Surviving Growth Spurts

With the dreaded 3 week, 6 week, 12 week, etc. growth spurts on the horizon I know I'm in for a lot of time on the couch feeding G.

If you're unaware, growth spurts absolutely suck. You go from being a confident breastfeeding master to a sobbing mess. All of a sudden, your little one isn't satisfied and spends most of the evening crying through feedings and rooting all over the place. It can be mental torture and seriously hard on the boob esteem.

There are a few things you can do to try and prepare for this fun milestone/right of passage. First is to get plenty of rest (funny, right?), second is to keep nursing on demand as much as possible, and last, try to boost your supply through diet. A quick Google search of "lactogenic" foods will turn up a ton of sites with lists of how to boost your supply. None of them are scientifically proven, but a lot of Moms swear by them. All are healthy anyway, so why not give them a shot. Foods such as oatmeal, legumes, fruits and veggies with a lot of folic acid and fiber, grains such as barley, and of course plenty of water. Lots and lots of water.

A delicious and fun way to get in some good stuff is through lactation cookies. You heard me right - lactation cookies. Think oatmeal cookies on crack. I got this recipe from The Leaky B@@b and made them this week. They. were. delicious! I had to practically hide them from J, threatening that if he ate too many and lactated he would need to help with late night feedings. ;-)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
• 4 tablespoons of water
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons brewer's yeast
• 3 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

• If not in milled form, soak the flaxseed in the water for a few minutes to soften.
• Mix dry ingredients.
• Cream together butter and sugar, add eggs, flaxseed, and vanilla.
• Add to dry ingredients.
• Drop on cookie sheet
• Bake 8 - 12 minutes on 375º (I cooked them for 10 and they were perfect)

This recipe easily made 4 dozen cookies! The hardest thing to find ingredient wise was the Brewer's Yeast. I ended up finding it at WalMart in the vitamin section for about $3 a bottle. It came in pill form, but it was easy to crush up with a rolling pin.

So, I've got my oatmeal for breakfast, cookies for a snack, lentil soup for lunch (recipe to come!), and plenty of water. While I wish I could solve the world's breastfeeding issues with cookies, another piece of surviving growth spurts is patience and perspective. Enjoy the time with your baby, keep on nursing, have confidence in your ability to feed your baby, and remember....this too shall pass.

Bring it on, growth spurts.