Oct-Dec 2005 Mommies and Nummies Support... for "Present and Soon To Be" Nursing Moms

[LunaAshling]

Hello and everyone!

We will be going to a "rest of the year" format to make it easier, unless it picks up alot.



Some of you may remember me from early 2003 when I ran this group. It has come back and forth over the years and alot of people still ask me to start it up again. So here we are!

I am a WAHM mom with two boys (12 & 3). I am also pregnant with baby #3 due around 4/14/05. My 3 year old recently weaned. I am the last person on earth that I would have EVER thought would end up an extended nurser! It has been an interesting road!

Most of our early "Nummies" threads are gone now... along with a ton of great info! But there are still some left and you may browse them here:

September 2005: Sept 2005 Mommies and Nummies Support... for "Present and Soon To Be" Nursing Moms

August 2005 (a great month): August 2005 Mommies and Nummies Support... for "Present and Soon To Be" Nursing Moms

January 2005: January 2005 Mommies and Nummies Support...for "Past/Present/And Soon To Be" Nursing

Links to a few of the old threads in 2003 & 2004: Breastfeeding... do you need info?


Here are the Nummies rules:

Every mom on here is looking for support, help and advice on breastfeeding. Every mom on here has chosen their own lowcarb path and some moms may or may not eat the way you do and some may even choose ketosis. Our goal here is NOT to flame anyone but to SUPPORT all moms in staying healthy through lowcarb living and to help them breastfeed as well as they possibly can. If you can NOT deal with varying points of thought.... LEAVE now. If you don't agree... then walk away.

If you come in negative and flame moms... you are out. If you get nasty you WILL be reported!




I look forward to meeting everyone and to seeing all the "old" moms!

[LunaAshling]

Shazadio...... when I eat high carb, ESPECIALLY ANYTHING with sugar in it I also get a Fibro flare up FAST!

That is probably why it is easier for me to just give up all sugar! After I FINALLY made the connection and then "hurt" myself a few times to learn a lesson... I finally decided it was sooooooooo not worth it for a single piece of something that will last 30 seconds in my mouth and hurt me for days!!!!

[Shazadio]

OK ladies, let's get October rolling along. Shall we do a poll? How about let's give the reasons we wanted to breastfeed before we gave birth...and the reasons we do it (or kept doing it) after birth.

I'll go first.

Before I gave birth, I wanted to nurse mostly because it was the "best". You know, better nutritionally, better for the immune, etc. I also liked that it was one of the few "best" things that was actually cheaper.

After I gave birth, I understood. Nursing became almost an analogy for motherhood. It all became mixed up in my head to that even today, I have a tough time seperating them. I would look down at that face, nuzzled next to my skin, watch the eyes roll back in ecstasy and think, "I know just how you feel, little one."

[mashley]

I didn't nurse #1 or #2. My son, #2, has cerebral palsy, seizures, and is mentally disabled. We waited almost 10 yrs to have #3, scared to death (still are- playing the wait and see game). I decided during the TTC period that I would try BFing , hoping to give the baby the best possible start in life. (not to imply I think it will prevent possible disabilities )

I think that too, now I am 10 years older, and more "maternal". More about what's best for the baby. Both #1 and #2 spit up unbelievably. My son projectile vomited. We went through a half dozen formulas for each kid. None any better than the one before. #3 rarely spits up. No formula to hurt her tummy and no bottles to let in air.

*************************

I fell off the wagon.... and bumped my head this week!!! I got up and had to take my son to school and go into town. After nursing Katie, I had no time for breakfast. So I ate nothing. I had to make choc chip cookies for hubby's work. So I came home and ended up eating about 10!!!!!! That was lunch. Then we had to drive an hour and a half to a doc appt and didn't have time for supper until late that night and ate more cookies and a sandwhich.

Yesterday was only slightly better, but today I pulled my self back together!!

[LunaAshling]

Honestly... I can't even give a reason why I did with number one, other than I just "knew" in my head that it was what you did. I never questioned it.


I look back now and realize there were not many teenagers that shared that belief! And ofcourse I just kept repeating it.

