I don't know about you, but I've had vacation FOMO this summer. We just didn't have the financial or energy reserves to travel this year, but I'm really itching for a change of scenery. The other day, we drove to a coffee shop 30 minutes away and found a little park and a library with toddler story time right across the street. It felt like a tiny little vacation for 3 hours and my heart really needed that time to connect with my kiddos instead of being distracted by the chaos they can cause at home. Getting out with young children is such double-edged sword and we didn't get much practice for a few years there with shutdowns and such. I feel like I'm having to grow those muscles again!
What I'm learning
Personally, I'm learning that I need to move through my emotions, even when it feels simpler to shut them down and go through the motions. I'm a highly emotional person, so I don't think I realize how much energy and effort it takes to just pretend everything is okay, or that it will be okay tomorrow after yet another night of broken sleep. I'm working on finding a new counselor here, but also on carving out time to be attentive to myself in this way on a daily basis.
Professionally, I'm just wrapping up the GOLD Lactation Conference for this year and I was SO thrilled to see so many presentations addressing state regulation in mom and baby. Watching 30+ hours of virtual conference content is a lot, but I feel reinvigorated about what I do and how I do it.
What I'm reading
In nonfiction, I just listened to the audio version of Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other. Sam and Graham are both stage-trained actors and they took turns narrating their writing. It was the perfect thing to listen to while deluttering our office in preparation for the coming homeschool year!
Speaking of homeschool, I lead our local Wild + Free group and finally finished reading The Call of the Wild and Free: Reclaiming the Wonder in Your Child’s Education. The last 20% was kind of lackluster, but the first 80% really reminded me why we chose to do this in the first place.
I am once again out of good fiction. If you have read something good lately, send it my way!
What I'm listening to
I feel like it's been a while since I wrote my June newsletter. Here are some podcast episodes I loved listening to between then and now:
- I have thus far avoided the Joe Rogan Podcast, but I finally listened to it when he interviewed RFK Jr recently. Politics aren't exactly my jam, but most of my adult life, I've struggled to understand why presidential candidates don't talk about real things for real. Every answer to every question is always so carefully crafted and ultimately meaningless. I found RFK Jr extremely refreshing. He said so many important things in this episode, including the fact that when mothers say something, we need to listen.
- Simple Farmhouse Life: Do Homemakers Have too Much Time on Their Hands? A friend recommended this one but due to the title alone, I went into it really resistant to the idea. I've been very very overwhelmed lately and feel like I can't even touch my to-do list due to just putting out daily fires. There are some things they said that I really don't resonate with (which is probably why I have 3 kids and not 8). However, there were other things that they said that were uncomfortable to hear because perhaps there was a grain of truth to it. I need to re-listen, but it did get me thinking about all of the things I'm doing that are NOT serving my time or my family well. It also really lit a fire under me to organize the 18 months worth of stuff that has accumulated during this most recent postpartum time.
- Motherhood Sessions: Mom's Not There When I Need Her - This was another uncomfortable but quick listen. It showed up on my recommended list and it kind of sounded like it could have been a recording of my own inner thoughts and struggles with work and motherhood right now.
- Grieving the Old Version of Yourself - I saved the best for last. In fact, I haven't even finished listening to this one and it's already leaving a major impact on me. Probably because I'm also in the midst of this very painful shift from early to middle motherhood and there's a surprising amount of grief involved. I don't agree with everything in Olivia's worldview, but I do think she's really insightful and it's clear that she's doing the work as she prepares to transition from single to married, and I think a lot of what she's learning can apply to all life transitions.
On my podcast
Last fall, I started a podcast called Milk + Motherhood and it's been so fun. Season 1 was focused on postpartum identity, recovery, and nutrition. Seson 2 is diving into more specialized subjects regarding postparutm and motherhood. Even if you don't listen, check out the shownotes for a wealth of additional information on these subjects. Here are the episodes I've published since my last newsletter:
23.) Does my Baby Really Need a Probiotic? with Tiny Health Founder Cheryl Sew Hoy
Spoiler alert: not all babies need probiotics and not all probiotics are helpful. I purchased Tiny Health tests for myself and my youngest kiddo and really loved their approach, so I sat down with Cheryl to talk about why she started this company and what she's learning. We also go through some of my test results and we talk about why random or broad-spectrum probiotics for a long period of time aren't always the best choice.
24.) Responding with Grace when Motherhood Challenges Us with Peyton Berg
Peyton and I initially planned to talk about "balancing" work and motherhood but we ended up covering a lot of ground in this conversation: how hard means different things to different people and comparison in motherhood isn't helpful, what it looks like to walk through a season of confusion when you thought you were doing the right thing and you didn't get the outcome you expected, discernment about alternative healing modalities, navigating the healthy living space as Christians, and the difference between spiritual and emotional health, and asking for and accepting help.
If you're loving the podcast, please subscribe and leave an Apple podcast review! It's really easy to type a few sentences in, and it helps more people find the fantastic information my guests are sharing with you all.
What We're Eating
I'm a big fan of meal planning and list-making, but in an effort to save on groceries and utilize the fresh stuff that's finally in season, I'm planning meals more loosely, based off of a grid of proteins, produce, and grains. If it's helpful over the next few weeks, I'll share the PDF with you all!
Seasonal Recipe
This recipe is from my food allergy cookbook and it's so simple and refreshing in this hot, muggy weather.
Watermelon Cucumber Salad (makes 4-5 servings) -1 small watermelon, diced
Breastfeeding and Postpartum Q and A You all ask such great questions on Instagram, but that platform doens't always allow for the most detailed answers. If you have a non-urgent breastfeeding or postpartum question that you'd like me to answer via the next newsletter, please hit reply and ask away! This month's question: "Why is my baby latching and unlatching constantly? She seems to want milk less often and sometimes I feel like I'm begging her to eat. Is this normal at 4 months?" This is a major developmental milestone and baby is much more aware of the world around her. The behavioral changes that come with this can be surprising and frustrating, especially if it took you longer than you thought it would to get into a good groove with breastfeeding. If breastfeeding was previously going well and these behaviors are kicking in, you can be assured it's very likely developmental. Your baby is realizing that a world exists beyond the distance between the two of you. She's going to twist and turn to check out sights and sounds, and often this means latching and un-latching OR nip-lash and biting. Sometimes feeding in a dim, quiet room helps a lot during this phase. Upright nursing in koala hold or a carrier can help a lot, too. Again, as long as weight gain and diapers remain normal, it can definitely be normal for baby to seem like she's eating less. Her brain is so busy right now. Keep offering 6-8 times a day, and expect some of those feedings to seem sub-par. If it helps, you can get a pre/post feeding weight at a breastfeeding support group (or at MilkWorks if you're local) for some reassurance. Her focus and hunger will likely come back with a vengeance between 5-6 months when this developmental leap has wrapped up. (I also have an Instagram highlight called "What to Expect" that talks about these kind of age-related changes in your breastfeeding relationship if you want to read more.) Parting Thoughts Thank you so much for subscribing to this little missive, following me on social media, supporting my podcast, and using my affiliate links. I'm so grateful for this community and your support. |
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