Let’s see below the 5 meals that can increase your milk supply: Surely, this surprises you, and yes, we could have put any food or drink in the list above. Surely, you wouldn’t believe that any of these meals can increase your milk supply, and in fact, science proves you right because there is not the remotest scientific evidence that any of these foods increase breastmilk production. Then why would you believe that there may be other foods that can…
How can you wean and stop breastfeeding without anyone’s help? When talking about weaning, we always recommend two things: first, get informed on the process, and second, try to get some help and company to carry it out. Weaning is part of the breastfeeding journey, and just as with the beginning of this journey, you will need similar ingredients at the end. But what happens if one of these ingredients fails? What happens if you face weaning without help? Whatever…
Amenorrhea during lactation is a phenomenon that, although well known, is little researched, like so many other areas of women’s health. Even so, the scarce existing evidence indicates that instead of being a problem for health, it could provide health benefits. It allows for a reduced need for iron and, therefore, protection against anemia, among other considerations. How amenorrhea occurs The prolactin peaks produced by repeated sucking of the nipple by the infant are capable of inhibiting the secretion of…
Help or not help my baby walk? Walking is a great milestone in a baby’s motor development. On average, babies begin to walk on their own between 9 and 18 months. However, it is important to keep in mind that each baby develops at their own pace, and there can be considerable variations within this age range. Some babies start taking their first steps at around 9-12 months (sometimes even at 8 months), while others may slow down and don’t…
Babies are born to suckle; they expect to breastfeed, and biologically, they need to do so for at least their first year of life. They need to breastfeed to survive, and there is no reason to stop doing so. But there are some babies who suddenly (usually between 8 months and one year of age) stop nursing. Then, they don’t want to even get close to the breast, and they reject it. For any mother, it’s a terrible feeling when…
When mastitis is suspected, sometimes a breast milk sample for lab testing is one of the diagnostic strategies that can be used in order to approach the most suitable treatment. In order to do this, the breast milk culture sample must be collected in an optimal way, so that the result is as reliable as possible. Recommendations for sample collection The recommendations for obtaining the breast milk sample are as follows: Manual extraction Manual milk expression can be a challenge…
“I am Esther Leal, mom of Iria, 31 months old, whom I breastfed very happily until she was 28 months old, and triathlete of 11 years. Although this has not been my profession, triathlon is part of my life, and adapting it to my new life as a mother has not been easy. Still, by learning and listening to my body, I have achieved the best results of my life, including first place in the women’s amateur category in the…
Anaphylaxis caused by breastfeeding is a rare situation in the context of breastfeeding that appears as an allergic response to the milk ejection reflex. It usually occurs within a few minutes of latching on or expressing (manually or with a breast pump), although it can also appear up to half an hour later. Pathophysiology Although the pathophysiology of this condition is not clear, it is possible that the decrease in progesterone and the increase in prolactin after birth cause mast…
What is the one-year breastfeeding crisis? When breastfeeding babies approach their first birthday, they might be entering the one-year breastfeeding crisis. Have you heard about it? At this stage, you might assume that your child will be eating a little more each day and, perhaps, breastfeed a little less. If your baby has already been eating* solids with some ease, he or she may now suddenly refuse to eat or eat very small amounts of only a couple of foods…
During pregnancy, you may have many worries and things you are afraid of, especially if it is your first baby. Everything seems to be a new world, almost a long-distance race in which the pregnant woman seems to have to achieve certain milestones as she goes along: preparing the famous baby’s bedroom, shop for the basics and essentials to survive motherhood, getting all the relevant medical tests, worrying about weight gain and diet, deciding where to give birth. And then,…