Chest/Breastfeeding
Robin Kaplan
Breastfeeding the Older Baby - What to Expect ...

Wondering what breastfeeding/chestfeeding look like when your baby is 6-9 months? As our little ones continue to grow physically {begin to roll over, sit up, crawl} and developmentally {sleep longer stretches at night and interact more with the world around them}, we notice the impact of these changes on their feeding patterns.

Breastfeeding the Older Baby - What to Expect at 6-9 months
Chest/Breastfeeding, Pumping
Robin Kaplan
Help! My baby won’t take a bottle!

So your breastfed baby is refusing bottles.  Isn’t the typical concern that a breastfeeding/chestfeeding baby may prefer bottles over nursing and not the other way around?  While breastfeeding refusal can happen as well, any type of feeding rejection is your baby’s way of communicating that something is feeling challenging.  So let’s dive into some of the reasons why a nursing baby rejects the bottle and some tips to remedy a bottle feeding aversion.  

Help! My baby won’t take a bottle!
Bottle Feeding, Pumping
Robin Kaplan
Bottle Feeding the Breastfed Baby FAQs

Did you know that lactation consultants not only help with breastfeeding, but can also help with bottle feeding?  It’s true! We are here to offer guidance with all aspects of feeding (introducing solids, as well!) and know a ton about bottles and how to balance them with breastfeeding.

Bottle Feeding the Breastfed Baby FAQs
Chest/Breastfeeding
Robin Kaplan
How Long Does My Breast Milk Stay Fresh?

Breast milk storage guidelines can be incredibly complicated to decipher.  With each pump company and breastfeeding website having its own storage and handling recommendations, how's a mother to know which one to follow?  Plus, throw in whether the baby is full-term, pre-term, healthy, or in the NICU, and we have quite a confusing situation.

After delving into our lactation consultant guidelines for human milk storage, I think I have the definitive list for you….at least for this year!

Breastfeeding Expectations

What Advice Do You Wish You Had Heard Before You Started Breastfeeding?

This is a question I hear quite often, so I thought I would share my favorite tips, as well as share the amazing comments we received from our Facebook page when we asked our fellow breastfeeding mamas!

My Top 5 Pieces of Advice Every Woman Should Have Before She Breastfeeds:

1. Find a lactation consultant in your area before you have your baby. 

No one should have to google this information at 3:30 in the morning when you feel like your nipples are going to fall off.  Instead, spend a few minutes on the computer, in between your stroller and diaper research, to find an international board certified lactation consultant who seems like a really great person. Check out her Yelp reviews and ask your friends who they would recommend. 

When It's Time to Find a New Lactation Consultant

Recently, I have noticed many conversations online where breastfeeding mothers have expressed feelings of despair and frustration that their needs were not met while working with a lactation consultant. In fact, this isn't just happening online, but also in my community as well. 

Last week, my appointment with a new mom started off with her explaining that she was feeling very fragile and insecure, as she had already met with a lactation consultant and it didn't go so well.  When I asked her what happened, she described a lactation consultation that had gone completely wrong.  In a nutshell, the IBCLC told the mom that if she followed her pediatrician's advice (which I actually thought was quite reasonable advice) that she would completely lose her already low milk supply (which was absolutely not the case) and that she should just consider bottle feeding her baby if her nipples hurt that badly.  At the end of the consultation, the mom felt completely defeated and that she was a horrible mom for wanting to follow her pediatrician's advice. 

This story absolutely infuriated me! 

Breastfeeding Expectations for the First Month

Do you remember what breastfeeding was like during those first few weeks after your baby was born? 

I personally remember feeling somewhat clumsy and awkward, as if my son and I were trying to master a new dance without stepping on each other’s toes.  Our rhythm was slightly off.   I constantly relied on my breastfeeding pillow and there was absolutely no dependable schedule.  I was forced to switch off my Type-A brain and learn to go with the flow, which was quite a challenge for me, to say the least!

Yet, as the months went by our breastfeeding relationship changed.  In most ways, it improved immensely, as I became a more confident mother and caregiver.  In other ways, different nuances surfaced, which taught me that breastfeeding, like parenting, is constantly in a state of motion and sometimes in need of modifications.