Postpartum Life

Holy Cow - my child is 5 weeks old already! 


As I am nearing my "free to exercise" doctor visit I won't lie to you (or myself) I am bummed to not have an excuse to not work out. I don't even know when I will have the time to be honest but I want to try even if its just simple stuff at home between her ravenous feeding state. Speaking of ravenous, breastfeeding has made me hungry NON STOP! I try to reach for healthy snacks like fruit or granola bars and I know I am supposed to consume more calories anyway so I am not too concerned but I don't think I will lose any weight while breastfeeding. At my 2 week check up I had lost 20 pounds of the 40 that I gained during pregnancy which made me wish I could just pop an extra baby out real quick to get rid of the other 20. All in all though 20 pounds to get back to pre-baby weight is nothing. 

Truly my main concern isn't about what I weigh or fitting into my old pre-pregnancy clothes but being healthy for my nursing baby. There was a week postpartum that I ate like crap - with visitors and no time or money fatty fried fast food and CHOCOLATE was all up in this body. I then had a moment as my sweet LO was latched where I thought "ewwwww I am giving you some sucky milk!" I also had major tummy trouble for a few days and she had major gas pains and I felt guilty and somehow responsible! SO the next day I went to the grocery store and bought fruits, veggies, grains, and chicken to make my body and mind feel better. BUT let me be totally honest I had Whataburger for dinner the other night because after three bad gassy nights of crying I didn't have it in me to cook! I would like to get back to my old eating habits where I easily said NO to fast food, sugar, etc. but that is a time consuming thing and requires planning and work so I have to figure out how to do this with a newborn in the mix. For right now my goal is to get these items incorporated in my diet often


  • Salmon
  • Lean Beef
  • Black Beans
  • Fruit –berries
  • Brown Rice
  • Whole Wheat
  • Quinoa
  • Nuts
  • Leafy greens
  • Avocado
  • Eggs

These are obviously good healthy foods but also are supposed to be good for breastfeeding mommas to give good nutrients to baby and provide energy to mom. 

I plan to nurse for 6 months so I have a long road ahead and its not super easy but I want to do it for my baby! In an attempt to help boost my supply I have several items that are supposed to increase production. 


Oats, Fenugreek, Brewers Yeast, and Mother's Milk Tea. I try to have oats at least every other day, I take 4 fenugreek three times a day, and I have at least one-two cups of tea a day. 




The brewers yeast is new for me. It is a powder that can be mixed in any foods or drinks but obviously the most delicious of ways is in a chocolate chip cookie! These lactation cookies have oats, brewers yeast, and flaxseed so they are great for milk production but great cookies for anyone not just nursing moms. Brewers yeast has good nutritional value because it is high in protein and a good source of certain minerals, such as selenium and chromium and B-complex vitamins. Its also been shown to have benefits on blood sugar levels if you are diabetic and cholesterol levels. You can put brewers yeast in smoothies too, which I did but it tastes like a really strong IPA so be prepared for that. The cookies just taste awesome. You can taste the yeast but in a good way its not bitter at all. 





LACTATION COOKIES 
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
1 c. butter very softened1/4c. water
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 c. flour
3 c. Thick Cut Oats
1/4 c. flaxseed meal
2 T. Brewer’s yeast  (MUST be Brewer's Yeast for milk production)
1 bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream together sugars and butter. Then add eggs and vanilla and beat well.  Add remaining ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Shape into 2" balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake 9-11 min or until edges are browned. Cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.



ENJOY! Now I leave you with the BEST. FACE. EVER 










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