My Baby Has Reflux!

Baby with tight frenulum.  No tongue elevation present.“My pediatrician says my baby has reflux! She says there are medications to help. I really don’t want my baby to take medicine. He’s so little. But I also don’t want him to suffer and spit up so much. What should I do? Can you help me?”

Although the diagnosis of reflux seems ominous, keep in mind that all babies have reflux to some degree. The sphincter muscle that separates the stomach and the esophagus is loose and lets fluids go back and forth. That’s why it’s common for babies to spit up after a meal. If your baby seems uncomfortable, however, he may need some help.

I see many babies diagnosed with reflux in my practice. I have found that some simple changes in feeding posture or management can decrease symptoms substantially. Most of my clients do not need to medicate their babies. Continue reading

Claire’s Breastfeeding Story

 

Baby and mom breastfeeding with IGT

Claire contacted me when her baby was 5 weeks old. Her first week of breastfeeding resulted in cracked, bleeding nipples and a bacterial infection. Her nipples were so sore, she had to stop breastfeeding. She did, however, pump regularly to preserve her milk supply. Breastfeeding was important to Claire. She had fond memories of nursing her first daughter. She desperately wanted to nurse this new baby as well; but was afraid to try again.

Claire told me her story and asked for help to breastfeed her newborn daughter without pain. She was concerned that, after 4 weeks of bottle-feeding, her baby may not want to breastfeed. She was also concerned about her milk supply—she was not able to “keep up” with her baby—needing to supplement with some formula each day.
Continue reading

Cookies for Milk Supply?

As a lactation consultant, I have the privilege of talking with hundreds of breastfeeding moms every year. Many of those mothers are concerned with milk production at some point in their nursing career. As you can imagine, (and as many of you know!) it’s very frustrating to do everything “right” and still not have enough milk for your baby. Moms know that breast milk is the best thing for babies, yet when supply problems exist, it can be difficult to give baby 100% breast milk. I have found that moms will do just about anything to help increase their milk production—prescriptions medications, strenuous pumping regimens or drinking bitter herbal concoctions.

A few years ago, I was approached by the founder of Milkmakers. She enthusiastically told me about her product—a cookie—that reportedly helps with milk production in breastfeeding moms. Some of the ingredients in Milkmakers are known to support milk production, but I was skeptical, to say the least. Continue reading

Can I Increase my Milk Supply?

Do you feel that you are breastfeeding  “all the time”? Does it seem that your baby is never really satisfied at the breast? Is your baby wakeful? Fussy? Sometimes, despite doing all the “right” things, you may find yourself producing less milk than your baby needs. Here are some things you can try:

  • First, check with your lactation consultant or pediatrician to get an accurate weight for your baby. Then you will know if your baby needs some extra nutrition while you are working on your supply. Continue reading

Hidden Hazards of Nipple Shields

As I’ve stated many times to anyone who will listen,  nipple shields can be helpful if a baby is having trouble breastfeeding. In the wrong hands, however, they can be downright dangerous. Just today I saw 2 moms who were given nipple shields in the hospital within 48 hours of their babies’ birth.  Their 2 stories had very different outcomes.

Story number 1:  Three -week- old baby. Mom given nipple shield day 2 because baby was having a hard time latching. Baby was able to latch with the shield, but he nursed for 45 minutes to an hour each feeding and never seemed satisfied. Things seemed to go OK the first week, but at a routine check-up 2 weeks later, baby hadn’t gained any weight. The pediatrician told mom to start supplementing immediately and referred her to me. I saw her the next day. Continue reading