Blog

By Julia Beck

January 26

Nikki Little gave birth via C-section at 33 weeks to her sons Nolan and Evan, this after five-and-a-half weeks in the hospital on strict bed rest. The premature baby boys stayed in the NICU for an additional 13 days. During that time, Little, a director of social media at a Detroit-based firm, benefited from being able to work with a lactation consultant, had access to a pump and accessories in the hospital, and another rental pump once she left to go home. Little took an eight-month break from work and returned to her agency, which offers a private space for pumping.

The majority of her care, the care of the babies, her pumps, the lactation support, and the space to pump along with break times were all provided thanks to a single paragraph in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Boob Scoop: One of the toughest questions for a breastfeeding mother to answer is: How often does my baby breastfeed? It's a tricky question because breastfeed babies tend not to feed on fixed intervals or schedules, primarily because a baby does not receive the same amount of milk at each nursing session. Rather, she drinks just what she needs at each feed. In addition, the composition and volume of breastmilk changes throughout the day, so for one feeding a baby may drink 2 oz while for another she'll drink 4 oz, feeling equally satiated with each feed. More importantly, these breastmilk properties help babies self-regulate their feedings. That is, they feed until they feel content and slow down or de-latch from the breast once they are done. Learning to self-regulate by breastfeeding has been linked to a decrease in obesity in infancy and later on in life.

Sharen Medrano, IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)

Boob Scoop: Once your milk supply has leveled off, around week eight, you may find it difficult to pump extra breastmilk to build a freezer stash. This does not mean that you have a milk supply issue, but rather that your body has adjusted to produce the amount of milk that your baby needs. As you reach the point of producing just the right amount of milk for your baby, your breasts may not feel as full as in the early weeks. This too is normal. If breastfeeding has been going well and your baby is gaining steadily and her diaper output is good, your milk supply is also likely to be on point.

Sharen Medrano, IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)

From the 2010 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine

Yummy Mummy

Amanda Cole opened her store—part gear provider, part community support center—after having a difficult time breast-feeding her daughter. Apparently she wasn't the only one: The day before she opened Yummy Mummy last May, customers were pounding on the door. Cole carries all manner of nursing accoutrements, from the necessities (bras, ointments, pillows), to the kind of clothing mothers would wear even if they didn't need to (smock blouses and camis from Swedish line Boob, in particular). She also seeks out unusual items like a line of silicone compression underwear to help with C-section recovery. Though the store is a big breast-feeding advocate, it's not exclusionary—it stocks pumps and bottles and rents hospital-grade pumps ($40 a week, plus $15 for delivery). One or more times a day, the store transforms into a salon for weekly lactation classes, prenatal yoga and Pilates, and breast-feeding support groups.

It's such an honor to be the only retailer in NYC to carry Bravado Designs Limited Edition Essential Nursing Tank designed by celebrity designer Rebecca Minkoff. 20% of all sales will be donated to Jessica Seinfeld's charity Baby Buggy, dedicated to providing families in need across the US.

It's such an honor to be the only retailer in NYC to carry Bravado Designs Limited Edition Essential Nursing Tank designed by celebrity designer Rebecca Minkoff. 20% of all sales will be donated to Jessica Seinfeld's charity Baby Buggy, dedicated to providing families in need across the US.

By Sarah Kliff

January 4, 2013

The legislators who drafted Obamacare wrestled with cosmic issues of health and spending, but here’s one consequence they didn’t foresee: a boom in demand for breast pumps that has left some retailers scrambling to keep up.

Tucked within the Affordable Care Act is a provision requiring insurance companies to cover breast pumps and visits to lactation consultants at no cost to the patient.

Boob Scoop: Mothers will sometimes encourage their baby to feed longer at the breast to assure greater intake of hind milk, which is the fatty milk that comes at the end of a feeding. However, research indicates that there is no reason to worry about foremilk (which comes at the beginning) and hindmilk. If a baby breastfeeds effectively and feedings are not cut short, he will receive about the same amount of milk fat over the course of a day, despite the breastfeeding pattern. Therefore, there's no need to time feedings. Good milk transfer and steady growth are better indicators that a baby is getting just what he needs.

Sharen Medrano, IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)