Getting support early may sound biased since I’m a certified lactation counselor, but I know from personal experience and was preaching about getting breastfeeding support while still pregnant before I became a certified professional.

Colostrum: the details

Colostrum is a very unique liquid, I think.  Your body starts producing it during pregnancy, somewhere between 14-20 weeks.  Some women leak and some don’t! Either can be considered normal.

It’s so special that for the first few days after baby is born, they rely on your colostrum to help build up their immune system and give them antibodies to fight off germs. 

Colostrum is usually a darker, thicker yellow color.  Once “your milk starts coming in,” it will turn to a more cream colored liquid, what we usually refer to as breastmilk.  All of it is breastmilk though!

Hear this, know this:  COLOSTRUM COMES IN SMALL AMOUNTS!  It is unrealistic to think that on day 1, you will make ounces of colostrum.  In fact, you will only start with drops.

Your baby’s stomach is the size of about a cherry on day 1.  And with each day, it gets bigger.  Here is a great visual from medela:

Your baby only needs about 5-7mL per feeding on day 1.  1 ounce is 30mL so you might make an ounce between both breasts on the first day.

This means that pumping colostrum is not very efficient.  This is where hand expression comes in.

Hand expression allows you to collect each of these drops and actually give them to your baby so they’re not lost in the pump parts or the bottle.

You can express colostrum into a medicine cup or a spoon and give to your baby.

There is also something you can do called colostrum collection/harvesting during pregnancy.  You must speak with your provider and make sure you are not at risk for pre-term labor to collect colostrum while still pregnant.

You can start collecting colostrum around 37 weeks pregnant, after you have talked with your provider.  This allows you to have colostrum ready in case your baby needs to be supplemented.

Colostrum collection doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feed your baby on-demand at the breast.  You absolutely should allow for uninterrupted skin to skin until the first breastfeed takes place and bring baby to breast based on feeding cues.

Let’s talk about the ins and outs of hand expression now!

Hand expression: The Ins and Outs

Hand expression is a lost art and totally underused!  There are several times where hand expression would be incredibly useful and more beneficial.

• For colostrum collection/harvesting
• During the first few days, expressing into a medicine cup or spoon to give to your baby
• To help relieve engorgement
• To get the flow of breastmilk started
• In a pinch and you don’t have a pump
• Can be more stimulating than a hard, plastic electric pump

With lots of way to use hand expression, I’m going to teach you how to do it correctly.

To express colostrum, you need a clean medicine cup or spoon.  To express breastmilk, after it has come in, you will need a clean bottle or bowl.  There are a few easy steps to remember to hand express.

1. Wash your hands prior to expressing.
2. Sit upright and even lean over your collection container so gravity can help with expression.
3. Place you hand in a C shape, just behind the areola, not too close to the nipple because you could compress the milk ducts and milk will not come out.
4. Gently push back towards chest wall
5. Then squeeze/compress breasts until milk comes out.
6. DO NOT slide fingers towards nipple.  This technique doesn’t work.
7. As soon as your drops or stream of milk stops, release the squeeze and push back towards chest wall and squeeze again.
8. Continue until milk stops and rotate hands to a different area of your breast(s) to ensure you express from many milk ducts.

Real talk here: the first time you hand express is probably not going to be efficient.  Keep practicing!  It will get easier and you will become more efficient.

Here is a great video that I love to share with clients on hand expression so you can see it done correctly, in action! (HINT: fast forward to about 3 minutes)

Pumping 101

Now that your milk has come in and breastfeeding is working well for both you and baby, you may be ready to start pumping.

And if breastfeeding is not going well in those early days, let’s work together and create a plan with pumping and breastfeeding.

You should be able to get a pump for each pregnancy through your insurance. You can check here to see what’s covered!

These pumping tips are somewhat general and can be applied to any pump.

You will need to measure your nipple size and make sure you have the correct flange size.  A lot of companies recommend you size up flange sizes.  DON’T DO THIS! 

You risk milk not being expressed efficiently as well as pain and discomfort, leading to more difficulty pumping.

If you are between sizes, then you can size up to the next size.  For example, my client recently measured a 20mm flange size.  20mm is not a “true” flange size so I advised her to try 21mm flanges.

Otherwise, keep your flange size.

Having the correct flange size should be comfortable and should yield milk!  This is super important!!!!

Next, your vacuum and suction (depending on the pump you have, will just be one button) should only be turned up until comfortable.

MYTH:   Turning up your settings will yield more milk!

False!  Please keep pumping comfortable.

