Keeping Milk Supply While Losing Weight

How to maintain milk supply while getting fit and losing weight? Workout for C-Section? What to eat? How much to eat?

Here's my TOP TIPS for losing weight after a c-section (or vaginal delivery) while breastfeeding! I'm currently 6 months post partum and down 40 pounds, so excited!

Clean Eating Lactation Cookies

I'm pretty proud of myself! I am NOT a baker. Cooking, yes, baking, no! But I wanted to boost supply a bit with some lactation cookies, and every recipe I found was a hodge podge of unhealthy ingredients. One even claimed to be clean but contained brown sugar and white flour! So since I've been cleaning up recipes for myself for about two years, I decided I could totally tackle this clean eating baking recipe like the boss that I am!!! Hint: Go into anything with that kind of confidence, and you're unstoppable!

These are soft, flakey, and kid/husband approved! And you don't have to be nursing to enjoy them! Think: delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookie!


Ingredients:


1/2 cup REAL butter, softened (I microwave for about 20 seconds cause I'm impatient)

16 Oz of Peanut Butter

1 1/2 cups coconut sugar

1 Tbs maple syrup

2 teasp vanilla extract

3 Eggs

3 1/2 cups of rolled oats

1/2 cup coconut flour

3 Tbs ground flax seed (You can use up to 1/2 cup, depending on how much supply you want to boost. If you use 1/2 cup, back down your flour to 1/4 cup)

2 teasp baking soda

1/2 teasp sea salt

1 cup dark chocolate mini chips

1/2 cup of chopped or slivered almonds. I just tossed a handful in my food processor and chopped them up!

*Optional: if you're supply is really lacking, you can add 2-3 T of Brewer's yeast (Not nutritional yeast!) You can find it at a health food store or on Amazon (Of course, what do they not have?)



Directions:

Mix the butter, coconut sugar, peanut butter. Then add the other wet ingredients and mix well.

Bakers, you know you're supposed to mix the salt, baking soda, flour, and oats first, then add. Truly, I never do this, and I've yet to run into a big bite of unmixed salty-ness. But if you're a baker, mix your dry ingredients first then add them, if you're not, then you're like me, just add them in and hope for the best!

Finally, add the chocolate chips and almonds.


Preheat oven to 350.

Scoop a two inch ball out of the very sticky dough, place in on an ungreased cookie sheet and press it down to flatten it a bit.

Bake for about 9 minutes.

This recipe makes a ton! But your family is going to gobble them up, so that's okay.

And in the morning, if you decide to have cookies for breakfast, add a little almond milk and start dunking, guilt free, because they are clean and delicious! Rock on, mama!

Getting Pregnant

Since getting pregnant with my second, it's been on my heart to think about those that struggle with infertility. With my first daughter, my husband and I got a little *surprise* as she was totally unexpected. You never realize how many people get pregnant while taking birth control until it happens to you! Not really "happened to me," she's a total welcomed blessing! But it was truly shocking. When my husband and I FINALLY (as all the family says) decided it was time for our second, I thought it was going to be a piece of cake! First try right?!? I mean we conceived the first without even trying, truly this must be easy when you're actually trying? Right? Wrong.

It took us 4 months to conceive our second. And trust me friends, I KNOW that this is by no means a "long time." Anything under a year is totally normal. And some of your have been trying for multiple years. But wow, each time that test read negative or I started my period, the disappointment was tangible. It was downright painful.

So to those who have been trying for so very long, my prayer for you is that God blesses you with a baby this Christmas. I can't imagine waiting longer than my brief four months. So for you superstars, you are amazing. You are strong.

Pregnancy

Hi Friends, you may have been wondering where I went?! I'm always actively posting on my Facebook page, but my blogging has taken a bit of a backseat lately. I gotta tell you, this pregnancy has really been taking a toll on me. I don't know if this little bundle of joy is possibly a boy (stay tuned later this month!) or maybe it's just that I'm 5 years older now and have a 4 year old to chase around, but this pregnancy has been MUCH harder on me than my first. It's the best reason to feel awful, right?!?

Fitness wise, I've been struggling a bit. First, I'm just very very very tired. Being a mom of a 4 and 14 year old in my home, I'm busy! No time for the occasional nap like my first pregnancy. And sometimes the tired-ness bring me down, down to the couch that is! Plus, I had a scare in my first trimester and I am just a little nervous about working out too hard with the baby. I know deep down that it will be okay, but a pregnant mommy still lets the worry get the best of her! Also, this kiddo wants CARBS, and LOTS of them. I've been doing pretty good with my nutrition, and keeping up with my Shakeology of course, but I have indulged in some foods that I wouldn't normally. And I'm giving myself a break on that! Pregnancy cravings are no joke, and it's really a good time to eat some carbs and not feel guilty, so I'm not letting myself feel guilty about it! My pregnancy is a healthy one, so I'm okay with the occasional donut (gasp!)

Thanks for letting me be real! 19 weeks and counting! Baby will arrive early May.