Goat's Rue

I have nursed five babies (and no, this is not a picture of me--my babies NEVER had that much hair!) and each experience has been a little different. However, one thing that was common across each of them was that I never had very fatty milk. I produced the 2 % version, I guess. One of the main reasons, I think, was that for several years I was a die-hard vegan (no dairy products or meat) and I know that the absence of all those all-American fatty foods probably had a lot to do with my leaner milk. But it always kind of bothered me. Now, my husband is tall, dark and handsome and genetics does play a part, but I never could quite figure out how to beef up my milk.

. . . Until one day last year when my dear "herb friend" told me in passing about goat's rue. What a blessing for this mama! It was inexpensive to buy and within a couple of days my milk changed dramatically. It was so white and rich, and my baby seemed more satisfied for longer periods of time. The flow of milk was also good and steady-- no more dry well after five minutes.

So, goat's rue is one of my favorite nursing herbs now. Thank you, my dear friend!

Exercise in the Morning

My sweet husband sent me to my mom's to be pampered for a couple of days. It feels like a mini-vacation when I have the luxury of healthy, home-cooked meals served to me and all the time to read that my heart can desire and long, hot soaks in a very clean tub. Sigh. . . heaven.

While draped over the couch reading, I discovered a Consumer Reports article on health do's and don'ts that I found very interesting. One of them is on a topic I've blogged about here before--good rest.

The DO "tip" is that morning exercise can improve your chances of sleeping like a baby by 70%. In contrast, evening exercise can trigger stimulating hormones that can hinder a deep, restful sleep.

So, maybe hitting the floor running isn't such a bad thing after all.