If you've ever had a milk blister on your nipple, you most likely remember how painful one can be. Like a paper cut, it makes you wonder how something so small could hurt so much! Improper latching and an oversupply are the most common causes of milk blisters. Here's a helpful overview on what they are and ways to treat them: http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/nipplebleb/
Boob Scoop: The number of times a mom empties her breasts each day to maintain long-term milk production has been called her "Magic Number." If a mom is not nursing enough times in a 24-hour period to meet her Magic Number, her body will eventually down-regulate milk production and her supply will decrease. For working mothers, more breastfeeding at night means more nursing sessions in a 24-hour period, which in turn could mean less pumping sessions needed while mom is at work. For help on figuring out your magic number, click here ttp://www.nancymohrbacher.com/blog/2010/8/13/the-magic-number-and-long-term-milk-production-part-1.html
Sharen Medrano, Yummy Mummy Support Group IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)
Boob Scoop: Mothers often delay a dental visit because they're concerned that if they receive local anesthesia, the medication will be passed onto their breastmilk. However, most medications used for oral and IV sedation are considered compatible with breastfeeding. Therefore, there is no need to interrupt breastfeeding after receiving novocaine or other local anesthesias, such as bupivacaine and lidocaine. In addition, Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) sedation is also compatible with breastfeeding because it is insoluble in the bloodstream. That is, once administered, it goes from your brain to your lungs, to the room air, immediately after you stop ingesting it.
Sharen Medrano, Yummy Mummy Support Group IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)
Boob Scoop: Massaging the breasts and gently shaking them prior to a pumping session can help you increase pumping output since both aid in moving breastmilk towards the front of the breasts. Another effective way to increase output is to use manual expression after your pumping flow stops. Your hands tend to do a better job than the pump at extracting the breastmilk that comes at the end of a pumping session since the hand motion involved during manual expression is more similar to a baby's suck. In the end, all three methods (massaging, gently shaking and hand expressing) promote better milk removal, which in turn leads to increased milk production.
Sharen Medrano, Yummy Mummy Support Group IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)
Boob Scoop: Some mothers may notice their expressed milk will have a “soapy” appearance and a taste/smell that becomes sour-smelling rather quickly after being stored. This results from an excess of the enzyme lipase in their milk and only affects a small percentage of mothers. Lipase is responsible for breaking down the fat in breastmilk. If there is an excess of Lipase, then the fat gets broken down too quickly after being expressed, and results in the soapy appearance and sour smell described above. The milk is not harmful and most babies are not bothered by the mild change. However, the longer the milk sits in room temperature, the more apparent the taste/smell becomes to the baby, which of course, may result in more aversion. For more information, check out this helpful link: http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/lipase-expressedmilk
Sharen Medrano, Yummy Mummy Support Group IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)
Boob Scoop: The return of your period does not mean the end of breastfeeding. During menstruation, breastmilk does not "go bad" or become less nutritious. Some women do notice a temporary drop in milk supply in the days prior to a period and for a few days into one, due to hormonal fluctuations. However, once menstruation begins and hormone levels return to normal, milk supply will boost back up again. Most babies can compensate well for this temporary drop in supply with more frequent nursing.
Sharen Medrano, Yummy Mummy Support Group IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)
Boob Scoop: Mothers are often surprised when their growing baby is feeding just as much as they did in the early months. It's important to remember that breastfeeding is more than just a means to acquire food. As your growing baby becomes more aware of his surroundings and is exposed to new experiences, breastfeeding remains a familiar activity, and therefore a comforting one. The numerous experiences of being close to his mother - hearing her voice, smelling her unique scent, receiving the comfort of her warm milk and the biologically specific components of human milk - all work in unison to create the ideal environment for the development and healthy growth of a baby. It's no wonder that breastfeeding is often referred to as a total package mothering tool. http://yummymummystore.com/blog/ Sharen Medrano, Yummy Mummy Support Group IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)
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/
Breast storage capacity refers to how much breastmilk a mother can hold in her breasts in between feedings. Storage capacity is not determined by breast size, although breast size can certainly limit the amount of milk that can be stored. A mother with a larger milk storage capacity may be able to go longer between feedings, without impacting milk supply and her baby’s growth. A mother with a smaller storage capacity, however, may need to nurse her baby more often to satisfy her baby’s appetite and maintain milk supply, since her breasts will become full quicker. In the end, either capacity can allow a mother to produce enough breastmilk for her baby.
Concise and practical information is usually all mothers need to get breastfeeding off to a good start. You'll be happy to have read this excellent piece if you're due soon. http://fullbellysisters.blogspot.com/2011/08/five-things-you-can-do-during-your.html
Sharen Medrano, Yummy Mummy Support Group IBCLC (www.nycbreastfeeding.com)
