"Breastfeeding and possible low supply"

This is an excellent article by "The Leaky B@@b".  If there is one panic that almost every new breastfeeding mom feels its:  "Is my baby getting enough milk?!?"   TLB gives a great rundown of the signs of low supply, and    tackles the many questions of new mothers when it comes to feeding.

I have a few things to add to this topic.  Low supply has been my greatest stress with my youngest son Kael.  I talk about my experience with my low supply, due to undiagnosed tongue tie, in my article "Milk Treats".  I have talked to literally hundreds of women about low supply- whether real or perceived.  The vast majority of women who experience a real drop in milk supply are usually having a problem with the babies latch.  When moms milk comes in and is flowing freely, even a baby with a poor latch will usually get enough to grow and be healthy and satisfied, but one mom's milk supply begins to regulate itself, a poor latch can cause a serious dip in the supply chain!  My first advice to every new mom that suspects she might have a low milk supply, is to get professional help from a certified IBCLC Lactation Consultant or a doctor that specializes in lactation management.  No matter how many herbs you take or any other methods you use to increase your supply, if the latch still isn't good, the milk supply won't regulate.

It's ALLLLLL about the latch, in most instances.

Dr. Jack Newman has excellent resources for mothers looking for information about breastfeeding, milk supply, and latching methods in Information Sheets and Video Clips.

In my personal quest for building my supply I discovered a few things- these are my personal experiences, NOT professional advice!!

- WATER WATER WATER!!!  If I drank less than 3 litres of WATER a day, my supply dipped quite drastically.  Notice I said "WATER", not juice, not tea, not milk...... WATER

- Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle really boosted my supply immediately, and I found that the tinctures worked better than the capsules of dried herbs.  BUT.... as with almost anything, you body becomes use to the herbal supplements and they begin to not work as well as they did.  For this reason I rotated my herbs every couple of months- taking Fenugreek and blessed thistle for two months, then changing to Goats Rue.

-Oats really helped boost my supply and did it quickly. But like the herbs, the effects of the oats lessened after a while.  I kept a stash of my milk treats granola bars in the freezer for those days when I had a sudden drop in my milk supply!  They work within hours to bring my supply back up!!

-Coffee is NOT helpful for milk supply- if I had more than my usual 2 cups in the morning, by evening my milk supply would drop, and if I had a cup of coffee in the afternoon, I'd be in serious trouble by the middle of the night!

-Domperidone does work.... but there are some side effects that are not ...."fun".  This is my OWN comments, not a list of risks of side effects of the drug from the manufacturer.  Having been on the maximum dose of Dom for almost a year, I started to wean off of it.  If you don't do it VERY slowly, your supply plummets, and it causes serious depression symptoms!!  I've also discovered, through my own experience, and talking to many other women, that it seems to cause weight gain.  All these things aside, it was still worth it to me for helping me continue to nurse my baby.

- And stress.  Stress is the enemy of a nursing mother.  I went through all sorts of extreme stress in the past year, and each and every time I got really stressed out, my milk supply would almost vanish. (which in turn made me even more stressed out!).  Our society does nothing to support mothers and help them- breastfeeding mothers in particular NEED support!!

Every woman is different and everyone reacts differently to different things.  Do you have a super duper milk supply increaser secret?  Let us know!!!

Help, my milk supply is low! Or is it?OCTOBER 3, 2011 BY THELEAKYB@@B
By Tanya Lieberman, IBCLCEver wish your breasts had little ounce markings? If so, you’re not alone. One of the more confusing things about breastfeeding is determining how much milk you’re making. You can’t see how much is going into your baby, so how can you tell if your milk supply is enough for your baby?
On this page we share the best ways to determine if your milk supply is in fact low, and describe the many things that can make you think that your supply is low when it actually isn’t.

