SleepyChef

Doing anything for a long period of time requires research, motivation, support, and getting the right information.  I would not have been able to accomplish what I did without the following sites.

Thebump.com - For me, the most helpful was the forums.  I got so much advice and reassurance.  If they didn't know where to find the right answer, they knew where to send me to get it.  Not only BFing advice, but all around pregnancy through motherhood.

Kellymom.com - The authority on everything breastfeeding.  Have a question?  99.9% of the time, you can find the answer here.

Infantrisk.com - Dr. Thomas Hale has performed the most comprensive research on medicines and substances that pass into the breastmilk.  If you are ever unsure about any medication, their helpline is available to provide the most updated research on medicines and breastfeeding.  A lot of women default to their PCP/OBGYN, Childs Pediatrician to tell them what is safe for breastfeeding, however they often lack in staying updated on breastfeeding advancements.

La Leche League - Access online forums, locate your local LLL chapter to attend meetings, or get information on breastfeeding.  I have had a lot of support from LLL members and leaders.  They also have a lot of information on breastfeeding legislation, such as pumping while at work or nursing in public.

Breastfeeding USA - An emerging group that is working towards making BFing the norm!  Their BFing counselors have gone through extensive training to provide women with the knowledge to lead and support others through their BFing journey.

IBCLC Finder - Still have questions after searching the above links?  Consult with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant to work with you.  Though there may be many "Lactation Consultants" available at places like pediatricians, OBGYN offices, or hospitals, an IBCLC is the highest form of certification to advise on lactation.  They can assist with issues such as obtaining a proper latch, foremilk/hindmilk inbalance, supply issues, plugged ducts, mastitis, tounge tie, and much more.   

As a general rule, I do not search out for breastfeeding information from companies that manufacture formula.  I feel it is a conflict of interest as their company depends on your purchase of formula, and any advice they give may not be in the best interest of the individual, but rather to derail the goal of breastfeeding and deferring to formula feeding.

When I first got pregnant, I was excited...all the cute baby clothes, taking the little one around in a stroller, and those moments when you are holding the baby in your arms and they are quietly feeding.  Oh wait.  I have to feed my baby....how am I going to do it? 

For many, making the decision to breastfeed vs. formula feed can be difficult.  For some moms, there isn't a question.  For me it certainly wasn't.  I always grew up thinking that when you have a baby, you breastfeed...I don't know why I thought this, I just never had the thought that formula feeding was an option. 

I want to preface everything I am about to say by noting that I am not anti-formula, I am just pro-breastfeeding.  There is a difference.  I am all for getting the education out there so moms can make the decision that is right for them.  I do not want any mother out there to feel that she did not succeed because she couldn't get the right information.  I have no problem admitting that my daughter has been fed formula, and I didn't have a problem with it.  It did not hinder my breastfeeding relationship at all - what was important to me is that my baby was fed, happy, and healthy.  If you do not have an interest in breastfeeding, that is your choice....but if you do, I would love to pass along any information that might be helpful to you.

At some point in my life (I'm not sure when) I was told about what happens when you have a baby.  Your body prepares to not only give birth, but to nurture the child as he or she grows.  Your body has all kinds of hormones flowing through it to prepare you for labor, delivery, and breastfeeding.  Your body makes all of these wonderful nutrients so that you can feed your baby.  To me, it only made sense that after the baby left your cozy womb that it would transition from womb to world by giving it this awesome nutrition.  I think this is where I got it in my head that when you have a baby, you gotta breastfeed. 

When I got pregnant, I was actually dreading breastfeeding - what happens when I have to feed the baby and we are out in public?  Why would I want my baby attached to me the whole time?  What if I want to go somewhere without the baby?!  I must admit, I did have some apprehensions and fears that meant I would have to change my lifestyle for this kid.  It is all part of being a scared, first time mom.

And then something happened: I had the baby.  They placed this beautiful, amazing little girl in my arms and she grabbed hold of my thumb with her tiny fingers as to say "I've got you mommy, please don't let go of me!"

I asked the nurse if I should try to nurse her.  The nurse kinda chuckled and said "She's your baby, you can do what you want with her!" Haha ok.  So I put her to my breast and she latched!  It was the most amazing thing ever.  I had no idea that she knew exactly what to do.  It was comforting and reassuring that I had made the right decision for me to breastfeed.  And we were a happy little family.

