The Big Mac Diet

What do you do if you can't get your breastfeeding baby to beef up? You beef up yourself! That's right - I am on the Big Mac Diet, per orders from Clare's GI.

Meeting with both Clare's pediatrician and GI today has made me feel a little bit better about what's going on with Clare's weight. They are both very supportive of my breastfeeding (although they both were honest and said it would be easier if Clare took a bottle as well), and no one is discouraging me from stopping. Yesterday, I was feeling more down about everything. Today, I know that if someone told me to stop nursing Clare, I would refuse to because I do know in my heart that I am giving her what's best. Especially since that's her main source of nutrition! Can I help it if my sweet little girl wants her food directly from the source??

Clare gained 1.5 ounces this past week. The GI isn't thrilled with that amount (he wants to see her gain 3-4 ounces per week), but he said at least it's a step in the right direction. We are going to continue fortifying Clare's solids with formula, try to syringe-feed Clare fortified breastmilk (I think we're admitting defeat with the bottle), and I am going on my Big Mac Diet. If Clare will only take breastmilk from me, the only way to fortify that milk is for me to eat a high-fat diet. So, basically, add butter to everything, drink whole milk, and indulge in Big Macs at least twice a week. Maybe not the healthiest diet for me right now, but if it works for Clare, it works for me. The GI also gave me some tips on spacing out Clare's feedings to produce the highest quality milk (I think he was a lactation consultant in his previous life!).

I sent Shawn out for a Whopper and onion rings for lunch (okay, it's not a Big Mac, but I prefer Burger King). So forget about losing those last 20 pounds of baby weight!