Myth and Fact of Increasing Breast Milk Supply

I wrote two previous posts on breast feeding, one on basic nursing nutrition and one on nursing no no’s. Check both of those out if you have not read them already!

August 1-7 is World Breastfeeding Week, so these three posts are very timely! In fact, Zimbabwe is one of 120 countries taking breast feeding seriously, citing that just breast feeding in the first hour of life could reduce early deaths of infants by 13 percent!

Myths

1. Certain foods will increase milk supply if you eat them. In fact, no particular foods you can eat to increase your milk supply
2. Beer increases milk supply. In fact, it can decrease supply because alcohol stays in your milk and tastes bitter. The baby may drink less of your milk, therefore decreasing your supply.
3. Taking a multi or prenatal vitamin will inhibit milk coming in. This is not true. Do not stop your vitamin. In fact, taking it will ensure you are getting the proper nutrients to support you and your breast milk.
4. You need more calcium in your diet when you are breastfeeding. In fact, you need the same as everyone else, which is 1,000 mg per day. It is very important, however, that you get that 1,000 mg per day. Aim for 3-5 servings of dairy per day and take a supplement if you are unable to get at least three servings daily.
5. If you are vegetarian you will be deficient in nutrients. If you are a vegan, make sure you are taking a multivitamin that contains vitamin B12 (only in animal products or fortified in food). If you are lacto-ovo vegetarian, it is also still a good idea to take a multivitamin.
6. Most people should not eat peanuts, soy, milk, wheat, or other common allergens when breastfeeding. In fact, allergic reactions from human milk are extremely rare. If you have a strong family history of allergies, talk to your pediatrician about avoiding these foods while breast feeding.

Fact

1. Frequent stimulation of the breast and frequent expression of milk will increase milk supply the most. The more often your baby nurses, the more milk your body will make. Most newborns feed 10-12 times per day.
2. Brewer’s yeast is a supplement that contains protein, iron, and B vitamins and may help increase milk supply. This has not been studied thoroughly on lactating women and I do not recommend taking it without consulting your doctor or pharmacist first.
   
3. Milk thistle and fenugreek are also supplements that may or may not increase milk supply. These have also not have thoroughly studied and I would not recommend taking them without discussing with your doctor or pharmacist first.
   
4. Caffeine can stimulate milk production, but it also stimulates baby, making him fussy and not sleep well.
5. Adequate sleep, rest, and fluids will promote maximum milk production
6. Stress can decrease milk production
7. Birth control pills may decrease milk supply

Did you know?

• It is rare for a woman to not be able to produce enough milk for her baby
• Most women produce 25-40 ounces of milk per day.
• Your baby can get up to 1,000 calories per day from your breast milk
• Breast milk contains 330 mg of calcium per quart
• Quality of breast milk is only affected in extreme conditions of malnutrition. Your body will take nutrients from you to make breast milk and you will become malnourished before your baby does!
• The flavors in the foods you eat will get passed on to the baby. Your child may be more likely to eat broccoli when introduced to him later if he was exposed to the flavors when you were breastfeeding! I think this is the best motivation to eat your veggies!

Here are some resources for breast feeding moms:
http://www.lalecheleague.org/
http://www.kellymom.org/
http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/

Photo taken yesterday of Basil with his "Got Milk?" onesie on. Thanks to my friend Stephanie who gave me a four pack of "Got Milk" onesies from the Dairy Council.

Labels: breast feeding, lactation, nursing, Tara Gidus

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Nursing No No's

If you are interesting in information on Breast Feeding, please read my previous post on Nursing Nutrition. In this post, I am going to talk about things to avoid when nursing.

Food related dangers:

Mercury and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are chemical pollutants in some fish and can be harmful because they are passed through breast milk and can damage the nervous system. Mercury is found in high levels in shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. Limit tuna to 12 ounces per week or less.