Until about 11pm that night and it was like she forgot.  Or something was wrong.  I don't know what happened.  Maybe we waited too long since her last feeding and she was just over hungry and didn't want to work for it.  I tried getting her to latch again, and every time I put her there she would SCREEEEEAAAAAAAM.  At one point, I swear she woke up every baby on the floor of our recovery unit.  I was miserable and in tears.  So the nurse suggested "Maybe if you pump some then you can feed it to her that way."  It was like angels came down from the heavens and were playing harps and my prayers had been answered.  Hallelujah!  I had no idea that pumping was an option if she just wouldn't latch.  Thank goodness it was.  I asked the nurse if she could get my baby a bottle of formula to eat until I could pump, and she obliged.  I did not want my baby to go hungry.  That's what formula is for - to feed babies.  The baby was fed, swaddled, and the nurse brought the pumping supplies in the room for me. 

I hooked myself up and the machine started working its magic.  I got a glorious 4 ounces of colostrum.  Anyone who has ever pumped or breastfed knows - that is a lot, especially for a first time pumper.  Now that I think about it, my breast was probably too full for her to latch onto.  So we put the liquid gold in the room fridge so she could have it next time she needed to be fed.

So I knew that I could produce the milk.  And my decision to breastfeed was validated and I knew that I could do it.  Knowing that your body does what it is supposed to sent me the message that I knew I was doing the right thing by pumping.  So that's what I did.

I became what is called an Exclusive Pumper.  I fed my baby expressed breast milk.  Its kinda the red-headed stepchild of feeding - you no longer have an "EBF" (exclusively breastfed) baby, or a formula fed baby, but you're in this weird gray area of bottle fed breast milk.  Yes, you get all of the nutrients and good stuff that comes with it, but it is twice the hassle.  There's a saying among us EP'ers that you feed twice - once to bottle and once to baby.  It is extremely time consuming, nerve-wracking, and stressful.  Yet so rewarding.

It is by far, the most rewarding long-term thing I have ever done.  Originally, I never set out to have a goal for how long I would do it.  It wasn't a question - I just kept pumping.  You have to feed your baby somehow, and if I am able to produce this wonderful gift, why would I stop?  It seemed selfish to think about stopping. Before I knew it, I was already transitioning into making decisions that put my child's needs before mine.  My need to have a little more time to myself did not trump my child's need to have this wonderful milk that my body can produce.

Were there times I wanted to give up?  Of course.  Were there times I was miserable? Yes.  Were there times that I enjoyed it? More than you could ever imagine.  Though it was extremely tough, it was the best thing I could have ever done.  My husband got to feed her, the grandparents got to feed her...and if I needed to run to the store, I didn't need to time it between her feedings.  EP'ing worked for a long time for me.  I wish that I knew then what I know now though - the reasons why she wouldn't latch and why it didn't work for her to take it "from the tap."  I EP'd until she was one year old.  I do feel that if I would have been able to get her to actually nurse I would have continued longer. 

Towards the end, I did try to get her to latch again - and she would not.  I desperately wanted to keep going, but I was not going to pump any longer.  She took to solids very easily, and was a great eater.  I didn't have any questions that she would get the nutrition she needed from actual food.  So I stopped, and I admit I was sad to pack up my pump.

My goal now is to help women get the right information to successfully feed their babies.  Not just breastfeed, not just EP, but also if they choose to formula feed.  They are three great options.  They all have their advantages and disadvantages.  You have to choose what is right for your family.  If you make an educated, informed decision, you will never hear criticism from me.  Ok I will be honest, you won't even hear it from me if you just make a choice.  My point is, information is the key.  I just want to get the information out there about my experience EP'ing so that women know they have a choice, and are not confined to one box of EBF or FF.  You can do both. You can EP. You can EBF.  You can FF. As long as you choose to feed your baby, and don't let them starve :-) 

I started an Exclusive Pumping Facebook group to get the information out there and so other EP moms can connect and share advice, experience, and encouragement.  If you are interested in joining, please let me know and I will send you an invite.

I saw this recipe and instantly thought it would be something my husband would love.   Probably because its wrapped in yummy bacon.  The original recipe called for chicken instead of pork, but since we eat so much chicken I try to substitute for different meats from time to time.

I found this on Pinterest too, and have made it several times.  Its always a hit!

