Breastfeeding and Low Supply: Common and Surprising Causes and Solutions

Breastfeeding and Low Supply: Common and Surprising Causes and Solutions

Great 4th Trimester Info

The Fourth Trimester – AKA: Why Your Newborn is Only Happy in Your Arms. July 6, 2012 tags: 4th trimester, baby calming, baby colic, baby only happy if being held, baby wants sleep, baby won't sleep, baby won't stop crying, babycalm, babycalming, babywearing, can't put baby down, contented baby, controlled crying, fussy baby, Gina Ford, gripe water, happiest baby, high needs baby, how to calm a crying baby, how to put baby in a routine, how to relieve colic, how to settle baby, how to stop a baby crying, how to treat baby colic, in utero, newborn colic, newborn help, skin to skin, stop baby crying, The Baby Whisperer, the fourth trimester, treatments for colic, womb to world . 67 Votes Quantcast “My baby is only happy in my arms, the minute I put her down she cries” “He sleeps really well but only when he’s laying on my chest, he hates his moses basket” “She cries every time we lay her on her play mat” “He hates going in his pram, he cries the second we put him in it”. How many times have you heard these comments from new parents? How many times have you said them yourself? I’ve lost count of the amount of times I have been asked these questions! What amazes me though is that society in general doesn’t get it, they don’t get why so many babies need to be held by us to settle and what perplexes me even more is that we do spend so long trying to put them down! How to calm a crying baby, treat colic, baby wants sleep, baby won't sleep, baby won't stop crying, baby cries unless in my arms, newborn colic, unhappy baby, fussy baby, gina ford routine, find my local antenatal classes, find local baby classes We spend more than time though, the ‘putting babies down’ industry is worth millions, rocking cribs, battery swings, vibrating chairs, heartbeat teddies and the list goes on………………having been a first time parent who bought all four of the items listed above I am embarrased to admit now it honestly didn’t enter into my head that perhaps the answer was to *not* put my baby down and I certainly didn’t consider why these things might help. It took me a long time to understand and empathise with my baby, to see the world through his eyes so to speak. “Empathy: the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing ofthe feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.” To empathise with our newborns feelings we need to put ourselves in their place, to imagine experiencing their world – but which world? The world they have spent most of their life in, their ‘womb world’ or the world they are in now – our world. To fully understand we must appreciate the enormous transition they have made – a concept known to many as ‘The Fourth Trimester’ -some make the womb to world transition easily, others less so and it is this latter group in particular “the clingy babies” we can learn so much from through this concept. “Birth suddenly disrupts this organization. During the month following birth, baby tries to regain his sense of organization and fit into life outside the womb. Birth and adaptation to postnatal life bring out the temperament of the baby, so for the first time he must do something to have his needs met. He is forced to act, to “behave.” If hungry, cold, or startled, he cries. He must make an effort to get the things he needs from his caregiving environment. If his needs are simple and he can get what he wants easily, he’s labeled an “easy baby”; if he does not adapt readily, he is labeled “difficult.”” – Dr. William Sears. So lets quickly compare the two different ‘worlds’ your baby has lived in: The fourth trimest, womb to world, life in utero, why babies cry, how to calm a crying baby Pretty different huh? On top of this the big thing to understand is that in utero the baby’s world was constant, each day was the same, the stimulation didn’t change, but now they are born each day is different – ever changing, ever stimulating! the fourth trimester, 4th trimester, womb to world, newborn colic, why is my baby only happy in my arms, babywearing You’ll find a more in-depth discussion on this idea and much more in my BabyCalm Book – available from Amazon in the UK or with worldwide free delivery from The Book Depository if you live elsewhere in the world. how to calm a crying baby, find local antenatal classes, stop baby colic, treat colic, how to get baby to stop crying, how to get baby to sleep, baby classes, babycalming The concept of the fourth trimester helps us to understand the transition a newborn must make over their first few weeks earthside and once we understand we find so many ways we can help – but to me the most important facet of the fourth trimester is parental understanding and empathy, once that exists everything else will flow naturally. Here are some common newborn calming techniques that tend to work quite well, but remember each and every baby is different, if you don’t already know, you will soon learn what your baby likes best and that’s what matters, that it is unique to *your* baby. Prescriptive ‘do this/don’t do this’ baby calming lists don’t help anybody – because they forget they are dealing with individuals – both parents and babies! Some things on this list will be inappropriate for you and your baby, some simply won’t work, some you won’t like – and that’s OK! because really it isn’t about these tips it’s about you and your baby getting to know each other! Movement The womb is a constantly moving space, Braxton Hicks would squeeze your baby at the end of pregnancy and each time you moves your baby was wobbled around inside. Imagine how walking upstairs feels for a baby in utero! Babies tend to love movement but so often we put them down somewhere completely still. You could try dancing, swaying from side to side, going for an exaggerated quick walk or bumpy car ride. Swaddling Imagine