Quantcast
Modern Alternative Pregnancy
 

Recap and Reads: May 13th-17th

Like what you've read? Subscribe so you never miss a post! You can also follow us on Facebook or Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Five Tips to Help You Breastfeed for One Year

1 newborn nursing

Breastfeeding for one year may seem like a hefty goal, but most of us would love to provide our baby with the ‘perfect’ food if we could.  It is not easy for some who have to work, but hopefully you have an employer who is kind enough to let you pump every 4 hours or so.  I have been nursing my daughter for over 14 months now and it is so easy.  My goal was to make it one year and once we hit that mark, I just could not bring myself to wean her yet because she loves it.  She loves it so much that she pulls open the collar of my shirt, looks up at me with her beautiful blue eyes, and says, “mmmh, dat??” Meaning, “Mommy, may I have milk?”  When I say, “Sure! You may have some milk.” She gets so excited!!

Nursing at the beginning can seem a bit challenging.  My nursing experience was somewhat challenging.  At the beginning, my daughter spent 5 days in the NICU and I had to fight to get to her room to make sure I nursed her before they gave her formula.  However, because they wanted me to measure her milk intake, I had to pump and give her a bottle.  So, off the bat we had ‘nipple confusion’.  To try and get her to go to the breast again, we used a nipple shield.  This worked great until the pediatrician said she wasn’t gaining enough weight.

I consulted with my Bradley Method Birth Instructor and she said that the nipple shield was likely causing her not to get enough milk.  She recommended that I quit using the shield immediately, coached me over the phone how to get my daughter re-acquainted with my ‘small nipples’, compared to a shield/ bottle, and reminded me that she will not starve herself.  It will be a battle of the wills and encouraged me to win.  Win I did.  My daughter was nursing straight on breast the first feeding.  So those of you who think you cannot get away from using a nipple shield, it can be done.

Nursing from that point forward was easier, however, there were times where it hurt to have her latch on.  Not that she was latching incorrectly, it was just that we had not gotten into a rhythm on her latching without also making my ‘sore’ nipples hurt.  It is a little uncomfortable the first three weeks, there should not be excruciating pain, and, if there is, there is likely a latch issue.  Once you are past the first three weeks, it should be smooth sailing.  If it is not, please contact a Lactation Consultant/ Counselor or someone from the Le Leche League for support.

14 month old nursing

5 Tips to Help You Breastfeed for One Year

  1. Remember the first month is the hardest, get support from breastfeeding friends, family, professionals to assure you are encouraged.
    Getting the proper support from women who have been there is key to not giving up.  Someone to show you the way, whisper kind words to you when you don’t feel like you are doing a good job.  Our sweet babies LOVE our food source.  Just when you think they have sucked every bit of energy out of our bodies and we cannot give anymore. . . they give us their first real smile.  Or if you have a child like mine. . . they make lots of fun and sweet noises while they nurse, which means, “Thank you mommy!!”
  2. As your baby gets older, the feeding times get shorter and shorter.
    At the beginning they may feed 15 minutes on one side and 10 minutes or more on the other; however, after a few months they get really efficient at eating and can drink down both sides in 10 minutes or less.
  3. Your milk will change with the needs of your baby.
    Do not let anyone, not even a doctor, tell you that the best most nutritious milk is only the first 4 months.  The milk you produce is the highest quality, raw, and full of enzymes which is so important to your child.  This is true for as long as you nurse your child, 1 day to years.
  4. Do not feel pressured to introduce foods too early.
    You can breastfeed exclusively for 6-12 months.  Personally, I breastfed exclusively for 9 months because every time I gave my daughter solid food prior she would get diaper rash.  This told me her digestive system was too immature.  Since she had antibiotics for the first few days of her life, I had to take extra special care of redeveloping her flora and helping her restore a healthy gut.  Now, she eats whatever she wants (primarily organic foods and grass fed meats) and never gets diaper rash. You know your baby best, do what you think is right in your gut, and his/hers.
  5. Stay strong and do not give up.
    I know it may be easy to just say, “Why am I doing this? Is it really that important?”  Well, it ultimately is your choice and you know what is right for your family.  However, remember, a good raw milk source, such as your breast milk, is specifically formulated just for your baby.  When we introduce cows milk or any other animal’s milk, it is ‘second best’.  Besides, you need to find a good raw milk source for those animals and it is expensive.  Why not provide for your baby a ‘free’ source of food for as long as possible.  It not only is a good source of nutrition, but it creates an amazing bond that cannot be matched by anything.  Who wants to give that up?

