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Yummy Mummy's Blog
Two Moms, Two Perspectives - One Blog
Ami & Jessica share their musings on everything from breastfeeding nutrition, breastfeeding tips, milk supply issues, returning to work after baby and general life trying to be a Yummy Mummy.
What Should I Eat While Breastfeeding? Part II. (July '10)
The answer to this one is quite simple, and often hard to do: Sea Vegetables. Yes, I'm talking about seaweed and don't be too put off to stop reading!
One of the most common questions nursing mothers have is what to eat and how to feed themselves properly when 1 minute might be more than they can take for themselves to eat properly. THE most nutritious foods on our planet are sea vegetables. The reason is simple in that they contain incredible amounts of minerals like calcium, iron and zinc as well as many much needed vitamins. As an added bonus, sea veggies contain amounts similar in composition to those in the human blood stream which means they are easily digested (unlike many supplemented forms). Eating some kelp, dulse or hijiki every day can provide a hot of nutrients sorely needed by women. Yet because of the sea-flavor, many are turned off by adding a scoop to a salad or sandwich. I understand this completely which is why I learned to incorporate sea veggies into foods without anyone even knowing. All Yummy Mummy Cookies have kelp in them for this natural nutrient boost to benefit both you and baby.
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Wondering What Should I Eat While Breastfeeding? Answer: Fat. (June '10)
One of the most common questions nursing mothers have is how and what to eat. This is a simple yet complex anwer. I will try to answer this throughout the months to give you the best information without having to read a novel. I'm going to start with the most basic--and feared--of nutrients this month: Fat. And yes, you should definitely eat some.
Fat makes you fat, right? Absolutely not. This is such a difficult concept for us to understand in our body image obsessed culture. Excess of any calories makes one gain weight, not just fat. Moreover, fat is absolutely critical to growing a baby's brain healthfully and is also a key to maintaining your own well-being and helping to ward off postpartum depression.
Fats to avoid. Margarine, shortening, salad oils and most vegetable oils are not the best fats out there. They are known to increase inflammation in the body without giving the health benefits other oils can. Additionally, these fats tend to be less useful and more often stored in the body, i.e. fat cells.
The critical part of this is what types of fat to include. Virgin Coconut Oil is fantastic! I know many people think it is full of cholesterol but there is absolutely zero cholesterol in coconut oil (cholesterol is ONLY found in animals, never in plants). Regardless, it is a great source of lauric acid, a building block for the immune system and has even been known to promote destruction of the AIDS virus. Hilary Jacobson sums this up best in Mother Food: Lauric acid is found in coconut oil, palm oil and breastmilk. It normally makes up 3% of breastfmilk but when eating coconut every day, lauric acid may multiply to 18% in breastmilk. Lauric acid has potent antiviral and antimicrobial properties. This is one of the many reasons your baby's health is protected when you breastfeed.
Still worried? Coconut oil is a type of medium-chain fat used in the body for energy that is easily digested and less likely to be stored as fat in your own body. Use some coconut on your oatmeal, a spoonfull to saute' vegetables, or mix some into a smoothie. Of course, Yummy Mummy Cookies use organic virgin coconut oil instead of butter or shortening so you will get lauric acid and good fats there too!
Want to know more or suggest a topic for next week? Send an email to info@yummymummycookies and get your question answered by a Certified Nutritionist and mom.
----------------------------------------------------
Yummy Mummy Mailbox (May '10)
One of the most common questions have is what to eat and how to feed themselves properly when 1 minute might be more than they can take for themselves to eat properly. THE most nutritious foods on our planet are sea vegetables. The reason is simple in that they contain incredible amounts of minerals like calcium, iron and zinc as well as many much needed vitamins. As an added bonus, sea veggies contain amounts similar in composition to those in the human blood stream which means they are easily digested (unlike many supplemented forms). Eating some kelp, dulse or hijiki every day can provide a hot of nutrients sorely needed by women. Yet because of the sea-flavor, many are turned off by adding a scoop to a salad or sandwich. I understand this completely which is why I learned to incorporate sea veggies into foods without anyone even knowing. All Yummy Mummy Cookies have kelp in them for this natural nutrient boost to benefit both you and baby. (June '10)Hi there!
