Breastfeeding Basics: Everything Moms Need to Know – Teleclass Re-Cap

African American FamilyLast week, we held an important and informative teleclass for expectant and new moms, generously sponsored by Lansinoh and expertly presented by Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), Gina Ciagne.

Gina covered such topics as preparing for breastfeeding before baby arrives, tips to overcome some of the most common breastfeeding issues – like engorgement and milk supply concerns, preparing to return to work as a breastfeeding mom, how your partner can support your breastfeeding goals, and how the Affordable Healthcare Act affects breastfeeding and pumping moms.

Participants ended this session with important information and practical tips that be implemented immediately to make the breastfeeding experience a positive one!

In case you missed the class, or would like it as ongoing reference and support, you can find a link to the recorded teleclass HERE.

Lansinoh

During class, Gina discussed how stressful and emotional introducing bottles to breastfed babies can be – for both parents and baby. The following is a wonderful article from the Lansinoh blog, providing tried-and-true helpful tips on how to navigate this introduction:

Feeding Expressed Breastmilk to Breastfed Babies

Introducing bottles to breastfed babies can be a stressful and emotional time for parents and baby.

Some moms feel guilt when baby is introduced to a bottle because it’s a huge change for baby, while some moms worry about nipple confusion (also known as nipple preference). Many parents are overwhelmed by the amount of information and advice on what bottles to use, and when to start using them.

Take a deep breath! It is important to remind yourself – and remind yourself OFTEN – that you are a great mom. Breastfeeding is important when you and baby are together; however, if you will be apart for a feeding, it will take some time and patience by your caregiver to teach a breastfed baby to take a bottle.

Here are some tips we find helpful when introducing breastfed babies to bottles:

If you and baby won’t be apart for feedings, don’t feel pressured to introduce a bottle. Many moms are able to exclusively breastfeed! However, if you and your baby will be apart while you’re still breastfeeding – because you’re returning to work or for another reason – you will need a way for baby to receive your expressed breastmilk. You can also have your caregiver try straw cups if you want to avoid introducing an artificial nipple.

Try to wait until baby is 4-6 weeks old before a bottle is introduced. This is enough time for baby to establish good breastfeeding habits, and for your body to establish a good milk supply.

Have someone else feed baby the bottle. It is best if someone other than mom gives baby the bottle because it minimizes confusion for baby. Teach baby early that mom breastfeeds and other caregivers bottle feed. It is also helpful to not be present at these feedings as it can cause further frustration or confusion for baby.

Don’t skip a feeding session when baby is being bottle-fed. This is where your breast pump comes in! It may seem like a luxury to have a moment to yourself when someone else is feeding baby, but it’s critical to keep providing breastfeeding cues to your body. Mom should pump at the same time she would normally feed baby. This ensures her body doesn’t get the wrong message and reduce milk production.

Give yourself time to find the nipple that works best. Many parents find that they need to try multiple nipples to find the one that works best for baby. It is important to have enough time to figure it out before hitting a firm deadline, like returning to work. The Lansinoh® mOmma® Bottle with NaturalWave® Nipple was designed especially for breastfed babies and allows baby to use the same feeding actions as when at the breast, and is clinically proven to reduce nipple preference. It will make an easier transition back to breastfeeding when you are back together.

Try Paced Feeding. The way a baby is fed a bottle is also important. “Paced feeding” is when the caregiver invites the baby to draw the nipple into their mouth, paces the feed to ensure baby is not forced to feed more than she wants, and recognizes baby’s cues when she has had enough. This method most closely resembles baby’s feeding behaviors at the breast, and can reduce the risk of overfeeding and symptoms associated with colic like stomach upset, gassiness, and fussiness.

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The following are some additional awesome resources for moms who are breastfeeding (or preparing to):

JOIN the Lansinoh Moms Club where you can get emailed advice both during pregnancy and after birth on breastfeeding and preparations!

Lansinoh has an enormous breastfeeding advice section of their site.

LIKE Lansinoh’s Facebook page, which is chock full of tips. They also have a lot of fun ways to engage – including contests, guidance, support, sharing stories, asking questions on Facebook during their ask the expert sessions!

Founded by a breastfeeding mom, Lansinoh has been committed to helping moms succeed in breastfeeding for 30 years. Famous for its award-winning cornerstone product, HPA® Lanolin, today Lansinoh is the market leader in breastfeeding accessories. Lansinoh’s commitment to drive innovation and maintain the highest quality standards in the industry has led to an expanded product offering that includes premium toddler mealtime and baby toiletries products, all designed to help moms, babies and families live a healthy life. The Lansinoh family of brands, which are available in more than 25,000 retail stores nationwide, includes breastfeeding accessories and the mOmma® bottle feeding system. For more information, please visit www.lansinoh.com, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/lansinohUSA or facebook.com/mOmmaUS, and follow us on Twitter at @LansinohUSA and @mOmmaUS.

Gina Ciagne, Lansinoh’s Vice President, Healthcare and Media Relations is a nationally recognized expert on breastfeeding. As a Certified Lactation Counselor and La Leche League International-trained breastfeeding peer counselor, she has worked with and provided advice and support to thousands of breastfeeding mothers around the world. A sought after speaker and media resource, Ms. Ciagne is a frequent contributor to The Huffington Post, and has appeared on The Bump, CNN, Fox News and many other radio and television news programs. In her role as Vice President, Healthcare and Media Relations for Lansinoh, Ms. Ciagne oversees the company’s outreach to and engagement with healthcare communities. She received her masters degree in Public and Community Health at Trinity University, and is the mother of two breastfed children.

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The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.

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