It's Creating Time!

The last days of summer are absolutely made for my favourite things: gardening, canning and crocheting (because you'll need some new scarves, mitts and hats soon!) I could probably include coffee brewin' in there too when the mornings are chilly. Just out of curiosity, does it offend anyone that I drink a mug of coffee every day despite breastfeeding? I would love to know how people feel.

So in honour of this glorious time of year, I have a challenge for my readers. Read through this list of creative ventures and do at least one of them before the autumn equinox on Sept 23rd. Heck, do more than one. I plan to do all of them if my little Ollie Wolfe's sleeping habits will allow.

1. Do some end of summer maintenance to your garden. If you're really ambitious this could include attempting seed saving.
2. Make something DIY instead of buying it. Like these wood coasters (see photo) that my coffee table desperately needs.
3. Learn a new song on your instrument of choice. I suggest Iron & Wine.
4. Crochet a fall scarf. Charcoal grey is particularly satisfying.
5. Host a pickling party. Have friends bring their own jars and pay a buck or two for your supplies (pickling cucumbers, vinegar, salt, maybe sugar and other spices). Or let everyone bring a unque veg to pickle (think asparagus, carrots, pearl onions..)
6. Donate your rarely worn summer clothes. Commit to going new-clothes free all autumn. If you really need something get it second hand.
7. Write a thank you card. Lately I've realized gratitude is one of life's sweetest virtues. Recognize the people in your life that bless you.
8. Brew some joe (or tea!) in a french press. If you're near a specialty coffee shop, a thrift store or an Italian family home, try using a Moka stove top pot.
9. Go on a library binge. It's free!
10. Read myideaofhappiness regularly ;)

Breastfeeding 101

Making the decision to breastfeed your baby is so beneficial for both of you. It is the perfect nutrition for his or her needs and even changes over time. It contains antibodies and boosts the immune system. It also helps you lose the pregnancy weight quicker and allows for excellent bonding time for the two of you. It is easy to digest and has been proven to decrease baby's risk of diabetes, asthma, infections and obesity.

That being said, intending to breastfeed is a whole different story than actually committing to it despite challenges. In my own experience, a sudden drop in weight from birth to day 3, and cracked nipples from poor latching had me almost ready to throw in the towel. It is so important to do your homework while you're still pregnant or trying so that you're equipped by the time baby arrives.

A good start

The best thing you can do for your breastfeeding success is to try to feed as soon as possible. In the case of a natural birth this can hopefully be a few minutes after birth. If you're in the care of a midwife chances are they will be able to assist you with this. If for some reason your baby must be taken away from you for any length of time after he or she is born, request that a bottle of sugar water or formula not be offered. As a last resort you can request a breast pump and ask to have it fed to your baby. Don't worry if it's not possible to breastfeed your baby right away - plenty of babies go on to have wonderful breastfeeding success even though they did not start right away.

A good latch

The way the baby attaches onto your breast is of utmost importance. If it is not right the baby will probably not receive as much milk as he or she could, and it will definitely cause a lot of current and future pain to mom. Start by getting comfortable yourself. Make sure your back is straight, not leaning back or hunching over. Choose a hold (cross, football, laying down) and position baby's face at the breast. When he or she shows the rooting reflex (a wide open mouth) bring baby to your breast making sure he or she gets a big mouthful of more than just nipple. The attachment should be somewhat asymmetrical with more areola showing above your baby's mouth. Lips should be puckered outward and nose should be close to your breast but not touching. With this latch your baby's jaw is pressed up close to the breast and is able to do the work of sucking. Make sure baby's head, neck and back are in a straight line - any twists (body straight with head turned) will make it difficult to swallow.

A good feed

Once the latch is right everything gets easier. It may be painful at first when baby starts sucking because your nipple is being stretched but after a few seconds the pain should subside. (This initial pain shouldn't last longer than a few weeks - if it does you may have a latch problem). It is important to see baby swallowing - you can also hear this with a slight "ahh" sound every few seconds. If you baby doesn't show much interest but you know he or she is hungry try doing compressions (slight squeezing of your breast) to bring some milk down and encourage baby to keep trying. If baby's sleepy you may want to feed him or her in only a diaper or do other things to keep them awake (play with their arms, keep a conversation going, give encouragement). When baby's done eating they will unlatch. Don't finish a feed just because it has been a certain amount of time. If you must finish a feed before baby wants to (someone comes to the door, etc.) slip a finger in his or her mouth to break the suction - never just pull them off because that will really hurt. You can always offer the other breast once your baby's done on one. It's a personal choice.


