Healthy Pregnancy

Nipples shields are molded silicone “nipples” that fit over a natural nipple. They look a bit like a sombrero, and the rim or base of the shield extends out about an inch to adhere to the breast. There are usually 4 holes in the nipple that mom’s milk can flow through. They are very thin and made in several sizes and styles. They are designed so that baby can latch on to the shield and get milk from mom.

So why on earth would anyone want to use a plastic nipple?

Nipples shields can be helpful when a baby is unable to form a strong vacuum at the natural breast. Sometimes, if baby’s tongue is not doing what it should, a nipple shield can enable a baby to breastfeed who otherwise would need to be bottle fed.

Nipple shields are also commonly used when a baby has nursed incorrectly and caused nipple soreness. A shield can make breastfeeding more comfortable while mom and baby learn to breastfeed comfortably.

Always seek guidance from an experienced lactation consultant before considering the use of a nipple shield. Improper use can lead to inadequate milk intake and subsequent weight loss, which, in turn could lead to a decrease in your milk supply.

Whether to alleviate soreness, or to help a baby who is learning to suck properly, a nipple shield is a temporary fix. Your lactation consultant should provide you with a detailed plan for the use of the shield and when and how to discontinue its use. When your baby is ready, he will breastfeed happily and comfortably without it!

Written by Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC. Renee is a lactation consultant in private practice in Seattle, Washington. She is available for home/hospital visits and phone consultations. Renee can be reached at www.second9months.com

You CAN combine working and breastfeeding. It just takes a little preparation and some extra planning. Here are some helpful tips from moms who have done it.

Purchase the best breastpump you can afford. You will need a double pump. Avoid used pumps.

Make sure the pump fits you well and you know how to use it! You should be able to get enough milk for a typical feeding in about 15-20 minutes.

Learn about milk storage guidelines.

Talk to your employer about your plans to pump your milk at work. Agree on where you will be pumping and storing your milk.

Find a co-worker who has combined working and breastfeeding. You will need support!

Make sure your baby is comfortable with a bottle or other alternative feeding method. Give her at least 2 weeks to get used to the idea.

Stockpile a few bottles of milk in the freezer “just in case.” It will make you feel secure. You do NOT need a freezer full of milk. Remember you will be replacing the milk your baby drinks each day and storing it in the refrigerator.

Consider going back to work on a Thursday or Friday. It’s not as overwhelming as starting off with the entire week in front of you.

Do a practice run to see how long it will take to get you, baby and milk ready and where you need to go. Be sure to do this practice at the time that you’d actually be going to work.

Remember that providing milk for your baby when you’re at work serves everyone. You will be happy and productive and your baby will be healthy. This translates to fewer sick days for you and a grateful boss!

Written by Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC. Renee is a lactation consultant in private practice in Seattle, Washington. She is available for home/hospital visits and phone consultations. Renee can be reached at www.second9months.com

See also “Are Used Breastpumps are Bargain?” and “Storing Human Milk“

I am a lactation consultant in private practice. I see many moms struggle with milk production. As you can imagine, (and as many of you know!) it’s very frustrating to do everything “right” and still not have enough milk for your baby. Moms know that breast milk is the best thing for babies, yet when supply problems exist, it can be difficult to give baby 100% breast milk. I have found that moms will do just about anything to help increase their milk production—prescriptions medications, strenuous pumping regimens or drinking bitter herbal concoctions.

Recently I was approached by the founder of Milkmakers. She enthusiastically told me about her product—a cookie—that reportedly helps with milk production in breastfeeding moms. Some of the ingredients in Milkmakers are known to support milk production, but I was skeptical, to say the least.

Since this is a new product and an interesting idea, I decided to do a little research. Seattle moms with concerns about milk supply agreed to eat these delicious, nutrient-dense cookies for a week and let me know how they “worked.” Much to my surprise, the vast majority of the moms called with positive results. Many of the moms had returned to work and found that a nutritious cookie was the perfect complement to pumping.

I will continue to offer herbs, medications and other proven protocols for my clients with serious milk production issues. I will also offer cookies as part of the solution—particularly for moms who may need a boost when returning to work.

If you are having problems with supply, contact a lactation consultant for help. In addtion, give Milkmakers a try. They may be part of the solution!

Milkmaker cookies can be found at www.milk-makers.com.

Written by Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC. Renee is a lactation consultant in private practice in Seattle, Washington. She is available for home/hospital visits and phone consultations. Renee can be reached at www.second9months.com

One of the beautiful things about breastfeeding is that there are no worries about cleaning containers, refrigeration or expiration dates! Even so, many moms find it necessary or convenient to express milk for their babies when they’re away. In those situations, it’s important to know how to properly store milk so it stays fresh for baby.

