The Breastfeeding Basket: a little advice for the mom-to-be

A few months ago I came across this ridiculous article written by a very self-righteous mom.  In all of her judgmental glory, the author scorned moms who watched TV and read books while breastfeeding their babies.  She claimed that the act of breastfeeding was a mom’s time to bond with her child and should never be used to catch up on things like Facebook or Oprah.  GIVE ME A BREAK, LADY!!!!  I don’t often comment negatively on other people’s blogs, but this one made my blood BOIL!

As many of my friends know, I spent countless hours watching episodes of Sex and the City in the middle of the night while I breastfed my son.  30 minutes of pure, mindless entertainment saved my sanity during those long middle-of-the-night feedings.  By the time the show was over, I had breastfed my son, changed his diaper, and burped the little puker.  Sure, I could have fed side lying in bed, but Sex in the City was my guilty pleasure and I am not ashamed to admit it. 

Clearly, the author of this infuriating article was a self-imposed martyr (too bad for her kids!) or completely lying.  Either way, her article did nothing to support breastfeeding moms.   Instead its purpose was to initiate ‘mother guilt’, which I definitely don’t need a complete stranger to do for me or for the women that I love. 

Hence the breastfeeding basket….

Since you will be breastfeeding for 30-40 minutes at a time, 8 or more times in a 24 period, don’t you want items near you that will help you pass the time and make you self-sufficient?  I hated yelling down the hallway to my hubby to bring me a snack while I was nursing.   I wanted everything I would need during those breastfeeding sessions to be within arm’s length. 

Stuck on creative ideas?  Here is a list to get you started.

 

Top 10 Things I Put in my Breastfeeding Basket

1. Diapers – babies poop while breastfeeding, so it is good to be prepared.
2. Wipes – self explanatory
3. Burp cloth – my kids spit up all of the time, so this somewhat guarded my clothes from being covered in it all day.
4. Klean Kanteen – so thirsty while nursing!
5. Snacks – you burn 500 calories a day while breastfeeding….you will be starving!
6. TV remote – DVR all of your favorite shows and enjoy.  This is your time to relax as well.
7. I Pad, cell phone, etc. – catch up on phone calls, texts, and anything else to keep you connected to your pre-baby life. 
8. Camera – sleeping babies are so adorable!
9. Magazines – I never had time to read People, Lucky, and In Style before I had kids.  Now I knew what all of the celebrities were doing and the fabulous outfits I would buy when I lost some of my pregnancy weight.
10. Receiving blanket – many babies will fall asleep after breastfeeding.  When this happened, I would just cover my babe up and let him sleep on my chest for a while, soaking in the sweet scent of his little body and enjoy our ‘bonding’ moment.

Ladies, you don’t have to lose yourself once you become a mom!  Bonding with your baby happens continuously throughout the day.  So, take a little time to yourself when you have the chance and NEVER feel guilty if you take a little personal time while breastfeeding your little one!

Also, check out one of my breastfeeding student’s blogs, Hank and Lucy, for wonderful ideas and photos of her breastfeeding basket.  She has much more style than I do!

Our readers would love to know what items will you put (or have you put) in your breastfeeding basket? Please share in the comments!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s Off to Work We Go…

The time has come. Your maternity leave is slowly coming to an end. Whether you are sad to be leaving your little one for a portion of the day, excited to have some adult interaction, or a combination of the two, it is now time to consider how and what you will feed your baby during this time of separation. I remember feeling somewhat overwhelmed about this whole process. What was my son going to eat when he was away from me? How was I going to stockpile enough breastmilk before my first day back to work? Where was I going to pump while at work? The list went on and on in my mind and made me a little crazy. Yet, once I sat down and made a plan for myself, everything seemed less daunting and more feasible.

Well, ladies, my plan for the next few blog postings is to help make your 'back to work transition' easy and manageable. Are you ready? Here we go:

Starting the Pumping Process

As soon as your baby has gone through his/her growth spurt (around 2-3 weeks old) and if breastfeeding is going well, you can start pumping to get breast milk for bottles and your stock pile. Now you may ask, if I am exclusively breastfeeding, how I am going to have extra breast milk to pump? Well, usually your baby will remove about 75%-80% of your breast milk during a feeding, so there should still be some milk in there to pump out. Also, you may find that there are certain times of the day where you feel fuller, even after your baby has had a full feeding. I found that this time for me was in the morning. Even though I wasn't sleeping THAT much at night, my body was resting and replenishing while I was sleeping.

After our first mid-morning breastfeeding session, I would pump afterwards and save the little I got (usually .5-1oz) in the fridge in a milk storage bag. After pumping at this time for a few days in a row, I had about 3oz in the fridge….a perfect amount of breast milk for my 3 week-old son.

