Category Archives: Breastfeeding

Nutrition During Breastfeeding

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Stefanie V. Overby, LPN, CLC
Eating well while nursing will ensure that your milk is the best possible quality. You will feel better and you will keep your body from being deprived. You are giving your baby protein, calcium, fats and vitamins by nursing and you need to replace them by eating a good diet. A good diet during nursing is not much different from any good diet. The average calorie intake for a nursing mother is between 2500-2600 calories. This will differ for each individual. Some women will need more calories and others will need fewer calories. It is not a good idea to diet while nursing. You will deprive yourself of the nutrients you need to make quality breastmilk. Your body will take what it needs from you to ensure your baby gets what he or she needs. By eating a well balanced diet you can safely lose one pound a week.

What should nursing mothers eat?
Nursing mothers need foods from all of the food groups:

  • 6 or more servings of cereals and breads:
    Unsweetened cereals with iron are good choices. Whole grain bread can help fill you up and give you lots of vitamins and minerals. Other good choices include oatmeal, corn tortillas, corn bread, brown or white rice or whole wheat pancakes.
  • 4-6 servings of vegetables:
    Good yellow vegetables include carrots, sweet potatoes, yams, and winter squash. Green vegetables include the leafy greens such as spinach, collards, and lettuce. Others are peas, green beans, and broccoli.
  • 2-4 servings of fruit:
    These include peaches, nectarines, plums, pears, apples and bananas. Some servings can be in the form of juice.
  • 3 servings of healthy protein:
    Chicken, fish, lean beef, pork or lamb, eggs, cottage cheese or peanut butter. You can also get good protein inexpensively by combining beans and corn or corn meal, rice, and beans, or bread plus peanut butter and milk.
  • 4 servings for calcium-rich foods:
    Dairy foods are a great source of calcium. A quart of milk a day will give you the calcium you need. For each (8 ounce) serving of milk, you could substitute 1 ½ ounces of cheese or 8 ounces of yogurt.Low fat dairy foods give you the valuable calcium you need without the added fat.
    Nursing mothers can eat any food they want. Most babies are not bothered by any type of food, even chocolate. Some foods eaten in excess may cause gas or stomach pain in you and your baby. By watching your baby to see how he or she reacts after you have eaten a certain food may help you determine if that food bothers them or not. Most babies have crying and fussy time every day, usually in the evening. It may be easier to determine if a food bothers your baby by eating it at lunch time. See if the baby cries more or becomes more fussy that evening. You may need to try eating those foods a couple of times before you know for sure.

Nursing mothers need to avoid nicotine and should use caffeine and alcohol in moderation. Breastfeeding mothers who drink in moderation should avoid breastfeeding during and for 2-3 hours after drinking alcohol. Caffeine is found in coffee, teas and soda. If your baby seems jittery or does not sleep well you can try cutting back on caffeine. Nicotine is passed to your baby through breast milk, so try to quit smoking. Secondhand smoke is very unhealthy for your baby and no one should smoke in the same room as the baby.

You should drink enough liquid so that you have plenty of light colored urine. Large amounts of fluid intake will not increase your milk supply, but nursing your baby frequently will. Try to have something to drink every time you sit down to nurse. You may feel thirsty while you are nursing. This is normal.

By eating well and drinking enough fluids you will feel better and enjoy the time you have with your new baby. Our office supports breastfeeding and will be happy to help with any questions or concerns you may have. We look forward to helping you any way we can.

Early Nursing in the Hospital After Delivery

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Stefanie V. Overby, LPN, CLC

Nursing begins right after delivery. Infants will take to the breast as soon as they are born. Nursing as soon as possible will make your milk come in sooner, helping the baby to gain weight faster.

Medications taken during labor and delivery may affect the latch of the baby to the breast. The baby will feel the sedative effects of the medications given to the mother and will not be awake and eager to eat soon after delivery. The baby should still be put to the breast and encouraged to latch and nurse. It may take more coaxing depending on the amount of medication used, the duration of the labor and the type of delivery. As long as there is no health reason keeping mom from the baby, the baby should be allowed to latch as soon after birth as possible, preferably right after delivery. This does not mean that you should not have medications during your labor or delivery. This is just an explanation as to why the baby may not latch soon after delivery as you would like.

