Got Milk? I didn't . . . BUT NOW I DO!!!

MOOOOOOO! It's so exciting, I can't help wanting to scream it from the rooftops. So this is basically your free tutorial to increasing breastmilk production (visuals included). :) Because of some heavy hemorrhaging, and who knows all what, my milk took quite a while to come in. The "boob Nazis" came out of the woodwork, offering their advice and two-cents. Everyone had an opinion and it was a bit stressy! It seemed horribly ironic and cruel that I had carried around these big milkers for so many years only to find out they were DUDS! My roller-coaster hormones after delivering didn't make it easier--I felt such guilt about not being able to feed my baby and discouraged that I was having to supplement with formula. Wow, I can understand why people give up on breastfeeding and go the bottle! And thank heavens, we have the option! But after a week, we scheduled an appointment with a lactation specialist at the hospital. I went in hanging my head in defeat. But Elaine, my sweet angel worked with us for hours and sent me off with new confidence, calmness, and optimism.

So, take it from the professionals, endorsed strongly by ME personally, this is the recipe for success!

3 capsules of the herb Fenugreek
+ 3 capsules of the herb Blessed Thistle
(each taken 3 times daily)=
MAJORLY INCREASED MILK PRODUCTION!
I went from under an ounce (pumping for 20 minutes) to almost 2 full little bottles (over 7 ounces) in one week! YAHOO!

The best part . . . A&W Rootbeer (from the restaurant, has to be "draft" style) is highly encouraged (and so delicious) because of its yeast.

Wendy's frostys are recommended (because of their malt) . . . YES, PLEASE!

And oatmeal is also helpful because of the oats.

A good pump (we rented the hospital one for a week) also makes a BIG DIFFERENCE!

So there, ya go! Baby Maddie finally started gaining weight and is flourishing. Momma is happy and less-stressed (which is also very helpful for nursing). I'm so grateful for these helpful tips and wanted to remember them always. Kid tested, mother approved!

Cute Cousins . . . Cont. :)

Yes, Maddie loves her big, huge, fabulous family! The Hough family consists of Grandma Patsy, her three kids (Matt's the baby), and six adorable grandkids (Maddie's the newest addition). We are able to gather together quickly and quite easily with everyone living in Utah--from Price on up north.

The Black family, however, well that's a different story! This side of the family can not be easily gathered or contained for one single photo. Grandma and Grandpa Black had nine kids (Kaye falls in the middle of the tribe), and Madison Mae is their 20th grandchild! We cherish moments when most of us can congregate but wonder if there will ever be a reunion again where ALL of us will be together. So we'll just keep snapping those shots of individual families/cousins as they meet and play with little Maddie Mae.

Mike and Em's family came up to see us after Maddie was born and then Em brought the kids up to help me pack and move out of my first grade classroom (oh, the end of an era). We snapped a few pics of baby Jessica Nicole (just two months older than Maddie) and her mini-cuz together. Madison shares the same middle name as her cousin Amy Mae (because we love HER, and the name, of course). Madison shares the special white streak (a patch of white hair at the front of her head--Mom has it, too) with her cousins Katelyn and Brigham from this family (other cousins have it, too)!







Special Note on cousin Katelyn Susan Black--I lived with Mike and Emily in Pleasant Grove when Katelyn and Amy were just brand new, so of course, they hold a special place in my heart. Katelyn is one of my angel nieces. She and Amy worked tirelessly, they had their mom leave them in Logan with me for several days to work in my classroom--and believe me--they worked! Emily recently told me that when Madison was born, Katelyn was so thrilled for me. That day, as she was home in Bountiful, she would periodically proclaim--"Aunt Kaye has a baby!" She was just so happy for me. It touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes. She loves her auntie and was so thrilled when she could finally be a mommy. Oh, I love that Katelyn girl!

Cousins, cousins, cousins!

Maddie is so lucky to have cousins galore. The Hough and Black families shower this little peanut with so much love. She's one lucky little lady!
The Hough Tribe:













WE HEART THE HOUGHS!

Rub-a-Dub-Dub

Just like her momma, Maddie LOVES the therapeutic powers of warm, rushing water. She is calmed by the sound and comforted by the water's warm embrace. When we really struggled with breastfeeding in the beginning, one of the only positions we found that worked was sitting over the edge of the tub. The roaring water would silence her sobbing and I would let the water collect around my tootsies, giving me a relaxing foot message that would help me de-stress and let my milk down. A good bath is better than Prozac and Loritab combined (not that I have been prescribed or would combine these two in a deadly cocktail--I just mean it's a mood-booster and a pain reliever all in one)!

FIRST HOSPITAL BATH





FIRST BATH AT HOME--MATT ALWAYS LOVES TO GIVE MADDIE HER BATHS




U.P.S. men (well Matthew Michael, at least) know how to package and deliver sweet, precious parcels:

Nanny McLil

We were a little worried about how Lily, our little five pound Chihuahua, would adjust to our new bundle of joy. We've kept a close eye on little Lilers, but have been pleasantly surprised with her behavior. Sure, she's been EXHAUSTED and slightly ignored lately, but she's been nothing but a doting nursey. I have taken to calling her "Nanny." She calmly and tirelessly follows momma and baby around the house all day, helping when she can.