Introducing the Bottle

So, mamas, how do we introduce this first bottle of liquid gold???? Have someone else do it! Yes, you read correctly. Your baby can smell you from practically a mile away (well, maybe not that much!) and will probably have no interest in a bottle if he can have the real boob. Instead, hand your bundle of joy to dad, grandma, etc and immediately leave the room. And wait. And wait. Caution: Do not pump in place of this feeding session until you receive the 'All Clear' that your baby happily drank the bottle of milk and is as happy as a clam. I made the HUGE mistake of pumping as I THOUGHT my hubby was giving our son the bottle. Long story short, my son didn't take the bottle the first day. I had pumped because I thought he was drinking from the bottle. We ended up with a screaming little boy, empty breasts, and a frustrated mama. Moral of the Story: Wait until your baby takes the bottle and then pump in place of the breast feeding session. Now baby is full, mom has empty breasts, and now you have breast milk for your next bottle.

How Often Should I Give a Bottle?

If you are going back to work, I would recommend giving your baby a bottle a few times a week. That way, she/he gets used to going back and forth between bottle and breast and will continue to take a bottle once you return to work.

For a great resource about the different types of pumps and which ones are best for moms going back to work, check out one of my favorite web site: Breastfeeding for Working Mothers. As for bottles, always choose a slow flow nipple that looks most like your own anatomy.

If breastfeeding is still a challenge by 2-3 weeks, please see a lactation consultant before starting this process, as it could cause more difficulties if breastfeeding is not going well.

Making Plans with your Employer

So, now you should have mastered the pump, built a small supply of milk in your freezer, and introduced a bottle to your little one. No problem, right? Next step, get your employer on board for giving you your well-earned break to pump while at work. Sometimes, this is a no-brainer. If you live in a state like California, businesses with more than 50 employees are mandated to give breastfeeding moms pumping breaks and supply a clean, private space to pump (which cannot be a bathroom stall.) Other states do not have such laws in place, so you might be paving the way in your business for you and future breastfeeding moms. Either way, it is helpful to know your rights and how to be proactive to get what you deserve: time to pump so that you have something to feed your breastfeeding baby. Let’s get all of your ducks in a row so that this is an easy process for you.

Reasons Why Pumping at Work is Good for Your Employer

Sometimes it is helpful to have a list of reasons why allowing a mom time to pump at work is beneficial for her employer. Bosses like to look at the bottom line. Here’s a handy-dandy list of reasons to share with your boss:

• A study of multiple companies with lactation support programs found an average retention rate of 94.2%

• One-day absences to care for sick children occur more than twice as often for mothers of formula feeding infants.

• Businesses with lactation support have lower turnover rates, higher employee satisfaction, and additional health care savings.

All of this information, and more, can be found in the Business Case for Breastfeeding: For Business Managers

What You Would Like for Your Employer to Provide

A pumping mom needs very few things from her employer to continue making milk for her baby. Really, all you are looking for is a private, clean space (that is not in a bathroom) with outlets, a comfy chair, and a lock. An optimal break time is about 20 minutes: 15 minutes to pump, 5 minutes for set-up/clean-up. You should be able to take a break every few hours, since you will need to pump as many times as you are missing that breastfeeding session with your baby. It is amazing how efficient you will become in your pumping space. The supplies you will probably have to provide will be a pump/pump pieces and freezer bags (in which to keep your pumped milk.) Some savvy employers may provide a small fridge to keep your milk in and a super comfy space. Others may provide the bare minimum. Regardless, it is your right and you can make it happen!

What Should You Do if Your Employer Does Not Provide Pumping Breaks for You?

Check out your federal rights at the Workplace Support in Federal Law web site. All of your rights are there in front of you. You can make it happen!

Gentle Weaning: What is the Process?

In this second article in our Weaning series, we will start the conversation about how to gently wean your baby and why pacing is so important in this process.  If you are wondering when you will know when to begin weaning your child, check out our last article, What is Weaning and When Should I Wean my Baby?

At what pace should you wean your child?

Very slowly.  The weaning process can take several months, as you want to make sure that both you and your child are adapting well to this new pattern of breastfeeding.  Drop one feeding at a time (for example, from 6 times a day to 5 times a day) and try this out for a week or two. This will give your breasts time to acclimate and hopefully not become too engorged.  This will also allow your child to get used to doing something else, or get his/her nutrition from another source at this time.

This process will most likely take a month to several months; depending on how many times your child is breastfeeding in a 24 hour period.  Remember, weaning can affect you and your child physically and emotionally, so it is best to take your time and wean very slowly.

What are the risks for abruptly weaning?