[meek]

I wanted to say hi and welcome to Micky!

I guess I first started nursing for the reason Luna mentioned... it's just what I knew I was supposed to do. It never occurred to me to do anything else. I watched my aunt nurse my cousin when I was 8 years old. That was my first, and only, exposure to feeding a baby, and as far as I knew, that was just how you did it. Also, Sharon couldn't have said it better; everything she described is right-on for me.

My littlest one is almost 15 months, and I cannot imagine her not nursing. I hate to even think about it. I plan to let her nurse as long as she wants to. I weaned my twins at almost 3 1/2 years (against my better judgment), and that was a nightmare. I still wonder what kind of damage I may have done to them emotionally. They're 6 now, and they still remember it. We've talked about it, and I've apologized, not that it means anything to them right now. But it makes me feel better. My husband is already wanting me to quit nursing my daughter (unfortunately, we don't see eye-to-eye on much of anything that has to do with raising children), so I may be divorced by the time she's 3 if she's still nursing! What would you guys do in a situation like that, if it came down to choosing between what your husband wants and doing what you feel is best for your baby? Just wondering.

Ok, I hope to see more mommies here this month! I promise I'll try to do better if you do!

[meek]

Oh, and Micky, your baby is adorable!!!

[metroames]

Originally Posted by Shazadio

OK ladies, let's get October rolling along. Shall we do a poll? How about let's give the reasons we wanted to breastfeed before we gave birth...and the reasons we do it (or kept doing it) after birth.

Before I gave birth I had it in my head that God made breasts for more than one purpose, and by golly, I was gonna use them for both. Then, as I did more research, I realized all the great benefits of breastfeeding for both mom and baby. So, I was determined to do it and made sure I had the resources to accomplish the task.

After birth I realized why God made breasts for dual purpose. How do you explain to someone the warm fuzzies you feel when your milk lets down and you snuggle peacefully with your baby. Also, you have a great sense of pride that you are providing the perfect food for your baby. I feel so complete and it confirms my role as a mother. Especially, since I work full time and my husband has taken the "traditional" role of staying at home with the baby. I love it so much that now I'm open to extended nursing if the baby desires to continue. You wouldn't have caught me saying that just a few short months ago.

Ames

[sjoy76]

Originally Posted by Shazadio

After I gave birth, I understood. Nursing became almost an analogy for motherhood. It all became mixed up in my head to that even today, I have a tough time seperating them. I would look down at that face, nuzzled next to my skin, watch the eyes roll back in ecstasy and think, "I know just how you feel, little one."

I haven't posted here in ages but i had to say, "exactly!!!!" That is why I loved nursing. When I read your post I swear I got that tingly feeling of letdown even though I haven't nursed in over a year (my little one is two soon)!

[LunaAshling]

Good morning everyone!


I just wanted to touch briefly on meek's question. You have to look deeper than what the apparent struggle is. In the end it is a power struggle and a fight over something that more then liekly has nothing much to do with nursing at all. Most "fights" we have with our spouses come from somewhere else! I would highly reccomend counseling for yourself and if he will go to it, couple's counseling. There no doubt has to be other bigger issues than this! But I will always reccomend that EVERY woman has a "plan" ready incase the worst happens! Work it out what you would do if he was gone tomorrow! Being prepared is the best thing you can do for yourself because it allows you to really get involved in whather or not you want your marriage to work... and you don't just end up staying because you have no toher way! Be prepared and find some help... in the end you will know if it is worth fighting for!

[LunaAshling]

Here is an interesting article to read:


http://www.westonaprice.org/children/babybooks.html

[meek]

Kinda quiet here.

Luna, that is an interesting article.

My little one's nursing habits have changed recently. I hope she isn't trying to wean. She still wants to nurse when she's tired, or hurt, but lately at bedtime she'll nurse for a bit, then she's started letting go and going to sleep without nursing. She's always nursed to sleep in the past. However, in the daytime, if I'm sitting still, like typing at the computer, I'd better have easy access to a breast, because she wants to walk up and a take just a couple of sucks, then go about her business, repeating over and over and over.

Hope everyone is well.

