I keep losing weight!

[raw-al]

Re the breastfeeding. You are doing yourself as well as the baby a big favour by breastfeeding. It is well known to help mom guard against breast cancer.

This author wrote a book http://www.continuum-concept.org/ that gave a wonderful reason for mothers to spend so much time with infants . Those Popeye arms will help you avoid some of the problems with your child when they hit the teen years. Spending time with mom helps the child to understand the world of adults, how to deal with the world. By watching you act and react they see how they should act and react. Wonderful book.

Cribs and baby carriages come with a price that you don't pay till later. When they hit their teens. Wish I had been aware when mine were young.

[Suiren]

I love the continuum concept! It makes perfect sense to parent like we are naturally supposed to.
I did not know much about "attachment parenting" (similar) when I was pregnant, but made all the right choices naturally. When my son was born I did not want to give him away to the nurses or place him in the bassinet. I was thinking it would be the last thing he wanted, having just been surrounded by the warmth of my womb.
Same with holding him 24/7, he never liked being put down, which to me is understandable and I just came up with ways to hold him a lot, like babywearing or perfecting the hip hold (less now that he is 1 but still more than the average baby).

I am a big advocate for breastfeeding since I believe the benefits to be enormous, both emotionally and nutritionally. I read a lot about it, but even without reading, once you experience it you will understand how good it is for your child..
We will be doing child led weaning, which means my son decides when he is ready to stop - http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RHHKuw6i6oQ/T3HLzdv8zQI/AAAAAAAAB9U/iTHcUeGfa9c/s1600/breastfedtoddlerdiagram.jpg

Long story short, modern parenting is so far from what it naturally was. Especially that desire to create children as independent as possible. Why children have to be independent, I never understood anyway. I think independence is something that naturally and slowly develops when they are teens (or the older a child gets too), but at least the strong bond you created will always be there if you had established a good close relationship.
I am very thankful I figured this out, my little guy is developing wonderfully and does not experience many of the problems other babies go through. He just wants to be close, around others, on the go..fed, not bored...very simple.

Sadly parents are told all the wrong things nowadays, that and how we are raised has an effect on many (although natural parenting has been gaining popularity)
A prime example are mothers that just think of their children as a chore, can't wait to get away (back to work or go out), want them to sleep through asap, not nurse at night, many don't have the patience and determination to stick with breastfeeding, when with knowledge 99.9% of breastfeeding problems can be fixed.
And of course children are trained to sleep alone...I would be scared alone...I mean I even remember being scared alone when I was a kid 

I could go on and on...parenting is such a big deal. And of course everyone defends their own methods.

[raw-al]

You have your head screwed on properly.

There was also a thread on here quite awhile ago, started by Cinna I believe which was on the topic of diaperless babies. I forget the name. One neighbour is doing that and the baby seems to be healthier because of it. It's sometimes called elimination Communication.

http://www.trifield.com/content/trifield-broadband-meter/

Here is another mention of it on a thread on page 2

http://www.rawpaleodietforum.com/off-topic/just-for-anyone-who-thinks-they-have-a-high-post-count/10/

[Suiren]

Thank you for linking this! I have heard about it, but be got scared out of doing it when we left my son without a diaper and he made a CRAZY mess.
I suppose now that he is old it might work better though. I would also prefer he would use the potty sooner than later. (We cloth diaper at the moment)

I read some of it and the bow leg argument worries me...his legs seem straight and close together but since birth he has been having slight club foot, so I shall look into that.

He certainly loves some diaper free time 

[Adora]

Children have a normal protective fat pad on both arches, is that what you mean by club foot?

   I love what a strong momma you are too. Keep it up, your bond will get even stronger and you need every ounce in this world.

[Suiren]

No, he has a very slight case of actual club foot:

Just his is way less severe, it almost looks normal and the toes and the side turn in a bit, especially when he is trying to take steps. The pedi said he will likely grow out of it, he just needs to learn how to take steps right. At the moment we are waiting for him to walk better.
Supposedly he developed this because he did not have a lot of room in the womb anymore. Especially since I almost went 43 weeks, it was really cramped in there.

[Adora]

     Will he let you gently work/massage it straight? Babies are pliable, made of mostly cartilage. When a joint is set in a cast it can be deformed and fixed. It needs to be worked (PT, but you can do home PT). Walking is work but you could gently help it along, while you nurse. Work his mobile foot to learn how the clubbed one should move and then apply what force he is comfortable with to loosen the fixations. Just a thought.
   Ivy had an outty belly button. The doctor said it will likely fix itself. I tend to be less than satisfied with those types of answers. So, I said What if it doesn't? He said he could fix it, but not to worry. I asked how to fix it and he answered surgery. I wouldn't be surprised if your pediatrician is thinking a similar thing about if your son's foot doesn't fix itself. I don't know, just a suspicion. I think you can help it though. google it. ask a lay midwife. I love Avril Bowen she's a lay midwife. I would contact her.
   I did fix her belly button with a small round crystal and a piece of tape, changed it with her bath for a couple of months. It may have healed anyway.