Start your pump on the let-down mode, which is where the rhythm is faster with shorter ‘sucks.’  Do this until you get a let-down, typically 1-2 minutes.  Then switch to expression mode, where the ‘sucking’ mimics baby at your breast.

If you do not get a let-down, look at pictures of your baby or smell something they have been on, like a blanket or piece of clothing. This should help release oxytocin to stimulate a let-down. IF PUMPING IS UNCOMFORTABLE, please reach out for a pumping consult.  We can troubleshoot what’s going on! 

Pumping should not be uncomfortable!

Some equipment you may need to make pumping easier and more comfortable:

1. Hands free pumping bra
2. Coconut oil
3. Correct flange size for each nipple and at least 2 sets
4. Bags for collection *PRO tip* freeze them flat to save room
5. A bag to hold all of your pumping supplies
6. Car charger/plug-in
7. If you are pumping at work/away from your home, a lunchbox with freezer packs to keep the milk chilled.

Wearable pumps

Wearable pumps are becoming more and more popular!  My advice on that is to use them once your milk supply and pumping routine are well established AND if you make a little more than enough breastmilk for your baby. 

Those pumps do not typically work well for low milk supply since the motors are smaller and there may not be enough suction.

If you are an oversupplier, you may quickly overfill the small compartments.

If you want a wearable pump, make sure to have a double electric pump to use for other times!

There is so much out there on colostrum, hand expression and pumping, that I wanted to share information from a lactation professional who has taken courses on these topics.  Please email me if you need support on any of these topics! 

The post Colostrum, Hand Expression and Pumping: What you need to know as a new mom appeared first on Joyful Lactation: Breastfeeding Support.

What is a Haakaa?

It is a silicone breast pump, meaning that it suctions to your breast and removes milk, passively, during a letdown. 

What’s unique about our bodies is that during a letdown, our body doesn’t know if baby is on which boob.  Our body knows that there is nipple stimulation and milk needs to released.  So, typically, milk will drip from both breasts, even if a human isn’t on both breasts.

Instead of wasting those drops, even if it’s minimal, collect those in a haakaa.

How does the Haakaa silicone breast pump work?

It should be placed on the opposite breast that your baby is not feeding on at that moment.  It can be switched to the other breast once your baby is done feeding on the first side. You may or may not get milk out of the other side and that’s ok!

You squeeze the bulb of the Haakaa and place your nipple in the middle of the opening and suction the pump to your breast.   For extra suction, flip the edges before squeezing the bulb part then place your nipple in the middle of the opening, flip the edges of the haakaa onto your breast and let go of the bulb so it will suction to your breast.

When you flip the edges back, you get extra suction.  If you have an oversupply, I would NOT flip the edges back.   This could only increase your supply further because if you’ve heard me preach before, milk production is about supply and demand…the more you remove, the more you make!!!

Will my baby knock off my Haakaa? *PRO tip*

I had to include this section because when I first started using a Haakaa a few years ago, we struggled so much with this… baby kicks or knocks off the Haakaa!

To stop this from happening, I would rotate the Haakaa slightly outward and not straight down.  This should give you enough space for baby and device in the early days!

Make sure your Haakaa is properly suctioned onto your breast.  It can be easily knocked off if it is not suctioned properly.

If you are not dealing with oversupply, you can flip the edges back to get extra suction (see section above for a detailed description).

How long do I leave the Haakaa on?

It can fill up to a little over 3 ounces so I would suggest leaving it on until it’s full (but not overflowing full, otherwise it will spill) or until milk is no longer dripping out.

Keep in mind, you may have multiple let downs during one feeding session.  You can certainly leave it on to try to catch a couple of letdowns unless it becomes uncomfortable.

My Haakaa is full.  What do I do with the milk?

GREAT JOB MAMA!!! Those precious drops are not going to waste on your bra or nursing pad now.  Once you are done collecting milk or the Haakaa is full, make sure you have a stable surface to put it on, NOT near your elbow

And when you are done breastfeeding your baby, follow the milk storage guidelines to store the milk properly for future use.

The milk collected from your Haakaa can be used to feed baby later, breastmilk baths, to make lotions or soaps, etc.

I repeat…. MILK FROM YOUR HAAKAA SILICONE PUMP IS SAFE FOR YOUR BABY!

Can I use the Haakaa in place of an electric or manual pump?

This question doesn’t have a clear-cut answer.  I’ll explain…

In the first few weeks, if breastfeeding is going well, you shouldn’t need to start pumping. 

The haakaa is simply meant to collect your letdown milk instead of it spraying everywhere and being ‘wasted.’

Pumping with an electric or manual pump provides more nipple stimulation and is more active removal than using the Haakaa.

