Don't Be a Sheep

I post about a lot of different things on my blog. Breastfeeding, pregnancy, natural birth, car seat safety, etc. I post about them because I'm passionate about these things and the things I post are my opinions based on my own research. Not everyone will agree with me. I know that I am not a typical mainstream American mom and that's okay.

When I was pregnant I quickly discovered just how many people take there words of their doctors as gold. They become blind followers. "Your baby is too big for you to birth--you need a c-section."  "You're not progressing quickly enough--you need pitocin."  In the IF support group I started I saw so many women  just sit back and let the doctors do what they wanted to do instead of advocating for themselves when they didn't fall pregnant month after month.  We are taught we should trust our doctors afterall, right? My experience with infertility totally changed that for me and I probably wouldn't be a mom today if I had listened to those doctors. 

In my last post I wrote that I feel letting a baby cry it out is cruel and unnecessary. I stand by that. There have been times when I couldn't settle Hazel down. She cried, I cried. In my limited four months of experience, my husband and I have started to discover our parenting philosophy. It will evolve over time, I'm sure. We will catch a lot of flack for it, I'm sure. (You don't have a crib? You wear her like that all the time? You wash POOP in your washing machine? She can't just eat whenever she wants.) It's already started but I have a reason for everything I do, whether it be breastfeeding, co-sleeping or whatever. I'm not doing it just because I saw someone else do it or because some doctor told me to. Hazel's pediatrician actually told me last month that she should be sleeping through the night at around four months and I should start letting her fuss. I just gave her the ole smile and nod . This is what I did whereas other parents may go home and say, "Oh no. Our baby needs to be sleeping through the night. Our doctor says it's okay to let her cry so it must not be bad." And that's that.

Okay, back the point of this entry. Don't be a blind follower, no matter the issue. Do your research, form your opinion and then stand by it. You will be judged. A lot. But as long as you're doing what you feel is best for your family then that's all you can do.

Placenta Encapsulation

As if my family needed another reason to think I'm crazy.

Why placenta capsules? 

“Baby blues” is a common occurrence – 80% of mothers experience it in the first days and weeks after giving birth. Because it is so common, nothing is typically done about it until it worsens into a diagnosis of postpartum depression, at which time anti-depressants may be prescribed. Anti-depressants, like almost all drugs, are passed to the baby through breastmilk, and mothers who don’t want to expose their babies to these medications are often faced with the decision to either stop breastfeeding or struggle with depression. Women suffer through the baby blues almost as a rite of passage to motherhood – but it doesn’t have to be this way.

Placentophagy, or consumption of the placenta, has been reported for decades to help stop the baby blues and diminish postpartum fatigue. Some women have cooked the placenta in a stew, mixed it into a smoothie, or even taken it raw to tap into its powerful effects. For many who feel squeamish about this or want to reap the benefits of placenta for more than just a day or two, there is another option: encapsulation. Powdered placenta has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries. In the postpartum period, placenta capsules can be used to

• balance your hormones
•  enhance your milk supply
•  increase your energy 

Although current research on human placentophagy does not exist, what we do know is that women who take placenta capsules report fewer emotional issues, have more energy and tend to enjoy a faster, more pleasant postpartum recovery. The first few days and weeks with your new baby are precious. Give yourself the best chance to fully enjoy your “babymoon” with placenta capsules.

My beautiful placenta. This made my baby grow big and strong!!!

Steaming the placenta

Baby Hazel's cord. <3

Dehydration

After all the pieces were dried she put them in a coffee grinder and turned them into powder.

Encapsulation

 I just started taking them yesterday but I'll keep you guys posted as to whether or not I feel the benefits of placenta encapsulation! :)

Just Kidding!

I woke up this morning and noticed some pink tinged liquid on my pad. I didn't get too excited but then the contractions started. Again, didn't get too excited. I had a feeling it might be labor but I was leaning more toward probably not. I tried going back to bed since, you know, you're supposed to rest as much as possible during early labor. Yeah, that wasn't going to happen. After about an hour of pretty steady contractions I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom and guess what? The contractions stopped after clearing out my bowels. Lovely.  i continued to have some menstrual-like cramping though.  The on-call midwife told me that I could either come in to L&D to get checked out or I could wait until the clinic opened and see my midwife. Since the contractions had all but stopped and I was leaking minimal amounts of pink fluid I decided to wait to see my midwife. I gave my doula a heads up, Mike and I packed our last minute items in our hospital bags just in case I was admitted and we headed to the clinic.

