All Posts

Has breastfeeding followed by bottle feeding followed by pumping (the three together is known as triple feeding) left you tired and without enough time between feedings? Are you concerned that your baby may develop a flow preference, aka nipple confusion? Well then, this little contraption might be the ideal thing for you! A supplemental nursing system (SNS), which cuts down on triple feeding, usually consists of a bottle of breast milk or formula that can hang around your ne

Before beginning the latch, positioning of both you and your baby is critical. Poor maternal positioning can cause: Strain on your extremites, causing stress on the nerves which supply the breast. This in turn creates difficulty with milk flow. Difficulty positioning your baby tummy to tummy, an important step in helping your baby use reflexes to latch and to stay the perfect temperature during skin-to-skin time. Poor infant positioning can cause: Chin to point down toward ch

Recently, a serious illness called botulinum was in the news and brought awareness of the dangers of using powdered infant formula. But did you know that there is another very serious illness your baby can get from powdered formulas, and you can prevent it? Cronobacter  is a bacterium that can survive in powdered formulas. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has specific guidelines for preparing powdered formula for specific babies who are more likely to get seriously ill if

Milk production (sometimes referred to as milk supply) increases when you activate prolactin receptors. The best ways to activate these receptors are with comfortable nipple stimulation and frequent milk removal. Nipple Stimulation: Breastfeeding with good latch and pain-free suckling from your baby. This will be less than optimal if you have a baby born at less than 39 weeks gestation. Gentle tugging, rolling, rubbing of your nipples. Normalize frequent self-stimulation of y

Helping your baby to acheive a perfect latch makes breastfeeding so much more enjoyable for you and your baby. Let's break down the steps needed to prepare for that perfect latch. Step #1. Get your self comfortable. Ensure you are using some pillows, rolled up blankets, armrests, etc to ensure you do not have strain on your body. You may need a foot stool if sitting up and feet don't touch the floor. Why is my position important? The nerves that innervate the breast are lo

Trying to acheive the perfect latch but struggling? In Part 1 of The Perfect Latch, let's look at the science behind drinking and swallowing to figure out how we can improve our baby's latch. Step #1. Support- We start off by being supported, either by standing or sitting up straight. We aren't dangling off a chair, couch, bed, etc. Our head is higher than the rest of our body. Step #2. Face the Cup Straight On - We hold the cup directly in front of us without turning our hea

What is botulism? Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. This toxin is can lead to severe paralysis and potentially be life-threatening if not treated promptly. In infants, botulism is often linked to consuming honey or powdered formula that contains spores of the bacteria. The botulism spores germinate in the infant's immature digestive system, producing botulinum toxin. Symptoms of botulism in infants includ

Since medical challenges can affect lactation and impact your milk production, it's crucial to stimulate your hormone receptors as soon as possible after your baby is born to enhance milk production and breastfeeding success. Even if you believe you don't have any medical conditions that could lead to lactation challenges, your baby might. In particular, all newborns are at risk for jaundice. Maternal medical conditions affecting lactation include: any metabolic or hormonal c

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global program devised to educate about the benefits of human milk and support breastfeeding as the norm. The goal of the program is to create a healthcare environment that fully protects, promotes, and supports breastfeeding. A major emphasis of the program is on hand expression. All hospital staff that interact with new mothers are educated about the benefits of human milk and what they can do to support new mothers. If you

Hand expression of colostrum or more mature breastmilk can be broken down into two parts: Nipple massage and stimulation to increase prolactin levels Breast compressions with breast massage to remove milk Click on link to watch hand expression video: https://www.canva.com/design/DAG2EcgmHCk/-kuLgx9yrlPFAFqM-RZtPA/watch?utm_content=DAG2EcgmHCk&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h0468e272e6 Nipple massage and stimulation should be avoided bef

Episode of Behind The Latch, with Margaret Salty I recently sat down with Margaret Salty to discuss late preterm infants and the challenges they pose with breastfeeding. The podcast explores the reasons why breastfeeding is challenging with this population as well as what you can do to optimize their breastfeeding experiences. Watch on Apple or Spotify: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ibclc-mentor/id1764781863 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/

Nipple shields should rarely be used, but if you are going to use one, you should know how to properly apply it. Watch the video to learn the appropriate technique. Be sure to watch to the end of the video. If using a feeding tube with the nipple shield, do not poke it through the holes of the nipple shield as that can be very dangerous for your baby: The tubing will cause the holes to open further than intended. If you forget to pull the tubing back into the nipple shield yo

Yes, pacifiers do interfere with breastfeeding most of the time. Many healthcare professionals tell new parents that pacifiers can cause nipple confusion because sucking on a pacifier strengthens different oral and facial muscles than breastfeeding does. If your baby spends more time sucking on a pacifier (or bottle) instead of breastfeeding, it may become easier and more preferable for your baby to use that form of sucking over the motions needed to breastfeed efficiently. B

Activation of prolactin and oxytocin, the two most noteworthy hormones of lactation, is essential to increase milk supply (milk production). While both of these hormones will circulate in your bloodstream after the birth of your baby, they will be in less-than-optimal amounts for full milk production if you do not actively work to increase them. Prolactin is primarily responsible for the development of mammary glands and milk production. Oxytocin is primarily responsible for

Breast engorgement is a painful hardening and swelling of the breast during lactation and has two main causes: Excess fluid, usually from intravenous (IV) fluids, finds a path of least resistance and ends up in ankles and breasts, which allow for expansion and become swollen. This can happen even if you do not receive IV fluids, and usually happens in the first few days after the birth of your baby, but can last a week or more. This swelling (aka edema) is in the blood vessel

Do you suffer from oversupply, more accurately referred to as overproduction, of breast milk? Or are you struggling to produce enough breast milk and wonder how other parents can produce so much more than you? Let's break down what causes overproduction. I prefer to use the term overproduction rather than oversupply, because it focuses on what your body actually produces and does not confuse the reader with how much milk is stored in a freezer. The amount of breast milk one p

Most people know about prolactin and oxytocin as the hormones of lactation, but do you know how they work and what other hormones, neurotransmitters, and proteins can decrease your milk production? These are known as influencers of breast milk production. Prolactin is the hormone responsible for development of mammary glands and milk production. The best way to increase prolactin is with comfortable suckling or nipple stimulation. Oxytocin is known as the love hormone, incre

Did you know that the frequency of milk removal from your breasts/chest should be based on your breast/chest capacity, rather than a set schedule? Breast/chest capacity refers to the amount of milk you can produce before your breasts/chest feel full, and has a huge impact on milk production. You cannot determine if someone has a small, medium, or large milk capacity just by looking at the size of their breasts/chest, as there is more than just milk-producing tissue inside. E

Milk transfer is the movement of milk from the lactating parent's breast/chest, out through the nipple, and into the baby's mouth where it can be swallowed. But have you ever stopped to think about differentiating who actually performs milk transfer during breastfeeding/chest feeding- the baby, the lactating parent, or both? This is an important concept to understand, as it will help to determine the effectiveness of the feeding session. The very first breast/chest feeding, i

Nipple shields were invented as a way to breast/chest feed without causing excessive compression directly on the nipple, creating a barrier between the tongue and the nipple. They are mostly used when the nipple becomes too sore. But effective breastfeeding/chest feeding does not involve compression of the nipple ! When a baby is latched correctly, breastfeeding/chest feeding works using a combination of compression of the breast/chest by the baby's tongue , negative pressur