Haakaa Accessories

While Haakaa is relatively new to the breastfeeding world compared to other things, they’ve created some pretty cool accessories to go along with the pump.

First is a suction base on the bottom of the pump.  This will come in handy and make it less likely to topple over if someone bumps it, saving those drops of milk!

Second is a lid.  When I first started using the Haakaa, they didn’t make lids.  I would’ve loved to have had this.  The lid can not only help with spills but will make it easy to store if you’re too exhausted to transfer the milk right away.

Haakaa also makes a flower stopper if you are into making things super cute

Out of the accessories listed on their site, related to the silicone breast pump, these are the ones that, in my opinion, are worth the extra charge.

The Haakaa is also one of the tools that I believe every breastfeeding mom should have!  Click the link to see the rest of my tools!

How do you clean the Haakaa?

Once you are done using your Haakaa and your milk is stored, wash it with warm, soapy water to remove the residue.

PRO TIP:  I am pretty particular about clean baby products since I was a pediatric ICU nurse for a while.  I keep a separate sponge and dish soap for my baby products so I would clean the residue out with that sponge and soap once a day!

DOUBLE PRO TIP:  Your partner can have this job in the early days to help support you on your breastfeeding journey!

Where can you purchase the Haakaa?

All the major baby product retailer’s sale the silicone pump, including Amazon!  It’s easy to find and would be a GREAT gift for any new mom!

Questions?

If you are a pregnant or a breastfeeding mom and need some help, please reach out or check my schedule to see a lactation specialist.  I see clients for private sessions to see how we can get you and baby on the right track to meet your breastfeeding goals! Happy Milk Collection!

The post Haakaa silicone breast pump appeared first on Joyful Lactation: Breastfeeding Support.

You are pregnant with your first baby!  Congrats! 

Or maybe you’re pregnant again and are determined to breastfeed!  For many reasons, breastfeeding didn’t get off to a good start with your first baby and you’re ready to try again.  You want to be prepared for all of it, the good, the bad, the ugly…ALL OF IT! That is where breastfeeding support can come in!

You see, we are “just expected” to breastfeed.  We are basically under the impression that it comes naturally and easy.  It’s going to be amazing. It’s going to be enjoyable.  Blah blah blah!

Let me be clear up front… YOU CAN have all of that!  But there is also a chance that you may encounter some struggles along the way.

How do you tackle those?  With breastfeeding support!

When I had my first daughter, my husband and I took Bradley Birthing Classes.  There was a small breastfeeding component in the class.  But I don’t remember much of it and I sure as hell didn’t remember that information when our first baby was born.

All I knew was that it hurt.  My nipples were cracked and bleeding BEFORE we even left the hospital. I cried almost every time I had to feed, which is frequent when you have a newborn.  It was awful! And I didn’t really understand WHY!

And I had zero idea where to turn, who to call, what to google…

I called our doula, who immediately referred us to an IBCLC.  What’s that?

International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant!  An IBCLC is an expert in breastfeeding assessment and is typically referred to as the gold-standard for breastfeeding support.

I called her immediately.  Told her our story.  She had a lot of tips for me until she could get out to see us (about 2 days or so).  Thanks to her, not only did she help save our breastfeeding relationship, she is who inspired me to become a lactation consultant myself!   Her support literally meant the world to us.  And I needed to pay it forward.

Fast-forward 5 years, 2 kids and 4.5 years of breastfeeding, I am pursuing my IBCLC.  I won’t bore you with all of those details (although, DM me if you’re interested because I’d totally chat with you ).  I digress! LOL

Let’s chat Why Breastfeeding Support though…Why not just figure it out on your own and ask google?!

Well, lots of reasons, in my opinion!  And not just because I am pursing my lactation consultant certification.  These are based on my nursing background as well as my own personal experience with lactation support!

