Twins breastfeeding story!

 

Nursing twins can be a handful, but it is absolutely possible. If the babies won't latch- get help immediately. One twin-mom that we worked with posted this awesome love note on our Facebook wall: 

"I was ready to give up attempting to breastfeeding my twins. I had been pumping for 8 weeks and I couldn't handle it. Then I met the ladies at The Fourth Trimester and things started to change. They recognized oral anatomy issues right away. Once that was fixed they stayed in touch with me and came for a couple more visits as determined as I was to make sure my twins would latch. 

I can not thank them enough for their help." 

Seeing this mom's joy in her success makes it all worth it.



image courtesy of MultiplesParent!

What to do if you need professional lactation support but can't afford it

     

        Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/17939157@N00/  

If you are having difficulty breastfeeding, it's important to get help early to get things back on track as quickly as possible. Newborn babies nurse very often and follow instinctual feeding cues which establish the foundation for a solid breastfeeding dynamic. Not reaching out for help during the early postpartum period can have unintended consequences for the future of your breastfeeding relationship. But this doesn't just apply to the newborn period- sometimes problems crop up later on down the road as well. Delaying getting help when you have sore or cracked nipples can lead to infection on the nipple, or even mastitis.

We believe that all mamas and babies deserve the vital support that lactation professionals provide. Please do not let your financial situation stand in your way of reaching out for support. When a stumbling block is encountered and it seems like hiring an LC is financially impossible, consider these potential solutions!

• Ask your insurance company to cover the fee. That is their obligation under the Affordable Care Act. Lactation services are categorized under preventative health care and should be covered with no co pay or cost sharing. Because this legislation is still new, your mileage may vary.

• Use your HSA card!

• Or, pay first and seek reimbursement from your insurance provider after. We always provide a coded bill to our clients so that they can be reimbursed after a lactation visit.

• Consider a payment plan. This could be an arrangement with your LC herself to spread out the fee over time, or using Paypal to "Buy Now Pay Later". Rest assured that she has probably been asked before if she would take the fee for a lactation visit in installments and, while she may or may not offer that service, she won't think less of you for asking.

• Ask for it as a baby gift from friends and relatives. Someone wants to shower you with more baby stuff? Your coworkers want to go in on a "big gift" together? Ask for the funds you need to cover these valuable services.

• If possible, plan ahead and save a little money each month during your pregnancy that is ear-marked for getting breastfeeding off the ground. This might include lactation visits, breastfeeding supplies, or chiropractic care. You may never need to spend the money in your "lactation fund", but if you do need to, you'll know it's there. 

• Sell items you have been meaning to get rid of. I can personally think of at least 3 things in my home that we aren't using or loving but that have real value to someone else. Bonus to selling these items to pay for a lactation consultant is that you will free up valuable space in your home!

• Temporarily rearrange some categories in your budget. Can you give up 2 date nights or cut your grocery budget in half one week? Do you have both Hula and Netflix, and could you give up your subscription to one of them? 

• Borrow the money, or collect on money that a family member might owe to you! Did your sister's family say that they would pay half for a vacation rental you shared and you both said you'd get the money back "later"? Now is a great time.

• Offer a barter of services. Are you a web designer or math tutor? Does your partner have his own business doing landscaping, accounting, or catering? We truly believe that everyone has something to offer, and while the LC you are trying to schedule with might not be interested in a barter, it is worth it to ask! It is, at any rate, more respectful to all parties to offer to trade the equivalent value of your time and skills for her time and skills than to simply ask for her to waive or lower her prices.

• And finally, utilize the many free support options that are available to you. La Leche League groups, Baby Cafes, WIC peer counselors, and free hospital moms groups are great places to start. We tend to refer moms to in person support with a trained leader over internet support simply because breastfeeding advice given online without being able to actually observe the mother and baby can sometimes do more harm than good. But there are so many places moms can get breastfeeding support for free! Remember that volunteer breastfeeding helpers are passionate, but can only do so much because they have families and work of their own. However this option may buy you a bit of time while you figure out one of the other suggestions above.

Know when to ask for help: If it is sometimes difficult to latch your baby on or positioning feels awkward, if you are experiencing nipple, breast, or shoulder pain, if you aren't sure if you have enough milk, if baby is fussy, gassy, spits up frequently, you're considering an elimination diet, baby loses weight during the first few weeks, or isn't having yellow stools by the 4th day of life, we'd like you to know that things could be better!

