Posted on 18/10/201806/07/2021 by SLBSG

Breastfeeding Newborns

Everything you need to know about breastfeeding your newborn, in one article! This article is organised into weeks, to make it easier for new mummies!

The First Week

How often should the baby be nursing?

Frequent nursing encourages a good milk supply and reduces engorgement. Aim for nursing at least 8 – 12 times per day (24 hours). You CAN’T nurse too often–you CAN nurse too little.

Go on-demand feeding. Nurse at the first signs of hunger (stirring, rooting, hands in mouth)–don’t wait until the baby is crying. Allow the baby unlimited time at the breast when sucking actively, then offer the second breast. Some newborns are excessively sleepy at first–wake baby to nurse if 2 hours (during the day) or 4 hours (at night) have passed without nursing.

Is the baby getting enough milk?

Weight gain: Normal newborns may lose up to 7% of birth weight in the first few days. After mom’s milk comes in, if you are breastfeeding your newborn, they should gain about 170 g/week. Take baby for a weight check at the end of the first week or the beginning of the second week. Consult with the baby’s doctor if the baby is not gaining as expected.

Dirty diapers: In the early days, the baby typically has one dirty diaper for each day of life (1 on day one, 2 on day two…). After day 4, stools should be yellow and the baby should have at least 3-4 stools daily that are the size of about2.5 cm or larger. Some babies stool every time they nurse, or even more often–this is normal, too. The normal stool of a breastfed baby is loose (soft to runny) and may be seedy or curdy.

Wet diapers: In the early days, the baby typically has one wet diaper for each day of life (1 on day one, 2 on day two…). Once mom’s milk comes in, expect 5-6+ wet diapers every 24 hours. To feel what a sufficiently wet diaper is like, pour 3 tablespoons (45 mL) of water into a clean diaper. A piece of tissue in a disposable diaper will help you determine if the diaper is wet.

Breast changes

Your milk should start to “come in” (increase in quantity and change from colostrum to mature milk) between days 2 and 5. To minimize engorgement: nurse often, don’t skip feedings (even at night), ensure good latch/positioning, and let your baby finish the first breast before offering the other side.

Call your doctor if your baby has:

no wet or dirty diapers
dark coloured urine after day 3 (should be pale yellow to clear)
dark coloured stools after day 4 (should be mustard yellow, with no meconium)
fewer wet/soiled diapers or nurses less frequently than the goals listed here
or if you have symptoms of mastitis (sore breast with fever, chills, flu-like aching)

Supplement

Get Singapore Lactation Bakes’s Cookies 1-2 weeks in advance and put them in your hospital bag. Skin to skin and latch baby immediately after birth and you may start having the lactation cookies. 10-12 cookies per day promote more letdowns or fuller breasts. Pump or latch baby immediately when you feel the let downs or fuller breast to encourage more milk production.

Weeks Two through Six

How often should the baby be nursing?

Frequent nursing in the early weeks is important for establishing a good milk supply. You should be breastfeeding your newborn 8 – 12+ times per day (24 hours). You CAN’T nurse too often—you CAN nurse too little.

Nurse at the first signs of hunger (stirring, rooting, hands in mouth) and don’t wait until the baby is crying. Allow the baby unlimited time at the breast when sucking actively, then offer the second breast. Some newborns are excessively sleepy, wake the baby to nurse every 2 hours during the day or 4 hours during the night if the baby doesn’t wake up to nurse. Once the baby has established a good weight gain pattern, you can stop waking the baby and nurse on the baby’s cues alone.

The following things are normal:

Frequent and/or long feedings.
Varying nursing patterns from day today.
Cluster nursing (very frequent to constant nursing) for several hours—usually evenings—each day. This may coincide with the normal “fussy time” that most babies have in the early months.
Growth spurts, where baby nurses more often than usual for several days and may act very fussy. Common growth spurt times in the early weeks are the first few days at home, 7 – 10 days, 2 – 3 weeks and 4 – 6 weeks.

Is the baby getting enough milk?

Weight gain: When breastfeeding your newborn, they should gain 6 ounces/week (170 grams/week). Consult with the baby’s doctor and your lactation consultant if the baby is not gaining as expected.

Dirty diapers: Expect 3-4+ stools daily that are the size of about 2.5 cm or larger. Some babies stool every time or even more often when they nurse this is normal. The normal stool of a breastfed baby is yellow and loose (soft to runny) and may be seedy or curdy. After 4 – 6 weeks, some babies stool less frequently, with stools as infrequent as once every 7-10 days. As long as the baby is gaining weight well, this is normal.

Wet diapers: Expect 5-6+ wet diapers every 24 hours. To feel what a sufficiently wet diaper is like, pour 3 tablespoons (45 mL) of water into a clean diaper. A piece of tissue in a disposable diaper will help you determine if the diaper is wet. After 6 weeks, wet diapers may drop to 4-5/day but the amount of urine will increase to 4-6+ tablespoons (60-90+ mL) as the baby’s bladder capacity grows.

Milk supply

Some moms worry about milk supply. As long as the baby is gaining well on mom’s milk alone, then milk supply is good. Between weight checks, a sufficient number of wet and dirty diapers will indicate that baby is getting enough milk.

Boosting Milk supply

Take cookies, muffins, herbs (called ‘galactagogues’) to stimulate the hormones that govern their milk supply. Eat food that boosts milk will help too. You may need to do some trial and error as everyone’s body reacts differently to food.

Reference:

Kelly mom https://kellymom.com/hot-topics/newborn-nursing/

Posted on 15/08/201824/08/2018 by SLBSG

Stress less tips with naturally low milk supply

How to Stress Less When You’re Breastfeeding With a Naturally Low Milk Supply

Breastfeeding and stress seem to go hand-and-hand. I’m not sure if that’s always been the case throughout human history, but nowadays it certainly seems to be true for most breastfeeding mamas.

When you’re a breastfeeding mom who has a milk supply that is naturally on the lower side, the already-existing stress can escalate really quickly, and for completely justifiable reasons.

Here’s the thing about stress and breastfeeding: Stress is Number 1 Milk Killer.

Stress can make it harder to produce breastmilk, so when you’re supply is already lo. letting something like stress interfere isn’t really an option.

These tips have helped me reduce breastfeeding stress and successfully breastfeed all of my daughters, even with a naturally low breastmilk supply.

1. Set Small Goals As You Go (and Celebrate Meeting Each One)

My big picture breastfeeding goal with all of my daughters was to nurse them for one year without supplementing with formula.

But let me be honest here, real quick. On night two of being home from the hospital with a newborn, sore nipples, and a low milk supply. Nothing seems further away than that one year mark. It feels completely unattainable. Entirely hopeless.

So how do you combat that overwhelming feeling that you will be a breastfeeding mama for all eternity? Set a smaller goal and allow yourself some happiness (and maybe some kind of treat ( Like Our Lactation Cookie Cups) when you meet it.

Whether it be making it through another month, another week, another day, or another nursing session. Set small goals as you need them, one step at a time

2. Build a Freezer Stash (Even if It’s a Small One)

Building a freezer stash of extra breastmilk when you’re already struggling may seem like a completely impossible task.

