Difficulty latching, pain, prematurity, and physical anomalies, such a severely inverted nipples or flat nipples are common reasons for utilizing a nipple shield for temporary relief and assistance.
A pause breastfeeding that happens for any reason doesn’t have to be a permanent end. In many cases, restarting is possible with the right steps and made easier with the right support.
In terms of actual breast milk supply, as in, the body produces enough to sustain feedings, the mother’s body relies on a number of signals in order to know how much milk is needed. It's referred to as supply and demand, but more appropriately, demand and supply.
Finding the right fit is always important – whether it’s for clothing, shoes, but especially when it comes to your breast pump flange size if you're a breast pumping mom. Soreness, pinching, irritation, and clogged milk ducts don’t sound fun but are all things that can occur if you don’t have the correct flange size. A breast pump flange (breast shield) size that is too small or too big could seriously hinder your pumping experience and overall breast pumping journey. So, be sure to choose the correct size to properly express milk for your infant.
While it's true that milk transitioning may be delayed and that it can be uncomfortable to nurse after having the surgery, there are ways to encourage timely transitioning of mature milk and improved comfort in positioning.
Just like with breastfeeding, pumping your breasts should most certainly not be painful or uncomfortable. While some discomfort and pain may happen, the occurrence of either could be an indicator that something needs to be adjusted or addressed.
Breastfeeding a preemie is possible, but a very different situation. Feeding a preterm baby comes with its own set of complexities. Health status and gestational age will play a big role in determining the amounts given, how often, and even the method in which they are fed.
Information gets passed down from generations of family, friends, and healthcare providers, but we all know things can be subject to becoming outdated or put in a different perspective. The idea of “correlation not equating to causation” can be applied in many scenarios, especially when it comes to pregnancy and especially breastfeeding. Breastfeeding, pumping, and the whole process of lactation is not relatively complicated, but we have a lot of confusing tips and rules that can actually make things a lot harder than they need to be.
While it is common for the baby to want to feed frequently, cluster feed, and sometimes faster weight gain more early-on compared to formula feeding, feeding directly from the breast is a scenario that does not contribute to overfeeding or obesity.
Are you breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed? There’s a lot to learn when it comes to infant feeding, lactation, and breastmilk itself! Did you know — human breastmilk is a living, fluctuating substance made up of several “ingredients." Learn more about what makes breastmilk composition so special in this blog!
