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Demystifying Midwives

Contributed by Risa Klein, CNM, OB/GYN NP, M.S.

You’re newly pregnant and it’s time to find the right health care provider to take care of you and your gestating baby. Or perhaps this is your second or third pregnancy and you feel it’s time for a new provider. You’ve heard about midwives and want to know more about what they do, and any benefits that you could experience if you hire one. Here’s the scoop on working with a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) or Certified Midwife (CM). 

Boob Scoop: Mothers are often advised to pump after feedings in order to establish good milk supply. Although this may make sense for some, (because stimulation usually means more supply), pumping after every feed can actually can create an oversupply of breastmilk in many moms. An oversupply can make it very difficult for a baby to nurse (overflowing milk and breasts so engorged that nipples can flatten) and cause the mother to feel engorged and uncomfortable. Pumping after feedings may be advisable for some mothers but certainly not for all. It is always best to consult a Board Certified Lactation Consultant for concerns regarding milk supply.

Sharen Medrano, IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)

Boob Scoop: With the Fall and the season of light pretty scarfs approaching in much of the country, nursing in public can be made much easier. Although you are allowed to breastfeed wherever you have the right to be, some moms feel more comfortable providing some cover to the top of their breast. This is when a light scarf, draped around your neck, can come in handy to provide some cover while allowing you to show off your style ;)

Sharen Medrano, IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)

Your Emotional Well-being Postpartum/Raising Awareness about Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders:

Contributed by Dr. Laura Venuto, a psychologist in New York City specializing in maternal mental health.  She has a private practice on the Upper East Side.

Feeling exhausted? Irritable? Anxious? You’re not alone.  While the postpartum period can be a wonderful and exciting time for some mothers, for others, it is an emotionally challenging experience. Too often, this period of time is romanticized by the media and women whose children are grown, as they seem to have blocked out all of the memories of sleep deprivation, explosive diapers, financial and/or marital stress that often come with parenthood.  

Boob Scoop: When showering, plain water is sufficient to keep the nipple and areola clean. During lactation, natural oils are secreted from the tiny glands on the areola which prevent bacteria from breeding. Soaps can mask or remove the natural oils, which the infant uses as a way to locate the breast. In addition, rubbing some expressed milk on the nipple and air-drying after nursing is also beneficial thanks to breastmilk's anti-infective properties.

Sharen Medrano, IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)

Boob Scoop: Pediatricians advise parents to wean their baby off the bottle by the end of the first year, in part, because long-term bottle drinking can damage a baby's teeth. The one-year recommendation is not applicable to breastfeeding. In fact, among many other benefits, a longer duration of breastfeeding is linked to better oral development. During breastfeeding the unique motion performed by the tongue and jaw help to ensure that the palate develops in a rounded U-shape, which allows for proper teeth alignment. Having a U-shaped palette also decreases the likelihood of snoring and sleep apnea later on in life.

Sharen Medrano, IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)

Boob Scoop: Although it may seem more manageable to pump one breast at a time, double pumping tends to yield more milk since a mother's Prolactin levels are highest when both breasts are stimulated. Another way to boost your Prolactic level? Nurse your baby on one side while you pump the other breast. This tip is especially helpful for moms whose babies feed from one breast per feeding. The breastmilk accumulated from the pumped side can be saved to build an emergency stash in your freezer.

Sharen Medrano, IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)

Boob Scoop: Almost all babies will spit up after some feedings. If your breastfed baby is gaining weight well and has good urine and stool output (6-8 wet ones and at least 3 bowel movements in 24 hours; in babies over 6 weeks old, fewer bowel movements are normal), then spitting up is more of a laundry problem than a medical issue. Most healthy babies will outgrow the spitting up stage within 4-6 months. For tips on how to minimize spit up and to help determine if the spitting up is, in fact, NOT just a laundry problem, check out this helpful link: http://kellymom.com/health/baby-health/reflux/

Sharen Medrano, IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)

Mother’s Milk Sangria Style Iced Tea to Beat the Summer Heat

Contributed by Mary Ausman of Yummy Mummy, and proud mother of two.

As the weather gets warmer, we all know how important it is to stay hydrated - especially for new moms who are nursing. Hydrating is important to keep up milk supply and for overall health.  One of my friends has come up with a brilliant way to take care of both - a Mother's Milk Iced Tea Sangria. 

Boob Scoop: When you begin to offer your baby solids, you may want to consider breastfeeding first and then offering the solid food. Breastfeeding first helps to keep milk supply steady, follows the recommendation that breastmilk remain the primary source of nutrition during the first year and reinforces a solids rule of thumb: Solids before one, is mostly just for fun! For more great info. on starting solids, visit: https://breastfeedingusa.org/content/article/when-best-time-start-my-baby-foods-other-breastmilk/

Sharen Medrano, IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)