Breastfeeding Resources

How to identify a good latch

Breastfeeding is a journey! You and your baby are learning together. 

Some ways you can tell if your baby has a good latch are:

• If the latch feels comfortable and doesn’t hurt or pinch
• If your baby’s chest is resting against your body
• If you can see little to no areola (depending on size of your areola and size of
  baby’s mouth)
• If you can hear or see your baby swallowing

What to eat and drink while breastfeeding

It takes energy to breastfeed! Make sure to fuel your body and rest when you can.

• Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. For example, it could be helpful to plan to
  drink a glass of water every time you breastfeed.
• Drinking a moderate amount (up to 2 cups a day) of coffee or other caffeinated
  beverages does not cause a problem for most breastfeeding babies. But too
  much caffeine can make a baby fussy or have trouble sleeping.

How to lower stress while breastfeeding

How to Lower Stress Levels while Breastfeeding:

• Ask questions! Learn what you can early on to help establish a good routine for you and your baby
• Remember you can use breastfeeding as time to bond with your baby
• Use your support system. Raising a baby takes a village!
• Be active if you can! Physical activity can help to improve mood and lower stress levels. If you are a new mother, ask your doctor when it is okay to start exercising after childbirth.

How to know if your baby is hungry

In the newborn stage, it might be hard to know how often to breastfeed.  Some signs your baby might be hungry are if they:

• Put their hands to their mouth
• Turn their head towards the breast or bottle
• Puckers, smacks, or licks their lips
• Clenches their hands

Different ways to pump

Choosing to pump can come with it’s own set of new questions. Here’s some
helpful information if you’re a pumping mom!

• You can use the hand expression. Use your hand to squeeze and press on your breast to remove milk. This gets easier with practice and can be a good option if you’re in an emergency situation or away from your baby.
• You can use a manual pump. This is useful for occasional pumping if you’re away from your baby once in a while.
• You can use an electric breast pump, which can run on battery or plugs into an electrical outlet. It can be easier for some moms since it can be portable. You can pump one breast at a time or both breasts at the same time. You need a place to clean and store the equipment in between uses.

All about Mastitis

• What is Mastitis?
  • Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast tissue that sometimes progresses to infection. The inflammation can result in breast pain, swelling, warmth, and redness. You might also have fever and chills (1)
• Is Mastitis common?
  • Yes, mastitis affects many breastfeeding moms in the US. (6)  It can also be more likely if you use a breast pump, had a C-section, or are an oversupplier
• What should I do if I suspect I have Mastitis?
  • It can be helpful to apply ice and gently massage the area. Frequent removal of milk from the breast can also be helpful.
• When should I seek medical attention?
  • If treating your mastitis at home isn’t helping or if your symptoms worsen, it might be time to communicate with your healthcare provider. (6)
• What should I do about breastfeeding while I have Mastitis?
  • You can continue to breastfeed if you have mastitis. If one of your breasts is too swollen or uncomfortable to breastfeed, you can feed from the other breast while manually expressing milk to maintain supply.

All about Newborn Jaundice

• What is jaundice? 
  • Newborn jaundice is yellow discoloration of a baby’s skin and eyes, a sign of elevated bilirubin levels. Your healthcare provider might also refer to this as hyperbilirubinemia (3)
• Is newborn jaundice common?
  • Yes, newborn jaundice is very common. It is common during the first weeks of a child’s life, especially among preterm newborns. All newborns have the task of breaking down the extra red blood cells they had as a fetus. This leads to short-term elevated bilirubin levels, which then cause the yellowing appearance.
• How is newborn jaundice resolved?
  • Newborn jaundice most often resolves on its own after 1 or 2 weeks. Frequent feeding helps resolve newborn jaundice by promoting more frequent pooping, which helps get rid of excess bilirubin. Your healthcare provider might also recommend phototherapy, or blue-light treatment, temporarily as well. 
• When should I seek additional medical attention?
  • If your baby’s jaundice increases or is lasting longer than 2 weeks. (10)
• What should I do about breastfeeding while my baby has newborn jaundice?
  • You should continue breastfeeding. Your body gets rid of excess bilirubin when you poop, and frequent breastfeeding can help encourage more frequent dirty diapers

All about Breast Pumps and Flange Size

• Flange: the piece of your pump that looks like a funnel shape that meets the breast
• Flanges come in a variety of sizes because our nipples are different widths and lengths, and you may end up needing a smaller or bigger size than what was included with your breast pump 
• Here are a couple ways you can tell if you might have the wrong flange size:
  • Your nipple is painful and rubbing against the flange 
  • Your breast tissue is being drawn into tunnel part of the flange 
  • If you experience redness/discoloration from pumping 
  • If you aren’t getting a good seal between your breast and the flange 