What are your favorite tips for breastfeeding long-term?

Like what you've read? Subscribe so you never miss a post! You can also follow us on Facebook or Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Four Ways Your Birth Can Affect Breastfeeding

Whether or not your baby nurses right away after birth has to do with many things, but one of the most important is the birth itself. Birth is not an isolated event, and breastfeeding is a primary example. The choices you make during and before childbirth have an enormous impact on how well breastfeeding is initiated. There are a few of the things that can interfere with a baby’s ability and desire to latch on right away.

1. Baby is in pain

Due to a very long, or even a very short labor. Believe it or not, a short labor can actually be quite difficult for baby, due to the rapid intensity. Obviously a long labor can be difficult too. Especially since long labors can often be caused by bad position (see #2). Routine deep suctioning after birth can also irritate the baby’s mouth and throat, causing them to not want to suck. Other interventions like forceps or vacuum extraction or use of pitocin can also interfere with breastfeeding since they can cause more discomfort to baby. Some midwives carry homeopathic Arnica to give babies who seem to be in pain. I’ve seen this work amazingly well several times for the reluctant nurser who seems uncomfortable! Many things you don’t have control over, but your best bet at avoiding interventions in birth would be to hire a doula and/or get great childbirth education.

 2. Baby is out of alignment

Sometimes if your baby has been in a bad position during labor they come out needing adjusted. Many families find great success taking their newborn to a chiropractor soon after birth so that they can get back in alignment right away. I know many chiros will even make home visits so you don’t have to take your brand new little one out. Once your little one is back in alignment and comfortable, they may latch on right away.

Here I am just a few hours after delivering my third child at home. I think our undisrupted birth is one of the biggest reasons our breastfeeding relationship is still going strong at 20 months.

 3. Baby is out of it

Due to the exhaustion of being squeezed by contractions every few minutes for a whole day. Or perhaps you are one of the more than 75% of women who chose an epidural or other intravenous narcotic medication. Since the medication in an epidural and other medications cross the placental barrier, they can certainly have the effect of making the baby more sleepy and less apt to be vigorous breastfeeders.  Typically, eventually the baby will perk up and get hungry. Keep them stimulated by having them skin to skin and immediately respond to early feeding cues.

 4. Baby goes to the NICU or nursery

Say you must have a c-section. Or your baby is premature. Or for some other reason you are not able to have immediate skin-to-skin contact with your newborn. Except for extreme cases, there may be ways to get around this obstacle. You can ask for a family-centered cesarean,  which allows for more time with your baby immediately after birth. You could discuss contingency plans with your care provider about leaving the cord intact and doing any needed resuscitation or evaluation on a board next to mother. If baby has to have a stay in the nciu, check out Kellymom.com for great tips how how to approach breastfeeding the near-term infant.

 This list is by no means exhaustive of the many ways that your birth may have affected your breastfeeding relationship. Above all, though, birth is not something that is all that controllable, so if things don’t go as planned and you struggle with breastfeeding, do not be discouraged!  If you continue to have trouble, I highly recommend contacting an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant or your local La Leche League or Breastfeeding USA chapter.

 

Like what you've read? Subscribe so you never miss a post! You can also follow us on Facebook or Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Pros and Cons of Extended Breastfeeding – Part 1

nursing1

I feel very blessed to have been able to not only be able to nurse both of my kids, but to nurse them for extended periods. My son until he was three and my daughter until 20 months (I sadly felt I needed to wean her, but more on that later). There were so many reasons I did chose to extended breastfeed, as well as reasons I chose to wean when I did.