• You get tailored support to exactly what is going on in your situation!  Every baby and every mom is different.  Which means each situation is also different
• You know you want to breastfeed!  You owe it to yourself and your baby to try every avenue of support to give it a whirl.  And if it still doesn’t work after that, you tried!
• Just like you need support while you’re pregnant and when you deliver your baby, you need support from an expert when you’re breastfeeding.   Let’s face it…our world today has sensationalized breastfeeding like it’s some perfect thing in nature.  HAHAHAHA It is truly amazing but not always perfect!
• MYTHS!  There are so many old wives tales and B.S. floating around on social media, you could actually make the problem worse by taking advice from social media versus an expert!  Ugh…these really get under my skin
• You feel like “you can’t do it” … You went into your pregnancy knowing you wanted to breastfeed.  Determined!  You’ve had your baby and now you’re having some struggles and don’t know exactly where to turn.
• It is possible that with a couple of minor adjustments, you could have the breastfeeding journey that you envisioned.  This is where a lactation consultant comes in and can tailor support for you and your baby!
• You have had struggles with a previous child breastfeeding and didn’t have support.  This time around, you are determined to get off on the best start that you can.  You know that having great breastfeeding support can make a world of difference.
• Someone told you their breastfeeding nightmare!  I LOL at this one…because we all like to share our “horror” stories versus our amazing, empowering experiences.  I have the “horror” story to share but when I do share it, I make sure to let the person know that I got support when I needed it.  I didn’t know what I didn’t know with my first child!
• On the flip side, someone shared their experience with breastfeeding support!  This is amazing and I’m so thankful someone shared their great experience with you.  And if it was a bad experience they shared with you, well, now you know who to avoid.  Most lactation consultants are in it to truly help and empower moms to breastfeed.

I could go on and on with reasons why you should seek breastfeeding support!  I hope these help you understand the importance of getting support and getting support early!

When you do get lactation support, it can be in many different settings.  Due to the pandemic, it’s relatively easy to find a virtual lactation consultant now.  Most things can still be done with a virtual consult plus it can be done in the comfort of your home with your items and less germs!

In-person consults can include things like before and after weights of a feeding and a more thorough assessment of your baby’s mouth. These can be done in an office or at your home, it just depends on what your consultant offers.

Support groups are a great way to connect with other moms who may be in a similar situation you are in with the guidance of lactation support.  In my opinion, this is much better than seeking support in a social media group because these conversations can be moderated by a lactation consultant who can provide you with the most accurate and up to date information versus what their mom’s grandma’s cousin’s sister used years ago that is outdated and potentially unsafe.

If you do choose to get “advice” from a social media group, PLEASE run it by your doctor or lactation consultant before you choose to use that advice.  I could go on a #rant about this topic but I digress…for now

Breastfeeding isn’t a “one-size fits all” kind of thing.  Every baby is so very special and unique, as is each woman’s health and breast history. 

I want to encourage you to seek breastfeeding support before you start struggling. I am offering a FREE 15-minute breastfeeding support session to help you get started or to answer your questions and concerns and get to know each other. If you feel you need more time, I offer longer sessions that you can also find in my scheduling link.

And if you are wondering what you REALLY need to start your breastfeeding journey (other than breastfeeding support), I created a free resource with the tips and products that can help you get started off well.

Whether it’s with me or someone else you know, I truly encourage you to seek breastfeeding support during pregnancy.  Build that relationship, get the basics so that if you start having issues and struggles, support will be a phone call or session away!

You are an amazing woman, and your body is truly wonderfully made to provide nutrition for you baby!

The post 9 reasons you need breastfeeding support! appeared first on Joyful Lactation: Breastfeeding Support.

Going into becoming a mother for the first time, A LOT of decisions have to be made.  Do you find out the gender or go team green (#teamgreen for us…another post for another day).  What baby bathtub do I get?  Do I need a baby carrier?  Do I vaccinate my new baby?  Do I want a traditional OB/Gyn or a midwife?  Natural birth or epidural?  Breastfeed or formula or both?

You get it now!  So. Many. Freakin. Decisions!  It’s overwhelming to say the least! For me, I knew years ago that I wanted to attempt a traditional, vaginal birth (also another very informative post coming soon about this) and I wanted to breastfeed.

I just thought breastfeeding was natural, easy, “cheaper,” less bottles, less stress…Damn, was I wrong!!!!

Now if you’re about to be a first-time mom reading this, keep reading!  Don’t let that discourage you!

My husband and I took Bradley Birthing Classes and hired a doula for the birth of our first daughter! In those classes, we learned mostly about labor and delivery but a little about breastfeeding also.  We knew that was the best decision for us and wanted to avoid formula at all costs.

I wanted that bonding time. I wanted to feel like my body was capable of providing nutrition for my baby.  I didn’t know what all would come along with our breastfeeding journey though!

In October 2016, our first daughter was born and our doula helped get her to breast within an hour or two of being born.  The details are fuzzy for me because I lost a lot of blood and almost passed out! But, I do remember the doula helping me breastfeed for the first time.  It was weird.   It felt weird. I didn’t know how to hold her. I didn’t know how to guide her.  She didn’t know what she was doing. I didn’t know what I was doing.  But we are so thankful for our doula to help guide us both!

The first time breastfeeding kind of hurt, a little.  It really wasn’t unbearable pain, just more uncomfortable and well, new!

