Oatmeal is popular with North American mothers. Steel-cut or rolled oats are more nutritious and likely to be more effective than instant. Oats are also high in fiber, as is brown rice and most other whole grains and dried beans.

p. 173. So, given that oatmeal is nutritious and easy to incorporate into a healthful diet, it looks like we file this one under “Can’t hurt and might help.”

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

This contest is now closed. Thank you for your interest!

For one of THREE chances to win The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk, see “How to Enter” below! The publisher McGraw-Hill has generously offered three copies of the book, and even better — anyone, anywhere is welcome to enter because there are no restrictions on the countries to which the books can be shipped!

About the Book

The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk is a new book that helps mothers identify and address problems with low milk supply. It deals with determining whether there is a problem in the first place, investigating the possible causes for low milk production, working on increasing milk supply, and dealing with the emotional aspects of low milk supply. Written by two board certified lactation consultants, Diana West and Lisa Marasco, this book is approved by La Leche League International. For more information on the authors and the book, see the website Making More Milk.

How to Enter

The contest is open to everyone, including international mailing addresses. You have two chances to win! For your first entry, simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address before the end of the day January 30, 2009 Pacific Coast Time. For a second chance to win, mention this contest on your blog with a link back to this post, and — this is the key part to get a second entry number — leave a second comment letting me know about your post! The three winning comment numbers will be picked at random using Random.org. Limit one book per person. I will notify the winners on January 31 both at Breastfeeding123.com and by email. The winner will have until February 3, 2009, to get back to me with a postal mailing address for shipping or another winner will be selected.

Leave a comment below!

For more contests, see:

~ My giveaway from Breast Pumps Direct of a breast pump kit, BPA-free plastic and glass bottles, a nursing reminder bracelet, and nursing pads
~ My other giveaway for Mommy’s Little Breastfeeding Book
~ The Bloggy Giveaways Carnival

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Medela Sleep Nursing Bra Review

I ordered a Medela Sleep Nursing Bra when I was pregnant because I was looking for a soft, comfortable nursing bra without hooks or snaps. I was not disappointed! The fabric is 95% cotton, 5% spandex, and it comes in nude or white. The cups cross slightly in front, allowing for easy opening by pulling one cup to the side to reveal the breast. The ultra-lazy (me!) can pull up from the bottom rather than to the side. It has a racerback style and wide shoulder straps (which do leave a mark but are not uncomfortable) and pulls easily over the head. The bra is designed as a sleep nursing bra for holding in nursing pads. While it only offers minimal support, I am comfortable wearing it during the day at home and even under some shirts when I go out (others might prefer more support in a regular nursing bra but I like the comfortable fit and light coverage). At U.S. $19.99 the price is right too!

If you do get a Medela Sleep Nursing Bra, consider the sizing carefully. I tried on a medium during pregnancy, thinking I normally am a 36C. The medium was too small, and I thought I’d grow even bigger when my milk came in so I ordered an extra-large. In the end I fit best in the large.

Other Product Reviews for the Carnival of Breastfeeding (updates throughout the day)

Breastfeeding Mums: The Food of Love book by Kate Evans
Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog: Breastfeeding and Pumping CDs, including a giveaway
Mama Knows Breast: Utterly Yours Breast Pillow and Pregnancy Pillow
Blacktating: Products intended to boost milk supply
Babyfingers: Bravado Essential Nursing Bra Tank
Half Pint Pixie: Gorgeous nursing bras
Mama’s Magic: Breastfeeding Basics and Bling!
Layla Beth Munk: Medela Nipple Shields, Lansinoh, Gilligan & O’Malley nursing bras, and So That’s What They’re For
Hobo Mama: Cloth nursing pads

Other Product Reviews at Breastfeeding 1-2-3

~ Compilation of breastfeeding product reviews from many breastfeeding bloggers
~ Soothies Gel Pads
~ Medela Nipple Shields
~ Traditional Medicinals Mother’s Milk Tea

Leave a Comment

Have you tried the Medela Sleep Nursing Bra or any of the other products mentioned? Leave a comment!