Most of us are used to storing milk that has been pasteurized. Pasteurization is a method of heat-treating the milk so that harmful bacteria are killed. Unfortunately, all of the beneficial cells are killed as well. Because of this, we have learned to always keep milk and other dairy products refrigerated so that it won’t spoil.

Your freshly pumped milk, however, is dense with live cells—cells that kill nasty germs and keep the milk safe for your baby. Freezing the milk kills many of those beneficial cells. Previously frozen milk is, therefore, less stable than fresh milk. Whenever possible, feed your baby fresh milk, saving the frozen milk for emergencies.

Simple rules for milk storage:

Room temperature: 3-4 hours or until the next feeding. (Research indicates that milk can be safely stored up to 10 hours at room temperature—depending on the temperature of the room.)

Refrigerator: 5 days (Many sources quote 8 days, but that research was conducted under laboratory conditions not typical in a home situation)

Freezer: 3-4 months (varies according to temperature, frequency of opening freezer and location in freezer.)

Deep Freeze: 6 months or longer. (varies according to frequency of opening freezer)

Written by Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC. Renee is a lactation consultant in private practice in Seattle, Washington. She is available for home/hospital visits and phone consultations. Renee can be reached at www.second9months.com

Breastfeeding has many benefits to mothers—one of which is a delay in the return of fertility. Many mothers enjoy a year or more without periods after the birth of their babies. Breastfeeding as a birth control method is referred to as the lactational ammenorrhea method or LAM. LAM is over 98% effective* when the following conditions are met:

Your periods have not returned. It is possible to ovulate before your period returns!

Your baby is under 6 months of age. Although you may remain infertile long after 6 months, the reliability of this method decreases with the age of the baby—probably because of the introduction of solid foods.

Your baby has nothing by mouth except the breast. In other words, the baby is not supplemented with other foods and is not using a pacifier for long periods.

Your baby is breastfeeding at least every 3 hours during the day and at least every 6 hours at night. There IS a benefit to waking at night with your baby! If your baby is up frequently during the night, you’re protected from another pregnancy!

It is important to discuss birth control options with your partner and your doctor. Keep in mind that for at least 6 months any additional birth control you choose will be a back up to LAM.

*Please note: It is unknown whether pumping your milk for your baby provides the same protection as exclusive breastfeeding.

Written by Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC. Renee is a lactation consultant in private practice in Seattle, Washington. She is available for home/hospital visits and phone consultations. Renee can be reached at www.second9months.com

You may have read that it is necessary to restrict your diet in order to breastfeed. Or that spicy foods will upset your baby’s tummy. Perhaps you have heard that eating certain foods will make “better” milk. Thankfully, nature has ensured that we will make high quality milk for our babies no matter what we eat! In fact, when you eat a varied diet with a wide variety of tastes and aromas, your baby gets to experience a variety of tastes in your milk. This prepares her to enjoy the foods you love when she’s old enough to sit at the dinner table.

So where does this list of “bad foods” come from? It comes from well-meaning professionals and mothers like you who have seen a baby react negatively to a particular food or class of foods. When you see a list of foods to avoid while breastfeeding, use some common sense and consider the following:

If you have food allergies in your family, it may be a good idea to avoid those foods while breastfeeding.

Vary your diet. Don’t eat a lot of one food in the course of a day. I knew a baby who was quite fussy until his mom stopped drinking 8 glasses of orange juice a day! He handled one glass a day just fine.

Go ahead and eat that spicy Thai food. Thai mothers do!

Written by Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC. Renee is a lactation consultant in private practice in Seattle, Washington. She is available for home/hospital visits and phone consultations. Renee can be reached at www.second9months.com

This is a test! Please read the following statements and respond “true” or “false” to each one.

1. If I breastfeed, I have to eat a bland diet.

2. If I eat broccoli, my baby will have gas.

3. If I have a glass of wine, I have to “pump and dump.”

4. I cannot drink coffee while breastfeeding.

5. If I eat chocolate, my breastfed baby will get diarrhea.

6. I have to drink lots of milk to produce milk for my baby.

7. I can’t eat spicy foods and breastfeed my baby.

If you answered false to each question, congratulations! Your score is 100 percent!

1. Babies love a varied diet. One study demonstrated that babies nurse longer after their mothers ate garlic.

2. It is a rare baby who doesn’t like nutritious vegetables. On the other hand, if your baby seems to be gassy after a particular food, try avoiding it for a few days and then re-introduce it just to be sure.

3. Drinking alcohol when breastfeeding is NOT the same as drinking while you’re pregnant. An occasional drink is just fine while breastfeeding.

4 and 5. Caffeine and chocolate in moderation are fine for mom and baby.

