The many roles...

To the housekeeper:

You've really been slacking.  I can't stand it around here any more.  You kept the place so nice and clean for about three weeks and then you stopped.  I don't know what happened, exactly.  I mean, I hear that your health has major ups and downs.  I hear you deal with chronic pain -which leads to your random exhaustion.  I'm assuming my housework isn't your only job...  Oh, yeah, I know you have kids and all.  I know they keep you up to odd hours, when you would normally be sleeping.  I'm just not sure what to do at this point.  I mean, I need you to step it up, suck it up, and get back on point.  The rest of my family, obviously, has much more important things going on.  I mean, you must continue picking up and taking out the trash every single night.  You must  keep the dishes and kitchen clean, at all times.  You are the sole dish washer around here, don't forget that.  Oh, and don't just leave the laundry laying around!  The clean clothes can't just get piled in the laundry room.  You have to actually fold and go put each piece away, exactly where it is needed (if you set it out in nice piles for each person to take on their own, it won't ever get done and they'll just end up getting thrown back into a pile).  No one has time for all that;

Increasing Milk Supply (#3), days 49-56: Formula and Asparagus.

Day 49:  2/19/14
I started my third menstrual cycle.  "Yay!" for a working body and consecutive cycles (something I've never naturally had).  But a huge "BOOOOOO" that it caused my milk supply drop to probably the lowest it's ever been.  :(

In the last week, I used up the three bags of frozen milk.  I have NO backup breast milk anymore.


Day 51:  2/21214
Chris bought formula.

Increasing milk supply (#3), Day 32.

Day 32:  1/30/14

4:00am
I just pumped 3.5 oz.  Not my norm for the past several days, but Elly nursed on both sides, I forgot to take my Levothyroxine yesterday (bad, I know), and I don't think I even remembered to take any of my MotherLove tincture.

Increasing milk supply (#3), Day 31.

Day 31:  1/29/14

I'm exhausted.  I don't feel like pumping.  I don't even feel like getting out of bed.

Liam woke about 2 hours earlier than usual.  I napped with him, as soon as he finished his bottle.  A very, very, short 40 mins later, Elly woke, demanding to eat.  I tried to hurry and pump the side she doesn't normally use in the morning.  Pumped only about 7oz, instead of my usual 14-16oz.  So disappointing, but it's my own fault!  I know I should pump while Liam is drinking his bottle.  He always wakes before her.  Always.

Increasing milk supply (#3), Day 30.

Day 30:  1/28/14

I was able to freeze 7 ounces of milk today!!  Praise God!!  That brings me to a grand total of TWO bags in our deep freezer.

Oh, how wonderful it feels to fill it up, zip it shut, and place it in the deep freezer.

My heart used to sink to my stomach every time I'd open the deep freezer.  Because it was once taken over by precious, priceless, "liquid platinum", as my midwife once called it.  It's been completely empty -of my milk, that is- for too long.  Now, even just one bag makes my heart flutter with joy!!

Today's Total:  32.5 oz; Pumped 4x

Read more about my journey: 

• Increasing my milk supply (#3) Days 1-29
• Increasing milk supply (#3), Day 31
• Increasing milk supply (#3), Day 32.
• Increasing milk supply (#3), Days 49-56

Increasing my milk supply (#3) Days 1-29

I think I can safely say that my milk supply is finally making a comeback!

First of all I want to give all the praises to God.  I know that without His strength and blessings, I would have given up a LONG time ago.

Operation More Milk #3:
On December 30, 2012, I decided I needed to 'roll up my sleeves', put my 'big girl pants on', 'suck it up', and work on increasing my milk supply -again.
*Operation More Milk #1 started when I gave birth to my preemie twins, May 20, 2012.  Operation More Milk #2 started when I had to start exclusively pumping for Liam on July 14, 2012 (read about Liam's 'latch issues' here).  I worked my way from having to pump five to eight times a day, seriously exhausting (pumping anywhere from 37-52 oz; yes, I have it all saved in an app.), down to only needing to pump twice a day (in mid-September and still pumping approximately 30-40oz.).  Now that was the perfect scenario.  And then I decided to change my diet.  My milk supply dropped in October (read about it here) and I hoped and prayed it would get back to "normal" but I really didn't take action right then and there.  I dug into my frozen stash; after all, that's what it was for, right?  And then I ran out...