Our Reply:
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Beer & Increasing Lactation (May '10)
Ami found this funny old advertisement for Blatz Beer, I love the line: "obviously baby participates in its benefits." I wonder if they meant that the baby gets a nice light beer buzz and passes out without crying. I remember the days when I might have gotten close to trying that!
Obviously now we know that drinking while nursing isn't a great idea unless you're able to have a gap of around 2 hours between a drink and a nursing session. One common misconception is that you need to pump and dump your milk if you're going to have a tipple. Fortunately this is unnecessary, your body metabolizes the alcohol in one drink within 2 hours so it doesn't reach your baby. I had the hardest time pouring out any of my pumped milk, it was like liquid gold to me because it seemed so hard to get and there was never enough for my hungry boy.
Beer is often recommended for boosting milk supply, which is one of the reasons we've included Brewer's Yeast in all of our cookies. The yeast is the ingredient in the beer attributed with the milk supply increasing properties. I used to drink cases of non-alcoholic beer when my son was really little. It always seemed funny to have him in my arms during another marathon nursing session while I sipped on a can.
----------------------------------------------------
Back to Work after Baby (May '10)
Sigh....my last night as a stay-at-home mom/lactation cookie entrepreneur. Funny that I chose tonight as the first time to finally contribute to our blog (thanks for holding up the fort Ami!). I guess it's just one of those emotional hurdles that you feel the need to commemorate by pouring your soul into the blogosphere. I've been incredibly lucky to have 19 months at home with my son Sacha and the time to kick off this cookie business which I couldn't be more proud of. Juggling work and baby and business isn't going to be easy. I think it's going to be akin to having your first child - you think you know how tough it'll be but you have no idea.
Over the next few months I'll share any tips or tricks I learn for juggling it all. I'd love to hear your thoughts - what has worked for you? Any tips for moms continuing to breastfeed after returning to work?
----------------------------------------------------
So Over It (May '10)
I get it. Breastfeeding can be less than wonderful at times. And if you pump to feed, it can be even more of a hassle. As a health care provider, I absolutely support full-term breastfeeding. As a very busy mom whose friends had all stopped nursing, I felt emotionally done after about 15 months. Even though my schedule doesn't always sync up with my daughter's I know that I will continue to do what is best for her. As babies transition to getting many nutrients from solid foods, only breastmilk contains immunity for your child. While they develop their own system, children rely on receiving immunoglobulins (or antibodies) to ward off many common childhood illnesses through your own system. And so I will continue to be 5 minutes late or need to leave a little bit early from meetings for a while longer, my daughter needs me.
----------------------------------------------------
Does Organic Really Matter? (Mar '10)
When you're pregnant it seems you would do absolutely anything to make sure your baby will have the optimum environment to grow. After birth, little things start creeping back, a glass of wine here and there or your cup of morning coffee. And while you're no longer sharing your body directly with baby, as a nursing mother, certain nutrients still come through your breast milk. Research shows that pesticides, fungicides, herbicides and other chemicals used in food production are known to pass through milk. Babies and young children are especially at risk of damage from exposure.
I recommend checking out the Environmental Working Group for help in choosing which fruits and vegetables to focus on if finding and buying organically grown is a challenge for you. http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php. Certain foods like peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, strawberries, grapes, carrots and lettuce are known to have the highest concentration of chemicals. Unfortunately, these cannot be simply washed off either.
Yummy Mummy Cookies are naturally processed and have organic ingredients. Is that really so important? There is no doubt about it.
