August is Breastfeeding Awareness month and I’m thrilled to team up with some incredible women to honor and celebrate every mama’s unique experience! As a new māmā (shoutout to my 15-month-old son, Nazzy), I’ve been on a wild ride through motherhood, and breastfeeding has been one of the most intense parts of the journey.
Let me give you the short version of my story. My pregnancy was smooth sailing—no sickness, no weird cravings, and I was even working out regularly. I took my robotics team to Yukon, Canada, at 7 months pregnant—talk about multitasking! But then, in month 8, preeclampsia decided to crash the party. Surprise! I had to be induced at 38 weeks, which led to a 48-hour pitocin marathon, an emergency C-section, and a magnesium drip that left me feeling like I’d been on a two-day bender. The worst part? I couldn’t nurse Nazzy right away, and by the time I could, he was hooked on formula bottles. To top it off, the one lactation counselor at the hospital was on a break, so we left the hospital without any real breastfeeding support.
But here’s where things took a turn—thanks to my trusty Medela pump (which I’m still using daily) and some serious determination, I was able to pump like crazy. A good friend pointed me to a fantastic lactation counselor, and I went in for weekly sessions. Eventually, with the help of a nipple shield, Nazzy finally latched on. We’re still using that shield, and while it’s been a tough road, I’m so grateful for the support I received.
Here’s the big takeaway: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Whether it’s from a lactation counselor, a dietitian like Ke‘alohi, or even a doula like Tyra, there are people out there who can make this journey a lot easier. Trust me—your sanity will thank you. Breastfeeding is no joke, but with the right support, you can make it through. Hang in there, māmās!
Me ke aloha pumehana,
Steffy Simms, Guava Jammies
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Ke’alohi Naipo, Registered Dietitian
Ever notice that you get hungry and thirsty when you’re breastfeeding? That’s because making milk takes a lot of extra energy, hydration, and nutrients!
Breastmilk is high in protein, essential sugars, vitamins, minerals, and water. All essential for supporting the baby’s growth and development. Everytime you make breastmilk, your body pulls from your energy and water stores to create this balanced and personalized meal for your baby.
Making milk is hard work for your body, so focusing on eating healthfully can help you to feel your best during this lactation period. Here are a few tips:
- Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Choose either fresh, frozen, and/or canned varieties based on your resources and preferences. These foods are so nutritious in general, but during the lactation period especially when there are increased needs for these vitamins: A, C, and folate. Try lu’au, palula (sweet potato leaves), and/or ‘ulu are some nutritious options to add during the lactation period. See recipe for inspiration.
- Don’t forget protein and dairy foods! Recall that breastmilk production takes extra energy and protein. Protein can be found in a variety of foods like meats, eggs, beans/peas, fish, seafood, and/or dairy foods. These foods also are supportive to provide important choline, iodine, and DHA which are needed to support baby’s development.
- To make energy, you need to eat carbohydrates. Grains & whole grains provide important nutrients like carbohydrates, and b-vitamins. Try to choose whole grain options for added benefits of fiber. Consider boosting your fiber intake through adding in foods like oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and/or brown rice to add to your meals.
With nutrition, it’s always a good idea to do what works best for you and your ‘ohana. The postpartum period can bring about many challenges, so find a way of eating that is enjoyable, and flexible, while keeping in mind that your time and capacity for meals may be changing… This is normal and okay!
If you need more help, don’t hesitate to reach out to a dietitian for more personalized nutrition support during the lactation period. You can schedule a free call with Ke’alohi to learn more how she can support you link: https://p.bttr.to/3GNm6jy
Recipe: Ulu Beef Stew
Ingredients
2# stew meat, beef, cubed
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 sweet onion, sliced
4 carrots, peeled and cubed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup cooked 'ulu, cubed
1 tsp. pa'akai
½ tsp. pepper
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp. oil
4 1/2 cups beef broth
Directions:
- Combine flour, salt & pepper. Toss beef in flour mixture.
- Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or pot. Cook the beef and onions until browned.
- Add beef broth while scraping up any brown bits in the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until beef is tender (maybe up to 90 minutes.)
- Add carrots and tomato sauce. Cook for another 20-minutes or until carrots are tender.
- Add cooked 'ulu and stir until mixed thoroughly
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Q&A with Tyra Fonseca-Smith of PikoHanau, Indigenous Birth/PP Doula and LC
For those that don’t know, what is a doula and lactation counselor, and what kind of support do you provide to new ‘ohana and postpartum mamas?
A doula is a trained support person and advocate for various stages in life. As a birth and postpartum doula I support families in their journey in pregnancy and early postpartum. This support can be birth and postpartum planning, birth advocacy during lives births, providing educational resources and guidance on available care in their area (i.e doctors, midwives, cultural practitioners, massage therapists). As a postpartum doula I also provide support to families soon after the birth of their babies by providing home visits to help with newborn care, meal preparations, breastfeeding support and more.
As a breastfeeding counselor I am trained to educate and support families on breastfeeding and lactation. This can include how to prepare for their breastfeeding journey, what to expect, latching, and signs of breastfeeding difficulties.
How might indigenous birth differ from what someone would experience in a western hospital?
An indigenous birth and postpartum birth families are grounded in their traditions and incorporate traditions of their family and past generations to guide their journey. Indigenous birth looks different to everyone but this can surrounding your baby in their native language through music, chant, and storytelling. Other indigenous transitions of birth and postpartum can be the naming of their child, movements and natural pain relief methods, preparing and eating indigenous meals for healing and so much more. These practices can be incorporated into any birth setting when when planning and advocacy takes places. In todays society it is easy to be consumed in the “western medical” complex so beginning your connections to your indigenous practices and being grounded in that knowledge can help guide the pathway for strengthening those connections and traditions for the future of their families.
What kind of feelings/thoughts/things does “breast/chestfeeding awareness month” stir up in you?
Breastfeeding awareness month makes me feel proud of myself and all the families that have ever breastfed. Breastfeeding is not an easy thing and for many of us it becomes a lifestyle. I love to honor the connections that breastfeeding provides including the connections between mama and their babies, connecting to family, community and most importantly making connections to oneself. Honoring and celebrating the tremendous honor and sacrifice it is to grow and nourish our family.
If you could share one message to all new ‘ohana and postpartum mamas, what would that message be?
My message would be to keep your people close. Whether you have a person, a circle, or a whole tribe of people that support you whole heartedly, keep them close because we are not meant to do this alone. Family, friends, community, hold them close. If you need help in finding those people, let me know (:
How can people contact you if they are interested in your support services?
As a mama of 2 young keiki, email or instagram is a great way to connect with me! Pikohanau@gmail.com, @pikohanau