Breastfeeding Adventures Pt. 1

Like many women I had a tough time nursing at the beginning. By the end of the first day my nipples where bruised and nearly bleeding. I was gritting my teeth trying to suffer through each nursing session. The doctors told me Baby Cthulhu was losing weight (which I would later learn was normal, especially since he was meeting and exceeding all his diaper requirements throughout the day) and that I needed to consider giving him formula or feeding him with a syringe or they would let us go home. I tried several more times to nurse him, but it was incredibly painful and the lactation consultants on site where either disinterested in helping or busy with other mothers and unable or unwilling to help. When I finally said I would try pumping the staff was only too eager to show me what to do. We left the hospital with Baby Cthulhu unable to nurse and drinking from a bottle.

I had been producing colostrum for weeks before Baby Cthulhu arrived so milk production was not an issue. The issue I found was that for a hospital that claimed to be breastfeeding friendly, they really knew nothing about it. When I first pumped I had over an ounce of colostrum spread out into six syringes. We asked how much we were to give him and were told that they didn't know, however many he would take. I would later learn that we probably gave him more than his tiny tummy really needed, but, he started gaining weight and we were soon able to leave the hospital.

The hospital staff used scare tactics and bullying instead of actually doing their jobs and helping a first time mother learn to nurse. They were happy to see us leave with a few pump recomendations and a handful of nipples from their formula brand of choice.

We made our move with me pumping when able, making sure B.C. Got his breast milk even if it wasn't directly from the source. I'm lucky I over produce because with the long gaps between pumps and the extreme engorgement I was lucky I didn't dry up. But, we made it to Virginia and from then on I pumped every two to four hours (sometimes a bit longer if we went out), every day for two months. I still tried occasionally to nurse, but, B.C. would scream and refuse to latch. I had just about given up, resigned to having to pump for the next year or so.

Then one morning just before his two month birthday around 2am Baby Cthulhu woke up screaming. Krues dragged himself to the kitchen to heat up a bottle of previously pumped milk and I held B.C., begging him to calm down and to be patient. In desperation I shoved my nipple into his mouth and told him he would either have to wait a few more minutes for his bottle or start nursing. He was angry, but he started nursing! He grunted and snuffled, but, he nursed!

He drank from his bottle occasionally over the next week when my nipples would get to bruised but within two weeks he was rufusing to drink from his bottles and I was only pumping once every few days.

I know I was lucky to get him nursing again after all that time with no further outside help. To be honest, after the experience we had at the hospital I didn't really trust that a lactation consultant would even be able to help us.

Baby Cthulhu is now four and a half months old and hasn't touched a bottle in two months. There have been difficult times; over-active let down, sore nipples, etc. But, being able to cuddle up with him at nap times as he nurses himself to sleep is the best feeling in the world!

~Shine

New Adventures

It's been nearly a year since my last post and so much has happened!

Krues finished up school in November. His graduation slightly (completely) interrupted by the birth of our Baby Cthulhu. B.C. decided to arrive two weeks early so that he could move with us to the east coast. We moved into our new apartment with our new baby in the beginning of December, Baby Cthulhu was only 18 days old and had already been through seven states.

The past few weeks have been kind of a blur as we try to figure out the whole parenting thing. As our circumstances have changed so will this blog. We will do our best to update more frequently than we have in the last year and we will try to share what we have learned/experienced as first time parents.

~Shine

Happy New Year

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!
~Shine &Krues

Cashew Cream

Cashew Cream

Krues and I recenly found this cute little vegan place here is San Antonio called Vegeria Vegan. They have a great Sun Dried Tomato and Sweet Potato enchilada that uses a cashew cream in place of sour cream. After trying it I had to try and find a recipe. Luckily I had just ordered "Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats" by Allyson Kramer and when it arrived I found this recipe... rather convenient....
The recipe is really easy to make and comes out tasting a lot like plain Greek yogurt. I may try it without the sugar next time though as Krues complained that it was a little overly sweet.

Cashew Cream
2 cups raw cashews, soaked in 4 cups water for at least 6 hours (I did it for 24 hours), then drained.
1 cup cold water
3 tablespoons lemon juice (I used a whole lemon)
2 to 3 teaspoons sugar (organic/raw)
Dash or two of sea salt

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth, about 5 minutes.
Store in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate. Eat when chilled. 
Should last up to a week in the refrigerator.

Krues has been mixing it with Sriracha and said that since it isn't milk based it isn't toning down the spiciness. So, it's great to mix with anything you want to keep the flavor of.

~Shine

Tilapia

Today I decided it was a good idea to finally get around to cooking the tilapia we've had in the fridge before it went bad. I created some quick and easy recipes for it this morning.

Pre-heat oven to 400°
Lemon zest tilapia
2 pieces tilapia
1/2 lemon
2 garlic cloves
Chardonnay
Salt
Dried rosemary
Red pepper

Lay out two squares of foil, placing one tilapia in the center of each square. Pour a spash of chardonnay over the tilapia followed by a pinch on rosemary, red pepper and salt. Zest the lemon and squeeze the juice onto the tilapia. Cut up the garlic cloves and sprinkle them over the tilapia. Fold the foil into pouches and place in a "drip tray" (I just used a large piece of foil). Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes.
Remove tilapia from foil and serve with rice and/or salad.

Sriracha tilapia
2 pieces tilapia
Sriracha - gluten free
Rosemary
Red pepper
Salt

Lay out two squares of foil. Place a piece of tilapia in the center of each square. Sprinkle a pinch of salt, pepper and rosemary over the tilapia. Squeeze a liberal amount of sriracha onto the tilapia. Fold the foil into pouched then place in "drip pan" (again, I just used a large piece of foil). Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from foil and serve with rice and/or salad.

The whole process is pretty quick and easy... and a little messy. The foil will be filled with liquid once it's done cooking so it's best to open them either very carefully or over the sink.

~Shine

Welcome!

Welcome to our little blog. Here we plan to write about our adventures in cooking, crafts and random activities. :) Shine will probably be the one to post most frequently as Krues will mostly be working, but he does plan to include his own cooking and craft projects as time allows. We hope you enjoy our adventures as much as we do!

Shine

Krues