Making Mother's Milk

Often women are bombarded with what not to do when pregnant and post-partum but are at a loss as to what to do! Here are a list of foods that helps increase lactation enabling a woman to breast feed longer or be stuck to the annoying breast milk pump less often. Pumping is an emotional and physical drain so increasing milk production can bring tremendous relief to the over-taxed new Mom. It takes a tremendous amount of blood to engender milk in a woman's body so many of these foods help build blood producing more milk and energy for the tired mom.

What to Eat for Lactating Mother's:

Carrots-help increase milk production and regulates all hormones post-partum

Chicken-Aids lactation

Shrimp-Increases lactation (be sure the shrimp are from clean waters)

Lamb-Increases overall body warmth and improves lactation.

Peanuts and the red skins- Eaten to increase milk supply

Soybeans- Boosts milk secretion in nursing mothers (buy organic to avoid GMO's)

Sweet Potatoes- Increase quantity of milk in nursing mothers

Dark leafy Greens- Build blood to enhances production of milk

Black Sesame Seeds- Not only do the seed contain a large amount of calcium and naturally lubricate the bowels which tend to be constipated after pain medication and iron supplements but it also increases milk supply.

During lactation women are at an increased need for Calcium. Foods rich in Calcium include: seaweed (sprinkle on popcorn or soups- seriously, it's better than it sounds), Almonds (3 1/2 oz. have 233 milligrams of Calcium), Sunflower Seeds (3 1/2 oz. have 174 milligrams), Garbanzo and Black Beans 3 1/2 oz. have over 135 milligrams of Calcium)
Aim to drink 100 fluid ounces of water daily. Simple dehydration can cause insufficient lactation. It takes a large amount of water for a woman to produce milk for her new born baby.


Drink tea specifically formulated to enhance milk production in lactating mother's. We carry the Organic Traditional Medicinals "Organic Mother's Milk" in our practice which includes: bitter fennel, aniseed fruit, coriander fruit, fenugreek seed, blessed thistle herb, spearmint, lemongrass leaf, verbena leaf and marsh mellow root.


If all the above fails seek help from an Acupuncturists. We always have success in just a few treatments often doubling the mother's milk output. A great way to find an Acupuncturist who specializes in pre and post-partum Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine is to go to www.Acufinder.com

Fool Proof Remedies for Improved Sleep During Pregnancy

The top three reasons a pregnant Mom can't sleep


1. Pain or discomfort

2. Hunger (even if she isn't aware she is hungry)

3. Disruptive Bathroom Breaks



1. Pain or discomfort

Best position after 20 weeks pregnant is on the left side with a pillow under your neck, knees and sometimes one to hug and one to press against your lumbar area (low back). Chiroflow pillows are great because you can fill half the pillow with water to accomodate your personal neck posture. Acupuncture is safe and effective for any type of muscle or joint pain during pregnancy. If your sleep is being disrupted by pain go right away to an Acupuncturist who specializes in women's health and treatment during pregnancy; a great place to find a licensed Acupuncturist is www.Acufinder.com. An added bonus: the number one side-effect from acupuncture is improved sleep; so in reality you get a two for one for your acupuncture treatment benefits.



2. Hunger (even if she isn't aware she is hungry)

Be sure to eat a snack right before bed that is small and has protein. Good examples: Four whole wheat crackers with almond or peanut butter, a cup of whole fat yogurt, 1/4 cup of nuts like cashews or almonds. The caloric increase needed to grow a baby in-utero is 500 extra calories a day. By eating a snack before bed you prevent your body from thinking you are not "starving" while you sleep away at night time. Sometimes the snack is needed when you are suffering from insomnia. Put the snack on your bedside table and chew a few bites and then go back to dreamland.



3. Disruptive Bathroom Breaks

During the day be conscious about getting enough water aiming for around 100 fluid oz. By 5:00pm you want to taper your drinking to sips only when needed. Be sure to empty your bladder right before bed for this will reduce the number of times you may need to get up in the middle of the night to urinate.

Bumpy Travel- How to safely travel while pregnant

I am both a medical expert and a woman who has been there done that. When my mother offered a trip of a lifetime to Kauai, Hawaii and my sister's work schedule didn't permit traveling earlier in the year we went the last possible week of my first pregnancy. I was 7 months pregnant and preparing for a trans-pacific flight. I also travelled by airplane to my God brother's wedding at merely 6 weeks pregnant.