I was barely able to build a freezer supply when nursing my first daughter, but with my second daughter I did it and for my Third, my freezer was bursting!

There are a few key steps and strategies that really worked for me and helped me build up a freezer supply before my maternity leave ended.

3. Don’t Compare Yourself to Other Moms

If you’re the only mom you know who has a naturally low breastmilk supply, having conversations about breastfeeding can be really stressful and disheartening.

I can’t count how many times I’ve patiently listened to other breastfeeding moms talk about how they ” how they “can’t stop leaking milk everywhere because there is just so much”, or how they “have hundreds of ml stored in the freezer” (and their baby is still a newborn), or how they are going to “donate extra milk to babies in need because they just won’t go through it fast enough”.

On one hand, I’m genuinely happy for moms who have breastfeeding experiences like those, and don’t resent them one bit. And I mean that from the very bottom of my heart. Breastfeeding isn’t easy for anyone, even those moms with naturally higher milk supplies, so those mamas are WORKING to feed those littles and build those supplies. I’m in now way trying to imply that they “have it easy”—because they don’t.

But here’s what happens when I, a mom with a naturally low milk supply, hear those stories: I start to wonder if I’m inadequate. If there’s something wrong with me. If I’m not trying hard enough. If I’m failing my baby. If I’m less of a woman than those other moms. If I’m not good enough.

It genuinely has nothing to do with the other moms and everything to do with how I view myself and my own insecurities (like almost everything in women-to-women competition is when you dig down to the root of it).

To combat this, remind yourself that not all breastmilk supplies are created equal. There’s no point in competing with other moms. Focus on your supply, on your baby, on your experience, and know that if you get up in the morning and feed your baby—however you choose to do it—that you are enough.

4. Know When to Walk Away From a Conversation

There are plenty of folks out there who won’t accept that having a naturally low breastmilk supply is a thing.

They will make you feel like you simply aren’t trying hard enough; that you aren’t doing enough to accomplish your breastfeeding goals. That you haven’t downed enough fenugreek, or aren’t using the right medical-grade breastpump, or aren’t nursing enough times during the day—because, in case you haven’t heard—breastfeeding is a supply-and-demand system! Is your mind completely blown right now? Probably not, because…of course you’ve heard that.

All breastfeeding moms have heard the same advice. Over and over. The breastfeeding info typically starts at your prenatal appointments and is slammed in your face at every possible opportunity pretty much until your child looks a little too old to be of breastfeeding age.

And if you are one of the lucky few who hasn’t had to endure this cycle in person, my guess would be that if you’re a breastfeeding mama with a naturally low milk supply. you found all of the same advise through your own research immediately after realising you had a naturally low milk supply.

Because that same advice is everywhere. And the truth? Most breastfeeding advice-givers don’t help the situation at all.

Yes, it’s true that breastfeeding is a supply and demand system. Yes, there are some things that can help. But it’s also true that some women start off with less milk than others, and that there are only 24 hours in a day, and you can’t nurse and/or pump during every single one of them and do the million other things that being a parent requires of you and stay sane.

If you’re having a conversation with someone who just doesn’t quite understand the low-supply struggle, don’t be afraid to politely shift or end the conversation. You have enough on your plate, mama. And, to be honest, you don’t owe anyone an explanation. Never allow yourself to be overwhelmed because you feel like you do.

5. Don’t Spend Tons of Money on Breastmilk-Boosting Products

When you start your breastfeeding journey and realise your milk supply is low, it can be tempting to throw money at every product that may be rumored to boost breastmilk supplies in hopes of upping your milk production. Don’t do this.

If you buy everything at once, and use everything at once, you’ll have absolutely no idea what is actually helping and what isn’t. This means you could end up spending a ton of cash on products that aren’t actually doing anything.

When you’re trying a breastmilk booster (always clear it with a medical professional before you do), it’s best to try one at a time. Give each product at least a week and see if you notice any change in production. If you do—great! You’ve found a booster that works for your body. If not—no worries! On to the next booster to try. Our minimum order of cookies is 600g this is about a week’s supply and it gives you a good indication to know if our bakes works for you.

Heres a list of Lactation Cookies and Lactation Muffins that has helped many mummies in their breastfeeding journey

6. Meditate Every Single Day

This sounds like complete hippy nonsense. I know. I get it. But meditation can actually boost breastmilk production because it helps reduce stress.

Stress is no friend to anyone, but breastfeeding moms have more reasons to try to keep stress at bay than most people do, because high levels of stress can actually decrease milk production.

Yep. That’s a real thing. (As if us mamas with a naturally low milk supply didn’t have enough to worry about already. *sigh*)

Meditating can be as simple as closing your eyes for 60 seconds and breathing in and out, slowly and calmly. It’s so hard for moms to find time for yourself, but out of the 1440 minutes that happen every day, you deserve to set aside at least 1 for a little meditation.

7. Don’t Obsess Over Your Baby’s Weight

When you’re breastfeeding, especially in those early months when your babe hasn’t started solid foods and is onlydrinking breastmilk, it can feel like the entire health and well-being of your baby is dependent on your ability to produce breastmilk. The weight of that responsibility is huge.

Now factor in a naturally low milk supply and the stress factor is upped by about a thousand.

It can become so easy to start obsessing over whether or not your baby is doing okay food-wise, and the easiest way for us mamas to gauge success on? How much your baby weighs and how rapidly weight gain is occurring.

If you have genuine concerns, always address them with your doctor. If your doctor has concerns and gives you advice to keep your baby healthy, always follow the advice, or seek advise from a different medical professional. (I’m not a medical professional.)

But, if your doctor has no concerns and everything seems on track—stop overly-obsessing about your baby’s weight.

Yes, if you have a naturally low milk supply, there’s a chance that your baby may not be in the 98th percentile for weight out of all the babies. That’s actually very likely to be the case. But guys? Not all babies can be in the 98th percentile because then it wouldn’t technically be a 98th percentile. It would just be “the weight that all babies weigh”, which is silly and also not a thing.

Babies come in all shapes and sizes and grow at all different rates, and that’s perfectly okay.

8. Choose Nursing Over Pumping When You Can

This one is obviously for mamas who aren’t exclusively pumping or exclusively nursing, so if that’s you, feel free to skip on over this one.

But for anyone who does a little bit of Column A and a little bit of Column B, this is one of the best de-stressers there is for all breastfeeding mamas: nurse that baby.

Being close to that little love bug that you are working so hard to feed is a great way to remind yourself of exactly why you’re going through all of this madness in the first place.

That skin-to-skin contact combined with the fantastic baby smell can work wonders for your stress levels. Plus, you’re not watching milk being slowly pumped out drop-by-drop and obsessing over how few drops there are. (Which is seriously, seriously stressful.)

I really hope the above tips helps and don’t be afraid to seek help when you really feel overwhelmed. Talk to your husbands, friends or a Lactation Counsellor if you feel that you cannot cope with the stress.

