Christmas vaca #4

Christmas vaca #4 by esther-gagnier featuring a black purse

H M brown poncho
$32 - hm.com

H&M black pants
$40 - hm.com

Odin ankle booties
overstock.com

MANGO black purse
$48 - johnlewis.com

Nail treatment
etsy.com

My Fashion Inspirations for Fall 2014

The Cape

Black Leather/Pleather Pants or Leggings

This whole outfit

Brows Inspiration

Eye Make-up Inspiration

Other inspirations: colors black, any shade of grey, and cream. Moto jackets and military green cargo jackets.

 

What inspires you? Please share!

(Photo credit found on KakaoStory. None of these photos are mine.)

GroVia's Limited Edition "Wild Things"

I am in love with this cloth diaper shell for my GroVia Hybrids! Super cute and the quality is SO nice. When Amazon delivered my order I washed this (and the other 3 I had also ordered from Amazon.com) right away! I couldn't wait to try this on my baby girl. 

I will have to separate a post on cloth diapering and my personal experience. So far I absolutely love cloth diapering. When other women said it becomes an addiction I can totally feel that vibe after putting on the "Wild Things". 

I. Want. More. !!

My Breastfeeding and Pumping Story

I'm not sure about all of y'all but no one told me the extent of how painful it would be to start breastfeeding for the first time.

Prior to giving birth, I took the breastfeeding class that was provided by my hospital. I was being the overachiever! I typed down all the notes on my iPad and I even stayed after class to ask questions (blog post here). The reason why I was so determined on breast feeding was because 1. I wanted the best for my baby and 2. No one else I know was successful at breast feeding so I had no one to turn for advice. 

I was formula fed because my mother told me I was up every 30 minutes hungry AND her nipple basically fell off. The lactation consultant told me my mother wasn't nursing me correctly and it was really unfortunate how she didn't have much help (back then). Plus, my mother didn't know any English so she had no help, all alone in the US, desperate for sleep... So she formula fed my sister and I. We turned out fine, by the way :)

My daughter is officially 6 months old since Aug 21st and I successfully breast fed her this entire time. To be honest I didn't know I would be able to make it this far but I sure am proud of myself for sticking to it. 

I'm not going to go too far into detail because then this post would be REALLY long... The beginning was really hard. Especially being a FTM (first time mom) I couldn't grasp the reality of it all. I knew in my mind what the hunger ques were but good lord I was consumed with pain, exhaustion and ___ fill everything you could possibly feel distressed in blank. 

Breastfeeding takes dedication and endurance. Dedicate the wee hours of the night to breast feed then endure the pain of the latch (when baby puts their mouth on your nips then drink). I did not have a proper latch in the beginning. It kept changing. Thinking I was doing it correctly. My nipples have bled, sore to the touch of a towel, had Thrush, beginning stages of Mastitis, and blood bubbles? I've seen the lactation consultant a few times along with long phone calls. I cried. I screamed, loudly. I cursed. I wanted to give up so badly. SO BADLY. But I just couldn't! Even though I said, "I give up!!!" millions of times. And those millions of times my mother would tell me to not give up... Or that it's okay to give up now. It was so hard. And for two months it kept hurting. I found no relief. No joy in breast feeding. Only that it was a chore and I absolutely hated that. And yet, I couldn't throw in the towel. I've been through so much pain and for so long I just couldn't give up now! 

By 5 months (give or take) my daughter decided she didn't want the boob anymore. Honestly made me a bit sad but I've continued to give her breast milk by pumping.

