10 Steps for Effective Pumping

Whether you are going back to work, trying to increase your milk supply, or just need a little break from your baby, there are some great strategies for ways to maximize your pumping session(s). While your baby is usually your most efficient 'milk extractor', there are some definite tricks to help get your milk out with a pump. Denise Altman offers some amazing tips for pumping in this article. Hopefully these tips will help to make your pumping session(s) quick, easy, and painless!

Enjoy the article: Ten Steps for Effective Pumping

I’m Sick! Should I Continue to Breastfeed?

Many moms will ask me if they should continue to breastfeed when they have a cold or the flu. The answer is: ABSOLUTELY! Whether it be a mild virus, a bacterial infection, the flu, mastistis, you name it, the best thing you can do for your baby is to continue to breastfeed.

By the time your symptoms begin to appear, you have already been contagious for several days, therefore your baby has already been exposed to your illness. Since you started to come down with your illness, your body has been creating antibodies to fight off this illness. These antibodies, which are specific to your illness, have been transmitted to your baby through your breast milk and will continue to protect your baby throughout the entire time your body is fighting your illness. If your baby does happen to catch what you have, most likely it will not be nearly as severe as what you are dealing with. How amazing is that?

So if you find yourself feeling under the weather, wash your hands often, stay hydrated, breastfeed often, and stay away from medications (such as antihistamines) that may increase your risk for lowering your milk supply.

For more information about medications that are safe to take while breastfeeding, check out LactMed or call your local Lactation Consultant.

The Breastfeeding Mom’s Most Important Cheerleader

When I teach my prenatal breastfeeding classes, I often rate my success as a teacher by how well I am perceived by the significant other who attends the class with the pregnant mom. If a dad comes up to me and thanks me for the great class, I know that I have done my job. You see, if the pregnant mom signed up for the prenatal breastfeeding class, she has already made up her mind that she plans to breastfeed her child(ren). The significant other usually attends the class to show his/her support for the pregnant soon-to-be mom. This support is absolutely imperative in the mom's success to reach her breastfeeding goals. A mom needs her cheerleaders….significant others, friends, family members, yahoo-group friends, etc. …. to help her feel successful as a mother. Motherhood if challenging, especially the first time around; which is why we need our cheerleaders. If breastfeeding poses some challenges, it is this cheerleader who can either provide support and build confidence or slowly begin to offer that the mom give up.

This is why my prenatal breastfeeding class focuses more on creating support systems than positioning and latch. Lactation consultants can help to fix positioning and latch, but the cheerleaders are the ones who give the mom strength to meet her personal breastfeeding goals. It is the cheerleader who brings the mom water during the night and makes sure she eats enough healthy food throughout the day. It is the cheerleader who rubs mom's back and massages her shoulders as she feeds her baby 8 or more times in a 24 hr. period for the first few months of life. Again, it is the cheerleader who makes all the difference.

Wondering how to be the best cheerleader for a new mom? Here's your list to follow:

1. Before breastfeeding challenges arise, have a list of lactation consultants, La Leche League leaders, and breastfeeding support groups that you can contact to get help, if needed.
2. Breastfeeding a baby can take up a large portion of the day and night. Offer to help make dinner and take care of the home so mom can focus on getting breastfeeding off to a great start.
3. Find your own special ways to bond with the baby: snuggle after feedings to help the baby's milk digest more easily, hold the baby skin-to-skin, sing to the baby….these are just a few.
4. Discuss with mom what her breastfeeding goals are and do everything you can to support her and these goals.
5. Be proud to be a cheerleader! You role is irreplaceable!