Our bodies are fascinating wonders, and one of the mysteries is how things we touch and taste can change how we look, as well as the look of things our bodies produce. And it should come as no surprise, breast milk is no exception to that rule. As with most things, the reasons behind breast milk changes color are multi-faceted and unique to each mom. But there are some things to remember when you are trying to decide what’s normal, and what isn’t.
You’ve got places to go and people to see, Mama! Air travel can be especially exhausting when you are expecting, and it may also cause swelling in the feet and legs. So before you take off, learn how many pregnant women use compression socks to protect their health.
The following weeks after giving birth you may be concerned about whether or not your baby is being sufficiently fed. Even though babies can’t say what it is they need, they rely on and use different sounds and movements to signal when they need to be fed long before crying begins.
Many new mothers wonder if they need to take certain supplements or vitamins while breastfeeding to ensure their baby is healthy. In most cases, moms don’t need to take vitamins, although they aren’t likely to hurt your baby. Some mommies take vitamin D to ensure that their babies are getting enough of this essential nutrient for healthy bones.
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.
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!