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Have you tried Mother’s Milk Tea (either the regular or organic versions)? How did it taste? Did you find that it helped your milk supply at all? Did you use it in combination with any other techniques or any medications? Leave a comment with your product review — short, long, good, or bad!

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Oversupply

When my first daughter was born, I struggled with oversupply. In theory oversupply sounds great because it eliminates any worry about having enough milk for the baby. In reality, it can cause a lot of problems including painful engorgement, an overactive letdown (which can cause the baby to choke, sputter, and pop off the breast), a foremilk-hindmilk imbalance (leading to green and gassy stools), plugged ducts, and mastitis.

I wish I had known more about correcting oversupply in the first place. In the end it took about 12 weeks for my supply to regulate.

Plugged Ducts

Off and on over that first year, I experienced several plugged ducts:

~ Kellymom on Plugged Ducts and Mastitis
~ NEW BEGINNINGS article on Plugged Ducts

I became adept at hand-expressing to remove the little white milk plug that was blocking the milk duct. One time, though, I found that I had damaged the nipple skin at the site of the plug, and the sore simply would not heal. I tried Lansinoh and I tried expressing breast milk on the nipple and letting it air dry. The white, cracked sore did not go away.

Thrush

Eventually I spoke to a La Leche League leader, who suggested I consult my doctor to see whether it could be thrush. I wasn’t in terrible pain and my baby didn’t have white patches in her mouth, but thrush can exist without such symptoms or signs. My gynecologist first prescribed Nystatin for me and my baby, and when that didn’t work, we moved on to Diflucan. (I also sanitized all of my clothing and any toys or other items that had been in my baby’s mouth). When Diflucan didn’t work either, I began to suspect I didn’t have thrush (that’s what I think in retrospect), or I had a stubborn case.

Gentian Violet and Grapefruit Seed Extract

I started looking for alternative remedies for thrush, and happened upon information about using Gentian Violet:

~ Using Gentian Violet – Dr. Jack Newman
~ Thrush Remedies including Gentian Violet (see also the warning on its use) — AskDrSears.com

Gentian violet is purple and does indeed stain your nipples, baby’s mouth, and clothing. I bought a few pink/purple outfits and put my baby in them for the duration of our treatment! Whether or not I actually had thrush, this is the product that finally helped my nipple heal.

Later on I learned about grapefruit seed extract and its antimicrobial properties. I tried Nutribiotic – GSE Liquid Concentrate anytime I had an open sore, or my baby developed a yeasty diaper rash. I also take it internally when I’m battling a bout of plugged ducts and/or mastitis. It’s also an effective cleaner! Just make sure you dilute it. Plain sterile water works for topical applications, and a little orange juice (or grapefruit juice!) works well to mask the bitter taste when you take it internally. A small bottle of GSE seems expensive ($10.50 or so on-line or at a natural foods store) but a little goes a long way and I still have my original bottle four years later.

~ Grapefruit Seed Extract for Treatment of Thrush – AskLenore.com
~ Identifying and Treating Thrush (with GSE) – Dr. Jay Gordon

It’s convenient that these remedies do not require a prescription, but as always, consult your physician, your child’s physician, and/or a pharmacist before using any medication.

Other Participants in the Carnival

~ Tongue Tie – Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog
~ Supplementing – Mama’s Magic
~ Oversupply, Blebs, Plugged Ducts, and Mastits – Half Pint Pixie
~ Plugged Ducts and Mastitis – Speech Act
~ Low Milk Supply and the Mini-Pill – Tales of Life with a Girl on the Go
~ Getting Rid of Thrush – Nurturing Notes
~ Sore Nipples, Engorgement, and Medications – BreastfeedingMums
~ Surviving Mastitis – Blessed Nest Perch
~ Supplementing during the First Week – Hobo Mama

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Nursing is going well but suddenly the baby seems unsatisfied and wants to nurse all the time. The mother’s breasts feel less full, particularly in the evening. Is the mother’s supply low?

In the early days a nursing mother’s breasts may feel full or even engorged. If a mother has oversupply issues, this feeling of fullness may be constant and she may experience more than one episode of engorgement. If that feeling of fullness is suddenly gone, is the mother’s milk supply low?