Truthfully, she's a little ambivalent about the baby--interested but standoffish, loving from a safe distance. But she gets super alarmed when she sees momma's stress level rising. When nursing consisted of an hour of frustrated crying (momma and baby), Lily would lay by momma's feet and lick her toes to encourage and urge her on.

Everyday Lily bonds with baby more and more. When I was downstairs in the kitchen yesterday, she barked loudly twice (something she never does, unless some one knocks on the door). It seemed strange so I ran upstairs. Baby was whimpering quietly, congested and chokey. I was listening for a loud cry but Lily's keen ears could hear the quieter sounds of distress. She is a loving nurse and nanny. If only she were hairless (darn those black hairs on baby's blankets)!

BEAR DOWN!

Matt found this gem of a t-shirt at D.I. for me (brand new with tags still on . . . what a find) when I was huge pregnant (see previous "XL Love" post). I thought the message was especially fitting for labor and delivery. And it was!

But, glory me ... pushing that baby out was the easy part! Figuring out breastfeeding when my milk took two weeks to come in, patiently loving a stuffy, congested, sick sad newborn, packing up my first grade classroom and career of almost a decade, dealing with a roller-coaster of after-birth hormones, actual dizziness and loony-bin behavior from sleep deprivation, and figuring out how to be a happy, sweet, loving family in spite of it all . . . now that requires some guts, grit, spunk, spirit, perseverance, and fortitude! Who knew such a tiny-tot could so effortlessly, successfully, and totally kick her momma's trash! This teeny-tiny 8 pound babe is totally rockin' my world. Now is the time to BEAR DOWN!

So even though I will soon be way too tiny to wear this tent-sized tee (optimism and wishful thinking, there), I am in no way ready to retire its motto. It just gets more applicable and meaningful everyday!

"This will change your life forever!"

A few months before Maddie Mae was born, I was texting my mom who is in Colorado serving an L.D.S. mission (don't worry--she wasn't breaking any rules...they're a little easier/more lax with those senior couples). I was to the point in my pregnancy where I wasn't yet terribly uncomfortable, but was also very excited to meet peanut. I liked watching Maddie roll around in my tummy (which she did a LOT). Matt would "spank her bumb," through my big baby bump. I knew she was safe and happy inside me and although I wasn't sleeping a ton, I knew (and was correct) that I'd be sleeping much less soon enough. I was also getting a tiny bit terrified about delivery (wasted energy--you can't control a darn thing when it comes to labor and it turned out to be quite a bit easier than I imagined . . . it's spelled E-P-I-D-U-R-A-L, ladies). So altogether, it was a mixed pot of emotions--excitement, fear, anxiety, and joy. I was expressing this to my mom when she sent me a beautiful one-liner:

"THIS WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER."

I still have the text message saved in my phone and knew, without really knowing, that my mom was dispensing some powerful wisdom. I would peek inside my phone, read the message, and get a little shiver down my spine each day as the due date grew closer.

Oddly enough, during one of Grandma Patsy's first encounters with Maddie (it may have even been at the hospital), she looked up at me, and, using the exact same words, stated, "THIS WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER."

Several other mommas have used similar expressions in conversations with me over the last two weeks. My big sister, Kellie, when trying to comfort me during some breastfeeding blues, said, "Life will never be the same...for the GOOD...most days." :) And now I understand. Probably not completely. But more and more everyday. Motherhood is HARD. But it is also the most beautiful, wonderful, rewarding, joyful, perfect thing in the whole world. Oooooooooooh, how I love my baby girl!

Grandma's Girl

(SHIRT SAYS, "GRANDMA'S GIRL"--another adorable Grandma Patsy outfit)

Maddie loves her grandmas! She's only met Grandma Patsy (Matt's marvelous mom) so far. Grandma Black is serving a mission in Colorado and we miss her terribly but are so proud of her and are grateful for all the blessings we're receiving due to her and Grandpa Black's wonderful, selfless missionary service. We will visit in Colorado at the end of July...YAHOO! Grandma Patsy came up from Price to help for the first week of Madison's life. She did the laundry, cooked and cleaned, and even brought Matt and I breakfast in bed! She is sweet and reassuring, a calm, helpful influence that we treasured during a fun, sometimes stressful transition-filled week. Patsy bought Madison an entire wardrobe--no exaggeration! It seems like everyday, Maddie models a new "Grandma Patsy outfit." She is so generous and kind...already spoiling that granddaughter rotten! She spent countless hours knitting Maddie a treasured pink layette--blanket, bonnet, booties, and jacket. We love our grandmas very much!

P.S. ...and of course we love Grandpa Black, too! After all, he does "have a special way with small children." We can't wait til you can "honk Maddie's head," "squeeze the dear children," and "rumble your deep, calming voice" in her ear soon!





Grandma's Butterfly...yet another Grandma Patsy outfit!


When baby (but mostly momma) get missing Grandma Marcia, we snuggle in this adorable blanket that she spent HOURS hand-stitching. It was a labor of love and we love the bright, smiling jungle animals. Grandma Black also helped buy us Maddie's Graco travel system set which we already use almost everyday. Maddie LOVES stroller rides and her carseat. We know we can't measure a grandma's love through the objects she buys/makes us, but if you could...this is one LOVED LITTLE GIRLIE! More than anything, Grandma Patsy and Marcia, Maddie will forever treasure your examples, service and kindness, friendship, and lasting legacy of love. She is such a lucky grand-girl!