You will want to keep your baby in the room with you so you will be able to watch for feeding cues. If you are rooming in with the baby, you will know when she is awake and in a good mood. Nursing your baby when she is in a good mood will help you both to be able to work on a good latch and be successful with breast feeding.

Before your milk comes in, your breasts will contain colostrum. Colostrum provides nutrition and protection against infectious disease. This is important for your baby’s health and is all she will need until your milk comes in. Colostrum has natural laxatives in it that will help your baby to have frequent bowel movements which help with the breakdown of bilirubin, decreasing the risk of jaundice. Your milk will come in about 2-4 days after delivery making your breasts feel very full. This full feeling will decrease in a week or so; this is only the blood and lymph swelling. You are making plenty of milk! The more you nurse, the more milk you will make. If you supplement, this will decrease your milk supply.

The size of a newborn’s stomach is very small and can only hold small amounts at a time. This is why your baby will need to nurse 10-12 times in a 24-hour period. Nursing early in the hospital will start to build your milk supply and will help to keep your baby from getting jaundiced. Breast milk has natural laxatives in it that will help your baby to stool which leads to a breakdown of the bilirubin decreasing the risk of jaundice.

Choosing to nurse your baby is one of the best gifts you can give to him or her. Our office supports breastfeeding. We will be available for any questions or concerns you may have with your nursing experience.

Breastfeeding Without Pain 101

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Stefanie V. Overby, LPN, CLC
Breast feeding is a wonderful experience for a mother and her baby. Breast feeding is also a learned experience. It will take time for you and your baby to learn each other and what works the best for the both of you. No matter what position or what setting works best for you, it should not hurt for your baby to latch on and nurse. If you are experiencing pain, other than some minimal pain in the first few days because of nipple tenderness, you should contact a lactation counselor or your pediatrician for help.
Pain during breast feeding is usually associated with an improper latch. If the baby does not open her mouth enough or if she is sucking only on your nipple, this will cause intense pain if not corrected. There are other causes of pain that may not be associated with latch. If you are sure that her latch is good and she is suckling well but you are still having pain, you will need to contact a lactation counselor.

A proper latch will consist of several things. You will want to make sure you are in a comfortable position before you even begin. Good positions include lying in the bed or sitting in a recliner. Get as many pillows as you need and be sure to have something to drink near by to ensure you are drinking enough liquids.

  • When you hold the baby, make sure you are tummy to tummy with her.
  • Your nipple needs to be lined up with the baby’s nose. You may want to rub your nipple on her bottom lip to get her to open her mouth.
  • Once her mouth is open WIDE, insert the areola (the brown area around your nipple) into her mouth.
  • It is best if your nipple is NOT in the exact center of the baby’s mouth. Aim the nipple to top of the mouth to allow room for the baby’s tongue.
  • You want to make sure that the baby’s lips are not curled under against the breast. When you look down at your baby nursing you should see her profile.
  • Bring the baby to you — do not try to take your breast to her. This will make you uncomfortable and nursing may not be as enjoyable.
  • If the baby’s nose becomes blocked, pull the baby’s bottom closer to you — try not to break the latch.
  • Let the baby stay latched on as long as she wants. You never want to pull her off your nipple. If you need to get her off, you may insert a clean finger into the corner of her mouth to break the suction.

Other things to avoid to help prevent pain are to not use soap or anything drying on your nipples. This will dry your nipples and may lead to cracking. Be sure to nurse often so your breasts do not get full and hard. If the baby is not nursing often this may cause engorgement, which is overfullness and swelling of the breast. Using different positions will also help with nipple tenderness in the first few days. The baby’s mouth will be in a different position which will alleviate the baby suckling on the same part of the breast at each feeding.

There is no time limit on nursing. Let the baby nurse as long as she has a good latch. Some babies may fall asleep at the breast and need to be awakened to continue feeding. You may want to offer only one breast or both breasts at each feeding. Either is fine. If you only offer one per feeding be sure the baby nurses the other breast first at the next feeding. Babies will sometimes have a favorite side, but to keep from getting engorged she will need to nurse from both. Your baby is getting enough breast milk if she is nursing 10-12 times in 24 hours, she is having 6 wet diapers and several bowel movements in 24 hours and if she is gaining weight steadily, about 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce a day.