Below are some normal experiences that can trick you into believing that your supply is low:“My baby wants to eat all the time.” It’s normal for babies to eat frequently, generally in the range of 8 to 12 times in 24 hours for many months. This means many hours of feeding a day, and it may feel constant at times. It’s also normal for babies to “cluster feed” at times during the day. If your baby is feeding significantly outside of the 8-12 times range, contact a lactation consultant or other breastfeeding support person.
“My breasts feel softer than they used to.” Toward the end of the first month of breastfeeding many women notice that their breasts have decreased from the size they were when their mature milk came in. This is normal, and does not indicate anything about milk supply.
“I don’t feel that ‘let down’ sensation.” Some women have a “let down” sensation when they make milk, and some don’t. It doesn’t seem to have any bearing on the amount of milk a mother makes, so don’t worry if you don’t feel anything.
“My baby suddenly wants to eat all the time.” Babies go through growth spurts. They do this in order to increase your milk supply to meet an increased need for calories. To do this, they go on a feeding rampage for a few days – eating more often than usual and sometimes acting unsatisfied and fussy after feedings. During a growth spurt it’s common to question your supply. After a growth spurt you’ll find that you have more milk than ever!
“I can’t pump very much.” Pumping output is usually not a good measure of milk supply. Why? Because your body doesn’t always make milk for the pump (it has to be tricked into believing that the pump is your baby!) and when it does the pump doesn’t remove milk as well as your baby does. So don’t gauge your milk supply based on your pumping output. You almost always have more than you pump.
“My baby is fussy when she nurses.” There are many causes of fussiness at the breast. And while hunger is one of them, your baby may be fussy because of gas, pooping, a flow that is too fast or too slow, or a host of other reasons. If you believe that your baby is fussy because he or she isn’t getting enough milk, or if the fussiness is causing you distress, consult a lactation consultant or other breastfeeding support person.
“My baby is suddenly waking up at night a lot.” Night waking can be due to hunger, but it can also be due to teething or “reverse cycling,” (when babies eat less during the day and more at night, often due to a change in routine like a return to work, or distracted behavior during the day).

HERE to read the entire article on The Leaky B@@b

Dr. Jack Newman's response to Old Navy

I thought that a few of you might be interested in reading this.  When Dr. Jack Newman was told of the outrageous infant shirt that Old Navy is selling promoting formula feeding with it's "Formula Powered" logo, he sent this letter to Old Navy head office:

To whom it may concern,

I am not easily shocked, but I was shocked by your baby suit with the graphic of a bottle and the text "Formula Powered". One of the biggest obstacles to mothers' breas...tfeeding is the notion in our society that formula feeding and bottle feeding are the normal way to feed a baby. They are not. Breastfeeding is the normal way of feeding a baby.

Not breastfeeding has risks associated with it. Contrary to the formula companies' marketing, formula is not even remotely similar to breastmilk. Yes, they are both liquid, both are white, but that's about it. And it would be a huge boost to the health of mothers and babies if we helped them breastfeed more successfully. Unfortunately, the "bottle feeding mentality" results in mothers not wanting to breastfeed, in health professionals not thinking they need to get educated about breastfeeding and how to help mothers succeed at breastfeeding.

Where, at least, is the baby suit with a graphic of a breastfeeding mother and the text "Breastfeeding Powered"?

Send an email to Old Navy and tell them this is NOT acceptable!!!
custserv@oldnavy.com

In the Pouch: Kangaroo care for newborns

My Latest article on Natural Mothering.

In the Pouch: Kangaroo care for newborns

His first cradle is the warm cozy womb that sways to and fro, gently rocking him as his mother walks through the park or dances in the the living room with his big brother.

His first lullaby is the sound of the beat and swoosh of his mothers heart, mommy's beautiful voice talking to his daddy, laughing with a friend, singing and reading to his big sister.

He is protected by the warm wet cocoon inside his mothers belly. He receives his food and oxygen directly from his mothers body.

They are not two. They are One.

His birth is a momentous occasion, both exciting and scary. Hormones flood into him to prepare him for his grand entry into this shocking world- so cold, bright and loud. All of a sudden he is no longer lulled to sleep by the sound of his mothers heartbeat. He is no longer gently rocking in his warm safe cocoon. He has been separated and cries out in fear- bereft, stranded, solitary and unattached...