I will be sharing a bit of our nursing story as well as the pros and cons I found with nursing past infancy. Please note though: these are from my personal experience. I have read every argument out there for, and against, extended breastfeeding and have come to the conclusion that everyone needs to make weigh their own decision and make the best decision for them and their child.

Why we chose to breastfeed past infancy

There was not much a decision to breastfeed extendedly as the decision to wean just did not really seem right.

My son always “fit” during that time I nursed him. I remember holding a newborn baby and worrying that as he grew he would no longer “fit” as well. My mom assured me that was not the case–that he would fit even as he got bigger. She was right! Even when I was nursing a 2 year old and a newborn they both fit into my arms, and it was a similar bonding experience with a few different aspects.

A Few More (logical) Reasons

Though bonding was the biggest reason for us, there were other reasons as well:

Nutrition- During the 2nd year (13 -24 mo) of breastfeeding, breastmilk can provide:

  • 29% of energy requirements
  •  43% of protein requirements
  •  36% of calcium requirements 
  • 75% of vitamin A requirements 
  • 76% of folate requirements 
  • 94% of vitamin B12 requirements 
  •  60% of vitamin C requirements

- Dewey 2001 (source)

I totally did not know those numbers, it was simply a  matter of wanting him to have something I knew was very nourishing during years of very fast development.

Brain development- 75% of a person’s brain development happens in the first three years (source) during that time I felt that breastmilk, with all of it’s brain developing nutrition, was especially beneficial.

Immune system support- A child’s immune system is not fully developed until age four or five. Breast milk provides immune supporting nutrition, as well as antibodies. When a mother has the same cold as the child the antibodies are even tailored to that sickness, helping the child even more. (source)

Hydration- Dehydration in a sick child is a scary thing. I have seen my son who refused all other forms of liquid and most foods readily except the breast- actually this happened a couple times between 1 and 2. Even when nothing else was accepted my son was nourished and hydrated with some amazing nourishment.

Comfort- Though I can not say I remember it, I can tell by watching my kids that there is something extra special and comforting about nursing. This is one of the biggest reasons I miss nursing my daughter. She has had a rough few months with some food sensitivities and allergies. Her stomach hurts, her mouth hurts, her bottom hurts, her chest itches ect. Though we are working hard to try and figure out all that is going on, I just wish sometimes I could scoop her up and nurse her just for the comfort aspect if nothing else.

There are many other benefits, these were just the ones we took into consideration more then anything else.

As much as I loved nursing my son until 3, and my daughter till nearly 2 (and wish I felt like we could have gone longer) there were some cons to it as well as reasons we chose to actively (vs. self) wean both of them. Next week I will be sharing that part of our story.

Have you ever breastfeed past infancy? What were some of the pros and cons you found?

 

Like what you've read? Subscribe so you never miss a post! You can also follow us on Facebook or Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

When Breastfeeding Isn’t An Option

bfing

photo credit: sean dreilinger

Our theme this month is feeding baby, so naturally we have focused quite a bit on breastfeeding. While I wholeheartedly believe that breastfeeding is the absolute best way to nourish your baby, I am not so naive to think that it is an option for every mama and baby across the board. There are medical conditions (albeit very few) that prevent mamas from being able to successfully breastfeed. There are mamas who have had various types of breast surgery that make breastfeeding incredibly difficult or impossible. Not every new mama grows her baby inside of her. While it is possible to lactate without experiencing pregnancy, that is certainly not feasible for everyone. So, what is a mama to do when breastfeeding truly is not an option? The World Health Organization recommends following these guidelines for infant feeding in their publication entitled “Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding”:

  • Milk from own mother by breastfeeding,
  • Milk from own mother, expressed,
  • Milk from a wet-nurse
  • Milk from a milk bank
  • Breastmilk substitute

Find Donor Milk

For a mama who simply cannot produce her own breast milk, the next best option is to find donor milk. There are different ways to go about this. Personally, I would choose to find a donor that I know in real life first. Once my baby is born, I am planning on exclusively nursing my own infant as well as pumping to donate milk to a friend of mine who has an adopted son with a dairy allergy. This set-up is considered to be informal milk-sharing. There are also websites such as Eats on Feets and Human Milk for Human Babies dedicated to helping mamas find informal donors. Some states have milk banks where mamas can get donated breast milk. The downside, in my opinion, to this milk is that it has been pasteurized.