Now, pumping really takes dedication because you have to set yourself a strict schedule or else you could lose your milk production (supply and demand). Luckily for me I had an oversupply so I have a small chest freezer stocked up with breast milk. Unfortunately, with an oversupply I kept on getting clogged ducts. I would get a clogged duct every week. Sometimes even twice a week. Regardless that I was pumping every three hours (I was dying of sleep). Then I discovered Lecithin (it's a vitamin)! Saved my life of pumping, literally. Take 3-4 times a day and I am clog free! I enjoy pumping a lot more than breast-feeding because this is what works for us. Though it is very time-consuming I am committed to do this for as long as I can. I've pumped in the car or in the bathroom while shopping at the mall. I've pumped with a cover on when my in-laws visited us. I have and will always do what I can to get a pump session in. Now (along with Lecithin) I pump every six hours and I still make enough for my daughter. My oversupply has gone down and it does feel nice to have soft boobs again, haha. I was getting so tired of feeling engorged every three hours!

What makes my supply go up? If I needed a boost (which I rarely do) I eat Mee-Yuk-Gook (Korean seaweed soup), Saigon Noodlehouse #3 beef pho and shrimp fried rice (in Wahiawa, Hawaii). If I eat any of those I wake up and pump 13 ounces (give or take). I know, it's pretty ridiculous. I honestly do not know how I've kept up with my milk supply but what I did in the beginning was put my hand to my chest and prayed to God. Every day.

My journey of breastfeeding and pumping has been challenging. Very challenging. But oh so worth it. Kinda. The pain, I'm telling you... It's not for the weak hearted. Your pain tolerance... Gotta push it through and then your nips will go numb/be stretched out. Then all is well :) My daughter is so strong. Hasn't gotten sick as of yet. Very aware of her surroundings. Is in the 86% percentile in weight. And it's all thanks to my breast milk that came from my body. It's crazy. A woman can grow another human being then nourish the baby. Truly is amazing what we women can do!

Here are some quick helpful (and random) links for all who are just starting out on breastfeeding:
ALL info I get about breastfeeding- Kellymom.com
Foremilk and Hindmilk- What does it mean? (http://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/basics/foremilk-hindmilk/)
30 Different Ways to use Breastmilk- http://workathomemums.hubpages.com/hub/30-Different-Ways-To-Use-Breast-Milk-Medicinal-Cosmetic-Beauty-and-Consumption-Alternatives
Stop Arguing For NIP- http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/badass-breastfeeder/stop-arguing-nip-normalize-love

If you have any tips or tricks that you'd like to share, please comment below!

My Breastfeeding 101 Notes

Breast feeding 101

-MER

👶Both moms with big or small breasts can produce the same amount of milk. Bigger breasts can store more milk than smaller breasts.

👶Prolactin, Oxytocin (cramping comes with breast feeding for only a couple days)

👶Diet: don't eat Marlin, swordfish, shark, Ahi (tuna) rarely*

Babies after a month will be gassy regardless of what diet you eat.

Only need 500 more calories (pre-pregnancy) while breast feeding 

Handle food small portions 6 times a day

Breast feeding does come in flavors 

👶Average weight-loss is 1lb a week

Losing fat not muscle 💪

👶Medications

Over 90% of antibiotics are safe for breast feeding

Pump and dump? Call a Lactation Consultant and ask to make sure if medication is really unsafe!

👶Steps for breast feeding 

1-2 hours after birth will be intense sucking 

Skin to skin helps babies to "self regulate" and adaptation to outside of the womb environment. Heart rate becomes regular. Boosts immune system. 👫 Daddy's can do skin to skin with baby.

👶IV and Epi can affect breast feeding and can make the baby sleepy... CAN* but not always!

Babies who do instant skin to skin are able to crawl to your breast from the stomach

Babies who were gone for 20 mins for check up are not as efficient 

👶Feeding Cue:

-Sucking on thumb

-Stick tongue out

-Smack their lips

-Crying is a late sign of hunger (10-15 minutes ago)

Babies eat 8-12 times every 24 hours (every 3 hours)

Don't have baby on a schedule 

Keep baby on one breast as long as they are active and it doesn't hurt. 

When flow slows down, baby slowly eats and naps.. Move them to the other breast.

There's no time limit.

First day and two days after, the feeding will be all over the map. 

