The health benefits of breastfeeding are endless for both mom and baby. You may know about many ways that breast milk benefits babies, but breastfeeding is also a powerful player in the long term health of the breastfeeding mother. Breastfeeding can actually reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Breastfeeding or pumping in public places can be stressful with many moms still discriminated against by 24% of Americans who deem any kind of breast exposure as inappropriate. If you’re worried about comments from others telling you to “cover up,” it is important to know that you have the legal right to continue nurse in public, despite the negative stigma surrounding it.
Having a new baby is a huge life transition. The holiday season can add a lot of additional stress while you are busy taking care of your newborn. This is because what’s best for mother-newborn dyads (to rest, stay home, focus on breastfeeding, not have too many interruptions with visitors, etc.) is the opposite of our societal expectations of what parents of new babies should do during that time of year (traveling, family traditions, bringing babies to large holiday gatherings, entertaining guests, meeting family members, etc.)
Late premature babies, also called “late preemies,” are born between 34 to 36 weeks. Although babies born between 34 to 36 weeks of pregnancy often look like full-term babies (only smaller) there are major physiologic differences. As a result of immature brain and nervous system development, late premature infants have an increased risk of low birth weight, feeding difficulties, and breathing struggles. Let's take a closer look at FAQs about breastfeeding late premature infants.
The reality is that we do not pump in an ideal world, and oftentimes find ourselves pumping under less than ideal circumstances! For many reasons, it’s not unusual to sometimes have to combine breast milk from different pumping sessions for your babies’ supplemental bottles. Let's take a look at some breast milk storage guidelines and how to combine pumped breast milk.
Donor breast milk is human milk that is used as a substitute or supplement for mothers’ own milk. There are many benefits of supplementing full term and preterm babies with donor human milk including helping the immune system to help babies fight infections, forming a healthy and diverse microbiome, and improving vision and developmental outcomes. Contact your nearest milk bank to find out about breast milk donation.
Breastfeeding in the NICU can be challenging. Many babies who go to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after birth are born prematurely (before 37 weeks’ gestation), but NICUs also admit full-term babies. In the NICU, most breastfeeding preemies’ diets consist of direct breastfeeds along with supplemental feeds of milk or formula via a bottle or feeding tube (or both). No matter how your NICU graduate gets your breast milk, whether it be directly from your breast, in a bottle, and/or through a feeding tube, remember you are an incredible breastfeeding mama!
Breast milk is important for all babies, especially those who need to be admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after being born. NICU infants who receive their mothers’ milk have been found to have lower risks of infections, improved digestion, shorter hospital stays, and less long-term problems with their lungs and breathing. Take a look at why breast milk is one of the best “gifts” that a mom can give her NICU baby and some tips for breast milk pumping moms in the NICU.
Did you know that breastfeeding challenges are common, especially for first time pregnant women and new moms? It's important to know and recognize the risk factors ahead of time!
