Recent Articles
Caloric Needs for Successful Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is a wonderful and natural way to nourish and bond with your newborn baby. As a breastfeeding mother, it is important to understand that your body requires additional calories to produce an adequate milk supply and maintain your own health. Proper nutrition and meeting your caloric needs are vital for the successful breastfeeding journey.
Does Breast Size or Shape Affect Breastfeeding?
Did you know that breast size is not directly proportional to milk production? What really matters is the glandular tissue, milk ducts, and alveoli that form after conception.
Hands-Free Breast Pumps: A Guide to the Best Options
Hands-Free Breast Pumps: A Guide to the Best Options
There are many different hands-free breast pumps on the market, so it can be tough to decide which one is right for you. This article provides a guide to some of the most popular options, including the Willow, Elvie, Baby Buddha, MomCozy M5, and Medela Freestyle Hands-Free. When choosing a hands-free breast pump, it's important to consider your needs and budget. If you're looking for a discreet pump that you can use in public, the Elvie or Willow are great options. If you need a powerful pump that can help you pump a lot of milk at once, the Baby Buddha is a great choice. And if you're on a tight budget, the MomCozy M5 is a great option. No matter which hands-free breast pump you choose, make sure to do your research and read reviews before you make a purchase.
Which Breast Pump Is Best For Me?
Best Breast Pumps for New Moms: A Comparison
There are many different breast pumps on the market, and it can be tough to decide which one is right for you. This article compares five of the most popular pumps, including the Medela Pump In Style, Spectra S2 Plus, Motif Luna, Evenflo Advanced Double Electric Breast Pumps, and Lansinoh Smartpump 2.0. We look at factors such as price, features, ease of use, and customer reviews to help you make the best decision for your needs.
Read on to learn more about the best breast pumps for new moms!
Updated Research: Do I Have a Plugged Duct?
Plugged ducts and mastitis are prevalent breastfeeding conditions affecting up to 20% of women. These conditions cause breast pain and discomfort, impacting long-term breastfeeding goals. Effective management and treatment of these conditions are essential to minimize pain and discomfort and maintain breastfeeding.
Updated Research: How to Manage Engorgement
Breastfeeding can be as challenging as it is beneficial for mother and child, particularly in the first few weeks. One of the greatest challenges that a breastfeeding mother can face is engorgement. Most breastfeeding mothers will have experienced engorgement at some stage in their breastfeeding journeys.
Updated Research: Do I have Mastitis?
Previously, mastitis was always associated with a bacterial infection. However, science has taught us that it can occur because of several factors, including ductal narrowing, inflammation, edema, disruption of the microorganisms in the milk, and bacteria. Mastitis often occurs in the first three weeks after childbirth, but may occur at any stage of lactation.
A Guide To Pumping
The life of any breastfeeding mom usually involves pumping at some point, whether creating a freezer stash for emergencies, providing milk when the baby is not with her, or simply so other family members can take on some feedings by bottle. This topic can feel confusing and complicated, so we have broken down some of the most common questions that arise.
When Should I Start Eliminating a Feed?
Nursing strikes, introducing solids, and spacing out feedings can all be tricky when nursing your baby. In addition, as they grow, the schedule you were accustomed to is suddenly different. So, when do you start eliminating feeds?
How Supplementing Helps Some Moms Breastfeed Longer
It’s most breastfeeding moms’ goal to be able to provide all the nourishment their little one needs from latching at the breast alone, but like many things in life, the ideal plan isn’t what always comes to fruition. Some moms that have been around the breastfeeding block before are familiar with the term “triple feeding,” and most let out groans of displeasure when they hear it. It’s no secret that adding extra steps to the feeding routine can be a monumental amount of work. So what is supplementing anyway, and how can it be used to your benefit?
Why Some Moms Don’t Breastfeed
It’s no secret that most moms say that the actual act of breastfeeding is much more challenging than they originally anticipated. According to the CDC, 83% of parents intend to breastfeed their babies when they are born, but only 24% of mothers manage to exclusively breastfeed their babies by the six-month mark.
How To Maximize Milk Volume When Pumping
Pumping is a part of pretty much every breastfeeding mom's routine, whether that occurs on a daily basis at work, to boost supply, or just to create an emergency stockpile for the freezer. Since our schedules are already busy enough, every mom hopes to be as effective as possible with pumping efforts to get the most bang for her buck! So what are the things we can do to get the most milk volume when pumping?
Surviving the Holidays
As a mother, this exciting and busy time of the year can be a bit anxiety-evoking or worrisome as we gather with family and friends. Often this means that we need set boundaries for our children, ensure their safety, and remind them not to upset Aunt Jo. These extra chores all add to our already-full plates.
Why An App?
Vanessa’s vision has materialized in the development of the Leva App. One of the most well-rounded and inclusive baby apps on the market to date, the app:
Tracks breastfeeding, including which side the mother is feeding from and how long the feeding session lasts.
Tracks pumping sessions and bottle feedings.
Tracks diaper counts, including wet and dirty diapers, and consistency and color of the stool to give moms an idea of whether their baby is feeding well.
Has a milestone tracker. It provides information on what milestones babies should reach and at what age (according to the CDC), and provides advice on what to do if their baby is not achieving the milestones.
Has over 200+ high-quality, well-researched, and science-backed articles written by lactation consultants, pediatricians, doctors, physical therapists, psychologists, and career coaches.
Provides access to real one-on-one help with live consultants and coaches.
Provides on-demand video content developed by experts.
My Breastfeeding Journey - Dealing With a Tongue Tie and High Palate
With little National Health System (NHS) support, I hired a private lactation consultant to visit our home and watch a feed. I will never forget the devastation I felt when we learned my son had a tight posterior tongue tie and high palate (which was missed by several healthcare professionals). No wonder he couldn’t extract milk and was so distressed at the breast!
Lactation Success Story #3: Bottles for Mom’s Mental Health
I often hear mothers think of breastfeeding as the first and primary step in taking care of their child- it establishes a sense of being a good mother or not right off the bat. However, many don’t realize that being a good mother comes from many facets beyond just a feeding plan! If you love, nurture, and care for your baby, you are indeed a good mom, no matter how you choose to feed!
Lactation Success Story #2: Bottle Preference
I recently worked with a mom in the hospital who let me know right off the bat that she wanted to avoid bottles at all costs in the first few weeks. This is a general recommendation that I offer to all my clients since introducing the bottle before breastfeeding is well established can lead to a bottle preference and issues latching at the breast.
Lactation Success Story #1: The 35-Week Twins
I recently worked with a first-time mom who delivered her twin girls at 35 weeks - 5 weeks early! It’s common for twins to come a little early, and sometimes they take a trip to the NICU, but not these girls! They got to stay with mom the entire 4 days they were in the hospital after their c-section delivery.
The Benefits of Hand Expression
One of the most important things that I teach new parents during every single one of my consultations is hand expression. Hand expression refers to the manual removal of colostrum/milk using your hands rather than directly latching your baby or using a pump.
Feeding on Demand
Unfortunately for all the type-A people that love a scheduled plan, babies don’t feed based on a timed schedule but instead need to be fed on demand. That means they may want to eat every hour for a while and then space out feedings to every 4 hours at other times. The recommendation is that you feed your baby whenever they indicate that they are hungry.