[raw-al]

     Will he let you gently work/massage it straight? Babies are pliable, made of mostly cartilage. When a joint is set in a cast it can be deformed and fixed. It needs to be worked (PT, but you can do home PT). Walking is work but you could gently help it along, while you nurse. Work his mobile foot to learn how the clubbed one should move and then apply what force he is comfortable with to loosen the fixations. Just a thought.
 

I watched a video with various Ayurvedic physicians and one of them did that with a young girl. She had bowed leg.

[Suiren]

The doctor said if it does not straighten itself he would want to work with physical therapy and shoes.
I frequently post on parenting forums to get some advice, and many moms said their baby has it or had it and it can take time to fully grow out of it but is usually not a big problem.
I hope that is true.
We DO massage his foot, there is one thing where you rub the side of his foot, causing a reflex that straightens it. We also bought learning shoes, they are flexible and adjustable and can help stabilizing his foot, so he gets trained to hold it straight. We will put it on him for short times during the day so he can practice taking straight steps. Good thing hes does not walk yet, so he has more time learning it properly. He practices every day though

I really hope that will help his foot, I am very worried at times. And I feel bad that my pregnancy went way too long and likely caused him problems...I knew my real due date, the doctors were off and did not believe me, until they saw the placenta. 

[wodgina]

Hope this helps.

I had a cousin who had to wear leg straighteners because her hip and joints didn't connect? she had to wear stilts? for years but eventually grew out of the problem. My brother also  had scoliosis but when he started weightlifting seriously in his 20's he straightened out and is now taller than me. Fucker. I'm still better looking.

[Adora]

If his foot/ankle is able to straighten completely even for a moment then it isn't a contracture/frozen joint problem. It sounds like a nerve problem. That's why surgery would be any benefit too. In that case stimulate the nerve with sensation and motor whenever possible, nice tickle his feet and see if he rotates and straightens his foot. Very old school toddler thought is to use hard stable shoes for training to walk. More contemporary, which isn't always better, suggests soft flexible moccasins, and bare foot. Bare foot gives the most sensory info to brain and requires maximum motor effort for balancing, ie. self correcting of posture right down to the sole.
     It's so cute to see babies learning to walk, such concentration and pride.

[Suiren]

Hope this helps.

I had a cousin who had to wear leg straighteners because her hip and joints didn't connect? she had to wear stilts? for years but eventually grew out of the problem. My brother also  had scoliosis but when he started weightlifting seriously in his 20's he straightened out and is now taller than me. Fucker. I'm still better looking.

Oh I hope he does not need to wear anything usually these things fix itself before toddlerhood is over.
Interesting though that the scoliosis bettered, I was told to have slight scoliosis when I was a teen but I guess I am almost fine now? My doctor did not complain last time I saw one..I am also weight lifting...
24 lbs of fat baby 

Adora
Thank you, we will do that. He is almost always bare foot, he just got his first shoes and so far he hates them.
I think we might also see an orthopedic doctor to see if physical therapy help or massages are offered. I think that would be better than waiting and then needing special shoes or a cast to correct it, if he learns to hold his foot right now, he won't put weight on it the wrong way hopefully.

[Adora]

Good I'm just guessing but, I think it is the peronial nerve that needs to heal. It would be the nerve on the week side, the nerve on the other side is working and innervating the muscles that cause his foot to club. Those are probably fine, it's the weak lateral lower leg that isn't able to do its fair share, so his foot pulls over to the strong side. I'm being irresponsible, I haven't even googled club foot. I'm just guessing based on what you've said.
    Babies grow nerves well. Most likely his nerve was cramped at the knee on the lateral aspect. So, gently tickle him constantly from knee to toes. Sensory and motor nerves run together and stimulation of one should stimulate the other. Keep us posted. Also eating fat is important, and B's for nerves, and they're fatty sheathes.

[Suiren]

Adora, your guess makes sense! We will try to stimulate his nerves.
He has been wearing his shoes when being held or sitting in the stroller, and they do keep his foot straight too.
Whenever he walks or crawls he is barefoot though.

I want to get back to this topic since I am still experiencing problems...

Bottom line is, after an increase in weight, I lost even more. I now only weight 46.2 kg/ 102 lbs. Before I started on the paleo diet I was 110lbs/ 50kg  (I am 5'5", 165cm)
It is scary to see all the weight go, and I am afraid if I lose much more I will have to call it quits. I really don't want to do that because of all the improvements I have made.
I am even fine with a lower carb diet now, before I used to get hypoglycemic, now I could even live with barely any carbs without getting dizzy.
However I am trying to maintain a moderate carb intake because I want to gain weight.
My face also has been looking gaunt and skinny, I don't like it at all. It makes me look sick (ignore the avatar its 4 months old) much like some vegans or fruitarians look...like their cheeks get all weird.

