Pregnancy

• Nursing Strike

  You and your baby have been happily nursing for several months. You have overcome the common problems nursing couples have in the early weeks, such as sore nipples or engorgement, and things are progressing nicely. Suddenly, he begins refusing the breast and seems quite unhappy about it.Is he weaning? Is he sick?Is there something wrong with your milk?

• Increasing Your Milk Supply

  Nearly all nursing mothers worry at one time or another about whether their babies are getting enough milk. Since we cant measure breastmilk intake the way we can formula intake, it is easy to be insecure about the adequacy of our milk supplies. The perception of insufficient breastmilk production is the most common reason mothers give for weaning or early introduction of solids or supplements. Although there is a very small percentage of women who cant produce enough milk no matter what they do, this is very rare.

• How can I tell if my newborn baby is getting enough milk?

  One of the biggest concerns that new mothers have is wondering if they will have enough milk for their babies. This concern is the most common reason for starting formula supplementation, and also for early weaning .We live in a society that puts a lot of emphasis on measuring everything, and many of us (and especially our mothers) were bottle-fed, so you knew exactly to the ounce how much milk the baby took in at each feeding.

• Flat or Inverted Nipples

  Mothers nipples come in many shapes and sizes.While most nipples protrude and are easy for baby to grasp, there are some variations in size and shape that make it difficult for them to nurse successfully. In order for a baby to nurse effectively, he must be able to grasp the nipple and stretch it forward and upward against the roof of his mouth. Flat or inverted nipples may make it difficult for your baby to nurse.

• Establishing Your Milk Supply: Starting Out Right

  While breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world, babies are not born knowing how to nurse (although some do get the hang of it sooner than others).The art of breastfeeding in something that you learn by doing, and it gets easier with practice. In the old days, young women grew up seeing their family members and friends nurse. In todays society, many women have never seen anyone nurse a baby.The idea of taking classes or reading books to learn about breastfeeding would have made our great-grandmothers laugh, but in todays world, it makes sense to learn as much as you can about breastfeeding before your baby is born. If possible, attend a prenatal breastfeeding class and attend La Leche League meetings during your pregnancy.

• Breastfeeding: Engorgement

  Breast fullness is a normal part of lactation which nearly all women experience when their milk comes in 2 5 days after birth.This feeling of fullness, which may be accompanied by a feeling of heaviness, tenderness, and warmth, is caused by swelling of the breast tissue as blood, lymphatic fluid, and milk collect in the ducts as the process of milk production begins. With this normal fullness, the breast tissue is compressible, and you generally feel well (you rarely have pain or fever).

• Drugs and Breastfeeding

  As the number of nursing mothers continues to increase, so does the use of drugs, both legal and recreational. As a nursing mother, you should be aware that there are three things we know for sure about drugs and breastmilk:

• Guidelines For Expressing Breastmilk

  There are many situations in which a mother may need to pump milk from her breasts. Some are short term for example, occasional separations, mother on medication incompatible with breastfeeding, breast engorgement, severe nipple soreness, or increasing milk supply. Some are long term a premature hospitalized infant, or regular separations such as those encountered with returning to work or school. Whatever your reasons for expressing your milk, certain tools and techniques can help you be successful in obtaining the milk you need and maintaining your milk supply.