how snug your baby was at the very end of your pregnancy inside of you – now imagine how strange it must feel to them after they have been born and have so much space around them! The absolutely best thing you can do is to envelop your baby in your arms, but for times when you don’t want to or indeed can’t then swaddling is an option. Swaddling is becoming increasingly popular, however there are important safety guidelines to be followed if you choose to swaddle your baby, if you are breastfeeding please make sure feeding is established before swaddling and take care not to miss your baby’s hunger cues if you are feeding on demand: Never swaddle over your baby’s head or near his face Never swaddle your baby if he is ill or has a fever Make sure your baby does not overheat and only swaddle with a breathable/thin fabric Only swaddle your baby until he can roll over** Always place your baby to sleep on his back Do not swaddle tightly across your baby’s chest Do not swaddle tightly around your baby’s hips and legs, his legs should be free to “froggy up” into a typical newborn position. Lastly start to swaddle as soon as possible, do not swaddle a 3 month old baby if he has not been swaddled before. ** The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends swaddling for babies 0-14wks. Skin to Skin Contact Such a brilliant baby calmer! Being in contact with your warm, naturally (un)scented, skin is heaven for a baby, it helps to stabilise their body temperature, heart rate and stress hormones and stimulates the release of oxytocin – the love and bonding hormone – in you both. Topless cuddles, shared baths, baby massage and bedsharing are all great skin to skin experiences for your baby and you. Bed-Sharing Sharing a bed with your baby is an amazing way of getting more sleep for everyone, babies are generally much calmer and sleep more easily if they sleep with you in your bed, yet it is such a taboo topic and although 60% of parents will share a bed with their baby at some point it’s a subject that makes society very uncomfortable, but…it is an *amazing* baby calmer! It’s really important that you think about how bedsharing will work and follow some important safety guidelines HERE. babywearing, baby carrier, baby sling, moby wrap, good carrier for a newborn baby, good sling for a newborn baby Babywearing Wearing your baby in a sling is one of the ultimate ways to keep them calm and happy. It increases the time a baby spends in a state of “quiet alertness” – a time of contentment when they learn the most. When a baby is in utero they spend 100% of their time in physical contact with us – yet the moment they are born this is estimated to drop to only 40%! Babywearing also means 2 free hands! Choose your sling carefully. A good sling will be easy to use and will support both yours and your baby’s spine whilst not placing any pressure on your baby’s growing hips – newborns should always be carried facing inwards with a “frog leg” pose, not a crotch dangle pose so commonly used by commercial baby carriers. Also seek to carry in an ‘in arms’ position – i.e: how your baby would be held if you were holding them! This great picture from JePorteMonBebe highlights this newborn hold position perfectly. Babywearing is a great way for dads to bond with babies! It is quite common for a baby to cry once placed in a sling, this does not mean that they hate the sling – it just means that you need to move, so get dancing! As with swaddling,babywearing is becoming increasingly popular, however there are important safety guidelines to be followed, the TICKS acronym below neatly sums them all up: babywearing, safe babywearing, ticks guide for safe babywearing, how to choose a baby sling, how to choose a baby carrier Position The “tiger in the tree” position below, taken from baby yoga, is often magical, stopping a crying baby in an instant! newborn colic hold, baby colic hold, tiger in the tree, tiger in a tree, baby yoga Noise Babies love sound, but for many not the sound you might think. For many babies a hoover is much more calming to a baby than a lullaby. A white noise CD such as the one by BabyCalm HERE can be played on loop whilst your baby sleeps to help keep them calm. Feed If your baby is hungry nothing will calm him, so watch for his hunger cues. Feeding is always better if it is baby led, not led by a routine – whether you are breast or bottle feeding. Remember as well that your baby may not always be hungry for a full feed, they may want a quick drink, a quick snack or just some comfort sucking. Babies also find sucking the ultimate relaxation and comfort tool. Sucking helps a baby’s skull bones to return to their normal position after birth as well as providing them with comfort and security. If you are not breastfeeding you might find your baby will relax when given a dummy/pacifier. Deep Bathing The womb is a wet, warm place. The world as we know it is dry and cold! Sometimes a nice deep, warm bath can stop a baby’s tears in seconds – even better if mummy or daddy goes in the big bath with baby too as skin to skin contact is a wonderful baby calmer. Outside If all else fails many babies stop crying the minute they hit the open air – I’m not sure if this is because we are usually moving (e.g.: walking over cobbles with the buggy/ bouncing in a sling and the drone and movement of a car) or because of the change in air – but it works! attachment parenting book, fourth trimester book, babycalm book, babycalming book, parenting book If you like this article you’ll find many more suggestions and discussions on baby sleep, colic, babywearing, co-sleeping/bed-sharing and much more in my newly released BabyCalm Book – available from Amazon in the UK or with worldwide free delivery from The Book Depository if you live elsewhere in the world! Written by: Sarah (Mum to Four, Parenting Author and Founder of BabyCalm Ltd) You can read more of Sarah’s articles HERE. Share this: Twitter538 Facebook10K+