If you have any questions about your breast pump and/or flange size, please reach out to a lactation consultant. They can be very helpful! (4)

All about Engorgement

• What is Breast Engorgement? 
  • It is the swelling of your breasts that occurs after giving birth (7). It happens as your body is preparing to increase milk production soon after giving birth. Symptoms could include pain and swelling in your breasts, and if your breasts feel firm or hard. 
• Is breast engorgement common? 
  • Yes, this is common after you give birth.
• What can I do if I suspect my breasts are engorged?
  • If your breasts are engorged and latching is difficult, it might be helpful to pump or hand express a small amount of milk before breastfeeding. Icing and gently massaging your breasts could also help to reduce engorgement. 
• When should I seek medical attention?
  • If your symptoms worsen or don’t seem to be responding to at-home remedies, it might be time to speak to your healthcare provider 
• What should I do about breastfeeding if my breasts are engorged?
  • You can continue to breastfeed. It may be helpful to apply ice to your breasts after breastfeeding. It may also be helpful to breastfeed in different positions, such as the side-lying position.

All about Sore/Cracked Nipples (aka Nipple Fissures)

• What is a nipple fissure?
  • Your nipples may be sore/painful and have painful cracks. These cracks are called fissures.
• Are sore/cracked nipples common?
  • Yes, they are very common among breastfeeding moms. They are especially common if you are breastfeeding for the first time. 
• What should I do if I have sore/cracked nipples?
  • Applying a warm compress can help to relieve pain. Letting your nipples air dry can also help to prevent nipples from tearing. 
  • Some women report relief when gently rubbing a drop of their own milk onto the sore nipple.
• What should I do about breastfeeding if I have sore/cracked nipples?
  • Ensuring your baby is latching properly can be helpful to make sure there isn’t too much pressure on your nipple. You can also alternate breasts to help your nipples heal. If you are pumping, using your pumped milk for a few days can help provide time for healing as well. 
• When should I seek medical attention?

If your sore/cracked nipples are not improving after treating at home, or if you notice possible symptoms of an infection (warmth, swelling, redness, etc), it might be time to reach out to your healthcare provider. (8)

All about Blocked Milk Ducts

• What is a blocked milk duct?
  • A blocked milk duct is when a milk duct becomes blocked or obstructed, preventing breast milk from flowing to your nipple. (9) A blocked milk duct could look like a hard lump on your breast, that could be painful and red. 

• Is having a blocked milk duct common
  • Yes

• What should I do if I suspect I have a blocked milk duct?
  • You can continue to breastfeed/pump as often as your baby needs. Icing and gently massaging your breast can also help remove a blocked milk duct
• When should I seek medical attention?
  • If treatment at home isn’t successful after a few days, it might be time to reach out to your healthcare provider. An untreated blocked milk duct could result in mastitis.
• What should I do about breastfeeding if I have a blocked milk duct?
  • You can continue to breastfeed/pump as often as your baby needs. Breastfeeding or pumping more than your baby needs could cause additional inflammation

References

1. Mastitis – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic. (2024, August 13). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mastitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20374829#:~:text=Mastitis%20is%20an%20inflammation%20of,%2Dfeeding%20(lactation%20mastitis).

2. Mitchell, K., Johnson, H., Rodriguez, J. M., Eglash, A., Sherzinger, C., Zakarija-Grkovic, I., Cash, K. W., Berens, P., & Miller, B. (2022). Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Clinical Protocol #36: The Mastitis Spectrum, Revised 2022. Breastfeeding Medicine, 17(5). https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2022.29207.kbm

3. Jaundice and breastfeeding. (2024, February 27). Breastfeeding Special Circumstances. https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/hcp/illnesses-conditions/jaundice.html#:~:text=Most%20newborns%20with%20jaundice%20can%20breastfeed,for%2012%20to%2048%20hours.

4. Yarbor, A. (2023, March 6). Flange Sizing: Your in-depth guide  — Breastfeeding Center for Greater Washington. Breastfeeding Center for Greater Washington. https://www.breastfeedingcenter.org/blog/2021/7/2/flange-sizing-your-in-depth-guide-by-angel-yarbor

5. Cleveland Clinic. (2023, September 5). Breast anatomy. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/8330-breast-anatomy

6. Mastitis. (2024, September 3). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15613-mastitis

7. Breast engorgement. (2024, May 1). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/breast-engorgement

8. Nipple fissure. (2024, September 27). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22605-nipple-fissure

9. Clogged milk duct. (2024, May 1). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24239-clogged-milk-duct

10. Jaundice in newborns. (2024, October 29). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22263-jaundice-in-newborns