Hello my darlings,
Man oh man the last month has been a whirlwind. Between my mom having a major emergency surgery (she is recovering slowly but surely at home), a newborn and partnering with our local family yoga studio all while the hubby was away for a chunk of the time, I have honestly been swamped. But I have missed this littles space and figured I would come back with a personal story and a recipe I make a couple times a week.
Breastfeeding a preemie (Zoe was almost 2 months early) was rough. I was anxious, like anyone may be when trying something so new (and so important with a whole lot of pressure). And having to start this journey with a NICU stay, a hospital grade pump and formula supplementation just about broke me.
But man did I stick through it. Pumping after every newborn feed for 3 months, and then switching to on-demand feedings, mainly because I hated pumping soooo much but also because I was able to work from home and stay at home with her. We stuck out our amazing journey for 18 months. And man the end was so bittersweet. Actually the whole thing was bittersweet. You don't ever feel like the old you after having a babe, in a great and sometimes not so great way; hello boobs why do you look like that?! But more than that you don't feel completely you until after you stop breast feeding, at least that is how it went for me.
Now fast forward to the second time around, a little less new and a lot less "judgy" + open to the fact that every journey is different, I had have a very different story with Miss Amani Isa.
My milk took about two weeks to come in (hello power pumping and some supplements which I'll share in another post) partnered with a lot of patience, made breastfeeding very different and might I say that even with mastitis/clogged ducts and all, much more enjoyable this time. Not saying it has been easier, cause this GF could care less about sleeping without a boob in her mouth but much more about just her and I.
This post is not about what works, doesn't work, or even about breast feeding being better (fed is best in my mind) but mainly as a reminder: we are creating, nurturing and raising different humans, so E-V-E-R-Y journey will be different. Be patient, kind and graceful with yourself and your boobies!! No matter how you decide to feed your babe, ignore the judgy wudgies and find yourself a strong village that you can lean on/cry to/celebrate with. Mine (some via social media / my family & husband / and dear friends) are the only reason I've survived the "barely keeping above water 4th trimester with two" days.
Now onto my favorite - nursing/craving chocolate ice cream at 2am /feed my toddler something healthy - snack.
Ingredients
3 old fashioned oats (use gluten free oats if you'd like!)
1/2 sun butter
1/4 c milk chocolate + 1/4 c dark chocolate chips
(I just bought these for my yogurt and will try in a batch next week!)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 shredded unsalted almonds
1/3 cup agave
1/3 cup flaxseed meal
1/3 cup chia seed
*I linked some of my favorite Amazon Prime ingredients because Amazon Prime is LIFE)
Simplest RECIPE ever
mix all ingredients in the mixer
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Use this as a guideline but feel free too add chopped up dried fruit or nuts or skip an ingredient, no agave, use honey, or no sweetener, you can also use your favorite nut butter (we have allergies over here so we stick to and love sun butter).
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if it's too dry just add a few tablespoons of water as it's mixing to help bind. Just add them in one at a time while it's mixing to make sure the consistency is just right.
But if you add to much just balance with more oats. You honestly can't go wrong. We like them cold but sometimes can't help but snack on the mix while we roll them.
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*makes about 24-30 balls, will depend on the size.
*keep to a bit smaller than a golf ball and they are about 3.5 Weight Watchers smart points each
Thanks so much for baring with me as I get back into the whole living life not on bedrest but with two kids thing. I am finally feeling like I am keeping my head above water more than not... lol At least until another sleep regression and in that case please send wine.
xo
Natalie
Other Recipes you may like here.