We are all here for you so relax, Eat SLB . Breastfeed . Repeat

Posted on 25/07/201826/05/2022 by SLBSG

PROBLEM 1: LATCHING PAIN

It’s normal for your nipples to feel sore when you first start to breastfeed, especially if you’re a first-timer. But if baby has latched and the pain lasts longer than a minute into your feeding session, check the positioning.

Solution:

Try to achieve an asymmetrical latch where baby’s mouth covers more of the areola below the nipple rather than above.
To reposition him, place your index finger inside baby’s mouth to take him off your breast. Tickle his chin or wait until he yawns so his mouth is wide open and seize your opportunity.
When he is correctly positioned, his chin and nose touch your breast, his lips splay out and you can’t see your nipple or part of the lower areola.
If baby’s position is correct and latching on still hurts, your nipples may be dry. Make sure to wear loose clothing and avoid washing with soap. Lanolin-based creams are good for applying between feedings.

PROBLEM 2: CRACKED NIPPLES

Cracked nipples can be the result of many different things: thrush, dry skin, pumping improperly, or most likely, latching problems. During the first week of breastfeeding, you may have bloody discharge when your baby is just learning to latch or you are just beginning to pump. A little blood, while kind of gross, won’t harm baby.

Solution:

Check baby’s positioning — the bottom part of your areola underneath your nipple should be in baby’s mouth.
try breastfeeding more frequently, and at shorter intervals. The less hungry baby is, the softer his sucking will be.
As tempting as it is to treat your cracked nipples with anything you can find in your medicine cabinet, soaps, alcohol, lotions, and perfumes are no good — clean water is all you need to wash with.
Try letting some milk stay on your nipples to air dry after feeding (the milk actually helps heal them).
You can also try taking a mild painkiller like acetaminophen or ibuprofen 30 minutes before nursing.
If all this fails, try an over-the-counter lanolin cream, specially made for nursing mothers and use plastic hard breast shells inside your bra.

PROBLEM 3: CLOGGED/PLUGGED DUCTS

Ducts clog because your milk isn’t draining completely. You may notice a hard lump on your breast or soreness to the touch and even some redness. If you start feeling feverish and achy, that’s a sign of infection and you should see your doctor. Most importantly try not to have long stretches in between feedings — milk needs to be expressed often. A nursing bra that is too tight can also cause clogged ducts. Stress (something all new mommies have an over abundance of) can also affect your milk flow.

Solution:

Do your best to get adequate rest (you should recruit your partner to pick up some slack when possible)
try applying warm compresses to your breasts and massage them to stimulate milk movement.
Clogged ducts are not harmful to your baby because breastmilk has natural antibiotics. That said, there’s no reason why you have to suffer. Breastfeeding should be enjoyable for mom and baby.

PROBLEM 4: ENGORGEMENT/HIGH MILK SUPPLY

Engorgement makes it difficult for baby to latch on to the breast because it’s hard and un-conforming to his mouth.

Solution:

Try hand-expressing a little before feeding to get the milk flowing and soften the breast, making it easier for baby to latch and access milk. Of course, the more you nurse, the less likely your breasts are to get engorged.

PROBLEM 5: MASTITIS

Mastitis is a bacterial infection in your breasts marked by flu-like symptoms such as fever and pain in your breasts. It’s common within the first few weeks after birth (though it can also happen during weaning) and is caused by cracked skin, clogged milk ducts, or engorgement.

Solution:

The only sufficient way to treat the infection is with antibiotics, hot compresses, and most importantly, frequent emptying.
Use hands-on pumping, making sure the red firm areas of the breast and the periphery are softened.
It’s safe and actually recommended that you continue breastfeeding when you have mastitis. Take paracetamol or ibuprofen (not aspirin) to relieve the pain, as instructed on the packet or by a pharmacist.
Keep breastfeeding or pumping frequently. Your milk is still safe for your baby to drink. Flowing milk will help clear any blockage and prevent further painful build-up. Stopping suddenly could exacerbate symptoms.
You may need to express any leftover milk after feeds.
Offer your baby the affected breast first. This may help your baby to drain it adequately. If this is too painful, start on the non-affected side to get the milk flowing, then switch.
Rest, drink and eat well. Make sure you’re having plenty of fluids and eating nutritious foods.
Massage the area in a warm bath or shower, or compress with a warm flannel or heat pack to help release the blockage and ease symptoms before feeding or expressing. Use a cool pack after feeds to reduce inflammation.

PROBLEM 6: THRUSH

Thrush is a yeast infection in your baby’s mouth, which can also spread to your breasts. It causes incessant itchiness, soreness, and sometimes a rash.

Solution:

Your doctor will need to give you antifungal medication to put on your nipple and in baby’s mouth — if you’re not both treated at the same time, you can give each other the fungi and prolong healing.

PROBLEM 7: LOW MILK SUPPLY

Breastfeeding is a supply-and-demand process. If your doctor is concerned about baby’s weight gain, and he is being plotted on the World Health Organization curves designed for breastfeeding babies, this may be the problem.

Solution:

Lactation Cookies or Lactation Muffins by Singapore Lactation Bakes will help you with more let downs. Combined with frequent nursing and hands-on pumping during the day can help increase milk supply.
Pump or latch when you are having let downs or when fuller breast after having the SLB lactation cookies or SLB lactation muffins helps to tune your body to make more milk.

PROBLEM 8: BABY SLEEPING AT BREAST

Baby is sleepy in the first couple of months after birth (hey, he’s been through a lot) so falling asleep while nursing is common. All that bonding makes baby relaxed!

Solution:

Milk flow is fastest after your first let-down, so if you want to increase efficiency, start off at the fuller breast, then switch to the other breast sooner, rather than later.
When you notice baby’s sucking slowing down and his eyes closing, remove him from your breast and try to stimulate him by burping, tickling his feet, or gently talking to him while rubbing his back, and then switch breasts.
As baby gets older he’ll be able to stay awake longer, so don’t fret.

PROBLEM 9: INVERTED/FLAT NIPPLES

You can tell if you have flat or inverted nipples by doing a simple squeeze test: Gently grab your areola with your thumb and index finger — if your nipple retracts rather than protrudes, you’ve got a problem, Houston. Not really. But breastfeeding will be more challenging.

Solution:

Use a pump to get the milk flowing before placing baby at your nipple and use breast shells between feeds.
Once you feel like your milk supply is adequate, try using nipple shields if baby still has problems latching.

PROBLEM 10: PAINFUL/OVERACTIVE LET DOWN

Your breast is like a machine — when you let down, all the milk-producing engines constrict to move the milk forward and out of your nipple. Sometimes the working of these inner parts can hurt, especially when in overdrive. Some mothers feel a prickly pins-and-needles sensation and others just get an achy feeling.

Solution:

If this feeling of pins and needles goes beyond a mere tingling and feels more like a hundred little daggers poking your breasts, you need to check for a breast infection (yeast or bacteria). Sometimes this pain develops when you have an excessive amount of milk.
Try feeding baby longer on one particular breast and switching to the other only if you need to.
If the result is an infection (fever, aches, and chills may be present), you’ll need to get antibiotics from your doctor.
No matter how unpleasant it is for you, it’s still safe for baby to nurse.

