BREASTFEEDING AN ADOPTED BABY
It is possible to establish milk production for an adopted baby, even if you have never been pregnant or given birth. The amount of milk you may produce depends on many factors.
Most mothers are able to produce at least a little milk. You might be able to induce lactation (start to produce milk), and then build up your milk supply by putting your baby to your breast often and/ or expressing.
DRINKING ALCOHOL AND BREASTFEEDING
Breastfeeding mothers often receive conflicting advice about whether alcohol consumption can have an effect on their baby. While women are often warned not to consume alcohol during pregnancy due to evidence that it could cause damage to an unborn child, the risks of consuming alcohol while breastfeeding are not as well defined.
La Leche League’s The Womanly Art Of Breastfeeding (p. 328) says: “The effects of alcohol on the breastfeeding baby are directly related to the amount the mother ingests. When the breastfeeding mother drinks occasionally or limits her consumption to one drink or less per day, the amount of alcohol her baby receives has not been proven to be harmful.”
If consumed in large amounts alcohol can cause drowsiness, deep sleep, weakness, and abnormal weight gain in the infant, and the possibility of decreased milk-ejection reflex in the mother. Mothers who have been drinking should not bed-share with their babies as their natural reflexes will be affected.
FOOD ALLERGIES AND BREASTFEEDING
Babies are more likely to develop allergies if there’s a history of eczema, asthma, hay fever or food allergies in the family. If your baby has a family history of these conditions, breastfeeding your baby exclusively for the first six months will help to lower their risk.
Substances in human milk coat your baby’s intestines, which prevents microscopic food particles from “leaking” through into your baby’s bloodstream. If they do pass into the blood (something that is more frequent in an artificially fed baby), these food particles may be treated as foreign substances by his white blood cells, which attack them, and can cause painful allergic reactions such as diarrhea, sore bottoms, runny noses and eyes, rashes and eczema, or a crying, sleepless baby.
HOW CAN I TELL IF MY BABY IS GETTING ENOUGH MILK?
It is quite common to wonder if your baby is truly drinking enough milk at the breast. It’s nearly impossible to measure the milk, because it can’t be seen. So, how do you tell if baby is getting enough?
For the first few days, your breasts will be making colostrum for your baby. This first milk is thick and sticky but very nutritious and important for baby’s immune system. Your baby will likely feed often, 8-12 or more times in each 24 hour period. This frequent nursing in the early days helps to signal your breasts to make plenty of milk for your baby.
After about two to four days, your milk will “come in” and become plentiful. Your baby will continue to nurse often and start to gain weight.
MY BABY IS HAVING SURGERY
If your baby needs to have surgery they will be given a general anaesthetic to ensure they are unconscious and free of pain during the operation or procedure. Anaesthetists are specialist doctors who give the anaesthetic and look after the health of your child during surgery, and then continue to support them with pain relief afterwards.
Usually, before having a general anesthetic, your baby won’t be allowed anything to eat or drink. Anesthesia will make your baby relaxed and sleepy and stops their body’s reflexes working temporarily. If your baby’s stomach has food or drink in it, there’s a risk of vomiting, or regurgitation (bringing up food into their throat). If this happens, the regurgitated food could spill into your baby’s lungs and affect their breathing.
WHY CARRY YOUR BABY IN A CARRIER OR SLING?
Carrying your baby in a carrier or sling is a lovely way to meet needs for warmth and closeness, and is not just for mothers. All parents can nurture their babies in this way; your baby’s carer may also find it an invaluable tool while you are working or studying.
Babies carried in slings are calmer and cry less. In most cultures, where babies are held almost constantly, they are typically in a quiet alert state and rarely cry for more than brief periods.
Slings provide a gentle way of transitioning babies from the calm environment of the womb to that of the outside world. Babies in carriers continue to be rocked by their mothers’ movements and to hear their mothers’ heartbeats or learn a new caring adult’s rhythms. This helps babies to regulate their own systems.
