I’ve gained 35 pounds so far in my pregnancy, which is ok according to my doctor. I’m planning on breastfeeding and supposedly that helps you lose your baby weight relatively fast. Has anyone else found this to be true? If so, could you share your epxeriences with me?
I’m not exactly concerned about my weight and my baby’s health is my #1 priority. I just wanted to know if this concept was fact or fiction.

Do you just put you swimmers on and hop in? Have you ever leaked when in the water? Just want actual mums stories. Im sure there’s lots of you who have gone swimming while your still breastfeeding.

I have oreintation for college 4 weeks after my baby will be born. I need advice on what to do about breastfeeding during the two day period I will be there. I can not nurse during class. Will missing a few feedings in two days affect my supply enough that I can’t nurse anymore? How often should I pump? I am very nervous about this and need as much advice as I can get.

Breastfeeding : alarm signals a nursing mother should recognize

Breastfeeding is a very natural and the healthiest choice both for mother and baby. Most of the times, breastfeeding goes well and both mother and baby are happy. Let us review the alarm signals that may be suggesting that the breastfeeding process might not be going all well.

First, a baby that is always crying may be a sign that there is something wrong. A baby who sleeps and wakes-up for feedings is a sign that the breast milk he is receiving is satisfying. A better who also does not wet 5 to 6 diapers per day might not be receiving all the milk he needs. One has to be careful nowadays as the newer diapers are very absorbent and it can be sometimes hard to see if it is wet or not.

A baby who is not gaining weight may be a sign that the breast milk is not satisfying his needs. There is a normal weight loss during the first 7 to 10 days of life but usually this weight loss is no more than 10% of the baby’s birth weight.

A baby that is highly jaundiced or has a faint cry is also a sign that something might not be right. In doubt, parents should always consult their physician.

A baby who also gets really upset when trying to latch-on the breast or only feeds for a couple of minutes and then fall asleep tired are signs that should raise a flag.

On the mother’s side, there are also alarm signs she should be aware of. A mother who is running a high fever or have increasing breast tenderness should consult her doctor. A nursing mother who is crying a lot or feels very sad should also ask for the proper help.

Another alarm sign breastfeeding mothers should know about is if they are in a non-supportive environment and receiving very negative messages about nursing. One has to acknowledge that not everyone will be supportive of breastfeeding and this could greatly undermine the overall breastfeeding experience.

In cases where a mother feels unsupported in her choice of breastfeeding her baby she can get the necessary support by joining a group for breastfeeding mothers. There are numerous forums on the internet where nursing mothers get together and exchange about their experiences.

Another very important step if a nursing mother does not feel supported while breastfeeding is to openly talk to her spouse or family about her feelings. Sometimes, a simple discussion will clear the air and the mother can feel understood and supported in her breastfeeding choice.

In the case of a woman who has undergone breast reduction surgery, she may try to breastfeed. Her milk production will depend on how the procedure was done. Many women have been able to breastfeed after such surgeries.

The only way to really know if the breasts can produce sufficient milk is to start nursing the baby. One has to know that the significant milk production usually starts on the second to the third day after birth. Just like for most other maternal tasks, patience is always recommended,

First of all, remember that breastfeeding is the most natural way to feed your baby. This is the way that mothers have fed their babies for all of history, and it is something that is perfectly normal and natural. However, that is not to say that there aren’t alternatives. There are many reasons that a mother might not want to breastfeed, and when that is the case, there are plenty of good formulas that mothers can choose from.

It’s possible! With a new range of nursing clothes available at the stores, you can easily feed your baby at a public place. Get a nursing shirt or use a blanket to cover up. Moms who are still struggling with breastfeeding basics may find this a little uncomfortable. However, with a little help and a clear understanding of basics, you can feed in public with confidence.

Mom should use her other hand in a “C” shape to grab her breast just behind the nipple and move it towards the baby’s mouth. Holding the breast in this fashion will push the milk forward making the nipple area firmer and giving baby something to grasp with his mouth. Gently rub the nipple on the baby’s cheek closest to you and the baby should turn and open her mouth automatically (this is called a “rooting reflex”).

One concern of breastfeeding mothers is that the lactic acid produced during exercise may affect the quality of their breast milk. They fear their breast milk may have a sour taste and that the child may reject it.

If you’re breastfeeding baby often, it helps to have some good furniture. A glider is more comfortable than a traditional rocker, and will soothe your baby with gentle motion. It sits flat on the floor, with no worrisome rockers to pinch small toes. And it makes a cozy spot for bedtime stories.

Breastfeeding is proven to reduce risk of infection and disease by aiding in immune system development. Breastfed infants have lower incidences of asthma, gastrointestinal illness, diabetes, cancers, and are less likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). They are additionally better able to absorb ingested nutrients, and receive greater immunity from childhood immunizations. Breastfeeding also lowers a mother’s lifetime risk of many cancers.

The benefits of breast feeding for women are that the risk of breast and ovarian cancer is reduced; it helps you to lose some of the pregnancy weight and may lower the risk of osteoporosis. Another benefit is it saves money on formula and bottles. The benefits of breast feeding for babies is that their mothers milk protects them from allergens and eczema, reduces stomach upset, and lessens the incidence of SIDS.

Breastfeeding is good for mom too. It burns off about 500 calories a day by using your body’s fat which was put on to help you breastfeed. Breastfeeding triggers the retraction of the womb.