PROBLEM 11: BABY WON’T LATCH

Solution:

Skin to skin is the way to go,”. It’s like a magical cure for the non-latching baby (and helps with other issues too).
Get naked from the waist up, strip baby down to just a diaper, and get yourself comfortable in a semi-reclining position with baby on your chest.
When your baby is ready, he’ll scoot down to the breast and latch on. (You many need to provide your baby with expressed milk in a cup or syringe until he figures it out, and pumping or hand-expressing during this time will also help build up your milk supply.)

PROBLEM 12: BABY IS CONSTANTLY NURSING

Solutions:

This may just be a perfectly normal baby. Babies have small stomachs and they really do need filling up frequently.
Imagine if you were asked to double your weight in the next six months, as an average baby will do. What would you have to do?
You’d eat a lot.” Some mothers also have less storage capacity in their breasts, so while they produce plenty of milk over 24 hours, the baby needs to eat frequently (it’s called cluster feeding) to get enough.
If the baby is otherwise gaining well, having at least two or three poppy diapers each day and your nipples are not sore, frequent feedings may just be the norm for your baby. If baby is not gaining well, speak to your paediatrician or family doctor.

PROBLEM 13: BREAST NO LONGER FEEL FULL

Solutions:

This usually happens somewhere from six to ten weeks and mothers are often concerned that their milk production has faltered for some reason.
In most cases it’s actually good news, It means your breasts have adjusted to meet the actual appetite of your baby.
Instead of filling up between feedings, the milk doesn’t start to flow until the baby is nursing.
Just keep an eye on your baby’s weight gain and diaper contents to be sure everything is going well.

PROBLEM 14: Ouch! BABY IS BITTING OUR NIPPLES

Solutions:

Most babies will try out their gums or teeth at some time
Try pulling the baby in close so that your breast blocks his nose and he has to let go to breathe, rather than trying to pull back which can make him clamp down harder.
If you’re alert when the baby is nursing, you may be able to catch the moment when he pulls his tongue back in order to bite down.
Be ready to stick a finger in the corner of his mouth and prevent him from chomping on you. Be gentle —he doesn’t mean to hurt you!

So there you have some quick breastfeeding problem-solvers that may help you past some of the common breastfeeding challenges. Still having problems? Don’t hesitate to seek out more assistance from some of the lactation experts in your community, who can tailor their advice to your situation.

Posted on 07/04/201726/05/2022 by SLBSG

Why this lactation consultant told a new mom to stop breastfeeding

I Walked up the snow-covered steps of a quaint bungalow, excited to meet a two-month-old little boy and his mama. She had sent me an email a few days prior; all it said was, “I need help with my baby, he’s crying all the time. Can you do anything?” This is common story in my inbox. I replied I could be there Wednesday.

I knocked on her door, and a beautiful thirty-something woman answered, bouncing a bundle. We sat down on her couch and started to chat. She said he’d been born on his due date, a beautiful delivery, and she was back at home 24 hours later. Breastfeeding hurt in the hospital, but she was told that was “normal” and it would get better. A week later, still trying to “push through”, she couldn’t take it any longer, and went to her local breastfeeding clinic. Her little man had a tongue tie, they said, a common reason for breastfeeding pain. The physician clipped the tongue tie in the office and sent her home with instructions on how to move forward. She continued “pushing on” and did feel some relief, but continued to struggle with supply and latch issues. She was back and forth between clinics and private consultants, as she was desperate to breastfeed. She had dreamed of nursing her baby, like many moms, and the journey had consumed their household. She could not get a comfortable latch no matter what she tried or whose help she enlisted. She was consumed with trying and not giving up. I watched this woman become more teary and shaky as her story progressed. She told me he was gaining weight, but was very fussy and cried at the breast and throughout most of the day and night. Her husband had taken the day off work to be home for our appointment and he sat quietly with his arm around his wife and babe.

I first told her she was doing a beautiful job with her son. I told her the best part of my morning so far was getting to witness the way she looked at him and that I could hear the efforts she had been putting in to try to establish pain-free breastfeeding and an ample supply. I acknowledged that her path sounded full of challenges and I asked her simply, “How are you feeling?”

She broke down. Sobbing in her living room, she told me that breastfeeding was a number one priority for her, and she had read all the books and had sought out so much help and support, but that she just couldn’t do it anymore. She went on to tell me that the stress of nursing had taken all the joy out of becoming parents and it was all both her and her husband could think about. I could see that this woman was full of anxiety and had some real red flags of depression. She shared that she cried alongside her baby throughout most of the day, and was starting to wonder how she was going to keep going. She wasn’t leaving the house and spent all day feeding and pumping.

“Do you want to keep breastfeeding?” I asked her. Both her and her husband looked at me in silence. I realized in this moment what this woman needed from me, a registered nurse and lactation consultant. She needed permission. I told her that the most important thing was that her baby felt loved and that as a mom she had the ability to nurture and care for her baby. I told her flat out, “It is okay to stop and give him a bottle of formula.”

She and her husband hugged and both started to cry. Minutes later, they said, “Thank you, we needed to hear that.”

This is such a controversial topic. #Fedisbest is flooding the internet, and there are so many varying opinions. As a lactation consultant, I am an advocate for breastfeeding, and will go the distance with any family to ensure it happens. But it is not up to anyone but that mother to decide when she has reached her limit. A mama’s mental health trumps breastfeeding. Every time. Breastmilk does not care for, nurture and bond with the baby. A mother does. I am not arguing the health benefits of breastfeeding. Those are known facts. I am talking about the part that just isn’t talked about enough: a mom’s mental health.

Last year, for a few days anyway, the whole country was talking about it. Suffering from postpartum depression, Vancouver mother Florence Leung ended her life two months after her baby was born. On her memorial Facebook page, her husband recently wrote the following:

“To all the new moms experiencing low mood or anxiety, please seek help and talk about your feelings. You are not alone. You are not a bad mother. Do not EVER feel bad or guilty about not being able to exclusively breastfeed.”

As you can guess, despite being an advocate for breastfeeding, I agree completely. Somewhere along the way, our well intentioned, health-benefit focused campaigns on breastfeeding have fueled the message of guilt, shame and pressure on moms that are struggling and it is time for that to change.

I recently received a card and photo in the mail from the mom who gave up breastfeeding after our visit. It was her guy’s one-year birthday. In the picture, I saw a healthy, thriving family. The note said that the day I gave her permission to stop breastfeeding was the day she felt a shift. The tears stopped. She started enjoying the little moments with her boy and their bond grew. She said she still has moments when she feels sad that she and her son missed out on the nursing experience, but she knows that stopping is what her family needed.

We need to stop arguing about what is better. Breastfeeding, formula, bottles, pumping. It isn’t something that is up to “us.” It is not social media’s business, your neighbour’s, your mother’s, or the business of that mom group you belong to. It is yours exclusively.

As much as I like #fedisbest, I think it should evolve into new movement: #momsmentalhealthmatters. A healthy mom is necessary for a healthy, thriving baby—and that is what matters.

