We're down to the last few days in Ramadhan, how are you guys holding up? It's my 2nd year fasting while breastfeeding in Ramadhan this year and as much as I hope things remain the same as it did
last year, it didn't. :(
Firstly, my aunt flo decided to visit just a day before Ramadhan! A week before its return, I noticed a drop in my milk supply, there was even a day when I came back with just about 4oz of milk (after 3x of pumping!) That was the worst record in my entire breastfeeding journey.
It was also painful everytime I pump and direct feed Adeena that it got me thinking,
"Adeena salah latch ke? Tapi takkan lah salah latch dah setahun lebih menyusu,". Turns out that nipple sensitivity is just one of the PMS signs, and true enough, a few days after aunt flo came to visit, the pain went off and my supply went back to normal, about 7-8oz per day. Well, not so normal lah compared to before, but I'll explain that later.
So, if last year I was able to fast the whole month without missing even a day, this year, I missed 8 days, thanks to aunt flo :(
Secondly, I wasn't able to yield as much milk as I did
last year! You see, earlier on, I was able to get about 18-20oz a day. Those were the glory days - I was a milk factory!
Then, last year, it slowly dropped but I was still able to bring back
15oz consistently everyday, even during the fasting month. Shortly after Adeena turned one, my milk supply dropped a little more and I was only able to bring back 10oz everyday. At this time, I was worried but not too worried, coz the demand and supply were at par.
But now, it's getting even worse - I am only able to get about 7-8oz everyday; 2oz short of what Adeena takes everyday! This got me worried. Really worried.
My freezer that was once full to the brim with milk..
Is now only half full.. :(
I don't know how this happened because I rarely miss my pumping sessions. But I gotta admit, I no longer pay attention to what I eat (
segala pantang dah langgar - kobis dah bantai, white carrot dah tak makan, alfalfa bagai dah tinggal,
sayur hijau kurang, one time tu sebok berdiet lagi), and do not drink as much water as I did before. I also think it is also due to less stimulation 'cause now that Adeena is much older, she can go hours without milk, busy playing.
So in my effort to boost my milk supply, I've tried avocado, coconut and soy, which none of them really showed significant result. I've also tried power pumping for 3 days, but it doesn't make much difference -- yet. Maybe the result would show if I had persevered and did it for a week or longer, but you know, it reallyyyy takes a lot of effort to do that! I know, I know, determination is key. And because of that, I will resume the sessions again soon after Raya, insyaallah. Let's hope to see some result then.
But what I want to share now is this milkbooster that I found recently. It's called Mom's breastfeeding chocolate!
It's a special chocolate made especially for breastfeeding moms to help boost their milk supply. What's different about this chocolate is that it has the little extra ingredients that are said to boost milk supply like - honey
(madu), pennywort
(pegaga),
habatussauda, dates
(kurma) and of course, chocolate. I thought it was brilliant! Finally, I would have the reason to chomp on chocolates without feeling guilty! Haha.
It has 8 pieces in a box, and you're supposed to take one each night before sleep. It tastes quite nice too. I was really excited and shared this on my social media accounts. Many have asked to make a review on it so after 5 days of consuming it, I am ready to make a review on it.
So did it really work for me? Well, unfortunately not 'coz I am still yielding 8oz daily.
Of course different people react differently on milkboosters, so this might work for you as it has worked for some! There's no harm trying, it's only RM29/box and available at PumpOnTheGo
Facebook and
Website. :)
I've always known that I was a picky person. And I guess my milk factory also decided to become one! Heh. Lucky for me, Adeena is turning 18 months soon. She doesn't need as much milk compared to before, but I still make it a point to make as much milk as I can, just in case!
Believe it or not, it has been 17 months, and I still haven't found my milk booster. So I guess the hunt continues.. Another 6 months+ to go to accomplish this mission, will I make it? We shall see.