The advice differs for different stages of pregnancy and here are the tips:

For all stages of pregnancy it is recommended to have medical clearance for travel by your OBGYN or Midwife.

Early Stages of Pregnancy 1-4 months:

Stay hydrated (this means you should urinate each 1-2 hours while traveling) aim for around 100 fluid ounces the day before, of and after travel

Bring snacks to reduce nausea and stabilize blood sugar- crackers, nuts, low sugar granola bars

Walk and stretch once an hour while flying as long as the captain says it is safe

Bring preggy pops or something similar to help with nausea

Pack ginger candies to help with nausea



Mid to Late Stage of Pregnancy 5-7 months:

Stay hydrated (this means you should urinate each 1-2 hours while traveling ) aim for around 100 fluid ounces the day before, of and after travel

Eat a large meal before flying and bring snacks with protein to help stave off hunger

Wear compression hose (up to your knees) to reduce swelling of your feet- (I chose not to do this and suffered the consequences finding myself unable to walk more than 15 minutes while in Hawaii due to the extra humidity that caused swelling)

Walk and stretch once an hour while flying as long as the captain says it is safe

Bring a small lumbar pillow to relieve back pain or sciatica

If you get a severe headache during or after flying go to the nearest medical center to check your blood pressure. This happened to me in Hawaii and I took a Tylenol at night and went to the fire department to check my blood pressure. It was fine but I wanted to be safe, not sorry.


Late Stage of Pregnancy 8-9 months:

Not advisable to travel by airplane

Top Three Killers

Women fear aging, increased wrinkles, sagging breasts and protruding tummies far more than more serious and fatal diseases including the top three causes of death: Heart disease (25.8%), cancer (22.0%) and stroke (6.7%) (CDC census 2006). Women in our culture are fearful of losing their self worth, identity and their husbands affection. They are obsessed with looking younger, being thinner and remaining sexually attractive into their golden years. Very rarely do women come in and want preventative health care to prevent heart disease, cancer or stroke. Yet, offices are filled with women taking hormones and supplements to slow the appearance of aging, not the internal development of diseases.




They will go under the knife, paralyze their facial muscles and go to great lengths to stave off the hands of time yet most women are rarely concerned with the top three diseases that are most likely to kill them unless their Mother, Sister or Aunt died at an early age from one of the diseases. They will spend thousands of dollars changing their external appearance rather than focus on lifestyle, dietary and supplemental therapies that could actually prevent or slow the progress of fatal diseases.



The only concern they have that actually improves their health is weight loss if they are over weight. This too can be a challenge as many women approach weight loss through unhealthy starvation or extreme diets. Lowering your BMI reduces your risk for heart disease, cancer and stroke so being concerned with this health issue benefits a woman's emotional outlook, personal self worth and prevents serious diseases from developing.

Acupuncture and herbal medicine when prescribed by a skilled and licensed practitioner can improve the function of one's heart, reduce blood clotting and reduce the likelihood of cancer developing or returning.  Many herbal prescriptions have anti-tumor properties that are beneficial to women who have a family or personal history with cancer.  Mushrooms, seaweeds and dark leafy greens have all been proven to improve the cardiovascular system and reduce the potential of cancer developing.  We only recommend pharmaceutical grade vitamins so your body has the bio-availability it needs to fight diseases. 

Cooling the Bowels and Clearing the Blood: Treatment for Ulcerative Colitis

Tragically, very little is often talked about Acupuncture and herbal medicine as viable treatment for ulcerative colitis. Specifically prescribed herbs can: reduce swelling and inflammation of the bowels, deliver anti-biotic effect to treat potential infection, promote normal digestion and absorption of nutrients, relieve diarrhea, alleviate abdominal spasms and cramping, and eliminate irritating toxins.




Within 3 months of treatment patients can expect to see a reduction in diarrhea, pus, blood, pain and cramping. Acupuncture points along the Small Intestine and Large Intestine meridians can calm an over active digestive system that is inflamed. This form of medicine has been in use for over 2,000 years and should be considered as a conjunctive treatment to western medicine.



