There is no need to get your eyes checked out if you notice changes in the color of your breastmilk! In general, human milk tends to be clear or have a bluish tint when it first starts to flow and becomes more creamy and white by the end of a pumping or nursing session. In addition, certain foods, herbs, nutritional supplements and medications can change the milk's color to shades of pink, orange, red, brown, green and even black. Although the colors may be strange to see, the changes in the color of breastmilk are usually diet-related and not at all dangerous.

Boob Scoop: After months of pumping and washing bottles, at the end of each workday, a mom may be ready to hang up the pump but want to continue breastfeeding. If you're not ready to wean but are ready to ditch the pump, this piece is for you! ttp://hygeiainc.com/im-not-ready-to-wean-my-baby-but-im-ready-to-ditch-the-pump/#sthash.CHA5Y6aN.6jvqFJlQ.dpbs.

Right about when a mom feels she has hit her stride with breastfeeding, her baby will experience a growth spurt and instead make her second guess if breastfeeding is going well at all. Growth spurts are described as a time when a baby pops off and on the breast, nurses more often than usual and seems fussier. These spurts tend to to happen around 7-10 days, 2-3 weeks, 4-6 weeks, 3 months, 4 months, 6 months and 9 months. Remembering your baby's age on days when he or she exhibits growth spurt behaviors can greatly help to ease your mind.

When looking to increase your supply, pump 30-60 minutes after a feed. This informs your body that another feeding is occuring and therefore communicates to your body that more breastmilk is needed. If your baby decides to feed shortly after you've pumped, remember that your breasts are never fully empty. Although the milk flow may be slower, he will still find milk.

Storing breastmilk in your freezer for an emergency can put your mind at ease and come in handy on a day when you miss a pumping session at work. However, pulling from the emergency stash on a consistent basis can have an adverse effect on milk supply since it may mean that you are pumping less times and making up for the milk your baby needs by pulling from the emergency stash. Maintaining milk supply is dependent on how many times you drain your breasts in 24 hours. So if your body receives less signals for milk removal it will naturally cut down production so that you don't feel uncomfortable.

Mothers often wonder how they will ever get to pump enough milk to fill up 8oz bottles, especially when returning to work. The reality is that most breastfeeding mothers won't ever pump that amount, so go ahead and sigh in relief. The reason for this is that after the first month, milk volume stays about the same, increasing somewhat during times of growth spurts, but instead changes in composition. The change in composition is the key element. Unique to breastmilk is the fact that it changes according to a baby's age. Remarkable, right? So although your baby is getting about the same in volume, from the end of month 1- 6, your breastmilk is continuously adjusting in composition to meet her growing and developmental needs. This is great news for protecting a baby's size by providing her with the right amount of food, without over stretching her belly. This is in fact, part of the reason why breastfed babies are at a lower risk for obesity throughout their childhood and later on in life.

Breastfeeding doesn't have to keep you from getting back into your exercise routine. Nursing and exercise can actually work hand-in-hand to keep you healthy and energized enough to care for your baby. Here are responses to the common questions related to exercise and breastfeeding.

Moms returning to work often worry about not having enough milk saved in their freezer. The good news is that the only day you need to plan for, some days in advance, is your first day back at work. Therefore, two weeks before returning, pump one time each day after a morning feeding, when milk supply is the highest, and place your pumped milk in your freezer. On average, breastfeed babies drink one ounce per hour, so caculate the amount you will need for day one based on the number of hours you will be away from your baby. Pumping two weeks in advance is likely to result in enough breastmilk but if you rather have some extra, begin pumping sooner. Finally, once you're back at work, not only will you be pumping for the breastmilk your baby will drink the next day, but pumping will also keep your production steady.

If your breastfed baby is not gaining as quickly as the early months, it is very likely that she is still growing beautifully. Between six and 12 months, breastfed babies tend to gain two to four ounces a week, which is a drop from the five to eight ounces gained in the first few months. Also, remember that a linear growth pattern is always more important than a baby's percentile on a growth chart. Therefore, a baby on the 10th percentile can be as healthy as one on the 90th.

'Tis the season for colds. However, you don't need to stop breastfeeding when sick. It's especially important to continue nursing since your body creates and passes antibodies into your milk in order to fight the infection you or your baby are experiencing. Oftentimes, a breastfed baby will be the only member of the family who doesn't get sick or the one to get a milder version of the bug. Breastfeeding also allows you to get the needed rest to recover since you can feed while in bed. A win-win scenario!