She explained that the fluid I was seeing was just regular discharged tinged with blood from my cervix thinning--hooray for effacement! The EPO must be doing something because I was only 30% last Friday and was 60% today so something is definitely going on. We will not talk about the two pounds I managed to gain between now and then. What the fuck?  I'mgoing to say it's water retention since I'm all swollen again. Yup, that's it. My midwife also commented that baby must have dropped because I was measuring smaller. Mike commented yesterday about that and I guess he was right! I felt kind of dumb going in for something minimal but I didn't know what was going on. After a friend had a baby less than an hour after her water breaking I figured I'd better play it safe. I'm glad I went in. I'm still just 1cm but I'll take it. She stripped my membranes again and it was definitely way more uncomfortable this time than last week and I've been having some intense cramping/random contractions since then as well as more pink discharge. Hopefully our baby girl will be making an appearance before too long!!!

I have been going stir crazy just sitting at home and wondering, "Is today going to be the day?" so I decided to get out of the house today. I headed to a lavender farm with my doula and another friend and her baby and while I was having some difficult walking and bending and had a brief encounter with a snake on my foot, it was really nice to get out of the house. I picked a bundle of lavender that I'm going to dry and give to my midwife as a thank you gift--she always smells like lavender when I see her so I figured she'd like it. :) I also go some white chocolate lavender fudge that is deeeeelish! Now it's time to track the contractions that I'm having, put my feet up and rest because getting up at 0500 does not suit me.We're in single digits now, people!

Lavender bundle and white chocolate lavender fudge!

38w5d pregnant in a field of lavender

We're Having a Baby This Month!

Happy August 1st, everyone. I can not believe I can now say, "We're having a baby this month!!!!!" Where has the time gone? I definitely feel like the first two trimesters just flew by and this third has been draaaaagging on. Probably because we've been pretty much prepared for her arrival since 30 weeks. I finished my baby quilt a couple weeks ago and I've been just twiddling my thumbs since. The days seem to drag on and on but that might also be because it pretty much hurts and exhausts me to do anything. Getting out of bed is the worse! Thanks to pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel, my hands and wrists ache. My feet ache. My belly and back ache. Despite all that, I'm still not ready to be done. I mean I am, but I'm not. I'm going to miss being pregnant. I'm going to miss feeling her move inside me. I'm going to miss having her all to myself.

With that said.....

I can't wait to meet her! I can't wait to smell that intoxicating baby smell on her head. I can't wait to look into her eyes and tell her that I'm her mommy. I can't wait to ignore my messy house because I'm too busy snuggling with my baby girl. I can't wait to see Mike melt into an absolute puddle when he meets his daughter for the first time. I can't wait to nurse her and gaze into her eyes--I think knowing that I'm giving her all the nourishment she needs is going to be one of the most empowering things I'll ever feel. I still can't believe that after 4.5 years of waiting, we are going to meet our daughter this month!

During this pregnancy I have been doing a lot to prepare for her arrival. Besides the obvious shopping for clothes, cloth diapers, baby gear, etc. I have been doing some other things to prepare both physically and mentally. I thought I'd share these things for anyone else who may be interested too.

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
By far my FAVORITE book that I've read on birth. Birth is not to be feared. Birth is natural. Birth is not a medical condition that needs to be treated. (Unless you're high risk and have medical issues that need to be treated, obviously.) Am I nervous for the pain of childbirth? Yes. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. However, I know my body was designed to do this and I welcome the natural process. Honestly, the pain and recovery from a c-section scares me more. I remember how awful I felt after my laparoscopy last summer and I remember saying to Mike, "I can't even imagine feeling this way and having to care for a newborn." Even if you're the type of person who wants nothing to do with a midwife or wants an epidural as soon as she gets to the hospital, I still highly suggest you read this book. Did you know that the average American spends more time researching cars or a new computer than they spend on researching childbirth? It's crazy! Like infertility and IVF, I couldn't imagine going into this with no knowledge. It just blows my mind how blindly some people can follow their doctors. If I did that I would probably still be in the shitty clinic on post, trying like hell to get pregnant instead of anticipating the birth of my baby girl but I digress.  Some of it is a little hippy-dippy but it has so much great information and some really wonderful birth stories.