Sources include: Journal of New Medicine and Herbology, 1973; 7:6

Recent Study and Clinical Application of Common Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1995; 679:680

New Chinese Medicine, 1989; 21 (3): 51

Jilin Chinese Medicine and Herbology, 1985: 3:28

Journal of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, 1989; 9 (8): 494)



www.AmericanAcu.com Kristen Lohman Burris, L.Ac., M.S.T.O.M., Dip. Ac. Voted “Top Doc 2010” and is a nationally recognized Acupuncturist and Herbalist who has been featured in Parenting Magazine, Natural Health Magazine, National Public Radio (NPR) and KUSI TV News. Ms. Burris' expertise includes: digestive problems, women’s health, fertility, pregnancy, difficult menstrual cycles, menopausal symptoms, digestive problems, and pain. Ms. Burris has also taught acupuncture to graduate students at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. She and her husband Tony Burris, L.Ac., M.S.T.O.M treat patients with acupuncture, herbal medicine and nutrition as natural medicine in their family-owned, private practice, American Acupuncture Center in Eagle, Idaho. Ms. Burris has treated patients at Top Fertility Centers Nationwide, San Diego Hospice, University of California in San Diego (UCSD) Integrative Clinic, and for UCSD Dental Study. Ms Burris was the creator of fertility retreats for couples and served on the board of RESOLVE, the non-profit organization supporting couples with infertility.









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Kristen Burris L.Ac., M.S.T.O.M.

Voted Top Doc of Eagle 2010

American Acupuncture Center

128 S. Eagle Road

Eagle, Id 83616

(208) 938-1277

www.AmericanAcu.com

http://FertilityFound.blogspot.com/

http://idahoacupuncture.blogspot.com/

Join Us Every FIRST FRIDAY of the month for Free Acupuncture and Massage discover the Art of Healing 4:30-8:30 pm

Painful Solutions

Being an Acupuncturist, Herbalist and a personal pain sufferer I know how to cope with the extremes of menstrual pain, arthritic pain and internal pain from cancer.




For cold cramps during your period rub clove oil on your abdomen and the soles of your feet. This warms and alleviates pain concurrently making you a happy woman.



For damp arthritic pain where you can sense when it's going to rain eat rice and avoid alcohol, dairy and sugar. The "dampness" in your joints causing inflammation and pain is triggered by the dampness of the rain in the atmosphere. These tips will limit your damp feeling and pain.



For internal pain from migraines, irritable bowel or cancer your best guarantee is to go to an experienced acupuncturist. Often we can take your pain levels from an excruciating level of 10 to none by the time you walk out of the office and it has 2,000 years of medical proof to back it.



www.AmericanAcu.com Kristen N. Burris, L.Ac., M.S.T.O.M. is a nationally recognized Acupuncturist and Herbalist who has been featured in Parenting Magazine, Natural Health Magazine, National Public Radio (NPR), KUSI TV News and most recently won “Top Docs Award 2010”. Ms. Burris' expertise includes: women’s health, fertility, pregnancy, difficult menstrual cycles, menopausal symptoms, digestive problems, and pain. Ms. Burris has also taught acupuncture to graduate students at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. She and her husband Tony Burris, L.Ac., M.S.T.O.M treat patients with acupuncture, herbal medicine and nutrition as natural medicine in their family-owned, private practice, American Acupuncture Center in Eagle, Idaho. Ms. Burris has treated patients at Top Fertility Centers Nationwide, San Diego Hospice, University of California in San Diego (UCSD) Integrative Clinic, and for UCSD Dental Study. Kristen has served on the board of Resolve, the non-profit organization that supports couples with infertility. Ms. Burris also developed comprehensive fertility retreats to enhance fertility in women and men where 75% of participants successfully got pregnant and gave birth.

Picky Eaters Healthy Snacks

We teach food as medicine concept in our integrative medical practice and personally have two toddlers: one picky, one not. These recipes are sure to please and are power packed with nutrients that would make any parent proud.




Popcorn microwaved with natural butter and or olive oil

Sprinkle on Kelp flakes for added Calcium and Cancer fighting compounds



Super Shake 2 servings:

2 cups Raspberry liquid yogurt with acidophilus

1 lemon fish oil supplement (squeezed, discard casing)

1 Tbs. Wheat Germ

1/4 cup silken tofu

1 Tbs. maple syrup



Blend until smooth



Both of my boys gobble these up in a matter of seconds!

Enjoy!