Make Homemade Formula

After donated mama milk, the next best option according to the WHO is a breast milk substitute. If this is your only option, my suggestion would be to make your own baby formula. One of the contributors at our real food site, Modern Alternative Kitchen, wrote a great post on making homemade baby formula complete with a video tutorial a couple of weeks ago. You can read the full post here or click below to watch the video.

What About Commercial Formula?

One thing I cannot do is endorse any commercial baby formula. There are myriad reasons for this, but chief among them is that almost all commercial baby formulas have soy as a main ingredient. The following problems can result from the consumption of soy, no matter your age, but are exacerbated in the small body of an infant:

  • the development of adult infertility.
  • vitamin deficiencies.
  • blockage of absorption of essential vitamins and minerals
  • depressed thyroid function

It is also estimated that a baby who is exclusively fed soy based formula ingests the equivalent of five hormonal birth control pills a day. If hormonal birth control is not a wise choice for you, why would it be a wise choice for your baby? You can read more about the dangers of soy here and the dangers of commercial formula in general here.

What do you think? Have any of you truly been unable to breastfeed?

 

Like what you've read? Subscribe so you never miss a post! You can also follow us on Facebook or Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

The Natural Fertility eBook Bundle Sale Ends Today!

fertilityebooks

Today is the LAST DAY to take advantage of this awesome bundle of natural fertility books and e-courses! If you have been on the fence about purchasing this, today is the day to make your decision. You will not see these resources at this deeply discounted price ever again.

You can read the full details about everything included in the sale here. I shared two stories of couples who overcame infertility in different ways last week. In case you missed those, read Jenn’s story and Justyn’s story.

A Closer Look

On this last day of the sale, I wanted to share a bit more with you about a few favorite resources in this bundle. While I personally have not read all of the books in the bundle, there are a few that I have read and used in my own life. Some other members of the Modern Alternative team have also shared thoughts on some of the books. These books have been previously reviewed on our network, so I am sharing those reviews with you now.

Breast To Bib by Kate Tietje —-> read the review here

Naturally Knocked Up by Donielle Baker —-> read the review here

Just Making Ice Cream by Marilyn Beard —-> read the review here

Unbound Birth: How to Have a Natural Birth in the Hospital —-> read the review here

If you are ready to buy the bundle, simply click on the button below. Otherwise, head over to this post to read up on the full details before making your purchase!

468x60_1

Like what you've read? Subscribe so you never miss a post! You can also follow us on Facebook or Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Recap and Reads: May 6th-10th

fertilityebooks

This week, I am promoting the Natural Fertility bundle sale. The books in this sale are not just for couples struggling with infertility, although I do believe couples who find themselves in that situation would greatly benefit from these resources. Any couple looking to grow their family, naturally or through artificial means, will find a wealth of resources for preparing the body to be a welcoming host for a pregnancy within the pages of these books. It is so important to be feeding and caring for your body the right way when you are planning a pregnancy.

Recap

IMG_5473

I turned 39 weeks pregnant on Tuesday this week. I had my first baby at 38 weeks and 1 day, so going this long has me feeling very anxious to see baby! My husband is in the middle of his final exams for his first year of medical school, so I have pretty much been flying solo with Julian. As much as I would love to be doing more with him, I will be honest and say that most of our day consists of me sitting on the couch and observing his play. We did manage to make is to the library for story time Tuesday morning and  went grocery shopping on Friday. We have had beautiful weather once again this week, so we took quite a few walks around the neighborhood in an effort to get him outside and to attempt to move labor along. Here’s to hoping next weeks recap includes the birth of a baby!

Reads

Modern Alternative Kitchen

Envelope Budgeting for Grocery Shopping

Locavorism: What Is It?