MY NEWBORN HAS NEVER REALLY GOTTEN THE HANG OF NURSING. HOW CAN I GET HIM BACK TO THE BREAST?
There are many reasons why a newborn may be reluctant to nurse. If your newborn is not latching on to the breast, is too sleepy to take his first feed or needs medical attention, you can ask your health care team to show you how to hand express and give your colostrum by teaspoon or syringe. Your baby may sleep for a few hours after this first feed – feel free to cuddle him and wake him if you want to feed. He may feed four to five more times in the first 24 hours.
You can begin expressing colostrum within the first few hours after birth. You may be comfortable using hand-expression or you may prefer to use a pump.
Breastfeeding is normal and natural but it may take you and your baby time to learn. Milk production speeds up (your body makes more milk faster) if you nurse or pump more frequently. The emptier the breast, the faster your body works to replace the milk that was taken out. Milk is being produced at all times, and breasts are only ever about 75% empty, even after a very long feeding.
BIRTH CONTROL
Non-hormonal methods of contraception are compatible with breastfeeding though no method is 100% effective against pregnancy regardless of whether you are breastfeeding or not.
Examples include:
Barrier methods (condom, diaphragm, cervical cap, sponge )
Non-hormonal IUD (coil)
Spermicides
LAM (Lactational Amenorrhea Method)
Natural Family Planning
Some hormonal methods of contraception may affect milk supply especially in the early months after birth. Examples include:
Contraceptive pill, including combination and progesterone only
Contraceptive implants, injections and patches
Hormonal IUD (coil)
Vaginal ring
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY BABY BITES ME?
A baby may bite during a nursing session for many different reasons – distraction, teething, cold or ear infection (it’s hard for your baby to swallow while breastfeeding with a blocked nose). Once it has happened, it may cause you to be tense or fearful at the next feeding. Here are some thoughts that may help you based on questions that arise at this time:
MY BABY BIT ME! DOES THIS MEAN I HAVE TO WEAN?
Weaning is rarely the answer when a baby bites. It is important to identify the cause and work to correct it.
FEEDING BREASTMILK FROM A BOTTLE
When the nursing parent is away from baby or cannot nurse at the breast or chest, it is important that the baby will take breastmilk by another method. These tips assume that the baby is being fed expressed breastmilk. If this is not available, ask the baby’s health care provider for advice.
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, the La Leche Leage guide for nursing parents, suggests that the introduction of a bottle wait until the baby is three to four weeks old and nursing well, in order to lessen the risk of nipple confusion. You may want to try once or twice per day to introduce the bottle, using a couple of “tricks” that experienced working/breastfeeding mothers have tried.
BRAS
During pregnancy and when your milk first comes in, you may find your breasts are enlarged. The support of a well-fitting bra can be most welcome. Let comfort be your guide: it is important to avoid a bra that is too tight, a bra that puts too much pressure on your breasts may result in sore breasts due to plugged ducts.
Some mothers chose to wear a specially designed nursing bra. Others chose to wear the styles they have used before pregnancy.
Bras with under-wiring, or other firm structure, can contribute to blocked ducts and even mastitis so are best avoided in the early months.
Many mothers find that it’s comfortable to wear a bra fairly often during the first 2-6 weeks of breastfeeding. Many moms experience engorgement, and very heavy breasts as their milk is coming in and becoming established. Also, extra body fluid and blood collects in the breast area to help them get ready for breastfeeding. During that time, wearing a well-fitting bra more often during the day or night might be helpful to give extra support so your breasts don’t become sore in any way. After that time of engorgement, or if you’re more comfortable without a bra, there is no reason why you can’t take it off whenever you want to for sleeping, or during the day. It’s totally up to you and your comfort. If you usually go braless, you do not need to wear one during breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding ensures your baby has normal health, growth, and brain development. If you are using drugs or medications, it’s important to know how these can affect your milk or your baby.
Will I ever have sex after baby?
I am so tired, all I can think about is sleep.