Breastfeeding...It's only natural

HHS offers moms knowledge, help, and support through a new breastfeeding initiative, It’s Only Natural Today, Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin, MD, MBA announced the launch of It’s Only Natural, a new public education campaign that aims to raise awareness among African American women of the importance of and benefits associated with breastfeeding and provide helpful tips. It's only natural. mother's love. mother's milk “One of the most highly effective preventive measures a mother can take to protect the health of her infant and herself is to breastfeed,” said Surgeon General Benjamin. “By raising awareness, the success rate among mothers who want to breastfeed can be greatly improved through active support from their families, their friends and the community.” Breastfeeding offers mothers and their babies a healthy start. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 80 percent of all women in the United States—regardless of status, race, or income — start out breastfeeding. Among African American women, the breastfeeding rate is almost 55 percent — up from just 35 percent in the 1970s. However, while these rates are improving, breastfeeding rates among African American women remain lower than the rates of other ethnicities in the U.S., particularly among those living in the south. This gap may indicate that African American mothers face barriers to meeting breastfeeding goals and need additional support to start and continue breastfeeding. It’s Only Natural was specifically designed to provide materials that reflect the experience of African American moms. It’s Only Natural was developed to equip new moms with practical information and emotional support from peers, as well as tips and education about the benefits of breastfeeding and how to make it work in their own lives. All of the material is uniquely crafted for African American women. Materials include: •video testimonials from new moms talking about the challenges they have overcome, providing breastfeeding tips, sharing their individual stories, and much more; •articles on a variety of topics ranging from laws supporting breastfeeding to how to fit breastfeeding into your daily life; •two fact sheets, which contain proper holding and latching techniques, as well as information on managing discomfort and how much milk is enough; and •radio public service announcements. To learn more about the campaign, visit www.womenshealth.gov/ItsOnlyNatural. ###

