The numbers are in! {Carson's weight update}

All of my hard work has paid off. Carson gained a pound in the past nine days!

Gained like a champ this week! 

After discovering Carson had close to seven weeks with very little weight gain, we started offering him a bottle after each nursing session. On average he has been drinking an additional 15 ounces in addition to nursing 5-6 times in a 24 hour period. That's a lot! It sure made me wonder how much he is getting when he nurses.

Today I took him to a breastfeeding support group for his weigh in. At these meetings you weigh your baby naked, then with clothes and a diaper. After nursing you weigh in again to see about how many ounces your baby drank. Today, after relentlessly boosting my supply, Carson drank 4.2 ounces. Certainly not enough for this growing boy!

So what does that mean? Today's weigh in proved he CAN gain weight (and quickly!). It also means he still needs to be offered a bottle after nursing. More personally, it means I have to decide if I am going to continue pumping 4 times a day. Oh wait...I already decided I'm not.

I will continue to pump on a schedule (in the morning and before I go to bed) to get as much milk as I can. I cannot be hooked to a pump any more than that. Besides the fact that it is just about the worst thing ever, I am pumping out milk that Carson could be drinking from the source a couple hours later.

Want to know the BEST THING EVER?! I am leaving tomorrow for a weekend away with some girlfriends. Couldn't have come at a better time. Good-bye stress, hello champagne! Feels good already.

Numbers don't lie {Carson's weight update}

Two weeks ago I found out that Carson (4.5 months old) was not even on the charts for his weight. After spending the last two weeks boosting my supply Carson has gained only 1.5 ounces, and for perspective's sake, only 7 ounces in the last 7 weeks.

Weight gain FAIL. 

Those numbers don't lie...but Carson's charming personality, gummy grim, and the fact that he's meeting all of his milestones, makes me wonder about those numbers.

Everyone who meets him thinks he looks as healthy as can be. One of my friends was surprised he was as slim as I said he was. Another said he looked heavier after just a few days of diligently boosting my supply. (I have very nice friends!) Today at our play date I expressed the concerns with Carson's weight gain and it seemed half of the parents had the same issue with their own child or knew someone who did. This was very reassuring!  

We do have a new plan to prove that he CAN gain weight. In addition to keeping up with the fenugreek and pumping, I will offer Carson a bottle after each nursing session. Breast milk until my freezer stash dwindles, then breast milk mixed with formula to eventually transition his tummy to formula bottles.  

Even with all the reassurance I have gotten from parents, I still can't help but wonder why my milk isn't helping Carson pack on the pounds. Unlike my nursing experience with Leila, nursing Carson has been a breeze.

Carson's next "weigh in" is Wednesday the 21st. I am trying not to go there with the "what ifs..." but of course I have a plan just in case.

The best words of assurance I have received thus far, "You will tackle this challenge like you do every other in your life." I told you I have awesome friends!

Care to share your tiny baby stories and what worked for you?

Boosting my supply...again

We went to Carson's four month doctor appointment this week. I was very anxious to get his stats.  There's something exciting about learning how big and tall your child is and where they fall on the growth chart!

I knew Carson was a tiny guy, but can see him growing out of his clothes. I see him meeting milestones like rolling over, laughing, consolidating his sleep, etc. I was aware that he is much smaller than other babies his age, but really had no reason to be worried. 

Until now.

Carson IS growing...he has grown 3 inches (25 1/4 inches = 37%) in the past two months and his head continues to grow at an average rate too.  But his weight is low, like not-even-on-the-growth-chart low. At four months and 2 weeks old, Carson weighs under 12 pounds, 11 lbs 14 oz to be exact. Slim boy!

Having a tiny baby is not new to me. At four months old, Leila was 10 lbs 15 oz, although unlike Carson, actually made it on the growth chart. Barely. I was working full time at this point in Leila's life and not able to pump enough breast milk for her while I was at work. She started on formula, in addition to my milk, at the four month mark. By seven months our breastfeeding days were over and she had formula until she was one. She gained weight rapidly after being on formula. By ten months she weighed 19 lbs and was in the 50th percentile on the weight growth chart. Two years later...she only weighs 26 lbs. Slim girl!

Jeff and I make tiny children. That is a fact. Carson is showing the same growing patterns as Leila did this early in life. So on one hand, logic tells me not to worry, he will gain weight on his own time. On the other hand, I cannot help but wonder if there is another issue.

Can being TOO happy be an issue?

The nurse practitioner Carson saw on Monday (who also happens to be a certified lactation consultant) recommended that I supplement with formula or find a breast milk donor. Ummm, no and no. I made it clear that I wanted to continue exclusively breastfeeding Carson for as long as possible. She was on board, shared the story of her own slim son, and made some recommendations on how I could boost my milk supply.

