Breastfeeding 101

This will vary person to person depending on how old your baby is, how your supply is overall, how frequently you pump, when you pump (AM most moms get more than evening), did you nurse + pump, etc. Some moms can only pump an ounce a breast...others can get 4 ounces a breast. It also takes practice :) If you are not pumping enough, there are strategies we can use to pump more. ..

Hi! See above :)

Hi, Yuliani - as a lactation consultant, this question is really beyond my
scope. I would consult with your baby's doctor and an Ear, Nose and Throat
doctor and a speech pathologist. Good luck!

Can you tell me a bit more about what you mean? When you pump frequently your body makes too much milk or during the pumping session it’s painful? Happy to help but not sure I understand...

When I pump frequently my body makes too much milk. I feel I have clogged ducts whenever I pump rather than direct feeding. The engorged breast and clogged duct is so painful. Could you please help and let me know how do I recover from this?

Since milk production is based on supply and demand when we nurse baby plus pump your body may think you have two babes and produce more. I would recommend only feeding OR nursing per baby’s schedule (ie approx every 3 hours). If you are trying to store extra milk then just pump one additional time a day versus multiple (i suggest am). Do a lot of hands on pumping and nursing so you are always aware of tender spots/lumps before they turn into an issue (massage and warm moist heat).

Hi, Stephanie -- congratulations on your new baby! I'm sorry you're in so much pain! Soreness can be normal in the first week or so but "pain" is not - especially at week 3. Pain usually signals that the latch is not deep enough. Let's see if we can work on improving it and enhancing your comfort. I really like this resource by Stanford University on how to get a proper latch:

https://med.stanford.edu/newborns/professional-education/breastfeeding/abcs-of-breastfeeding/getting-started---position-and-latch.html

If you are in so much pain and need a break, you may want to consider pumping for a day or two and bottle feeding to give your nipples a chance to heal + protect your milk supply + express milk for babe.

Hi Allie -

I find football position often allows babe with restricted tongue mobility to latch on a bit deeper. You may also want to try a nipple shield until tongue tie is resolved. I would also recommend doing a bit of additional pumping to ensure we protect your milk supply (increased milk flow will also help babe drink at breast easier).

Sorry you aren't feeling well! Yes - definitely continue breastfeeding baby. Your body is making antibodies to fight the cold and those antibodies are being passed to baby through your milk so, this will protect baby from getting sick or at least help baby not get as sick. Lots of good hand washing + check in with your dr or us before you take any medications to be sure they are compatible with breastfeeding.

Clogged ducts can be very uncomfortable. You definitely want to keep feeding baby (that's part of how we clear the clog!).

Treatment for a clogged duct includes warm moist heat + massage + frequent feeding (or pumping). I think a hot shower is your best bet (you can even put some olive oil on your hands in shower to help massage). If clog is stubborn, you may need to take multiple showers today and/or do multiple warm compresses.

Also, think about "clearing a path" for the clog to get out (i.e., start the massaging in front of where the hard spot is and move forward toward nipple and then go back to the clog and work on it).

Make sense? Good luck! If you start feeling flu-like symptoms or get a fever call your dr or midwife asap.