“I put her to the breast, she is awake and eager to feed. She starts to suckle, but after two minutes or so she falls asleep. And no matter what I do, she stays asleep. What can I do to stop her from falling asleep at the breast?” All babies, up to about three months of age, seem to “fall asleep” within a few minutes of starting to nurse at the breast. This surprises most new mothers, and in addition,…
Families are often worried about their baby’s poop when they have a newborn: about appearance, smell, texture and amount of poop. When first getting into the wonderful world of baby poop, we realize that there is a huge palette of possible colors that makes you doubt each change of color, so here we explain one by one each of the possibilities with this color “palette” of poop. It may seem unbelievable, but from the first week after birth, baby poop…
Many mothers are worried about their milk coming in, in the first hours after their baby is born. So the first thing you need to know is: you already have milk. Colostrum might have a different name, but it is breastmilk. It is the first milk your baby needs, and although you may think that it seems to be not much of it, your baby has enough with these small initial doses of this yellow treasure. In the hours following…
Over and over again, we hear the same question: “Why am I in pain if they tell me my baby is latching on well? The main causes of breastfeeding pain for mothers are: Incorrect breastfeeding positioning: the baby’s body has to maintain a straight line: the ear, shoulder, and hip must remain aligned regardless of the position chosen for breastfeeding. Incorrect posture: each breast is different, and for this reason, you should try to trace an imaginary line from the center…
Many parents are worried about the appearance, smell, texture, and quantity of their baby’s poop and pee. But babies’ bowel movements are also an excellent way to assess breastmilk intake in exclusively breastfed babies. The first stools are called meconium, the remains of amniotic fluid that your baby has swallowed while in your womb. Meconium is black and gluey to sticky and is passed during your baby’s first three days. On the first day, it is usual to have two…
Neonatal and maternal care in the first hours after birth is important for the initiation of breastfeeding and establishing it properly. Here key points are skin-to-skin contact and the first latch within the first two hours of life. The main strategy to promote breastfeeding physiology is based on grouping and adapting postnatal care, favoring unrestricted skin-to-skin contact, avoiding early separation of the baby from the mother’s body, and facilitating an environment that favors the mother’s release of oxytocin, that is,…
Positioning, attachment and a correct latch onto the breast are key to achieving a pleasant and effective breastfeeding journey. In this article, we will try to answer your most common questions. But first of all, let’s define what we mean by each one of these concepts: Positioning (or breastfeeding position): this is how the mother places herself to breastfeed; there are a thousand different positions, all of which are valid if the mother is comfortable. Attachment: This is how we…
The combined pumping technique (also known as hands-on pumping) is particularly useful when large quantities of expressed breastmilk and the maintenance of milk supply are needed. This is especially the case when the newborn is admitted to the hospital due to being preterm or some other pathology that makes it difficult to breastfeed directly and when milk production may decrease. Knowing the right tools to use in these situations can help the mother to be more efficient in expressing milk….
Breast engorgement is a situation that can complicate lactation at the time of its establishment. It appears during the onset of lactogenesis II and can endanger the continuation of lactation. What is lactogenesis II? Lactogenesis is the physiological process in which the ability to secrete milk is developed, which is divided into 3 phases: Lactogenesis I, secretory initiation. This occurs during gestation. Lactogenesis II, secretory activation. This begins immediately after delivery, reaching its maximum peak at 48-72 hours, and is…
If you have a baby between 15-20 days, you may notice that she is more restless and very fussy at the breast. She doesn’t let go at all or wants to feed all the time; she may even have milk reflux from the large amount she is drinking. Your baby probably goes through her second growth spurt. It is very likely that you feel that something out of your control is happening, and you feel confused or scared by the…