Modern Alternative Health

Spring Water: How to Find a Source

Vitamin D: More Than Just Strong Bones

Modern Alternative Mama

Preparing for Preservation (Price and Pound Breakdown) 

How to Find Locally-Grown Food and Support Small Businesses

Around the Web

 Postpartum Herb and Salt Bath at Creative Christian Mama

The Tired Mother’s Creed at Lisa Jo Baker

To find out all the details about the bundle sale, read this post or simply click on the banner below to purchase!

468x60_1

 

What Did You Do This Week? Have You Read Anything Interesting Around The Web Lately?

 

Like what you've read? Subscribe so you never miss a post! You can also follow us on Facebook or Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Five Common Breastfeeding Challenges

6900542743_8ff57231b6Photo Credit: Beautiful Breastfeeding

I use the term “challenge” instead of “problem” when it comes to breastfeeding issues. They are challenges because they are very common things that most mothers go through at some point during the breastfeeding journey. Breastfeeding is not always the beautiful photo of the mother holding her squishy baby with the golden sun peeking out from behind her – some of these challenges are quite difficult to get through, but I’ve come to learn that the more you know about them, the better you can handle them. Remember – you are NOT alone!

Five Personal Challenges from 40 Months of Breastfeeding

1. Engorgement – You can find me waddling around on my tip toes, slightly hunched over with my arms out to the side for balance.

I’ve been there, the two lead-filled basketballs hanging from my chest – they don’t even feel like they’re part of my body anymore because, I mean, seriously – how is this even possible?! Will I ever feel normal again? YES! The first part of breastfeeding is when your milk supply comes in – boy, does it come in! At first, your milk hits you full force, it gives you everything it has – this can be scary if you don’t understand the process going on here. Your milk will not always be so uncomfortable.  Feed your baby when they are hungry and your body will get the hint and give you a break.

Read this article for a few more ideas to aid in engorgement relief.

2. Mastitis – You can find me curled in the fetal position on the floor – what floor?  Any floor. I will most likely be wrapped in a blanket – I will probably be crying and saying things that do not make sense to you.

There I was, sitting in a 3-hour pharmacology class when I started to feel sick – like the pollen allergies were kicking in. The rest of the day was a downward spiral – by the evening, I was shaking and feverish. This would have normally been quite terrifying if I had not remembered that I was breastfeeding an infant. Did you know that cold cabbage leaves in your bra will actually wick moisture out of your breast and help break up the clog causing the problem? Twenty minutes of cabbage in my bra and I was up cooking dinner. Make sure that you don’t overuse the cabbage trick, it can dry your milk supply up.

More helpful tried and true natural remedies for mastitis can be found in this article.

3. Am I making enough milk? You can find me pressing baby’s tummy and poking around on my breasts before, during and after every feeding – “Is there enough food in there?”

I get this question a lot – how do I know if my baby is getting enough food? For starters, make sure you are feeding them on demand. Then, are your breasts softer after they eat? Is their tummy full and plump? Are they urinating often and having regular bowel movements? All of these are signs that your baby is getting enough to eat. Remember, their tummies are small which means that they need to eat quite often – feeding on demand is the best way to insure they are getting the nourishment they need.

4. Nipple Issues – You can find me wincing or yelping during feeding time. I may be repeating things over and over while rocking back-and-forth with my eyes closed tight – “I can do this,” “It’s for my baby,” “I love my baby.”

Some women have a great transition into breastfeeding; their baby has a perfect latch and everything goes smoothly. Then you have the other side to this story – the baby may or may not have a great latch, which still causes very uncomfortable tenderness, sometimes accompanied by bleeding, scabs and dryness. Not so pretty, but it’s a process you have to get through – this normally goes away within the first two weeks. Coconut oil on your nipples and lots of bare-breasted time around the house. Just make sure that you keep nursing the sore breast!

More information on natural nipple creams read can be found in this article.

5. Lack of breastfeeding support – You can find me on the bed, trying to latch my baby – I’m crying and saying things like, “I can’t do this anymore!” “This hurts!” “Why won’t they latch?!” “What’s wrong with me?!” “Why is this so hard?”

