Breastfeeding Tips & Breast Pump Guide | Lactation Connection

    Harvesting colostrum both antenatally (before birth) and postnatally (after delivery) is a great way to prepare for the unexpected.  Sometimes birth plans do not go to plan and having this liquid gold at your disposal in case of emergency is always a plus especially since colostrum is essential as baby's first immunization, highly concentrated in antibodies and nutrition to boost your baby's immune system.  In addition, if feedings are slow to start, colostrum can maintain your baby's blood sugar levels.   A colostrum collection kit makes it easy to have the things you need on hand.  While using a breast pump can sometimes cause contractions, a more gentle hand expression is not only safer but more effective in saving every drop. While there are several methods of hand expression found online, research shows that the Marmet Technique is still the most effective so we have included the full instruction sheet below.  Once you have begun hand ex...

Recently, we had a question from a mother whose baby was unable to nurse from the breast effectively because of a severe tongue tie.  From experience, we know she is not the only mom with questions about how to get a baby who has been bottle-fed for weeks back on the breast so our hope is that this blog post helps Bev and the other moms in her situation. There are several things you can do to encourage an infant who is bottle feeding to take the breast.  One size never fits all in counseling nursing mothers, so we will outline a myriad of techniques so that you can find one the one that helps you the most. Start by changing the way you supplement.   The best method is to go from a bottle to finger feeding with a syringe .  A 10cc syringe is 1/3 of an ounce.  This will help you determine how many times to fill the syringe for a feeding.  When finger feeding with a syringe, put your feet up on a stool and lay the baby on your lap facing you.  Then inser...

It is recommended that breastfed infants are fed exclusive of a bottle for at least 6-8 weeks while learning to breastfeed.  Bottle feeding greatly changes the way the infant sucks and their expectations for immediate gratification while feeding.  Feeding from a bottle provides immediate gratification because bottle drips even when sucking does not occur.  This causes the infant to thrust their tongue to the end of the nipple or to arch their tongue to collapse the nipple on the roof of their mouth to control the flow.There are several methods of supplementing a newborn with breast milk during the early days.  For short term feeding solution, we recommend finger feeding with a syringe .  This method is tried and true and can be learned by both parents and baby in a matter of minutes. Instructions: Wash your hands. Sit with your feet on a stool or anywhere you can raise your knees. Place the baby in your lap facing you so they are in a reclined with their...