Amidst the excitement and anticipation of your pregnancy, you are more than likely to encounter a sea of well-meaning advice and information, not all of which is accurate. This is especially true when it comes to breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is a beautiful and natural way to nourish your baby, providing them with essential nutrients and antibodies for a healthy start. However, the benefits and naturalness of breastfeeding lead to some tall tales about its powers and ease. These tall tales are often referred to as “breastfeeding myths.”
Let’s bust some common breastfeeding myths and empower you to navigate your breastfeeding journey with confidence:
Myth 1: Breastfeeding is easy and natural.
While breastfeeding is a natural instinct, it doesn’t always come easily. Learning proper latching, establishing a routine, and managing potential challenges can take time and practice for both you and your baby. Don’t be discouraged if it takes a few tries – seek support from lactation consultants, nurses, or experienced mothers to overcome initial hurdles. You can schedule an appointment with a lactation consultant here.
Myth 2: Sore nipples are inevitable.
While some initial discomfort is common, especially in the first few days, ongoing pain is not normal. Ensure your baby is latching correctly, as a poor latch can lead to nipple soreness, and even bleeding. If you experience persistent pain, consult a lactation consultant for guidance on positioning and latch techniques.
Myth 3: You need to wash your nipples before every feeding.
Washing your nipples with soap before each feeding is unnecessary and can even disrupt the natural protective oils on your skin. Your baby benefits from the natural bacteria on your breasts, which helps build their immune system.
Myth 4: You can’t breastfeed if you have flat or inverted nipples.
Flat or inverted nipples can make latching more challenging, but it doesn’t mean you can’t breastfeed. With the help of a lactation consultant, you can learn techniques like nipple shields or positioning strategies to ensure successful breastfeeding.
Myth 5: Your breast size determines your milk supply.
Breast size has little to do with milk production. Your body produces milk based on the frequency and duration of your baby’s feeding, not the size of your breasts. The more your baby feeds, the more milk your body will produce to meet their needs.
Myth 6: You need to follow a strict diet while breastfeeding.
While a healthy diet is important for overall well-being, there’s no need for drastic dietary changes while breastfeeding. Focus on a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. Most foods won’t affect your milk supply or harm your baby.
Myth 7: Formula is just as good as breast milk.
While formula can be a safe and necessary alternative in some cases, breast milk provides unmatched benefits for your baby’s health and development. It contains essential nutrients, antibodies, and immune-boosting factors that formula cannot replicate. Your breastmilk will even naturally change and adapt to your baby’s needs.
Myth 8: You can’t breastfeed if you’re taking medication.
Most medications are compatible with breastfeeding. Consult your doctor to discuss any concerns and ensure you’re taking medications that are safe for both you and your baby.
Myth 9: You have to breastfeed on demand, even at night.
It is true that baby will, most likely, wake often during the night, especially in the early weeks. While frequent feeding is crucial for establishing milk supply, it’s okay to set boundaries and take breaks when needed. Your partner or a trusted caregiver can help with nighttime feedings to allow you some rest.
Myth 10: Breastfeeding is an all-or-nothing proposition.
Every breastfeeding journey looks different. Some mother’s choose to only feed at the breast while others solely pump and bottle feed. Others do a combination of the two. Even if you can’t exclusively breastfeed, every drop of breast milk your baby receives is beneficial. Combining breastfeeding with formula can still provide your baby with valuable nutrients and antibodies.
Remember, every breastfeeding journey is unique. Don’t hesitate to seek support from lactation consultants, healthcare professionals, and other breastfeeding mothers. Here’s a secret: most mothers do get help of some sort before they start feeling comfortable!
Hygeia Health is dedicated to supporting your breastfeeding journey. We offer a hospital-grade electric breast pump designed for comfort, efficiency, and portability, making it easier to express and store milk on the go.
Click here to learn how your insurance can cover the cost of our hospital strength pump and empower yourself to breastfeed with confidence!
Breastfeeding is a beautiful journey that nourishes your baby with the perfect blend of nutrients and antibodies. But for busy moms, pumping allows for flexibility and convenience, ensuring your baby receives the benefits of breastmilk even when you’re not there.
