Battling a cold or flu while chest/breastfeeding can be overwhelming, especially if symptoms or dehydration cause a dip in your milk supply. Fortunately, there are safe remedies to help you recover while maintaining your chest/breastfeeding journey and milk supply.
When it comes to chest/breastfeeding, parents often wonder whether on-demand feeding or scheduled feeding is best. Explore the differences and find what works for you.
Wondering what breastfeeding/chestfeeding look like when your baby is 6-9 months? Get tips for nursing an older baby from our team of San Diego lactation consultants.
Is your breastfed baby refusing bottles? Don’t panic! Dive into some reasons a nursing baby rejects the bottle and some tips to remedy bottle-feeding aversion.
We had this terrific question posted on our Facebook page:
“Dear Robin,
I leave tomorrow for a four day work trip and I can't take my baby with me. She has 6 feedings a day (one of those at night) so I'll be doing a good amount of pumping while I'm gone. Do you have any tips, specifically for pumping at airports and/or on planes? I'll be on a red eye there and a direct flight on the way back.”
Absolutely! Just because you have to travel for work doesn’t mean that you can’t protect your milk supply while you are gone.
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When a mom is looking for breastfeeding assistance, it can often be difficult to know where to get this help and from whom. There are so many options…. Facebook, breastfeeding support groups, lactation consultants… where to go can be confusing, especially if she feels like she needs to get help immediately!
So, what is the difference between the breastfeeding help you will get at a support group and at a private lactation consultant visit?
Written by Ashley Treadwell, IBCLC
Running two support groups every week, I get all sorts of questions from moms with concerns about their breastfeeding babies. One of the questions/concerns I hear the most often is this: “My baby is suddenly not feeding for nearly as long as they used to and they aren’t interested in feeding as often. They get fussy easily at the breast and pull off after just a few minutes. I’m concerned that they aren’t getting enough milk from me!” I can almost always predict the age of these babies - somewhere around 12-16 weeks. And here’s why.
Many moms know that babies feed frequently in the early weeks. They expect feedings around the clock that can last quite a while. What many moms don’t realize is that this *can* change dramatically around the 3-4 month mark. Babies who used to feed every 1 to 3 hours, for 30 minutes or more, babies who were always happy to breastfeed when offered - suddenly start refusing the breast at times, and when they do accept, may only feed for a few minutes before pulling off. This can be a frustrating time for moms as they are often concerned that the baby may not be getting enough and are worried about this significant change in baby’s feeding patterns. In this article, we’ll discuss why this happens, how to know if there is reason for concern, as well as how to manage this new behavior.
Written by Robin Kaplan, M.Ed, IBCLC
Is your baby having a difficult time latching? Is breastfeeding incredibly painful? Do you have a cracked nipple that just won’t heal? Then most likely you have been recommended to try a nipple shield. While the nipple shield can often be a terrific temporary tool to help with these situations, it is important to know how to use them correctly, as well as have an exit strategy for how to discontinue usage as soon as possible.
Written by Ashley Treadwell, IBCLC
Many women wonder if they will have a full supply after having a breast reduction. While the basic answer to this question is “we don’t know yet” - there are many factors, as well as things she can actively do, that can affect her ability to breastfeed successfully. In this article, we will discuss what those activities are and how a mom can maximize her supply when breastfeeding after a breast reduction. We will also look at what long-term supplementation can look like, if it is necessary.
It is important to remind you that breastfeeding does not have to be an “all or nothing” endeavor! We need to re-define what “success” means when it comes to breastfeeding after a breast reduction. Anytime a woman has a physiological factor that can affect milk supply, we always want her to understand that ANY amount of breastmilk is amazing. Whether she is able to provide 10% or 100% of what her baby needs, she is doing a fantastic job.
Written by Robin Kaplan, M.Ed, IBCLC
My background is in social justice and urban education. For the years before I started the San Diego Breastfeeding Center, I worked in inner-city elementary schools and for non-profits, including AmeriCorps, to help bring well-deserved resources and education to underserved communities who needed it the most. Because of this, one of the biggest challenges I have faced since I started SDBFC was trying to figure out how I could make my expertise and support accessible to ALL breastfeeding mothers... not just the ones who could afford my services. I have seen over and over again local moms posting on Facebook about how desperate they are for breastfeeding help, yet cannot afford to see a qualified IBCLC and this absolutely breaks my heart!
Not being able to help these mothers goes against everything I have been taught and everything I stand for.
The San Diego Breastfeeding Center is so excited to announce that we are the newest local sponsor of the Normalize Breastfeeding Campaign, a project who's mission is to normalize breastfeeding and address the taboo of public breastfeeding in modern society, through photography.