 The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
I loved this book so much I read it twice! This book far exceeded any other book I read about breastfeeding. It was incredibly informative and got me totally pumped to nurse my baby girl!. I wish every woman who says, "I am going to try to breastfeed...." would read this! I have no doubts that I can and will breastfeed my daughter. It may come with some issues but I now know who to see if I need help and Mike knows that his role in supporting me in my endeavors is just as important as my role as a nursing mom. I read other books about breastfeeding too and this was by far my favorite.

Natural Hospital Birth: The Best of Both Worlds
This book was great! While I already knew about things like c-section statistics, interventions, rooming in, etc. It helped me be more prepared to advocate for myself and our wishes in a hospital setting. I'm not too worried about getting pushed around by doctors or nurses, mostly because I've heard nothing but great things about my hospital being very supportive of natural birth moms, but also because I know Mike won't allow it. He is not to to allow others bully him and he will definitely speak up for us when I can't. Also, I'll have my doula there!

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
I've been trying to drink at least one cup a day since a couple weeks after I hit my second trimester. Contrary to popular belief, this does not induce labor. It is a uterine toner and can help make contractions during labor more efficient and help prevent postpartum hemorrhaging. It also helps with fertility and menstrual cramps. Luckily, I'm a big tea drinker so I don't mind the taste though a lot of people say it's too bland for them. It's very refreshing iced as well!  For more on the benefits of drinking RRL tea check out this article. You can find RRL tea at Super.Supplements or in a Natural Foods section of your grocery store. Am.azon sells it for a good deal too!

Evening Primrose Oil
Again, contrary to popular belief this does not directly induce labor.  Evening Primrose Oil contains an essential fatty acid that is converted into a prostaglandin by our bodies, which is what softens our cervix during pregnancy and labor.  Semen also contains naturally prostaglandins and can help your cervix ripen. However, sex can be quite uncomfortable and difficult at this point in pregnancy so needless to say I figured the EPO wouldn't hurt as well. At my 37 week appointment my midwife gave me the green light to start using EPO to help prepare my cervix for birth. I insert two gel caps into my vagina every night before bed (make sure to use a pad or pantyliner as this can get messy!) Starting next week I will up the dosage to 3. The gel caps are dissolved by morning and hopefully the EPO is doing it's thing overnight! It does not work right away, of course. It takes a few weeks to ripen and soften the cervix. I could have started it at 36 weeks but I didn't have an appointment then and I wanted to talk with my midwife to make sure it was okay to start it. It's always a good idea to talk to your care provider before starting any kind of herbal or medicinal regiment.

Big Bouncy Ball
I wish I would have bought one ages ago! This is the only thing that brings me instant relief for back pain. I bounce on it whenever my back feels tight and try to spend at least an hour a day on it. I sit on while I'm watching the Olympics and pretend I'm a lot more than just a huge pregnant lady bouncing on a ball. Sitting on the ball is *almost* as good as the squatting position but much, much easier. Have you ever tried to squat when you're 40 pounds heavier and your center of gravity is totally off? It's not pretty. This position opens the pelvis and helps baby get in prime position for birth! It also feels really, really good on my back and hips. And your animals look at you like you're crazy:

Bailey wondering what I'm doing.

Zero and the bump out for a walk

Walking
I always said that I wasn't going to be lazy during pregnancy and except for those first few months where I didn't feel like doing ANYTHING--I've been pretty good about staying somewhat active. Plus those first few months were winter in the Pacific NW aka cold and rainy season--so I had an excuse, right? ;) Now that my swelling is gone for the most part, I have been going on walks with Mike when he gets home from work. Thankfully it doesn't take too much pleading on my part to get him to go with me because he knows it's good for me and the baby (and the doggies!) We don't go far, mostly because my back gets really tight and painful, but we try to do at least a mile. Most days we do about 1.25-1.5 miles, which seems amazingly far when you are waddling the entire way. I get a lot of stares from people passing by. Haha.  I normally feel some cervical pressure by the end of the walk so I hope it's doing something to help the progress along.


I know I've already said this but we're having a baby this month! Only 16 days until my due date but I won't be surprised if I go post date. I hope that doesn't happen since we're moving so soon but if it comes to that Mike and I have decided to wait until 40 weeks to talk about eviction. Mike and I both guessed that she'll make her arrival on the 14th so I guess we'll see! Have you put in your guess yet?

Oh and I had to share this funny picture! Mike and I went up to Seattle last weekend to hang out with my brother and sister-in-law one last time before the babies start arriving. My SIL now has over 14 pounds of babies in her! She's due August 19 and so far they've shown no signs of coming any time soon. I know she's as ready to meet her babies as I am!