I have been holding the baby all day; I am touched out.
I am in awe of my body, and I feel empowered.
Many parents report changes in their sexual lives while breastfeeding. Physical changes in our bodies during the post-partum period and lactation, lack of sleep, and the demands of caring for young children all contribute to a shifting sense of self, including our experiences of ourselves as sexual beings. Whatever you are experiencing, from increased desire, to no desire at all, and everything in between, others have been there before you. Discussing your experiences with others, such as at a La Leche League meeting, can be a reassuring way to feel that you are not alone.
Breastfeed your baby as soon as possible after birth. Baby needs to breastfeed 10 or more times in 24 hours. The more often your baby breastfeeds, the more milk you will make.
WILL CAFFEINE AFFECT MY BABY?
You might be wondering if your morning cup of coffee or tea may have an effect on your baby. The news is good: breastfed babies generally do not suffer ill effects from mother’s moderate caffeine consumption. However, you may want to take the following into consideration:
IS MY BABY MORE LIKELY THAN OTHERS TO REACT TO CAFFEINE?
Babies who are under six months or have other health issues may be more likely to show symptoms (Hale 2017).
WHAT SYMPTOMS MIGHT MY BABY HAVE?
A baby who is showing signs of caffeine intake may be unusually irritable, fussy, or wakeful. They may have a harder time staying asleep (Mohrbacher 2010).
MY BREASTFED TODDLER’S SKIN HAS TURNED ORANGE / YELLOW! IS IT MY MILK?
Most likely, your toddler is experiencing carotenemia, a condition most often found in babies and toddlers, where skin, especially parts that tend to sweat a lot, becomes tinged with orange. It is most visible in babies and toddlers with light complexions. The condition is caused by ingesting a large amount of carotene, a nutrient most often found in human milk, carrots, squash, sweet potato, pumpkin, spinach, beans, egg yolks, corn and yams. Note that most of the foods listed fall into the “yellow vegetable” category. Cooking, mashing, or pureeing foods increases absorption of carotene (Leung, Alexander. Carotenemia. Advances in Pediatrics. 34: 223-248. 1987). Human milk is also full of carotene, and can even become yellowish or orange if a mother eats a diet high in the foods listed above.
BREASTFEEDING AFTER CESAREAN BIRTH
Breastfeeding after cesarean birth is an important way for you and baby to get to know each other. It can also help heal any feelings of sadness or disappointment if birth did not go as planned. Breastfeeding can give you the satisfaction of knowing that you are giving your newborn the very best—something no one else can do—even though you are recovering from major surgery.
Whether you give birth vaginally or by cesarean surgery, family, friends, or a La Leche League Leader can be of great assistance and support when you are beginning the breastfeeding experience.
CLEANING AND SANITISING PUMPS AND ACCESSORIES
When you are expressing milk for your baby, it is important to clean your pumping accessories properly, whether at work or at home.
ITEMS TO BRING WITH YOU IN ADDITION TO YOUR PUMP KIT
Mild, unscented dish soap (washing up liquid).
Bottle brush.
Wash basin (many hospitals provide these to their patients); two if you can – one for washing and the other for drying.
Gauze receiving blanket to cover parts loosely as they dry. They allow air to circulate and keep airborne particles from getting on your pump parts.
Usually when it is recommended that a breastfeeding mother eliminate dairy produce from her diet, it is because of a problem that may be caused by the protein it contains, not because of lactose intolerance. Human milk is full of lactose, and nature has made certain that babies and toddlers can digest it. Large protein molecules from cow’s milk can pass into human milk fairly intact and it is these particles that can bother a sensitive baby. If your baby has Cow’s milk protein intolerance (CMPI) he might have colic-like symptoms, and be wheezy, vomit, have diarrhea (including bloody diarrhea), constipation, a rash, eczema and/or a blocked nose.
