So, How is the Baby Sleeping?

by KimberlyB

This is one of my favorite questions. It smacks of the sense that there is a right answer. Not only will the door allowing advice swing wide if you answer incorrectly, but the question clearly falls into the veiled competition category. No one really cares how your baby is sleeping except you, your husband and your mother.

As a breastfeeding mother, you may find yourself suffering from sleep deprivation long after the rest of your friends have started getting out of their pajamas before noon. Since breastmilk protein is smaller than cow’s milk protein, from which most formula is based, it is more easily digested and therefore, does not hold baby’s appetite for as long. Frequent nursing is also designed to help build a sufficient supply and in the early days, ensures that baby will nurse often to flush out bilirubin and “practice” before mother’s milk comes in.

Generally, baby’s sleep cycles become more adult at around four months. This does not mean they will go to bed at 8 pm and sweetly call your name at 8 am the following day. A newborn likely has one lengthy stretch of sleep lasting about five hours. Ideally, this lovely nap is saved for nighttime and sometimes you can encourage this with swaddling or someone other than mom doing the soothing. Even at this age, breastfed babies will likely still nurse at least twice during the night.

Another important part of nighttime sleep is sleep during the day. Sleep begets sleep and while it will seem like an easy bedtime if you skip the daytime nap, it does not bode well for the remainder of the night or perhaps the next day. Fatigue actually sets up a caveman-like reaction of revving the body up to protect it when tired, hence the “Power Hour” if a child gets overtired. Naps generally dwindle as the baby ages, but if you are disciplined, and sprinkle on some luck, your child will continue to nap through their pre-school years. Hold onto those naps, like you do the feel of your baby’s fat wrists, for as long as you can.

When people ask that loaded question, “How is the baby sleeping?” the best answer is “Like a baby.” And when your dear husband wakes up after sleeping all night and asks, “Honey! Did the baby sleep through the night?” remember how you’ve always loved him for his optimism.

January 20, 2010   No Comments

Anti-Antibiotics? Let it Go When Facing Mastitis

by KimberlyB

When facing breast infection issues, it is important to know the differences between a plugged duct and a bacterial infection. A plugged duct comes on gradually, may shift in location with little or no warmth in the area. Pain is mild and localized with a temperature lower than 101F. A breast infection comes on suddenly, is localized, with redness and swelling, pain is intense and flu-like symptoms are accompanied by a temperature of 101F or higher.

The mastitis mantra is rest, rest, rest but this begins beforehand. Plugged ducts are often the first sign that you are doing too much. It is difficult to relax and slow down but a plugged duct is a message from the universe or God, or whomever you wish to hear it from, that the time is now. An untreated infection steals time away from life’s responsibilities quicker than rest during the day. Sleep when baby sleeps. Lie down in an older child’s room, lock the door and let them play while mommy has a time-out. Feeling guilty, like you’re not doing enough and need to keep at it? Burning 500 calories a day just lactating is doing enough, sister.

Though rare and only occurring in a small percentage of women with infectious mastitis (one of them a family member), breast abscess is a potential effect of untreated mastitis. It is serious and painful and requires immediate medical attention as it must be aspirated or surgically drained. Then it is followed by a course of antibiotics. Wouldn’t a simple course of antibiotics to begin with be a better choice?

Antibiotics are often the only option when dealing with an infection and thank goodness they are available to us. Most antibiotics are safe to take while nursing. This information can be verified with your doctor, your pharmacist, a non-emergency call to Poison Control and/or by calling upon your local La Leche League International Leader to look up any medication in Dr. Hale’s Medications and Mother’s Milk. To combat intestinal tract upset, eat yogurt or add your favorite probiotics product to your daily regimen. Continue rebuilding your gut’s healthy bacteria after your antibiotics course is finished to keep your immune system armed and ready.

Mamas with plugged ducts and mastitis need to tap their inner vigilante with one eye on the worst case scenario. It is not worth waiting it out and having to deal with something worse down the road.

January 15, 2010   No Comments

New Year’s Time

by KimberlyB

Another year has passed and one of my resolutions is to manage my time better. This is a never-ending, excruciatingly difficult thing to do. I often feel like I am running in place and though I am constantly busy with laundry and kitchen clean-up, with the re-mess-up immediately following, nothing ever seems to be done. Part of this feeling is our sense that the “things” we are supposed to do should already be done - that somehow if anyone witnesses us doing our “things” we are somehow disorganized, behind, not properly managing our time. Don’t you just love those commercials where mothers are reading a book while the washing machine is spinning quietly and the baby in the bouncy seat is sleeping? Where is the rest of the laundry? How about the ironing? Mending? Do people mend anymore? Where is the ream of paper from the elementary school? Is that baby in the bouncy seat actually sleeping? How much did they pay that baby to do that?

One of the best things about breastfeeding is the inescapable sit-your-bum-down-time. When our babies declare the need for some mama time, we must respond and relax and slow down, letting the little hand pat us, letting the little mouth smile at us, letting the Prolactin, or “mothering” hormone, wash over us and make us better mommies. This is a major component in the importance of the nursing relationship. Breastfeeding is much more than just providing nutrition. These are future people we are nurturing and when we stop the whirlwind of life to be with them it is as if we can stop time. Though trying to stop time is not an effective way to manage it, it is important to remember that life gives us many chances to slow things down and enjoy the moments but we have to pay attention to notice them. Life’s responsibilities are akin to running in place. You cannot get ahead because they are always there, waiting to be done. If you spend life believing that you can get ahead, you will miss the moments when time seems to stop. These are the moments when we actually accomplish something and we are truly making progress. When we gaze into our children’s eyes, giggle at their giggles, or get goosebumps from their wee cuddles we solidify their humanness, their conscience. By taking advantage of these moments it makes it all the easier to manage the whirlwind. Allowing yourself to revel in the nothingness of joy with your child, will give you all the gumption you need to tackle cleaning up the kitchen again.