Breastfeeding is hard, but it does get easier – trust me! Finding support can be your golden ticket to happiness during these tough transition periods. I can’t tell you it won’t be hard, but I can tell you that it will be worth it; a quote to live by! Please don’t be afraid to reach out for help when you are thinking of reaching for the formula – there are many support groups out there, in person and online. We’re all here to help each other!

Find a local Le Leche League International support group near you!

Breastfeeding support group on Facebook: The Leaky Boob.

This post is written by my good friend and doula, Elizabeth. She runs Sweet Release Doula Services and is a homebirthing, breastfeeding mama of two!

Do you have breastfeeding tips of your own?

 

Like what you've read? Subscribe so you never miss a post! You can also follow us on Facebook or Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Overcoming Infertility: Justyn’s Story

fertilityebooks

 

This week, I am promoting the Natural Fertility bundle sale. The books in this sale are not just for couples struggling with infertility, although I do believe couples who find themselves in that situation would greatly benefit from these resources. Any couple looking to grow their family, naturally or through artificial means, will find a wealth of resources for preparing the body to be a welcoming host for a pregnancy within the pages of these books. It is so important to be feeding and caring for your body the right way when you are planning a pregnancy.

I already shared one couple’s story earlier this week. Today I am sharing another couple’s beautiful story. Thanks, Justyn, for being willing to share about your journey with our readers!

Justyn’s Story

Family Pic

Like most women, I assumed that I would use birth control pills until we were “ready” to have kids, then immediately become pregnant when I went off the pill. Like many women, I discovered it is seldom that easy.

Knowing what I know now, I will never take the birth control pill, again. Not only does it have the potential of preventing a fertilized egg from implanting (killing a newly formed life, which is not acceptable to us), but it also wreaks havoc on the body. I can’t say how much of my struggles with infertility stemmed from using the birth control pills, but I’m sure they played some part.

When I went off the pill, we “tried” to get pregnant for months. Months turned into one year… then two years. At that time, we had no health insurance, so I couldn’t see a doctor. I was in my mid-twenties, generally healthy and I thought I ate well. According to the food pyramid of the time, my diet was ideal. Lots of grains, some fruits and veggies, some low-fat dairy, lean meat and “healthy” fats (canola oil, vegetable oils, etc.) and not many sweets.

We had made the mistake of telling several friends at church about our plans to have a baby, so every week for over a year (until we moved to a new state), we were met with, “Any news, yet??” We were discouraged and confused. We thought that it would be so easy to get pregnant. After two years, we began to seriously consider adoption.

Shortly after the two-year mark, we decided to do a detox diet. It had nothing to do with getting pregnant, we just thought it might be a healthy thing to try. I can’t remember the name of the little book we followed, but it started by cutting out everything except fruits and veggies for a few days. Then, it added in goat’s milk yogurt. After over a week on that, we were able to add in unprocessed seafood (not fish sticks, but real fish fillets and shellfish). By the third week we added some meats (again, not processed ones like chicken nuggets, but real cuts of meat) and I believe some goat cheese. After that, we added a few gluten-free grains and then were back to our normal diet… but we were pregnant!

It never occurred to us that our detox diet had anything to do with getting pregnant after such a long time of trying. We were thrilled, but we hadn’t really learned anything. After many miserable months of morning sickness, we were right back to eating our normal diet. In spite of that, we had a healthy baby girl born in a natural birth center.

Just before our baby turned one, we started “trying” again. We were back on our “healthy” diet, according to the food pyramid. Again, we had no success for two years. That’s when I learned about Weston A. Price and “real” food. Understanding that nearly everything we ate was highly processed was a shock. Store-bought bread, crackers, canned foods, breakfast cereal… pretty much everything in the aisles of the stores had it’s nutrition stripped and was then “fortified” with synthetic vitamins.

I immediately got rid of all our processed food, which left us with nearly nothing. I began to buy organic fresh fruits and veggies, free-range/grass-fed meat and eggs, full-fat dairy from grass-fed cows, coconut oil and butter to replace all the rancid canola and vegetable oils, whole wheat berries to grind and make fresh bread from, I began making homemade stock for cooking with, rather than store-bought… six weeks later, we were pregnant! Our second healthy little girl was born at home and I believe that the easy and quick birth had a lot to do with our unprocessed diet and some nutritional herbs I drank as a pregnancy tea.