Mike's magical floating head

Timeline of a Breastfed Baby

WHO, as well as many other organizations, recommend breastfeeding for at least two years, with exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months. (For more on delaying solids, click here_)  Now, I realize that this is definitely not "the norm" in America and for some reason we want to push our babies into milestones, whether or not they're ready. Solids, forward facing, weaning, sleeping through the night, etc. etc. etc. These are all milestones that many people seem in a hurry to reach. I've talked a little about car seat safety in past posts but today I'm going to talk about breastfeeding.  I attended a "Milky Meetup" yesterday with a group of local crunch moms. They're a group of babywearing, cloth diapering, exclusively breastfeeding mamas and I love them! They really do help put my mind at ease in regards to birth and breastfeeding. If I learned one thing yesterday, it was to have an "I will" attitude and not an "I'm going to try" attitude.

It seriously amazes how any woman can be pregnant, let alone in her third trimester, and not have any sort of grasp on the basic concepts of breastfeeding, especially if they "plan to try." I get so sad when I read about newborns having to be supplemented with formula because their mom's milk isn't in. (Did you know a day old baby only has a stomach the size of a teaspoon? Filling them up with formula will likely make their tummy sore not to mention you're basically denying them the immunities their mother's early milk will give them!) Not only is this a bad idea for the baby but this interferes with the mom/baby breastfeeding relationship and can actually do more harm than good. This article is so great at breaking down the needs and development of a breastfed baby. It's important to realize how little a baby actually needs in the first few days so you can tell those formula pushing nurses exactly where they can put that can of formula. I've only C&Ped the first month from the article but it goes on much further.

Timeline of a Breastfed Baby

All babies reach milestones on their own developmental timeline. A multitude of factors influence the rate of each baby’s individual growth such as genetics, form of delivery, gestation at delivery, medical issues, effectiveness of the placenta prior to delivery, and so on.

However there is a persistent and understandable demand from first-time mothers for information on what is considered ‘the norm’. This is particularly so with breastfeeding, as understanding breastmilk intake is more complex than looking at the oz mark on a bottle. This is a topic rife with large-scale confusion, especially as breastfeeding mothers are in the minority and can often find themselves, and their health workers, comparing their baby with formula-fed babies.

Breastfed babies are not the same as formula fed babies. One is fed the milk of its own species; the other is fed the milk of an entirely different species, so it is unsurprising that stark differences can be observed.

What follows is a timeline detailing the journey of the average breastfed baby. I hope it will prove to be a useful and reassuring tool for new mothers.

At Birth:

• Given enough uninterrupted time skin-to-skin, your baby may move towards your breast and begin feeding without assistance.
• The first feed helps to stabilise baby’s blood sugars and protect baby’s gut (NCT).
• Most babies will nurse better at this time than they will for the next couple of days. Take advantage of this. “A full-term healthy newborn's instinct to breastfeed peaks about 20 to 30 minutes after birth if he is not drowsy from drugs or anesthesia given to his mother during labour and delivery” (La Leche League). Breastfeeding in the delivery room or the recovery room after a caesarean section lays the hormonal groundwork for your future supply of mature milk.
• If you experience greater than expected blood less while giving birth or have retained placenta inside your uterus after birth, this can lead to milk supply problems.
• Make sure that the midwives are aware that no formula is to be given to your baby unless strictly necessary and not without your consent.
• Your baby will be weighed following his birth.
• At the moment, and for the first few days after birth, your breasts are producing small quantities of colostrum (about 3-4 teaspoons daily). This is a concentrated clear yellow secretion which is high in protein, fat-soluble vitamins and minerals, as well as antibodies that protect your baby from bacterial and viral illnesses.
• Your newborn should not go longer than three hours between feedings. However you may find that he is very sleepy for the first few days and may not be interested in feeding. If this happens, you will need to wake him up. Undressing him and giving skin to skin contact will help wake him up and encourage him to feed.
• As you feed, the hormone oxytocin will help your uterus regain its tone after birth. This process also protects against excessive bleeding as you recover from childbirth. You may feel mild menstrual-like cramps whilst your uterus shrinks.