----------------------------------------------------
Late Night Pumping. (Feb '10)
Have you been there? Nursing at night can be exhausting, but pumping in those wee hours can become tedious and even overwhelming at times. Here are some tips to keep up the good work to keeping up your milk supply!
1. Milk supply seems to peak between 3am and 4am. If you're able to wake up then, pumping now can give you great results. Keep lights dim and set everything up before you go to sleep.
2. Keep the pump by your bed. If you nurse at night, have the pump plugged in and ready to go. While it might take a try or two, you'll soon figure out how to pump one breast while you nurse the other. Or wait until your baby is through and pump both sides for less pumping gymnastics.
3. Keep a cooler with an ice pack next to your bed. When you're through pumping, place milk in the bag and go back to sleep. This will keep you from needing to get up and go to the refrigerator.
4. Keep a bottle of water by your bed or pumping station at all times. Sometimes a low milk supply is simply lack of proper hydration.
5. Keep snacks by the pump. It's perfectly fine and often recommended to snack late at night while you're nursing. Besides, you need those extra calories to keep up a healthy supply. Treat yourself to a Yummy Mummy Cookie each time you pump. Pair it with a glass of water or herbal tea for optimum well being. You might even be able to go back to sleep easier with a full tummy!
6. Know that this won't last forever. Day to day (or night to night) can seem forever. A few months from now it will all be through and you'll have a happy and healthy baby thanking you with sweet kisses.
Ami & Jessica share their musings on everything from breastfeeding nutrition, breastfeeding tips, milk supply issues, returning to work after baby and general life trying to be a Yummy Mummy.
What Should I Eat While Breastfeeding? Part II. (July '10)
The answer to this one is quite simple, and often hard to do: Sea Vegetables. Yes, I'm talking about seaweed and don't be too put off to stop reading!
One of the most common questions nursing mothers have is what to eat and how to feed themselves properly when 1 minute might be more than they can take for themselves to eat properly. THE most nutritious foods on our planet are sea vegetables. The reason is simple in that they contain incredible amounts of minerals like calcium, iron and zinc as well as many much needed vitamins. As an added bonus, sea veggies contain amounts similar in composition to those in the human blood stream which means they are easily digested (unlike many supplemented forms). Eating some kelp, dulse or hijiki every day can provide a hot of nutrients sorely needed by women. Yet because of the sea-flavor, many are turned off by adding a scoop to a salad or sandwich. I understand this completely which is why I learned to incorporate sea veggies into foods without anyone even knowing. All Yummy Mummy Cookies have kelp in them for this natural nutrient boost to benefit both you and baby.
----------------------------------------------------
Wondering What Should I Eat While Breastfeeding? Answer: Fat. (June '10)
One of the most common questions nursing mothers have is how and what to eat. This is a simple yet complex anwer. I will try to answer this throughout the months to give you the best information without having to read a novel. I'm going to start with the most basic--and feared--of nutrients this month: Fat. And yes, you should definitely eat some.
Fat makes you fat, right? Absolutely not. This is such a difficult concept for us to understand in our body image obsessed culture. Excess of any calories makes one gain weight, not just fat. Moreover, fat is absolutely critical to growing a baby's brain healthfully and is also a key to maintaining your own well-being and helping to ward off postpartum depression.
Fats to avoid. Margarine, shortening, salad oils and most vegetable oils are not the best fats out there. They are known to increase inflammation in the body without giving the health benefits other oils can. Additionally, these fats tend to be less useful and more often stored in the body, i.e. fat cells.
The critical part of this is what types of fat to include. Virgin Coconut Oil is fantastic! I know many people think it is full of cholesterol but there is absolutely zero cholesterol in coconut oil (cholesterol is ONLY found in animals, never in plants). Regardless, it is a great source of lauric acid, a building block for the immune system and has even been known to promote destruction of the AIDS virus. Hilary Jacobson sums this up best in Mother Food: Lauric acid is found in coconut oil, palm oil and breastmilk. It normally makes up 3% of breastfmilk but when eating coconut every day, lauric acid may multiply to 18% in breastmilk. Lauric acid has potent antiviral and antimicrobial properties. This is one of the many reasons your baby's health is protected when you breastfeed.
