Breastfeeding 101

Benefits to breastfeeding:  Cost (formula is about 1200$ a year for the cheap stuff), convenience, bonding hormones responsible for milk production and letdown, health to baby (fewer illnesses-- especially ear infections and diarrhea, jaw formation, less likely to develop allergies or asthma etc.) health to mother (protects against osteoporosis, decreases risk of cancers such as breast and uterine, etc).   Breastmilk has exactly what baby needs and can't be duplicated by formula-- scientists haven't even been able to identify everything in breast milk. Breastmilk is easy to digest and baby is less likely to be colicky, gas-y etc.

Getting Started:  Breastfeeding is more likely to get off to a good start if the birth has the least possible interventions, drugs etc.  A newborns sucking reflex is the strongest in the first 2 hours, and particularly the first hour after birth.  Routine Newborn procedures can wait until mom has had time to bond with the baby and try breastfeeding for the first time.  Offer the baby the breast as soon as they seem interested, but don't stress out if they aren't interested.  They still have fluid in their stomach to sustain them and they might be tired after their long trip.  After being alert for a couple of hours, the baby might sleep for a nine hour stretch.  This is an important time for a new mom to try and sleep to.  Spend the first couple of weeks resting, snuggling, breastfeeding and getting to know the baby.

Latch (how the baby comes onto the breast) is important!!  Show pictures, and use breast models.  Remember, babies ears, shoulders, and hips need to be lined up (hard to swallow and suck if your head is turned.)  Support babies head, support breast, point baby's nose to nipple, tickle babies lips, wait for his mouth to gape open and then pull him on with the nipple pointing to the roof of babies mouth.  plenty of areola needs to be taken in for baby to get adequate milk and to avoid discomfort.  Nurse on one side until baby doesn't have strong jaw movement or stops eating.  Try burping the baby (they may not need to burp) and then you can offer the other side. 

Have baby sleep close by in order for both of you to get the most sleep possible.  After you both get the hang of breastfeeding you will be able to manage without turning on lights and will get much more sleep.

A new mom might be really leaky for a couple of weeks or so.  Keeping a cloth diaper or towel close by and leaving "flaps" down to air out frequently can help to avoid chapping.  If you use nursing pads, change them often to avoid a yeast infection and chapping.  Having a towel under you while you sleep can be good too.

Milk supply:

Supply and demand. Your body will produce what baby eats so it is important not to force them to stretch out feedings.  A newborn will need to eat every hour or 2 around the clock for about 4 weeks and then will start to sleep more at night and may stretch feedings out to 2 to 3 hours.  Watch for rooting reflex (turning head and sucking), sucking on fists or tongue and whimpering.  The American Academy of Pediatrics says crying is a LATE indicator of hunger.   Babies will eat more frequently before a growth spurt so your body will produce more milk to accommodate the growth (2, 4, 6, 8 weeks for example.)  If you give the baby a bottle while you are away or for whatever reason, you need to pump to make up for that feeding so your body will still produce what baby is eating.

Trouble Shooting:  Nipple soreness-more than just some tenderness when baby latches- may mean baby isn't positioned correctly, use pinky finger to break suction and try again.  Nipples may be chapped and a tender for 1 or 2 weeks since they haven't been used in that capacity before.  Leaving the nipples exposed will help the very most.  You can also get a prescription for Newman's ointment form your Dr.  If they are cracked, bleeding, or mishappen after nursing it may be a latch problem.  If they hurt all the time it may be a yeast infection or something else.    

Engorgement, full and swollen breasts, may occur when milk comes, usually with the first week.  Breastfeed as often as baby will let you to be more comfortable.  Use a warm cloth or water before breastfeeding to help the milk come down and cold after to help with the swollen breast tissue.  If you pump for relief only pump a tiny bit to fill a little relief or your body will just keep making the milk.  

If you get a hot spot or lump, massage the area while breastfeeding to help the milk pass through the duct and drink plenty of extra fluids to avoid a breast infection. A leaf of cabbage place over your breast can offer some relief.  Cabbage has properties that will inhibit milk production.

Eat a high protein diet with lots of fresh produce and plenty of fluids to help with milk production and adequate nutrition for yourself and baby.  You need about 300 extra calories to produce enough milk. Your breast milk changes in taste and color depending on what you eat.  Eat a variety of foods to avoid a picky eater.  

Modesty-  nursing clothes are available but not really necessary.  Nursing blankets are easy to make or available to buy but with a little practice you can usually get the baby latch on without showing anything (baby is covering everything) or under a blanket.  Nursing garments and nursing bras are of course very beneficial.  Mothers lounge available at church if you don't feel comfortable nursing in sacrament meeting, or until you get used to being discreet. 

More information on breastfeeding: 

The Nursing Mothers Companion by Kathleen Huggins

The Womanly art of Breastfeeding by Diane Wiessinger

The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers by Jack Newman

all available at Provo Library

Websites:

La Leche League   www.llli.org

www.kellymom.com

www.breastfeedinginc.ca

Video to show how to latch:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oQHe1eYsnE

These 2 videos are great examples of the kind of massage that can be given to a laboring woman in a sitting position.
Neck Massage
Back Massage  (mostly the first 6 1/2 min)

More Interventions at Delivery Not Linked to Healthier Newborns

Dr. Christopher Glantz sums up his research,  “Like virtually all medical therapies and procedures, these interventions entail some risk for the mother, and there is no evidence in this study that they benefit the baby.  In my mind, if you are getting the same outcome with high and low rates of intervention, I say ‘Do no harm’ and go with fewer interventions.”   You can read more about the study HERE.