Day 1:

• Over the next 24 hours, your baby will begin to increase their hunger so they are having eight to twelve feedings per 24 hours. Many babies will feed more frequently than this and it may seem as though your baby is insatiable. This is because his stomach is so small it gets full very quickly and empties very quickly. Feeding frequently is also essential to build up your milk supply, so feed on demand rather than clock watching. To understand why your baby loves to suckle so often, read this beautifully written article by The Leaky Boob.
• Expect at least one or two wet nappies each day for the first few days after birth. It may be difficult to tell if a nappy is wet at this early stage, and it is normal to find pink crystal-like stains. If you are finding it difficult to judge if your baby’s nappy is wet, try putting a cotton ball in the nappy. When your baby urinates, the cotton ball will feel very wet.
• During this period, your baby’s mouth is acutely sensitive to any stimulation. A dummy, bottle, or sucking on your finger stimulates your baby’s mouth differently than your nipple. A newborn can easily become accustomed to this overstimulation of the tongue and hard palate. “Confusion can occur after just one exposure to a bottle or dummy” (Rubin. S). Therefore try to avoid or delay your baby’s contact with non-breast suckling until he is at least 6 weeks old.

Day 2:

• Most babies (whether breastfed or not) will have a small amount of jaundice, which starts after the first 24 hours of birth, reaches a peak around day 3 or 4, and then gradually fades over the next week.
• Frequent breastfeeding or pumping during these crucial days after birth awaken receptors sensitive to the hormone prolactin, a key player in the production of mature breast milk. If you become separated from your baby or your baby is unable to breastfeed, then pump your breasts with an electric breast pump every three hours. Pumping will send your body the message that you intend to breastfeed.
• You may have heard the mantra: "If it hurts, you're doing it wrong". Whilst agonising pain indicates a problem and should receive immediate attention, a moderate level of discomfort is normal during these early days as your breasts adjust to being suckled.

Day 4:

• By now you will have given your baby his first - and easiest - "immunisation" (antibody-rich colostrum) and helped to get his digestive system running smoothly.
• Your baby will be weighed again around this point, probably at home by your midwife. He may lose between 8 and 10 per cent of his original birth weight, as he adjusts to the sudden loss of his beloved placenta. Breastfed babies, who have consumed only teaspoons of colostrum, generally lose more than bottlefed babies (Murkoff. H). This weight loss is quite normal and expected, and you should see your baby start to gain weight soon. Remember also that in the first few days your baby may be weighed on several different sets of scales, which can all give subtly different readings.
• Also around this time, your milk will ‘come in’ and you may find yourself with the infamous ‘melons’ – aka your breasts swelling and becoming engorged and warm. Overabundance at this time is normal as your body learns to predict exactly how much milk your baby needs (note that if you had a c-section or are diabetic, your milk may come in a few days later than this). The engorgement usually settles down within 24-48 hours. As your baby starts to feed regularly your body will adapt to producing the right quantities of milk to nourish him. Engorgement is more uncomfortable for some women than for others and is typically more pronounced with first babies. With subsequent babies, engorgement may occur sooner. You may wish to apply chilled cabbage leaves to ease engorgement, however limit use to 20 minutes, no more than 3 times per day, as cabbage can decrease milk supply.
• It is important once your milk does come in that your breasts are regularly emptied in order to stimulate and ensure a good supply of milk. Also check your breasts for blocked ducts which are more likely to occur around this time. Try to avoid wearing a bra during this short engorgement phase if possible as a bra may compress your breasts and make swelling worse.
• The colour of your early milk will gradually shift from yellow to white. At the moment your creamy transitional milk contains high levels of fat, lactose, vitamins and more calories than the colostrum. The photo bellow shows colostrum on the left expressed on day 4, and on the right is breastmilk expressed on day 8.

• On average, feedings will take about 15-20 minutes on each side, although variations are normal. Your baby may take only one side at a time but it is wise to offer both.
• If you are not happy with how things are going, get help early. It's easier to correct problems early than to be re-building a milk supply next week. I recommend speaking over the phone with a La Leche League leader or attending a La Leche League meeting.
• As a result of your milk coming in your baby will start passing soft mustard-yellow stools (or orange and even green can be normal). At this stage at least one nappy per day should be full of poop and a mess to clean up. This ‘explosive poo’ phase will continue for a few more weeks.
• Whereas in the past few days it may have been difficult to tell that your baby’s nappy is wet, now his nappies should be undeniably wet, however the urine should have no strong colour or smell.
• You may now be feeding around a dozen times over 24 hours. Soon, you will build up to around 20 minutes per feed every two to four hours. Fear not. This frequency is only temporary, and as your milk supply increases and your baby gets bigger, the breaks between feedings will get longer.