6. When was the last time you saw an adult cow or any other adult mammal drink milk?

7. Spicy foods? Mothers all over the world breastfeed and enjoy the foods of their culture.

So, indulge in the nutritious foods you love. Enjoy the occasional pleasure of a glass of wine or some yummy chocolate. You deserve it!

Written by Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC. Renee is a lactation consultant in private practice in Seattle, Washington. She is available for home/hospital visits and phone consultations. Renee can be reached at www.second9months.com

There is nothing more comforting than a hearty, nutritious bowl of homemade soup especially as we head into the cooler months of fall and winter. Not only are soups known to promote healthy digestion, but they also support the reproductive organs, which correspond to the Water element in Chinese medicine, favoring cooked foods, slowly simmered in liquid. As an added bonus, the corresponding flavor of the water element is salt, so to build your fertility, immunity and combat stress, I recommend cutting up pieces of dried seaweed like kombu and wakame and adding them to any soups, stews, hot breakfast cereals and casseroles. You will be getting a healthy dose of minerals without compromising on taste!

Adzuki Bean stew

This soup delights the palate and includes healthful onion and garlic which help to build immunity and keep blood flow moving. Spinach, rich in chlorophyll, combines with tomatoes to fortify and purify the blood. Make a big batch of this flavorful soup on a Sunday and enjoy throughout the week! To make this dish suitable for vegetarians make this stew with vegetable stock and omit roasted chicken.

Serves 4
Cooking time: 60 minutes

3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon thyme
2 cups adzuki beans, pre-cooked
32 ounces organic chicken stock or veggie stock
4 whole stewed tomatoes
8 ounces spinach
1/2 cup edamame
Optional: 1 cup roasted chicken (main attraction) or brown rice
Sea salt or dulse flakes to taste

Sauté garlic and onions in olive oil until softened. Add thyme and adzuki beans.
Slowly stir in chicken stock. The longer you allow this soup to simmer, the better it tastes. Finish by adding stewed tomatoes, edamame and spinach, until wilted.

Antioxidants create biochemical bliss at the cellular level – readily neutralizing those destructive molecules called free radicals that are constantly generated within our cells. Plant foods have always been the ideal place to get them and thanks to two new investigations, we should all be even more reassured that we are doing our antioxidant duty when enjoying our fruits and whole grains. Scientists working at England’s Institute of Food Research analyzed apples, peaches, and nectarines for “total” polyphenol content (which is the largest class of antioxidant chemicals) They discovered the fruits contained up to 5 times more of these life-preserving compounds than previously reported (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, July 09).

In the second report, scientists performed another first-of-its-kind evaluation and found that many popular whole grain breakfast cereals, and even whole grain snack foods provide “surprisingly large” amounts of antioxidant polyphenols – gram for gram, levels comparable to those in fruits and veggies! Of the whole grain snack foods tested, popcorn came out on top. For cereals, those made from wheat were the antioxidant winners followed by corn, oats, and then rice. Bottom line, eating the right plant foods are the most powerful weapons you have for combating broad spectrum disease and aging. The antioxidant superstars from the plant kingdom include: red onions, tomatoes, broccoli, brussel sprouts, red bell peppers, garlic, dark leafy greens, apples, red grapes, berries, pomegranates, cherries, oranges, plums, black beans, kidney beans, tea, dark chocolate, and red wine. Go eat some now!

One of the biggest concerns of new moms is “will I make enough milk?” Most of the time this concern is unfounded because our bodies are beautifully designed to feed our babies. When I work with a mom who truly does not have enough milk to feed her baby, I always ask her if she had any trouble getting pregnant. There are often underlying hormonal issues that can explain the difficulties with milk production.

Luteal phase defect is a common cause of miscarriages. Women with luteal phase defect do not have enough progesterone in the second half of their menstrual cycle. Studies have shown that higher progesterone levels in pregancy result in greater milk production. There is some evidence that progesterone supplementation during pregnancy may help women produce more milk postpartum.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with infertility. It can cause low progesterone and higher levels of testosterone, estrogen and insulin. These women may also have less glandular tissue in the breast—therefore have difficulty producing enough milk. The good news is that these mothers often can increase milk production with the help of herbs or medications. If you have PCOS, meet with a lactation consultant soon after the birth of your baby to get support.

If you experience infertility or other conditions that involve hormones, talk to your health care provider about your desire to breastfeed. Lactation support soon after the birth of your baby will help maximize milk production. And remember that any amount of breastfeeding is beneficial to you and your baby!

Written by Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC. Renee is a lactation consultant in private practice in Seattle, Washington. She is available for home/hospital visits and phone consultations. Renee can be reached at www.second9months.com