We stayed in the hospital for almost 4 days (since I lost so much blood at delivery, I had to receive a blood transfusion and they had to check labs so that’s why we stayed longer).  Each day I was there, I saw a lactation consultant.  Everything seemed fine.  She would help adjust us and guide us both…but it still hurt!  It hurt so bad that when we left the hospital, it felt like shards of glass were on my freakin nipple that looked like I held a damn vacuum cleaner to it for an hour! When we left, I had bruised, cracked and bleeding nipples! I would cry when it was time to feed her!

We came home on a Sunday, so I think Monday was our daughter’s first appointment at the pediatrician.  I don’t remember what all was said at that appointment about my nipples and breastfeeding, but I remember crying on the way home and I called our doula.  I told her everything that was happening.  She said “that is not normal, you need to call an IBCLC and get her to help you ASAP.”

I did!  I remember the red light we were sitting at when she told me to call the IBCLC.  We were 5 minutes away from our house and as soon as we got home, I called Anne, the IBCLC!

Anne called me back and we spent almost an hour on the phone.  She walked me through A LOT of suggestions because it was going to be until Thursday before she could get out to see us.

She suggested using coconut oil on my nipples before feeding instead of lanolin.  Lanolin makes the nipples more slippery and harder for babe to feed!  Coconut oil is also natural and more soothing, to me anyway!

A friend suggested the gel nursing pads to use in between feeds…except put them in the freezer in between uses to help with pain.  That was also a lifesaver!

For the nipple that was cracked and bleeding the most (I happen to remember it was the right one), I gave it a feeding break for a few days and I would exclusively pump on that side so it could heal and feed on the other side.  If I remember correctly, at this point, my husband and I decided we may have to attempt some bottle feeds for when the other nipple needed a break also.

The last thing that was a huge lifesaver was APNO (all-purpose nipple ointment).  It’s a prescription from your doctor that has to be made at a compounding pharmacy.

Anne came out that Thursday and spent several hours with us!  She did her evaluation and said this is pretty bad but also classic case of a posterior tongue tie and probable lip tie! We were referred to a pediatric ENT for a thorough evaluation and diagnosis!

Ok, now… I have a pediatric nursing background.  I’ve heard of tongue ties and lip ties but never in a baby and never related to breastfeeding.  I was shocked! I was also relieved to know what the problem was so we could solve it.

I want to stop and say that every woman who wants to breastfeed should have access to an IBCLC.  I will forever credit Anne to saving our breastfeeding journey and helping us get to extended breastfeeding, with both daughters!

Over the next couple of weeks, while waiting for an appointment with a pediatric ENT to discuss whether or not we should have the tongue and lip ties released, I did all of the things that Anne suggested, and my nipples healed.  I’m going to find all of my notes from Anne so I can make a thorough post on what we did to help my poor nipples!

I tell my story of breastfeeding struggles not to discourage but to be real!  To let you know that breastfeeding will not be easy!  You and baby have to get used to it.  Your body and hormones have to adjust. But, in the long run, every single freakin struggle we had was so so so worth it!  I will never ever regret the things we powered through to maintain our breastfeeding journey!

I wanted to share with you 7 helpful tips that I recommend to any new mom to help with your breastfeeding journey.  Don’t worry…more to come on this too!

7 things you need for your breastfeeding journey now:

• • A good breastpump. I preferred Spectra over several brands.  It was more gentle, quieter and has more variability in the speed and power, I think.
  • Gel nursing pads.  Get a few pair, put them in the freezer and use in between feeds until you no longer feel like you need to.
  • Coconut oil. You don’t need a lot.  Just put some in a small Tupperware container next to where you breastfeed the most and put some on before and after feeds until you no longer feel like you need it.
  • Reusable nursing pads to put inside of your bra for leaking! DO NOT get disposable.  They will stick to your nipples and it is very painful to remove the disposable ones and switch them out.
  • Regular pillows. For me, the Boppy pillow was too big and bulky.  We did great with some extra pillows from the bed.  Not as pretty but way more comfortable.
  • Support!  Seek out lactation help before baby is born so that you will have support during the early days when it is most important to build and regulate your milk supply.
  • Know that you can do this! Your body can provide for your baby!  And in the event you are struggling, it is ok to supplement however you need to, whether that be breastmilk in a bottle or formula in a bottle.  I am a strong supporter of breastfeeding but an even more strong supporter of a healthy, fed baby!

You got this, mama!  Follow along for more breastfeeding stories, tips and encouragement.

The post 7 Tips to Start Your Breastfeeding Journey Now! appeared first on Joyful Lactation: Breastfeeding Support.