Motherhood

If I’m being totally transparent, when I look in the mirror, sometimes I don’t love what I see anymore.

The day after I was discharged from the hospital, I was diagnosed with postpartum Bell’s palsy.

And almost one year later, I still suffer from some of the effects. 

I had a normal pregnancy, normal birth, and the baby was healthy when he was born. 

All I knew at the time was that my face felt weird, I couldn’t drink from a straw, and my right eye wouldn’t stop watering without being covered.

An hour visit to the E.R, a few tests, and several hundred dollars later, the doctor told me what my mom had already guessed–I had postpartum Bell’s Palsy.

It was tough ya’ll. I wanted to take pictures with our new family of five, but it was discouraging because I looked like I had just had a stroke. The right side of my face drooped and I couldn’t smile even if I wanted to. 

While mourning over my face, I tried to focus on my three blessings, especially my newest tiny blessing.

During my maternity leave, I spent many days in various doctor’s offices as they told me that most people with bell’s palsy saw a full recovery six to eight weeks later.

While most of the symptoms aren’t visible to strangers, I still have a few minor issues. On windy days, my right eye still waters. And I try my best not to be seated directly under a ceiling fan.

To me the most noticeable and most difficult to ignore is the right side of my face is still slightly paralyzed. Now when I smile, my face isn’t symmetrical.

When I see pictures of myself, it’s hard not to overanalyze the obvious. I’ve been blessed with such a loving and supportive family–especially a husband who tells me how beautiful I am regardless.

Postpartum bells palsy has been a journey from the inside out. Now the phrase “beauty is only skin deep” has a new meaning for me. 

My girls often watch my get ready for work in the morning and tell me how beautiful I am. (trust me, I’m not paying them to say that). 

I realize that I have a responsibility to them to show them what a strong woman looks like. 

A strong woman isn’t perfect. 

A strong woman perseveres through adversity.

A strong woman acknowledges when she needs help. 

A strong woman apologizes when she is wrong. 

Raising children in a day and age when they have access to social media can be exciting, yet damaging. We have constantly pushed images of “perfection.” We often don’t see the edits to make people look flawless, and we definitely can’t see the pain behind the images they project. 

I’m learning that I am so much more than my face. And if my face never returns to how it looked before babies, I am learning to be okay with that too. 

Do you know someone who has suffered from postpartum bells palsy? Share this post with them!

 

This post is sponsored by Dents de bebe, but all opinions are my own.

After I had my first daughter, people often looked at me with disgust with they found out I continued to breastfeed a teething baby.

She was only 6 months old, and I wasn’t ready to give up breastfeeding, but I had to adjust some things to help her through the teething process without getting bit.

Now that I’m breastfeeding baby #3, I’ve had to adjust greatly. My son (unfortunatly) is a chronic biter!

 

He’s 11 months old, and I want to at least make it to a year of breastfeeding successfully, but teething is rough this time around!

Here are a few tips to help you continue to breastfeed a teething baby:

Wear a teething necklace

My son loves to use his teeth on EVERYTHING.

He’s bitten a hole in my p.j shirt, chews on books, and the worst thing—bitten me while nursing.

Most of the bites have happened as he was falling asleep and was grinding his teeth. I try to pull away before he completely falls asleep, and sometimes have to squeeze his face if he’s already chomped down on me. 

Since he likes to try out his new chompers on any and everything, to help myself, I wear a Dents de Bebe teething necklace.

Dents de bebe necklaces are not only fashionable, but the silicone beads are 100% food grade, FDA-approved, BPA-free, Phthalate-free, Lead-free, Cadmium-free, Nitrosamine-free, and Latex-free.

Hygenic and hypoallergenic, items made of all silicone parts are easy to clean and top-rack dishwasher-safe.

They also make perfect shower gifts! (Grab the code at the end of this post to get 20% off!)

Use Essential Oils

Copaiba has been my best friend. It can be used diluted in a roller bottle and rolled on the gums, or if you feel more comfortable with oils, you can put a small drop (neat) directly on your baby’s gums.

