We Americans have learned to think that bigger is better. Bigger cars, bigger houses, bigger servings of food. (For instance, have you ever been in a fast-food restaurant where the smallest size drink was a medium?) I sometimes hear that a mother has “nothing to feed her baby” right after Read more…
Sometimes, others give us information that we assume to be true. We don’t always hunt up the primary information source, or talk to the author of research studies. I’ve done both! Erica Gunderson, PhD, MPH, RD, is the author of more than 100 research studies, including the renowned CARDIA study Read more…
Let’s assume you decide to have an alcoholic drink. I discussed alcohol and breastfeeding in a previous post, as well as discussing whether beer actually helps milk supply. There are several ways you can minimize the effects of the alcohol while breastfeeding, both on you and your baby. Limit the Read more…
How many US-based breastfeeding mothers are expressing their milk? The Infant Feeding Practices Study (IFPS) reported that among breastfeeding mothers of young infants (aged 1.5 to 4.5 months) about 85% expressed milk regularly — and often for an extended period of time. Furthermore, 5.6% of US breastfeeding mothers never feed Read more…
Here in the United States, authorities warn against having even one alcoholic drink during pregnancy. That’s not the case during breastfeeding. Certainly, having no alcohol eliminates certain risks. But many mothers long for an occasional social drink, and they deserve some evidence-based facts about breastfeeding and alcohol consumption. 1. What’s Read more…
Unquestionably, support is helpful for anyone who sets a goal or undertakes a project. Whether you’re studying for an exam, trying to kick a bad habit, or shooting a basketball from the free-throw line, you’ve already seen that it’s easier to succeed when someone is cheering you on. The same Read more…
For decades, people have said that mothers should not bring their babies into bed with them at night — no matter what, no matter why.This is a big, bold MYTH. That’s right. When it’s time for your breastfed baby’s nighttime feeding, you won’t need to stumble out of bed to Read more…
Internationally, about a half-million women have breast reduction surgery each year. That’s the first fact. But what facts do you need to know if you plan to breastfeed after reduction surgery? 1. It’s possible to breastfeed after having had breast reduction surgery A decade or two ago, many women were Read more…
These days, it seems like everyone uses an app for something. So it shouldn’t surprise us that there are even relevant apps for breastfeeding. How can these apps be useful? Parents and professionals are using apps for several purposes. Here’s a brief summary of what’s out there. Tracking We all Read more…
Colson and colleagues conducted a descriptive study to explore how primitive newborn reflexes (PNRs) affect breastfeeding behavior, and to describe and compare those reflexes observed during biological nurturing and in other feeding positions. They begin by describing the positioning and latch techniques used by most mothers. These include a side-lying Read more…