Carrie Bruno is a registered nurse, lactation consultant and sleep coach who runs The Mama Coach in Calgary, Alberta. Some details of this story have been changed to protect the family’s privacy.

Credit: today parent

Posted on 19/02/201726/05/2022 by SLBSG

Relactating: Restarting Breastfeeding

Relactation – Restarting breastfeeding after a gap / After Adopting a new child

What is relactation?

Relactation is how a woman can re-establish breastfeeding after a period of very little or no breastfeeding. She may have not breastfed for several days, weeks, months or years. Or even a new mummy who has just adopted a new baby and has never breastfed before called induced lactation. This is to induce lactation artificially typically for adoption.

Who would do it?

Mummies who have stopped breastfeeding earlier than they wanted or changed their minds.

Your baby might have been weaned from the breast, but since developed an intolerance to formula.

Mummies who might have been separated from your baby or your baby might have been ill.

Mummies who may have adopted a baby and want to re-start your milk supply to breastfeed him/her. A woman could also breastfeed an adopted baby if she has never breastfed previously or has never been pregnant – this is called ‘induced lactation’.

You may want to help a sick friend or relative by breastfeeding her baby.

How likely is the mummy to succeed?

There isn’t a lot of research on relactation, but the studies that have been done suggest that, with proper support, most mothers can partially or fully relactate.

Some mummies were very fortunate. They can go from expressing a couple of drops of breast milk to a full supply AND get their baby back to the breast. It can range from a month to 4 months for some, but with lots of determination and effort, it is well worth it.

How is it possible?

Nature is a very clever thing. Breast stimulation alone sends important hormonal signals to switch milk production back on. It is a common misconception that once a woman’s milk has ‘dried up’, she can no longer breastfeed. However, this isn’t the case! Grandmothers have been known to relactate to feed their grandchildren!

How do mummies do it?

Learning the basics of breastfeeding is a great place to start. Breastfeeding works on a supply and demand basis, so the more the baby feeds and the breast is stimulated, the more milk the mother produces.

Learn how to recognise if your baby is getting enough milk. Is he producing six wet nappies in 24 hours and if under five weeks, is he pooping three or more times a day? Is he gaining weight?

If the baby will latch onto the breast:

Try to put the baby to the breast as often as possible (every 2-3 hours at least). Even before any milk is being produced, nipple stimulation will release the hormone prolactin which encourages the growth of breast tissue.

Learn how to recognise a good latch. A baby that latches on effectively will stimulate your supply in a way that a baby latching on poorly won’t. Has the baby got a nice wide-open mouth? Is it pain-free? If breastfeeding feels uncomfortable, do get support.

Ways of stimulating your milk supply whether or not the baby will latch on:

Skin to skin time: Even if the baby isn’t feeding, have skin-to-skin time. Keep the baby on or close to your body as much as possible. This will stimulate the release of hormones needed for milk production and encourage the baby to feed. You could try wearing the baby in a sling. You can bottle-feed skin-to-skin and near the breast
Good Grade Pump: Use a pump or hand express for 10-15 minutes on each breast several times a day. Ideally, at least eight times in 24 hours. Don’t worry about how much (or little!) milk you can express. The nipple stimulation itself will be stimulating your body to produce more milk for the future. Some mums choose to hire hospital-grade double electric breast pumps but this may not be necessary. If you are pumping frequently, remember that you don’t need to wash and sterilise the pump each time. You can store the pump in the fridge in a plastic bag between sessions and just wash it thoroughly once a day.
Supply and demand: You may get milk immediately, but if you don’t … don’t give up! The volume of milk will increase when the baby starts to feed directly from the breast and as time goes by. It may only take some women a few days to develop their supply. Others pump for several weeks before they see a significant increase in their supply. Everyone responds differently to the process of relactation so it’s very difficult to give a definite timeframe. If a baby will latch, you could also express directly after and /or between feedings. Expressing when the breast is emptier sends particularly valuable signals to the breasts to produce more milk. You may be able to find some time in the day when you ‘cluster pump’ and pump for ten minutes, break for 5, pump for another ten and repeat that a few times. Pumping should be pain-free. If your baby is happy to latch on and stay on the breast, it may not be necessary for you to pump at all. Power pumping is a good way to increase milk supply.
Hydrate: Don’t forget to drink lots of water and have enough rest. A good well-rested machine then can produce a good product right?
Lactation Supplements: Take cookies, muffins, herbs or even medication (called ‘galactagogues’) to stimulate the hormones that govern their milk supply. Eat food that boosts milk will help too. By finding your milk booster, you will need to trial and error as the different body reacts differently to different food.

Continuing to feed other kinds of milk

It is likely that while you are building up your milk supply and getting the baby used to feed at the breast, you will also be feeding the baby formula. If you are using a bottle, you may want to consider using a technique called ‘baby-led bottle feeding’ (sometimes known as ‘paced bottle feeding’) which may help your baby transition to the breast. This slows the flow down and requires your baby to work a little harder.

Helping the baby to accept the breast

The baby may become frustrated by feeding from an empty breast at first, so you could try hand expressing enough (or pumping just for a moment) to trigger milk flow before putting the baby to the breast.

You want the baby to associate pleasure with being at the breast, so anything you can do to avoid making breastfeeding a battleground will be useful. It’s better not to ‘force’ the baby into a breastfeeding position but to gently enjoy time skin-to-skin and present opportunities. You could hand express some drips of milk or trickle milk into the baby’s mouth.

A baby may prefer to breastfeed when they are not desperately hungry or at certain times of the day. Especially when your baby is younger, spending time holding the baby tummy-down on your semi-reclined body will trigger innate feeding behaviour.

You could consider the use of a nursing supplement. This delivers milk from a bottle through a fine plastic tube that enters the baby’s mouth along with your nipple. This may help stop any frustration the baby might show at the breast and ensure that your breasts are stimulated to produce milk further.

A baby that is very accustomed to the bottle may accept the breast using a nipple shield but this is best done with the support of a breastfeeding counsellor or lactation consultant.

Things to consider:

Why did you stop breastfeeding in the first place? You might want to consider talking with a breastfeeding counsellor, lactation consultant or peer supporter before embarking on your journey to give it another go.

There may be changes in your body. There may be a change in your menstrual pattern as the baby nursing will affect your ovulation. Your breast may physically change in appearance too, the areola may be darker or the breast may be tender or feel full. Due to the hormone changes, you may feel emotionally different. Support is a great help if you are feeling any of these feelings but it is normally a sign that your body is starting to produce milk again.

Remember that if your baby will latch but you are not able to return to a full milk supply, they will still receive important benefits. And if you work hard to increase your supply but your baby is reluctant to latch, they can receive this expressed milk. That is still a valuable achievement.

Relactation may be difficult and time-consuming at times, but it IS possible. With the right support, information and dedication, relactation works for women every day and produces happy and valuable results. Confidence and self-belief will help you on your journey.