[LunaAshling]

Meek many moms see that pattern as their kids get older... it could be a phase or weaning. Only time will tell!


My son did that and did not wean.

[meek]

Oh, yeah... and she started saying, "num-num", too. It's so great!!!

[SassyC]

Hi Ladies!

I decided to start here. I did LC before my wedding in March 2004 and I went from 260 to 190 pounds. I found out I was pregnant in November 2004 and had a beautiful baby girl on July 12, 2005. I am nursing her and after a rough start, I am now SO happy that I stuck with it. I am trying to get the babyweight off. I gained ALOT and gave myself license to eat whatever I wanted!! Uh oh! I also had pre eclamsia, so that did not help.

Anyway, I am here and I am back.

[LunaAshling]

Welcome Sassy!



And meek that is sooo cute! Mine used "boo".

[Sarain]

I'm expecting my first in January 06, and will nurse. I want to get back on the lowcarb diet to reach my goal or 155 lbs, but worry that I may comprimise the quality of my milk on the LC diet?? I will take a multi vitamin/min.
Also, I'm wondering what the recommened amout of weight lost per week is while nursing?

[LunaAshling]

Most sources will not reccomend weight loss or any real way to get there while nursing.


I highly reccomend reading some of the previous threads from this group to get alot more info! Alot of us have posted our stories on them.

LC and even ketosis never comprimised my milk and my son started spelling and writing at 3 years old so it did not compromise his brain either!

[LunaAshling]

I just posted this advice over on my pg thread and thought I would repost it here too!







As for breastfeeding... if you can get help, find a group ( La Leche League is a good start) or a lactation consultant. Any help is good. Reading all you can is good.

When I gave birth to my first at 16 no one helped me. Not even the nurses. But I never questioned that it was something I couldn't do so I just did it anyway.


My first I gave birth to at night and by the next day I was PAINFULLY engorged... so badly that nothing would come out. They had to hook me up to the hospital pump... and after that I leaked lakes for months .... I had to sleep on towels every night.

My next I did not get my milk in for several days... poor guy had to have some bottles. There was just nothing there.


Lesson number #1... you will have no clue when the milk comes in. Be prepared and wear something in your bra.

Lesson number #2... Sleep on towels. You may have no leakage or you may wake to a lake every morning.

Lesson number #3... take extra clothes for you everywhere. I cannot tell you how may times I COMPLETELY wet my shirt in public.

Lesson number #4.... the lanolin cream is your friend. If your nipples crack keep those babies smothered!

Lesson number #5... you CAN still bf when your nips are cracked! It DOES get better! But if the nip gets red, swollen, lumpy or has a white coating (and your baby has white inside it's mouth)... go to the doc. It's infected with something.

Lesson number #6... the Boppy is a miracle.

Lesson number #7... Accept the fact now that you will end up flashing total strangers in public... it will happen no matter how hard you try to stop it. But watch out for the creepy guys that are watching you in hopes of seeing it. They are out there.


Lesson #8... The child will at some point bite you. It will hurt. It may even cause injury. It DOES get better and they won't always bite. You CAN get through it! Just don't let them nurse when they should have a teething ring instead!


Lesson number #9... breastfeeding is NOT a good birth control and will NOT keep your periods away forever. Just look at all the people with two kids in under a year.


Lesson number #10... Your significant other may find the sight of you dripping or squirting milk highly erotic. He may even want to taste or "nurse" himself. Having an "O" can sometimes cause you to shoot milk. Your SO may also get very jealous of the baby and how the baby nows "owns" your boobs.
On the other hand it may all totally repulse your SO. You won't know until it happens.


Lesson number #11... your breast size "should" go up when your milk comes in. But some women don't see hardly any change. And some women experiance multiple cup size increases.
You may "deflate" when you are done bf'ing or you may end up keeping the size, just a tad mushier. You could also end up smaller than when you started. There is no way to know until it happens.


Lesson number #12.... DON'T sanitize your nipples before every feeding. If you wipe those puppies down with alcohol you will end up with bleeding nipples. Do NOT ask how I know this!


