Breastfeeding – Little Seed Maternity

What to do if Breastfeeding Hurts: Tips from a Lactation Consultant

on July 19, 2021July 19, 2021 By Jackie Torres

The number one reason I hear from parents on why they may not want to breastfeed has almost always been: I’m afraid it will hurt. Over the decades that has been the message around nursing a baby and why so many parents never start or give up on breastfeeding. So when I hear that concern I really like to ask this clarifying question: are you afraid it will hurt or are you afraid you won’t know what to do if it does? Most people say it’s the latter.
So if you’re afraid of starting or continuing to nurse your baby because of pain, I’m here to tell you that A) You are not alone in your fears and B) There are PLENTY of options that can help you if you are experiencing pain while breastfeeding. So here are my suggestions on what to do if breastfeeding hurts:

Understand the difference between discomfort and pain. When you are first breastfeeding there is some discomfort with nursing as your breasts are sensitive from hormones and your body is getting used to your baby’s suck. This discomfort, however, shouldn’t feel sharp, pinching, or any sensation that would make you go “ouch!” and should go away within 30 seconds of starting the nursing session.

Don’t push through the pain. If you are experiencing pain while latching your baby, do not push through it. So many times I hear from clients who have raw, bleeding, or cracked nipples because they thought that was what comes with nursing a baby. I am here to tell you that it does not! So please save your nipples and your sanity and never continue a nursing session if the pain is not going away.

Un-latch as soon as it’s painful. The most common cause of painful breastfeeding is a latch that isn’t deep enough. In order to get a deeper latch with your baby you need un-latch them and try again. To do this, hook your finger into your baby’s cheek and break the seal. Then carefully remove your breast from your baby’s mouth.

Don’t panic. If you unlatch a hungry baby, chances are they will not be happy about it. And it’s really tempting to throw in the towel. So at this moment, take a deep breath, and think: can you express a little milk on your breast for your baby to lick? Do you need to give your baby a little milk in a spoon, syringe, cup, or bottle? Focus on calming yourself and your baby.

Ready to try again? This can happen moments right after you un-latch your baby or at the next feeding session. But when you try again, be sure it’s at a time when your baby is in an awake but quiet state (for newborns this is usually right after they wake up) and start with some skin-to-skin to ease into things. If you need help with visualizing what breastfeeding should look and feel like, here is a great video to watch.

Consider calling a lactation consultant. If you are still experiencing pain at every feeding or still feel uncomfortable with nursing, reach out to a lactation consultant. Lactation Consultants are able to give you the specific guidance and feeding support that you and your baby may need to be successful.

Remember, pain during breastfeeding is common, but it is not normal. There are plenty of options that can help alleviate your pain, so try not to let a painful start discourage you from feeling like you are doing a great job as a lactating parent!

Disclaimer: Although I am a lactation consultant by profession, I am not your lactation consultant. This article is for informational and educational purposes only, does not constitute healthcare advice and does not establish any kind of client relationship with me. I am not liable or responsible for any damages resulting from or related to your use of this information. Please consult your healthcare provider before attempting to use any of this information.

Bottle-Feeding and Nursing: Tips to do both successfully!

on July 2, 2021July 2, 2021 By Jackie Torres

So many people ask me as a Lactation Consultant if it’s ok to bottle-feed, either formula or human milk, while continuing nursing and the answer is YES! There are many parents who chose to include bottle-feeding because they’re going to work, need support with feedings from their partner or family, don’t want to nurse in public, would like the option to be away from their newborn for longer stretches of time, and more. Here are my general tips for bottle-feeding a newborn while nursing:

Try your best to establish breast/chest feeding first. At the beginning of lactation, your body and baby are going through the necessary transitions to make nursing successful. If your baby is well enough to nurse on your chest at birth, they need a lot of time to learn how to feed, and feeling your baby at your chest helps you gain a full milk supply. So if it’s at all possible, try to wait a couple of weeks after birth to get you and your baby on a good rhythm with breastfeeding before introducing a bottle.

Keep removing milk from your body. If you were unable to start with nursing first or you’ve established breastfeeding already and plan to continue providing milk for your baby, you need to continue to remove milk through pumping or hand expression at the times your baby would be nursing. If you don’t remove milk your body might start to think you no longer need it and your supply may drop. You also might run into problems with plugged ducts and mastitis if you wait too long to nurse or remove milk so make sure you’re listening to your body and planning to empty your breasts even if you’re not with your baby.

Know how to paced-bottle feed. Paced-bottle feeding is a technique that mimics the flow and rhythm of body feeding. Doing this technique helps avoid gas, spitting up, choking, colic, earaches or infections, overeating, and often helps your child not reject the bottle or the breast. Here is one of my favorite videos demonstrating how paced-bottle feeding works.

