How I Increased My Milk Supply In Just One Week!!

*I received the featured product free of charge in order to give an honest review.  No other product or monetary compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% my own and others may have a different opinion.  Products received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made on this blog.**

How I Increased my Milk Supply in Just One Week!!

I am a part time pumping mom.  I work only part time so I usually pump while I am at work and then I am able to nurse my baby for the other feedings throughout the week.  My baby is currently 5 months old and he is my third child.  With my first two I wasn't able to nurse them very long.....at least that is what I had thought at the time.  I have a 10 year gap between my baby and my next child up so for me this was completely starting over.  With my first two children I stopped nursing around 4-5 months.  I never felt like I had enough milk for them so I in turn just ended up giving up and feeding them formula.  For my first child I also went to work when he was 4 months old and didn't know anything about pumping so I just put him on formula at that time.  This time around I was determined to go as long as I can with this baby. 

I hadn't given him any formula yet at all.  I had been strictly breastfeeding.  For me it was a means to save money because formula is so expensive.  So when my milk supply suddenly dropped I was devastated.  I had a trip to the ER for an extreme migraine that I had for 10 days straight.  They ended up giving me some medication through an IV which they said they weren't sure if it would decrease my milk supply when I asked. (Later I found out from other doctors and health professionals that they knew that it would decrease my supply so they weren't sure why they gave me that medicine in the ER since I am a nursing mother.)  

After having this medicine my milk supply almost completely dried up!!  My baby was fussy all the time and so I just kept nursing as much as I could and was dipping into my frozen supply that I had in my freezer.  This kept my baby somewhat satisfied.  I was pumping extra at this time just to stimulate and get my milk production back up.  Nothing was working!  My doctor had told me to just keep at it so that is exactly what I did.  

I was only getting 1/2 oz from each side during a pumping session.  So I was only getting one ounce total!!  This was so hard for me because before my ER visit I was pumping about 3-4 ounces in one pumping session of 20 minutes. 

 I was desperate to try anything I could to increase my milk supply but didn't have much time to do a lot of extra pumping sessions.  I decided to go the route of trying supplements rather than power pumping sessions.  

I had first ordered a supplement that I heard was supposed to increase your milk supply.  I ordered that supplement and then tried it for a few days.  It was a bottle of drops.  They tasted absolutely disgusting and I didn't have much success at all with them.  I felt like I had just wasted $30.  So I needed to find another option.

I had used FairHaven Health products in the past and noticed that they had breastfeeding supplements.  I was SO excited to have the opportunity to be able to review this product.  I was very hopeful because I really liked the other fertilaid products from FairHaven Health that I had tried in the past. 

I decided I was just going to try the supplements and do nothing more than what I was already doing to try and increase my milk supply.  

I was pleasantly surprised!! 

I tried three different products from FairHaven Health.  I tried the Milkies Nursing Blend, Milkies Fenugreek, and the Milkies Nursing Time Tea. 

The thing I liked the best about these products is that I wasn't having to take the nasty drops.  I love these capsules because you don't have to deal with the nasty taste that you get with some of the other breastfeeding supplements.  They are also so much easier to take.

Fenugreek (above)  Nursing Blend (below)

My only hesitation was the Nursing Time Tea because I was scared of the taste.  This tea was actually not bad at all.  None of the flavors were too potent for me to handle like I thought they would be.  Nursing Time Tea has a nice lemon flavor that helps balance out the other flavors.  I'm not usually a huge herbal tea drinker because I just can't stomach the taste of most of them.   Some of the herbal teas just remind me of many flavors I have tasted growing up that I had a huge dislike for.  I was so glad when this tea had such a mellow taste.  I was able to drink this tea just fine. 

Now on to the results.......Here is what I was able to pump after using these products for just one week.  I went from pumping 1 ounce total to 3 ounces total.  Still not what other people may be able to pump or maybe not what I would expect after comparing myself to others......but these results made me ecstatic!  I also noticed my milk was a better quality.  I didn't change anything else in my routine other than taking these supplements.  I was already drinking TONS of water and a little Gatorade each day because that had helped me in the past.  I didn't do any extra pumping or anything during the week to increase my milk supply.  I actually only pump about 8-12 times total a week depending on how many hours I work.  I only pump to replace the feedings I miss while I am at work.  