Teething is such a painful process for little ones, and many teething remedies have been recalled which makes finding a pain reliver difficult for parents.

I like using all natural remedies as much as possible. I love Young Living Oils. Their seed to seal guarantee ensures that their oils are pure and aren’t filled with synthetics or cheap fillers. If you are ready to dive in, I’d love to help you on your wellness journey! All you have to do is click here.

Invest In Your Own Wellness

When babies are teething, they are often irritable, sleep less and require more of your energy and attention. If you aren’t getting enough rest (when you can) and taking care of your body, the teething process can wear you out. 

If you are struggling to get back on the wellness track during the postpartum period, don’t be afraid to ask your spouse or friend to keep the baby to give yourself a break. 

Many mothers feel guilty about having “me time” after the baby. Without a little time away, regrouping can become difficult. Be kind to yourself as you are bouncing back. 

If you are feeling down and can’t seem to shake it, or having feelings of harming yourself or the baby, please consult your physician. 

Don’t Give Up If Your Baby Refuses to Nurse

Keep in mind that teething feels like a terrible toothache. 

Would you want to eat or drink if you had a toothache? Because breastfeeding is as much of a bonding experience as it is for nourishment, it is common to feel defeated if your baby refuses to nurse. Remember to pump if your baby is refusing multiple feedings. This will ensure that you can keep up your supply. 

Remember, if all else fails, fed is best. If you cannot keep up with the demand of your baby, or you simply cannot produce anymore, that doesn’t make you any less of a mom. 

Do you want one of these beautiful teething necklaces for yourself or a friend? Head over to https://www.dentsdebebe.com/ and Use the code: YOURKIDS for 20% off. 

This post contains  Amazon affiliate links.*This post contains affiliate links. This means that I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you subscribe or purchase something through the links on this page.

I’ve been lucky to not have any issues with breast milk production.

UNTIL NOW.

Baby #3 has been a game changer in a number of ways.

My son eats ALL the time, and life is challenging. I have two kids in school, and a very demanding school counseling job.

I knew that stress could affect your milk, but it never got in the way of my production in the past, so I

Mother’s Milk/Lactation Tea

Lactation Tea is great for boosting your supply, not necessarily for maintaining it.

Mother’s Milk contains fennel, aniseed, coriander, fenugreek and blessed thistle. Due to all the natural herbs included in the tea, it is an acquired taste.

Mrs. Patel’s Chai tea was a nice change in taste for me. Mother’s milk tea was effective, but I wasn’t big on the strong herbal taste.

 

 

Fenugreek Supplements

Fenugreek is an ancient herb that women have used to increase breast milk production for thousands of years.

Many women have reported that their milk, urine and/or sweat has a maple syrup smell after taking fenugreek supplements. You can find it in most health food stores & grocery stores.

Lactation Cookies

Eating lactation cookies has been my favorite way to increase breast milk production.

You can purchase them, or make your own. There are several on the market, but my favorite are Fenugreek

I usually buy them in bulk off Amazon and take some to work, keep in the pantry, and at least 1 in my purse.

Rolled Oats/Granola

One of the hardest parts about the postpartum journey is losing the baby weight.

A quick way to slim down is to pay attention to your diet–notice I didn’t say diet. While you are breastfeeding, it is important to consistently eat healthy foods so that you can pass along the nutrients to your baby.

With the exception of Vitamin D, your breast milk has everything your baby needs.

I love adding granola to the top of my yogurt for a healthy snack.

Increased Water Intake

I don’t know about you, but I know I’m guilty of drinking everything but water.

It’s easy to drink water when I’m active or outside, but I struggle with drinking the proper amount daily.

One of the ways I’ve combated my lack of desire for water is to infuse it with fruit, lemon/lime and bringing water to work.

I’ve noticed when I am drinking more water that my skin feels better AND I can produce more milk.

Get Adequate Rest

How can getting adequate rest help breast milk production? Feeling tired affects your mood, which in turn affects your milk.

It’s tough to get a lot of rest with a new little one, especially when they are still waking several times at night.

