When it comes to breastfeeding, it’s definitely helpful to be knowledgeable at what it encompasses. If you’re completely new to breastfeeding, no worries! That doesn’t mean you won’t have a successful breastfeeding journey; you and your baby will learn along the way.
If you had to guess the spot where breast milk comes out, you might guess that it’s right in the center of the nipple. In reality, milk comes from many openings in the nipple called milk duct orifices! Each nipple has about 15-20 different openings that letdown milk while baby is nursing.
When a baby is latched properly, their mouth is covering the whole areola so they're able to drink milk effectively and without too much of a mess. When you’re beginning to learn how to nurse, baby or whoever is nearby, might get sprayed! It happens! Your nipple isn't like a faucet on a sink, but rather a shower head!
It’s so important when you’re nursing that baby is latched properly around your nipple to maximize milk and avoid any messes! If you are experiencing pain or discomfort with breastfeeding, most times it is due to baby’s latch. Don’t forget though that you are likely going to experience some nipple discomfort at first; that’s normal. This is from the constant demand of feeding from your new baby. However, the pain shouldn’t be while baby is nursing. Lactation consultants can be a great resource to help with achieving a proper latch.
Breastfeeding is a beautiful experience between mom and baby! The more you know can surely help you along your breastfeeding journey, but remember that your body was made to do this. I know it can be overwhelming, but you’ve got this! As always, reach out to other breastfeeding moms for moral support; I’m always happy to chat!
I created a guide for Breastfeeding moms to support you along your journey to educate you and remove the overwhelm and the 2am google search! It's packed with recipes, resources and more to encourage you! Grab it here and start learning today!
There's something about pumpkin that just gives me all cozy and warm vibes and why I want to eat it as much as I can haha. While pumpkin pie is delicious, these bars are a perfect rendition to have a little treat! If pumpkin is your thing, you won't be disappointed.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup gluten free oats
- 1 1/2 cup of almond flour
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp + 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 4-5 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 2 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
- 2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 drops cinnamon bark vitality
- 1-2 drops ginger vitality
- 1 drop clove vitality
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Make crust by adding oats to a blender (or food processor) and blend/mix until you reach the consistency of oat flour. If using raw almonds, mix them with the oats at this time.
- Add almond flour, sea salt, coconut sugar, and mix once more. Then add maple syrup and melted coconut oil and mix/pulse to combine. Depending on device, you may need to use a spoon to scrape around the edges to ensure the crust is completely mixed. If it feels or appears too dry, add more coconut oil.
- Add crust to the parchment lined baking dish and shake to evenly disperse, then lay down parchment paper on top and use a flat-bottomed object (such as a liquid measuring cup or drinking glass) and pressing down to pack the crust into place, making an even firmly packed layer
- Bake for 20 minutes then set aside to cool.
- In the meantime, add all filling ingredients to the blender (or food processor) and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more maple syrup or coconut sugar for sweetness, or pumpkin pie spice for flavor. I also added a pinch of ground cinnamon. Set aside.
- Once the crust is baked, pour the filling into the crust and tap on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 50 minutes - 1 hour. The filling will still be just a big jiggly, dark orange in color and have some cracks on the top, this is normal.
- Remove from oven and let it cool completely before loosely covering with plastic wrap or foil and transferring to the fridge to fully set for 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.
- Once cooled, gently lift bars out of dish and slice into 9 bars.
- Serve with coconut whipped cream and an additional sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg and/or pumpkin pie spice (optional). Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, though best when fresh.
Proper nutrition for every human is important, but especially for those with an autoimmune and definitely for breastfeeding mamas! When you are breastfeeding, your body is working overtime to nourish you AND your baby. That means it’s totally normal for you to be hungrier than normal!
Eating nutrient dense foods while breastfeeding helps maintain an adequate milk supply, provides essential nutrients for the baby's growth, and supports your overall well-being. When you're breastfeeding, there is an increased need for calories, so it's important to listen to your hunger cues and stay hydrated. I make sure to keep water close by at all times. This makes it easy to drink and keeping things easy is key as a busy mom! It’s also great to keep simple snacks and things around the house as well incase you find yourself under a nursing or sleeping baby and need food.