That’s when it finally clicked. It was our diet that was causing the unexplained infertility. We were eating what most Americans consider to be very healthy, but our bodies were so starved for nutrition that we couldn’t get pregnant. In both cases, once we completely cut out all processed foods and only ate foods that were full of their original nutrition, we were able to easily conceive.

Although switching to real foods may not be the answer for all cases of infertility, it is certainly the best place to start. Ditching the processed food and truly nourishing our bodies with nutrient-dense real food helps to create the perfect environment to conceive and grow a new life. After over two years of eating real food (we eat about 90% unprocessed and allow for about 10% processed), we would never go back. We are healthier and we absolutely love how we feel and how our food tastes.

Justyn has been married 11 years and has a five-year-old and a toddler. She began blogging to share what she’s learning about her passions, which include “real” foods, herbs, natural living, gardening, crafts, homeschooling, homebirth and anything else that grabs her interest. Recently, she began an online store of natural products. She sees all of these things as ways God gave us to live creatively and would enjoy sharing her journey with you. Come on over for a visit at Creative Christian Mama or on Facebook.

To find out all the details about the sale, read this post or simply click on the banner below to purchase the bundle!

468x60_1

Like what you've read? Subscribe so you never miss a post! You can also follow us on Facebook or Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

The Importance of Early Breastfeeding

IMG_4623

In the excitement after a baby is born, it seems like the hardest part of your journey is over, and it may be.  However, initiating breastfeeding and creating a positive experience for Mom and baby can be one of the most difficult things a new mom faces.  Breastfeeding is natural, and is seems that it would come with ease, and for some that is true.  However, for most new moms, breastfeeding can be one of the hardest parts about having a new baby.  Not only are you likely exhausted from your labor, now you are responsible for this tiny baby, who may or may not take to breastfeeding well.  In your sleep deprived state, the task looms large, but there are some things that can be done shortly after birth that can really help establish a good breastfeeding relationship from the very beginning.

One of the most important things is immediate skin to skin contact, if possible.  For many moms the baby can be placed right on her chest—this is a beautiful moment for Mama and baby to enjoy each other and take in the new sights and smells.  Babies are often very alert at this point, especially after an unmediated birth, and usually, after a few minutes, baby will begin to root around, looking for the breast.  Some signs to look for are baby turning his or head, sticking out his or her tongue, or even sucking on his or her hands.  These are signs that your baby is ready to nurse so take advantage of them early!  Most procedures can wait, as long as baby is healthy, so enjoy this early bonding time with your new baby.

If your baby is on your chest but does not want to latch on, that is okay!  Having your baby on your skin helps to stimulate your milk supply and even helps regulate baby’s breathing, all while making baby feel safe and cared for.  Don’t become consumed with your baby nursing within the first hour—if it happens naturally, that is great, but if not, don’t stress out and ruin this intimate time with baby.  Avoid allowing family members into the room during this first hour or so—everyone is excited to meet the baby, but this is your time to bond and establish breastfeeding if you can.  You will never get those sweet moments back, so protect them and savor them.

If your baby is not with you due to a c-section or other heath needs, do not worry that breastfeeding will be a total failure—it won’t!  As soon as you can, bring your baby to your breast—this may be hours or days later and that is okay.  Have your partner push to reunite Mom and baby as soon as possible.  Again, if your baby can’t nurse, do skin to skin as often as possible.   Most importantly, seek help if you have questions or need extra support—most new moms do.  As hard as breastfeeding can be initially, establishing a good relationship early can really help mom and baby be successful.

PS: Don’t forget about the Natural Fertility eBook bundle sale! To find out all the details about the sale, read this post or simply click on the banner below to purchase the bundle!

468x60_1

 What was your experience with early breastfeeding?

Like what you've read? Subscribe so you never miss a post! You can also follow us on Facebook or Pinterest. Thanks for reading!