This may mean that you have to take a nap when they are napping instead of doing the dishes or folding laundry. While those things are important, sometimes those things can wait.

 

Look At Pictures of Your Baby While Pumping

Sometimes pumping at work can be stressful. Finding the time  (and sometimes the place) to pump is a challenge, and you often feel rushed to get back to work.

I’m a school counselor, and there have been many times when a simple knock on the door has interrupted my milk flow. Now I try to make a habit of taking out of my phone and scrolling through videos and pictures of my son while I pump.

Not only does this make me feel good, but it also stimulates the hormone oxytocin, which gets my milk flowing.

If you continue to struggle with your supply, consult a lactation consultant. They can go through a few other options with you, such as checking to see if your baby is latched on correctly and taking in an adequete amount of milk.

And remember, every mom is different. Don’t fall into the comparison trap and feel bad if you can’t breastfeed as long as you’d hoped. Fed is best.

 

 

Recovery from a c-section is tough on a new mother’s body.

A c-section is major surgery, and the recovery process can take weeks (sometimes months) to heal & can occasionally come with complications.

Seven months ago, I had my 3rd c-section. It was unavoidable as I’d had two previously. My first baby was breech and did not want to turn.

 

My second baby was head down, but I had contractions and my doctor wasn’t available, so I opted for another c-section out of fear. Unfortunately I had an infection and spent 7 weeks following the birth at Wound Care weekly.

My scar was reopened and my husband was tasked with packing my wound daily, which pushed my recovery back significantly.

This time around, my pregnancy and delivery went off without much of a hitch, and for that, I am thankful! Here are a few ways that I recovered quickly this time around:

Rest

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not great at this. Most moms probably aren’t.

Even while we are resting, our minds are thinking of things we should be doing. The day after I was discharged from the hospital, I was diagnosed with Bells Palsy. The right side of my face went numb and from the research I did, I found that the onset is due to stress on the body.

I really had minimal intent on resting after birth. I now have 3 kids (2 in school) and my son was born in harvest season (the busiest season for a farmer!).

Being diagnosed with Bells Palsy was a wake up call for me. I realized that getting stuff done was not more important than my health. So now when I’m tired, I rest.

If I feel compelled to do something, I make a to do list while resting.

Minimize stress to your midsection

My bed sits up high, so after having the baby, I found that I experienced pain when I got on and off the bed. There were many nights that I slept in the recliner until it was comfortable enough to return to my bed.

When you are caring for a newborn, it’s inevitable that you have to get up off the bed frequently.

While your wound is still fresh, try to find a comfortable spot that doesn’t require you to put stress on your midsection.

Keep your scar clean

If you notice anything unusual, consult your doctor immediately (bleeding at the sight, etc)

After my 2nd baby, I experienced my scar turning to keloid and I had endometriosis in my scar. I had to get it cut off. I was concerned about having to do this again after baby #3, so I researched natural methods of recovery after a c-section.

I turned to Young Living essential oils.  I applied Frankincense oil directly to my scar (if your body isn’t use to applying oils neat, I would suggest mixing with a carrier oil first like coconut, sweet almond or jojoba).

Why Frankincense? Well because it has so many great properties! Like:

• antidepressant
• anti-infectious
• anti-inflammatory
• antiseptic
• expectorant
• immune-stimulant

Just to name a few! Trust me, there’s a reason why the wise men brought it to Jesus. There are over 52 references to it in the bible.

Are you interested in investing in nontoxic options for your family? Order Here.

Stay Hydrated

If you are nursing, this is a must. In order to replenish what you are giving your baby, you must stay hydrated.

Even if you are not breastfeeding, staying hydrated after a c-section will eliminate excess fluid and help your body return to normal.

Staying hydrated, even if you don’t have an appetite can reduce gas–which can be very painful while you are recovering.

A full recovery could take up to six weeks.

Just know that your c-section recovery may look different from someone else’s, so don’t get discouraged if your recovery looks different! Remember, taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of your newborn!

If you experience severe pain, have a fever more than 100.4, or are experience depressing, self harming thoughts, contact your physician immediately.