Got breast milk?

For the past few weeks, we have been running low on our "liquid gold".

Or should I say, Hallie's life line?

We came to the islands, with 2 coolers packed to the brim with donated breast milk.

We emptied out our deep freeze, and even added to it some that a local donor in Kansas had given us just days prior to leaving.

Well, we are down to about 28 bags of frozen breast milk left.

I get a nervous tummy even thinking about it.

Hallie loves her milk. And we love feeding it to her.

I am still pumping twice a day, and producing about 10 oz/day.

I feel really good about that, but it just isn't enough.

She drinks 4 oz bottles, and on a low intake day, will want at least 5 bottles in a 24 hour period.

It is not only her nutrition, but a comfort for her when she goes to sleep.

She likes to suck and likes her belly full.

I even feed her sometimes a few ounces in the middle of a nap, and it most definitely keeps her asleep for at least another hour.

Not only are we running low on the frozen breast milk, I recently ran low on my domperidone, the medication I take to produce milk.

So, I ordered more, but unfortunately ran out while waiting for it to come.

Those few days were kind of stressful for me.

I didn't want my milk to dry up, and I knew we were running low on the frozen.

My domperidone finally came, and I am back in the game. I'm pumping right now, as I type, and usually get around 4 oz.

I'm hoping my supply will increase over the next few days.

I finally found a donor in Kansas, and so my gracious Mom went and met her to pick up the milk.

She then did all the research and running around to get it prepared to ship to Hawaii.

It is supposed to go out today.

THANKS MAMA!!! YOU ARE THE BEST!!!

Luckily, Hallie is starting to eat more and more food.

We have been offering her food since she was like 6 or 8 months old, but she just never really showed any interest.

She would just suck on certain things, or throw it on the floor.

Just this week, she started actually gumming the food, and swallowing a substantial amount of it.

Some of her favorites are black beans, brown rice, yogurt, raisins, dry cereal, fruit, and she LOVES smoothies!!

We put so much good stuff in our home made smoothies, so it makes me feel really good when she drinks up a glass of it!

I know things will work out just the way they are supposed to, but it makes me really nervous when my Sugar Bear isn't eating alot of food, and her milk supply is dwindling.

I have just been trying to stay calm, and say a prayer that God helps everything work out~ so that we have a happy baby. Not a hungry, "I want my milky" baby..

We are trying to cut back on the milk, and make a push towards more water and food.

She is receiving it fairly well.

She still loves her milky, and will point to it and baby talk, as if to say "I really really want some milk, so if you could please get me some that would make me really happy"!

When we get it for her, she smiles, and walks around with one hand on the end of the bottle, drinking away! (she is holding her own bottle most of the time now)

SMOOTHIE RECIPE

1 cup frozen organic strawberries
1 cup frozen organic mango
1 organic banana
1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries
1/2 cup plain non-fat organic yogurt
heaping full of raw organic honey
1-2 T organic cinnamon applesauce, or dash of cinnamon
1 T chia seeds
1 T hemp seeds
1 big handful of organic spinach leaves (or any type of lettuce, but spinach is the best)
fill almost to top of fruit with cold water, and blend on high until smooth and creamy!!

I like to pour in a big tall glass, and add some frozen blueberries on the top...its delish!!

Our family absolutely loves our smoothies, and we even have them for dinner sometimes if we are not very hungry, or maybe had a late lunch.

This recipe will make alot, so be ready to share with friends and family. If there is leftovers, just leave in blender (or pour in a glass), and stick it in the fridge for later.

Happy smoothie drinking:)