Day 5:

• Feeling tired? Night time waking is the result of healthy biology. During these early weeks breastfed babies are hungrier at night than during the day. Your newborn’s hunger naturally corresponds to the rise of your breastfeeding hormones after midnight. These late-night feedings serve to help you to build a strong milk supply. Over time, the situation will evolve, and your baby will sleep more at night and be awake for more hours during the day.
• Some nipple soreness can be present at this time but should resolve itself by day 10. Pain that makes breastfeeding intolerable and /or cracked and bleeding nipples are never normal and needs immediate attention from a health professional familiar with breastfeeding management.
• During these early days you may find relatives and other well-wishers offering to “take the baby off you while you rest/ buy groceries/ get on with the housework”. What would be more helpful however would be to hear: “let me do some housework for you while you get on with nursing and bonding with your baby”. For a not-so-subtle hint, print THIS and put it on your fridge or in another prominent place.

1 Week Old:

• Your baby will tend to gain weight steadily as your mature milk supply is established. Once your baby is regularly gaining weight, it is no longer necessary to wake them to breastfeed. Simply follow your baby’s lead.
• Expect your baby to now gain around 4-7 ounces (112-200 grams) per week for their first month.
• At this point your breasts may feel full but soft. You may frequently leak breast milk and begin wearing breastpads. However note that leaking has no relationship to how much milk you’re making.
• Young babies, both breast and formula fed, are often fussy. This fussiness starts at around 1-3 weeks, peaks at around 6-8 weeks and is gone by 3-4 months. "They want to be 'in arms' or at the breast very frequently and fuss even though you attempt to calm them. They often seem 'unsatisfied' with their feedings and even seem to reject or cry at the breast" (Mother to Mother). It is not unusual for fussiness to happen during the late afternoon and evenings, and is usually NOT due to hunger, wet/dirty nappy, or anything that you can remedy. It is usually NOT related to milk supply, although some mothers worry about this.
• By the end of this week your transitional milk will have turned into mature milk which is thinner and contains more water. It consists of 90 percent water and 10 percent of carbohydrates, proteins and fats necessary for both growth and energy. There is more watery high-protein milk at the start of a feed, gradually gaining higher levels of fat as you go through the feed.

2 Weeks Old:

• Most babies have regained their original birth weight by this age. If this is the case, the frequency of weighing should reduce. Note that there is no compulsory requirement to get your baby weighed. UK Government guidelines state that weighing can occur "if parents wish, or if there is professional concern" (see here).
• If your baby has yet to regain their birth weight, try not to worry, “it can take up to three weeks” (La Leche League). Encourage your newborn to breastfeed frequently during the day as well as during the night. Also wait until your baby has finished feeding from the first breast before offering the second. This way, you can be sure that your baby is getting to the rich, fatty hindmilk.
• You are likely to also notice your baby’s first growth spurt around this time. This means that your baby will actively return to the breast many times for closely linked ‘cluster’ feedings. Typically, this pattern occurs during the late afternoon or evening hours. Growth spurts generally last 2-3 days, but for a few mothers they can last a week or so. This is normal, healthy behaviour and NOT a sign that you have an inadequate milk supply.
• By now at least one nappy per day should be thoroughly soaked.
• Although sucking is a newborn reflex, the mechanics of effective latching on aren't. It usually takes a couple of weeks, and sometimes longer, for mothers and babies to get really good at nursing.

3 weeks old:

• You have reached the stage where your baby will probably have a little neck control and a decent latch which makes this the perfect time to practice the lying down breastfeeding position. Once mastered, this position will greatly aid night time feedings as you can snooze whilst your baby helps himself.

1 month old:

• Your baby’s weight will probably start to slow down a little from his previous rapid gain. Expect your baby to gain an average of 1-2 pounds (1/2 to 1 kilogram) per month now until 6 months.
• Your baby will grow in length by about an inch per month (2.5c.m.) until 6 months.
• Also your breastfed baby may not have many dirty nappies now. Some only pass a stool once or twice a week. Other breastfed babies may pass several per day. It depends very much on the individual. Infrequency is not a sign of constipation. Hard, difficult-to-pass stools are. Constipation is very rare in breastfed babies.
• By exclusively breastfeeding for at least 1 month you have given your baby significant protection against food allergy at 3 years of age, and also against respiratory allergy at 17 years of age (Saarinen. UM and Kajosaari. M).

Shit Crunchy Mamas Say

I can already relate to 90% of this video and I'm still pregnant. Ha!