Increasing your milk supply

I delivered baby J via Caesarian section 31 months ago.  I remember starting my breastfeeding journey in the recovery room of the hospital, with my journey lasting for all of 27 months.


I never once had a problem with low milk supply during my breastfeeding journey.  In fact, my problem was the other way around.  I had too much milk that baby J vomited on a daily basis due to overfeeding.  Her satiety center was still immature so she didn't know when to stop feeding.


I never thought myself lucky that I had adequate milk supply.  I thought this was the normal course for every post-partum woman.  Until, I met many women whose problem was milk supply.  When people find out that I nursed baby J for a full 27 months, I am often asked what I did to increase my milk supply.  I cannot guarantee that this will work for everyone, but for my part, these are the things I did to ensure I had enough milk supply:


1.  Make sure you drink lots of fluids.
2.  Make sure you take calcium supplement.
3.  Let your baby latch on as often as you can.
4.  Try to express milk in between the baby's feedings.  If your body feels that the demand is high, it will try to increase its supply. Make sure you invest in a good breast pump.  This will go a long way.
5.  Eat lots of horseradish (malunggay  Moringa oleifera).
6.  Take supplements such as Fenugreek.
7.   Drink natural cocoa 2-3 times per day.  Chocolate is known to be a galactagogue.


Some people even go as far as taking medications to boost their milk supply.  I did not want to do this since there are medications which may be passed on to the baby via the breastmilk.  So, breastfeeding moms need to be very careful with food and medication intake.


Breastfeeding has not been an easy task.  There will be pain, there will be times when you will want to stop because it's 24/7 work, you will have to bring your breast pump with you wherever you go, there may be different nipple and breast complications.  But, what kept me going for more than two years was knowing how much it would benefit my daughter.  That alone was enough reason for me to endure everything and persevere. 


Now that I am getting ready for my second baby, there is no question that I would do everything I did for baby J all over again.  Breast pump ready. Breastfeeding bags on standby.  Purelan cream on standby.  Cold nipple compress ready.  Bring it on!  Excited to go on another breastfeeding journey.

Things to prepare for baby number two

As we prepare for the arrival of our second bundle of joy, I cannot help but reminisce about all the preparations we did for the arrival of baby J.  Indeed, it is easier the second time around.  Although, because of the feeling that you've "been there, done that", there is also the nagging fear that we may become too complacent in preparing for the arrival of the second one.

Of course, as we prepare all the things the wee one will need, we also have to consider logistics about taking care of two kids instead of one. 

So, how are we going about our preparations? 

1. Be on the lookout for a good deal.  If you do not follow beliefs that  you cannot buy clothes for an unborn child, then once you find a good bargain, I suggest you start purchasing.  Yes, it may take up a lot of space in the house, but the money you save will be worth it.  This, in addition to the fact that you don't feel the expense as opposed to buying everything in one go.

2. Consider selling pre-loved items.  Because baby J is still using a stroller, especially when we go on our trips overseas, we decided to purchase a stroller for two kids. But because it would be a waste to keep many strollers around the house, we decided to sell our existing stroller, at least it reduces clutter around the house, while at the same time, adding some money to purchase the new one.

3. Start bringing out items of your firstborn.  We already started taking inventory of the things we can re-use for our second one.  Items such as newborn bathing tubs, infant car seat, cot, swaddles, infant pajamas, cloth diapers, and bottles are some of the things we are using for the wee one.

4. Ensure all safety measures are in place.  Because we cannot devote 100% of our time on baby J anymore, we are making sure the house is even more secure than ever.  Make sure there are guard rails along stairs, child-proof every aspect of the house, not for the new baby but for your toddler.

5. Prepare your firstborn for the arrival of the baby.  Since we found out we were having another baby, the hubby and I have always been telling baby J about the arrival of a sibling. She has since so gotten the idea that she always tells me that when the baby comes, she will play mega-bloks or play-doh with the baby.  She would even get milk when we go to the grocery and tell me that she wants to buy it for the baby so the baby can drink it when the baby comes out.

