Guest Post–When Nursing Makes you Sick

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When a woman thinks of birth and breastfeeding she expects it to be the happiest time of her life. Occasionally, to a mother’s dismay, she finds that breastfeeding brings on new challenges, feelings and experiences. She may experience feelings of pain with breastfeeding, or an unexplainable twist in her gut when her milk lets down. Unable to justify or validate what she is feeling leaves her at a loss and feeling confused. These feelings may be the result of a condition known as D-MER. D-MER stands for Dysmorphic Milk Ejection Reflex and it is treatable.

D-MER is caused by a drop in dopamine activity when oxytocin rises which creates a feeling of dysphoria in the mother (D-Mer.org). It is a physiological disorder, not a mental disorder. To understand D-MER better I have interviewed Renee Beebe, IBCLC. Renee Beebe is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant who works with mothers who may be exhibiting symptoms of D-MER.

A mother asked Renee the following questions:

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Tongue Tie: More than “Just” a Breastfeeding Problem

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Tongue-tied newborn

Tongue-tied newborn

Let’s assume for a moment that breastfeeding is not important. That the oral development that breastfeeding provides is inconsequential. We will ignore, for just a moment, the fact that the act of breastfeeding helps develop the baby’s jaw, his facial muscles and properly shapes the palate to make room for his future teeth. We’ll ignore all of that so that I can give you a few other reasons to agree to have your baby’s frenulum clipped. Just in case the possibility of pain free, effective breastfeeding is not a good enough reason for you.

The reason I’m being just a bit sarcastic is because there are plenty of health care professionals out there who do not “believe in” freeing a tongue tied baby’s tongue “just” so he can breastfeed. “After all,” they say, “..you can just feed your baby pumped milk or formula from a bottle.” Continue reading →

My Baby is Tongue Tied?

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Type I tongue tie–tip of tongue “tied” to floor of mouth.

My lactation consultant told me my baby is tongue tied and she needs to get her frenulum clipped so she can breastfeed. What is a frenulum? Why does my baby need this procedure?

The frenulum is a (usually) thin, fibrous band of connective tissue that connects the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. The mere existence of a lingual (tongue) frenulum is not an indicator of a problem. The important thing is whether the frenulum restricts the movement of the tongue in a way that interferes with its normal functions.  If it does, your baby has a condition known as tongue tie or ankyloglossia. Continue reading →

Should You Buy a Used Pump?

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Smart moms shop around and look for bargains. In order to save money when breast pumping, more of my clients are buying used breast pumps or borrowing pumps from friends or family. When buying items for the nursery and other baby gear, hand-me-downs are often as good as new and can save you a lot of money. If you’ll be pumping frequently, the equipment you need is important. When researching the purchase of a breast pump, think twice about buying used or sharing with a friend.

New, professional grade breast pumps (meant to be used when mom is back at work or is breast pumping instead of breastfeeding) can cost as much as 400 dollars, so cost is definitely a consideration. Even the most expensive pump, however, is a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of formula. Infant formula can cost from $1500 to $2300 per year. So when you buy a high-quality pump in order to give your baby pumped breast milk instead of formula, you are actually saving money! Continue reading →

Insurance Coverage for Breast Pumps

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Breastfeeding does not require any special equipment. All you really need is a baby, and your breasts! But for a breastfeeding mother who needs to be away from her baby for work or school, a high quality professional-grade breast pump is essential! It can help her maintain her milk production, and provide breast milk to her baby, even though she can’t always be there in person.

Historically, breast pumps were considered feeding equipment and not eligible for insurance coverage or tax deductions. Finally, after much pressure from the American Academy of Pediatrics and various legislators, the IRS has changed its classification. According to the new IRS guidelines, breast pumps are no longer considered feeding equipment. As of January 1, 2011, they are considered a medical device. This is great news for breastfeeding mothers all over the United States. It will now be easier for mothers to get insurance coverage for breast pumps. Continue reading →