Birthing Skirt

**I wrote this while pregnant and apparently never posted!

Ok, maybe I am a little crunchy granola.

But from the first time I heard about the idea of a birthing skirt, I loved it! Mainly, it sounds way more comfortable than a hospital gown. Comfort is very important to me. I have always said "If I have to go to the hospital for anything, bring me my own PJs!" After being in the hospital for just a few hours the other weekend, I realized I super hate the hospital gown. It would fit a small elephant! I wanted something that would be comfortable, would provide the hospital staff with the access they need, and would give me ease of movement during labor. Since we are trying a med-free birth, I need to be able to move around in different positions.

I started looking them up online. They START at $50! That seemed a little unnecessary. So I turned to DIY tutorials and was sorely disappointed. There aren't any really great ones out there! I did find out that seemed to make sense to me and went with it. I didn't need the skirt to be super awesome, just to hold up enough to serve this purpose!

I ended up following this tutorial. It was really good, except for a few confusing parts. I do better with pictures!

I spent about $6 on this stretchy knit fabric (with a coupon). It is 97% Polyester and 3% Spandex. The fabric made it possible to not hem it. The fabric should also work well with the...grossness...that comes with birth. Though I do not plan to keep it afterwards! When I asked my doctor about giving birth in something other than the hospital gown, she said she didn't care, as long as I knew it would get gross!

**Added after the fact**
I wore my birthing skirt with a nursing tank and robe during most of my labor. When it was time to push, I just decided to take the skirt off and push sans bottoms. It made it easier since I was pushing in so many different positions. 

1. I did use the recommended template for making the pattern from Crafter Hours.  I did not follow it exactly, because I didn't need it to be perfect. I just measured and then cut the fabric. I didn't actually make a pattern.

2. For the waistband, I didn't do the whole fold and curved sides thing. I just cut rectangles.

my loosely cut out pieces

All pinned together

waistband

All finished

Trying it On

Standing up straight-panel is hidden

Able to squat and still keep slightly covered, will be good for birthing ball

Oatmeal Lactation Smoothie Recipe

Many mamas like to bake lactation cookies to help keep up their milk supply. 

But...

So I figured out a way to use the same ingredients to help boost supply without the work of baking! 

I make an Oatmeal Lactation "Smoothie" every day for my breakfast.

Ingredients: 

• For Lactation
• 1/4 cup steel cut oats
• 2 TB Brewer's Yeast 
• 2 TB Ground Flax Seed (flax seed must be ground or it doesn't do anything)
• For protein and taste
• 1 container of Greek Yogurt with fruit
• Liquid (and it is a galactagogue)
• Almond milk to fill the container (you could also use regular milk or another milk substitute)

Directions

• Put dry ingredients and yogurt in a mason jar
• Add milk to the top (if you want to drink it) or less if you want to eat it with a spoon
• Put lid on.
• Shake it up (you may need to stir a little once in a while)
• Put in fridge overnight.
• In the morning, drink!

Notes

• You could blend this with fruit and vegetables if you wanted to make a real smoothie
• You could add fruit or peanut butter for a different taste
• You can skip the yogurt.
• You could use chocolate almond milk 
• Pretty much you can do whatever you want so it tastes good to you.
• I bought a bunch of little containers and measure out the dry ingredients in them once a week. So the night before I just need to dump the dry ingredients in.

Where to shop: I get pretty much everything on Amazon!

• Lids
• Steel Cut Oats
• Flax Seed
• Brewer's Yeast
• Little containers

Other things I do to boost supply

• drink coconut water (at least one serving a day, usually two)
• I recently started Mother's Milk Tea
• occasionally add Brewer's Yeast and Flax Seed to a smoothie or other foods
• drink over 100 ounces of water every day

Do you have any favorite lactation recipes?

Elijah: 5 Months

Dear Elijah, 

Wow. 5 months. I am typing this as I look at your on the video monitor wiggling around in your little starfish sleeper. I could cuddle you or watch you all day long and never get bored. You are adorable when you sleep, I could watch you forever. But you are so full of smiles and love when you are awake, I never want you to go to sleep! The amount I love you is incredible. Indescribable. There are no words. But how much you love me? I never imagined that in all my wildest dreams. When you come to visit me at work for lunch and you throw your arms around my neck, I could just melt into a little puddle. You seem too young to do that. But you do! All of my co-workers will attest to it! Last year on Pumpkin Day you were a tiny little grape and only our immediate family knew of our secret. This year you made Pumpkin Day the absolute best!

Weight: 18 pounds 13 ounces 

Height: 27.25 inches

Clothes: 12 months. Mommy jammed you into 9 months far too long. Some of your pants are even 18 months. We just have to roll them up.

Diapers: Most of your diapers are on the tallest rise. But we have lots of room to go in the waist still. 

Sleep: You nap the best for nanny Amanda. You enjoy playing with Grammy too much (and I think she you too much) to nap super well. Really the only time you are upset is when you are overtired. When you are overtired you pretend like you want to be awake and play and refuse to eat (even when you are hungry) because then you know you will fall asleep. It is hard to see you that upset! The Zipadeezip is going well. It allows you movement, but still some resistance. You have been rolling onto your side while sleeping occasionally and then staying there while sleeping. You continue to wake up 1-4 times a night. Sometimes after you wake up the first time you spend the rest of the night with mommy and other times (if I am awake enough) you go back in your cradle. 

Eating: You eat a boobsicle almost every day while I am at work now. You love those and also frozen breastmilk in the mesh feeder. You will also eat breastmilk on a spoon. You think sitting in your high chair eating all of those things is the COOLEST! You have been eating A LOT during the evenings, but that's OK. I love the cuddle time and I know you are making up for what you don't eat during the day. You love to nurse to sleep, and that's OK with me. When you are eating, your hands are always busy with my nursing necklace, my shirt, or strap. You have also experimented with a sippy cup a little. I have over 1,000 ounces of frozen milk since you don't take a bottle, but at least it is being used a little now! You have been spitting up a lot last couple weeks, but I read it can peak around 4-6 months. 

Likes: Eating mommy's face, hugs, eating fabric, putting everything in your mouth, being silly, eating in your high chair, being lifted over our heads, moving all around on the floor on your tummy, and squealing. 

Dislikes: Being tired. 

Health: We think you might be teething. You have had your hands in your mouth with lots of drool since 3 months. But in the last week or so we have noticed that you seem to be more agitated about it. You sometimes wake up crying for no reason and you love when I rub my fingers on your gums. You didn't want to nurse while getting your shots this month because you were too interested in the nurses. You cried a little more than usual, but you were still a champ. Just slept a lot when we got home!

Oh! And this: You have great hand control and can grab a toy (or my phone) with purpose and precisely. 

New Tricks: You move ALL around when you are on the floor by pushing and pulling while laying on your belly. You can sit with support and your core is getting stronger every day. 
Firsts: Pumpkin Day, eating off a spoon, finding your toes!