It has been a more challenging pregnancy for me this time around, because you do not only care for yourself and the baby inside you, but also for the toddler you already have who is like the energizer bunny.  But, it has been more fun as well.  Time seems to fly.  Before you know it, you are already in your third trimester of your pregnancy.

For those who are preparing for baby number two or those who have had baby number two already, how are you preparing for the new arrival to the family?  Please do share your thoughts.

Making our children feel loved

Often times we parents are too caught up with the stresses of work that we unknowingly forget to attend to the needs of our children.  Can we actually leave work in the office and devote our full attention to our kids when we get home?    Some parents may argue that they are working for the kids' future, that's why they cannot devote time for the children.  But our children need our time, attention, and love, not the monetary things we can offer them.

So, What are we doing for baby J to make sure that she is confident in our love?

1.  We bring her with us wherever we go.  Be it to the mall or overseas, we never leave home without baby J.  Some people may argue that couples need alone time as well.  That is true.  But, bringing her along works well for the hubby and I.  He does not want to travel without baby J, even if he has to carry an extra luggage because of her. 

We noticed that travelling has been very good for baby J as well.  She does not get fussy on the plane, she is quite flexible to changes in environment and food, and she is not afraid of people.

2. We do not shower her with toys, but with attention. Ever since baby J was born, we made it a point not to buy her many toys.  She already gets toys from relatives and friends, so we felt that it isn't necessary for us to give her even more toys.  So, what do we do instead? We bring her out to play.  When we're in the mall and she sees a toy store, we allow her to explore inside and play for awhile.  When it comes time to go, we just tell her to say goodbye to the toys and then we leave.  So far, I am happy to say that baby J never had a tantrum, demanding us to buy her a toy.  She is content to just explore and leave them.
We normally bring her to playgrounds as well and just let her run around and explore while we keep a close watch over her.

3. We always involve her in decision-making. Even if baby J is only two and a half years old, we always ask her for her opinion, be it for her preferred meal, whether she wants to go out or not, and even where she wants to go.  We even bring her to check out potential schools for her, to see if she likes the place or not.  We normally tell her things as well, relating to her like a small adult.  We also always take time to explain things to her.  You could see understanding on her face when we do this.

4. Bedtime means lots of hugs and kisses.  We always have a bedtime routine of lots of hugs, kisses, and "I love you's".  I have been telling baby J that when people ask her: "Does your mommy love you?", she should always reply:" Yes, very much!"  I also remind her every night that everyone in the family loves her.  Because of these things, I know she is confident of the love of the people around her.  When I ask her sometimes if her mommy loves her, she will say yes and then proceed to elaborate the names of all our relatives and say that all of them love her too.

5.  Always plan activities with the kids.  Because of hubby's erratic work schedule, we don't have the weekends that other people do.  So, any free day of the hubby is a special event for all of us.  We normally plan a trip, even if it's just a trip to the mall, to the movie house, or a day at an amusement park.  We try to make each day off a special one.  We also try to expose her to new experiences whenever possible.

6.  Always listen to what they have to say.  Baby J involves us in all of her imaginative plays and stories.  So, we make it a point to always listen to whatever she has to say, even if we're tired or sleepy.  Because in her eyes, those are big things.  Whenever she has something to say, we give her our full attention, no matter the time, no matter the place.

7. Always ask how they feel. At the end of the day, I always make sure to ask her if she had fun that day.  I just want to check if she enjoyed her day or not.

8. They are always the first priority. The hubby and I always make it a point to make baby J feel that she is our first priority.  Everything we do is always about her.  

I think all these things are helping to mould her into a happy little girl, confident of her parents' love and affection.

What are you doing for your child today?  Please do share.










http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/15-small-things-parents-should-their-children-every-day-make-them-feel-loved.html?dgs=1&fb_ref=Default