If you suspect your baby is sensitive to the cow’s milk protein in your diet you can remove dairy products and see if it makes a difference. It can take up to 21 days for all traces of cow’s milk protein to leave your system so it’s best to wait for two to three weeks to evaluate the results. Some babies will react well if you remove visible dairy products such as milk, yoghurt, cheese, cream and ice-cream; others will not show any improvement unless you remove every trace of cow’s milk protein from your diet so you may need to read the labels of all the food you eat and eliminate hidden sources.
Human milk comes in a variety of colors. If you pump your milk you may see lots of variation in color: whereas formula milk always looks the same, the composition and appearance of human milk changes throughout the day, and even throughout a pumping session or feed.
Breastmilk may be white, yellow, clear or have a blue tint to it. Ingredients in many foods and beverages that you might ingest can also tinge your milk in a variety of ways. The following are possible variations:
Diets high in pureed or mashed yellow-orange vegetables (yams, squash, carrots etc) lead to high levels of carotene in milk, which can turn it yellow or orange. Carotene is completely harmless to babies – read our post on *link* carotenemia.
Food dyes used in carbonated sodas, fruit drinks, and gelatin desserts have been associated with milk that is pink or pinkish orange.
Greenish milk has been linked to consuming green- colored sports beverages, seaweed, herbs, or large amounts of green vegetables (such as spinach).
WHAT IS COLOSTRUM?
Colostrum is the earliest breastmilk produced, beginning in mid-pregnancy (12-18 weeks) and is continually produced for the first few days after baby’s birth. It is thick, sticky, concentrated milk and is usually yellow, clear or white, although it could be other colors as well. It is made up of immune factors, protein, sugar, and fats.
PRENATAL/ANTENATAL EXPRESSION OF COLOSTRUM
During the first trimester of pregnancy, the breasts begin producing colostrum in small amounts.
Sometimes colostrum ‘leaks’ onto the person’s bra or other clothing; others do not experience any outward signs that the breasts are preparing for lactation even as the pregnancy progresses. The fluid could be thin or thick, and is usually yellow-ish because of beta-carotene, one of the protective components of milk. At the time of the baby’s birth, more colostrum is being produced by the breasts than the baby will need. However, some fear that the baby ‘won’t get enough’ or that the ‘milk won’t come in,’ and want to express colostrum before the baby is born. According to research, the breasts make 10-100 ml of colostrum per day, averaging about 30 ml or an ounce per day – more than the baby needs.
IS MY BREASTFED BABY CONSTIPATED?
The amount and frequency of a breastfed baby’s wet diapers and bowel movements can be valuable indicators of his well-being. However, there is a wide range of normal in infant stooling patterns.
The correct definition of constipation is when a baby experiences hard, dry, infrequent bowel movements that are difficult and painful to pass. Breastfed babies rarely have these types of bowel movements while exclusively nursing.
CONCERNED ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS? YOUR MILK IS STILL BEST FOR YOUR BABY
Every year, reports in news media describe environmental contamination events or the presence of lead, mercury, Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), or other things in our water, food, air, and ground. These media stories often raise concerns in nursing parents about the safety of their milk. Families’ fears of possibly doing their babies harm by nursing them may contribute to unnecessary early weaning (Geraghty, Khoury, Morrow, & Lanphear, 2008), particularly if they lack good support and information about the ways in which human milk and nursing outweigh and mitigate any risks due to contaminants (Hatcher, 1982). Early weaning itself can be harmful for both parent and baby.
HUMAN MILK IS THE NATURAL FOOD FOR YOUR BABY, UNIQUELY MEETING YOUR BABY’S CHANGING NEEDS
Public health organizations around the world affirm the importance, safety, and value of human milk for the human baby. The World Health Organization (WHO), which conducts periodic reviews of the research published on contaminants and human milk, states definitively, “The benefits of breastfeeding far outweigh the toxicological disadvantages that are associated with certain POPs” (van den Berg et al., 2017, p. 94). Indeed, Nickerson states, “WHO recommends breastfeeding in all but extreme circumstances” (qtd. p. 31). In its position statement supporting breastfeeding, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) concurs, explaining that certain components of human milk act to increase the infant’s elimination of some toxins and to protect the infant’s developing brain, central nervous system, and body as a whole (2018; see also Mead, 2008).