When the arms are relaxed, hands open then baby has taken a full feed. 

👶Newborn sleeping pattern

Birth-2 hours: (missed this info)

2-20 hours: (missed this info)

Get baby skin to skin, gentle stimulation to wake

20-24 hours: cluster feeding for 2, 3, maybe 4 hours of massive feeding. They will sleep anywhere three to five hours

👶Infant behaviors

The "barracuda" aggressive feeder

The "excited and effective" too excited to latch. Calm down by sucking by sucking on your finger for a minute and their body will relax,.

The "rester" relaxed baby. Skin to skin, stimulate to wake, hand expressions 

The "gourmet" baby. Drink for a long time... Need to be a bit more active

The "procrastinator" knows how to eat, just lazy. 

👶Hand expression steps

Squeeze your boob to nipple to get drops of teaspoons of milk

Gentle massage with does, baby brush or a warm towel. Place index fingers and thumb an inch from nips. Pressured inward towards the breast. Don't tighten up the skin around the nipple. Don't tighten or stretch the area. You gently pinch, push in and relax. (Video would help)

👶How much is enough

Birth: 1 teaspoon (8 times a day at one week do 10-15 mins)

3 days old: ping bong ball, 20 mls (8 times a day)

10 days old: 45mls, an ounce and a half (plastic Easter egg-- 8 times a day)

👶Colostrum

Comes after birth 

Highest concentration if vitamins 

6 months old is when baby has kicked in their own immune system

Breast feeding babies grow up to be lean healthy people.

👶Rule of 4's

Day one, at least one pee and poop

Day two, two of each

Day three, three of each

Day four, four of each

👶Meconium stool

Looks like tar... To green, to yellow looking 설사.

Daddy can apply on baby bottom with breast lansinoh for easier baby booty clean up

👶How to Breast feed

Body, head and hip should be in line to lay on side.

Baby's hand underneath the boob (& out of the way)

Point nipple to roof of baby's mouth (Baby's mouth needs to be widely open)

Brown part around the nipple should of disappeared 

Chin and nose indent the breast

Milk flow means sucking is a slow continuous matter

After time it'll happen automatically (baby will know what to do)

To be Successful: 🌟lots of skin to skin. Breast feed often and early. Watch for swallowing and a baby who comes off the breast in a "milk drunk coma". Remember the Rule of 4's. Seek assistance.

Signs of poorly positioned breast feeding

Lip is pushed back, lower lip is tucked in, cheeks suction is off

👶Breast feeding properly (TRY them all)

Always need a pillow on mom's back

🏈Football hold

❌The cross over (laying across the breast)

〰The cradle (on bed side by side)

👵Ancient position (baby reflexes to push up and face down on nipple)

👶Breast feeding "boo-boo's"

Compress the breast to encourage milk flow

Shape the nipple at an angle whatever the baby's mouth is positioned 

Begin on the least tender side first so milk flows easier

Use a soft, wet cloth to soothe and dab away saliva after nursing

Express a drop of fresh milk and dab on nipple and areola and let it dry

Apply nipple cream

Definitely take your pain meds (Motrin, kills 2 birds with one stone by helping with pain and swelling... or Tylenol)

Plugged duct

Thrush (white patches on the mouth and won't come off after washing it off. It's yeast, mom and baby have to be treated). Keep hands clean. Wash hands.

Mastitis

👶Engorgement management 

Baby will help you to drain and keep breasts soft

Hand expression helps

Warm a couple of mins before nursing (20 mins, take a break, do another 20 mins)

Cold packs after nursing (majority of the time)

"Comfort pumping" no more than five mins of pumping (for stay at home moms)

 72 hours is when it'll tone down... Then taper away from pumping

Working moms: pump after feeding 4 to 5 hours to produce production

☝🌟4 to 6 weeks you can introduce the bottle... Let daddy introduce.

Too late is when they are 6 months.

