It's been a while since I've blogged.
I won't apologize for my lack of virtual presence. In the time that I've been away, I've birthed another beautiful blessing and somehow managed to sustain two other little lives. I've washed numerous loads of laundry, cooked a slew of meals, kissed hundreds of boo-boos, taken a vacation, consoled countless meltdowns, broken up way too many fights, and snuggled three precious children just as much as I possibly can before they become too big to need me anymore.
I'm back at work now. Bittersweet is an understatement as I painstakingly try to shake that 'grass is greener' mentality.
Along with returning to work, new anxieties have settled in. Which chore is going to take the back burner today? How much caffeine can I safely consume before it becomes a problem? What day is it?
In all honesty though, it's hard y'all.
Juggling all the demands of being a mother and an employee. It's nearly impossible to do it all. Wait. No it IS impossible. There is absolutely no way in God's green and blue earth that one woman can successfully do everything that is expected of her. Myself included.
Going back to work has certainly shaken up the routine at home. Work isn't easy either. In order to maintain my milk supply, I'm pumping every three hours. Despite a shorter workday than most, I try to squeeze in at least 2, hopefully three pumping sessions while I'm there, but it doesn't always work out. I can't always just drop what I'm doing to undress, strap up and sit somewhere for 30 minutes while I beg and plead my body to produce enough milk to sustain my seemingly starving son.
Influenster recently sent out a VoxBox for nursing mothers that included samples of UpSpring Milkflow drink mixes. A combination of fenugreek and blessed thistle, these tasty packets come in three flavors: berry, orange, and my personal favorite, chocolate.
Now, I've tried fenugreek supplements in the past with little result,but I was pleasantly surprised to see that my supply obviously increased after just two servings. Research has shown that fluid intake plays a huge role in milk production, so not only are these drink mixes providing supplements that promote healthy milk supply, but they encourage me to drink more too. Win. Win.
It's a shame that so many other confounding factors play a role in milk production. Stress. Sleep. Diet. It's all equally important, and even though I can't always control the first two, I can certainly do myself a favor with the latter.
I truly enjoy participating in the Influenster program, but I must confess that this has been my absolute favorite VoxBox of all. I'd never even heard of UpSpring before this campaign, and it has truly been a useful product at exactly the right time. I will definitely be buying this product in the near future.