CONTINUING TO NURSE YOUR BABY THROUGH CORONAVIRUS (2019-NCOV; COVID-19) AND OTHER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS
The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) currently in the news is a rapidly evolving global medical situation with limited information available at this time. La Leche League International (LLLI) respects the efforts of international health and medical organizations and associations to maintain up-to-date information and recommendations as understanding of the virus is developed. LLLI will continue to track the development of the current global health crisis.
With over 60 years of breastfeeding experience, La Leche League International stands firm in encouraging all families to recognize the importance of breastfeeding in providing immunological protections to the breastfed child. Most often, babies who are being nursed remain healthy even when their parents or other family members fall ill with an infectious illness. There is a growing body of research showing babies benefit from multiple and diverse immunologic proteins, including antibodies, provided in human milk, particularly through direct breastfeeding.
Those who become infected shortly before giving birth and then begin breastfeeding, and those who become infected while breastfeeding, will produce specific secretory IgA antibodies and many other critical immune factors in their milk to protect their nursing infants and enhance their infants’ own immune responses. At this time, these immunologic factors will aid their infants’ bodies to respond more effectively to exposure and infection. Following good hygiene practices will also help reduce transfer of the virus.
DO YOU FEEL WORRIED ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE CRITICISM ABOUT BREASTFEEDING? LA LECHE LEAGUE IS HERE TO HELP.
Many parents worry about criticism they may face while breastfeeding their baby. Some parents worry about criticism from their own friends, family members, or in-laws. Some parents worry about criticism from strangers when breastfeeding in public. Most parents have been criticized in their life at some point and can remember how this felt in the past. Criticism often leads to problems in relationships and can even be destructive to relationships if on a frequent basis. Past experiences with criticism makes it normal to desire to avoid criticism, however you cannot control what other people say to you, but you can control how you respond to criticism.
The most important parts of responding to criticism often lie in your tone of voice, your facial expression, and your body language. You may need to practice saying your responses in a mirror to ensure that you appear confident and non-threatening. Also, be sure that you take a deep, relaxing breath filling your lungs and brain with oxygen before you respond.
Breastfeeding is the most natural and normal way of feeding and nurturing your baby, and is highly valued in many cultures. Many mothers also find that although they feel proud of nursing their baby, they feel concerned about how to do this in a public place without drawing unwanted attention to themselves.
Being modest doesn’t have to keep you and your baby at home (or hidden in the restrooms). It’s easy to breastfeed discreetly in public if you wear the right clothes. A loose-fitting shirt or top that lifts or can be unbuttoned from the waist will let you feed your baby without exposing your breast, because the baby will cover the nipple and lower breast. You can also buy special nursing blouses, dresses, or shirts, with hidden slits and panels, or modify your existing clothes. If you wear a nursing bra, it’s easiest to breastfeed discreetly if the bra can be pulled up or unfastened and re-fastened with one hand. Layering of clothes can often be helpful so that you can use the “one up, one down” method and lift your outer layer up and pull down a vest underneath. This is good for warmth too.
We are delighted to co-publish this new video and poster about the drip-drop feeding method.
The video is the first ever drip-drop feeding method video to be available internationally, and is an important tool in our breastfeeding ‘tool-kit’. The video and poster are intended to help healthcare professionals and organizations working in emergencies and families themselves. It is also intended to be a useful resource for anyone who wants to move from formula feeding to breastfeeding.
The posters can be downloaded and printed for use in your communities, or shared on social media.
CAN I DONATE BLOOD WHILE I AM BREASTFEEDING?
The American Red Cross accepts nursing mothers, they say ” Persons who are pregnant are not eligible to donate. Wait 6 weeks after giving birth.”
Dr. Jack Newman is a member of La Leche League International’s Health Advisory Council, he says any otherwise eligible mother who is not anaemic can donate blood.