Biological Nursing

Biological Nursing: a relaxing approach to latch by Martha Peelor, RN, IBCLC. by Breastfeeding Center of Pittsburgh on Thursday, November 15, 2012 at 8:21am · . Over the last 40 years, first as an LLL leader (1971) and then as an IBCLC (1985), I have been privileged to observe, assist and encourage countless mothers and babies as they begin the dance of breastfeeding. I taught pre-natal breastfeeding classes and I have been able to see new mothers with their babies in their homes, at meetings, in the hospital and now, in the pediatrician’s office for their first one or two visits. In all of these settings, both before and after the baby was born, I have found that most mothers, fathers and other family members have a mental picture of the new breastfeeding couple. Usually, mom is in a rocking chair, in a beautiful new nursing gown. She is holding the baby in the cradle hold, leaning over the baby and gazing adoringly into the baby’s eyes. There is usually no sign of pillows supporting the baby or the mom’s arms. What we don’t see in this picture is the pain in mom’s eyes and face as she sits on her sore perineum or holds the baby tight against her cesarean incision; the tension in her body as she struggles to hold the baby’s weight; the ache in her back, neck and shoulders from leaning over the baby; and, the pressure she is exerting on the baby’s back or head to keep the baby from rolling too far into or away from the breast. While the football and side-lying positions change the above dynamics, many new moms find these positions problematic as well. These are the ones I knew, however, and these were the positions I taught new mothers. A few years ago, at an International Lactation Consultant Association conference, I had the opportunity to hear Suzanne Colson, PhD, MSc, BA, RGN, RM and Honorary Senior Midwifery Lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University, speak about Biological Nurturing. Her research, video and discussion of the value of “laid back breastfeeding” totally amazed me. If you are not familiar with her work, please do yourself the favor of going to her website, biologicalnurturing.com and checking it out. I returned from that conference as a fervent convert to the concepts involved in BN. These include the release of neonatal reflexes which help baby to latch and the importance of gravity with the baby in a full frontal position in optimizing the baby’s ability to find the breast and nipple and achieve a deep, asymmetric latch. There is a lot more to BN than these two concepts but they were the main ones I brought home. In my office/lactation room at work, there is a small, cushioned recliner for the new mom to use while we do a consult. Mom and I talk about the positions she has been taught and I ask her if she would like to learn a new one that will be very comfortable for both her and baby. Most moms were glad to do that but not all were thrilled about the idea of nursing in that position. (Remember the mental picture above?) However, when I tell them that their babies might do an amazing thing (self latch) it makes them more willing to try. The moms who have latch problems or sore nipples or problems keeping the baby awake are very happy to try this “radical” way of breastfeeding. So mom takes her shirt off and we fix the recliner so that she is lying at about a 45 degree angle. Then we put the undressed baby face down between the breasts and watch what happens. Most of you have probably watched one of the “self-attachment” videos showing the newly-born baby crawl up the mom’s belly to her breast and start nursing. During a consult there is a lot to do and a limited time so mom helps the baby to the breast and puts her by the nipple. The baby then bobs around, lifts his head, does some pushing with her feet and legs and brings his head around in alignment with the nipple. There is usually a quick, deep latch, face down and then the baby turns her head to the side as he starts to feed. A pillow is put under the mom’s arm on the side where she is stabilizing the baby. The look on the mom’s face is priceless. Two wonderful things have happened. The first is that she is not sitting on her perineum; she is sitting on her sacrum. So that pain is gone. Her body is relaxed and completely supported. There is no tension in her neck, shoulders or back. Since the baby can feed this way in a vertical, horizontal or oblique lie, mom does not need to have the baby’s weight on an incision. Unless she is supporting a very large or pendulous breast, her opposite hand is free. The second wonderful thing is that the baby, who may have been really struggling with latch, generally gets on with very little trouble. This is wonderful for both mom and baby. Most babies nursing this way have very effective feedings; they are less likely to fall asleep because of poor milk flow. Moms often say that this was the best feeding the baby had ever had! The laid-back position (someone needs to find a name for it) has worked really well for the moms who have tried it. Every mom has loved nursing this way and if the babies could talk, I know they would agree. This position can be used even if the baby is using a nipple shield to latch. I primarily see moms and babies in the first week post-partum so I haven’t used this position with older babies. However, on the Biological Nursing website, there is a wealth of information and pictures which involve new babies and older babies as well. . Unlike · · Share

Recommend breastfeeding in the first hour after birth

Welcome to The Magical Hour		Purchase the Magical Hour
The breathtaking award-winning DVD for prospective parents. Dr. Kajsa Brimdyr, ethnographer and international expert in implementing skin to skin in first hour, guides you through the beauty and magic of the first hour after birth. Combining stunning videography of babies during this amazing time with the humorous and practical insights of real parents and the grounded research of international experts Ann-Marie Widström and Lars Åke Hanson, this DVD is both heartwarming and informative. It has been well documented that holding a baby skin to skin in the first hour after birth is crucial for improving health, establishing breastfeeding and creating a priceless bond between mother and newborn baby. Every baby goes through nine amazing stages when skin to skin with their mother during the first hour. Each of these stages are beautifully illustrated and discussed. This 30 minute DVD asks parents who have experienced skin to skin to share their thoughts and feelings about what this magical first hour after birth meant for them and their child. International in scope, it will give parents a realistic view of what it means to spend that first hour in direct uninterrupted contact with the new life they have been given.
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