Whether you’re a seasoned pumping pro or just starting out, mastering the process of pumping, storing, thawing, and feeding breastmilk empowers you to confidently navigate your breastfeeding journey. Here’s your comprehensive guide:
Pumping Essentials:
Find Your Rhythm: Establish a pumping routine that works for you. It could be several short sessions throughout the day or longer stretches that fit your schedule. Consistency is key to maintaining milk supply.
Choosing Your Pump: A high-quality breast pump makes a world of difference. Hygeia Health offers a comfortable, efficient, and quiet hospital-grade pump that is free to many through insurance. Consider your needs – portability for on-the-go pumping or a hospital-grade option for frequent pumping sessions.
Perfect Latch & Positioning: Proper positioning and latch ensure optimal milk flow and prevent discomfort. Your baby’s mouth should be wide open, with their chin and lower lip flanged outward. Their tongue should be positioned over a large portion of your nipple and most of the darker area around your nipple, called the areola). This ensures they get enough milk and prevents nipple pain for you. If you’re unsure about your latch, don’t hesitate to ask a lactation consultant for help.
Storing Liquid Gold: Safeguarding Your Breast Milk
Fresh is Best: Freshly pumped breast milk can be stored at room temperature (up to 77°F) for up to 4 hours. This is ideal for short outings or pumping between nursing sessions.
Refrigerator Storage for Later: For longer storage, refrigerate breast milk in the back of the refrigerator where the temperature is most stable. Properly stored milk can last up to 4 days.
Deep Freeze for Long-Term Storage: Breast milk can be stored in the deep freezer (at 0°F or below) for up to 12 months. However, milk quality can degrade over time. Label containers with the date to ensure you use the oldest milk first.
Adding to your Storage: Small amounts of expressed milk may be added to the same refrigerated container or even a frozen container. The key is that the milk you want to add is cooled in the fridge beforehand. Don’t add body-temperature milk to cooled or already frozen milk.
Hygeia’s Storage Solutions: Invest in high-quality breast milk storage bags or containers. Hygeia Health offers a range of leak-proof, BPA-free storage options to keep your precious milk safe, including a cooler bag for temporary storage on the go.
Thawing Treasures: Warming Up Breast Milk Safely
Never Microwave: Don’t even think about it. Not only does microwaving destroy nutrients in breast milk but it can also create hot spots that could burn your baby’s mouth.
Gradual Thawing: The safest method is to thaw frozen breast milk in the refrigerator overnight or generally 12 hours. For quicker thawing, place the sealed milk bag or container in a container of lukewarm water, but never in boiling water. This kind of heat can damage the nutrients. It is also important to not let it thaw at room temperature.
Temperature Check and mixing: Before feeding, test a drop of milk on the inside of your wrist to ensure it’s lukewarm, not hot. Be sure to swirl the milk in the bag or bottle as the milk can separate during storage and you want to blend all the fats.
Limited window: Once you’ve thawed milk and left it at room temperature, you want to feed it to your baby within two hours. If that doesn’t happen, do not refreeze the milk. It’s time to pitch.
Feeding Time! Delivering the Goodness
Room Temperature or Chilled?: Either is fine! Breast milk can be fed to your baby at room temperature or chilled. Some babies may even prefer cooler milk. You can also warm the milk to body temperature but it’s not necessary.
Fresh vs. Thawed: If possible, prioritize using fresh or refrigerated breast milk over thawed milk. Thawed milk may have a slightly different taste or smell. It’s still perfectly safe for your baby; however, it will store longer and you can’t refreeze it once thawed, so save it for later.
Bottles and Nipples: Choose bottles designed for breastfed babies to help prevent nipple confusion. Experiment with different nipple types to find one your baby takes comfortably.
Hygeia’s Feeding Accessories: Hygeia Health offers a variety of bottle and nipple options to ensure a smooth transition between breast and bottle feeding.
Embrace the Journey with Hygeia Health
Juggling motherhood and breastfeeding can be demanding, but pumping empowers you to provide your baby with the irreplaceable benefits of breast milk. Hygeia Health is here to support you every step of the way.
