Tag: first feeding

Perspectives on breastfeeding

- Julie Matheney

PERSPECTIVE

“My hospital nurse told me to feed baby every 2 hours with 15mL and my pediatrician told me to feed baby every 3 hours with 30mL.”

“My IBCLC told me there is a tongue tie but the ENT said there wasn’t one.”

“One consultant told me to use a nipple shield as lo as needed. The other said get off as quick as possible”

“They said don’t let baby feed more than 10 minutes per side, but my baby won’t stay latched that long.”

I hear this all the time in my practice and it can be confusing for families. Why did I get different advice from different people? Perspective. Doulas, midwives, pediatricians, even lactation consultants all come from their own training, education, clinical practice and personal experience. When in doubt, the best person to get lactation advice from is an IBCLC. They have had to go through extensive training and mentoring to become certified in the study of human lactation. But remember: even lactation consultants come from different perspectives.

A hospital based IBCLC typically only works with babies in the first 2-4 days after birth and may see dozens of babies in a week, getting only a short amount of time with each family. A private practice IBCLC may have more time to spend with you but experience and expertise may vary. An IBCLC who is also a nurse will approach breastfeeding differently than one who is also a feeding therapist or who started out as a mother who struggled to breastfeed and became passionate to help others going through what she went through. My best advice is find some one who listens to you, educates on why they want you to do something, and supports you in your journey. Because you have a unique perspective, too.

Lauren Archer, Love of a Little One doula, takes a picture of my midwife and newborn
This is the same image from Lauren’s perspective

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.