Making the choice to breastfeed your new baby is one of the most important and far-reaching decisions you will make as a new mother. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend breastfeeding as the preferred method of infant nutrition for the first year of life.

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I am 25 weeks along and just wanting to hear what others have to say. I want to be prepared for some of the challenges that go along with breastfeeding. Thanks for your answers.

I have a 4 yr old son and I am pregnant and planning to breastfeed. Eventually, no matter how much I try to stay in another room, he will catch me breastfeeding the baby. I think I should explain whats going on ahead of time so he isn’t too confused but I have no idea how.

Let me preface this article by saying that breastfeeding is not hard for every woman, or for every baby. In fact for some, things happen quite easily and there are few challenges.

But for some mothers, even the ones determined to breastfeed their babies, breastfeeding is hard. They speak of the sacrifice, the pain, and how it was all “worth it” in the end - implying that major sacrifice is part and parcel of the experience.

Why is breastfeeding so hard for some moms and babies? I have a few ideas on why this is so.

We Don’t Birth Naturally

Labor and birth experiences affect the early hours and days of breastfeeding - for some moms and babies, quite profoundly. While there are certainly exceptions, the fact is that for many moms, a hospital birth with its protracted or unnaturally stimulated labor coupled with the increased stress of the experience leads to difficulty in the early moments after birth. Mom is tired and baby may have been exposed to drugs during labor, affected his or her ability to latch on well. Instead of a blissful experience where mom and baby’s physiology are ideal for the first nursing to take place, there is a disconnect between them. This is one reason why birthing with a minimum of interventions leads to better breastfeeding outcomes.

We Don’t See Other Women Breastfeeding

Women in many parts of the world see their mothers, aunts, big sisters and women of the community breastfeeding all around them openly, from the time they’re very young. The behavior is as natural to them as anything else commonly done.

I wonder, if a young child never saw anyone eating with a fork, when they grew up and were expected to eat with a fork, would they know how? Seems doubtful, does it not?

The subtle moves that are involved with breastfeeding - from holding baby to latch on and finishing the feeding and everything in between - involve practice, perhaps because we haven’t been exposed enough to the activity.

We Don’t Trust Ourselves

When I was a new mom and nursing my young son, I created problems for myself where there were none because I didn’t trust my body. Instead of trusting that I could produce enough milk for him simply by listening to his needs and nursing him as often as he wanted to, I switched him back and forth too much, thinking this would increase my supply (which didn’t need increasing). This led to a hindmilk/foremilk imbalance which led to increased gassiness and fussiness, which led to more unwarranted worries about milk supply!

This type of scenario is all too common. Another common event is when women offer bottles of formula to “top off” a nursing baby (again - convinced they don’t have enough milk). This can lead to nipple confusion and real supply issues since the breasts aren’t being stimulated enough.

We Get Conflicting Advice

It’s hard to know which end is up when your Pediatrician, OB/GYN, mother-in-law and next door neighbor all tell you different things. There are also a plethora of websites that have dubious information about breastfeeding. Ideally a nursing mom would get advice from a real expert - a long time breastfeeding mother who had faced a similar situation, a La Leche League leader or Lactation Consultant.

With these and other forces working against breastfeeding moms and their babies, it’s no wonder so many women experience challenges! The best defense is a good offense of course. Preparing to breastfeed doesn’t involve things like toughening up your nipples or buying bottles “just in case”. It has to do with things like finding supportive health care, finding your “tribe” of supportive nursing moms, and choosing (if at all possible, of course) a natural childbirth.

My maternity leave is ending next week and I have been solely breast feeding since my baby was born. I really want to continue breastfeeding. Is this difficult to do?
I have been pumping and have quite a bit of milk saved.

Breastfeeding a baby for a year helps lessen the risk of heart attack or stroke. Breastfeeding is beneficial for both the mother and the baby.

Scientists claim that women who breastfeed their child are at 10% less risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke. They are less likely to develop heart conditions as com pared to those women do not breastfeed. Breastfeeding also reduces high blood pressure risk by 12% and of course diabetes as well as high cholesterol by about 20%.

The findings have appeared in the journal “Obstetrics and Gynecology” of late.

Out of the 26 million Indian women who have given birth to a baby every year, around 20 million of them do not adopt optimal breastfeeding practices during the time their baby is six months old. Only about 24% women begin start breastfeeding as per suggested norm, within an hour of the birth of the child. Experts opine that if about 60% of the women breastfeed their child, then about 250, 000 babies’ lives could be saved.

It is recommended by physicians that mothers should breastfeed the baby during the first six months, but only 1/4th of them do so.

Dr. Arun Gupta, national coordinator of Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India says, “This study adds to the growing evidence that breastfeeding makes both the mother and the baby healthy. He further adds,” If Indians can increase exclusive breastfeeding rates from 25% at present to 100%, cardiovascular disease in women will decrease. But, breastfeeding rates have hardly improved in India since 1992.”

The University of Pittsburg researchers’ findings are based upon postmenopausal women who were enrolled in a study conducted on chronic diseases that began in 1994. It was observed that the longer the duration of breastfeeding, the lower the risk of suffering from heart attack, cardiovascular diseases and strokes.

The study further state that the risk of cardiovascular diseases is less since the fat stored in the body is much less. Of course, the researchers do admit that the release of hormones that have been stimulated by breastfeeding also have role to play.