Start by mixing up the stuffing mixture.  I usually try to have the cream cheese room temperature since it is easier to work with.  This time I microwaved it for a little bit and it was too runny.  I had to spoon it into the center of the pork chops.  Mix in the chives and garlic.

I then tenderized the pork chops and sprinkled with a seasoning from one of my favorite local companies, Shoups.  They are a local catering and farm.  I love their pork seasoning and I put it on everything - pork (of course), chicken, vegetables...you name it.  

For more info on Shoups, here is a link to their website.

After I spooned the mixture into the pork chop, I rolled it up.

I then wrapped it with a strip of bacon and secured with two toothpicks.  I poured the melted butter over the chops.

I baked for about 30 minutes on 350.  This time I served it with some red pepper Quinoa and French style green beans.  It was a hit!

Its a really simple dish that you can make if you are having people over and want to do something a little special.  Its quick, easy, it has minimal ingredients yet still has a lot of flavor.  

Ingredients:

1 package (8oz) of cream cheese

2 Tablespoons of chives

1 clove of garlic, minced

4 boneless pork chops, tenderized

4 slices of bacon

2 Tablespoons of butter, melted

Mix the cream cheese, chives, and garlic together.  Once the pork chops have been tenderized, scoop the mixture into the center of the pork chops. Roll up pork chop and wrap a slice of bacon around the chop.  Secure with 1-2 toothpicks.  Pour butter over chops.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350, or until bacon is crispy.

Yes, it is as yummy as it sounds!  And it was a lot easier than I thought.  I found this recipe on Pinterest, and I just knew it was something that my family would love.  It was surprisingly easy, though I must be honest I can't gauge how long the prep took me - G decided she was gonna be a cranky little girl, so I had to keep stopping to tend to her.  

I started by boiling the pasta and chicken.  The recipe acts as if everyone just keeps cooked chicken laying around.  I have grown to love boiling chicken breasts.  Its easy, very hard to overcook, and is always thorough.  I boiled 3 small chicken breasts for this recipe. The original recipe called for Barilla Whole Wheat Shells, but I have not had great experiences with that pasta (I never have with any whole wheat pasta) so I used Dreamfields Rotini.  I love Dreamfields.  It is actually made for diabetics, so the carb count is a lot lower.  I am an Italian bakers daughter - so I could eat carbs morning noon and night.  Dreamfields is a great way for me to cut back on my carbs and still get a pasta with great flavor.  And this is coming from an Italian - so keep that in mind!  Plus I feel like it does not take as much to fill me up.  The original recipe said to use one box of pasta, but that was a little much so I used about half of the Dreamfields Rotini.  

Then I chopped the veggies.  Next time I will dice them a little smaller, they were a little big this time. I added the veggies, pasta, chicken, and cheese.

Then I mixed up the buffalo sauce in the blender.  I added it to the casserole dish with everything else. mixed it all together.

Next I combined some Panko Crumbs with shredded cheese, and put it on top.  Then the finishing touch was some green onions!

I baked it at 350 for 30 minutes.  We were all so excited to eat it that once it was done I forgot to take a pic to show everyone!  HA! But it was delicious.  The good part is that you can make it as hot or not as you want.  I didn't do very spicy tonight, since our one year old would also be eating this.  BTW - she loved it! 

Here is the recipe that I adapted from the original.  I have also linked the original at the bottom from the original poster.

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

1/2 box of Dreamfields Rotini pasta

3 small cooked chicken breasts

2 small bell peppers, red and yellow, seeded and finely chopped

1 bunch chopped green onions, divided

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

8 oz. cream cheese

1 cup blue cheese dressing

1/2 – 3/4 cup Buffalo Hot Wing Sauce

3 cups shredded cheese, divided

3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Boil the pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Drain and transfer to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Do not rinse. While the pasta is cooking, also boil the chicken in a separate pan for 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.  Once the chicken is cooked, cut into bite sized pieces.

Add the cooked chicken, chopped bell peppers, 3/4 of the green onions, and 2 1/4 cups of shredded cheese to the baking dish. Mix well.

Place the garlic, cream cheese, blue cheese dressing and 1/2 cup hot wing sauce in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth, taste and add another 1/4 cup hot wing sauce if needed. Pour over the pasta and toss.

Mix the remaining 3/4 cup cheese and the Panko together. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta, then sprinkle with the remaining green onions.