In the first scenario, the baby is likely going through a growth spurt. Growth spurts typically occur around three weeks, six weeks and three months of age. During these times of rapid growth, the baby wants to nurse more often than usual. A mother may worry that the baby is not getting satisfied at the breast, but that more frequent nursing is simply the baby’s way of increasing the mother’s milk supply. The more the baby “demands” the more the mother will “supply.” It’s not a sign that the baby is not getting enough milk or needs supplementation. The mother’s breasts may feel less full but they are continually producing milk and the rate of milk production actually increases when the breasts are less full and slows as the breasts fill.

What about the mother who always felt full but suddenly does not? This mother’s milk supply may be regulating. That means that instead of tending to over-produce, the principle of supply and demand is starting to regulate the production of milk. It can take 6-12 weeks or more after the birth for the milk supply to regulate. While it can be very disconcerting for a mother when her breasts feel less full suddenly, it can actually be a blessing. Oversupply can lead to plugged ducts and mastitis. It can also give the baby problems with a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance. So it’s a good thing if the milk supply regulates and the mother can rest assured that the wheels of supply and demand are functioning.

My baby seemed so unsatisfied that I gave him a bottle and he sucked it right down!

If a mother is worried that her baby is not getting enough milk and she offers a bottle of artificial baby milk, the baby may well take it whether the baby needs it or not. The flow from a baby bottle is much faster. Gravity does all the work and the baby does not have to suck hard to get the fluid out. Thus a baby may take in more than the baby needs (and may consequently spit up more). If the baby then goes longer in between feedings (and thus appears more “satisfied”) that may be because it’s harder for the baby to digest artificial milk. Breast milk is the perfect baby food and is easy for the baby’s undeveloped digestive system to process.

So what are signs that the baby is getting enough breast milk and supplementation is not necessary? The best indicators are: adequate wet and poopy diapers, weight gain and lack of lethargy. For a baby six weeks and younger, it’s a good sign if the baby has at least five wet disposable diapers or six wet cloth diapers per day (one to two is normal in the first few days before the mother’s milk comes in). Look for three to four bowel movements the size of a quarter (once the baby passes the meconium and starts having yellowish breast milk poop). Older babies may start to have fewer bowel movements–even as little as one per week is normal as long as the baby continues to gain weight normally.

If the baby does not have enough wet and poopy diapers, weight gain is a concern, or the baby seems lethargic, consult a doctor. If the doctor suggest supplementation, try to troubleshoot any breastfeeding concerns, discuss ways to increase milk supply and consider supplementing with expressed breast milk.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

“So we do all the pre-natal classes like the good parents we are supposed to be, and it started from the very first one: breast is best, don’t use formula, everyone can breastfeed and if you don’t it’s pretty close to child abuse.

So my son was born. Guess what, despite any jokes I made to my wife about her now officially being a milking cow, she wasn’t very good at breast feeding. She delivered via cesarean section so she was in hospital a full week, during this time she struggled with the breast feeding….turns out she didn’t make a good milking cow after all, but I make that note because we had 7 days in a private hospital with lots of one on one time with midwifes about how to get breast feeding right.

Anyhow so we get home thinking, ok, it’s hard but they’ve spent all this time with us, surely this will work out. Mind you, at this stage, although we’d both raised switching to formula up, we were told basically it was tantamount to child abuse, and were told it’s not an option. So things start getting bad, our son clearly isn’t putting on weight, and he starts to get quite gaunt. At about 10 days, as much as he was still with us, his skin had started to turn blue, and his limbs were limp. I eventually convince my wife to take him to emergency at 10pm at night. After waiting 3 hours to see a doctor were told he’s fine (and the post-natal specialist wasn’t available till the next day). We take him home, at this stage I’m in tears, you could see life was dripping away from him. The next day the specialist calls us and we rush off to hospital, where he is admitted immediately into emergency and he’s put on a drip. So then we go through the bs again: my wife mustn’t be breast feeding properly, it must be her fault, she should have stayed longer than the 7 days in hospital so she could get the breastfeeding right, etc, etc…this goes on for 2 days with them treating her like she was a child. Still no change. If it were not for the drip and the little breast milk he was managing to get, he’d be dead.

