Chest/Breastfeeding
Robin Kaplan
Treating Cold and Flu Symptoms While ...

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.

Treating Cold and Flu Symptoms While Chest/Breastfeeding
Chest/Breastfeeding
Robin Kaplan
On-Demand vs. Scheduled Feeding: Which is Best ...

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.

On-Demand vs. Scheduled Feeding: Which is Best for Baby?
Chest/Breastfeeding
Robin Kaplan
Breastfeeding the Older Baby - What to Expect ...

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.

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

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.

Help! My baby won’t take a bottle!
Prenatal
Robin Kaplan
Building Your Lactation Team: Empower your ...
Building Your Lactation Team: Empower your Journey with Community and Family Support

Chest/Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding at 3-4 Months - It Can Look Very Different!

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.

Breastfeeding... It has to get easier, right???

Breastfeeding... It has to get easier, right???

When I started working with Galit 10 1/2 months ago, I knew immediately that she would be one of the most dedicated, hard-working, and comedic mothers I would ever encounter.  Her breastfeeding journey has been wrought with painful nipples, engorged breasts, and twins who had difficulties transferring milk.  It has also been blessed with sweet moments of tandem nursing, gaining an abundance of milk, and confidence to overcome any challenge that lay in her path.  Happy 1st birthday to your adorable boys, Galit, and happy 1st nursiversary to you!  You continually inspire me!  

Here is Galit’s story, in her own words!

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I had twins at 37 weeks 3 days who were 5.5 and almost 6 lbs (FRIGGING AMAZING) after preterm labor at 23 weeks and 4 months of bed rest!  I wanted nothing more than to provide for them and ensure their health. Breastfeeding started out pretty rough.  My colostrum was hard to obtain and milk took forever to come in.  We were told to supplement with formula to keep them out of the NICU (they lost weight after birth, as all babies do), so we obliged. We went home with two healthy boys after 4 days and they were with me the entire time!

Do's and Don’ts of Using the Nipple Shield

Do's and Don’ts of Using the Nipple Shield

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.

Breastfeeding After Breast Reduction - It IS 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.    

Using YouTube to Help Achieve Comfortable Breastfeeding Positions

Written by Ashley Treadwell, IBCLC

In the beginning, breastfeeding can feel somewhat awkward and uncomfortable as new moms learn how to get their baby properly latched on.  As an IBCLC, I see a lot of new moms breastfeeding their babies sitting straight up or hunched over, looking very uncomfortable.  Heck, I did this as a new mom myself!  I remember the constant aches in my neck and shoulders from sitting in contorted positions for long periods of time.  Breastfeeding is something moms do very frequently in the early weeks and months - it should be comfortable.

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It's Here! Our DIY Breastfeeding YouTube Channel

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Ever wish you could actually watch a mama breastfeed her baby in a laid-back position because you couldn't picture it in your mind from the blog article you just read?  Wonder how you can tell if your pump flanges are fitting correctly? Well, look no further!

Today, we are beyond excited to annouce our newest baby, DIY Breastfeeding!  

 

What is DIY Breastfeeding?

On our DIY Breastfeeding YouTube channel, you will find 2-3 minute instructional videos about different breastfeeding topics, ranging from positions to latching to pumping and more!  Each video was recorded with one of our lactation consultants and some super cute local moms and babies.  

 

Which topics will be included on DIY Breastfeeding?

A few months ago we started collecting video topics from all of you and your ideas were AWESOME!  We are proud to say that today we are launching our channel with 10 stellar videos fitting into 5 different categories. Here are our current categories:

  • Breastfeeding While Babywearing
  • Latching
  • Breastfeeding Position
  • Pumping Strategies
  • Breastfeeding Twins

Lastly, we would like to share a HUGE amount of gratitude to our DIY Breastfeeding partner, New Mommy Media!  Without Sunny's awesome video shooting and editing expertise, these videos would look completely amateur and out of focus!  Sunny, we adore you to pieces and we cannot wait to create more videos with you!

So head on over to DIY Breastfeeding!  Let us know what you think about the videos and share your ideas for additional topics/categories you would like for us to include.

Which other topics/categories would you like to see included? 