We offer a convenient insurance-covered breast pump program to eligible mothers. Our hospital-grade pump is designed for comfort, efficiency, and portability, making it perfect for busy moms.
Click here to apply for your free breast milk pump today!
With the right knowledge, tools, and support system, you can confidently navigate pumping, storing, thawing, and feeding breast milk. Happy pumping, mamas!
Breastfeeding: it’s the way anyone can level up to supermom status, right?
While it is an amazing journey, it is completely normal to hit a few bumps in the road. The good news is no mom needs to be alone in their journey! There is a ton of support available to help moms navigate this new chapter of motherhood and empower them to thrive with breastfeeding.
In this blog post, in the spirit of World Breastfeeding Week, we will discuss the best people and places to find breastfeeding support.
Healthcare Providers
Your doctor or midwife is a great place to start for support. They may not be the experts themselves, but they can likely provide you with initial information, point you in a good direction for resources, and even refer you to lactation consultants. Remember, they deal with moms who are new to breastfeeding on a regular basis.
Lactation Consultants
Lactation consultants are specially trained professionals who can help with breastfeeding questions, problems, and general support. They are wonderful assets for assisting with latching, milk supply, and other common issues. Today, most hospitals have a lactation consultant on staff. If one does not visit you upon delivery, don’t miss out. Request that the on-staff lactation consultant visit before your stay is over.
Support Groups
A mom tends to feel less alone about her struggles when she’s able to share her experiences with others who are going through or have been through similar challenges..Support groups can be a great way to connect with other breastfeeding moms and get the encouragement needed. This can also be a great way to receive tips from moms who’ve had to tackle the same issues. La Leche League offers support groups across the country or check with your hospital, as many offer support groups. If yours does not, the lactation consultant may be aware of a local group.
Partners and Family
Your partner and family can, and hopefully will, play an important role in your breastfeeding journey. They can provide emotional support, help with household chores, and take care of older children if needed. Of course, not every mom has this kind of support at home. In this case, sometimes friend circles can become like family and set up meal trains and regular check-ins to be sure a mom has the support she needs.
Online Resources & Hygeia Health
The beauty of today’s world is that not everything has to be within driving distance to be accessible. There are many online resources available, including websites, blogs, forums, and even support groups. However, the plethora of options available can be both a blessing and a curse. An already overwhelmed mom struggling in her breastfeeding journey likely doesn’t have the fortitude to sift through endless search results. Fortunately, there are trustworthy sources for information, support, and community, such as La Leche League, Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM), Healthline and The World Health Organization (WHO).
Hygeia Health
We at Hygeia Health are on the top of the list as well! We’re here to support you in all ways. Our website offers information and resources on breastfeeding and our customer service team is available to answer your questions. We also partner with Nest Collaborative to provide virtual breastfeeding consults accessible anytime, anywhere, covered by most insurance plans at no cost to you.
Remember, you’re not alone. There are many people and resources available to help you on your breastfeeding journey. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Breastfeeding is a beautiful journey, but it’s not always easy. Many mothers face significant obstacles that can make breastfeeding challenging to sustain. This World Breastfeeding Week, we want to shed light on these struggles and obstacles and offer support. This blog post will dive into those challenges.
Physical Challenges
Sore nipples, engorgement, and mastitis–ever heard of those? These are some of the most common physical hurdles moms face. These can be incredibly painful and downright discouraging for a mom. No matter how much she understands the benefits of breastfeeding, the pain can cause a mom to want to give up or feel incapable. Lack of sleep in the early days and weeks after birth, coupled with the demands of a newborn, can further exacerbate these issues.
One of the major causes for physical challenges, though, is inadequate latching, which is often a result of a mom not being well supported after birth. This can be particularly true for a first time breastfeeding mom who doesn’t receive support from a lactation consultant. When breastfeeding support is lacking from the start, a mom can be quickly deterred.
Psychological Challenges
While the previously mentioned painful experiences of things like cracked and bleeding nipples may sound traumatic, physical challenges are often treated and managed more easily than the mental issues moms can face.