The Canadian Blood Service does not allow breastfeeding mothers to donate blood in the first six months postpartum.
Whether to donate blood is a personal decision.. La Leche league recommends that you consult your health care professional and/ or the blood donor programme in your country and make an informed choice.
Brand new baby? Tight, full breast? Baby having trouble latching on? You probably have “first week engorgement.” And there may be some simple solutions.
Mothers have come to see engorgement as the natural follow-up to birth. But it’s more often a natural follow-up to modern expectations of age-old biology. In a nutshell, babies and breasts expect a lot more cuddling and nursing than many new mothers expect.
You’ve been making milk since your first trimester. Maybe you leaked, maybe you didn’t. But that first milk – colostrum – was there. Colostrum is thick and yellowish and sluggish and more salty than sweet, but it’s full of antibodies and protein. Call it “practice milk” for your newborn. It coats your baby’s stomach and intestines with antibodies. It fuels but it doesn’t flood.
Now wait a couple days. Your hormones shift. The blood supply to your breasts increases to start up the milk factory, causing fullness. (If you’ve had IV fluids, that fullness may be more than normal.) Sugar enters your early milk, which pulls water into it. It turns white. From now on, your milk will be sweet and sloshy, and there will be a lot more of it… provided your body gets the message it’s looking for.
Whether you are used to running marathons or want to start some gentle activities to help with your fitness and/ or weight loss goals you might be wondering if your milk supply will be affected by exercise.
It’s worth remembering that women with babies have always worked – the bottom line is that throughout history and in many cultures they couldn’t afford not to. Often this work involved fairly strenuous manual labor and we know these moms continued to breastfeed their babies without problems.
Most people feel better when they get some exercise, and this is certainly good for both mother and baby.
When your new baby arrives, sometimes your older child will feel left out. You can reassure your older child he is still loved, with plenty of hugs and kisses. Remind him or her that they were tiny once, and needed to be held and breastfed a lot. Show them photos and videos of when they were small(er) and tell them stories about what they were like.
Arrange a place on the sofa where you can comfortably feed your baby, and your toddler can snuggle close too. Or put a small chair and table near a comfortable chair, where the toddler can play, while you are breastfeeding.
Reading to your older child, watching TV with them and talking about the game they’re playing can all be done while you sit and feed your baby.
If you use a baby carrier or sling (link) you may be able to breastfeed and move around. If you time walks, or outings to the park or shops, to coincide with a nap for your baby you can give your older child(ren) attention they need. If your children get enough fresh air and exercise they may be more settled with you spending a lot of time sitting down with your baby.
Breastfeeding can have an effect on your fertility, particularly in the early months. While for some mothers this is a benefit, it can also be a source of frustration for those hoping to grow their families.
CAN I GET PREGNANT WHILE I’M NURSING?
The simple answer is that you can get pregnant while nursing.
However, many moms experience a time of delayed fertility during breastfeeding. This is very common and is referred to in many places as the Lactation Amenorrhea Method of contraception.
As described in THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING, the Lactation Amenorrhea Method of using breastfeeding to delay fertility needs all the following to be true:
Your periods have not returned.
Your baby is exclusively and frequently fed from your breasts- this is especially important to remember when your little one begins sleeping through the night. It means not just that your baby does not have bottles, but also that they do not use a pacifier, in other words that all of your baby’s sucking needs are met at your breast.
Your baby is less than 6 months old. If your little one is older and eating solid foods, your chances of ovulating and risk of pregnancy increases. Some moms will find it takes more than six months for their cycles and fertility to return, while other mothers find that their cycles and fertility return earlier than six months. It is also important to mention that after six months, there is a higher chance that you might ovulate and possibly become pregnant before your first postpartum period. If you suspect you are pregnant, you will want to check with your health care professional.
ARE THERE ANY FOODS I SHOULD AVOID WHILE BREASTFEEDING?
