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Introducing the Top 8 Allergens to Infants

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Written by Rachel Rothman, MS, RD, CLEC

A frequent question I encounter in my practice and in my Introduction to Solids classes, is how to introduce foods that may be allergenic to babies.  The last 15 years have brought significant attention to allergens, and most parents are now keenly aware of the risks.  However, a drumbeat of new research published on the causes of allergies and allergy prevention has brought new strategies to light and debunked old myths. Until 2008, the American Association of Pediatrics recommended that parents delay exposing infants to certain allergens until after one year of age. The guideline changed because after a review of research and patient outcomes, there was no evidence for waiting. I help many moms and dads make sense of this new world, as they are understandably cautious about what this all means for their child.

Happy #GivingTuesday! Gift a Local Low-Income Mom with a Breastfeeding Consultation!

Happy #GivingTuesday!

Did you know.....

  • While 93% of moms start breastfeeding exclusively at birth in San Diego, only 56% continue doing so at 3 months, largely due to a lack of access to ongoing lactation support.

  • Lack of financial resources is reported as one of the main barriers for women to receive qualified breastfeeding support to help feed their babies.

You can help local low-income women gain access to critical breastfeeding support on this #GivingTuesday.

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Age-appropriate Portions for Toddlers (and Moms)

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Age-appropriate Portions for Toddlers (and Moms)

This post is by Rachel Rothman, MS, RD, and is the third post in the three-part blog series about introducing solids to your little one.  Rachel is a mom to a toddler, a pediatric dietitian and instructor of “Introduction to Solids” and “Nutrition for Toddlers and Preschoolers” at the San Diego Breastfeeding Center.  Join us for the next Nutrition for Toddlers and Preschoolers class on October 29th at 10:00am.  More information and registration can be found here.

In case you missed it, I discussed the feeding relationship in my previous two posts, and these may be summarized using the division of responsibility. Parents are responsible for the “what, when, and where of feeding; children are responsible for the how much and whether of eating” [1].  In this third post we discuss age appropriate serving sizes – however, as with all nutrition advice, sustainably learning the behaviors associated with this division of responsibility will be as important, if not more influential, than simply choosing specific serving size, as all of our young ones progress at slightly different paces and individual ways.

Most of the food we eat- and the nutrient measurements we rely on – use the idea of serving sizes. But what does a serving look like?

Fall Diaper Donation Drive to Benefit the IRC in San Diego

Fall Diaper Donation Drive to Benefit the IRC in San Diego

San Diego Breastfeeding Center is excited to announce our Fall Diaper Drive, which will benefit the International Rescue Committee in San Diego! Beginning on Wednesday, October 12th and continuing through Wednesday, November 30th, we will accept donations of new, unopened packages of diapers at our office in Hillcrest [3355 4th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103]. Diapers can be dropped off during our weekly Breastfeeding Support Group, every Wednesday between 11:30am and 1pm. If you would like to make a diaper donation, but are unable to drop off during this time, please contact Anna Choi of the San Diego Breastfeeding Center to arrange a pick-up of your donation [annachoi@sdbfc.com].

How to Help Your Little One Feel Full with Solids

This post is by Rachel Rothman, MS, RD, and is the second post of a three-part series about introducing solids to your little one.  Rachel is a mom to a toddler and a pediatric dietitian. Rachel is the instructor of "Toddler Nutrition" and “Introduction to Solids” classes at the San Diego Breastfeeding Center. Join us for the next Toddler Nutrition class on October 29th at 10:00am.  More information and registration can be found here.

In my previous post, I addressed a parent’s responsibilities for the “when” (setting meal time) and the “what” (the food to be served) of feeding.  This approach is generally referred to as the feeding relationship: Parents are responsible for the “what, when, and where of feeding; children are responsible for the how much and whether of eating” [1].   The relationship is between parent and child, and between the child and the food they eat.  Now that we’ve established the parent’s responsibilities, we can move to the child’s responsibilities – whether to eat, and how much to eat.  

 

Nighttime Weaning

Written by Anna Choi, IBCLC

A few months ago, when my youngest daughter was between 15 and 18 months old, I found myself hitting a rough patch in terms of sleep deprivation. After almost a year and half of waking up throughout the night to nurse her back to sleep, I was exhausted and frustrated. “It’s time to night wean,” I told my husband. I had been hoping and hoping she would start sleeping through the night on her own after her first birthday, but it hadn’t happened yet and I was at the end of my rope. I loved the amazing breastfeeding relationship we had built and was nervous to make a change, but knew it was needed.

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Understanding Infant Sleep - 6 weeks to 4 months

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Understanding Infant Sleep - 6 weeks to 4 months

In our previous sleep article, we discussed normal sleep patterns and realistic sleep expectations for infants up to 6 weeks.  By the time we hit 6 weeks, our children have gone through so many developmental changes, including what shapes their sleep patterns.  What do these patterns look like now and when will you start to actually get some sleep?  

Breastfeeding the Older Baby: 12-18 Months

Breastfeeding the Older Baby: 12-18 Months

Written by Anna Choi, BS, IBCLC

Thank you for joining us for our third and final article in our blog series, Breastfeeding the Older Baby – What to Expect and How to Adjust. I’ve enjoyed writing these articles, as we have explored the evolving breastfeeding relationship between mama and baby, and I hope to have provided some insight for you about what this evolution might look like for you and your little one. In this final article, we will look at months 12 through 18 of your toddler’s life.

Why Has My Pumping Output Decreased?

I love when we receive emails with questions that our blog readers could benefit from!  Here is a question from one of our mamas who is wondering why her pumping output has decreased.  

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Hi Robin!

I met with you awhile back when I first went back to work to set up a good pumping schedule.  It has worked like a charm these last 6 months.  Thank you for that!

My little guy is about to turn one and I’ve noticed a big reduction in my pumped breast milk the last few weeks. I’ve gone from pumping around 25 ounces of milk/work shift to around 15 oz.  It feels like it happened overnight. I’m just wondering if you have any suggestions on things I can do to get milk back or if this is just a normal progression.  I’m not ready to give up breastfeeding yet, but want to make sure he is getting enough milk.  He has been eating ALOT of solid food for about 5 months, so I’m sure this has had an impact on my supply :-(

Thanks for your time!

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Breastfeeding the Older Baby: What to Expect at 9-12 Months

Written by Anna Choi, BS, IBCLC

Welcome back to our blog series, Breastfeeding the Older Baby – What to Expect and How to Adjust. Last month we took a closer look at what breastfeeding might look like for a 6-9 month old, and tackled some of the most common questions and concerns we hear from parents with little ones in that age range. We hope you found the information helpful and relevant and are happy to have you join us again!