make a big batch, then transfer it into a sealed pitcher that they can put in the fridge. Fresh made juices can keep 24-48 hours once chilled (max. 72 hrs)

7 apples (cored)
5 large carrots (rinsed)
3 pears (cored)
3" ginger (peeled)
1 lemon (rind removed, white pith left on)

Yes, that's a lot of produce but it will yield about 50oz of that beautiful vibrant orange juice that you see above! Since all of the ingredients are firm, the order that you push everything through your juicer doesn't really matter.

Once you've juiced everything (you may have to take a break to transfer some into your pitcher, then resume juicing), swirl it together in your pitcher then seal it up, and refrigerate.

If you're not fond of the ginger flavor, add another lemon. Lemons and apples naturally cut strong flavors when juicing, and both are great lactation boosters.

Lactation Boosting Fresh Juice Recipe

Last fall, I was supporting an amazing mama duo with their breastfeeding efforts, and when I found out that they enjoy freshly pressed juice, I started doing my homework on lactation boosting fruits and vegetables, then employed my experience in juicing during pregnancy to come up with some awesome combinations.

3 beets
1 large bunch of spinach
5 apples
2 pears
1 lemon
1 small fennel bulb

Before you begin, a word of caution. This recipe makes a lot of juice. I'm talking about 30oz. of juice, so be prepared with a pitcher that you can pour the juice from your juicer into.

Alternate fennel, apple, spinach, beets, beet greens, pear, lemon and finish everything off with two apples.

Store in a tightly sealed pitcher in the fridge for 24-48 hours (72 hours at the absolute maximum). As this is as fresh as juice can get with no preservatives, it can go bad quickly.

In terms of breastfeeding support and lactation boosting ingredients, there is goodness in each and every one of the fruits and vegetables in this juice recipe, however the most impactful is the fennel and the beets. The apples and lemon balance out all of the strong flavors.

Serve cold over ice!

Gingerbread Oatmeal for Breastfeeding Moms #recipe

While this recipe has been specifically built to support breastfeeding moms and breastmilk supply, don't be fooled. It is certainly a recipe that the entire family can enjoy, and one that makes a meal bowl of oatmeal that will have you thinking of freshly baked gingerbread cookies.

1/2 cup oats
1 tbsp flax seed
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Combine well in a bowl, and then add boiling water or hot milk (or almond milk if you're staying away from dairy). Let stand for two minutes, and then enjoy!

Lactation Boosting Tips for New Moms

One thing that I really wish that I has when I was a first time mom was an arsenal of information about breastfeeding. I wish I had someone to help me when my son was literally attached to me at all times and using me as a pacifier. I wish I has someone to tell me that it was okay to not have a bond with breastfeeding, and that I didn't need to feel guilty for wanting to let go of it.

I wish I had someone who could help me with my supply in the six weeks that I pumped. I wish I had someone's support!

As a postpartum doula, part of what I do is support moms in their efforts to breastfeed. I also support moms in their decision to bottle and formula feed. A well fed and happy baby, makes for a happy mom...so, personally, I don't really care how they get fed. My role as a doula is to support that moms decision and make sure that she feels no guilt or shame for whatever her decision is.

If you're a mom who is breastfeeding and struggling with supply like I did, here are some things that you can do to help boost your supply!

Whole Grains and Protein

A lot can be said for a healthy diet when you're breastfeeding. Sure, you need to consume about 500 extra calories a day, but make sure they're the right kind. Start your day with a healthy breakfast of lactation oatmeal, and a fruit smoothie made with almond milk. Make sure that at every meal, you have whole grains and protein. Snack on things like veggies and hummus, whole grain pretzels with cubed cheese or trail mix with nuts and dried berries.

Water

Drink water like it's your job. The rule of thumb for water consumption is take your weight, divide by two and turn that into ounces. For example, I'm 158lbs...so that's 79. 79 ounces is what I should be drinking during the day just to stay hydrated and keep my body flushed. If you are nursing, you can expect to drink almost a third to double that number in a day.

Stay Calm

Create a calm environment for breastfeeding and pumping. Play your favourite music, post photos of places that you want to travel to and of your baby. Anything that releases those happy endorphins will help up your supply!

Acupunture

If there is an energy block, it may prevent your milk from flowing free and easy. If you are afraid of needles, I can personally assure you that they do not hurt. I went to Dr. Andrea Clarke at Rebirth Wellness Centre (highly recommend!) for acupuncture during the end of my pregnancy with Graeme and the sense of relief that I left with was amazing. I was worried that the needles would hurt, but you can't even feel them. And yes, I even had one in my forehead!

Foods to Avoid

Avoid foods that are high in acidity or strong in flavor. Things like cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, radishes and citrus fruits. It's also recommended to avoid things like caffeine and chocolate...but let's be honest...if those things make you happy, it may add more stress to you to have to think about giving them up.

Natural Supplements

One thing that did help boost my supply was taking fenugreek and blessed thistle. Yes, you will smell like maple syrup, but there are worse things to smell like, I dare say! The lactation consultant that recommended these to me advised to take them together to strengthen their properties. You can pick them up at any health food or drug store.

Tea

Fennel tea and lactation teas are very popular breastfeeding supports. You can pick up the Traditional Medicinals brand at the grocery store in the natural food section, or you can make it yourself at home! Here is a recipe for a red raspberry leaf tea, and one for fennel tea.

Stay tuned! Next year I will be featuring lactation boosting juice recipes that I have made for my clients, along with more tips and tricks to help you boost your supply.

When all else fails, and you feel like you have tried everything, know in your heart that you have and are doing the best that you can. What works for one may not work for everyone. Remember, a happy mom makes for a happy baby, so follow your heart and do what is best for yourself.