After trying these supplements I ended up with a much happier baby!!  I did talk to the doctor a week ago and did a weight check and we do now have to supplement one feeding per day with formula to get his weight up but I am absolutely ok with that because I know I am doing my best as a mom.  I'm just SO happy to be able to nurse him as much as I can.  Thanks to FairhavenHealth Products I can do that!!

I will definitely continue to use these products.

If you are struggling with a decrease in milk supply or just have low milk supply I highly recommend trying these products. 

Do whatever you feel is best for your own life and your baby.  Whatever your best is that is definitely good enough.  You are a great mom......remember that!!

We sure love our happy little man!! :)

*I received the featured product free of charge in order to give an honest review.  No other product or monetary compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% my own and others may have a different opinion.  Products received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made on this blog.**

Cave Tools Grill Tongs Review & COUPON CODE

*I received the featured product free of charge in order to give an honest review.  No other product or monetary compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% my own and others may have a different opinion.  Products received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made on this blog.**

Summer is not quite over, well at least for our family.  We still have a couple more weeks before school starts and are still trying to enjoy the outdoors.  What better way to enjoy the outdoors before it is cold than turning on your grill.

I recently had the pleasure of being able to try another great product from Cave Tools.  

Cave Tools Grill Tongs

These grill tongs from cave tools did not disappoint.   The grill tongs that I had in the past were very pointy and sharp at the end.  When I would try and use them they would poke holes in the hot dogs or cut pieces off just trying to pick them up.  It would make grilling with them very difficult.

  I was extremely happy with these new stainless steel grill tongs from Cave tools.

Rather than being really sharp they have a rounded edge which I really like.  I also really like that they are just slightly curved in to be able to pick up the food better and keep it in the tongs.  So many times with old tongs I would have a hot dog fall right out of the tongs to the ground and then have a hot dog wasted just because it wasn't the right shape to be able to hold the food.  

These grill tongs have the perfect shape to be able to hold the food and not lose it.  It allows you to turn your food or move your food without worry of it slipping out.  They have a great grip for the food as well because of the design with the slots on the edges rather than just having a serrated looking edge.

As with the other products from Cave Tools I love that these are stainless steel.  It makes for great quality and I love that they are dishwasher safe!!  I love these grill tongs and look forward to many years of use with them.

If you are looking for a great gift or need some new grill tongs for your home.  Order them now using the coupon code below.

Cave Tools Grill Tongs 15% off Coupon Code

TONGS15

*I received the featured product free of charge in order to give an honest review.  No other product or monetary compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% my own and others may have a different opinion.  Products received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made on this blog.**

Cave Tools Spatula Review & Coupon Code

**I received the featured product free of charge in order to give an honest review.  No other product or monetary compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% my own and others may have a different opinion.  Products received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made on this blog.**

Who doesn't like an awesome BBQ in the summer?? Great tools are very helpful when you want to do some summer entertaining.

I was excited to have the opportunity to review another great product from Cave Tools!!

Cave Tools Stainless Steel Spatula

We really LOVE this stainless steel spatula from Cave Tools!  I have been through so many BBQ spatulas during summer time due to quality.  Many spatulas I have had in the past had plastic handles that would either end up breaking or somehow get melted from getting set too close to a flame.  

This spatula is of very high quality.  It is a solid sturdy tool to use inside your home and out.  We have used it inside with our cast iron griddle and outside with our grill.  I really like the nice design of this spatula.  Not only does it have a great look but it also has great features.  It has a bottle opener feature handy for those of you that have a drink by your side while grilling during the summer.  No need to have an extra item lying around in your way to use for that purpose.  

Cave Tools Stainless Steel Spatula also has a serrated edge that I really like for those pesky packages you take out to the grill and forget something to open the package with.  This edge is great for cutting those packages right open.  It is also great for cutting your meat open a little bit to check how cooked your meat is.  The serrated edge on this spatula has many other great uses.  I really like that this spatula acts as many tools in one.  

Of course, we also really love that this spatula is dishwasher safe!!  This makes it great for people like me who are lazy and hate the "by hand" dishes.  It came out very clean after just one time through the dishwasher.  

The only thing that I wish is that it came with a little plastic box or something to put it in.  It can be pretty sharp around that serrated edge and I don't want to just leave it in a drawer for my kids to get cut on.  (I don't have many storage solutions at my home.) My husband ended up keeping the box to store it in because the box was really nice and made of great cardboard that wasn't at all flimsy.  Although my storage situation, the storage of the spatula would not be a deal breaker for me.  I would buy and recommend this spatula to anyone!!  We really love this quality spatula!! 