One of the concepts La Leche League is founded on is “Good nutrition means eating a well-balanced and varied diet of foods in as close to their natural state as possible.”
You don’t need to eat anything special while you’re breastfeeding. But it’s a good idea for you, just like everyone else, to eat a varied and healthy diet. The food any family chooses will depend on personal preference, climate, culture and finances. There are no foods you need to avoid while breastfeeding (unless you’re allergic to them of course!).Some strongly flavored foods may change the taste of your milk, and many babies seem to enjoy a variety of breast milk flavors! Often the dominant flavors of your diet – whether soy sauce, chili, garlic or something else – were in your amniotic fluid during pregnancy. Before birth babies swallow amniotic fluid and are accustomed to these flavors before tasting them in your milk.
FAT CONTENT OF MILK
You may have heard people talking about two kinds of milk – foremilk and hindmilk. This suggests that breasts produce two distinct kinds of milk, which is not the case. The milk-making cells in your breasts all produce the same kind of milk.
Foremilk is the milk available when your baby starts feeding, hindmilk is the milk your baby gets at the end of a feed. Foremilk is not necessarily low in fat: fat content of the milk that is removed varies according to how long the milk has been collecting in the ducts and how much of your breast is drained at the time.
As milk is made, fat sticks to the sides of the milk-making cells and the watery part of the milk moves down the ducts toward your nipple, where it mixes with any milk left there from the last feed. The longer the time between feeds, the more diluted the leftover milk becomes. This ‘watery’ milk has a higher lactose content and less fat than the milk stored in the milk-making cells higher up in your breast.
This information is for birth parents with babies born at full term or close to full term and addresses the normal course of breastfeeding.
How often should I feed my baby in the first 24 hours after birth?
How often should I breastfeed my baby in the first few days?
How does nursing frequently prevent my baby from becoming jaundiced or help if he/she does become jaundiced?
How can I tell whether my baby is getting enough milk from me?
Should I put my baby on a schedule?
How will I know when my baby is hungry if I don’t use a schedule?
How often should I breastfeed my baby in the first weeks?
How often should I breastfeed my baby in the first six months?
Do I need to breastfeed my baby at night?
I’m not sure I’m making enough milk—my baby is fussy! How can I increase my milk supply?
People say I’m spoiling my baby by nursing her/him too often. How often is right?
Why does my baby suddenly want to breastfeed constantly?
BREASTFEEDING AFTER GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY
You can still breastfeed if you have had gastric bypass surgery. You will need to be extra careful about making sure you are getting enough nutrition. Your body will provide any nutrients that are in short supply to your breastmilk first, and then to your body. It is important that you tell your baby’s healthcare provider about your history so that they can watch him carefully for any signs of not getting the proper nutrition.
Gastric bypass surgery is performed to help you lose weight and lower your risk of serious health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
The surgery helps you lose weight by changing how your stomach and small intestine handle the food you eat. After surgery your stomach is smaller and you feel full with less food: this decreases the number of calories that you take in each day and helps you lose weight, but it also affects your body’s ability to absorb some important nutrients.
When your baby is spitting up many times a day and seems very unhappy with feedings, he may have gastroesophageal reflux disease. Although baby will need assessed by his doctor, symptoms include:
Frequent spitting up, often with pain
More uncomfortable when sitting than when upright on chest
Gagging, choking, coughing, burping or frequent hiccuping
Bad breath
Uncomfortable when laid down, sleeps poorly
GROWTH OF BREASTFED BABIES
It is common to wonder whether your breastfed baby is growing as he should be, and while diaper output is one good indicator of whether he is getting enough milk, progress on growth charts is also a tangible measure.
The World Health Organization (WHO) issued its most recent Child Growth Standards, using a world-wide sample of over 8,000 children in April of 2006. To view the report and charts, visit their website — the links to the charts are near the bottom of the page.
The new charts will be an invaluable tool for parents and healthcare providers as a way of detecting under-nutrition, overweight and obesity, and other growth and nutrition-related conditions at an early stage in a child’s life. The premise of the study is that the gold standard in infant nutrition is exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding after the introduction of appropriate complementary foods.
