After 3 minutes pop in stock, veggies, lentils. Mix in the Vegemite and any extra water you may need. Cook on low heat for 20minutes until stewed together.
Mash the potatoes with the cheese.
Preheat oven to 180degrees.
Place a few big spoons of the mixture into an oven proof dish and then top with the potato mash. Use a fork to push the potatoes to the side. This also helps the top to go crispy.
Bake for 30 minutes in the oven.
Enjoy 😊 . This would be great for meal prep too. Serve with some greens.
Written By Alice Bingham on behalf of Medela Australia
Just under two years ago, I had a wild experience with my third birth.
I went between three hospitals in just one day.
I had an ambulance with sirens, a 20hr breach labour which then transitioned to an emergency c- section under general anaesthetic and welcomed our baby girl at just 35 weeks. All while having heart symptoms going on and a possible Pulmonary Embolism.
I ended up spending the week in hospital with heart monitors on myself and tests run all week, all while trying to care for our newest addition who had a few health things going on herself with being a premie. It was quite the experience, one that I will never forget. When I look at my happy little 21-month old now, I pinch myself that we are both okay and doing well.
In fact, we are expecting our fourth child in February 2021.
This has had me reflect a lot on my experience with birth and breastfeeding my third baby in 2019 – how can I use this to prepare myself and my baby for a beautiful breastfeeding experience after a year where nothing’s gone to plan?
A reminder to embrace the chaos with presence.
The first 12- weeks of any newborn’s life can be a bit of a blur for any mum. And mine was no different. I had two little ones to care for, and was also recovering from a c-section and a feeding schedule for our preemie baby.
I was given the Medela Symphony pump immediately and was told to pump a minimum of eight times in 24 hours.
So, I was very grateful for the Medela double breast pump in the hospital as it was fast and efficient, which I needed as the feeding routine was extremely exhausting for me.
On day three, my daughter’s blood sugar level remained low. I asked to speak to a Lactation Consultant and a Paediatrician to see if a different feeding routine would help her blood sugar levels stabilise. Our current schedule of 10 minutes on the boob topped up with expressed breast milk, then pumping again wasn’t working. The team and I decided to change her feeding schedule to give her expressed breastmilk (EBM), then 5 minutes on the boob and then double pumping again for top-ups. I would also set alarms for breastfeeding and alarms for pumping using my Medela Harmony breast pump. The beauty of pumping was it made me sit down, which is essential for recovery.
My two children, then 3.5 years and 18 months, would also come and sit with me or play on the floor near me. Some days they would all be crying at once; I just had to take a deep breath and remind myself I was doing my best. The days were long, but the weeks would fly by, it was all a bit of beautiful chaos. And this is one of the most important lessons I’ve learnt with motherhood and breastfeeding – embracing the chaos, with mindfulness and presence.
For any other mum or mum-to-be who may be finding motherhood and breastfeeding difficult – I hear you.
But if you can take time to find your breath and come back to this moment, it’s one of the most powerful ways to find strength, peace and joy in these moments of chaos. I found great comfort in journaling too. A simple way to practice gratitude and reflect on the day. Plus, my journal is filled with many raw and wonderful memories of those postnatal days. I often look back on these pages to see how far I have come.
Lean on your support army wherever and however you can
The year 2020 has brought some great uncertainly for a lot of us in the Australian community, with restrictions and lock downs. Postnatal after our third child, we required a lot of appointments once we left the hospital. We ended up seeing lactation consultants, had daily weigh-ins at the hospital, saw midwifes and child health nurse practitioners for the first 12 weeks of our little girls’ life.
This had me thinking after everything happening right now, would we receive the same support if we required that care again with this child? During this pregnancy I haven’t been allowed to have my children at antenatal appointments or my husband at the scans or appointments. I also had to have emergency surgery a few months ago when pregnant, we were given some news that meant our baby may have not made it, I would have loved to have had my husband there with me, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, he was not allowed at the hospital with me. So, I had to take the news by myself and just chat to my husband over the phone during my hospital stay.
Thankfully, this baby is still doing well though post-surgery and as I write this, I am 26 weeks and filled with gratitude. There have been some positives though, during this pregnancy, I have been lucky enough to have the support of my own midwife. She has been able to come to our home for visits for my check-ups, if I have my other young children at home. Plus, David can be here as well.
Baby Bump #4
I have seen some great improvises from our local hospital and the staff doing their best to support families and the post-natal care they provide for them. Now thankfully with restrictions easing, I feel a lot more positive about having our fourth child next year. Wherever you can – call on your support networks – from experts and loved ones. But if you are having trouble – telehealth is a great avenue to find support from a lactation consultant. Or engage in online communities where you can find and talk to likeminded mums. Rely on breastfeeding aids if you need it
Next time I hope to give the brand new Medela Harmony breast pump ago.
I think having this will give me the freedom to pop out a little more in the earlier days to my close friends and families houses. Or even to pop in the car and drive to the waterfront. Pumping with a view is oh so blissful! The Harmony Manual Breast Pump is light, compact and portable making it easy to pop into your nappy bag and go.
Being on a time schedule with breastfeeding a premmie can be challenging if you need to be back home all the time to do it. I think this will allow me some more freedom. I am highly impressed with the 2-Phase Expression technology as it can mimic your baby’s natural suckling rhythm, which is ideal for going from baby to pump for your breasts. I think this pump will make my life a little easier, with four children in five years, I am up for anything that will guide that! So, as a final prompt to myself and other pregnant and breastfeeding mums today, in this extra time of change – take life slower, more mindful and be kind to ourselves – and always call on help when need it.
Together, we’ve got this – and whatever life throws our way.
ABOUT MEDELA AUSTRALIA
Medela exists to enhance mother and baby health through the life-giving benefits of human milk. Medela has actively been supporting Australian mothers, babies, and their families in Australia for more than 19 years.