For those summer BBQs and with 4th of July coming up I recommend you check this product out for your family or a great gift.  This spatula could even make a great wedding gift if you know anyone getting married this summer season.

Cave Tools Spatula 15% Off Coupon 

Code: 

SPATULA15

You can find this SPATULA here.

OR HERE

*I received the featured product free of charge in order to give an honest review.  No other product or monetary compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% my own and others may have a different opinion.  Products received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made on this blog.**

Cave Tools Vegetable Grill Basket Review & Coupon Code

**I received the featured product free of charge in order to give an honest review.  No other product or monetary compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% my own and others may have a different opinion.  Products received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made on this blog.**

Cave Tools Vegetable Grill Basket Review

With warm weather and summer just around the corner this veggie basket was something I was in need of.  We LOVE warm weather and BBQs!!  We grill a lot in the summer and it is so hard to find good products to grill more food than just meat.  I was so excited to have the opportunity to review this product. 

Vegetable Grill Basket

The Perfect BBQ Basket for Small Foods - Grilled Veggies, Fruits, Shrimp, Fish, Meats and any other food that would normally fall through the grates now has DELICIOUS BARBECUE FLAVORS

Convenient Side Dishes - No more pan frying your sides in the kitchen while cooking your entrée out on the grill. Your Veggie tray takes up less space on the grill so you can cook everything at once.

Cave Tools has some great products for outdoor grilling!!  This veggie basket was just what I needed for the upcoming grilling season.  I had a grilling tray in the past that I purchased and tried using but I just never liked it.  It didn't have 4 sides (only 3) to keep the food in like this basket and the holes were bigger so those smaller veggies would still fall through.  The sides were short making it almost impossible to stir food without it falling off.  I also didn't like that it would just never really get clean after use no matter how much scrubbing I did.

This stainless steel basket has great sides which are angled just right to keep the food in the basket and yet still allow enough room for being able to stir the food for even cooking.  It also has slots rather than holes which I really like because the small veggies never fell through.

 We decided to do a combination of veggies including yellow squash, green & red bell peppers, carrots, and onions.  I added some extra virgin olive oil to coat the veggies because I wasn't sure how bad they would stick to the basket.  I also did this so my seasonings would stick really well to my veggies.  I then added season salt, garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper, steak seasoning, and parmesan cheese.  We then added steak strips to complete the meal.

IT WAS SO DELICIOUS!!

Our food ended up with the perfect grill flavor without being burned or falling down into the grill.  It was one of the best tasting meals I have had in a while and I will definitely be making this meal again.  Next time I use this basket I plan on grilling pineapple in this basket for dessert. :)

This is a AWESOME product that I plan on using over and over again!!

My absolute favorite feature of this Vegetable Grill Basket is that it is DISHWASHER SAFE!!!  I hate trying to wash my grilling products by hand.  The one thing I did find with washing this basket was that it did wash best on the bottom rack completely flat so that all the surfaces got clean.  It is SO much better than scrubbing by hand!!

If you are looking for a great gift for someone that loves to grill I highly recommend this Vegetable Grill Basket!!  It would make a great gift for Mother's Day, Father's Day, or just a great gift for yourself.

Use this coupon code below for 15% off of the Cave Tools Vegetable Grill Basket!!

COUPON CODE

Vegetable Basket 15% Off: VEGGIE15

I would highly recommend this Cave Tools Vegetable Grill Basket to anyone!!

**I received the featured product free of charge in order to give an honest review.  No other product or monetary compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% my own and others may have a different opinion.  Products received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made on this blog.**

PinkBlush Maternity Review

**I received some of the featured products free of charge in order to give an honest review.  No other product or monetary compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% my own and others may have a different opinion.  Products received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made on this blog.**

To all my readers:

I am so sorry that I have been a little MIA for quite a while.  There have been many changes in my life the last couple of years and I feel like I have fallen off of the bandwagon.  It is now time to continue my life and what better way than to start out with a fun announcement........

