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!

Burning Nipples

Common Concerns While Breastfeeding: Why are my nipples white?

Are you feeling a burning sensation in your nipples that creeps up into your breasts?  Does this happen most often IN BETWEEN feedings, rather than during your breastfeeding session?  Have you noticed that your nipples turn white as soon as your baby pulls off?

 

What you might be dealing with are vasospasms!

Raynaud’s syndrome, or a vasospasm, is a common phenomenon that affects up to 20% of women of childbearing age.  It was originally described as affecting the body’s extremities (hands and feet), but now has been described as affecting many other vessels, including the nipples.  The symptoms are often confused with thrush, as both cause a burning sensation in the nipples, yet they are completely different from one another. 

Thrush is a yeast infection that can be treated with antifungal treatments (see your article Common Concerns While Breastfeeding: Yikes!  Why are my nipples burning?).  Vasospasms are constrictions of the blood vessels that usually occur as a result of exposure to cold and are not an indication of an infection.  Vasospasms will not be resolved with antifungal treatments.