Still worried? Coconut oil is a type of medium-chain fat used in the body for energy that is easily digested and less likely to be stored as fat in your own body. Use some coconut on your oatmeal, a spoonfull to saute' vegetables, or mix some into a smoothie. Of course, Yummy Mummy Cookies use organic virgin coconut oil instead of butter or shortening so you will get lauric acid and good fats there too!
Want to know more or suggest a topic for next week? Send an email to info@yummymummycookies and get your question answered by a Certified Nutritionist and mom.
----------------------------------------------------
Yummy Mummy Mailbox (May '10)
One of the most common questions have is what to eat and how to feed themselves properly when 1 minute might be more than they can take for themselves to eat properly. THE most nutritious foods on our planet are sea vegetables. The reason is simple in that they contain incredible amounts of minerals like calcium, iron and zinc as well as many much needed vitamins. As an added bonus, sea veggies contain amounts similar in composition to those in the human blood stream which means they are easily digested (unlike many supplemented forms). Eating some kelp, dulse or hijiki every day can provide a hot of nutrients sorely needed by women. Yet because of the sea-flavor, many are turned off by adding a scoop to a salad or sandwich. I understand this completely which is why I learned to incorporate sea veggies into foods without anyone even knowing. All Yummy Mummy Cookies have kelp in them for this natural nutrient boost to benefit both you and baby. (June '10)
Recently we've received a few emails asking us to share our recipe for healthy Lactation Cookies:
Hi there!
I am nursing my 5-month old and just back to work a few weeks ago, and of course, obsessed with my milk production! I heard about "lactation cookies" from another mother at my daughter's daycare and found the recipe on your website, which is the same one that's all over the internet as I'm sure you know! I was wondering if you would be willing to share any advice or tips on baking with fenugreek?
Thank you!
Jennifer
Our Reply:
Hi Jennifer,
We're flattered that you've come to us for baking advice and we're very familiar with the milk-supply obsession. I think I talked of nothing else for the first 6 months after I had my son (I must have been excellent company for my husband and friends!)
Unfortunately as you mentioned, there are recipes for lactation cookies all over the internet as well as a few other companies producing those recipes in the form of ready-made cookies. One of our key differentiators is that we use fenugreek, the one ingredient scientifically proven to increase milk production. It's taken us months of work and research to determine how we can incorporate fenugreek into our cookies without causing the tell-tale spiciness and bitterness that usually accompanies it.
So, I'm sure you can understand that it’s a secret we're guarding closely. We can tell you though that it’s a common ingredient in Indian-style curry dishes (where the heat and bitterness aren’t such an issue). Mmm...Lactation Curry!
Jessica & Ami
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Beer & Increasing Lactation (May '10)
Ami found this funny old advertisement for Blatz Beer, I love the line: "obviously baby participates in its benefits." I wonder if they meant that the baby gets a nice light beer buzz and passes out without crying. I remember the days when I might have gotten close to trying that!
Obviously now we know that drinking while nursing isn't a great idea unless you're able to have a gap of around 2 hours between a drink and a nursing session. One common misconception is that you need to pump and dump your milk if you're going to have a tipple. Fortunately this is unnecessary, your body metabolizes the alcohol in one drink within 2 hours so it doesn't reach your baby. I had the hardest time pouring out any of my pumped milk, it was like liquid gold to me because it seemed so hard to get and there was never enough for my hungry boy.
Beer is often recommended for boosting milk supply, which is one of the reasons we've included Brewer's Yeast in all of our cookies. The yeast is the ingredient in the beer attributed with the milk supply increasing properties. I used to drink cases of non-alcoholic beer when my son was really little. It always seemed funny to have him in my arms during another marathon nursing session while I sipped on a can.