A good plan

Baby should be feeding 8 - 12 times a day, approximately every 2 - 3 hours. Oliver and I have found a good schedule called cluster feeding in which he feeds every hour or so in the evening so that he can sleep longer during the night. We both love it. A typical day for us would be 6:30am, 8:30am, 10am, 1pm, 3pm, 5:30pm, 7pm, 8:30pm, 9:30pm, 11pm. Don't worry about times, just let baby eat when it's time (you can tell because they will fuss and open their mouth to the sides). If baby cries for food, he or she is already very hungry - try feeding before that point because an overly hungry baby is harder to feed. You can tell your baby is getting enough milk by weight gain and wet/dirty diapers. If there's a concern talk to your doctor or midwife but just know that most new moms have concerns about their supply and chances are you're just fine. If you've had latch problems in the past but they have since resolved (like me) you may be suffering from sore nipples. Try lanolin ointment. Change breast pads often. Leave a bit of breastmilk on your breast after a feed and let it dry out before you re-dress. Sleep naked at night. These are good tips for healing quickly - it shouldn't take long but everyone's different.

I hope I've provided lots of information about breastfeeding because I think it's so important but it's also a big challenge. If you come across any trouble don't hesitate to call your local La Leche League representative. They are volunteers who will often email information, talk to you on the phone and even come to your house if you need it. Breastfeeding is very rewarding - don't give up!

My Giving Birth Story

To quickly give some background, I enjoyed a very healthy pregnancy - always wonderful & on track to my midwife's standards. I was given a due date of August 8th but was also told things were progressing nicely. Last night (Thursday) my friend Emily came over and we made Diablo Chocolate Cookies & watched Jersey Shore. No pains, no problems.

At 2am I woke up to contractions. I wanted to try and sleep through them but laying back wasn't comfortable & I couldn't make myself sleep sitting up. I watched a bit of HGTV and timed my contractions once in a while. At 5 or 6am they were feeling stronger and I decided it was time to make a call. My primary midwife, Hayley, was off call. (I felt my heart sink, in between minute-long, decently painful contractions.) Her partner, Brittany, was also off call. I was happy to hear Kathi, another midwife I'd met with twice, was working but when we talked she said she actually wasn't on call, she was teaching a class in the morning. So I tried the last midwife I knew, Andrea, and low-and-behold she was already at a birth. Not wanting to get discouraged I phoned someone else from the practice - Shawn.

Shawn drove to our house and examined me. She said I was progressing great but was way too friendly & happy to be in active labour. Get some rest and call again when you're grumpy, was her advice. She gave me Gravol and Calvin ran me a tub and I fell asleep (sort of) not long after.

When I woke up I was feeling really nauseous and thought it might be from 'working so hard' without eating so I had Cal bring me some fruit. Maybe 4 slices of strawberry later my water broke in a huge gush and I needed to run to the washroom. Calvin and I had a funny moment where I was trying to hand him the glass bowl of fruit, in panic, and he wasn't understanding what was going on. I think I yelled "WATER BREAK TAKE FRUIT CALL MIDWIFE" and that seemed to work. Calvin told her I was a bit grumpier now and they decided it was time to go to the hospital.

We checked into OB triage at Victoria Hospital at 10:25am, me in a wheelchair with my eyes closed and my total zen going, and Calvin already arguing with the nurse because she was so preoccupied with what kind of after-care room we could afford. (Not only did his TD Canada Trust benefits cover the cost, we didn't even want one...) They got me into a birthing room and I was 2cm dilated. I think until this point I hadn't really made any sounds, any pain I felt I just closed my eyes and breathed through it (Thank you Practice Loft yoga - you saved me!) Shawn asked if I wanted the tub filled and I started by saying no but then asked if it would decrease my pain and when she said yes I agreed. It would take about 20 min to fill.

I hopped in the tub and laboured for a while, with the constant attention of Shawn, Calvin, my mom, Calvin's mom Jody and my sisters. They'd each come visit me in the tub room and try to get my mind off the intensity of the contractions. This is around the time I started feeling the "I'm going to give up soon" feeling. I got a little noisier (not bad really, I was concerned about my family being sad to see me in pain, which is funny). At one point I just closed my eyes and said "Sarah, I need you to talk about where you're going to live in Toronto for a really long time." and she did. Another time I turned the jets on in the tub and then started a heavy contraction and realized the jets were driving me nuts. I scattered to attempt to turn them off but probably pushed every button except off. Angela and I thought this was pretty funny.

After being in the tub for 15 min or so I told Shawn I felt like I needed to push. She sort of laughed because at last check I was 2cm and you typically dilate 1/2 to 1 cm per hour, so the baby was expected around 8pm. It was maybe 11:30. She flipped me around in the tub and checked me - 9 centimeters. Everyone in the room was floored. She pulled me out of the tub and excused everyone from the room except Calvin.