Hand expressing is a skill every breastfeeding mother can learn. Many mothers do not own a breast pump. They hand express to leave milk for their babies. Your breasts know the warmth of skin-on-skin, so your hands on your skin do not feel strange and may help release more milk from your breasts. You don’t need anything except your hands!
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO THAW MY MILK?
Milk can be thawed several ways. Slow, gentle thawing is best to protect and preserve the healthy qualities of the milk. One excellent way is to allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. This method preserves the most fat content of the milk. Another is to warm some water, remove it from the burner or microwave and set the bottle in the warm water to thaw. Be sure the heated water is warm, not hot. Human milk can also be thawed by rotating the container under running warm water. Some caregivers thaw human milk in a waterless bottle warmer. Once thawed, it should be used within 24 hours.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a chronic condition, like diabetes or high blood pressure.
It is very important that all people living with HIV take their antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) daily.
HYPOPLASIA/INSUFFICIENT GLANDULAR TISSUE (IGT)
Mothers who struggle with milk production hear advice like this from well-meaning friends and family members (and sometimes, from breastfeeding supporters who should know better). While the vast majority of milk production problems can be remedied by addressing issues of breastfeeding management, there are some for whom making enough milk to sustain their babies is difficult or impossible. Called “primary lactation failure”, this condition occurs when a mother’s body does not make an adequate amount of milk for her baby, even when everything else is in order (including but not limited to: latching and positioning, breastfeeding frequency and exclusivity, mother and baby being kept together, baby’s oral anatomy is fine with no tongue-tie or cleft palate).
BREASTFEEDING IS THE BIOLOGICAL NORM.
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding *link* explains that “there is almost nothing you can do for your child in his whole life that will affect him both emotionally and physically as profoundly as breastfeeding.” Human milk provides the specific nutrients that babies need to grow, both in size and maturity. Your milk is made to order for your baby. Research points to the significant value to infants, mothers, families and the environment from breastfeeding.
IMPORTANCE FOR BABY
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding documents the benefits of breastfeeding such as the antibodies in it to protect the baby from illness. Breastfed babies have a decreased likelihood for allergies and dental caries. They also benefit from appropriate jaw, teeth and speech development as well as overall facial development. This means that people who were artificially fed may experience more trips to doctors and dentists.1
La Leche League International encourages all families to recognize the importance of breastfeeding in providing immunological protection to the breastfed child. Most often, babies who are being nursed remain healthy even when their parents or other family members fall ill with an infectious illness, because they benefit from the antibodies provided in the lactating parent’s milk. Lactating parents who are infected or immunized with an appropriate vaccine during the antenatal period will produce sufficient quantities of specific secretory IgA antibodies in their milk to protect their nursing infants against infection from the influenza virus. Following good hygiene practices will also help reduce transfer of the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently re-released an older report suggesting that breastfeeding should be temporarily discontinued and the lactating parent and baby separated when the parent exhibits flu symptoms. Members of La Leche League International’s Health Advisory Council have responded to concerns about the current applicability of the guidance offered. It is important to recognize that the report, originally developed during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and updated in 2011, was based on concerns for newborns in labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum hospital settings when their mothers have or are suspected of having influenza.
INTRODUCING A BOTTLE TO A BREASTFED BABY
The information in this post is also contained in our Working & Breastfeeding article
Here is one approach to beginning expressing and introducing bottles that has worked well for many mothers as they prepared to return to work:
Once breastfeeding is well established – usually after about four weeks – begin expressing after one feeding a day where your breasts still feel a little full. Remember you are expressing “leftovers” and should only expect a small amount.
Freeze that first expression immediately. You can add other expressions to it after they have been cooled in the freezer.
Your pediatrician may have given you a total number of ounces your baby may feed in a day or a range from the smallest probable amount to the largest, based on your baby’s weight.