Can you believe it? Fall is here. Cozy sweaters, Crackling fires, Warm soups. And of course, all things pumpkin. Speaking of pumpkins, you still feel like you're smuggling one under your shirt and you aren't sure how you're going to get through the days till your darling baby makes an appearance. Let us help you with some suggestions to pass the time and leave you feeling completely prepped for baby's arrival.
1. Get a massage - You're nine months pregnant. Need we say more? Yes, there are some great places in town to get treated to a luxurious massage but a loving massage from your partner can feel wonderful too. And, it may help get a little oxytocin flowing too... 2. Bake cookies - Fall and baking feel like they go hand in hand so how about taking some time to mix up a batch of cookies. If you're not the baking type Stacey Cakes has you covered. 3. Take a stroll through Ponderosa State Park - Spend some time wandering through Ponderosa Park soaking in the fall colors. There are several miles of easy hiking trails where you can enjoy the sights and sounds of fall but still keep yourself in cell service and close to town, Just in case. 4. Treat yourself to brunch and a hot drink - As a fun way to pass the morning why not do something unique and take yourself out to a place you don't usually frequent. Bring your friend or bring a book and spend the morning refueling physically and mentally. 5. Stock your freezer with some freezer meals - Maybe this one doesn't sound quite as fun as brunch out on the town but I promise you'll thank yourself later! Pinterest abounds with delicious freezer meal recipes if you need some inspiration. 6. Hire a doula - If you haven't considered hiring a doula it's not too late. A doula is there to help you navigate your birth, understand what to expect and ease your discomfort during labor. 7. Pick up a new just-for-fun book from the library - It's great to feel prepared for what is to come, but put down the baby books and the birth books for a while and let yourself get lost in a novel, a biography, a cookbook - whatever is going to feel like a delightful treat to sit down a read for some YOU time. 8. Put together some "busy boxes" - Not to keep you busy, you will be plenty busy without any additional help of a "busy box." These boxes are to help keep your young kids entertained when you are tending to the needs of your new baby. Pinterest is a great resource for busy box ideas too and they can be as simple or elaborate as you desire. 9. Give yourself an hour to spend on a hobby - Is there something you love to do that you haven't gotten a chance to for a while? Why not set aside an hour or so one night to just do something you enjoy even if it means the dishes or the laundry wait to be done until the next day. If you're looking for more ideas you can check out our Spring and Summer editions as well.
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What happens when you're not ready to quit breastfeeding but you're not sure your milk supply is on the same page as you. What do you? First off, a quick note to say that our perceptions of our supply don't always line up with our actual supply and feelings of fullness or let down aren't reliable indicators of supply. That said, if you are looking to increase your milk supply here are some simple steps you can take to get you in the right direction. 1. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate. It takes fluids to make fluids so it is imperative to make sure you are keeping yourself well hydrated with water and non-caffeinated drinks (since caffeine is a diuretic it will have the opposite affect on actually hydrating you.) 2. Fuel. Yep, just like it takes water it also takes a lot of extra calories to produce milk. Don't try and restrict calories just because you're no longer pregnant. Instead focus on eating nutritious foods in ways that nourishing your body and support milk supply. 3. Rest. I know, I know. Easier said than done with a new baby. But, sleep deprivation takes a toll on every aspect of our bodies, including milk production so do your best to sleep, rest and de-stress when you can. 4. 24 Hour Babymoon. Let me explain. Skin to skin time with baby, rest and de=stressing are all big elements in support milk production so the idea here is to take 24 hours just for you and baby. Shut yourself away in a quiet, calming room and take 24 hours to spend in bed with your baby skin-to-skin (yay, hormone production), catching up on some sleep, relaxing (binging on Netflix...) and nursing your baby as often as they want. If you can get someone to bring you meals in bed, added bonus for you! 5. Oatmeal/Flaxseed/Brewer's Yeast. All three of these are great sources of nutrition specific to supporting milk production and are perfect to add into your diet for an extra boost. There are tons of recipes floating around the internet for lactation cookies, lactation bars, lactation smoothies,to incorporate these ingredients. Our only caution is to avoid recipes that are high in sugar as lots of processed sugar can have a negative affect on your supply. 6. Visit a Lactation Consultant. If these tips aren't cutting it a visit with a lactation consultant is a great next step. They can determine if there are any underlying issues contributing to low milk production and help solve them, discuss options for herbs and supplements to help boost supply and gauge if baby is getting adequate milk or not to set your mind at ease. |