“Infant formula is almost always more hazardous for the mother and baby than is breast milk with a tiny amount of medication.”
The vast majority of medications, whether over the counter (OTC) or prescription, are considered safe for breastfeeding. Still, many breastfeeding people wean unnecessarily when taking a medication. Why is this the case?
Milkmakers Cookie.
If you’re concerned about milk supply, you probably already know that there are herbs, medications and even foods that can help. Herbs and medications often come with risks and side effects. But foods that help boost supply are simply foods! Foods have basically no risk and have an added benefit of increasing your nutrition and overall health!
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I got a massage this afternoon. I told the massage therapist that my shoulder and neck felt “stuck” and there were certain every day activities that I couldn’t do comfortably because the movement in my shoulder was restricted. After an hour of skilled touch, I could move again–without pain.
Sometimes babies are “stuck.” Developing in a small space, the baby may grow with a shoulder pushed up against her jaw. Or with her head turned to one side. When that baby is born, she may continue to tilt her head to one side, or her jaw may look asymmetrical. I pay attention to this because all that muscle tension and asymmetry can interfere with normal infant feeding. Continue reading
Baby with tight frenulum. No tongue elevation present.
I met a darling baby last week who was obviously tongue tied. By obvious I mean that his tongue was not only visibly anchored to the floor of his mouth, but the mobility of his tongue was severely restricted. All signs indicated tongue tie. He cried frequently through the day with severe gas pains. He could not move his tongue side to side and there was almost no elevation when he cried. When he nursed, his tongue “snapped back” repeatedly. The snap back prevented him from keeping a strong vacuum at the breast, leading to noisy breastfeeding, slipping off the breast and sore nipples for mom. He was so noisy with smacking sounds and squeaky swallowing that his mom nicknamed him “Squeaker.” Continue reading
Getting some reassurance from an IBCLC
You have just had a baby. You’ve always known you would breastfeed, but things are not going well. Perhaps your nipples are sore. Or you’re struggling with engorgement. Maybe you’re worried about milk supply. Or your baby has hard time latching. Or maybe you just have a lot of questions. In any case, you and your healthcare provider have decided you need the help of an expert. It’s time to call a lactation consultant. Continue reading