FAQs
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my baby is getting enough breast milk?
For the first 2-4 days of a baby's life, you know that he or she is getting enough by counting his or her wet and dirty diapers. For the first day of life, your baby needs one wet and one dirty diaper. For the second day, two wet and two dirty diapers. As your baby grows and as your milk comes in, their diaper counts will increase and average between 6-10 wet diapers and countless dirty diapers when they are a week old and beyond.
After the first week or so of an child's life, looking at a child's weight gain and ability to grow will be monitored during each pediatricians visit. You can do pre and post feed weights to check how much your child transferred during a breastfeeding session as well. Be sure to weigh your baby while they are naked with no diaper. 1 gram = 1 milliliter for reference.
If your infant is having difficulty feeding, stops making wet and dirty diapers, and becomes dehydrated, please seek medical attention.
If you require additional assistance or have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via the "Schedule A Consultation" tab at the top of this page.
How can I tell if my baby is latched
correctly when breastfeeding?
When your baby latches, there are a few important things to look for in order to ensure your infant is latched correctly.
A wide open mouth is essential for a correct latch. If your infant's mouth is not open widely on your nipple, there's a chance they are just sucking on the very tip of the nipple which can decrease or prevent milk transfer from breast to baby in addition to causing nipple pain and soreness.
Jaw movement is a great indicator of whether your baby has a good latch and suck. We look for jaw movement that occurs all the way back to where the jaw/cheek meets the child's ear with slow, deep sucking motions especially when your let-down occurs after your milk has come in.
See how it feels. If you feel pinching, stabbing, pins and needles, any painful sensation when the baby is latching, this may not be an effective latch. The goal is for the infant to have a big, wide open mouth and the tip of the nipple to be towards the back, upper part of the baby's mouth with flanged lips so that the infant is working the milk out of the surrounding breast tissue. You should feel tugging, pulling, and the feeling that the baby is drawing the nipple out and into your mouth for effective milk transfer.
Swallowing. When your milk has come in, you should hear your baby swallowing. They are intermittent and occur between sucking bursts and you will hear a small, subtle sound coming from their throats when it happens.
The following video is helpful to understand how proper and improper latching can effect nipple comfort, milk transfer, and encouragement of plentiful milk supply.
How long does it take for my milk to come in?
On average, the arrival of your full milk occurs between days 3-5 after giving birth. Every mother is different and some factors may change or alter when your full milk arrives.
Between the time prior to giving birth and the first few days of your infants life, your child's stomach is very small. You have colostrum which is very concentrated, yellow and sticky milk that is filled with antibodies, high in sugar, and complex in nature that will give your infant everything he or she needs until your full milk comes in.
Keep in mind if you have had children before, your milk may arrive more quickly and easily. If this baby is your first baby, it may take longer.
If you have a history of thyroid disease, in-vitro fertilization, other hormonal imbalances/therapy use, or breast augmentation, you may need to begin pumping in order to help stimulate milk arrival. Always consult a lactation consultant and/or physician for additional help as needed.
If you require additional assistance or have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via the "Schedule A Consultation" tab at the top of this page.
How often should I be feeding my baby?
It is recommended that you feeding your baby on average of eight (8) or more feedings in 24 hours. Some infants, especially in the first few weeks of life, will feed every 2-3 hours around the clock and may have a 4 hour stretch somewhere in between feedings. As long as your baby is making appropriate wet and dirty diapers, their bilirubin (jaundice) levels are in the appropriate range as well as gaining the appropriate weight, your baby should be getting enough milk. Some babies, especially newborns need to wakened for feedings because they can be sleepy. Other newborns will wake up for feeds regularly. Look for feeding cues (sucking of their hands and fingers, smacking of their lips, opening of their eyes, sticking out their tongue and increased movement) and offer the breast when these cues occur.
If you require additional assistance or have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via the "Schedule A Consultation" tab at the top of this page.
How long does abdominal cramping during breastfeeding last?
Abdominal (uterine) cramping during breastfeeding is normal after giving birth. It is a milk making sign because the hormone Oxytocin that is released when breastfeeding also makes your uterus contract. Oxytocin is a hormone that helps your full milk come in, helps prevent postpartum hemorrhage and decreases postpartum bleeding. Abdominal cramping lasts anywhere between 5-7 days but each mother is different so it may not occur at all, it may last for a few days, and it could last for more than a week. Each day your cramps should get less and less severe and your bleeding should become less and less in volume.
If you require additional assistance or have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via the "Schedule A Consultation" tab at the top of this page.
I'm having nipple pain when breastfeeding, what should I do?
When should I start pumping?
Some mild nipple soreness can occur during and after feedings due to an infant's strong, effective suck. Using a topical nipple cream helps with soothing any soreness. One of the most effective treatments is to do hand expression and rub colostrum/breast milk onto nipples to sooth and heal any type of chafing or redness that can occur. Click here for a helpful video tutorial!
Nipple pain can be contributed to a number of issues going on. Most commonly, a poor, shallow or ineffective latch can be occurring.
When your baby latches, there are a few important things to look for in order to ensure your infant is latched correctly.
A wide open mouth is essential for a correct latch. If your infant's mouth is not open widely on your nipple, there's a chance they are just sucking on the very tip of the nipple which can decrease or prevent milk transfer from breast to baby in addition to causing nipple pain and soreness.
Jaw movement is a great indicator of whether your baby has a good latch and suck. We look for jaw movement that occurs all the way back to where the jaw/cheek meets the child's ear with slow, deep sucking motions especially when your let-down occurs after your milk has come in.
