Quinoa Enchilada Bake, made with homemade enchilada sauce!

Here is a meal that combines fiber, protein and veggies!  I made my own enchilada sauce because some of the ingredients found in canned enchilada sauce is downright scary!  I couldn’t believe how quick, easy and cheap it is to make your own!  The recipe can be found over at Gimme Some Oven!

I always have a batch of cooked quinoa in the refrigerator, making this a meal that can be thrown together with minimal effort.  Having two kids now, meals have to be very convenient!  This is a recipe that hits all the nutritional points and does not lack on flavor!  You can’t go wrong with corn tortillas layered with spicy enchilada sauce, quinoa, beans and veggies!  If you eat cheese, add a layer of shredded cheddar!

 

Nutrition during breastfeeding is just as important as during pregnancy.  Here are a few rules of thumb that I like to go by:

Don’t cut calories until milk supply is established.  I know the first thing on the mind of many moms is postpartum weight loss and fitting into those skinny jeans again!  However, take it slow!  As you’ve heard before…it took 9 months to gain the weight, give yourself at least 9 months to take it off!  Drastically cutting calories may hurt your milk production and will definitely leave you drained.  Be sure to consume enough calories to meet your expenditure plus an additional 200-500 calories during the first 6 months of breastfeeding.

Continue to take your prenatal vitamin.  Getting adequate nutrition is tricky when you have a newborn to care for.  Some days you may eat well and other days not so well.  Continue to take your prenatal vitamin to fill in those nutritional gaps!

Remember to build up those bones.  Calcium intake is extremely important while breastfeeding, otherwise your bones will become depleted, which may result in osteoporosis later in life.  It is also crucial to increase calcium when you begin to wean your little one from breastfeeding because it is the only time in your life other than puberty that you can actually build bone.  Aim for 1,300 mg of calcium daily.  Here is a good article from the NIH!

Eat a balanced diet.  This rule rings true for everyone at every stage of life, but it is super important postpartum!  We don’t want those new moms out there becoming hangry!  (hungry + angry = hangry)  Aim for a wholesome diet that is free of processed foods and is plentiful in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, calcium rich foods and lean protein.  A minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables is recommended however, I like to recommend at least 9 servings for increased antioxidant support and fiber.

Power up on protein.  Protein helps keep you full for longer and energized throughout the day.  The RDA for breastfeeding moms is 1.1 gm/kg of body weight, so a woman who weighs 145 pounds would need to consume 73 grams of protein per day.

Avoid foods high in mercury.  Breastfeeding women should follow the same recommendations on mercury as during pregnancy.  Mercury can contaminate your milk supply.  If you consume fish, choose low-merucy options such as wild caught salmon, catfish, shrimp or trout.

Eat as clean as possible.    I remember attending a detox seminar where Kristi Huges, ND stated that a mom will pass 25% of her toxins onto her child through breast milk.  I think of this every time I eat or drink anything.  It is best to avoid foods with additives, preservatives, artificial coloring, artificial sweeteners, chemicals, etc.  Also, avoid detox diets while breastfeeding.  During a detox the body releases toxins out of its cells and escorts them out via the liver.  However, these toxins can end up trying to make their escape through your milk supply…no thank you!

Our little love is four months old today!  

With both kids, baby wearing has been a lifesaver!  It’s a way to provide hands free cuddle time while getting stuff done!  Baby wearing and breastfeeding go hand-in-hand.  According to Dr. Sears “when a baby is near his source of milk and comfort, he does not have to use much energy to get his mother’s attention; he can use this energy to grow instead. (Sears and Sears 2001) In the early days, wearing baby skin-to-skin also increases prolactin, the hormone that helps your body make milk.  The human body is pretty amazing!

We had an extremely hot and humid summer and I was fortunate to have a light wrap made by Happy Baby.  It’s made in the USA with organic bamboo, which is a super soft material…plus, its super cute!   I especially need to wear Rowan during his “witching hours.”  He wants to be held from 5-7 every night and the Happy Baby Wrap makes it possible for me to give him the nurturing he needs while preparing dinner, walking the dog or chasing Noah around outside!

Check out their website Happy Baby Wrap!