Posted on 21/12/201626/05/2022 by SLBSG

Tips on breastfeeding twins

You know that breastfeeding your infant provides an opportunity for bonding while providing health benefits for your child. However, it can be daunting to find out that you’ll have to breastfeed two infants at the same time! Just take a deep breath, because it is possible to breastfeed twins, without either baby suffering from sharing their mother’s milk. Here are some tips that can help you to breastfeed your twins!

Set Up One or More Comfortable Nursing Stations – Twins often require more time to feed than a single child. Therefore it is essential to sit up one or more comfortable areas where you can sit or lie comfortably when breastfeeding your infants.
Breast Feed on Cue Not on Schedule- When feeding twins you shouldn’t rush to get them on a feeding schedule. Instead, you need to feed your babies on demand or cue. Keep in mind that twins are often born prematurely and therefore eat smaller amounts, but need to eat more often than most full-term infants. In addition, twins, even identical twins, are individuals and therefore may not want or need to eat at the same time. By feeding your baby as they demand food you can better meet their individual needs.
Start Nursing Only One Baby at a Time- It often takes time for an infant to learn to latch onto the breast properly. Therefore it is essential that you only feed one infant at a time until you are sure that one infant is latching onto the breast properly before trying to breastfeed both infants at once. If possible, have someone to offer support during the first three or four months that can offer to hold the other twin and comfort them while you feed the other infant. This will allow you to concentrate on each individual infant while feeding your child.
Breast Feed or Pump to Encourage More Milk Production- If you are having difficulty producing enough milk to breastfeed exclusively, you still need to breastfeed or pump 8 times during a twenty-four hour period. Make sure that pump or breastfeed during the night to help keep up your milk supply and encourage more milk to flow.
If Supplemental Feedings are Needed Alternate Between Infants- If you find that you need to supplement feedings to supply both babies with enough milk to stay healthy then alternate those supplemental feeding between infants, breastfeeding one infant one time and the other twin the next so that both babies get the benefits only breast milk can supply.
Get Additional Support For the First Few Weeks or Months- Raising twins especially during the first few weeks or months can be physically and mentally draining. Having additional help and support during the first few weeks or months can result in your getting more rest and feeling more relaxed. The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be for you to care for your baby and the easier it will be when feeding time comes. The support you get can be help with housework or someone to watch the babies while you get short naps. They may simply be someone who sits with you when you are feeding and encourages you while keeping you company.

Should I follow a rigid or flexible nursing schedule?
For the first few weeks, infants need to breastfeed eight to 12 times per day. That breaks down to about once every two to three hours, day and night. Each session should last about 20 to 30 minutes—but wait for each baby to signal he or she’s done before calling it quits (the suck-swallow pattern will slow down to about four sucks to one swallow). A flexible schedule is best, and feeding your babies at the same time is the most economical use of your precious time. However, babies are individuals, so one twin may want to nurse every three hours, and the other, every two hours. Some mothers find that letting the hungrier baby dictate the time of the next feed for both works best. Some mothers nurse on demand during the day and follow a schedule at night.

How can I hold two babies to nurse at the same time?
Use rolled-up towels or a nursing pillow to support your babies. You can buy nursing pillows designed specifically for breastfeeding twins.

With the help of a pillow, you can vary your nursing positions. For example, you can rotate from the cradle hold (across your chest) to the football hold (along your side), or you can use a combination of the two. It’s a good idea to alternate breasts with every feeding, especially if one twin is a stronger feeder. If it’s hard to keep track of who was on each breast last, try alternating breasts every 24 hours instead of after each feed. Switching back and forth regularly helps produce equal amounts of milk in both breasts and lessens the chance of blocked milk ducts. Alternating breasts also helps your babies’ eyes get equal exercise and stimulation.

If you have preemies, and one has to stay in the hospital longer than the other, you can simultaneously breastfeed on one side and pump on the other to keep up your milk supply.

Can I produce enough milk to nourish more than one baby?
The law of supply and demand applies to nursing mothers of twins and multiples. If you breastfeed when your babies want to eat, you can trust your body to supply enough milk. A low milk supply can almost always be corrected by nursing more often. If your babies aren’t emptying your breasts, you may need to pump.

Keep lots of water nearby, have a Lactation cookie and Muffin. The oxytocin your body releases when you nurse can make you very thirsty while lactation muffin and lactation cookies will help boost your milk supply.

What if I bond with one baby more than the other?
This can happen, especially if one of your babies has to stay in the hospital longer than the other. You’ve had more time to get to know the at-home baby, and you’ve developed a stronger attachment to that twin. Or, if you have one sickly baby, you may find you’re giving that baby more attention. The important thing is to be aware of your feelings and work to give your babies equal love and attention. Happily, breastfeeding brings you in close contact with both babies and can help speed up the attachment process.

Do I ever get a break?
You don’t have to be on the job at all times. In fact, you shouldn’t be. Sleep when the babies sleep if you can. Call in your support teams when you’re feeling frazzled, beginning with your mate. Let him take over while you take off, even if it’s for only 15 or 20 minutes. Get out of the hearing range of the babies by going for a walk, taking a hot bath, or reading a magazine in another room. Once your feeding routine is well established, enjoy a night out with your partner or a friend. Remember, you had a life before you became a parent. It’s time to continue where you left off.

Following these tips and those from your doctor or lactation specialist can make breastfeeding your twins more successful and enjoyable for both you and your twin infants.

Posted on 30/08/201626/05/2022 by SLBSG

Simple Goal For Breastfeeding

I’ll never forget how I struggled as a first-time breastfeeding mom–especially during the early days! My milk did not arrive until day 5, and I clearly remember taking a bath and looking at my breasts with tears streaming down my face.

“Milk! Come in! Come in!”

It had been my dream to breastfeed, and in my postpartum emotional daze, I thought my milk would never arrive.

I started looking thru the internet and asking family and friends.

I look thru the web and thought about what gave me what I believe to be the very BEST breastfeeding advice. I believe it was this wisdom that gave me the push I needed to persevere through those challenges and other breastfeeding challenges that have come over the course of my now 19-month breastfeeding journey:

Give it two weeks

That’s it? Yes, that’s it! It’s so simple yet profound.

Instead of feeling like you have to conquer this whole breastfeeding thing from your first days postpartum, just take it one day at a time, and resolve that, no matter what, you will continue to breastfeed for at least two weeks.

Once those two weeks are up, go ahead and add two more. Next, commit to breastfeeding for a month. Then make it two.

Before you know it, you will have breastfed for an entire year. That’s how it worked for me!

Those two weeks turned into:
9 months with Baby Girl #1
19 months and with Baby Girl #2

Just give it two weeks. I know you can do it!

Posted on 19/07/201626/05/2022 by SLBSG

Back To Work Pumping Tips

Many mothers breastfeed their infants when they are born and then change them over to formula when their maternity leaves end and they need to go back to work. However, not only are babies healthier when breastfed as long as possible and working mothers can continue to supply breast milk for their infants and still work a full-time job. Here’s how to pump while at work and some tips for breastfeeding mothers when they return to work.

Before you return

Decide to pump breast milk before or right after the baby is born

By planning, you can get the breast pump and all of the accessories you need before your baby is born. Now, you don’t find yourself rushing around a day or two before work to get everything you need.