After many changes in my life the last couple of years.....I am SO excited to announce that I am expecting a baby!  I have wanted another child for many years but due to many circumstances it didn't happen.  It was probably the best thing for me personally at the time.  I have learned now that it just wasn't the right time.......until now.  Of course, I am TERRIFIED! I am completely starting over after having my last child 10 years ago.  There are so many things that have changed since then.  I am so excited to have the opportunity to review maternity clothing from PinkBlush Maternity.

 PinkBlush Maternity Review

There are so many new products on the market now than there were in the past.  One of my favorite products is the much better selection of maternity clothes. I always had the hardest time with my previous pregnancies finding things that fit me that I actually liked and felt good in.  Feeling good about yourself when you are pregnant is such a huge thing.  It is a time when your body is going through so many changes and it is so easy to get in a negative rut about yourself.  I sure am no stranger to that feeling.  This pregnancy has been especially hard on me in that way because I was in very good shape before getting pregnant.  I was finally starting to feel good about myself right before I got pregnant.  Then everything changed.  It has been so long since I was pregnant.  I had forgotten many of the changes the body makes.

One of the things I always have the hardest time finding is cute maternity dresses.  Most dresses I tried were just never quite small enough.  I am a petite person and many times a size small was even too large for me.  I really like the style of PinkBlush maternity dresses. They fit perfectly in all the right places and accentuate the parts that you want to accentuate while pregnant and hide the places that I didn't want to accentuate.   The colors of this dress are perfect for any skin tone.  I have quite fair skin and was worried it would make me look more pale, but I was quite pleased with how it looked against my skin.  I am normally drawn to dark and rich colors.  This dress was different and just drew me in.  I was excited to try something different and I am glad I did!! :)  I really LOVE this this maternity dress.

The only downside I had to this dress was that it was too long.  I can't easily wear flat shoes with it.  (As shown in picture below.) Although all the dresses in this post are all the same size (small), the length was not created equal.  I am not a huge fan of wearing heels when pregnant so I usually always wear flats.  I am very clumsy when pregnant.  Which I hear can be normal.  In my previous pregnancy I fell and broke my foot while pregnant. I now like to make it a little easier on myself.  I can wear this dress just fine with heels but I will need to hem it if I would like to wear it with flats.  (Which I can do myself no big deal.)  It would just be nice to have them all the same length.  The sleeves, bodice, and rest of the dress fit me perfectly.



I guess I am very partial to blue dresses.  This next dress I chose was also blue, but much richer colors like what I would normally gravitate to.  This dress was the perfect length.  This dress is also darker than the other dress and has deeper and more saturated colors.

This dress fits like a dream.   These dresses are all made from a very stretchy comfortable fabric.  It isn't a cotton type fabric.  The fabric is more along the lines of a stretchier version of bathing suit fabric.  It is very comfortable and makes for a great fit for any body.  It is also the perfect type of fabric to grow with your body, but also not stretch out too much so you can use it after pregnancy as well.  These dresses would be great pregnancy clothes for people with any body type.

I am drawn to the same styles in different colors!! 

Once I find something I like I seem to stick with it.

The reason I stuck with the same style of dress is because I wanted something I could wear post pregnancy as well.  I plan on nursing my baby and wanted something that I could wear easily as a nursing mom as well.  Each dress has fabric that just crosses across your chest so it is easy access for nursing a baby.   I love this feature about these dresses.  I will probably even still continue to wear these dresses for years to come even after I am done nursing.

This third dress was one that I had actually fell in love with a few months ago on the PinkBlush Maternity website and just had to buy for myself.  Sadly I no longer see this dress on their site.  I have had this one for a little while and worn this dress several times.  It fits me just as well as the other dresses.  I am absolutely in LOVE with the colors of this dress.  The colors in person are even better than what they looked like when I saw them online.

I have had such a confidence boost since being able to wear these dresses.  I was starting to feel down on myself just because my body wasn't mine anymore.  These dresses gave me just what I needed.  I get compliments any time I wear PinkBlush Maternity clothing.  I am totally fine wearing a dress all day if it helps me feel better about myself.  That is exactly what I do with these dresses.



If you are looking for cute maternity clothes I highly recommend that you check out the great selection from PinkBlush Maternity.


Thanks for joining me for my review and announcement!!

Stay tuned for more great things to come. :)

**I received some of the featured products free of charge in order to give an honest review.  No other product or monetary compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% my own and others may have a different opinion.  Products received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made on this blog.**

Raise a Giant - Stand Up Against Bullying & GIVEAWAY

Bullying has become such a problem these days.  Have you talked to your kids about bullying??

