Tag Archives: Breastfeeding

Claire’s Breastfeeding Story

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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.
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Cross Cradle Latch with Claire

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Notice the position of the baby relative to mom’s breast.  The baby is slightly under the breast and her top lip is aligned with the nipple. Mom waits for the baby to open wide.  When latched correctly, baby’s top lip barely covers the nipple.   See “Claire’s Breastfeeding Story” for more detail about this video clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9YroD7JgbQ

Never Wake a Sleeping Baby?

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Newborn sleeping

Breastfeeding seemed to go OK at first. After all, the baby was nursing a lot and slept well. It didn’t seem right to the new mom that her 1-week-old baby slept 6-8 hour stretches, but everyone said “don’t worry.” A pediatric visit at 2 weeks confirmed this mom’s worst fears. Her baby had lost weight!  She was told to supplement with formula and contact a lactation consultant. Continue reading →

Cookies for Milk Supply?

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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 →

Working and Breastfeeding: You Can Do It! (Updated)

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Women have been combining work with motherhood for thousands of years. Since babies are made to get their nutrition directly from their mothers, society expected moms and babies to be literally joined at the hip for the first year or more. It’s only been in recent history that “going back to work” has been a potential roadblock to continuing to breastfeed. Although it is normal to work while caring for baby, our modern world and societal expectations often require moms to be separate from baby while working.

So, is it really possible to continue breastfeeding while working away from baby? Absolutely! It takes some planning and commitment, but as a parent,  you’re already committed to your baby and you’re probably a master planner and multi-tasker! Just make sure you have the tools and information you need to be successful. Continue reading →