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If you are having a baby soon, I would like to provide you some breastfeeding support, as I know you may not have the same access to a lactation consultant right now.
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#breastfeedingblackwomen
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#breastfeedingblackwomen
1. Your insurance covers a breast pump free of charge - even if you have Medicaid, your doctor should be able to write a script for your insurance to provide you a breast pump.
This may be a little tricky with social distance bans alluding to you not HAVING to go anywhere.
This may be a little tricky with social distance bans alluding to you not HAVING to go anywhere.
You do not need to use your pump for the first 6 weeks unless your baby is in the NICU.
It will be completely normal that you will have tons of milk in the first 6-8 weeks- you do not need to pump and store this milk (as your baby’s needs will change daily/weekly).
It will be completely normal that you will have tons of milk in the first 6-8 weeks- you do not need to pump and store this milk (as your baby’s needs will change daily/weekly).
If your baby is in the NICU, ask if you’ll be allowed to pump at your baby’s bedside.
If you are discharged from the hospital and your baby is still at the NICU, set an alarm to pump every two hours- even through the night- to develop a healthy breast milk supply.
If you are discharged from the hospital and your baby is still at the NICU, set an alarm to pump every two hours- even through the night- to develop a healthy breast milk supply.
IF YOUR BABY IS AT THE NICU AND YOU ARE DISCHARGED:
Consider a mini fridge for your bedroom to store milk until the morning.
Do not mix milk of different temperatures - if you pump at 2 pm and refrigerate that milk, do not mix that milk with freshly pumped milk at 4 pm.
Consider a mini fridge for your bedroom to store milk until the morning.
Do not mix milk of different temperatures - if you pump at 2 pm and refrigerate that milk, do not mix that milk with freshly pumped milk at 4 pm.
This is tough, but IF YOU ARE DISCHARGED AND YOUR BABY IS STILL AT THE NICU, the best thing you can do is pump milk and drop it off every few days.
Stay in touch via phone to make sure you’re pumping enough milk for each feeding.
Frequent visit = frequent exposure.
Stay in touch via phone to make sure you’re pumping enough milk for each feeding.
Frequent visit = frequent exposure.
ok, so if your baby came home as normal, don’t touch that pump for 6 weeks.
Even if your mom, husband, sibling, or anyone else wants to feed the baby, explain it is not healthy for you to pump right now and provide a list of other ways they can bond with the baby.
Even if your mom, husband, sibling, or anyone else wants to feed the baby, explain it is not healthy for you to pump right now and provide a list of other ways they can bond with the baby.
Here are a few examples of things your family can do to bond with the baby while you establish a healthy nursing pattern.
1. Help to latch the baby in the middle of the night.
2. Change the baby after/before each feeding.
3. Give the baby a bath.
4. Burp the baby.
1. Help to latch the baby in the middle of the night.
2. Change the baby after/before each feeding.
3. Give the baby a bath.
4. Burp the baby.
You get my vibe-there are tons of other ways to get help while you establish a healthy nursing relationship with your baby.
Your baby should be nursing every two hours. At max, three hours.
Breast milk is natural and metabolizes easier than formula, so your baby will eat more.
Your baby should be nursing every two hours. At max, three hours.
Breast milk is natural and metabolizes easier than formula, so your baby will eat more.
Frequent nursing does not mean that your baby is not getting enough.
Nursing comforts your baby, nursing relaxes your baby, nursing helps your baby get to sleep, your baby just loves nursing and that’s ok.
The only way to bring in more milk is to frequently express milk.
Nursing comforts your baby, nursing relaxes your baby, nursing helps your baby get to sleep, your baby just loves nursing and that’s ok.
The only way to bring in more milk is to frequently express milk.
This image and others similar show you the capacity that your baby’s belly can hold.
Your baby doesn’t need a ton of milk to feel full.
but your baby will metabolize the milk in 2-3 hours.
You don’t need to add formula or rice or oatmeal - it isn’t healthy for your baby.
Your baby doesn’t need a ton of milk to feel full.
but your baby will metabolize the milk in 2-3 hours.
You don’t need to add formula or rice or oatmeal - it isn’t healthy for your baby.
There will be periods when your baby will go through growth spurts and nurse more than usual- KEEP LETTING THE BABY NURSE as this will increase your milk production.
There are many versions of lactation teas, cookies, lemonades - I can’t speak to those as there is no shortcut to a healthy milk supply outside of pumping/putting your baby on the breast to express milk.
Once your 6 weeks are up and you decide to start pumping, remember: a pumping session replaces a feeding session.
While pumping and letting a partner bottle feed might free you up for one feeding, you still need to pump for the missed feed as well to maintain your milk supply.
While pumping and letting a partner bottle feed might free you up for one feeding, you still need to pump for the missed feed as well to maintain your milk supply.
What does this mean?
Basically if you leave a bottle to go out and run errands, be prepared to pump at the same time that you expect your baby to be taking that bottle.
I recommend a hand pump for these purposes or learning to hand express. https://www.target.com/p/lansinoh-manual-breast-pump/-/A-10477166
Basically if you leave a bottle to go out and run errands, be prepared to pump at the same time that you expect your baby to be taking that bottle.
I recommend a hand pump for these purposes or learning to hand express. https://www.target.com/p/lansinoh-manual-breast-pump/-/A-10477166
WHEN YOUR BABY STARTS TAKING MILK FROM A BOTTLE, REMEMBER:
Breastmilk changes in QUALITY therefore you’ll never need to raise the quantity for bottles.
Your baby will NEVER need more than 1.5-2 ounces per hour between feedings, so approximately 3-4 ounces every 2 hours.
Breastmilk changes in QUALITY therefore you’ll never need to raise the quantity for bottles.
Your baby will NEVER need more than 1.5-2 ounces per hour between feedings, so approximately 3-4 ounces every 2 hours.
Kelly Mom has more details on this: https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/
Feel free to ask me whatever breastfeeding/milk related questions you have.
I nursed my first son until he was 3.
Then exclusively nursed my twins until they were also 3.
My research is in breastfeeding barriers in low income populations.
I nursed my first son until he was 3.
Then exclusively nursed my twins until they were also 3.
My research is in breastfeeding barriers in low income populations.