Bake until golden, approximately 30-40 minutes.

And as promised, here is the original page where I obtained this recipe.  It is definitely a keeper, and my family cannot wait to have it again!

Thursday my mom calls me and asks if she can have my daughter for the night on Saturday. She misses her…and the hubs and I are dying for a night out. So of course I say yes! We had no idea what to do that night.

I’ve heard a lot of great things about Brewstone, the new restaurant in Keystone at the Crossing, so I suggested we try it. I normally don’t go to a new restaurant in the first month. I like to give it time to work all the details out, so when I do go, the wait staff and cooks have all had the chance to get acclimated and familiar with everything…I find I have better experiences that way. And I should have followed that rule this time too! We just had no idea when we would get another baby-free night, so we dove right in and went.

We get there and its packed (understandably – brand new restaurant in one of the best parts of town that has had amazing reviews during prime dinner hours on a Saturday night.) We ended up parking in the old Uno’s parking lot, since they have since closed. I don’t mind that at all actually, I just know it would have been a problem if there is a business currently there. For a party of two, there was a 40 minute wait. I convinced the hubs we should wait since it was pouring rain, and I wasn’t going back out there! They told us the barstools are first come first serve and if we can find a spot there, we can have it until they call our name. We checked both the inside and patio bar – not one open barstool. Of course, since it was raining heavily, the patio couldn’t use all of the space it really has, probably contributing to the lack of available tables and barstools. So we wait by the entrance. The entire time we were waiting we watch the hostess run around shouting names of people whose tables were ready. For whatever reason, this just seemed tacky to me. No pager or intercom system that would alert patrons that their table is ready. Instead there are hostesses and servers running laps around the bar trying to find the people next in line. When we were finally seated, we were seated next to the bar which made it even more disturbing.

The hubs and I are big craft beer drinkers – so we were very pleased to see the extensive local selection that was available. We both got to try two new beers each, which we don’t get to do very often. With the amount of beer that we drink (which is a LOT considering my dad is a homebrewer) to find 4 beers that we each have not tried was refreshing. The fact that there were several local selections was especially encouraging, and great for local breweries.

We decided that we would have an appetizer, which we rarely do. We got the Appetizer Combo, and frankly we were quite disappointed. The description reads as followed (taken directly from the menu on their website): “A generous sampling of Spinach & Artichoke dip, Beer Battered, Chicken Strips, Coconut Shrimp and Cheese Sticks.” With the $16 price tag, one would think that this would come with healthy portions, however we were surprised how much space was left on the plate when the appetizer arrived. Sure, there was a lot of spinach dip. But there was about 5 chips, so we had to ask for more. What I didn’t realize is that they made the chips there, which normally I would applaud. This time, however, the chips were chewy, so you couldn’t even really eat them with the dip.

What was most disappointing was that it came with two (2) shrimp. We were almost in shock…seriously? I would have rather they just didn’t include it. I can’t even comment on the quality of the shrimp, because since there were two of us, we each took one. So I don’t even remember it. It wasn’t enough for me to properly form an opinion. The cheese sticks were decent…I was surprised that it was cheddar cheese, and not mozzarella, which was actually a nice change. And the beer Battered Chicken Strips were fairly tasty, but still skimpy. They were long, thin strips (not tenders like I thought) and the beer batter was tasty. It would have been nice to know what beer it was battered in though; it could be a neat feature for seasonal selections. I think all of my disappointments could have been cleared up with a picture of the appetizer on the menu, but I didn’t see one(it doesn’t mean it wasn’t there, I just didn’t see it). It left us very confused how the combo sounded so great, but did not induce anything but disappointment.

We were there probably an hour once we were seated until we left – and were often left looking for our server. It wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t observe that all of his tables were right around us, yet we were getting the least attention. Normally, a server will at least check on you when they run by, but we had to flag him down when we were ready for our next beverage. This shouldn’t happen when all of your tables are right next to each other.

Another thing that could have made a big difference – we were seated in a section by the bar that has high tables that are very narrow. A nice touch would have been a hook on the wall under the table for a place to put my purse. I don’t put my purse on the floor in restaurants, and since the table was very narrow, I couldn’t put it on the table. I like it close to me, and I ended up with it in my lap. I know it sounds small, but women remember things like that. I know what establishments have place for me to secure my favorite bag – and frequent them often as possible.