Feeling inadequate, stressed, or isolated is not an uncommon experience for breastfeeding mothers. The pressure to succeed can be overwhelming, especially when coupled with the mantra that “breastfeeding is natural”. The physical struggles coupled with the flood of hormones that follow delivery can result in postpartum depression and anxiety, which can further complicate the early breastfeeding journey.
Additionally, some moms struggle with body image concerns. Bodies obviously change through pregnancy, and, typically, they don’t simply “bounce back” to their pre-pregnancy shape, weight, and size. Living in a ‘new’ body can also lead to mental challenges for moms.
Societal and Environmental Challenges
Lack of workplace support is a major barrier for many mothers in their breastfeeding journey. Limited maternity leave, lack of lactation rooms, and negative attitudes towards breastfeeding can make it difficult for working moms to continue breastfeeding once returning to work.
Additionally, access to quality healthcare and lactation support is also crucial to breastfeeding success, and unfortunately, in many corners of the world ( even in the United States), not every mom has both or either of these things.
Other socioeconomic disparities can impact a mother’s ability to access these resources, such as income, education, geographic location, and racial/ethnic disparities. Discrimination can play a role for some, as can living in a rural or low income area.
Knowledge and Information Gaps
Misinformation about breastfeeding is prevalent. Many mothers lack the knowledge and support they need to overcome challenges and this can lead to early cessation of breastfeeding.
Hygeia Health is committed to supporting mothers on their breastfeeding journey. Our breast pumps are designed with comfort and efficiency in mind. But we know that a great breast pump is just one piece of the puzzle. We believe in providing comprehensive support, including education, resources, and community.
By understanding the challenges mothers face, we can work together to create a more supportive environment for breastfeeding. Let’s break down the barriers and continue to close the gap that will help mothers achieve their breastfeeding goals.
Between all the medical appointments, the books on parenting, looking for a daycare, and all of the rules about car seats, preparing for a child can be an overwhelming process.
Perhaps the most exhausting step is making sure that your entire house is baby proof. As many parents would tell you, babies have a knack for finding that “one hazard” that somehow got overlooked during the baby proofing process. That’s why it’s important to know how to properly baby proof a home, and to double-check your steps while you’re doing it.
Whether you’re a first time mom, or it’s been a while since you’ve been preparing for a newborn, here’s a helpful checklist to make sure you’re remembering all of the most important baby proofing basics:
Around the House: Baby Proofing Basics
There are a few things you’ll want to check on in every room of the house:
- Baby Gates: Use them on both the top and bottom of any stairs, as well as in doorways to any areas you don’t want a baby to access.
- Corners and Edges: Pointy corners and sharp edges can be dangerous for a little one, especially when they start to crawl around. Get bumpers and safety pads to cover furniture and sharp edges.
- Doors and Cupboards: Use doorstops, door holders, child proof cupboard locks, child proof drawer locks, and child proof door knobs to keep anything within baby’s reach either closed, or to prevent it from catching their fingers. This is also good preparation for when they’re a toddler and prone to exploration.
- Furniture: Secure furniture to the wall just in case someone decides to go climbing!
- Slipping: Put no-slip mats both on slippery floors and underneath rugs. Attach no-slip stickers to the bottom of the bathtub to prevent slipping while bathing.
- Things That Dangle: Organize or remove anything that dangles. Table cloths can pull items down onto baby, and strings could become a choking hazard. Remove the cords from blinds and consider tying curtains up off the floor.
- TVs and Cables: Now is the time to start securely mounting TVs to the walls, as well as to start finding ways to hide and organize cables. Whether you’re bundling them behind furniture or securing them to walls higher than little fingers can reach, you should never leave cables hanging around. Additionally, make sure to place child proof covers on all accessible outlets.
The dangers you want to look out for around the main areas of the house are: falling, opening, closing, sharp, climbing, and choking hazards. Check everything that could be potentially harmful, even if it feels benign as an adult.
Bedrooms
The way you need to baby proof a bedroom depends on whether it’s actually being used for sleeping, as an office, exercise room, or for another purpose. Unless it’s a room actively used for spending time with baby, you’ll probably want to restrict access to bedrooms as much as possible, especially if they’re being used as an office or exercise room. Childproof door handles and locks are ideal, as are baby gates. Nevertheless, you’ll still want to make sure everything inside these rooms are childproofed — just in case. For bedrooms, follow all the general safety steps above.