January 6, 2010   1 Comment

The Teething Baby And Breastfeeding

by LisaC

A baby with teeth or teething can be intimidating  to a first time breastfeeding mother. Many are concerned abut the baby biting and though breastfeeding is highly recommended through the first year and preferable through age 2 and beyond the truth is that teeth and teething can be a fearsome thing to a breastfeeding mom who has already overcome so many challenges to sustain her breastfeeding commitment.

The truth of the matter is, if baby is latched on to the breast properly  then biting should is not only not a problem but nearly impossible.. The baby’s mouth is opened wide and their tongue is on top of the bottom teeth. This  position is typical of a proper latch on and short of biting his own tongue first, baby will find it impossible to bite.

However if the baby’s gums are sore due to teething then the baby may try and squirm around to a different position to avoid a sore spot on the gums and incidentally making for a poor latch. In that case biting could be an issue.  A cool washrag, or frozen teething toy before feeding can help numb the baby’s sensitive gums and allow for maintaining a proper latch.

Over the counter teething preparations should only be used with the advice of a physician as they can numb the mouth enough to make feeding difficult for the baby and can even be transferred to mom’s nipple.

Another issue that is sometimes encountered with teething babies is that moms have been known to give the teething baby a sippy cup to chew on and drink from. Though this does relieve the infant’s need to chew and bite which is natural, it also can encourage bad dining habits, something mothers avoid at anytime but especially breastfeeding mothers.

In spite of everything a mom can do a baby’s teeth may leave marks on the areola (not bites but indentations). In that case positioning is all important. Make sure the baby has a wide open mouth. You may have to gently remind him to open wider, and make sure he is positioned well and supported well during nursing. If a baby slides downward during feeding that can cause his upper teeth to press into the breast and though a minor irritant it is one that is easily avoided.

Teething is a particular stage at which many mothers previously dedicated to breastfeeding consider weaning their baby. It’’s not necessary with a little persistence and care, breastfeeding can continue with perfect comfort for mom and all the benefits for baby.

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September 10, 2009   No Comments

The Role Of Dad In Breastfeeding

by LisaC

We put a lot of effort into supporting a mother and supporting her role in breastfeeding her baby, and quite rightly so. Mom is the source of milk and normally the primary caregiver for a baby because so many of his early needs have to do with feeding. it is her commitment that permits healthy breastfeeding to continue in the face of many obstacles.

However, a supportive dad is a big part of the parenting team and his efforts can help a mother to sustain the breastfeeding commitment as well as nurture their infant.
All too often when dealing with breastfeeding issues we tend to leave out the other half of the team - dad. It seems in our culture we sometimes expect fathers to magically bond with their children from across the room just because they don’t produce milk. A bond between father and child is not established by some mystical means the moment a child becomes old enough to play football as our culture sometimes appears to indicate. This bond is built from the earliest stages onward.

Dads can be involved in many ways as a parent for breastfed children from the very earliest stages. Though a father is not carrying around the built-in pacifier that mom does with her breasts, they can be a great source of comfort and provide interaction for the baby as well as give mother a few minutes rest.

In fact, in order to support a strong marriage, and the team parenting concept it is important to get dad involved as early as possible. How much dad is involved, and in what roles, will depend upon the individuals and what they are comfortable with and of course on their lifestyle.

For instance, regular stimulation of the nipples is important to maintain and build breast milk supply, but especially with working mothers, there comes a point when the nighttime feedings have become a burden. If the infant is of an age to be able to go several hours without feeding this is a perfect opportunity for further parental interaction for the involved dad in either the role of comforter to put baby back to sleep or to feed the infant from a bottle or cup.

If mom is working, then baby has already been introduced to an alternate means of feeding like a bottle or a sip a cup. Some couples have dad give the midnight feeding with breast milk that has been pumped and stored earlier. This gets dad directly involved and will also teach him the basics of handling pumped and stored breast milk. The idea here is to give a mother a few solid hours of sleep that she might not ordinarily get.this also provide the perfect bonding time for the father and the infant and establishes the father as a nurturer in the infant’s mind.This is not normally a good idea during the first few weeks after birth, but can work well for some parents after the infant is a few months old.

In other circumstances the parents may decide to avoid bottle feeding at any time even late night feeding. in that case, dad can get up in the middle of the night, when the hungry infant awakens and that perhaps change the baby’s diaper and bring them to the 24 hour buffet a that is mother. Doing this serves two purposes, as it establishes dad as a source of comfort and allows the mother an extra little bit of rest time.

Having dad give the occasional bath under the watchful eye of even the most nervous mother is another way to establish comfort in handling the infant for dad and permitting bonding that might not easily take place in our culture’s traditional mother and father roles.

The baby has many needs outside of diapers and feeding as they grow and the involved dad can participate by supplying many of these needs and providing relief for a stressed or tired mother, and of course the necessary interaction and bonding for a lifelong relationship between father and child.

Breastfeeding is not something dad can do but his involvement with an infant’s care especially during stressful times for mom will help establish his role as a nurturer and it will also support the concept of teamwork in parenting.

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August 4, 2009   No Comments