Alcohol does pass into breast milk. An occasional drink may be fine, but it may also cause your baby to be less alert and in excess alcohol can affect brain development. One way women get around this is to nurse, then have a drink, then “pump and dump.” This means you pump after drinking and throw the milk away. If you do not choose to pump and dump, at least wait two hours after drinking one drink to nurse. Never have more than one drink.

Caffeine does also pass into breastmilk. You can have a cup of coffee or caffeinated soda, but just remember that it may contribute to colic or just plain fussiness in your baby. Some babies are even sensitive to the amount you may be getting in chocolate!

The same food safety precautions that you took while pregnant should also be taken while nursing. Cook food to proper temperatures, avoid raw or undercooked meat, unpasteurized milk and cheese, and chill food promptly to store.

Non food related dangers:

Smoking should also be avoided when nursing because nicotine passes into breast milk. Nicotine can affect your ‘letdown’ reflex, decrease milk supply, and increase chances of colic, sinus infection, or fussiness. Smoking near a child (a spouse who smokes) is also dangerous because you are exposing the baby to secondhand smoke, increasing risk of asthma and allergies and possibly getting burned.

Certain medications can pass into breast milk, too. Most pass in concentrations that are too low to harm your baby, but to be sure check with your doctor.

Recreational drugs also pass into breast milk and should never be used--bad for you and for baby!

Did you know?

Eating strongly flavored foods like onions, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, beans, or spicy food can flavor breast milk. These flavors make some babies fussy and other babies do not even notice. If you do think certain foods are upsetting your baby, avoid them! Babies are fussy enough without us eating things that may cause them to be even more fussy!

I had quite a bit of garlic yesterday and Basil was not a happy boy last night and didn’t want to get to bed. It makes me wonder if is was coincidence or if it was the garlic!

Tune in for the next post on how to increase your milk supply!

Labels: breast feeding, lactation, nursing, pregnancy, Tara Gidus

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Nursing Nutrition

I will spare you the logistical details of nursing Basil, but I thought I would devote a few posts nursing and what I have learned since I started a month ago.

The first few days after having the baby are tough for many reasons, but I think one reason the baby is so fussy is because they are living off of colostrum, and it is such a small amount! They teach you in breastfeeding class that their stomach is only the size of a marble when they are born, but I still think they are not getting enough to eat from the colostrum. Once my milk "came in" Basil was a much happier baby!

The first week to 10 days was tough because of pain, cracking, and bleeding. Again, I will spare you the details, but let’s just say it takes some adjusting and you are going to have some discomfort and pain at first. I had to find the right position and use the lanolin ointment to help with all of those things.

Enough about me, let’s talk about what is going on with nutritional needs during lactation.

Did you know?

• Humans produce very little colostrum, but cows produce 9 gallons!
• It takes more calories to produce breastmilk than it did to make the baby!

• Breastfeeding helps you lose body fat. Your body uses 100-150 calories a day from the fat you stored during pregnancy.

• The other extra energy to produce the milk come from extra energy from food choices.

• Most women need about 350-400 extra calories for the first six months and 400-500 extra calories for the second six months (baby is eating more)

• Strict dieting may reduce your milk supply

• Your calcium needs actually do not increase during lactation, but it is important to get that 1,000 mg per day you were always supposed to be getting. Take a supplement if you do not get 3 servings of dairy per day.
• You do need more of a lot of the vitamins and minerals, so it is a good idea to take a prenatal vitamin or at least a general multivitamin daily.

• You need about 15 cups of fluid daily, and more if you are thirsty. Keep water next to you while you are nursing. I keep a 33 oz cup next to the rocking chair at night and during the middle of the night feedings I am drinking and usually have it gone by morning.
  

For more information on breast feeding:

La Lache League

National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign

International Lactation Consultant Association

www.kellymom.com

www.breastfeeding.com

Stay tuned for future posts on Nursing No No’s and also Myths and Facts About Increasing Your Milk Supply

Photo on the right is of Basil last week. He looks ready to eat!

Photo of statue (in the Louvre) courtesy of celeste

Labels: breast feeding, lactation, nursing, pregnancy, Tara Gidus

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