The Fourth Trimester is honored to be your advocate. Call us for a free breastfeeding consultation. 

Gladis  - 727-657-7370     Emily - 727-452-4809

Email: fourthtri@gmail.com  www.TheFourthTrimester.net

How do I know if my pediatrician TRULY supports breastfeeding?

How do I know if my pediatrician TRULY supports breastfeeding?

Interviewing pediatricians? Start the dialogue

by asking what they know and believe about breastfeeding.

Does this pediatrician...

believe that breastfeeding is the biological norm and formula feeding and even pumping are lifestyle choices?

A doctor that truly supports breastfeeding will never minimize your feelings in an effort to help you feel "better". Saying that "it's not that bad" doesn't help to solve the actual problem. Your pediatrician should always listen and empathize if you share that breastfeeding is not going well.

support the World Health Organization's position on breastfeeding? Or does he/she promote early weaning?

"WHO recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development, and health. Thereafter, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods, while continuing to breastfeed for up two years or more."

understand the WHO's definition of exclusive breastfeeding?

"Exclusive breastfeeding means that the infant receives only breast milk -not even water- with the exception of oral re-hydration solution, or drops/syrups of vitamins, minerals, or medicines."

only use the most current published WHO Infant Growth Charts for exclusively breastfed infants?

If the chart is based on breastfed babies and the baby's growth percentile has dropped, this is a red flag to take a closer look and see if breastfeeding can be improved.

understand what is normal for breastfeeding moms and babies?

This includes how much and how frequently breastfed babies typically eat (guess what- it's different from formula feeding babies!), what pumping is generally like, and what some signs of trouble are. For example, if a mom is struggling to pump enough, or if she is experiencing any breast pain or sore nipples.

seem willing to have a discussion about the importance of oral anatomy for pain-free, effective breastfeeding?

We frequently hear of pediatricians suggesting that lip tied or tongue tied babies are "fine" or that feeding "should be okay", yet mama and baby are struggling. Minimizing these issues as a medical fad is not productive or evidence-based.

consider feeding difficulties when making a diagnosis? And make referrals for lactation support?

Working with a lactation professional to rule out common breastfeeding issues that can sometimes masquerade as other problems (such as reflux, colic, constipation, or allergies) is an excellent first step before supplementing or beginning a medical treatment.

 Newborn babies nurse very often and follow instinctual feeding cues which are vital to getting breastfeeding off to the best possible start. Unnecessary disruptions to breastfeeding can have unintended consequences to the nursing relationship. Take care before starting your breastfed baby on supplements by first ruling out breastfeeding problems, but be especially wary of any health professional that suggests stopping breastfeeding without a discussion of the risks and benefits. 

When to Call For Help:

• It is sometimes difficult to latch your baby on or position feels awkward
• You are experiencing nipple, breast, or shoulder pain
• You aren't sure if you have enough milk
• Baby is fussy, gassy, spits up frequently, or you are considering an elimination diet
• Baby loses weight during the first few weeks, or isn't having yellow stools by day 4 of life. 

The Fourth Trimester  is honored to be your advocate!  Call us for a free breastfeeding phone consultation.

 Gladis- 727-657-7370     Emily- 727-452-4809

Email- fourthtri@gmail.com

www.TheFourthTrimester.net

 

 

  

Happy Earth Day!

on the ins and outs of the lactation profession

The lovely Sarah Juliusson has featured us on the Birth Your Business blog! 

 We love what we do and feel so honored to walk with our mamas and babies on their journeys.

Photography provided by Kim Turner Photography

Oxytocin Love

What can YOU, as a childcare provider, do to help breastfeeding moms? And why does this matter?

Caring for infants and small children is no easy feat! Childcare providers and working parents of breastfed infants face some unique challenges. Namely, there is the whole pumping thing! More mothers than ever before are working and separated from their infants on a regular basis and intend to provide breastmilk during these separations. Unfortunately, this can be a difficult transition for a couple of reasons. In general, many people believe that working mothers have a hard time meeting their breastfeeding goals because they think that 1) breastfeeding is harder than formula feeding and that 2) women often do not produce enough milk. 