So that's where we are today, working on boosting my supply. I am taking fenugreek and blessed thistle to increase my milk. I am feeling confident this will work after our earlier experience with no weight gain (from five days old until two weeks old) was successful. In addition, I am pumping between most feedings and storing it for a later time. (For some reason she doesn't want me to feed it to him.) I was also directed to eat oatmeal two times a day. I have taken it upon myself to make Betsylife's No Bake Peanut Butter Energy Bites and Milkin' Mamas Lactation Cookies. Both are delicious and have milk boosting ingredients.

I made a few changes to the cookie recipe. Comment if you want to know more!

We have a follow-up weight check on Monday, August 12th. Until then I am doing my best to boost my supply. I am not naive to the fact that I may have to supplement, but at this point I am taking it one recommendation at a time.

Any recommendations for boosting my milk supply?

Staying active and healthy during pregnancy

Pregnant or not, staying active and eating healthy foods are an important part of my daily life.  

Everyone knows the benefits of regular exercise and healthy eating.  But how much is too much for someone who is pregnant?  Of course, it all depends on your fitness level before you were pregnant and, most importantly, your doctor's recommendations.

For me, my previous pregnancy experience shaped my views on how hard I push my currently 23-week-pregnant self.  

When I was pregnant with Leila, my 5'1" frame gained 50 pounds.  Not only was that way over the recommended weight gain, it was a pain, literally, to carry around all that extra weight.  I hated how I looked in my third trimester and even worse, hated how I looked and felt after having Leila.  I promised myself (and my sisters) I would NEVER repeat my biggest rookie mistake again.

Currently, staying active and healthy during pregnancy is on the top of my to-do list.  I've been approved by my doctor to run (alright, it's more of a jog these days) and lift light, five pound weights.

My weekly exercise goals have been:

• Run 2-3 miles, three days a week.  Most days I push a beast of a stroller, but one day a week I request a time to run all by myself.  It's amazing the difference it makes being able to use both hands for momentum while running.
• Walk, one day a week.  We walk to the local Farmers' Market one afternoon a week.  
• Lift weights, using my favorite DVD (Bob Harper's Biggest Loser Boot Camp), two days a week.  Of course I have to make modification due to my belly getting in the way!  My sister Valerie is the best motivator and we found time to workout together each week.  My other weight workout is completed during Leila's nap time. 

That's a total of six workouts a week!  It's been easy to fit exercise into my pregnant life, because I was already committed to my fitness before I got pregnant.

This week was special!  I was able to fit in a bonus workout with Jeremy Jackson and DJ Pickel, represented by Look Better Naked Health Management.  Also, thanks to San Diego Mom's Night Out and FITzee Foods for spreading the word on this event.

This fun and active event was right up my alley!  We met at FITzee Foods for an introduction...

Fitzee Foods creates freshly made, pre-portioned meals designed to keep their customers healthy, balanced, and totally in control of their nutrition. Their meals are prepared daily with fresh, organic, and all-natural ingredients.  FITzee also offers a variety quick snacks and meal replacement bars to keep you fueled and focused on the go. All products are available in three specifically portioned sizes to fit each client’s unique lifestyle. All you need to do is heat, eat, and taste the FITzee difference!

Then we headed to a local park, complete with a DJ, for our workout with Jeremy Jackson.  Let me just say, this workout was no joke!  I figured since this event was open to the public, the workout had to be mainstream-appropriate.  I definitely had to modify his exercises and learned a few killer new ones in the process.  (On a side note, Jeremy was full of energy, very personable, and nice to look at.)

Sweaty and giddy after our hour long workout. (Please excuse the poor phone camera quality.)

Once we completed our sweat-session, we headed back to FITzee Foods for food samples, fresh juice, and our swag bag.  

I totally fell in love with their Chewy Chocolate Chip FITzee bar.  You can see a random customer felt exactly the same way I did about the FITzee bar.

  

I loved this event!  My competitive side really came out and I rocked the workout, belly and all.  I have the sore arms, upper back, butt, core, AND hamstrings to prove it.  That didn't stop me from running three miles the next day though.  I do have Thanksgiving Day 5K coming up...

How much do (or did) you push yourself to stay active and healthy during your pregnancy?

I'm losin' it {Weight-loss update}

After committing to finally losing all this "toddler" weight for once and for all, I've been on my best behavior all month. I am excited to announce that I have lost 5 pounds.

Could that be a little muscle tone in my arm or strategic posing? 

My plan worked!

My plan for the first month was to write down everything I ate and continue my current 5 day a week exercise routine.

Each day I kept a running total on how many calories I consumed, aiming for 1200-1500 per day.  (Honestly, some days were easier than others.)  Recording everything I put in my mouth helped me make better food choices throughout the day, cut out my nightly sweet treat, and drink less wine.

Luckily for me, choosing the "right" foods wasn't difficult. This is at least the fourth time I have counted calories to lose weight, which practically makes me a pro!