As Australia’s hospital breast-pump innovator, Medela, has launched their Harmony™ manual pump at $69.95, to their Medela Flex™ technology range which adapt to fit every mum’s personal breast shape and lifestyle needs.
Developed and clinically tested with a team of research scientists and breastfeeding mums, the Medela Flex™ family help mums produce up to 11 percent more breast milk, more comfortably.1
The Medela Flex™ technology range is now available from major pharmacies and retail outlets including Baby Bunting and Chemist Warehouse, as well as via the Medela Store Online.
On Tuesday last week, just before I ticked over to 35 weeks gestation, we welcomed the beautiful, Danielle from Your Sacred Space into our home. David and I completed the first day of the Positive Birth Course a couple of months ago with 4 other couples (you can read about that HERE) . We choose to do the second half of the course in our home. It was everything we imagined plus so much more.
Danielle came so prepared, she catered the course to suit our wishes. This is our fourth baby and she made sure we were externally educated and informed surrounding the excitement of this journey we are about to embark on together as a couple.
Like last time we met Danielle, we were blown away about how much we took from this session, how much we learnt about birth, but most importantly how much we learnt about ourselves and each other. Danielle spent the time to listen to our previous experiences, chatted about what our wishes are for this birth and is just so easy to get along with. David really enjoyed this whole experience just as much as I did.
As Danielle was leaving she requested I share 5 things that I took from this experience. These were my answers.
1️⃣ How important this was for David and I to do together. Weather it’s your partner, your mum, your best friend that you are planning to have as a birth partner. I realised how important their role is in birth today. How important it is to connect together. How important it is to rebuild that trust before such a life changing moment is about to happen in our lives.
2️⃣ Something that is extremely simple, however we all forgot about is our breath. When you were doing some breath work with me during the meditation today, it took me my surprise how quickly I tuned into what I was doing because of my breath. I felt so calm and ground.
3️⃣ I found learning about the placenta fascinating. The anatomy and physiology was mind blowing. Feel grateful for my knowledge behind knowing why we do cord clamping.
4️⃣ The power of visualisation. During the fear release to day, Danielle used this empowering technique for me to visualise letting go of my fears surrounding this pregnancy and birth. Just like manifesting for our future, seeing it helps me to believe it’s possible as morning as that may sound.
5️⃣ Knowledge truly is powder. That being educated is a huge part of preparing for birth and helping support and believe in my wishes for our babies entry into the world. Knowing that I am, or David is okay with making informed decision for our baby.
Learning how to create space for our baby, connect as a couple and release any tension in my back
Want to get in touch with Danielle from Your Sacred Birth?
I am totally digging anything with Peanut Butter at the moment. Like literally obsessed. I may be eating it from the jar 🤔. The kids and I made these a while back and you kept asking me to get my 🍑 together and give you the recipe 😂.
Ingredients 🍪
1 cup of flour (I used spelt but you can use what you wish) 1 cup oats, grounded 1 tsp. baking powder 1 pinch of salt 1/3 cup of peanut butter powder or 1/2 cup peanut butter. (I used @macr0mike powder) 1/4 cup coconut sugar 1/2 cup almond milk (or milk of choice) 1 egg or chia egg for vegan option 2 tbsp. maple syrup 1 tsp. vanilla extract Toppings of choice to decorate. We loved vegan choc, sultanas or hemp seeds.
Method 🍪
In a bowl mix all dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl mix all wet ingredients.
Create a little hole in the middle of the dry ingredients and slowly combine until cookie dough like.
Preheat oven to 180degrees.
On a baking tray roll out 12 cookie balls and then flatten with a fork. Add the toppings.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Consume within 4 days. Store in air tight container.
Notes – you can swap to cashew butter, almond butter etc. Any will work. You will need a little more milk though as these butters aren’t as oily when combining the mixture.
I was #gifted a few punnets of @australianblueberries and to be honest I was pumped as we eat a punnet every few days in our house. With smoothies, snack boxes, homemade jam and did I mention snack boxes 🤪🙈. I wanted to make up something different and get creative in the kitchen after we went to the shops. I’m craving 🤰 a blueberry pie with coyo yogurt so I thought why not make one up. It was so easy to make. .
Ingredients 🥧
2 sheets of short crust pastry(we use a vegan one) 1 large punnet of @australianblueberries 1 small red apple, grated 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 2 drops of green mandarin essential oil (could totally squeeze a lemon though) 2/3 cup of warm filtered water 3 tbsp. maple syrup
Method 🥧
Preheat the oven to 180degrees.
Line a small Pyrex pie dish.
Throw in the blueberries and the grated apple into the centre.
In a bowl mix, warm water, maple, spices and citrus.
Pour over the apple and blueberry mix.
Pop some of the remaining pastry on top however you wish to style.
Bake in oven for 45minutes on 180 degrees. Then turn down to 100 degrees and bake a further 15minutes. . Serve warm or cold. We are teaming this with coyo, but you could totally serve it up with ice cream, custard, cream. Your choice. ✌🏼
I have been seeing Mel at The Colonic Clinic Capalaba for a little over two years now. During October and November this year I had some extra treatments with Mel, I had previously was having them on my cycle.
I made these cookies for breakfast as I wanted to have a bit of a change from the usual smoothies and porridge. The cookies are completely egg and dairy free. I got them out the oven and within literally 30 minutes, the tribe and I ate them all. None left haha! I guess they were a winner. They were chewy on the outside and soft on the inside, delicious!
I am damn proud of my body and what it has achieved. I have grown two beautiful babies for 9 months during pregnancy, laboured and birthed them and breastfeed them both (still going with Winnie). The women’s body is amazing right?
aliceinhealthyland 