Watching the Baby vs the Clock!

Oftentimes, parents are told to feed their newborns every "2-3 hrs," and some, especially those who have had bottles in the mix for whatever reason, get very attached to watching their clocks! I always encourage families, as long as all is well, to watch their babies for cues and let them lead the show! Our babies are smarter than we give them credit for ;) I think it is helpful to think of things in 24 hr chunks, and know that a baby (on average) will eat 8-12x in that chunk. 8-12x does not always equal every 2-3 hrs! Sometimes babies will nurse frequently for a period of the day, then give long stretches at another point. As long as diaper output and weight gain are on point, this is totally fine! My goal is for parents to relax into this time with their babies, and give the clock a rest ;)

Deep Latch!

Why are we looking at people who are about to dig into huge, delicious sandwiches? Because this is the imagery I often suggest when thinking about how a baby should latch onto the breast...wide mouth and UP and OVER, like biting into your favorite submarine (minus the actual biting, I hope! ;) Tickle the nose with your nipple, give baby a chance to gape, and tuck 'em in and lean back as they come up and over the breast, drawing the nipple to the palate. Latch should feel like a gentle pain-free tugging sensation. Picture those yummy sandwiches, and give it a go!

Herbal Supplements

Sometimes, when a parent is doing all they can to produce breastmilk with regular stimulation by baby and/or pump, and they still feel they need an extra boost, an herbal supplement can help! We've recently found some success with Moringa, which works more quickly, and Goat's Rue, which takes more time to build mammary tissue in the background. There are many, many herbs to consider, and everyone is unique, so definitely have a chat with your IBCLC, herbalist, medical care provider, etc, to help give you guidance as you explore!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501899/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/books/NBK501817/?report=reader