Tag: breast

Best Parenting Advice

- Julie Matheney

Put them in water or take them outside. This is the best parenting advice I’ve ever been given. When breastfeeding has been established (baby is making good wet and dirty diapers, generally pain free latch, and gaining weight), there will be times when baby will be super fussy and refuse the boob. Many misinterpret this as having low milk supply or something wrong with the breast. Don’t be so quick to blame yourself or to supplement with a bottle. I guarantee you there will be times when you have no idea what to do to stop your baby from crying. The boob won’t work. Changing the diaper won’t work. Burping and rocking and shushing won’t work. I guarantee you there will be times when you will cry right along with your baby and feel helpless to soothe them (or yourself).

When the breast doesn’t work: put them in water or take them outside. It works. When your baby is falling to pieces for no apparent reason and the usual tricks don’t work, go outside or get in water. It works on adults, too!!

Cabbage for engorgment

- Julie Matheney

Cabbage is not just for Cole slaw. Did you know that cabbage leaves have been used for decades to help reduce breast engorgement? A handful of studies have shown that placing a chilled green cabbage leaf against the breast has been effective to reduce breast swelling and pain. It is suspected that the compounds found in the plant leaves have strong anti-inflammatory properties that help improve blood flow, decrease swelling, and allow milk to flow more freely.


Using Cabbage Leaves for Engorgement:

✏️Chill the cabbage, green cabbages are best

✏️Wash off one or two inner leaves, be mindful to remove any dirt, pesticides or residue

✏️Gently pat dry with a towel

✏️Crush the center stem for maximum potency

✏️Wrap a leaf around the affected area of the breast, exposing the nipple when possible.

✏️Use a bra or lose wrap to hold the leaves in place

✏️Leave for 20 minutes

✏️Discard the leaves

✏️Cautions:20 minutes seems to be for most the right amount of time

✏️Repeat no more than 1-2 times a day for engorgement, as cabbage leaves used more often can actually decrease milk supply!

✏️This process is also used for weaning breast milk, such as when quick weaning is needed or when mothers are done breastfeeding.

Can I empty my breast?

- Julie Matheney

Did you know that you will ALWAYS be able to make milk? You’ve had the milk making glands in your breasts since puberty. They’re like little empty clusters of balloons at the back of the breast. Pregnancy activates your milk making hormones, allowing the glands to expand and start filling with milk between 16-20 weeks gestation. In the early days after birth, the more stimulation the breast has (from feeding or pumping), the more the milk making glands and their corresponding hormone receptors multiply. The milk balloons fill and empty milk multiple times per feeding.

After at least 40 days of not expressing any milk, once you completely wean, your milk making balloons deflate and become dormant, like before pregnancy. But they aren’t dead. Pregnancy and breastfeeding hormones caused a permanent change in your body. Your milk making glands will FOREVER remember how to make milk. They can ALWAYS make milk again, no matter how long it has been. They just need enough of the right stimulation to turn on and start filling again. Some times years after breastfeeding a mother may feel the tingle of let down if she hears a baby cry. Or she may leak if her partner does enough nipple stimulation. There are grandmothers in other cultures who bring back milk to breastfeed their grandchildren! Our bodies are AMAZING!! Now you know!

Comparison will steal your peace

- Julie Matheney

Too often we look around to see what everyone else is doing and it makes us feel incomplete, incompetent, like we’re doing something wrong or not doing enough. We see the success of others in parenting, sleep training, their milk supply, pumping, whatever, and it makes us feel like we’ve failed. Comparison is the number one way to have your joy and peace stolen. Stop looking at Becky over there with her oversupply and thinking your normal supply is inadequate for your content and growing baby. Stop looking at Gina over there whose baby has slept through the night since two months and thinking there’s something wrong with your happy child. Stop comparing your tiny but mighty that looks like the rest of your flock to my giant giraffe babies that look like the rest of my herd. You’re not getting a grade. Breastfeeding is not a pass/fail activity. Trust your baby. Trust your body. You’ve got this.

Welcome to LA Lactation!

- Julie Matheney

Hello, mama!
Welcome to LA Lactation. Congratulations on the newest arrival to your family!
LA Lactation’s blog is meant to provide you with quick and simple strategies to ensure successful (fun and hopefully enjoyable) breastfeeding.

People unwittingly tell new moms that breastfeeding should come naturally and easily, but honestly, breastfeeding can be tricky! Babies come into the world ready to learn, but feeding still takes practice!!!

The posts on this blog are packed with helpful information designed to walk you through the breastfeeding experience so that when baby comes, you will feel confidence in your own abilities and skills to feed your baby.
Breastfeeding beginnings:
Of course, putting your baby to your breast immediately after birth is the first step toward breastfeeding. But what next? What if your baby won’t latch? What if his hands are constantly in the way? What if your milk is slow to come in? There are many questions new mothers have and you can find all your answers in the content of this blog.

The first feeding:
Baby’s first feeding should happen within the first 60 minutes of birth. Skin to skin contact is essential for starting the bond between mother and baby and is a catalyst to the first feeding. It stimulates hormones in the mother’s body to begin the production of colostrum, the first milk often called “liquid gold”. Colostrum is packed with immune boosting antibodies, all the essential vitamins and minerals your baby needs, and perfectly balanced nutrition for growth and development. When infants are placed on their mothers chests at birth, their feeding instincts kick in. They will begin to army crawl to the breast and root around for mama’s nipple. You can facilitate this by laying your baby on your belly when he is born and watching the magic happen. After the first latch, you can position baby for feeding. While there are several breastfeeding positions for your infant, which will be in another blog post, you’ll want to keep skin-to-skin contact while feeding.

Proper latch:
It’s not immediately obvious, but a proper latch means baby has not only the nipple in her mouth, but a good bit of breast tissue from the areola as well. The areola is the colored area around the nipple. If the baby has a shallow latch just on the nipple, their tongue movement will cause chaffing which will lead to unnecessary cracking, bleeding, and pain. A deep, wide latch and will help prevent nipple soreness and discomfort, as well as allowing for a good flow of breastmilk.

  • If you need to break suction to reposition baby for a proper latch, be careful not to pull baby off your nipple, which will cause painful shearing over time. Instead, insert a finger between the gums to gently pop the suction, or use a finger to raise baby’s top lip toward her nose.
  • You should not feel pain in the nipple or breast when feeding. Women experience different sensations when nursing, like tugging or pulling. If there is any pain, your baby is most likely not latched correctly. Try breaking the seal and repositioning.
  • If you notice drying or cracking starting on the nipple, take immediate action. Nipple creams can help, but so can breast milk. Breast milk has been known to heal sore or cracked nipples faster than over the counter creams! Using a reusable/washable nursing pad made from natural bamboo fibers can help keep the nipple dry, which will also help with healing. If you use disposable nursing pads, make sure to change them frequently.