Breastfeeding Tips & Breast Pump Guide | Lactation Connection

Happy New Year!  Lactation Connection has been serving nursing mothers since 1993 so we are celebrating our 27th year in business in 2018.  In honor of this event, we are launching a new program to answer your breastfeeding questions .  You will be able to email me directly and have 25 years of breastfeeding experience tailored to your situation. Just copy and paste the following into an email and fill out the information so that I can assist you in the best way possible! What is your baby’s birth date and birth weight? What was your baby’s age and weight at last weigh-in? How often (include specifics on number of times per day and how long) are you putting the baby to the breast? How often (include time of day and number of minutes) are you pumping? How many wet and dirty diapers does your baby have in 24 hours? What color are the stools? What specific breast pump do you have? If you are exclusively pumping, how many ounces are you getting per d...

Every Lactation Consultant will tell you breast milk quantity is based on supply and demand, but with today's busy mom taking the baby to bed with you all day to suckle is not an option.  You can increase your milk supply while at work or with your breast pump at home. First make sure you are already getting the appropriate stimulation for your baby's age.  If your nursling is under 6 months, you should be nursing and/or pumping at least 8 times per day while using a quality double electric pump such as the Hygeia EnJoye or Ameda Purely Yours or Ameda Platinum breast pump for a full 10-15 minutes per session.  If your nursing is 6-12 months, you should be stimulated at least 5 times per day.  For over 12 months at least 2-3 times per day.  If you are already following the above protocols for sufficient stimulation of the breast, you will need to increase the number of pumping sessions to increase milk supply using a breast pump.  Research i...

     New moms have told me that they wish they had been given more information on positioning and latch as well as the various holds associated with breastfeeding.  So I have decided to reveal these breastfeeding "secrets" here.  1.  What is the secret to preparing for breastfeeding? Holding the breast properly!  The c-hold is the proper way to support the breast when learning to breastfeed and should be practiced by expectant and new mothers because almost every new mom does it incorrectly.  How?  Moms tend to place the thumb on top (correct) but place the bottom fingers in the wrong place.  The bottom fingers need to be near the chest wall.  The index finger usually ends up on the bottom of the areola preventing baby from getting a deep latch.  Whether you are already breastfeeding or still expecting, check your c-hold in a mirror to make sure your fingers are out of the way. Also make sure the flap of your nursing bra...

     The truth is fenugreek is a great tool to boost milk supply in most moms.  However, in the two decades that I have been helping nursing moms, I get this comment a lot, "Fenugreek didn't work for me."  How can it be that an herb with such great success stories doesn't work for a large number of mothers.  In most cases, the answer is in the quality, dosage or delivery method.      Many moms buy Fenugreek at a local health food or grocery store in brands that are not stored or bottled in the best way to keep them at full potency.  Also, shelf life factors into this so buying from a store that doesn't cater to the largest market for Fenugreek, nursing mothers, will not have the best turn-around.  It is always a good practice to check the expiration date on any herb before using.  Fenugreek capsules work best when taken in a quality brand like Nature's Herbs or Nature's Way Fenugreek and in the appropriate dosage or...