Practice good bottle care. “Slow Flow” bottles have a smaller hole which makes your baby work to get the milk out which is much like breastfeeding. This is why they are recommended for newborns learning to bottle-feed. There are many brands and types of bottles out there, but it’s essential that you keep them in good condition by regularly washing with hot water and soap, storing them in a clean area, and replacing bottles that are discolored or worn.

Prepare milk properly. Always wash your hands before preparing milk. If you are preparing breastmilk that is frozen, thaw in the refrigerator the night before or run under or place in a bowl of warm water. Never microwave formula or human milk. If you are preparing formula, follow the instructions on the packaging or here from the World Health Organization. Remember to dump milk that your baby doesn’t drink after a feed to prevent harmful bacteria growth.

Watch your baby’s digestion. If you are breast and bottle-feeding it’s important to continue to keep an eye on your baby’s diapers and overall feeding patterns. Be sure to keep track of how many ounces your baby is eating as well as how often you are nursing them. It’s also important to monitor how your baby’s poop and pee are looking in the diaper. Some breastfed babies that start eating formula can develop changes in poop consistency and color, have trouble pooping, or start spitting up or vomiting. This may indicate an intolerance or other digestive issues that may need to be evaluated by your pediatrician.

Overall, bottle feeding and breast/chest feeding can definitely exist together without any problems if you are prepared and have a plan for making it happen. As always I recommend seeing a lactation professional for more specific feeding guidance and plans to find the right balance for you and your baby!

The First 24 Hours of Breastfeeding: Top Tips from a Lactation Consultant!

on June 30, 2021June 30, 2021 By Jackie Torres

The first 24 hours of breastfeeding can be exhausting and challenging for a lot of parents. Even if you have breastfed before or it’s your first time, how you birthed and how your baby is adjusting to life in the world can all impact how breastfeeding starts off. So here are my top tips on getting your breastfeeding journey with your newborn off to a great start:

Relax. I know, I know, that’s easier said than done when you’re recovering from labor, but stress hormones are the main competitors of oxytocin and other hormones you need to be on your way to having a steady milk supply. Try to create as calm of an environment as possible, be alone with your baby or with people who make you feel supported, and ask for help immediately if breastfeeding feels painful or you feel unsure so you can get the help that will ease your mind and make nursing comfortable for you and your baby.

Skin to Skin. Remember what I said about stress? Well, a natural way of creating a rhythm between you and your baby is by putting your child skin to skin on your chest. Skin to Skin contact can help your baby calm down and relax before trying to latch and also send signals to your brain to start producing milk. Skin to skin can also be done with your partner or another family member if you are recovering from a cesarean birth and need some breaks. It is also an amazing way to bond with your baby and help you with milk expression if your child is in the NICU.

Breastfeed or remove milk early and often. The number one question any lactation professional gets is how do I make enough milk. Breastfeeding is regulated by the amount of milk you remove from your breast at each feeding so it’s important within the first 24 hours to start milk removal from your body. That can look like nursing the baby on your breast whenever your baby is hungry (at least 10-12 times in 24 hours) or manually removing milk as often as your newborn eats.

Hand Expression. Colostrum is your yellow-colored first milk that is full of antibodies and vitamins for your newborn baby. Hand expression is a term to describe using your hands to express milk from your breasts instead of or in addition to using a breast pump. Because of colostrum’s thicker consistency, some parents find using a breast pump in the first couple of days doesn’t always empty their breasts which can cause milk supply issues. This is why learning to do hand expression is a skill that you can use immediately to ensure your baby is receiving human milk even if you are having trouble or don’t want to nurse. Here is a video I love that can help you visualize and learn how to do hand expression and you can always ask for help if you forget or save the video to watch after delivery.

Use a Spoon or Medicine Cup. If you are expressing milk manually with your hands, it may be easier to collect your expressed milk in a spoon or medicine cup until your milk changes to transitional milk about 2-5 days after delivery and your milk flows out easier. It can also be more encouraging to quickly fill a small spoon or cup than an empty baby bottle. If you’re delivering at a hospital, you can ask the Nurse to give you them so you don’t have to worry about supplying your own, and you can also use the spoon or cup to feed the baby the milk right away or to fill a milk bag or bottle to store away for later.

Over the years I have taught so many clients how to breastfeed just hours after they gave birth and an extra tip I have to give you is this: you are a great parent because you love your child, and that is true no matter how your breastfeeding journey starts. Remember, breastfeeding your child is something both you and your baby are learning how to do together and often it takes time to get into a groove. So if it’s something you want to do, know that there are many ways you can get off to the right start, even if you break a few rules, to have a successful breastfeeding relationship!