Lesson number #13.... your kid can get weird and nurse weird at any time. It can take them weeks to finally get it or they can do it straight out of the womb. And then at anytime after that they can "forget" or do werid things. They are unpredictable and weird. Just accept it. Pump in between if needed.


Lesson number #14.... cheap hand pumps break. Fast. Either get a hand pump over $30 or invest in and electris one. It's just not worth it.


Lesson number #15... breastmilk freezes... take time to pump some bottles when your first HUGE flush of milk comes in. Even if you plan to NEVER bottlefeed. You will thank me when 2 months in and you get the flu and want NO ONE near you. You will be happy that you have those frozen sacks of milk!!!!!

[LunaAshling]

I hope I did not forget anyone in the personals... if so I apologize!!!!

[ClairesScrappinMama]

Hey Luna! glad to see the thread back! I haven't been around in a while, but I'm back now. and still nursing. lol my baby just turned three a couple weeks ago and is showing no signs on wanting to wean. I also never thought we'd be nursing at this age! I've been on and off low carb for a couple years, but totally have to get back on the wagon. I have high blood pressure and am getting migraines again...so here I am! glad to have the support!

[LunaAshling]

Hey hey there! Good to see you again! My guy weaned rather unhappily at 3 1/2 after I got pregnant. Not enough was there anymore.


Good luck to you! And I hope this trip on the "wagon" goes well for you and you feel better hun!!!!!!!

[ClairesScrappinMama]

Thanks Luna! I hope so too! so far so good, too! its been almost 26 hours! woohoo! lol

I ate good yesterday and so far today. I (sorta) excersized yesterday. lol I did some house cleaning and then last night, we ended up having to park almost 4 blocks from home since they are fixing our street and we can't park or drive on it! I carried my 29 pound sleeping baby up those 4 blocks (yep, uphill!) so that had to count for something! lol

Today, I'm off to a good start, except I'm still in my jammies at 9:30 am. have to get my butt off the computer and get cleaning around here! it looks like a clothes storm went through here! Claire is just in the process of growing out of 3Ts and into 4Ts, so we have piles of clothes everywhere! She just got a new dresser too, so I have to get the stuff put away and hung up that fits, pack away the stuff that doesn't and do something with my clothes (a size or two too small at this point) that were stacked up where her dresser now is! lol

I did make Claire some ice cream this morning and try a bite to see how it tastes. I got an ice cream maker and love it! She used to eat only the Carb Smart strawberry, but they don't sell it at our grocery stores anymore. I don't really want her eating a sugared version and this is a good treat for her. So, I made some with heavy cream, light cream, splenda and strawberry sugar free davincis syrup. it tasted yummy and she loved it!

[LunaAshling]

My kids LOVE when I make ice cream! And I have a TON of clothes to sort through too.


Why can't it all just magically be done?

[ClairesScrappinMama]

lol, I don't know! I wish all the time that I had Samantha's wiggley nose! lol I didn't do much yesterday (TOM) so I have to get it done today. I did get rid of a lot of bad foods yesterday. I gave them to a friend who has 3 little ones! 1 of them is only a month old! I had made her a meal for last night and then took over the pie I bought on the weekend so I wouldn't eat it, some bread, jelly, etc...all stuff I have been eating lately but NO MORE! the only carbs in the house now are stuff for dd. she has goldfish and wheat thins and some mms for treats. I'm hoping that since I hadn't been eating hte mms before that I won't start now! but before, I was eating other things! I'm much more serious this time than before because of my blood pressure and my weight is not good. I'm off to change my stats so they are accurate...I don't want to, but have to be honest!

[bebamom]

I have a question for all you ladies - We are going to try to have another baby and I need some advice - With my last baby (now 2 years old), I breastfed (not very succuessfully) for 9 months until she self-weaned. I think she just gave up the breast because it was so much easier for her with the bottle (I had to supplement alot) - I had two benign tumors removed from my left breast years ago and that was part of the reason I had so much trouble nursing ( supply problems too) - Okay, here is my question. Has anyone had a similar experience with this? And what did you do? Also, has anyone evr heard of re-canalization? And any info. about this for me? Thanks for your time.