For offices:
- Childproof all drawers and cabinets.
- Be diligent about hiding or lifting power cables and covering electrical outlets.
- Be careful with rolling chairs.
For exercise rooms:
- Store all weights in a safe place, out of reach of children, ideally with child proofed access.
- Make sure exercise machines have their own storage space, inaccessible to little hands. For larger machines, consider coverings or further restricting access near joints and moving parts.
Nursery
Then nursery is where you’ll be spending a lot of time with your new baby. It’s extra important to triple check that everything in here is super safe!
- Keep the crib away from: furniture, cables, heaters, vents, windows, and curtains.
- Keep all objects, such as pillows, comforters, toys, bumpers, etc, out of the crib while the baby is still a newborn.
- Make sure there are no gaps between the mattress and the side of the crib. Use one tight fitting sheet only.
- Secure dressers, bookshelves, and other heavy items of furniture to the wall.
- Keep everything you need for changing within your reach of the changing station, but not within baby’s reach.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are full of all sorts of hazards, so take extra care with them.
- Clamp Everything Shut:
- Bathroom cabinets and drawers often contain harmful cleaning chemicals and other hazards which are dangerous when consumed. Child proof all of the areas containing these products.
- The toilet seat should be clamped shut at all times when the toilet isn’t in use. Babies are top heavy and prone to falling over, and can drown in as little as an inch of water, so toilet bowls could be very dangerous.
- Baby should never be in the bathroom unsupervised. Child proofing the bathroom door is a must.
- Put non-slip mats in the bathtub and on the floor.
- Leave nothing out or plugged in. Medication, cleaning supplies, even toothpaste and soap, should be stored out of reach and should not be left out. Hair dryers and straighteners shouldn’t be left plugged in, and should always be put away — the same goes for razors, scissors, and anything else sharp.
- Put rubber protectors on the bathtub faucet.
- Install ground-fault circuit interrupters on all bathroom outlets if they didn’t come installed already.
- Be very careful about water temperature. Use a thermometer to make sure bathing water is no hotter than 120 degrees fahrenheit, set a limit on your water heater, and use an anti-scalding device on the faucet.
Kitchen
Like bathrooms, kitchens are full of hazards to babies and children. There are simply too many sharp, heavy, electrical, and hot appliances and utensils to be wary of, and, unfortunately, it can be a lot harder to control access to a kitchen. Nevertheless, follow the advice below, especially when it comes to cupboards and drawers:
- Unplug small appliances, like toasters, when they’re not being used, and make sure the cords aren’t left dangling. It might even be a good idea to find a cupboard for them to live in when they’re not being utilized.
- Store dishes and glassware, knives, cleaners, heavy objects, and all other hazardous kitchenware in a secure, out-of-reach cabinet or cupboard at all times.
- Put child locks on the fridge, oven, dishwasher, and the garbage can.
- Place protective covers on the stove dials, and get into the habit of using the back burners instead of the front.
Living Room and Family Room
Most of the worry in these rooms comes from electronics, shelves and entertainment centers, recliners, and objects on surfaces. Be diligent about cord organization and clamp everything to the wall if it might tip.
- Move tall lamps behind furniture to restrict access.
- If you have a fireplace, get a fireplace cover.
- Get ready for climbing, bumping, and falling. Cover all corners and edges low to the ground. Get down on your hands and knees and wander around the room looking for dangerous spots.
- Beware of recliners; little hands can get stuck in moving parts.
- Clear away decorations from flat surfaces to discourage curious exploratory climbing.
- Limit use of the coffee table if you have one. If it’s on the coffee table, it can be reached.
Laundry and Utility Rooms
Ideally, baby should have zero access to these kinds of rooms, as they often contain toxic chemicals, and dangerously heavy appliances, machinery, tools, and more.
- Store everything up high or in a child proofed cabinet. Don’t leave laundry soap out, and make sure cleaning supplies are secure.
