lori282 | All About Breastfeeding

Today’s Podcast

episode 282

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Her Story.

This is one of those shows that if you are sitting down and able to write down some information, you want to go ahead and get paper and pen ready before you listen to the rest of the show. If you are involved in various activities like cleaning the house, walking or hiking, driving your car or cooking, you will want to come back to this show so you can write down the info I am going to share. Don’t worry, it is not a lot of things to remember, but it will be enough that you won’t be able to memorize it all. On today’s show, I am going to give you some help with how to build your breastfeeding confidence.

I often hear from moms who tell me that they want to learn all they can about breastfeeding because they are worried that it will not go well. They are concerned because they know someone close to them who struggled with breastfeeding. Of course you can’t help but let their challenging breastfeeding situation seep into your mind. Especially when it is someone in your family, your mom or your sister – This tends to carry more weight because we think perhaps there is some medical issue or genetic thing going on with your family and perhaps this will affect you too.

We also hear stories from other relatives and friends and while you might know logically that what happened with them does not mean it is going to happen to you, we are very emotional beings and it is easy to get caught up and put on that worry hat when it comes to breastfeeding. Plus, you tell yourself – that you have never done this before, so breastfeeding to you is this unknown activity, that you never did before, have little idea what to expect, and feel nervous about it because you have a lot riding on it working out. You have a baby to feed after all and it is your hearts desire for their nourishment to be your milk.

I have a few take home messages for you on this subject:

Breastfeeding is a natural thing to do, however, it does not necessarily come naturally for most of us.

Some babies were born to breastfeed and they can easily do their thing, however, we are not accustomed to

holding new babies, having anyone suckling at our breast, and we are often awkward when it comes to the early days of breastfeeding. Many of us did not grow up in households or environments where we got to see a lot of private and public breastfeeding. If you are like me – I never even saw a newborn latch onto an exposed breast.

To help build your confidence, you will want to learn all you can about the early days of newborn breastfeeding.

Learning about position and latch and watching videos is very, very important. However, this is an activity you can

only put into practice once your baby is born. You will get a lot of practice as your baby will be spending a lot of time breastfeeding and you will have plenty of opportunity to practice the art of latching your baby on.

Since you can’t practice this part of breastfeeding ahead of time, you might wonder what else you can do to help build your confidence about breastfeeding. Well, I always feel that having the proper resources, connecting to the right people and taking the time to learn about the ins and outs of what normal newborn breastfeeding is about is powerful. There is nothing like feeling quite knowledgeable about a subject to help build your confidence.

You might ask, well, if learning how to latch a baby on is very important and I can’t practice this ahead of time, what is it that I need to learn ahead of time that will help to build my confidence?

Well, based on thousands of new mothers and the most common problems moms have in the early days and the most FAQs we get as lactation consultants, I will tell you what some of the most common questions are. I will then give you some basic answers and then I will lead you to where you can find those answers in greater detail.

How do I know if my baby has a good latch?

How do I know my baby is getting enough?

How frequently should I be feeding my baby?

Do I offer one side, or do I offer both sides?

Let’s start with one of the most common questions –

How do I know if my baby has a good latch –

It should never feel like your baby is pinching or biting or clamping down on your nipple.

It should never be sore or painful when you are breastfeeding.

Your nipple shape should not look very different when your baby comes off the breast. – either look like it was squeezed or pinching or has the shape of the tip of a lipstick tube.look the same when you baby comes off as when your baby first latched on.

So, if breastfeeding is not hurting you, your nipple is not sore or painful and you are not suffering from any cracks or bleeding of the nipple, and your nipple looks its normal shape when your baby comes off, then you probably have a good latch.

How do I know if my baby is getting enough?

I often tell parents that they need to be educated about good latch, normal breastfeeding behavior, normal weight loss and weight gain, normal output as these are all helpful signs in figuring out if your baby is getting enough.. However, in the first 3-4 days, until the volume of your milk really increases, there is a certain degree of using the knowledge that you have, observing your baby, following your intuition and yes, taking a leap of faith the first few days. It is not always easy for many of us to know for sure if our babies are getting enough in the first few days. So, you play close attention to the signs of good latch, nutritive sucking and output & let this be your guide.

How frequently should I be feeding my baby?

The first 24 hours, if your baby has what you determine to be 3-4 good breastfeedings, you are doing great. They don’t need and usually want more than this in their first day of life. Thereafter though, most babies are wanting to feed about 7-9 times a day. It is not to say that a baby that feeds less or a baby that feeds more, is not breastfeeding well, however, less than average feeds would mean that you already have a lot of milk and your baby can get full from a lot less time at breast and less feedings. Typically, I find that if this is the case, mom can already feel the breast fullness and you can easily tell your baby is swallowing milk. When the volume of milk is a normal low volume the first few days, it is hard to hear or really see your baby swallowing. If your baby has many more than 9 feeds a day, this tells me that your baby is snacking on and off all day and is having a problem getting enough per feeding. Again, as in the case of not enough feedings, too many feedings are signs that we would want to check out further & does not always means anything is wrong.

Do I offer one side or both sides?

