Nipple Confusion
When your baby does not know how to suckle the breast properly due to use of a pacifier or bottle it is called nipple confusion. To avoid nipple confusion simply try to stay away from giving your baby pacifiers or bottles for the first six weeks of life. Nipple confusion impairs breast feeding success by compromising your milk production. Your infant’s... [Read more...]
Breastfeeding – the first 6 months of life
Breastfeeding – the first 6 months of life Increasing optimal breastfeeding practices could save an estimated 1.5 million infant lives annually. Up to 55 percent of infant deaths from diarrhea disease and acute respiratory infections may result from inappropriate feeding practices. Optimal feeding for sustained child health and growth includes... [Read more...]
Good feeding
In this second clip of the series the child again has an active jaw and surrounding muscles for a good swallowing motion. You can see the pauses where the child waits for milk to flow into its mouth before swallowing again, it is a good feeding technique and definitely not as rapid as the child in the first video. Compare this child with the baby’s... [Read more...]
Inducing Lactation in Adoptive Mothers.
A growing number of adoptive mothers are exploring the option of breastfeeding their adopted child. A few prescription medications typically prescribed for other reasons have been shown to stimulate or enhance milk production. Metoclopramide and other such medications must be prescribed by your doctor and do have side effects. There are also herbal... [Read more...]
Teething and Biting
If you experience your baby biting your nipple you should talk to them and reprimand them. The best way is to tell them “NO” and break the latch, then look them in the eye and say “No Biting”. Be serious but not angry for your baby may already be in tears from your surprise reaction. Offer your breast again, but if biting... [Read more...]
Herpes and Breastfeeding
If contracted during the last trimester of pregnancy herpes can be deadly to your child. However herpes sores on your breasts are a less serious concern. Should a herpes sore develop on your nipple it is best to feed only from the unaffected side. Using a breast pump on the affected breast while the sore is present will help maintain your milk supply.... [Read more...]
Eating while breastfeeding
Will you eat more when you are breastfeeding, yes! How much more though depends on a few things: Activity Level – the more active you are the more calories you will burn Body type – lean body types tend to have higher metabolisms than other body types Needs of your baby - how often your baby eats and how much the baby consumes will also... [Read more...]
Ask Obama to Support Breastfeeding: Sign the Petition
Recognition and support for breastfeeding is often neglected as an important part of mothering. Help us put breastfeeding on the radar for President-elect Barack Obama to ensure it is treated as a high priority health issues and receives the support it deserves. Our economy is in crisis and this nation’s leaders are looking for solutions to help... [Read more...]
Latch Evaluation
How can you tell if your baby has established good latch? Does your baby have your entire nipple and about one inch of the areola in their mouth? After you get the let-down feeling can you hear your baby swallow? Does your baby follow a “suck, suck, suck, swallow” pattern Can you see noticeable movement in the jaw that should also make... [Read more...]
What if my breasts are small?
Don’t worry of your feel your breasts are small, as size of your breasts is not an indication of how much milk your breasts will produce. What matters more than the size of your breasts is the increase in the size of your breasts during pregnancy. If you end up one to two bra sizes larger at the end of your pregnancy versus the start then you... [Read more...]
