This is a test! Please read the following statements and respond “true” or “false” to each one.
1. If I breastfeed, I have to eat a bland diet.
2. If I eat broccoli, my baby will have gas.
3. If I have a glass of wine, I have to “pump and dump.”
4. I cannot drink coffee while breastfeeding.
5. If I eat chocolate, my breastfed baby will get diarrhea. Continue reading
I have never, in all my years of breastfeeding help, seen a case of nipple confusion. There, I said it. For many years I thought I saw it. I bought the whole concept that introduction of bottles too early would cause a baby to reject his mother’s breast. That somehow the baby would get “confused” and suddenly not know how to breastfeed.
So what made me change my tune? The babies themselves. They proved to me over and over again that the idea of nipple confusion is nonsense. They showed me that they are infant mammals and that mammals are hard-wired to do this thing we call breastfeeding. And they showed me that they are born to be adaptable and perfectly capable of adjusting to a wide variety of challenges that life doles out on a daily basis. Continue reading
This mamma has plenty of milk.
You probably already know that certain foods and herbs can increase milk supply. Oatmeal, fenugreek* and blessed thistle* and many others all have a reputation for helping mothers overflow with milk.
But many people don’t know that some foods can actually decrease milk production. There is no need to worry about small amounts of any of the following foods, but if you’re struggling with low milk supply already, avoid ingesting large quantities of the following. On the other hand, if you are one of those mothers with an over-abundance of milk, or if you are in the process of weaning, you may find the following foods helpful! Continue reading
It is commonly understood that breastfeeding people returning to work face multiple challenges. Balancing work and parenthood, carving out time to pump at work and maintaining adequate milk production are all topics that any employed, lactating person can discuss at length. Studies have shown over and over again that employment outside the home reduces breastfeeding duration.
A new study recently published in the Journal of Human Lactation (August, 2011) has shed some new light on this topic. It sought to understand the relationship between breastfeeding and occupational type (professional, administrative, service, sales, etc.) and postpartum employment status. The researchers asked about initiation of breastfeeding as well as duration of breastfeeding. The subjects in the study included thousands of women in the U.S. from all walks of life. Continue reading
Let’s be honest. Overly full, engorged breasts are uncomfortable and sometimes downright painful. Fortunately, under normal circumstances true engorgement can be prevented with frequent breastfeeding in the first few days/weeks after the birth of your baby. Some breast fullness and tenderness is to be expected in the first week postpartum as your breasts prepare to provide nourishment for your baby or babies. It may feel like you have enough milk to feed the entire neighborhood, but keep in mind that much of the swelling you are experiencing is simply that—swelling. It’s not just milk “coming in” that is making your breasts feel so full. After the birth of your baby; water, blood and lymphatic fluid rush to your breasts in preparation for breastfeeding. With adequate breastfeeding, the discomfort usually passes in a day or 2. Many mothers don’t experience anything but mild fullness.
Currently, however, many birthing people in the U.S. experience births that are anything but biologically “normal.” Epidural anesthesia requires that mother receive an IV of fluids. Inducing labor with pitocin requires extra fluid. C-sections require IV’s. If a mother receives any extra fluids via IV, she will continue to retain the fluid for some time even after the birth of her baby. That extra fluid often results in swollen ankles, fingers and even breasts!