The question “What can I put on my nipples to wean my toddler?” is a common search on Google. It refers to applying something with a strong flavor, such as garlic, mustard, vinegar, or spicy products, on the breast to stop the toddler from suckling. This being a common query shows us that there is a problem of lack of information in a common scenario. Most of the time, when a mother wants to wean, she is alone in this….
We are often asked about baby sleep and whether it is normal for them to always sleep with an open mouth. Maybe you wonder what to do or who to see about this. Is it normal if my baby always sleeps with her mouth open? When babies sleep, physiologically, their mouth should be closed, and the tongue should be up in the palate area. Therefore, sleeping with the mouth open is not what we should see on a regular basis,…
Nipple confusion (or nipple-teat confusion): difficulties of a baby to feed at the breast after drinking milk from a baby bottle teat. Controversy It has been debated for years whether nipple-teat confusion exists or if it is a misconception. The truth is that we can encounter everything: babies who can suckle at the breast, a bottle teat, a pacifier, and nipple shields interchangeably, and others who get a bottle teat in their mouths and don’t seem to know how to…
Colostrum harvesting before birth is a method that allows small amounts of colostrum to be collected during pregnancy, which, after the birth of the baby, can be given if necessary. This avoids the use of formula milk when supplementing is necessary. History of colostrum harvesting Although this may seem to be a fairly recent method, it is not. Until the late seventies and eighties, all women were encouraged to collect colostrum in the final stages of their pregnancy. Historically, the…
“It all begins at the end of the feed. My nipple turns white and starts hurting. It hurts a lot and I don’t know what it is. Then, when I am in the shower or go outside and it is cold, the pain comes back again. What can it be?“ What this mother is describing is called nipple ischemia, which is a lack of blood supply that can cause a lot of pain. Ischemia can occur for many different reasons,…
The best way your child can drink their mother’s milk is from the breast but on certain occasions, such as when returning to work, we cannot be by their side. The methods of feeding and supplementing allow us to keep giving them the best. When we think of ways of nourishing our baby with extracted breast milk or formula, the first thing we think of is a bottle. In reality, the bottle is the method that is NOT recommended by…
Julio Basulto is a bestselling author of several nutrition books; he is the father of three beautiful daughters and happily married to dietitian-nutritionist Olga Ayllón. His books are highly recommended, as he has published 5 books on different subjects, and in all of them, he talks about the importance of breastfeeding in maternal and child health. In his book “Eating and running” he doesn’t speak about breastfeeding, although he does insist that exercise shouldn’t be a (another) hindrance to breastfeeding….