Breastfeeding energy balls recipe
There are many ways moms try to increases their milk supply & this recipe is great for a mom with little time it takes as little as 10 minutes & has plenty of good stuff that might help you increase your milk
Date and Oat Lactation Energy Bites (Vegan & GF)
Ingredients
- 1 cup of soft dates, pitted (soak in warm water for 10 min if not already soft)
- 1/3 cup ground flax seed
- 1/3 cup rolled oats ( you can use GF)
- 6 tablespoons creamy unsalted peanut butter or any nut butter of your choice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl for a food processor process the dates until it forms a sticky ball. Add flax, oats, peanut butter, salt and vanilla. Process it again until finely ground and crumbly. It should stick together & if not add a tablespoon of water
- Use your hands to roll the dough into small bite size balls, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Place on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Cover tightly & store in the fridge or freeze until ready to eat. Once they are cold you can place them in an air tight container.
Author Detoxinista.com
Just reminding you this is not medical advice and should not be taken as such. Always see a licensed medical professional for that
Fave blogs for LGBTQ families
Photo by Peter Hershey on Unsplash
It use to be hard to find LGBTQ families but now thanks to the internet families of all kinds have blogs and websites. Here I've put together a few of my favorite blogs to help LGBTQ parents.
Blogs
I alway believe its best to get help from people who have already been there, learn from their mistakes.
I love this blog as someone who travels a lot I love seeing parents with their kids traveling. This blog has US and international destination and all the helpful advice you could want. while this site is aimed at what its like to travel with kids it have plenty of advice on parenting. I highly recommend checking their website
This is girl power all the way with Allison and her wife Lynn and their daughter. They adopted their daughter from the foster care system after years of trying to have a baby. This a great blog for any parent raising a daughter
Across the pond in London is the wildest Amber and Kirsty. They have 2 sets of twins (2014 and 2016) This blog have beautiful photos and great stories of what its like having 4 kids under 3 and under
Mombian This is a great site that has everything from current events, stories, advice and all things to do with LGBTQ families.
Here you'll find lots of cute photos of Tom, his husband and their adoptive son filled with stories of his journey becoming a dad
Photo by Matt Popovich on Unsplash
Top 10 doula tips to help morning sickness
As many as 50% of women experience morning sickness cased by the result of rising human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) hormone levels. While its called morning sickness it can happen anytime of the day mostly in the evenings (should really be called evening sickness but that doesn't have the same ring to it). By 12-14 weeks most women no longer experience morning sickness anymore.. Here are a few tips to help you during those 14 weeks
Snacks its always a good idea to have snack in you bag. You may not feel like eating but having a empty stomach will make you feel worse
Photo by Cecilia Par on Unsplash
Scents can be powerful so much you can feel sick when you smell fish, eggs, garbage or your partners cologne. Smells can also make you feel better like the smell of lemon or other citrus oils like tangerine.
Get lots of rest! Its good not just for you but for baby. Pushing yourself won't make you feel any better so make sure you take your time and rest when needed.. Don't be afraid to take a nap in the middle of the day if you can and be sure you go to bed at a decent time.
Photo by Dominik Martin on Unsplash
Ginger tea, ginger tea can help with nausea. ginger can be taken in many ways like teas, syrup and tablets. Below is a recipe for ginger tea.
With fresh ginger
- Place one tablespoon of minced fresh ginger in a cup
- Pour 8 ounces of hot water into the cup
- Cover the cup and let steep for 10 minutes
- Drink as is or add a bit of fresh lemon
With dried ginger
- Place 2 teaspoons of dried ginger powder in a cup
- Pour 8 ounces of hot water into the cup
- Cover the cup and let steep for 10 minutes
Super easy and can help with putting your stomach at ease. If you don't feel like making your own you can always buy one like this one from Numi organic tea
Safe foods. Some women swear by the good old fashion saltines as well as pretzels and rice cakes but everyone is different. Keeping track of what foods do and don't upset your stomach will help you avoid them.
Small meals eating smaller meals more often can help you with feeling sick. You might not feel like eating but having a empty stomach will make you feel worse. Eating small meals with keep something in you stomach without making you feel sick by trying to force yourself to eat a big meal
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
Keeping Track
some women find they get sick the came time of day, so writing down when you get sick can help you know what time of day is the worst for you. You might even be able to plan your day around it could be anything from your offensive coworker who insist on reheating fish in the work microwave at noon or the smell of you partner when they come home from the gym at 6pm either way tracking your sickness may help you avoid it
Stay Hydrated
This seems like it would be a easy one but if your like most people you don't drink enough water durning the day. Its really important if your vomiting form the morning sickness to keep hydrated. Try keeping a water bottle with you durning the day
Just incase you need it
Your not always going to be at home when you feel sick so you might want to think about carrying around a few things to make things a bit easier like a plastic bag. but there may be a time when your on a crowded L train (or subway) and you feel sick and there is nowhere to go. There is nothing glamours about puking into a bag in public but sometimes you don't have a choice. You might want to think about mouthwash as well or carrying your toothbrush in your bag
Lastly meds. In some cases morning sickness can take over your whole life. even Kate Middleton is not immune to it experiencing Hyperemesis Gravidarum (severe morning sickness). If you can't keep anything down and doing you normal daily activities is difficult see your doctor right away. There are a number of prescription drugs that can help you.
