Low Milk Supply: “Mindset Shifts” (Guest Post)

Having low milk supply can be very difficult for people –especially when they’ve always wanted to breastfeed. People will do almost anything to increase supply. They research formula, learn about things like “refill rate,” supplementation methods and herbs and foods for milk supply. This mom had an aha moment which helped her look at her situation with a different lens. She is shown here nursing her baby with a homemade supplementer. Thank you so much for generously sharing your  thoughts with all of us!

Today I realized I have very fast refill – I can refill my bottle with formula in less than a minute! I can provide my baby instantly with however much milk she needs. I celebrate living in the 21st century with high quality science milk.

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Frenotomy–Parent Perseverance Pays Off

20140828_095301Breastfeeding always hurt for first- time breastfeeder, Tina. She was given a nipple shield to help with the pain. And it did help. Even so, she knew a nipple shield was not a long-term solution. She kept trying to get rid of the shield. She hated the thing! But every time baby latched without it it, it resulted in intense nipple pain and wounds—her nipple was painfully creased after feedings as well. So, understandably,  she continued to nurse with the shield.

Meanwhile, baby Carolyn wasn’t gaining weight well. At every appointment she was gaining about ½ of expected weight gain. Baby was breastfeeding frequently—over 10x/day and still not gaining appropriately. She was having infrequent bowel movements, was gassy, and uncomfortable. Tina felt that something was very wrong. Continue reading

Tongue Tie and Social Media: Concerning and Confusing!

This post was co-written by Renee Beebe and sister IBCLC Jessica Altemara. Thank you Jessica for your inspiration and professionalism! 

20140828_095301Some lactation professionals have been trying to address a lack of understanding regarding tongue ties and lip ties for many years. They wanted it better known that tethered oral tissue (term used to refer to all types of “ties”) can negatively impact breastfeeding. But now, with the advent of instant-access social media, we are seeing a trend that is a bit disturbing to these same advocates. We see mothers diagnosing their babies’ tongue ties based on images they see on a Facebook group. We see professionals saying to mothers: “That baby needs a frenotomy,” based on a picture posted to Facebook.  Continue reading

Breastfeeding Help from your Physician? Maybe Not.

photoBreastfeeding is something that every mother and every baby has a right to do. More importantly, it is widely accepted as the preferred way to feed a baby. We can all rattle off numerous health risks to mom and baby that can result from artificial feeding. It follows, then, that our health care providers—especially those who are charged with the task (and privilege!) of supporting new mothers and vulnerable infants—would be well versed in how to support the breastfeeding dyad. Tragically, this is sometimes not the case. Continue reading

Low Milk Supply: Tricky to Treat!

Supplementing at breast

Supplementing at the breast.

When a mom is experiencing difficulty making enough milk for her baby, the usual suggestion from well meaning professionals is often, “Nurse your baby more —your body will rally and you will make more milk in just a few days.” This suggestion is based on the law of supply and demand. When more milk is removed from the breast, the breast will respond by making more milk. While this advice can be legitimate in some situations, many times it can result in an exhausted baby who, despite mom’s best efforts, can’t get enough milk to gain well. Continue reading