👶If baby can't latch

Birth: Hand express

Day two: hand express by spoon feed or finger feed... Baby needs to eat. When you give syringe then it's good. Bottle sucks too much milk and builds unrealistic expectations. 

Bottle feed at the breast. Daddy's stick baby in a football hold and bottle feed.

👶Breast milk storage

In the middle of the fridge, not in the door.

Room temp: 6 days

Fridge:

Freeze: gobbles up the good bacteria.. Thawing milk: only good for 1 hour

Photo Diary of August 20th

Itetakimasu! I made 미역국 for my friend since her birthday is tomorrow. Happy Birthday Hitomi!

Last night's dinner I cooked up for my hubby before he has to go out to the field (Army life... Has to stay up for 40 hours straight. Poor guy).

My favorite local girl gave me some delicious Cowboy Bark from Trader Joes (LV).

She is just too cute. Miss independent playing in her pack n play! 6 months old tomorrow. My little chipmunk is growing up so fast.

Today was a very chill day. Hung out with my friend at her place. Then my husband's buddy came by to drop off a few things. Very laid back. Just the way I like it. :) How was your day?

Postpartum Hairloss

After a month or so of giving birth to my beautiful baby girl I thought: "hey, I think I surpassed the hair-loss stage!" Then I hit 4.5 months postpartum. As I showered I had clumps of hair falling into my drain. I'd wake up with more than usual hair fall-out. Bathroom floor was covered with black hair. I was horrified, grossed out a little but mostly SAD. I was losing hair from the front of my hairline! I have a receding hairline! Freaking out and feeling absolutely depressed; I started taking Biotin. Made my nails super strong but that wasn't the point! So I started to search online for shampoo's and conditioners.

This is what I've been using for the past 2 weeks: 

Oh, and eye gel. What new mom doesn't need eye gel? 

I purchased the Avalon Organics Thickening Shampoo/Conditioner on Amazon.com (I have Amazon Prime, ships free to Hawaii). There were a lot of good reviews on it and it is Biotin fortified.

Oh, and it's organic. Fancy shmancy. 

So far I can see new baby hairs growing on my receding hairline. My hairstylist told me not to worry and that my hair will grow back. "What mother doesn't lose hair after childbirth?!" I know, I know. Shouldn't of given me such a shock. But it did 😕

The shampoo's consistency is very loose/watery. The product comes out clear and there is no scent. I apply the conditioner to the top of my head because it doesn't give your hair a nice soft finish. This line will actually feel drying so I add a little bit of CLEAR's conditioner at the ends of my hair. I honestly wouldn't use the Avalon Organics by itself because you'll just end up with really dry tangled hair. Sometimes I'll even add a little bit of Moroccan oil at the ends for an extra softness/shine. 

All in all, I believe this product is working (along with taking prenatal vitamins, probiotics and Biotin). But I'll need to give it an additional 2.5 months to see real results. I know it'll take time for my hair to grow back. I'll post a before-and-after photo when the time comes.

I heard that the Loreal Reginine (black and pink bottle) line works as well! It helps stop the fallout and you'll have easier access to the product. I'll have to give that a try next. :) 

If you have any suggestions or advice for postpartum mothers who are dealing with hair-loss, please comment below!

My fashion inspirations for summer 2014

Black, gold, nude, grey, & white. It fits my mood so perfectly. 

A new life begins...

Life comes at you fast. You meet "The One", get married, have a dog, then start a family...

Life is constantly changing and you have to learn how to adapt. 

My baby girl is our first child and she was planned, ha! Surprisingly, things have been going as planned. It's a serious blessing. I will do a separate post about my pregnancy, labor & delivery story, then postpartum.

Tonight my friend inspired me to go back to blogging. I'm a mother now (and a furmomma). As tired as I am I know I need to find something that I can call my own. With everything that's going on right now... it really does feel nice to type down my thoughts. 

Baby Shower food from today. Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Hernandez!

