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.
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.
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.
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!
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?
There are few things that I really focus on when a pregnant mama asks what she should know about breastfeeding before her baby is born. One, it is incredibly beneficial to take a prenatal breastfeeding class to learn about positioning, latching, following baby’s feeding cues, and how to tell if your baby is getting enough. Most importantly, though, when it is all whittled down to the core, in my mind what helps a mom reach her breastfeeding goal has all to do with support! When mamas share with me why they stopped breastfeeding, the most prominent theme is lack of support and assistance when breastfeeding challenges became complicated.
So here’s the deal - breastfeeding is something you learn on the job. In really supportive jobs, we usually have professional development at the start, as well as throughout our employment to keep us up to date and provide needed support. Parenting is definitely a full time job, yet we often have to seek out our own unpaid professional development, to have our questions answered and continue the learning process. This ‘professional development’ can often be challenging to find, as well as not all support is equally beneficial.
What tips do you have for surviving the first few weeks of breastfeeding?
Maren: Lots of skin to skin to get those endorphins going so you can take advantage of all that delicious oxytocin (which will make you want to keep breastfeeding, even with things might be tough!) Take advantage of all of the support you can – it will help normalize the experience so that you feel totally confident in your decision to breastfeed. And know ahead of time that there is definitely a learning curve, but it only gets better and better, so hang in there!
Amanda: Make sure to talk to your partner about how you need him/her to support breastfeeding and encourage you, even when you get discouraged and feel like giving up!
Jamie: Get the latch correct right away! Take advantage of the lactation consultants at the hospital and ask for a referral even if you don’t think you will need one.
Andrea: Trust your body! Skin to skin, lots of water, and lots of rest.
Heather: Surround yourself with at least one supportive person. I would never have made it through those weeks without the support of my husband.
Alicia: Hire a postpartum doula.
Juli: Surround yourself with women (and men!) who support breastfeeding. It gets easier – it is definitely worth pushing through the tough parts in the beginning!
Billie: Make really good friends with the lactation consultant and local breastfeeding support group before delivery. They will be able to offer so much support in those first few weeks. Trust your supply. Make sure you are comfortable!
Monica: I went to classes and read books, which helped, but nothing prepares you for the real thing. Get help early, if you need it. Hiring a lactation consultant was the best thing I did. Keep telling yourself you will try it for one more day and one day it will become second nature. Coconut oil worked wonders on sore nipples.
Christine: OMG… best advice I got was to rub breastmilk around your nipples after every nursing session! My cracked tatas healed within 2 days of doing that!
Chelle: If it hurts and you are dreading the next nursing session, don’t just tough it out! Get help ASAP before it gets worse or turns into an issue that makes you quit! Take a prenatal class. Breastfeeding is natural, but that doesn’t mean you will naturally know what to do.
Sarah: Don’t expect anything else from yourself. Set up what you can ahead of time and find someone else to do everything else that needs to be done. Establishing your breastfeeding relationship is your job.
Jen: Get a Netflix subscription and ignore the dirty dishes!
Danielle: Don’t do anything but rest, breastfeed, nap, and eat. Nothing else matters right now.
Abbey: Celebrate every success, no matter how small it seems!
Desiree: Find support! And be patient…it’s not always easy, but it’s most certainly worth it!
Sofia: Learn the basics! Before birth is possible! Proper latch, how milk supply works, most common myths about breastfeeding, how to know if your baby is getting enough, why it is REALLY important to feed on cue rather than a schedule, why baby doesn’t need ANYTHING else but your breastmilk, etc.
Amanda: Don’t give up! Get help and support! Spend as much time as you can with your baby (in bed if you can.)
Priscilla: Relax. Don’t listen to anyone that’s not helpful. Determine your own needs for comfort.
Joanna: Expect to care for your baby and get others to help with meals and housework.
Thanks to everyone who responded to our questions on our San Diego Breastfeeding Center and The Boob Group Facebook pages. Check back every Tuesday for a new Help a Mama Out tip!
To find an international board certified lactation consultant, visit www.ilca.org
Here are a few more articles on our website, specifically dealing with breastfeeding a newborn:
Advice for a Newly Breastfeeding Mama’s Partner
Breastfeeding Expectations for the First Month
Newborn Hands: Why are they always in the way while 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!
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.
Dear SDBFC,
What should a first-time expectant mother who wants to breastfeed expect at the (big, traditional) hospital in the way of breastfeeding support? It would be nice to know what we're allowed to expect/ ask for. Should the hospital lactation consultants be sufficient or should we plan on working with an independent LC right away? Is there anything we can do before birth to help ensure smoother breastfeeding?
Sincerely,
Jenny
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Jenny,
That is an excellent question, and to be honest very difficult to answer. The type of breastfeeding support you will find at a hospital will vary greatly depending on which part of the United States you live in, whether the hospital is Baby-Friendly, its yearly breastfeeding rates, if they have certified lactation consultants (IBCLCs) on staff, and if their postpartum nurses have had recent breastfeeding training. One hopes that the hospital lactation consultants will be fabulous, but that may not always be the case. Also, a new mom typically won’t even see a lactation consultant in the hospital unless she is high-risk for breastfeeding challenges or she asks for one directly.