Compared with 41-weekers, children born at 37 weeks faced a 33 percent increased chance of having severe reading difficulty in third grade, and a 19 percent greater chance of having moderate problems in math.  Children born at 38 weeks faced only slightly lower risks than those born at 37 weeks.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/02/early-full-term-babies_n_1642546.html

Yale researcher finds natural childbirth activates protein related to brain development

To Kegel or Not to Kegel...

I have been debating a lot in the last year or so what to teach in classes regarding Kegel exercises.  The Bradley method starts you out doing 50 kegels per day and working you up to 200 per day that you are holding for 3 seconds.  A urologist in the Denver, CO area felt this was overkill.  Their recommendation was to do several, perhaps 10, kegels throughout the day and just hold the muscle contraction for as long as you could.  It was also recommended to do short "bursts" off and on through out the day.  So, I started suggesting that to students.  I still feel quite confident that this is a beneficial exercise for someone to strengthen their pelvic floor.  Until, I read this article on Mama Sweat.

It makes so much sense, that simply by making the squat a regular part of your day you would give your pelvic floor the proper tone.  Bend your knees, not your back, anytime you need to get near the floor.  Then you have the strength necessary to squat while you push your baby out as well.  Easy right?

That is something to easily maintain after pregnancy to keep all those womanly organs in the proper place and working the way they should.

Of course, if you don't find many occasions during your day to squat, don't say farewell to your old friend the Kegel.

Happy Squatting!

Gestation and Pregnancy

Nine months of pregnancy has more benefits than just growing a baby.  It gives us time to transition, and get used to the idea of having another member of the family.  We also have a real opportunity to make (or maintain) healthy habits during that time.  Mom and baby are recipients of the benefits of good nutrition and Exercise.

Research has shown that regular exercise during pregnancy not only strengthens mom's heart, but baby's as well.  This article from TIME explains more of the details of the study.

Did you know that by 4 weeks of pregnancy:
ears begin to form, eyes begin to form, leg and arm buds appear, heart begins to beat future spine begins to form, and baby is 1/5 of an inch long.  Many woman don't yet realize they are pregnant.

By 12 weeks:
male or female sex organs begin to form( 9th week), legs and arms move, fingertips are formed, fingers have separated, eternal genitals fully formed, tail no longer visible.

By 24 weeks:
mother has felt movement (usually around 16 weeks),  baby weighs 22 oz., chance of viability high,

By 28 weeks;
90% chance of survival if born, fetus weighs around 3 lbs

So much happens early on, it is important pay attention to nutrition early.  The baby has significant brain and nervous system growth spurts near 7 and 8 months gestation.   So, if you didn't start off pregnancy with great nutrition, there is no time like the present!!  Check out drbrewerpregnancydiet.com or blueribbonbaby.org.

Glucose Testing and Gestational Diabetes

Pregnancy Glucose Testing: This information may help you decide whether or not you feel this routine screening is necessary for your pregnancy. You will be asked for this screening to be done between 24 and 28 weeks.

You'll be given a sugar solution that contains 50 grams of sugar.  It tastes like extra sweetened soda pop, and you need to drink it within five minutes.
An hour later a blood sample will be taken from your arm to check your blood sugar level. The idea is to see how efficiently your body processes sugar. If the reading is too high, which happens 15 to 23 percent of the time, your practitioner will have you come back for a three-hour glucose tolerance test to see whether you really do have gestational diabetes.  Most women whose screening test shows elevated blood sugar don't turn out to have gestational diabetes.

Potential side effects of this test:  Nausea, vomiting, headache, tiredness, achy body, shakiness, some women have reported not feeling fetal movement the day after (crash after high sugar intake?)

If the test is postitive, care providers will monitor the baby carefully and have you on a strict diet that mirrors the Brewer pregnancy diet, as well as a prescription for regular physical exercise, which we have all been doing or have started doing ;)

Gestational Diabetes:

Studies show about 4% of pregnant women have gestational diabetes.  Your chances of getting gestational diabetes may increase if you can say yes to any of the following :

• I am overweight.
• I have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes.
• My family background is African American, Asian American, Latino, Native American, or Pacific Islander.
• I'm 25 years old or older.
• I've had gestational diabetes before, or I've had a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds at birth.
• My blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes (a condition called pre-diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, or impaired glucose tolerance).

If the test is postitive, care providers will monitor the baby carefully and have you on a strict diet that mirrors the brewer pregnancy diet, as well as a prescription for regular physical exercise, which we have all been, doing or have started doing ;)

Usually there are no symptoms, or the symptoms are mild and not life threatening to the pregnant woman. The blood sugar (glucose) level usually returns to normal after delivery. 

There are increased possibilities of having a large baby, and the baby being in harm due to extremely low glucose levels.  There is also an increased risk of stillbirth.

Symptoms for Mother may include:

• Blurred vision
• Fatigue
• Frequent infections, including those of the bladder, vagina, and skin
• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weight loss despite increased appetite

Getting Started In Class One

Bradley Method Exercises, Class 1

Some exercises we learn about in class that are beneficial to moms during pregnancy, and help prepare her body for birth.

I'm excited to finally get a blog for my childbirth classes up and running.  With 2 hours for each class, we can learn a lot about pregnancy and birth.  We get the basics down but this blog is for other information I feel is very valuable, will help you in your decision making, and give additional help in preparing for birth.  I hope it will be a positive experience for you.