Goodies straight from Japan. Thank you Hitomi! (Her blog: http://s.ameblo.jp/irismom/entry-11908614329.html)

My daughter is almost 6 months old now. Time has really flown by. I'm in love with the stage that she is in now. Laughing, wiggling, learning how to crawl... There is so much love in my heart for her.

It's been awhile

It's been awhile since I've typed up a blog post. Lately I've been using an App called "DAYRE" which has been a lot easier for me to post photo's and what not. I really don't want to slack anymore on this blog so I'm going to try and stick to it!

I am due any day now... 39 weeks pregnant today! Yes. I am pregnant. This pregnancy has been a long time coming.

1st Trimester: I was in so much pain. Pain as in terrible nausea. Anything I ate didn't taste satisfying and gradually my stomach felt nauseous 24/7. All through the day and all through the night I was painfully nauseous. But I can count with 1 hand how many times I had thrown up. I remember one time I had an almost black out session when I walked into the kitchen. I held onto the kitchen walls then called the nurse line. I couldn't eat anything in the mornings until I was well over my 2nd Trimester. Also, fatigue kicked my butt!

2nd Trimester: Once I hit 14 weeks the nausea was subsiding... But I was still very sick. My mom actually flew in from Ohio to take care of me. I was stuck on the couch most of the time. Couldn't cook or clean because I felt absolutely sick. I was so grateful that my mom came out to be with me.

Well after 16 weeks of pregnancy I started to feel 90% myself! Started to pick up on energy and I was getting things done around the house. I was so relieved. However, that didn't last very long. At the end of my 2nd Trimester I started to get tired again. Fatigue started kicking in and I started sleeping 12 hours a day. My ligaments were cramping pretty badly once I hit 20 weeks. I was in complete shock and had to take it slow whenever I walked anywhere. Oh, baby girl (yes I'm having a girl) is one active baby. She likes to let me know whatever food I'm eating she doesn't like. Or the way I'm laying she'll kick me to no end until I switch positions.

3rd Trimester: I was decent! I didn't have much trouble until I hit 35 weeks. It all went downhill after that. Pelvic pain started to get worse and worse every week. I've experienced pregnancy insomnia twice, which was HORRIBLE. Nothing like laying there awake through the night listening to your husband comfortably snore the night away...

Currently at 39 weeks... TMI but my vagina hurts. Literally my pubic bone (?) hurts so bad I walk with a limp. I can't even go downstairs anymore because the stairs just kill me. Walking in general kills me. I'm in a so much pain! Thank goodness I had scheduled my prenatal massage earlier today. The massage therapist worked on my pelvis and shoulders really well that I felt like I was on Cloud 9. For some odd reason, my baby likes to put all of her weight down onto my left pelvis. Suddenly this past weekend, everything on my left side started to hurt/ache. My massage therapist worked on my shoulders and all I could hear was "crunch, crunch, crunch".

I've been getting some relief by doing the Child's Pose and Pelvic Rocks (yoga). Pushing the baby up off my pelvis to gain some temporary relief. My friends suggested taking a warm bath so I will have to do that soon. I did take a warm bath last Friday and some how it caused my left shoulder to ache.

Overall, I'm almost done. Pregnancy has been quite unglamorous for me BUT you know what... I know it's all going to be worth it. I'm creating a baby. A mini-me. I thank God every day and night that He graced me with this blessing. I've met a handful of women who would die to have a child but cannot. Who would be willing to have stretch marks or hemorrhoids just so they could be pregnant. I know 2 who are paying $5,000 out of pocket to go through IVF. I cannot and do not take any of this for granted. I did everything I could to use Organic products and eat healthy foods. I've gained almost 30 lbs (gained 26lbs exact). I wasn't the fittest in the beginning of my pregnancy so that's probably why I didn't gain so much weight.

Before I found out I was pregnant I was in the process of losing weight. I lost 14lbs and was planning on losing more but... Pregnant. :)