hey Karina - congrats on being lighter than pre pregnancy that's awesome. ive lost 12kg so far but have another 10 to go - need to start exercising soon. It took ages for my tummy to flatten out this time, I still looked 6mths pg when we left the hospital.

A nipple shield is a thin piece of plastic, in the shape of a dome (sort of like a niple) you put it over your nipple and the baby sucks on the sheild which has holes in it to let the milk out. it's helpful for flat nipples as babies can't attach well when nipples are flat or in my case can't get enough in their mouth to stop damaging the nipple that's there. You can also use them if you have damage to your nipple until it heals.

Claire is gorgeous too, so many march girls hey. Yeah she does sleep with her hands above her head and used to do it in the womb as well, it's so funny when you see their movements in real life and can remember how they felt when they were inside you, like when Ariya flexes her feet and I can remember her soing that right under my ribs :-)

As for the milk, when xander was little I used to wake him for his feeds as he wouldn't wake on his own and later I expressed to store for later, but remember the more you take out the more you make so if you can stand it leave it be or you'll end up with an over supply in the long run. I have been lucky - touch wood - that I haven't had any engorgement or over supply with Ariya although she took a bottle of EBM the other night of 100 ml and then a BF half and hour later so maybe she is just a little piggy!