 

Podcast and Personal Stories about Tongue Ties and Lip Ties

Written by Robin Kaplan, M.Ed, IBCLC

Last week on The Boob Group, I had the esteemed pleasure of interviewing one of the most prominent experts on tongue ties and lip ties, Catherine Watson Genna.  Catherine has written multiple articles and books about the mechanics of the tongue while breastfeeding, as well as the breastfeeding challenges that can occur when a baby has a tongue or lip tie.  One of her earliest articles was written for the American Academy of Pediatrics, helping to bring awareness to this subject for the practitioners who babies see the most.

Click here to listen to The Boob Group's podcast episode: Tongue Ties and Lip Ties: Symptoms, Treatment, and Aftercare.

 

I’ve Had My Baby - Now What? Breastfeeding During months 2 through 6.

Written by Ashley Treadwell, IBCLC

Welcome back to our series, I’ve Had My Baby - Now What?   This is a guide with basic information to help you navigate the first days, weeks, and months of breastfeeding your new baby.  

Today we’d like to talk about months 2 through 6 of your baby’s life, and what breastfeeding looks like.  What can you expect for normal behavior from your new baby, and when do you know there’s a problem that you should seek professional help for?

You Know You Are a Breastfeeding Mother of a Toddler When....

Jenn: You can have a conversation with him WHILE he has a mouth full of boob!

Julie: Your boob is visibly lopsided because it’s full and you’re at the park so your kids is too distracted to nurse.

Tiffany: Your nipples start reminding you of Stretch Armstrong. 

Stacy: Your lap is full of toys and your toddler is dangling off the furniture while he eats.  You have to tell your utensil-obsessed kiddo that spoons are for the table, not mommy’s milk.  You laugh when people say that nursing a toddler is for YOUR benefits and not for the toddler.  They have obviously never tried to get a toddler to nurse who didn’t want to, or stop one who does.

Lindsay: Your toddler offers her mommy milk to her teddy bear, dolls, toy animals, and daddy.  It’s so nice she is willing to share!

Cat: They ask you to hold their cracker.

April: When he/she is hurt, the first words are, “Boob! Mommy! Boob!”

Julia: They announce, “That kid needs boo-boo” every time they hear a kid crying.

Laura: He’s dancing all over your chest, tummy, chair, the floor, the walls, the dog, WHILE nursing!

Colina: Nursing begins to feel more like a Cirque du Soleil performance.

Sarah: You see nothing wrong with sittin on the couch with your boobs hanging out for the quick ‘run by milking!’

Paula: After nursing you find gum on your nipple!

Laura: You are simultaneously a food source and a raceway for Matchbox cars.

Ariel: You get bras that are specifically padded to hide your nipples from twiddling hands.

Elisa: Your aren’t phased by nursing with a baby standing up!

Shannon: When you actually pray that he will sit and nurse longer than 4 minutes at a time so that you can rest for just a minute!

Cindy: You have to remind your kid to unlatch BEFORE walking away from you.... or jumping on the bed!

Ariel: When they know you’re touched out, so they ask for ‘just a little bit’ oh, so sweetly.

Kristin: They are constantly upside down.

Jamelle: Sometimes they just want to hug their boobies.  They play ‘Tune in Tokyo” on whichever one is not being used.

Lisa: When you can’t make it from the dining room table to the shower without a nursing break.

Maryjane: When they put your boobs away after nursing! (I actually really appreciate this one!)  When they tell YOU having milk (just a tiny little bit) will make them feel better.

 

Check out some of our fantastic articles about breastfeeding a toddler:

Toddler Nursing Part 1: How it Helped Me Manage My Circus

Toddler Nursing Part 2: Toddler vs. Breastfeeding

Toddler Nursing: Part 3: Super Breastfed Baby!

 

Check out some of our awesome podcasts about breastfeeding a toddler:

Breastfeeding Beyond Two Years

Breastfeeding Toddlers: Frequency, Biting, and Staying Motivated

Breastfeeding Toddlers: Night Nursing and Weaning

 

How would you finish the following sentence: You know you are a breastfeeding mom of a toddler when....

 

 

Advocating When Your Baby has a Tongue or Lip Tie

To help parents understand a bit more about how tongue and lip ties can affect breastfeeding, over the next few weeks we will be featuring stories from moms whose babies experienced these challenges.  We would like to extend a HUGE thank you to the brave mamas who submitted their stories for our blog!  We know you went through a ton of challenges and we are so appreciative that you were willing to share your stories!  If you have a story you would like to share on our blog, please send it to robinkaplan@sdbfc.com.

For more information about tongue and lip ties and how they can affect breastfeeding, please see our article: Does Your Baby Have a Tongue or Lip Tie?