Tongue Tie: More than “Just” a Breastfeeding Problem

 

Tongue-tied newborn

Tongue-tied newborn

Let’s assume for a moment that breastfeeding is not important. That the oral development that breastfeeding provides is inconsequential. We will ignore, for just a moment, the fact that the act of breastfeeding helps develop the baby’s jaw, his facial muscles and properly shapes the palate to make room for his future teeth. We’ll ignore all of that so that I can give you a few other reasons to agree to have your baby’s frenulum clipped. Just in case the possibility of pain free, effective breastfeeding is not a good enough reason for you.

The reason I’m being just a bit sarcastic is because there are plenty of health care professionals out there who do not “believe in” freeing a tongue tied baby’s tongue “just” so he can breastfeed. “After all,” they say, “..you can just feed your baby pumped milk or formula from a bottle.” Continue reading

Breastfeeding Diet Quiz (Updated, 12/18)

This is a test! Please read the following statements and respond “true” or “false” to each one.

1. If I breastfeed, I have to eat a bland diet.

2. If I eat broccoli, my baby will have gas.

 3.  If I have a glass of wine, I have to “pump and dump.”

4.  I cannot drink coffee while breastfeeding.

5.  If I eat chocolate, my breastfed baby will get diarrhea. Continue reading

Nipple Confusion…Really?

I have never, in all my years of breastfeeding help, seen a case of nipple confusion. There, I said it. For many years I thought I saw it. I bought the whole concept that introduction of bottles too early would cause a baby to reject his mother’s breast. That somehow the baby would get “confused” and suddenly not know how to breastfeed.

So what made me change my tune? The babies themselves. They proved to me over and over again that the idea of nipple confusion is nonsense. They showed me that they are infant mammals and that mammals are hard-wired to do this thing we call breastfeeding. And they showed me that they are born to be adaptable and perfectly capable of adjusting to a wide variety of challenges that life doles out on a daily basis. Continue reading

Alcohol and Breastfeeding Updated, 8/20

photoIt is well known that alcohol consumption during pregnancy can harm the developing fetus. The placenta is not a barrier for toxic substances and even moderate drinking can cause devastating brain damage. But what about breastfeeding? Does that glass of wine you enjoyed with dinner pass into your breast milk? Do you need to be cautious about drinking alcohol?

The short answer is “yes.” The alcohol you consume enters your bloodstream almost immediately and, therefore, is in your milk rather quickly. Even though the alcohol does transfer to your milk, the amount of alcohol your baby experiences is much less than the amount you drink. Unlike the placenta, the breast provides some protection from most toxins in your bloodstream. According to Dr. Thomas Hale, the dose of alcohol in milk is less than 16% of the mother’s dose. Continue reading

Breastfeeding Hurts and Other Painful Myths!

10589976_622164521361_290742170_nThese are things that I see or read every day: From my clients, from professionals and websites focusing on newborn issues. I know that one post cannot squash these myths completely, but if this helps just a few moms obtain correct information, I’ll be very happy! Each one of these statements could be an entire post. As time goes on, I hope to link each myth with a thorough explanation as to why it’s a myth. But for now, read these and remember they are MYTHS!

Breastfeeding is painful for the first few weeks.

You must pump after every feeding in order to have enough milk.

Engorgement is normal and is a sign that everything is going well.

Continue reading