----------------------------------------------------
Back to Work after Baby (May '10)
Sigh....my last night as a stay-at-home mom/lactation cookie entrepreneur. Funny that I chose tonight as the first time to finally contribute to our blog (thanks for holding up the fort Ami!). I guess it's just one of those emotional hurdles that you feel the need to commemorate by pouring your soul into the blogosphere. I've been incredibly lucky to have 19 months at home with my son Sacha and the time to kick off this cookie business which I couldn't be more proud of. Juggling work and baby and business isn't going to be easy. I think it's going to be akin to having your first child - you think you know how tough it'll be but you have no idea.
Over the next few months I'll share any tips or tricks I learn for juggling it all. I'd love to hear your thoughts - what has worked for you? Any tips for moms continuing to breastfeed after returning to work?
----------------------------------------------------
So Over It (May '10)
I get it. Breastfeeding can be less than wonderful at times. And if you pump to feed, it can be even more of a hassle. As a health care provider, I absolutely support full-term breastfeeding. As a very busy mom whose friends had all stopped nursing, I felt emotionally done after about 15 months. Even though my schedule doesn't always sync up with my daughter's I know that I will continue to do what is best for her. As babies transition to getting many nutrients from solid foods, only breastmilk contains immunity for your child. While they develop their own system, children rely on receiving immunoglobulins (or antibodies) to ward off many common childhood illnesses through your own system. And so I will continue to be 5 minutes late or need to leave a little bit early from meetings for a while longer, my daughter needs me.
----------------------------------------------------
Does Organic Really Matter? (Mar '10)
When you're pregnant it seems you would do absolutely anything to make sure your baby will have the optimum environment to grow. After birth, little things start creeping back, a glass of wine here and there or your cup of morning coffee. And while you're no longer sharing your body directly with baby, as a nursing mother, certain nutrients still come through your breast milk. Research shows that pesticides, fungicides, herbicides and other chemicals used in food production are known to pass through milk. Babies and young children are especially at risk of damage from exposure.
I recommend checking out the Environmental Working Group for help in choosing which fruits and vegetables to focus on if finding and buying organically grown is a challenge for you. http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php. Certain foods like peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, strawberries, grapes, carrots and lettuce are known to have the highest concentration of chemicals. Unfortunately, these cannot be simply washed off either.
Yummy Mummy Cookies are naturally processed and have organic ingredients. Is that really so important? There is no doubt about it.
----------------------------------------------------
Late Night Pumping. (Feb '10)
Have you been there? Nursing at night can be exhausting, but pumping in those wee hours can become tedious and even overwhelming at times. Here are some tips to keep up the good work to keeping up your milk supply!
1. Milk supply seems to peak between 3am and 4am. If you're able to wake up then, pumping now can give you great results. Keep lights dim and set everything up before you go to sleep.
2. Keep the pump by your bed. If you nurse at night, have the pump plugged in and ready to go. While it might take a try or two, you'll soon figure out how to pump one breast while you nurse the other. Or wait until your baby is through and pump both sides for less pumping gymnastics.
3. Keep a cooler with an ice pack next to your bed. When you're through pumping, place milk in the bag and go back to sleep. This will keep you from needing to get up and go to the refrigerator.
4. Keep a bottle of water by your bed or pumping station at all times. Sometimes a low milk supply is simply lack of proper hydration.
5. Keep snacks by the pump. It's perfectly fine and often recommended to snack late at night while you're nursing. Besides, you need those extra calories to keep up a healthy supply. Treat yourself to a Yummy Mummy Cookie each time you pump. Pair it with a glass of water or herbal tea for optimum well being. You might even be able to go back to sleep easier with a full tummy!
6. Know that this won't last forever. Day to day (or night to night) can seem forever. A few months from now it will all be through and you'll have a happy and healthy baby thanking you with sweet kisses.