Prepare Your Milk Bag in Advance

Your milk/Pump bag should contain a pump, tubing, 2 or 3 sets of accessories (flanges, attachments, and membranes), milk storage bags, labels and felt pen to date the milk you pump. Burp cloth, Breast wipes to clean your breast after pumping, photo of baby, and if there is no place to store milk at work (a refrigerator you can use) then you will need a cooler and several ice packs. But bear in mind the storage guideline and try to work around the schedule and the resources you have.

Start Saving up Milk Before Returning to Work

Once your infant is two or three months of age, you should begin pumping one extra time during the day and storing the milk in the freezer so that you begin to build up a supply of milk. Our wide range of lactation bakes can help you boost your milk supply along with the food list you can follow to find your magic booster.

Talk to Your Employer about what you need to pump at work

At a minimum, you need a private room to use about 3 times a day with good lighting and electricity and a comfortable chair and a table to sit the pump on. If your office doesn’t provide a nursing room, look around for any available nursing rooms around your vicinity.

Have a Practice Work Day

Before you return to work you should have a practice day to make sure you are prepared for pumping at work. Try and practice doing what you would do once you return to work including taking your baby to daycare, feeding them before taking them and after the workday, in the evening, and before bed and then pumping on scheduled breaks during the day.

Pumping as close to your baby drinking timing

Your pumping schedule should follow your babies normal eating schedule as close as possible. Keeping your schedule close to your infants normal eating schedule will help slow leaking and help to ensure a steady supply of milk and more comfort when pumping.

You need to maintain your milk supply

You need to do everything you can to maintain to supply your milk supply including nursing your infant whenever you can. Getting in as many breastfeedings as possible since the baby feeding will help you maintain your milk supply. It is also important that you maintain your pumping schedule even if you only have a few minutes to pump because this will help to keep the milk flowing as well. Try your very best not to skip a pumping session. Do some power pumping if you have time.

Enlist help

To ease the transition, have another person (husband or partner, babysitter, grandparent) offer your expressed milk to your baby. Ideally, you should introduce the bottle or nipple no sooner than four weeks of age to ensure your supply is established, or at least two weeks before you return to work.

Once You Have Returned

Timing is everything

Know when to pump and when to breastfeed. Feeding your baby at the breast is ideal to keep up your supply and nurture them – so plan for that precious time. And remember to pump when you are away from your baby so your body gets the regular stimulation it needs to keep up your supply.

Plan when and where

Breastfeed just before you leave, when you return and before the baby’s bedtime. You may have to wake up earlier to get ready and still have time to nurse. You can nurse right when you return, depending on your schedule and when your caregiver has given the expressed milk. Feeding at the breast is the best way to drain your breasts and trigger more milk production so you may need to remind your caregiver not to feed your baby just before you return.

Take a deep breath

This will become second nature to you and your baby. We know that being a working, breastfeeding mom is not an easy task, but it’s well worth it. We’re also here to support you, so check in with us if you need some extra guidance. We are not LC, but as a mom, we have our fair share of experiences (laughs)

Always Pack Your Milk/Pump bag the night before

Keep a checklist of what you need and refer to it when checking your bag. In addition, you might want to keep a spare set of accessories at work to use in an emergency in case you forget an attachment or flange. Wet hand wipes; Extra clothing, such as a top or sweater, to leave at work in case of leaks; Nursing pads;

Pumping mummies are hungry mummies

Snacks and lunch, including high protein healthy foods and drinks to keep you hydrated.

While providing your baby with breast milk once you return to work may pose a few logistical problems. However, they can be overcome by following these tips and now, who says going back to work is hard?

Posted on 10/07/201626/05/2022 by SLBSG

My Baby is always hungry

My baby is always hungry (or is she?)

One of the most common concerns I hear from parents is that they say their baby is always hungry. Often these parents question whether or not their baby is getting enough to eat, and breastfeeding moms may begin to question if they are making enough breastmilk. However, parents can be comforted to know that frequent feedings are often the way of it with babies- newborns in particular.

Little baby = little tummy = drinks small amount = Little tummies need filling more frequently.

Breastfed Newborns and Cluster Feeding

So, let’s start at the beginning. Cluster feeding, also known as bunch feeding, is when your little baby feeds several times over a period of a few hours. More often than not, cluster feedings appear in the evening hours. These bunched feedings serve the purpose of ramping up mom’s milk supply and also tanking up your baby on the nutrition that she needs. This is also why Power Pumping mimics cluster feedings and served as an important tool to increase milk supply.

What you need to realise is that

1) cluster feedings are completely normal,

2) they serve an important purpose in breastfeeding, and

3) thankfully, your baby will grow out of them (though they can reappear during periods of baby growth spurts.)

Bottle-fed Newborns and Spitting Up

Parents are often surprised to know that, generally speaking, newborns only need about 1 to 2 ounces of formula per feeding. Depending on the amount in the bottle, they may need to be fed anywhere from 8 to 12 times in 24 hours.

If you notice that your baby is spitting up excessively, then a sound suggestion is to decrease the amount of milk in the bottle but increase the number of bottles you offer in a day.

Understanding Baby Hunger Cues

Sometimes the problem is that parents are mistaking every fuss and whimper to be a sign that their baby is hungry.
Babies fuss for all sorts of reasons.

They are tired.
They are bored.
They are overstimulated.
They are uncomfortable.
They pooped.
They are having tummy ache
They are too hot
They are too cold
They need comfort
The list goes on and on.

Sometimes what parents need to do is be sure that something else is not causing the crying, and use different strategies to calm their fussy baby. All babies are different, and have different little ways of letting their parents know that they are hungry. Therefore as you and your baby gets to know one another, you will soon recognise your baby’s way of letting you know that that they are hungry.

However here are some of the typical hunger cues.

Common infant hunger cues include:

Early	Smacking or licking lips Opening and closing mouth Sucking on lips, tongue, hands, fingers, toes, toys, or clothing Rapid eye movement while sleeping
Active	Rooting around on the chest of whoever is carrying him Trying to position for nursing, either by lying back or pulling on your clothes Fidgeting or squirming around a lot Hitting you on the arm or chest repeatedly Fussing or breathing fast
Late	Moving head frantically from side to side Crying

Crying. Every baby is different so, a mother needs to learn to interpret her own baby’s cry ( you will know ). A hunger cry is usually short, low-pitched, and rises and falls. But crying is actually one of the later signs of hunger. By the time a hungry baby is wailing, she may be too stressed to start eating easily.

Waking up and acting restless. Before your baby launches into a full-throated hunger wail, she’ll wake up and move around in her crib. She may also move her mouth and raise her hands to her face.

Sucking on her fist, smacking her lips. If you feed a breast-fed baby when you see these signs, rather than waiting, she’ll latch on more easily.

Rooting. During your baby’s first weeks, when you stroke her cheek, her natural reflex will be to turn toward the bottle or breast and make sucking motions with her mouth. After 4 months of age, rooting becomes a voluntary action rather than a reflex.