- Store vacuum cleaners, mops, and anything else that might fall over in a properly protected closet.
- Baby proof your washer and dryer with child locks. Newer ones come with them installed, but you might need to purchase them separately for older models.
- If you have cats, keep kitty litter trays in a room that baby doesn’t ordinarily have access to. Consider placing them up off of the floor, so that the cats can get to them, but baby can’t.
Getting the House Ready For Baby
Preparing to welcome a baby doesn’t just require baby-proofing — you still want to be comfortable in your new setup, and you’ll need to keep the baby’s comfort in mind as well. Here are some more general items to review, as well as a few extra things you’re likely to need.
Smoke Detectors
Make sure your detectors are up to date, up to code, working, and have fresh batteries. Get a carbon monoxide detector if you don’t already have one, and make sure there is a smoke detector on every level of the home.
Nursery Gear
It’s amazing just how much newborns eat and sleep. You’ll want to make sure you have the right nursery gear so that your baby grows healthily:
- Have you decided how you plan to feed baby? If you’re going to be pumping, make sure you’ve got a breast pump ready to go.
- Reading and singing to baby is a great way to spend quality time with them, especially to sooth them to sleep. Start collecting baby books and maybe some song lyrics you like.
- A comfortable armchair for reading and rocking.
- You’ll want a baby monitor so that you can hear and see the baby at all times when they’re in the nursery.
- You may want to consider equipping the nursery with its own child proofed garbage for dirty diapers.
- Other basics include a: dresser, crib, night light, changing station and all the changing supplies.
In Case of Emergency
Last, but not least, there are a few things you’ll want to do in case of an emergency.
- Make sure emergency contact info and any pertinent medical info is accessible on your phone without having to get past the lock screen.
- Keep a bail-out bag with everything you and baby need to survive for a few nights just in case of emergency evacuation from the home.
- Keep a fully stocked first aid kit.
- Keep water, non-perishable food, and a non-perishable baby food alternative in case of power outages and other emergencies that might require you to stay put.
While it would be great if it were always convenient to breastfeed baby directly, sometimes that’s just not the case! Life can be hectic, and it can be hard to plan out, pump, and store for baby feeding.
When it comes time to pump and store breastmilk, there are plenty of resources to help. Check out part of KellyMom’s super handy Milk Storage Guide below (she offers more information if you click on the link!) and these pumping and storing tips from Texas WIC.
From KellyMom:
“To avoid waste and for easier thawing & warming, store milk in 1-4 ounce portions. Date milk before storing. Milk from different pumping sessions/days may be combined in one container – use the date of the first milk expressed. Avoid adding warm milk to a container of previously refrigerated or frozen milk – cool the new milk before combining. Breastmilk is not spoiled unless it smells really bad or tastes sour.
To thaw milk
- Thaw slowly in the refrigerator. (This takes about 12 hours – try putting it in the fridge the night before you need it.) Avoid letting milk sit out at room temperature to thaw.
- For quicker thawing, hold container under running water – start cool and gradually increase temperature.
Previously frozen milk may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours after it has finished thawing. Do not refreeze.
To warm milk
- Heat water in a cup or other small container, then place frozen milk in the water to warm; or
- Use a bottle warmer.
- NEVER microwave human milk or heat it directly on the stove.
The cream will rise to the top of the milk during storage. Gently swirl milk (do not shake) to mix before checking temperature and offering to baby.
If baby does not finish milk at one feeding, it is probably safe to refrigerate and offer within 1-2 hours before it is discarded.”
Tips from Texas WIC:
“Start pumping on maternity leave. If you plan to go back to work, it’s a good idea to begin pumping while you are still on maternity leave. It will help you get prepared and build a backup supply of breastmilk. You can begin anytime you feel ready. Start with pumping once a day between feedings. Many moms find that they are able to express more milk in the morning. Once you find a time that works best for you, try to pump around the same time each day.
Keep a consistent schedule. When you return to work, you will need to express your milk during the times you would normally feed your baby. Let your employer know about the importance of keeping that same schedule. Pumping at work will help you breastfeed your baby longer because it tells your body to keep making milk. It will also keep your body comfortable so that you can focus on work.”