I'm back

It's been a long while since I updated my blog. Because, reasons.

My daughter is now three and a half. I also have child #2 who is a 4 month old boy.

I've bought my blog out of retirement for a few reasons. Partly, I miss writing. I used to do it a lot and struggle to form comprehensive sentences these days.

I also waste a lot of time on Facebook because I want to connect and communicate, but with two kids I don't get much time to do it face to face.

Another reason, is accountability. I'm more likely to let daylight burn if it's just me and the family who realize we've somehow done nothing all day! 

Lastly, because the internet has a large number of people who also do some of the same things I do, and it's nice to chat to other people who aren't on the mainstream path.

Milkin' Cookies

When mums are trying to get their supply up the number 1 thing to do is nurse, nurse, nurse followed by pump, pump, pump if expressed milk is needed. Milk is on a supply and demand basis and keeping the breast 'empty' is the number one way of telling your body more milk is needed.

A healthy diet is also important to support the production of milk. The most important element of a nursing mum's diet is lots of water but many people choose to eat and drink lactogenic foods, otherwise known as *galactogogues to help boost supply.

Many of the women I know choose oats as their galactogog of choice, it being cheap, healthy and filling. However, porridge gets very dull day in day out, so how about these quick, no bake cookies? They can be adapted for a vegan or raw diet, and take very little time to make.

Milkin' Cookies

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups rolled outs
1/4 cup milk (cows, soya, almond, rice etc)
1/4 cup liquid sweetener (agave, honey, maple, golden syrup, date syrup)
1/2 cup dried fruit of choice (if circumstances require it, this can be replaced by chocolate chips, not as healthy but also very nice!)
1 tbs nut butter of choice
1 tsp extract of choice (vanilla, orange etc NOT peppermint as menthol is anti lactogenic)

1. Mix oats and dried fruit in a largish bowl.
2. In a small pan, gently heat milk, syrup and nut butter stirring until the nut butter melts. Add the extract and stir into the oats
3. Dollop heaped tablespoon sized cookies onto a greaseproof paper lined tray in the fridge. Dependent on how gooey your cookies are you may need to shape them with your hands.
4. Place in fridge to cool.
5. Eat as desired.

They are very filling so make a great mid morning snack, and if you use the healthier options for sweeteners they are suitable for children, as long as you aren't concerned about nut allergies.

*cute side note. The word galaxy means 'milky circle' and is derived from a Greek myth. Galactogogue has shared roots.

Zeus places his son born by a mortal woman, the infant Heracles, on Hera's breast while she is asleep so that the baby will drink her divine milk and will thus become immortal. Hera wakes up while breastfeeding and then realizes she is nursing an unknown baby: she pushes the baby away and a jet of her milk sprays the night sky, producing the faint band of light known as the Milky Way.

Source: Wikipedia


Wow, what a let down reflex Hera had!

Take one Mei Tai, and call me in the morning

I, like many babywearers, often find that my clothes can look a bit odd when teamed with my limited selection of carriers. I also, as a breastfeeding mum find that a lot of my premotherhood clothes aren't very suitable for breastfeeding, especially as I've never got on with the 'up and under' lift of a top has never worked for me.

I had thought about making slip covers out of my old t-shirts to change the look of my Mai Tai, but I really don't have the time to sew them, and since I don't tend to buy clothes because they are in fashion, most of my t-shirts will be fine when I eventually wean, very much in the dim and distant future.

So, I thought I would see what I could rig up with a very quick folding of the shirt, and it eventually dawned on me I could literally put the shirt on the carrier and tuck the front of the shirt under the waist belt.

I also have an uuuugly Mei Tai I bought off eBay which is my emergency carrier which lives in the boot of my car in case I forget and leave the house without one.

Ugly Mei Tai


Ugly Mei Tai close up


Novelty T-Shirt

Finished Product


Action Shot

My newborn is still in there.

Baby A is now 8, nearly 9 months old. Often I'm surprised by how grown up she is. She doesn't crawl, but she does pull herself to standing. She has strong likes such as pictures of cats, or the sound of musical boxes, and dislikes, such as nappy changes.

Sometimes though, I get a glimpse of my newborn baby still inside, such as when she's drifting off to sleep and I remove my breast too soon and her little mouth roots about like a newborn, or when she startles at some noise while in my arms and she clings on for a tiny hug for reassurance.

My little girl is getting big, but she's still my baby.

Sleep and other mystical creatures.

My wonderful baby A is now 6 months old, and she's certainly in the over 50% of babies who don't sleep through the night at this age. In fact, she wakes almost every sleep cycle to see where Mum and Dad are. If she's laying next to us she might fancy a quick bit of milk, or she may only awaken enough to place a hand or mouth on my breast, and then fall back to sleep. Occasionally she will only awaken enough to see where we are then back to sleep.

Yes, this is a bit of a pain in the ass some nights. If me and DH are watching a movie or something it can take three or four shifts, but eventually it will sort itself out. When she grows up and leaves home I'll remember laying in bed hugging my daughter, not watching 'I Am Legend' without any breaks.