Opening her mouth while feeding. Translation: “More, please!” A hungry baby may continue to show interest in sucking even after finishing the first breast or bottle.

Smiling during feeding. Babies older than 4 months will show their interest in continuing to eat by looking at you and smiling as they feed.

Signs That Your Baby Is Full

Closing lips. Just as a hungry baby suckles readily, a full baby zips her lips, as if to say, “No more, thanks.”

Turning her head away. A more forceful version of closing her lips is to move her entire head away from the food source. If your baby turns away from your breast or a bottle, you shouldn’t force her to eat.

Decreasing or stopping sucking. Some full babies will stay latched on to the nipple but not suck any more—at which point, it’s time to gently end the session.

Spitting out the nipple or falling asleep when full. After about 15 to 20 minutes of feeding, a full baby will often act drowsy and may even fall asleep.

Showing increasing interest in surroundings rather than eating. At around 4 months old many babies begin to get distracted during feedings, as their awareness of the world around them grows. A hungry baby will put this curiosity on hold long enough to feel sated. When she begins looking around more distractedly, it’s a sign she’s had plenty.

How Often Should Baby Be Fed?

Until your baby has regained her birthweight, the recommendation is to feed about every two hours. Keeping in mind that cluster feeding is normal, and breastfeeding more frequently than that is okay. Demand feeding which is the practice of feeding a baby when it cries to be fed rather than at set times is recommended as well.

Hungry Babies and Solid Foods

Once your baby is eating solid foods (sometime between 4 to 6 months), again you need to tune into her cues to determine if she is hungry or not. These cues can be subtle. Your baby will turn his head away, lean back in his high chair, may refuse to open his mouth, or has stopped making eye contact with you (or the spoon!).

Your baby’s appetite will vary from meal to meal and from day to day. Do not bank that your baby will eat a certain amount at every breakfast, lunch or dinner. Simply watch your baby’s signs and feed him accordingly.

The Importance of Wet Diaper Counts

A very important part of knowing whether your baby is getting enough breastmilk or formula is to keep track of her daily wet diapers. Depending on your baby’s age, she should have a certain number of wet diapers and soiled diapers each day. If that number drops below the expected amount, it could be a sign that she is not getting enough to eat.

Posted on 06/04/201629/08/2024 by SLBSG

Storing breastmilk 101

Storing breastmilk 101

Yap, you are ready, you read about the benefits of breastfeeding your child, you are ready to latch, and you have prepared to pump 2-3 hourly. But how do you exactly know how to store your breastmilk? How long can you keep your breastmilk at room temperature? How long in the fridge? How long in the freezer etc. These are some of the questions that most mummies have and here I have compile some of the tips on storing breastmilk that I hope this might help you.

How do I store my breast milk?

How you store your breastmilk depends on how soon you want to use it. If you plan to use it within a few days, refrigerating is better than freezing. Freezing destroys some of the substances in your milk that fight infection. However, frozen breastmilk is still a healthier choice for your baby than formula, though.

The rule of thumb to follow while storing milk is

Always wash your hands before expressing and handling breastmilk for storage. Keeping everything as clean as possible will make it less likely that bacteria will grow in your stored milk.
Keep your breast pump clean. Wash the parts in hot, soapy water, and rinse them thoroughly before sterilising.
Use sterilised containers. Opt for plastic bottles or plastic breastmilk bags. Glass bottles may crack or chip.
If you’re pumping at work, you can store your milk in a travel cooler with ice packs or in a common space refrigerator.
If you need to combine freshly expressed milk with frozen milk, cool the expressed milk first. Don’t add more than there is of the frozen, since you want to avoid the frozen milk thawing.
Label and date your bottles and bags, and use up the oldest ones first. If you combine milk from several pumping sessions, label it with the date of the oldest milk.

If you plan to feed baby in the next 24hours, place the milk bag/bottle at the highest deck of the fridge. If you plan to feed baby 24 hours later, you can put the milk bag/bottle in an isolated compartment of your freezer.

It’s helpful to label each container with the date when the milk was pumped (and your baby’s name if the milk is going to childcare providers).

Can I top up fresh cooled milk to frozen/chilled milk?

Frozen Milk

You can add fresh cooled milk to milk that is already frozen, but add no more than is already in the container. For example, if you have 40ml of frozen milk, then you can add up to 40ml of cooled milk.

Chilled Milk

You can add freshly expressed milk to breastmilk that’s already in the fridge, provided it has been expressed on the same day. Bear in mind, though, that you can only keep it until the original milk is five days old.

How do I freeze my milk?

Freeze your milk as soon as you finished expressing your milk. Leave a gap on top of your bag or bottle as your milk expands during freezing.

When freezing, store milk in smaller portions such as 1-3 ounces in order to avoid waste.

How do Thaw my milk?

Defrost frozen milk in the chiller section of the fridge ideally 12 hours before usage.

Once you defrost your breast milk, do not re-freeze it.
Don’t be tempted to defrost or warm your breastmilk in a microwave.

If you need the milk in a hurry, defrost it under cool, then warm, running water, or place it in a bowl of warm water.

Dry the outside of the container before you open it, and use it straight away. Once your baby has started to drink from the bottle, you should use it within 1 hour.

What to look out for

Thaw your frozen milk in the chiller section of the refrigerator 12 hours or overnight if you plan to use your frozen milk.

Do not shake your bottle if the creamier portion has separated, instead gently swirl your bottle as shaking will cause some proteins in the milk to break apart.

Always use the oldest milk from your supply first. Don’t worry if the oldest is weeks or months old. It is true that the composition of your milk changes over time to suit your growing baby’s needs. However, even older milk, as long as it has been properly stored and handled, is beneficial to your little one.

Some Little tricks

Store bags, tightly sealed, flat and stacked. This will speed up thawing time.

To have some more extra use from our pump accessories, give them a quick rinse then throwing them in a large ziplock bag, and storing them in the refrigerator until the next pumping session.

Does your milk smell soapy? Most breast milk has a mild or slightly sweet scent, but mothers occasionally report that thawed milk smells soapy. This may be due to enzymes in the milk digesting some of the fat and is probably fine if your baby accepts the milk. If not, scalding (but not boiling) the milk and quickly cooling prior to freezing may solve this problem if baby is rejecting the milk, although this may lower the nutritive content and is not ideal.

you can still offer your milk to your baby if you and your baby are experiencing thrush while being treated. After the infection has cleared, however, discard the milk as neither cooling nor freezing kills the yeast.

Have some expired milk? Instead of tossing the milk, consider using it for diaper rash, baby eczema, cradle cap, or a good milk bath for your little one.

Source

Smith, Linda J. (1998) “Don’t Shake the Milk“. Bright Future Lactation Resource Center Ltd.
The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Protocol Committee (2010). “ABM Clinical Protocol #8: Human Milk Storage Information for Home Use for Full-Term Infants (Original Protocol March 2004; Revision #1 March 2010)“
Kelly Mom, “My expressed breastmilk doesn’t smell fresh. What can I do?“. July 28, 2011.
Le Leche League International. “What are the LLLI guidelines for storing my pumped milk?“.