Having an autoimmune just adds another layer because we need to stay healthy to avoid any issues. Focusing on foods no matter what autoimmune you might have is hugely important as these nutrients help with energy and brain fog (to name a few things). Focus on eating what feels good to you and serves your body well; this is different for everyone!
There are some main nutrients that are important to focus on when it comes to food choices while breastfeeding: (spoiler these are similar to the important ones while pregnant and growing that baby too!)
- Omega-3s
- Iodine
- Choline
- Vitamin D
- BVitamins
If you’re struggling with ideas, here are a few to help; nuts and seeds, organ meats, eggs, beans, whole grains, avocados, berries, yogurt, leafy greens. Don’t forget though to focus on what fuels your body and doesn’t cause any flare ups! It’s so important to fuel your body with good foods and this is dependent upon each mama.
I created a guide for Breastfeeding moms to support you along your journey to educate you and remove the overwhelm and the 2am google search! It's packed with recipes, resources and more to encourage you! Grab it here and start learning today!
There are so many things I learned along my breastfeeding journey that I wished someone would’ve prepared me for! I’m beyond grateful that my body and breasts can do this for my baby, he gets the liquid gold that I can provide! With that being said, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with some challenges along the way.
I didn’t expect my boobs to hurt like they did! The beginning of your milk coming in is quite the experience. It comes in hot and heavy until your supply adjusts to your baby’s needs. This can be somewhat of a surprise because you only see the beautiful images of moms breastfeeding online. You don’t see the pain and sometimes discomfort that comes along with it.
Speaking of your milk coming in hot and heavy, you likely will leak! Everywhere! The boobs sometimes have a mind of their own and get ahead of themselves with the milk lol: I may have squirted myself and Ben a time or two! It’s also common to leak when baby isn’t even nursing, so it’s helpful to wear some sort of nursing pad at first. While baby is nursing on one boob, the other may leak as well. I loved using a Hakka to catch the letdown and store to use in a bottle later!
Your nipples can get sore too, newborns feed quite often and it can take a little for your nipples to “toughen up!” They do eventually, but it takes a little time. It’s important to note though that breastfeeding shouldn’t be painful while baby is nursing. If so, the latch probably isn’t right! Lactation consultants can be very helpful with getting a proper latch.
Of course, the frustrations of being new to this come in too, which is normal. I was wondering if he was getting enough and if I was even doing it right. I was trusting my body and the way our body’s work, but yet had so many questions! At the end of the day, as long as baby is growing and having those wet/dirty diapers, they are getting what they need.
Having the ability to provide nourishment in such a way to my baby is one of the biggest gifts I could ever give him and I’m so grateful that I’m able to nurse. But it’s okay to know that it isn’t all rainbows and butterflies at first!
🫶 I created a guide for Breastfeeding moms to support you along your journey to educate you and remove the overwhelm and the 2am google search! It's packed with recipes, resources and more to encourage you. GRAB IT HERE!
Being a mama brings a whole new perspective on self care. I’ve learned very quickly how important it is to take care of yourself after having a baby. After birthing my little one I still do agree that taking care of yourself is important, but I have an entirely new appreciation for even just the mindset around it! The only thing I really care about is making sure my baby is doing awesome, how can I care about myself? But then I take a moment and think, wait if I don't care for myself, I literally cannot care for him either!
It definitely looks different after having baby, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. As a mom who's breastfeeding, it's so important that I take care of myself so I'm able to care for him. The #1 thing about self care after having a baby is recognizing that it looks different and isn’t as involved, but it’s even more important.
The days are busy and it can be overwhelming, but I want to share some easy ways to take care of you throughout the day! Honestly, one of the easiest ways is to drink your water to stay hydrated. This does wonders for your health and your breastfeeding journey. Buy a big tumbler and keep it with you all day!
When it comes to working out, we love going for walks and getting in the sunshine. If I have the time, I’ll get in an arm workout, but I’m focusing on doing things that serve my body in this phase and help me feel good. Do whatever makes you happy and doesn’t overwhelm you or stress you out. We aren’t here to “bounce back;” we’re here to be healthy for our babies.
The last thing I love to focus on is gratitude. Every morning or night before bed, write 10 things you’re grateful for! Even if you aren’t postpartum, these are great practices to do daily!
