BREASTFEEDING
I’m constantly nervous that
my baby isn’t drinking enough milk.
How do I know he’s
getting the right amount?
Try to focus on these two things instead:
your baby’s sucking and his poop. “Think
of it as you do microwave popcorn:
You don’t want long pauses—you want
constant suckling,” explains Maya
Bunik, M.D., professor of pediatrics at
the University of Colorado School of
Medicine. And look for several watery,
yellow stools each day. Your baby
needs to learn that when he’s at your
breast, it’s time to eat. Otherwise, he
might nurse on and off for a prolonged
time and cause soreness for you in the
early weeks. But if you are concerned,
call your pediatrician and go in for a
weight check, even if it’s not scheduled.
I think my baby is
latching on well, but it still
hurts like hell.
Babies are like vacuums—and we’re
guessing you haven’t had a vacuum
stuck to your nipple before—but
breastfeeding shouldn’t be painful.
“You should feel a slow, rhythmic
pressure. Although it takes getting
used to, if it’s extremely painful, your
baby probably isn’t attached correctly,”
says Diane L. Spatz, Ph.D., director
of the Lactation Program at the
C h i ld r en’s Hospita l of Philadelphia.
Even if you had the hang of it in the
hospital, his latch can change once
your milk comes in and your breasts
are fuller. “If you’re in pain, don’t
wait and see. The first three to five
days are critical for establishing your
milk supply, so call a lactation
consulta nt,” says Dr. Spatz. Cracked
skin and sore nipples are common
(be sure to untuck your baby’s lips so
they are f lared out like a fish). Pain
early on is often simply from the
frequency of nursing, so keep gel pads
and lanolin on hand for soothing
your breasts.
At my baby’s two-week
appointment, my pediatrician said
he needs to gain more weight
and wants me to supplement with
formula. I’m devastated.
First of all, the most important thing is
to have a healthy baby and a (physically
and mentally) healthy mom, so take a
deep breath. What’s likely happening is
that he isn’t nursing effectively for
some reason—maybe he’s having a hard
time latching on or is just a slow,
laid-back eater—which has resulted in
your supply going down.
If the goal is to keep breastfeeding,
you need to pump—essentially, the
pump will do the work your baby isn’t.
Dr. Spatz recommends a hospital-grade
pump for maximum efficiency. Your
doctor may suggest that you nurse for
a short amount of time, then feed
the baby some formula, and then pump
to stimulate milk production. “You
are giving the baby formula to plump
him up and teach him how his stomach
should feel when it’s full, all while
giving yourself time to get your supply
back up,” says Dr. Grant.
My baby is sleeping a
long stretch at night (hallelujah!),
but I’m waking up in pain
from engorged breasts (ouch!).
It’s a blessing and a curse. The question
is: Do you set an alarm to wake up and
pump? If your baby is less than 6 weeks
old (congratulations, by the way, you have
a champion sleeper), it’s probably best to
get up and pump a couple of ounces so
that your supply doesn’t decrease, says
Dr. Bunik. More likely, your baby is
older and simply sleeping through the
night. If you can, too, we say do it. But if
you’re uncomfortable, you should pump.
I have a clogged duct—it
hurts to even touch
my breast—and I’m supposed
to let a baby suck on it?
Yes, you are. Nursing is the best way
to get things f lowing smoothly again,
even though it hurts. To ease the
pain and loosen the clog, try applying
hot compresses or massaging while
nursing or pumping. “Using the butt ON BABY: DEER DANA. LAVENDER AND WHITE QUILT: DECEMBER MADE. RUG: AEFLIE.
PARENTS 112 SEPTEMBER 2019
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