UPDATE: After reading all your comments and suggestions on here and my instagram, I wanted to update my last post on the Art of Feeding. ʻŌmealani will be 8 months next week already! I seriously canʻt believe it! Iʻve already started planning her 1st birthday pāʻina. For those of you who arenʻt familiar with our local custom here in Hawaiʻi, we throw a big party for our babyʻs 1st birthday. I heard this tradition started in Hawaiʻi because back in the day babyʻs didnʻt always make it to one years old due to various sickness and diseases. So those who did were celebrated! So while Iʻm at home nursing this baby and a bad cold, Iʻve been trying to plan this party while also making sure my babyʻs getting proper nutrition.
After a week of this cold, I went to the doctorʻs office today to check up on baby and I. I have underlying asthma that triggers when I get bad colds so I wanted to make sure she wasnʻt developing asthma. I thought I heard her wheezing with her cold. But nope! Sheʻs all good with just a little head cold. While we were there, I also weighed her and sheʻs already gained another 2 1/2 lbs since our last visit 3 weeks ago where she gained almost 2 lbs since her 6 month visit!! But Iʻm gonna rewind a little and then fill you in on whatʻs been working for her weight and growth.
At 4 months, strictly breast feeding, her weight gain shot up on her growth chart. She was at the 75 percentile. My doctor said I could start feeding her. I started with poi but not consistently and continued to breastfeed on demand. It was around this time that I switched my prenatals from Rainbow Light to the costco brand.
At her 6 months check up, when she didn’t gain any weight my doctor said it’s not totally off since she was above average on her weight at 4 months. We should start feeding her more and come back in a week to make sure sheʻs getting the nutrition she needs. When I came back she had lost an ounce! So not only did she not gain any weight in two months, she lost weight! That’s when doctor got more serious and asked that I try supplement with formula or breast milk in her food. I started supplementing with formula for her food and a few bottles a day while still breastfeeding. I tend to have less supply in the afternoon and evenings so I started giving her formula later in the day after breastfeeding first. Since my last post about a month and a half ago sheʻs gained weight and is back to her healthy size! Iʻm gonna list the suggestions below and then let you know what is still working for me!
Side Note: MY Doctor reminded me that babies take after their parents and she may be genetically petite like me. So I canʻt compare her weight or size to the average 8 month old baby in America. Everything varies and I think this is a good thing for parents to keep in mind.
DIET-
Lots of water (I always did and continue to do this. It definitely helps)
Seaweed soup
Papayas and sweet potato (Iʻve been feeding her and myself more sweet potatoes. We both love it! Iʻm not sure if itʻs helped with my supply)
Nori (I eat furikake does that count? I donʻt notice an increase when I eat it.)
konbu
Malunggay leaves
Nutritional yeast 1 tbsp a day
Oatmeal (I notice an increase in supply right away after eating oatmeal with Chia and flax seeds. I mix them all together)
Chia
Flax seeds
Brewers yeast
ESSENTIAL OILS-
Fennel (I have this in a roller ball and occasionally roll it on. I think it works)
Basil
Clary
SUPPLEMENTS-
KaiMade Milk Cookies LINK (These have been helping me since I first started trying them when she was only a few months old. I just recently re-ordered a bag of my fav white chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and instantly saw more supply. She stays longer on my boob while nursing so I know sheʻs getting more. I eat them about half an hour before I feed her to get best results for me. Try your own. Get 20% off your cookie order with this code: MAMAKIMIE)
Mothers milk tea ( I love tea so I like this one. But I ran out and havenʻt used it in a month)
Fenugreek (controversial) (I stopped taking these for a while to try the legendary milk supplements. I read these can be harmful to mama and baby in large doses.)
Legendairy milk supplements LINK ( Iʻm currently taking their liquid gold pills 3x a day and see an increase in how long she nurses when I feed her about half an hour after I take the pills)
Upspring baby LINK
Sweetie Pie Organics LINK
Power pumping LINK (I tried this for one week and didnʻt see any difference in my supply. I left for tour after a week so maybe I needed to do it longer)
SUPPORT GROUP-
The cleavage club a breastfeeding support group on Facebook LINK
(This group says that there is no evidence that any diet or supplements help to produce more breast milk and that they are a waste of money. I disagree as I instantly see changes in my supply when I eat certain foods like oatmeal or my Kai Made Cookies)
PC: ʻŌmealaniʻs wearing Little Mermaids Hawaii custom bikini and Guava Gems bracelet and necklace.