Then suddenly he is enveloped in warmth, laying wet and slippery on his mothers chest. He hears it- the beating of his mothers heart. He hears her voice, so clearly for the first time. He knows what he needs and he seeks out that attachment, the physical bond to tie them back together. Little toes flex and dig into his mother soft belly as he wiggles and squirms forward, his little mouth open and questing. The sound of her voice draws him forward. Her arms support him in his journey. In a feat of strength and coordination that is truly amazing he reaches his goal and re-establishes their physical bond. As he suckles her nipple, drops of liquid gold land on his tongue. Food yes, but so much more. Each drops reattaches him to his "self", brings him back to his core being. He lays on his mothers chest drinking the precious drops, listening to her heart beat and her voice, hearing it both from within and without. Her arms around him holding him close, warming him with her body. He relaxes. He breathes in and out and his breath calms. His heart beats in a steady rhythm. He is soothed.

Though this new world is so big, and a bit frightening in its brightness and noise, He is secure and calm. He is with his other self, who protects him with her loving arms, warms him with her skin, comforts him with her steady heart beat and voice, and nurtures him with her breasts.

He is content.

Kangaroo care is a way of nurturing a baby, to enhance skin-to-skin contact between the baby and the parent. The baby, wearing only a diaper, is held upright against the parent’s bare chest. The term kangaroo care is used because the method is similar to how a baby kangaroo is nurtured by its mother - from the safe environment of the womb to the safe environment of the pouch where further maturation of the baby occurs. Skin-to-skin contact promotes more consistent heart and respiratory rates; it stabilizes oxygen needs; it aids in stabilizing blood sugar levels; it regulates body temperature; and improves weight gain and helps increase breast milk supply....

HERE to read the entire article on Natural Mothering

 Dani and Kael- 1 minuted after his birth

Daddy Bonding Time, Nick and Kael- 3 weeks old

MYTHs of Breastfeeding

I love the Newman Breastfeeding Clinic & Institutes handouts that are available on their site at www.nbci.ca I direct new moms to the Clinic's website for information about breastfeeding almost daily.

This is one of my favourite articles/handouts written by the NBCI staff- one that EVERY expecting parent should read Before baby arrives..... and one that every medical professional that works in Obstetrics, Maternity Care and Paediatrics should be forced to memorize before being allowed anywhere near a new mom and her boobie baby.

The handout is 4 pages long, and full of brilliant information about breastfeeding, answers some of the biggest worries of new moms and puts the boot to some of the worst Breastfeeding myths that for some reason seem to circle around the media, moms groups, and doctors offices endlessly . So put an end to the old wives tales and pass this vital information around!!

Here are a few of my personal favs:

1. Many women do not produce enough milk. Not true! The vast majority of women produce more than enough milk. Indeed, an overabundance of milk is common. Most babies that gain too slowly, or lose weight, do so not because the mother does not have enough milk, but because the baby does not get the milk that the mother has. The usual reason that the baby does not get the milk that is available is that he is poorly latched onto the breast. This is why it is so important that the mother be shown, on the first day, how to latch a baby on properly, by someone who knows what they are doing.

11. Women with small breasts produce less milk than those with large breasts. Nonsense!

12. If the baby is off the breast for a few days (weeks), the mother should not restart breastfeeding because the milk sours. Not true! The milk is as good as it ever was. Breastmilk in the breast is not milk or formula in a bottle.

5. Formula company literature and formula samples do not influence how long a mother breastfeeds. Really? So why do the formula companies work so hard to make sure that new mothers are given these samples, their company's samples? Are these samples and the literature given out to encourage breastfeeding? Do formula companies take on the cost of the samples and booklets so that mothers will be encouraged to breastfeed longer? The companies often argue that, if the mother does give formula, they want the mother to use their brand. But in competing with each other, the formula companies also compete with breastfeeding. Did you believe that argument when the cigarette companies used it?

9. There is no such thing as nipple confusion. Not true! The baby is not confused, though, the baby knows exactly what he wants. A baby who is getting slow flow from the breast and then gets rapid flow from a bottle will figure that one out pretty quickly. A baby who has had only the breast for three or four months is unlikely to take the bottle. Some babies prefer the right or left breast to the other. Bottle fed babies often prefer one artificial nipple to another. So there is such a thing as preferring one nipple to another. The only question is how quickly it can occur. Given the right set of circumstances, the preference can occur after one or two bottles. The baby having difficulties latching on may never have had an artificial nipple, but the introduction of an artificial nipple rarely improves the situation, and often makes it much worse. Note that many who say there is no such thing as nipple confusion also advise the mother to start a bottle early so that the baby will not refuse it.

HERE to read the Handout