Then if there is a god, he decided to be kind, because a new nurse came along. My wife explained what had been going on (by this stage I actually couldn’t be at the hospital because I was about 2 steps away from wanting to kill someone, and my anger wasn’t helping given by this stage my wife is now nearly constantly in tears). God bless this nurse so much, she actually turned around and said that as much as breast is best, it’s also not for everyone and despite everything we’d been told, some mothers just can’t produce adequate amounts of breast milk! My son started on formula straight away, and both of them checked out of hospital within 24 hours. You could literally see life come back into him within his first couple of bottles of formula.

Four years later and he’s in the top 0.1% statistically for his age in terms of height, and he’s a strong, smart and healthy boy…and he grew up drinking formula (I might add though, we always bought the best and most expensive available…which had lots of added stuff I can’t remember but certainly sounded good). Sure, like any parents we’ve had a few health hiccups along the way, we had some hearing issues and he had plugs (which have since fallen out) and more recently we had his tonsils and adenoids removed (but that’s hereditary, I suffered from tonsillitis as a kid as well), but certainly zero health issues relating to him taking formula as a baby.

Moral of the story. Breast Milk is great, but not everyone can do it, and your child can and will still grow up strong and healthy on formula…oh yeh, and it’s not child abuse!”

How does this story make you feel? Aside from lamenting what this family had to go through, it makes me wonder whether there was ever any evaluation of what went wrong – was there a medical reason for a supply issue? Did they try any galactagogues (medicinal herbs or prescription medications)? Did the baby have tongue-tie? Didn’t the hospital monitor the baby’s weight loss and the baby’s output of wet and dirty diapers? There has to be more to the story. This family worked so hard to breastfeed and it would be nice to know what went wrong.

And now back to our regular programming: if you’d like to contribute your positive, touching, humorous or otherwise inspiring breastfeeding story, click here.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Q: I am breastfeeding my 2 month old and I have more on my right than my left. What can I do?! The same thing happened with my 3 year old 2 years ago and I had lopsided breasts for the time that I was breastfeeding.

A: Yours is a relatively common concern. There are several reasons a baby might favor one breast. If it happens from birth, it’s important to rule out medical causes for favoring one side, like an ear infection or birth trauma. Similarly, if a baby suddenly refuses one side after nursing equally well on both sides, it’s a good idea for both mother and baby to see the doctor. We can rule those situations out since both your children have preferred one side.

It’s possible for a mother to have a flat or inverted nipple on one side but not the other, making it easier for the baby to nurse on one side. Such a mother could attempt to draw out the nipple.

It’s also possible for a mother’s milk to let-down faster on one side, making the baby favor that side as the easiest way to get milk. At the same time, if the let-down is too forceful on one side, the baby may reject that side. In either case, it may be helpful to get the milk to let-down through pumping or hand-expressing before putting the baby to the less favored breast.

One side may produce less milk due to a smaller number of milk ducts on that side, either as a simple fact of anatomy or as a result of injury or surgery on that side. Unfortunately, the problem can be self-fulfilling. If the baby prefers to nurse on one side, that side may continue to produce more milk and the other side may continue to produce less.

It’s not necessary to do anything to correct the lopsidedness unless you are bothered by it. In fact, it’s possible to nurse a baby on one side alone.

There are several things to try if you are concerned. Try offering the less favored side first at each feeding (if let-down is the problem, then you can start nursing on the favored side, then gently break the latch and slide the baby to the other side after let-down). It may help to offer that side when the baby is sleepy, or while you are walking or rocking to distract the baby. Try various positions and consider nursing in a darkened room. It may take time, so be patient. While you are working to increase supply on the less favored side, make sure to continue to nurse or express often enough on the favored side so that you do not become engorged or develop a plugged duct or mastitis.

Has anyone else had experience with one side producing more milk? What did you do, if anything?

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3