Aside from the occasional pizza night, I have been making healthy dinners for as long as I can remember. I cook with extra lean ground turkey, make meatless meals, and have a good sense of portion size.  Now that I am not rushed out the door to work in the morning, I have time to sit down and eat a "real" breakfast. Eggs are my top pick! They keep me feeling full until lunch so I'm not tempted to nibble from Leila's snacks.  Also, I do not like having junk food in the house, especially sweets.  I have quite the sweet tooth!  

Here's a few of my favorite healthy snacks:

apple with 1oz cheese or 1T of peanut butter

carrots and hummus

hard boiled egg

sweet baby peppers

greek yogurt

string cheese

popcorn

edamame

My exercise routine consisted of high and low intensity workouts five days a week.  I was already doing these workouts before I started counting calories so it was easy to continue.

To stay motivated I like to change up my workouts often!  I do not belong to a gym, because for me it's an unnecessary expense.

This is what I'm doing these days: 

• I have a couple of the Biggest Loser DVDs and Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred.  I fit those in during nap time on days that I don't run in the morning.  
• I also have an old school Denise Austin Pilates DVD that really works my abs.  It's my go-to workout when I am not motivated to work too hard.  
• Some days I simply I go for a walk or bike ride with Leila.  
• Just recently I started working out with my sister again one evening a week.  We're perfecting a routine we can do outside with Leila.  (I'll share when we get it just right!)

I am very impressed with my results! Although five pounds may not seem like a lot to some people, it is a lot to me. I am only 2 pounds from my goal!

Hahaha! This is my new favorite family photo.  

I know that July will be more challenging than this past month. I'm back home visiting family and friends in Chicago and plan to eat all my favorite foods at least twice. (Giordano's, Rosati's, Portillo's, and Jimmy John's here I come!)

My goal for July:  Don't gain any weight!

My plan:  Enjoy my vacation!  
I will be counting calories when possible and watching my portion sizes.  
I brought home five workout DVDs to do in my parents' basement since it's too hot here to run, even first thing in the morning.


Wish me luck!  


Don't forget to enter this month's Weight-loss Challenge giveaway to win some great pampering products from Basq! 

Crazy Push-up Challenge

My friend Betsy came across this website claiming that after completing their six week training program you will be able to do one hundred push-ups. You? Yes! You, me, your mom, and maybe even the kid down the block.

Naturally I was inclined to say, "Hells yeah! Let's do it!" Whereas Betsy and the rest of my crazy friends said, "Duh!" The first challenge of the year is ON! One hundred push-ups in a row on February 12th!

The initial challenge is to do as many push-ups as you can so that you can begin training at your appropriate level. I did ten and am nervous to report that I am already sore.

Tomorrow marks my first official training day. I'll keep you posted.


Anyone crazy enough to join me?

New Year, New Plan

This is not your typical New Year's Resolution post. I cannot wrap my head around what life will bring this next year.

To make a goal or resolution for an entire year seems foolish and is a waste of my time (and yours too!) This year I am going to challenge myself one small goal at a time.

I started the holiday season with one simple goal: To maintain my weight during the season of over-indulgence. 
To reach my goal, I challenged myself to cut out alcohol (yes, that means wine too) during the week. I am thrilled to report that I weighed myself today and...SUCCESS!  I didn't gain a pound over the holidays!

So, that's how I plan to roll all year long.
One challenge at a time. 
One success leading to another. 
One ultimate goal: Lose this baby weight.

Life will bring me challenges everyday but this is about ME. I will be challenging myself to ensure this is a year to remember!





Happy New Year!

Ho. Ho. Ho.

Jeff and I planned to take Leila to see Santa last Friday. Being the rookie that I am, I did not expect that we would have to shell out $22 to get a picture with Leila on his on lap. I also probably should have known that I was not allowed to take my own picture unless I paid for a photo package.

Forget it, we agreed no picture. Maybe no Santa for that matter since the line was a few families deep.

I went back to shopping and Jeff took Leila walking around the mall. I didn't think twice about what they were up to. I was way too busy buying a new pair of jeans! (Thanks in part to last month's challenge.)

When we got into the car Jeff said he had a surprise. He showed me the picture he bought of Leila. I about died it was so perfect!



Not for a second was I upset that he took her to see Santa without me. They did just fine without me. Imagine that?!?!




Did I mention that Jeff taught her what Santa says? "Ho. Ho. Ho." just like the Santa in A Christmas Story. Hilarious!

Project ME

I am determined not to gain weight this holiday season! Actually, I would love to lose weight, but I'm trying to be realistic here. It's no secret around here that these last 7 pregnancy pounds (alright, 10) have been hanging out on my body for way too long. Even though I workout an average of six days a week, I eat and drink enough to average it all out.



Challenge #1: No drinking during the week. Sounds simple enough to me.

(I am in charge, so I can make and break the rules. I WILL be drinking at all weekday holiday events! We all need some carefree fun once in a while!)

Let the challenge begin! Who's with me?