It is very rare that a mother would have to abruptly wean her child from breastfeeding.  The risks associated with abrupt weaning for the mother could be:

• Breast pain

• Engorgement

• Mastitis

• Breast abscess

There are also risks associated with abrupt weaning for the child.  Remember, breastfeeding is not only a source of nutrition for your child, but also a sense of comfort and bonding.  To suddenly remove this could be very confusing and scary for your child, especially if he/she is still developing his/her sense of attachment and trust.  As with all methods of parenting, it is most respectful and effective to initiate change at a slow pace.

What physical and emotional changes should a mother expect when weaning?

All rights reserved, Susanne Klein photographeAs you begin to drop a breastfeeding session during the weaning process, you may feel fullness in your breasts, which can become uncomfortable.  Here are a few tricks to relieve that fullness:

• Pump or hand express, just to relieve the fullness.  Don’t pump to drain or you just defeated the whole purpose of skipping that breastfeeding session.

• Take a hot shower, which will help you leak a little and may reduce the pressure in your breast.

• Cabbage leaf compresses – good old green cabbage wrapped around your breasts can help to reduce fullness.

• Sage tea – drink sparingly while gently weaning, as it can really tank a milk supply when consumed in large quantities.

Emotionally, your body is going to go through some hormonal changes as you begin to wean.  During the weaning process, prolactin levels begin to drop.  Prolactin not only helps to stimulate your milk supply, but it also provides a sense of relaxation and calmness.  Some mothers may even feel depression after weaning. 

I remember feeling a sense of loss, that I had a difficult time describing, as I was weaning my son.  It was somewhat temporary, but it definitely was there.  I just felt sad that this aspect of mothering and comforting my child was coming to an end.  Something that helped me adapt to this change was creating a different bedtime routine for the two of us.  Instead of nursing my son to sleep, we now read a story together in his rocking chair.  Then, I turned off the light and sang him a song as I rocked him into a state of sleepiness.  My son is now five years old.  At bedtime, we still read a story in his bed and then listen to a song on his IPod as I lie down next to him and snuggle.  It is my favorite time of the day!

Now it’s your turn to share how you paced your weaning process with your child. 

How long did it take you to wean? 

What physical and/or emotional changes did you encounter?

Does traveling cause a dip in milk supply?

A close friend of mine was at a breastfeeding support group recently and was told that many moms see a dip in their milk supplies when traveling with their babies. My friend speculated that this may be a reaction to the stress of traveling with an infant. I told her I would look into this, since I couldn't fathom why traveling would make a mom's milk supply decrease. A mom's milk supply could surely decrease when traveling WITHOUT her infant, but why WITH her infant? After some internet and article searching, I couldn't find any scientific reasons that would cause this phenomenon. But, since a few moms have seen this happen, I thought I would offer some advice on how to make sure that this doesn't happen to you.

5 WAYS TO MAINTAIN YOUR MILK SUPPLY WHEN TRAVELING WITH AN INFANT

1. If traveling by plane, nurse your baby during take-off, landing, and turbulents. This will relieve the pressure in your baby's ears, thereby relieving your stress level.

2. Keep to your baby's regular feeding schedule. If this means you will have to nurse in public, practice before you go on your trip so that you are confident and comfortable. A baby wrap is a great way to nurse discreetly in public.

3. If you plan to go out and have someone else watch your baby, pump before you leave so that you are not full and uncomfortable while away from your baby. A hand pump should suffice for this moderate use.

4. Some babies have a difficult time sleeping away from home, so plan to take a few naps during your trip, so that you can make up for some lost sleep during those restless times.

5. Don't plan too many activities during your trip. Try to keep your stress level down, which will preserve your milk supply, making for a happier, more content baby....maybe even a rested and relaxed mommy!

Happy travels!

Secrets of Baby Behavior

One of the best trainings I have ever attended was taught by Jane Heinig from UCDavis. She teaches a workshop about understanding infant behavior. Check out her department's blog at http://www.secretsofbabybehavior.com/. Great advice for all moms about reading your baby's cues and understanding infant sleep patterns.

Welcome to The Sanity Spot

Sleep deprivation, diapers, feeding, crying.....sound a little familiar? And not just describing your baby??? All within a matter of minutes, your life has completely changed and sometimes all you want is for it to go back to the way it was.... pre-baby! But then, that sweet little baby of yours (or your three and four year olds, in my case) just look at you with those adoring eyes and you are brought to tears as your heart fills with so much emotion that it is impossible to describe. Welcome to motherhood... the most rewarding and, definitely, the most difficult job you will ever have in your life!

So sit back, put your feet up, lay your baby (infant, toddler) on your chest, and smell his/her sweet scent while he/she sleeps for a few moments. It is all about being present, in the moment (if you will), and taking a deep breath. For it is those moments you will remember the most. Hey, if we remembered all of the difficult times, we would never have any more kids.