*There are a couple of affiliate links on this page that will make me rich beyond my dreams.....just kidding I make 6 cents (or something like that)
Just reminding you this is not medical advice and should not be taken as such. Always see a licensed medical professional for that
Pregnancy tips for plus size women
Just because your plus size doesn't mean you can't have a healthy pregnancy and baby. That being said you are at a higher risk for complications like Gestational diabetes, hypertension, Preeclampsia, Edema and a larger baby.
Photo by Leandro Cesar Santana on Unsplash
Here are a few tips on keeping healthy
- The very first thing you should do is find a doctor who treats you with the respect you deserve. Lets face it not all doctors are going to be compassionate with plus size moms, so do some research and find a doctor you feel comfortable with
- Eat healthy, try eating unprocessed foods and soda, eat whole grains, fruits and veggies. Healthy eating habits now can last well into you postpartum period and beyond
- Keep track of how much weight you gain. You should be gaining just a few pounds a month. Think about keeping a food dairy. You should gain about 15 to 20 pounds all together
- Get active no matter your size you should stay active. go for a 15-30 minuet walk with friends, family, your partner around the park or your neighborhood even for just 15 minuets at a time. You might also want to try swimming, low impact aerobics or prenatal yoga are all great way to stay active durning your pregnancy. Don't forget to always talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise
- Find a group on Facebook for plus size moms if your not lucky enough to a in person community. There are also some great books you can read to help support you like Big, Beautiful and Pregnant, and Your plus-size pregnancy and beyond
*There are a couple of affiliate links on this page that will make me rich beyond my dreams.....just kidding I make 6 cents (or something like that)
Just reminding you this is not medical advice and should not be taken as such. Always see a licensed medical professional for that
Birth plan do you really need one?
A birth plan lets your partner and the hospital know how you would like to manage labor pain and were you stand on a number of medical interventions. Some people will tell you that having a birth plan is essential but from my experience I don’t think it is. I’ve seen too many women disappointed when things don’t go exactly to the plan. I like to tell my clients to make a birth plan and then throw it out, okay maybe not throw if you really feel the need to take one with you to the hospital don’t get upset when things don’t go exactly to the plan because they won’t. Birth is unpredictable and impossible to plan every detail.
Things your birth plan might want to include
At what point in your labor do you want to go to the hospital?
What personal things do you want to bring?
What friends and family would you like to be there?
Do you plan on eating during labor and if so what foods?
What labor positions do you plan on trying? (walking, standing, squatting, hands and knees)
If the hospital has a shower and tubs do you plan on using them?
Do you want meds to induce contractions?
Do you want to take pain meds to help with pain? If so, do you have a preference?
To help ease pain do you want to try using hot packs, relaxation, breathing exercises, labor imagery or massage?
How do you feel about fetal monitoring?
How do you feel about having an episiotomy if the doctor feels its needed?
Forceps, vacuum or cesarean delivery
Do you want to hold your baby right after birth for skin to skin contact?
Do you plan on breastfeeding right away?
If you want to delay cutting the cord/ banking cord blood
If your partner wants to help deliver the baby/cut the cord
Before sitting down and making a birth plan make sure you know your options and do some research. Your plan should be just one page.
Doula guide to eating in labor
Can I eat during labor? This is a question that will get you lots of different answers but who exactly is right? I think it’s more of a what’s right for me, talk to your doctor or midwife about where they stand on the issue. Evidence supports eating & drinking during labor. These days a lot more doctors are saying it’s okay depending on what you’re eating and when. Most but not all hospital guidelines are NPO (nothing by mouth) no eating in case you need a general anesthetic for a C-section there is a small chance of aspiration (food in the stomach can regurgitate and enter the lungs) & since the odds of this happening are not common more doctors & hospitals are becoming more relaxed with the rules. The best thing to do if you plan on eating is make sure you eat before you go to the hospital something light because chances are you won’t be able to at the hospital.
There is no denying that you are going to need to keep up your energy. Some studies have shown that small amounts of food and liquids during early labor can help you cope & help give you the energy for active labor later on when the time comes to push. Your body is burning a lot of energy & needs to refuel otherwise your just burning more calories than you’re taking in which can lead to nausea, vomiting & headaches.
Most women are hungry during the early stages of labor & eating will help you get to the final stage. Keep in mind you shouldn’t eat a large meal but some light smacks & plenty of fluids can help.
Things you might want to eat are sugar it will give you a boost of energy but keep in mind it won’t last and may leave you feeling more tired. Carbs are good because they slowly release energy lasting longer giving you that extra push you need.
· Honey sticks are a good choice it’s a small amount but enough to give you a little more energy
- Applesauce
- Jello
- Peanut butter & jelly
- Energy bars
- Pasta
- Toast
- Bananas
- Yogurt
- Popsicle's
- Chicken or vegetable broth
- Fruit juice or coconut water
Keep in mind that this is just early labor once you’re in active labor you most likely won’t want to eat but make sure you keep drinking fluids labor is hard & you don’t want get dehydrated. Have your partner remind you to keep drinking because chances are you will be so distracted that you may not remember
*There are a couple of affiliate links on this page that will make me rich beyond my dreams.....just kidding I make something like 6 cents
Just reminding you this is not medical advice and should not be taken as such. Always see a licensed medical professional for that