Before we tease apart these beliefs, we'd like to address why childcare providers are benefited by mothers being successful at breastfeeding their babies. The biggest benefits we see, in the daycare setting, are that breastfed babies are sick less frequently, and healthy babies are happy babies! And of course, the less sick babies daycare employees are exposed to, the less work they will have to miss. Also, when mothers are supported by their childcare team in meeting their breastfeeding goals, they are going to recommend the source of high quality care to others. And childcare providers are uniquely situated to make a difference! Whether they are working in the family's home, a home daycare, or an early learning setting, childcare providers see mothers day in and day out, on the best days and the most discouraging ones. They also tend to spend the majority of each day with the infants in their care, so they often develop close relationships with the families they serve. Even more important is the fact that childcare providers are a type of baby-professional and are a source of information about what is or isn't "normal" for many parents. While the vast majority of childcare providers aren't moonlighting as lactation professionals, we bet that each one could come up with at least one mom that they remember struggled with pumping after she returned to work. 

As we said earlier, there are a couple of beliefs about breastfeeding that tend to circulate in our culture. We, as a population, tend to believe that breastfeeding is a good thing, but that it is "harder" than formula feeding is, and by following that line of thinking many people feel that formula feeding is better for some situations (especially when moms are returning to work) because of the stress associated with breastfeeding. We would like to point out a couple of things regarding these beliefs. Firstly, breastfeeding can be hard, but we find that infants are simply very demanding of our time, energy, and resources. They only know to ask for what they need, and they have no understanding of boundaries. This includes both formula and breastfed babies! Secondly, breastfeeding sometimes has a learning curve. If it is painful or difficult, mothers can and should get help, and the sooner the better. Once breastfeeding is well established it is actually less work than formula feeding. There is no mixing, measuring, sterilizing, or running out in the middle of the night. Working moms reap those benefits during all of the time that they are with their baby, even if they do not have the ease of simply latching on during the day. When mothers breastfeed they also experience something called a "letdown". While letdown sounds like a negative thing, this is when the milk begins to flow more freely and is triggered by the release of oxytocin- a relaxing and soothing hormone. Both nursing mothers and babies benefit from the release of oxytocin, as it helps to reduce stress and promote bonding. What working mom doesn't need a good dose of oxytocin to boost her mood and help her reconnect with her baby in spite of all of the demands on her time? 

As far as the belief that many women have difficulty producing enough milk, we will say that this is a very common concern but that it really should not be happening in most situations. In a well established breastfeeding relationship, supply is regulated by stimulation and milk removal. As the baby nurses, the mother's supply is maintained. However, this natural balance can be upset by many different factors during the back-to-work months including long separations from the baby, pumping instead of breastfeeding, introducing early solids, or supplementing with formula. Working with a lactation professional can help! 

Here are some things that childcare providers can do to help prevent early weaning:

• Openly support nursing in public in the childcare setting. At the very least, know that this means you are following the law (here in Florida, women are legally permitted to breastfeed anywhere and without a cover). Better still is knowing that by encouraging a mother to nurse her baby last thing before she leaves and first thing when she returns, you are helping to keep the breastfeeding relationship strong. 
• Invite the nursing mom to stop in during her lunch hour to nurse if that is logistically possible for her. This is an excellent tactic if she feels like her supply might be getting low.
• Don't minimize her feelings in an effort to help her feel "better". Saying that it's "not that bad" to supplement with formula doesn't help to solve the actual problem. Do listen and empathize if she shares how hard this time is. 
• Educate yourself on what is normal for breastfeeding moms and babies. This includes how much and how frequently breastfed babies typically eat (guess what- it's different from formula feeding babies!), what pumping is generally like, and what some signs of trouble are. For example, if a mom is struggling to pump enough, or if she is experiencing any breast pain or sore nipples. 
• Ensure that all staff know the basics about human milk storage and handling. It's not a bio hazardous bodily substance, for example, yet many facilities require it to be stored in a separate refrigerator. It is normal for the cream to rise to the top, leaving the more watery milk at the bottom. We have heard of many parents and caretakers tossing moms milk out because it looked curdled after sitting for several hours. It's also important to not vigorously shake the milk to recombine the cream with the milk- this can damage the delicate live particles in human milk. 
• Finally, it is wonderful if you can point nursing mothers and babies in the right direction when they are struggling. Keep a list of local lactation professionals in your parent resources. Bonus points if they do home visits and are familiar with pumping and returning back to work! You might even think of handing this out to all of the new families that you take on.