See how it feels. If you feel pinching, stabbing, pins and needles, any painful sensation when the baby is latching, this may not be an effective latch. The goal is for the infant to have a big, wide open mouth and the tip of the nipple to be towards the back, upper part of the baby's mouth with flanged lips so that the infant is working the milk out of the surrounding breast tissue. You should feel tugging, pulling, and the feeling that the baby is drawing the nipple out and into your mouth for effective milk transfer.
If you have any blistering with discharge, red streaking or red swelling on or around areola/breast tissue especially with fevers, please see your physician for further evaluation.
If you notice white spots on your nipples and in the infants mouth, please see your physician and/or the baby's physician for further evaluation.
If you require additional assistance or have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via the "Schedule A Consultation" tab at the top of this page.
The initiation of pumping is different for each mother. If your infant is not latching correctly or at all and your breasts are not getting the appropriate stimulation every 2-3 hours a day, then pumping is usually recommended.
If you have a history of:
Low milk supply in past pregnancies
Thyroid issues not corrected by medications
Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Breast augmentation
Postpartum hemorrhage
Hormonal imbalance
In-vitro fertilization, or needed other assistance to get pregnant
Difficulties/complications in your pregnancy
Or other significant medical problems
pumping in conjunction with breastfeeding, especially in the first week or so of your child's life can help stimulate milk production and support the success of your future milk supply.
Always consult a lactation consultant or your physician prior to starting to pump to be sure this is the best route to take.
If you are not having any latching/breastfeeding issues and no pre-existing medical problems that could hinder your milk supply, waiting to begin pumping is completely fine. Depending on if/when a mother has to return to work, building up a milk supply to store away is always a mother's priority. It is suggested that mothers begin to pump when their infant is between the ages of 3-4 weeks. During that time, you can begin pumping after the baby's morning feed. Your breasts are more full in the morning so it is best to pump for 15-20 minutes after breastfeeding your baby. You will then save that milk and give via a bottle during a feed of your choice some time throughout the day. Often times, it's best for the father or another caretaker to give the bottle of pumped breast milk which will allow you to pump again during that feeding time or give you a break if the bottle is given over night. After the first week or so of pumping twice a day, you can begin pumping after feeds more often in order to continue breastfeeding but build up a supply as well. You may not see a lot of milk come out after each pumping session but this will tell your body to start making enough milk to continue breastfeeding and to also store away for future use. You should see positive results and an increase in milk supply with a few days to weeks.
Many moms also use a "milk saver" or "milk collector" while breastfeeding or something called a “Haakaa”. Please consult an IBCLC before using these to make sure it is appropriate and to ensure your baby is getting enough milk before storing “extra”. Depending on the baby, they will often times feed on one side per feeding or feed longer on one side than the other. You can apply this milk saver to the opposite breast which will allow you to collect any leaking milk from the other side and store away for future use without having to pump!
If you require additional assistance or have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via the "Schedule A Consultation" tab at the top of this page.
In order to prevent nipple confusion, it is best to refrain from artificial nipple use until the latch is established, the mother's milk is in, and there are no difficulties with breastfeeding. Many parents decide to both breastfeed and bottle feed so as long as the infant is latching correctly and the mother is pumping when an infant receives a bottle, her milk supply is supported and there should not be any major issues. As mentioned in a previous section, it is suggested that mothers begin to pump when their infant is between the ages of 3-4 weeks. During that time, you can begin pumping after the baby's morning feed. Your breasts are more full in the morning so it is best to pump for 15-20 minutes after breastfeeding your baby. You will then save that milk and give via a bottle during a feed of your choice some time throughout the day. Often times, it's best for the father or another caretaker to give the bottle of pumped breast milk which will allow you to pump again during that feeding time or give you a break if the bottle is given over night.
Of course parents can choose to introduce the bottle earlier than 3-4 weeks but depending on the baby's preference and ability, they may have difficulty going back and forth from the bottle to the breast.
If you require additional assistance or have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via the "Schedule A Consultation" tab at the top of this page.
When can I start giving my baby a bottle?
According to the Mayo Clinic, sucking on a pacifier at nap time and bedtime may reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). If you're breastfeeding, it is suggested that you wait to offer a pacifier until your baby is 3 to 4 weeks old and you've settled into an effective nursing routine.
If your baby's not interested in the pacifier, don't force it. Try again another day. If the pacifier falls out of your baby's mouth while he or she is sleeping, don't pop it back in.
Of course, you can introduce a pacifier earlier. Many parents do and some babies need to self sooth with a pacifier. It's important to make sure that when a baby is sucking on a pacifier that they aren't truly hungry and the pacifier is masking their feeding cues. Be aware that some breastfeeding difficulties may occur but try not to get discouraged. If having difficulties with latch after introducing of pacifiers or bottles, please do not hesitate to contact me via the "Schedule A Consultation" tab at the top of this page.
Is a pacifier bad for my baby?
Skin to skin is the act of holding your baby while the mother (or father/care taker) is naked from the waist up and infant is entirely naked or has just their diaper on. Skin to skin immediately after birth allows for bonding, temperature and blood glucose regulation, and allows for easy access for infant to begin breastfeeding.
Skin to skin is suggested to be performed for at least the first hour after birth, often referred to as the Magical Hour. It can also be performed at any time during the mom and baby's hospital stay and even at home! Having a new baby is such a beautiful, special experience and soaking in how precious your child is through skin to skin is truly magical.
If you require additional assistance or have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via the "Schedule A Consultation" tab at the top of this page.