Got Milk?

Alright! It's no secret that I haven't been as supportive of breastfeeding as I could be. In fact, I work on a postpartum unit as an aid and I frequently THANK HEAVENS that aids aren't supposed to do any breastfeeding teaching. I bottle fed my babies because when I tried to do the nursing thing with my first it was a night mare. Strange old ladies touching my boobs. No way I was doing that again with baby #2. SO....I have become the #1 supporter of the formula companies. I once recently joked with the Similac Rep when he came to the hospital that I would like to grow up and have his job one day. Changing the world one bottle at a time!
I have to admit though, lately, I am starting to see the error of my ways. I'm not admitting that breastfeeding is for me, I'm just saying that perhaps breastfeeding isn't as bad as I pretend it is. I have a friend that recently had twin baby girls. She is amazing. She will be the best little mom. She is VERY dedicated to strictly breastfeeding. She would never do so if it for any reason was dangerous for the babies. (for example if they had low blood sugars or lost too much weight) This got me thinking, for the moms that are really dedicated and determined to make breastfeeding work and work for the long term what could I do to be more supportive. So, let my research begin........here's what I learned. The most interesting for me wasn't how to build and sustain a good milk supply, it was the mechanics behind breast milk. I went HERE and learned about what they call endocrine control of milk which basically means that in the beginning your hormones control your milk supply. I love the way they describe it as "a safety net for the milk supply in case things between mom and baby don't get off to an ideal start." Then after the first few weeks as your mature milk comes in it is called the autocrine control of milk. This period basically means supply and demand. Your body is going to produce based on what is emptied. So if you have a baby that doesn't eat well or if you are spending long periods of time away from your baby then your milk supply will decrease. SO, what was the best advice I found on  keeping a good milk supply? Pump after each feeding. Keep in mind if you have a crappy pump then it's not going to do you any good. Best advice for if your milk supply decreases? POWER PUMPING! Anyone know what that is? I sure wish I had. Apparently the advice from lactation nurses is to power pump. To power pump you pump for 10 minutes then rest for 10 minutes on and off for 1 hour.  It's like tricking your body into a growth spurt. Well, a milk spurt. Lol. The other thing I found that they recommended was to take fenugreek. Stay tuned. Who knows maybe my next post will be about breastfeeding holds and other tips. Well, maybe not either. :)

If I have favorite lactation consultant the author of this book is her. Anything good I know about breastfeeding is from her. I <3 Michelle. Check out her book.

I found the following review of her book and I love it!

"When my daughter was born and wouldn’t latch on to my breast for the first ten days of her life I felt very helpless and alone. I had no idea that breastfeeding would be this difficult, had no one in my immediate circle who was able to help me figure things out and had no time to read a book. I eventually sought out the help of a lactation consultant and La Leche League but I wish I had Mommy’s Little Breastfeeding Book: 101 Tips Your Baby Wants You to Know About Nursing by Michele Leigh Carnesecca, RN, IBCLC in my hands.
Though there are plenty of breastfeeding books out there, what I like about this one is how to-the-point and easy-to-read it is. Written by a registered nurse and lactation consultant who realized that she was repeating the same breastfeeding tips over and over again to nursing mothers, the book is divided into three categories — Before the Hospital, At the Hospital and At Home. Each page offers important information without scaring off the reader. I also like that it offers product suggestions and can, at times, even be funny while still sharing crucial tips. The book’s small size is also appealing as it can easily be carried in a bag."

Baby Boot Camp

You have earned the carseat carrying rights into motherhood. Delivery is over, you are EXHAUSTED but thankfully you also have at least 2 days with Dr's and Nurse's that know what they are doing. They see over 300 babies a year. This newborn thing. They've got it! Thank goodness for modern medicine right? So, while in your exhausted stuppor what will be happening? Once you are transferred to the post partum unit you and baby will be again reunited. Where has baby been? In the nursery. One on one with a nurse, getting a full work up. As long as everything checks out normal (don't worry, that cone head that's all squishy on top or the bruise your baby has on it's arm, even the little baby zits that have appeared, all normal) your pediatrician most likely won't see your baby until tomorrow. What are the normal things your nursing staff is watching for? They are listening to your babies heart rate, counting it's breaths per minute and taking it's temperature. Are you freaking out because your babies hands and feet are blue! Holy Crap! Just kidding, perfectly normal too. Your baby is learning to regulate it's own circulation and temperature. Cuddle your baby close and give it a couple of days and this will subside. :)
So what is the nursing staff expecting from you? We are expecting you to let us know if baby has wet or messy diapers. We want to know when it feeds and for how long. If you feel like you are nursing ALL the time, you very well may be. Colostrum digests in 45 min. No wonder baby acts hungry hu? What should you expect from us? We will check mom and baby to make sure things are normal and staying normal. While we will help you take care of things, we want you to be as independant as possible when you go home so you don't go through the oh holy crap I can't push the call light here syndrome.

My next few thoughts are just dirty little secrets that I have learned over my many years working on the postpartum unit and from having raised 2 little blessings myself. But, before that, I found an awesome article on WebMd with great info on those first few hours/days with baby and what's normal/not. It talks more technical talk then I would get into here but non-the-less I thought it was an awesome article. Go here: Is my newborn normal if you want to read it. Now the dirt. (Disclaimer: keep in mind these are my opinions, there may or may not be medical evidence to support them but I have seen A LOT of babies and several different types of family dynamics) 1. Most of the staff doesn't believe in "nipple confusion" 2. Sometimes until your milk comes in a little (5-10ml) formula will make all the difference in the overall contentment of the baby. 3. We don't mind when you send your baby to the nursery for the night with a bottle. But don't expect to breastfeed exclusively and go 3-4 or more hours between feedings. If you feel like you just sent your baby to the nursery and now we are bringing it back to you. That's because it's hungry again! Lol 4. Hand hygiene is IMPORTANT, make sure your visitors are using hand sanitizer and/or washing their hands. 5. Don't let visitors come if you are tired! It's ok to say no. If you don't wanna turn them away, we are more than happy to do so. That also goes for your other children. Send the daddy home! He can watch over your little family while you and baby get the needed rest to Take On Life after the hospital. 6. Most of the delays in your care or discharge are due to the Dr.'s. We have to call them, wait for them to call back, give them certain test results or information and then implement whatever instructions they give us. It's like kindof a process. 7. Going home isn't just as easy as putting baby in the car seat and leaving. (stupid legalities and paperwork) 8. We really DO want to do whatever we can to help you in the decisions you have already made for your baby. You just have to be open and honest about what it is you want. We don't read minds. 9. Be flexible. We have to be and the nature of parenthood should make you do so to. :) and last but not least......10. Remember that we can't go home with you (although, you could hire Time 4 Me) but we want you to be prepared TO go home so listen and take in as much as possible. Write things down, whatever you have to do. Although it is a job for the nurses and Dr.'s we really are so excited for you. This is a major life milestone and is such a blessing. Congratulations and best of luck. The newborn period goes by so fast. Take time to smell the baby lotion and snuggle your little.