Just in the nick of time Hayley dashed in the door like a hero and said "Sorry I'm late, let's have a baby!" They laid me on the bed and got my legs up. I didn't need any invitation I just started pushing. Calvin was right beside me the whole time being such an amazing support. On the 3rd push she said, "We can see his head." And so the 4th push was the great effort of my life. I used every ounce of energy the whole world had to offer and felt my little son slip out of me. It was 11:50am - only an hour and a half from when we arrived. Hayley brought him right to my chest and Calvin and I felt the sum of a life's joy in one moment. We both were checked out (everything's great) and I showered up. (*Update: I forgot to mention that at this time Oliver decided to pee all over Hayley - another good laugh.) Spent some time with family taking photos and being cute and then we headed home. I was on the couch and eating more Diablo Chocolate cookies by 3:20pm. No intervention, no pain relief, pure ecstasy!

So that's the story of 6lb 12oz Oliver Wolfe, born on August 5th.

The name Oliver comes from the olive tree which is a significant symbol of hope in the Bible. It is a part of famous chef, Jamie Oliver's name, and we both love cooking! Wolfe is a shortened version of another of our favourite names - Wolfgang - which is a popular first name in my heritage and is included in both Mozart & Wolfgang Puck's names. So again, a chef, and also music which is a great love of ours.

Herbs! How to use 'em!

When  you transition further into natural health you notice (and are overjoyed to find) that there is practically an herb for every ailment. Herbs not only treat a variety of health problems, they are also a great addition to the healthy person's medicine cabinet as they promote general wellness. Most contain large amounts of vitamins and minerals and have been used for generations. Keep in mind that not all herbs are safe in all potencies and preparations. Do your research.

So how do you use herbs? There truly are a long list of ways. And here the list is, for your viewing pleasure:

Water-based herbal preparations (best made with dried herbs)
- Teas or, more accurately if true tea leaves are not being used, tisanes
Use about 1 tsp dried herb per cup of boiled water and steep for 20 minutes, then drain and drink. You can drink herbal tea hot or chilled.
- Infusions
This is like a longer-steeped tea. For roots or barks, let 1 oz of your plant soak in a 1-pint jar full of water for 8 hours. For leaves, 1 oz in 1 quart of water for 4 hours. Flowers, the same proportion as leaves but only 2 hours. And seeds, 1 oz in a pint for only 30 minutes. Remember to strain. If you are using a combination (chamomile flowers with ginger root for example) choose the shortest time. You can drink 2 cups a day for a 130 lb person. Increase by a cup/day for every 60 lbs more, or decrease by a cup/day for every 60 lbs less of body weight.
Infusions can also be used for other purposes: baths/soaks, enemas, eye washes or douches.
- Decoctions
Strain your infusion (using the instructions above) and simmer over a stove until it has reduced in volume by 1/2. Take 2 Tablespoons per day instead of 2 cups.
- Syrups
This is the same as an infusion only sugar or honey is added. Use 8 oz sugar or 4 oz honey per 8 oz fluid infusion (pre-reduction). Then boil and if you'd like add 1 oz of brandy, then strain. You can take 1 tsp per day and it should keep for 3 - 6 months.
- Fomentations
This is a piece of cloth that has been soaked in a warm infusion and applied to the body.
- Poultice
This is the actual wet herb that has been strained from any of the above preparation methods. When covered in cloth and applied to the body it is called a compress.

Spirit-based herbal preparations (best made with fresh herbs, or roots/barks)
- Tinctures
This is easily made by filling a jar with any fresh herb, then filling the dead space with pure vodka. Label and let sit for 6 weeks, then strain and use. One dose is 20 drops. Infused vodka is also a delicious treat and a fun, homemade gift. Try peppermint or cinnamon.
- Liniments
A liniment uses the same method but with rubbing alcohol and can only be used externally. (Some people use infused witch hazel, cider vinegar or a carrier oil and still call it a liniment. I'm not sure why.)
- Vinegars
Us the same instructions as making a tincture only with pure, boiling vinegar. A dose is 1 tsp per 100 lb of body weight. For a yummy salad dressing addition try making a rosemary or oregano infused vinegar.

Lastly, oil-based herbal tinctures (must be made with fresh herbs)
- Essential oils
These are not easily made at home but are widely available and can be used for many purposes.
- Infused oils
Fill a jar with fresh, unwashed herbs and fill the dead space with oil. Label and strain after sitting for 6 weeks. Think beyond medicinal use - there are many delicious culinary applications for infused oils. Keep in mind proper canning techniques if you're going to store an oil - if any water remains it will spoil quickly.
- Ointments/Salves/Balms/Butters
Prepare an herb-infused oil then heat 1 oz of it with 1 Tablespoon of hard, grated beeswax. It should cool to an appliable consistency. This is considered a salve. Decrease the amount of beeswax to yield a softer product and it's now an ointment. Add an essential oil to a carrier oil, instead of hand-infusing, and it's a balm. If you use a hard butter (cocoa, etc.) in the recipe it is considered a body butter.
- Lotions
This is the same as any of the above products only with a high content of water which needs to be incorporated using an emsulifying agent. It's usually made this way for convenience in prepared store products, so it's best to just make a salve at home.

Using these methods you can start using herbs at home for a variety of purposes!