Raise A Giant was created to help kids stand up to bullying and help the kids stand up for them selves and what they believe in.

About Raise a Giant

At Green Giant we know getting kids to eat vegetables is just one part of ensuring they grow up healthy. One of the biggest threats to kids' health and happiness is bullying.

When a child is bullied by a peer it can turn his or her life into a daily gauntlet of fear and anxiety. Kids need help to navigate the world—a world bigger and scarier than the one we grew up in—with confidence and pride.

That's why Green Giant is partnering with PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center and We Day Minnesota to help parents Raise A Giant and put a stop
to bullying in their community. 

What Does it Mean To Be A Giant?

Being a giant isn't about being the biggest or the best. It's about finding your inner courage to rise above the crowd and do what is right. It means using your voice to stand up for others, which sometimes may mean standing up to your own friends.

Studies show that an effective way to stop bullying is for kids to simply speak up and say, "That's not okay."

But asking kids to have the courage to stand up to bullying is a tall order and that's why they need our help.

How Do You Raise A Giant?

We're asking you to write a letter to the kids in your life telling them why they have the courage to stand up to bullying and asking them to do their best to be a giant in their life.

Help Us Spread The Word

1. Write a letter to your kids about standing up to bullying and post it in our letter gallery.

2. Encourage your friends and family to write their own letters and post them at RaiseAGiant.com

3. Share the Raise a Giant Video, Infographic, and Tips For Talking To Your Kids About Bullying on your blog, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter accounts.

4. Change your Facebook profile picture to the Raise A Giant icon to help spread the word. With your encouragement we can help all of our kids create a safer, happier world.

We have had some personal experience with a little bit of bullying in our house.  It really affects children in ways that you never want your child to feel.  It is time for us all to be aware and help our kids stand up for themselves and also stand up for them.  I know that my kids don't take it well.  They get very depressed and just aren't their normal happy selves.  Everyone is different and sometimes small kids don't realize what they have done to another child until after it has been done.  It is very hurtful.  I was bullyed as a child and I suffer still now as an adult with self esteem issues because of it.

Let's be aware and help the bullying stop!!

Follow Green Giant on Facebook

Check out Raise a Giant today and help your child!!

GIVEAWAY: Win One (1) $25 Gift Card

Ends 11/24 US

To enter the giveaway just simply fill out the rafflecopter below for your entries.  If you don't see the rafflecopter simply wait or refresh the page. Don't forget you can share the giveaway daily for extra entries!!  So get your entries in and share with your friends.

Don't forget to check out the rest of the current giveaways! Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**This information was provided to me by Green Giant.  No compensation was given or received.  My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.**

Links Between Diet and Depression - Guest Post

I have suffered from depression since I was a teen and am always looking for ways to help.  Today I am sharing an article from a guest writer named Danielle McAnn.  I hope you learn something new as I did. 

Danielle McAnn is a copywriter working with TLC where each meal is a healthier, nutritious and mouthwatering. When Danielle's not writing content, she enjoys swimming, shopping and taking her Golden Retriever for a walk.

Some links between diet and depression

Depression is at least partly regulated by chemical balances in our bodies

In 2012, a study was published by the American Journal of Psychiatry, suggesting that a modern 'Western' diet is easily linked to depression, due to the high instances of processed and fried foods we consume in the west. This partly due to the fact that serotonin and immunity are regulated by the chemicals in our gut. Chemicals used to process foods can kill important bacteria.

…a “traditional” dietary pattern characterized by vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, and whole grains was associated with lower odds for major depression or dysthymia and for anxiety disorders. A “western” diet of processed or fried foods, refined grains, sugary products, and beer was associated with a higher GHQ-12 (depression anxiety) score.

So, a diet high in essential oils, with fish, lean meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, and whole grains will help you fight chemical depression, combined with regular exercise. Doing this is also just basically important for helping us to carry out our usual activities. Food has another function, not just scientific. It is comforting, and important socially and culturally, not just biologically. Sharing a meal with friends or family, going out to a restaurant, getting take away, or having a delicious meal delivered can be therapeutic in itself. This is because eating is a natural, and community based activity, something that can help us to feel normal, or make us feel unusual or special depending on how we do it.

**This was a guest post.  No compensation was received or exchanged.  All info was provided to my by Danielle McAnn.**