My milk supply also dropped again, it always drops when I lose weight and goes back to normal once my weight stabilizes. But at the moment my son nurses every half hour because he does not get as much milk

I have one last resort which is a food diary...nothing strict, just one that helps me keep track, and maybe I should weight myself once in a while? I tend to avoid it until I get so curious I can't take it anymore, only to see I lost even more.
In that food diary I want to list the most high calorie foods, because I don't even want to waste time consuming anything not as high in calories...so butter over milk for example.
So my foods would be:
1. Fatty meats & Fish (hard to get but we found a farm, just sadly they have been lagging with our order from 1 month (!) ago.
2. Fat from Butter, Avocado, Nuts (I currently mix butter with grounded tiger nuts or grinded coconut and eat avocado with it and 2 eggs) Olive oil as a supplement.
So a typical meal is 1-2 eggs, 1/4 block of butter, 3-5 table spoons of grounded nuts, (1/2 avocado). I mostly eat this with honey or some sort of meat.
I eat this 3-5 times a day, depending on the size of the meal. I eat much less after 8pm and just a small meal before I go to sleep, because I am just not hungry at night.
I take 4 table spoons of olive oil a day.

I have not taken probiotics yet, but they are on the way. At first I gained weight it seemed, not sure what happened.

[raw-al]

How is your digestion? In the sense that is it regular?

How is your stools?
Colour, shape, smoothness, soft/hard, ease of passing, gas, odour, # per day, when in day, regularity? Are these descriptions standard day to day or is there variation? Does it float?

[Ferocious]

Edit
I was reading on my husbands computer/ account sorry did not notice
Suiren

How is your digestion? In the sense that is it regular?

How is your stools?
Colour, shape, smoothness, soft/hard, ease of passing, gas, odour, # per day, when in day, regularity? Are these descriptions standard day to day or is there variation? Does it float?

They are pretty much the same every day, medium to light brown, sometimes a bit more yellow and soft. Never hard anymore since going off of grains and pasta, does not float, shape is like a sausage lol, I rarely pass gas but recently I had pain combined with softer stools which is gone now though. I experience slight bloating throughout the day but not a big bloated belly, my stomach just seems fuller and not as flat, odour is neutral I would say, I don't really smell it. I go 1-2 times a day, it comes easily.

[Suiren]

I forgot to add - I have a fructose malabsorption...I usually ignore it though since moderate amounts of fruits and veggies never gave me a problem. Just can not eat HFCS and have to be careful with juice. But since I do eat some fructose right now, could it in any way interfere with my overall absorption?

[Chris]

This is just my 2 cents. I think your going to continue to have trouble keeping weight on, or gaining weight as long as you continue to breast feed. Your baby is getting more and more of your nutrients every single day. Shouldn't your baby be on solid foods already? Remember, what you feed yourself is what your baby is getting as nutrients. I hope you're getting a varied/balanced diet, for your child's sake. I bet once you stop nursing, you will see yourself get stronger and stronger. You don't sound so vibrant and healthy right now. JMO.

[raw]

Chris, I don't agree with u, 'cause, my daughter is 10 months old and I m breastfeeding her. I gained more weight then when I was pregnant. Lots of fats, high quality of grass fed beef 2/3 lbs a day and half dozons of egg yolks (chickens, ducks) and fruits with seeds are my main food everyday. Time to time I do chew some wild greens from my garden recently ('cause I m doing some experiment to reduce the lead from my infant's body. Good luck with ur gaining weight mission.

[Ferocious]

This is just my 2 cents. I think your going to continue to have trouble keeping weight on, or gaining weight as long as you continue to breast feed. Your baby is getting more and more of your nutrients every single day. Shouldn't your baby be on solid foods already? Remember, what you feed yourself is what your baby is getting as nutrients. I hope you're getting a varied/balanced diet, for your child's sake. I bet once you stop nursing, you will see yourself get stronger and stronger. You don't sound so vibrant and healthy right now. JMO.

We let our son choose when it's time for him to eat solids. He eats solids but only as much as he wants, which is not a lot. I don't expect him to eat solely solids, especially at 1 year old! The only reason most children are mostly on solids around his age is because they are forced to eat overly tasty (processed) foods which obviously causes them to wean. My wife's issues have little to do with breastfeeding as she has always had to eat large amounts of (processed) foods to keep weight on. It's seems to be even harder with raw foods. I'm suspecting it's an absorption issue. I'm skeptical of the idea of fast and slow metabolisms.

