Breastfeeding on Demand
You may find yourself on the receiving end of comments that confuse your attentiveness of your baby’s hunger with spoiling them. Your baby has a genuine need for frequent routine feedings. This is due to their initially having a very small stomach and secondarily that breast milk is very easily digested compared to other foods and formulas. By... [Read more...]
Middle of the Night Feedings
One of the most dramatic adjustments you will make as a new parent is a loss of control on your sleep schedule. Gone are the days (at least for now) of staying up as late as you want and sleeping as late as you want. Now the amount of sleep you get will depend on your child. Newborns don’t have a schedule as they are adjusting to the world... [Read more...]
Waking your Sleepy Baby
It may seem a little counter intuitive to wake your baby, but in the first few weeks your baby does not yet know to eat when they are hungry. Frequent feedings also help you establish your milk supply and avoid or reduce the discomfort of engorgement. So here are some tips and tricks to gently wake your baby and get them feeding: Change their diaper Wipe... [Read more...]
Sleep and your baby
When you first bring your baby home you will see that their life consists of eating and sleeping and eating and sleeping. As they grow older you will see they spend less time napping and more time sleeping at night. During the first few weeks working with your partner to have “Baby-Care” shifts can help you both get some uninterrupted... [Read more...]
Establishing a routine
In the first few weeks of breastfeeding you will wish your baby had a routine. However your child is changing and learning how to live and you will find that a routine is already forming. There is value in routines as they help the baby to know what will happen next, providing a feeling of safety and security. In the early days you’ll be the... [Read more...]
Breastfed Newborn Weight Gain
When comparing your breastfed newborn weight gain against that of formula fed children you may feel that your young one is not growing fast enough. Not to worry. Breastfed babies may not gain weight as quickly in the first few days when compared to formula fed infants but this disparity rapidly disappears. While formula and breast milk generally... [Read more...]
Are feeding intervals counted from the time my baby starts or stops nursing?
You count the length between feedings from the time when your baby begins to nurse — rather than when they finish— to when your little one starts to nurse again. For example if your child starts nursing at 8AM, 10AM then at Noon, when asked by your doctor how often your baby is feeding, you can say “about every 2 hours”. This means... [Read more...]
How long should I breastfeed?
The American Association of Pediatrics suggests breastfeeding your baby for the first six months after birth and encourages mothers to breastfeed at least a full year after their child is born. Your body will continue to produce milk at a level matching your child’s consumption as long as you the mother remain healthy and in physically good... [Read more...]
How long does it take to nurse?
As a new mother who has decide to breastfeed then it’s very likely that you’ve wondered, how long does it take to nurse? The answer depends on you, your baby and a few other things such as: how developed your milk supply has become how quickly your “let-down” happens, immediately or a few minuted into nursing how fast your milk flows how you... [Read more...]
How can I tell when my baby is ready to eat?
How can I tell when my baby is ready to eat? One of the easiest ways to tell if your new born is ready for their next meal is to check the clock. Too little time since the last feeding can indicate that there is something else bothering them. With that in mind here are a few signs that you can use to tell your baby is ready to eat: • moving... [Read more...]