Since the first 6-8 weeks are all about building your supply and since you are new at this, I suggest you start off always offering the other side. If your baby has fallen asleep, I would suggest sitting up to burp, possibly changing a diaper to see if you can rouse your baby. If it is 15 minutes and you just cannot wake your baby up, then leave him or her be for that feeding. Once you get to the 2 week mark, find out your baby is gaining well, and your baby is rarely if ever interested in both sides, I would stop always offering and just look for clues that your baby is still hungry. Babies who always feed on one side for weeks at a time sometimes get a bigger appetite and soon will want both sides so don’t count on this one side feeds always being the same.

Now here is the part that if you want more detailed information, you will want to write down these episodes that I give very specific information about each of these common questions. Take note and listen to them next change you get.

Episode # 21 – This is where I have a frank discussion about my mantra – Breastfeeding is not suppose to hurt. For anyone listening who has been told that it is normal for breastfeeding to hurt in the early days, this is a MUST show for you to listen to.

Episode # 43 If you would like more specific information about should you offer one side or both sides for feedings, you definitely will want to listen to this show. I discuss the common reasons moms are told to offer only one side and I explain the rationale behind why I suggest that moms not start off this way, at least until breastfeeding is well established.

Episode # 79 – IN this show, I address specifically what you need to know for the first week of breastfeeding. I dover what normal newborn breastfeeding looks like,normal weight loss and gain should be and how do you know your baby is breastfeeding well.

So, there you have it – 3 shows. Episode # 21, 43 and 79 addresses the most commonly asked questions about newborn breastfeeding.

Your Online Breastfeeding Class

Learn how to breastfeed – Be comfortable. Be confident.

The learning continues well beyond the average breastfeeding basics class that is 60-90 minutes. In this class, we have over 15 hours of audio lessons, combined with many hours of videos to help support what you are learning. We cover breastfeeding and medication safety, what to do if your baby does not latch on, common breastfeeding challenges, tongue tie, premature babies, building a good supply, returning to work and pumping. Take a look at the list below and follow the link to the class page so you can see more specifics of what is covered. I want to ensure that we got you covered and that you have great support well beyond the newborn days.

Using your pregnancy time to prepare for breastfeeding
Tips on how to prepare your home for a newborn
Specific details about the first 24 hours after birth.
Exactly what to expect the first two weeks after birth
What can you do if your baby is not latching on
Common and not so common breastfeeding challenges
What you can expect over the next few months
Returning to work as a breastfeeding/pumping mom
Pumping and storing your milk
When to begin pumping and building your freezer stash
How to make a smooth transition to postpartum life
Lessons dedicated to partners and breastfeeding knowledge.
Breastfeeding and the 1 year old
Breastfeeding the toddler and beyond
Tandem nursing
Breastfeeding through a pregnancy
Medication and mother’s milk
Weaning

Once you register for the class, you have immediate access to:

Audio Lessons
Videos
Educational handouts
Helpful checklists
Our “members only” group
Weekly group LIVE Q&A sessions

Gain confidence in breastfeeding.

Expert advice from Lori J. Isenstadt, IBCLC who has over 25 years of experience in maternal health and lactation. I will help you navigate the ins and outs of breastfeeding.

Listen anywhere and anytime. Imagine not having to sit in a classroom or stare at a screen. You can learn all about breastfeeding while going for a walk, driving to work or running errands, traveling on a plane, train or bus. Because you can download the audios, learning is easy and convenient. Get ready to learn anytime whenever it’s convenient for you and your partner. You can be cooking dinner together and listening to the class. Perhaps relaxing together in the evening in your comfy clothes. You can learn together. Easy access to all class materials. Your class never expires. You’ll be able to listen and download the materials at your convenience.

You are not alone!

Once you are a student in the breastfeeding class, you have regular access to ongoing support for the whole time you are breastfeeding. You can have your questions answered by Lori J. Isenstadt, IBCLC, in our private group as well as our weekly live Q & A sessions. Just check out the Bonuses below to see how I provide you with ongoing support..

Exclusive Bonus #1

Immediate access to a private group for class students only. I will be answering your questions 5 days a week.

Exclusive Bonus #2

Invitation to join our weekly Q & A session with Lori and other students.

Exclusive Bonus #3

Need additional help? *25% discount off a private consult – for students only.
*If you are in the Phoenix metro area. use this link to schedule your Office or Home lactation consult.

*If you are out of the area, use this link to schedule a Skype call

Do you have a question about the class before you purchase? Send it to – aabreastfeeding@hotmail.com

Register for the Breastfeeding class
http://www.aabreastfeeding.com/audioclass

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@breastfeedingaz
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Lori J. Isenstadt, IBCLC

Lori j Isenstadt, IBCLC Lori Jill Isenstadt, IBCLC is a huge breastfeeding supporter. She has spent much of her adult life working in the maternal health field. Once she became turned on to birth and became a childbirth educator, there was no stopping her love of working with families during their childbearing years. Lori became a Birth doula and a Postpartum doula and soon became a lactation consultant. She has been helping moms and babies with breastfeeding for over 25 years. Lori founded her private practice, All About Breastfeeding where she meets with moms one on one to help solve their breastfeeding challenges. She is an international speaker, book author and the host of the popular itunes podcast, All About Breastfeeding, the place where the girls hang out. You can reach Lori by email at: aabreastfeeding@hotmail.com or contact her via her website: allaboutbreastfeeding.biz/contact

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