[Suiren]

This is just my 2 cents. I think your going to continue to have trouble keeping weight on, or gaining weight as long as you continue to breast feed. Your baby is getting more and more of your nutrients every single day. Shouldn't your baby be on solid foods already? Remember, what you feed yourself is what your baby is getting as nutrients. I hope you're getting a varied/balanced diet, for your child's sake. I bet once you stop nursing, you will see yourself get stronger and stronger. You don't sound so vibrant and healthy right now. JMO.

Well yeah, according to some common modern parenting methods my son should have started solids between 4-6 months. When he was not able to sit, grab, chew or really swallow yet (babies have a tongue thrust reflex needed for breastfeeding, that is why they spit so much food out, and require to be spoon fed).
He also had no interest in foods, and even by 8,9,10 months he would choke on the smallest chunks and then throw up.
To me that was a sign he was not ready. By 11 months he started grabbing foods and putting them in his mouth, however he is still only able to eat very small pieces. He also will not eat an actual meal, he is testing out food still.
All this did not worry me. One because their digestive system is only partially ready for solids by 6 months, and two because I believe he will know best when he is ready. Babies are all instincts, unlike moms, who are a product of society.
Babies also used to be on mostly breast milk for a very long time, and introducing solids earlier is something modern (and benefits baby cereal and food companies)

Many natural parenting advocates say that a child can be on only breast milk for two years even (1 year olds not eating many solids does not even worry my standard pediatrician). Naomi Aldort, a natural parenting "guru", whatever you want to call her, even mentioned 5 years on mostly breast milk don't harm a child theoretically. She is also registered her as far as I know, but not active. I like some of her thoughts on parenting.

Anyhow, bottom line...we don't force anything.

As far as weight loss and breastfeeding goes - I was able to maintain my weight until not to long ago, when I started cutting out pasta dinners.
I always had trouble gaining, but was able to maintain with a pasta and bread diet before this, and when I added raw butter to the pasta I even gained some.
Breastfeeding only burns an extra 500 calories, regardless of age of the child (milk gets fattier only at some point...not more), I can easily make up for that with one extra meal a day...or a small meal even since some of my meals have 1300 cals.
And I DO make sure I eat balanced and I am not eating grains or dairy or anything like that. Just a mix of cooked and raw paleo at the moment.

I hope that explains it.

Edit: I found the thread where Naomi posted - http://www.rawpaleodietforum.com/omnivorous-raw-paleo/weaning/20/
Paleo Phil also posted some interesting findings at the beginning and end of the thread about how long a child should get only/ mostly breast milk.

[Chris]

I hope that explains it.

It does. Thanks Suiren. You know more about that than I do. I just thought I'd express my opinion. Thanks for hearing me out.  . I think your on the right path for yourself and your son. I'm sure everything will workout for you in the long run. Keep the faith, and keep searching for the answers. Their out there! 

[Suiren]

It does. Thanks Suiren. You know more about that than I do. I just thought I'd express my opinion. Thanks for hearing me out.  . I think your on the right path for yourself and your son. I'm sure everything will workout for you in the long run. Keep the faith, and keep searching for the answers. Their out there! 

Thank you, I will!
__________

I am copying this from my journal, some statistics from my new food diary:

Here some stats from my iPod food journal 'my fitness pal"....

Wednesday Aug. 29, 2012

Breakfast 702 cal
Lunch 937 cal
Dinner 742 cal
Snacks 1039 cal
________________
= 3420 cal   

My estimated goal to gain by the app was 2100...yeah right. So I went 1320 over.
If I don't gain on this, something is severely wrong. I increased my butter and olive oil intake. Before I was probably eating around 2200.

Typical foods

Eggs
Tiger Nuts (ground)
Coco Nut (ground)
Raw Butter
Avocado
Honey
Carrot
Sweet Potato
Cold pressed olive oil
Meats

And I add different veggies and fruit if I have room. Often onion, cucumber, tomato, bell pepper.

[Haai]

My two cents:

Plenty of raw honey + plenty of raw fat = rapid weight gain (at least for me, but I would guess for everyone else too).

However, it is highly debatable whether or not a large or regular consumption of honey is healthy. If I recall correctly (I skimmed through a few posts in this thread) fructose intolerance was mentioned. I do not know about the implications this would have with regard to honey consumption.

[Suiren]

My two cents:

Plenty of raw honey + plenty of raw fat = rapid weight gain (at least for me, but I would guess for everyone else too).

However, it is highly debatable whether or not a large or regular consumption of honey is healthy. If I recall correctly (I skimmed through a few posts in this thread) fructose intolerance was mentioned. I do not know about the implications this would have with regard to honey consumption.

Right, that is why I only eat honey once a day. It is also not the most calorie rich food I could pick. Take a look at the foods listed above, those seem to have the highest calorie content (I googled)