This is one of the most common concerns we see. Parents worry because baby takes a few sucks and falls asleep. What can you do? Keep in mind that your supply is established in the first few weeks, so if your baby is falling asleep after just a minute or two, it is very important to be seen asap, and in the meantime, start pumping to make sure you protect your milk supply. You can pump and bottle feed to make sure your baby is fed, use formula if you are not pumping enough and get in to your lacation consultant so you can see how much your baby is actually getting at the breast. If giving a bottle, use paced bottle feeding method. This will help your baby not get used to the fast flow of the bottle. You can also try a nipple shield which can sometimes help your baby when you are very engorged. Babies will go back to the breast so don't worry about using a bottle or nipple shield. Your LC will get your baby back to breast. Think of what your chief concern is; making sure your baby is fed and we can worry about the rest after you are seen. What is the turnaround time until baby is nursing better at the breast? It can be anywhere from 1-6 weeks typically. Babies that were born early tend to start waking up as the get closer to their due date. Know that sometimes we have to give these litte ones time to grow. It is best to be seen in person if possible.

This can be very frustrating. Sometimes babies do well in the hospital and then come home and when they try to latch on, they move their head from side to side and just can't latch. This can be from a variety of reasons including mom being very full or engorged, positioning, baby having trouble turning head to one side form the way positioned in utero to name a few. Keep in mind that your supply is established in the first few weeks, so if your baby is falling asleep after just a minute or two, it is very important to be seen asap, and in the meantime, start pumping to make sure you protect your milk supply. You can pump and bottle feed if your baby is really sleepy to make sure your baby is fed, use formula if you are not pumping enough and get in to your lacation consultant so you can see how much your baby is actually getting at the breast. If giving a bottle, use paced bottle feeding method. This will help your baby not get used to the fast flow of the bottle. Babies will go back to the breast so don't worry about using a bottle. Your LC will get your baby back to breast. Think of what your chief concern is; making sure your baby is fed and we can worry about the rest after you are seen. It is best to be seen in person if possible. What is the turnaround time until baby is latching on their own? This varies but we find this is something that resolves very quickly, usually in a week or maybe two.

Sore nipples are thought to be the second most common reasons many women give up on breastfeeding. Pain is a hard thing to deal with feeding after feeding. When someone calls us at NMNB with concerns of sore nipples, we usually will recommned either a nipple shield which can sometimes help get them through till they see us, pump and bottle feed if you are too sore to nurse, or nurse at one feeding and pump the next. Once we can see you in person, we will get to the root cause of the problem that is causing your sore nipples. Remember,until you are seen, it is so important that you are having at least 8 expressions of milk by either nursing or pumping. Less than 8 expression will cause your supply to decrease. Getting into see your lactation consultant will help turn thigns around quickly. We generally find sore nipples are almost healed within 1 week.

For most first time moms, your milk comes in around day 4 postpartum. For some it may even be a little later like day 5 or 6, but usually in that time frame. If it is your 2nd or more, it likely will be a little earlier. For some, but not all, this process of your milk "coming in" can be painful and also make it hard for your baby to latch. The recommnedations for treating engorgement and clogged ducts has changed in the past year. In 2023, the protocol has gone from warm, compresses, massage and pumping to cold compresses, light massage if any and little to no extra milk removal. The thought is that we want to decrease inflammation in the breasts as much as possible. The BAIT protocol for clogged ducts and engorgement is as follows: Breast rest: Don't over massage or overfeed. ... Advil: 800 milligrams (mg) every eight hours for 48 hours. Ice: Apply for 10 minutes at a time while laying on your back. ... Tylenol: 1,000 mg every 8 eight hours for 48 hours. Since every mother is unique, your best bet is to schedule a lactation visit and let your IBCLC guide you to acheive your goals. What is the turnaround time for resolution of clogged ducts or engorgement? Usually this subsides quickly within 1 week.

We find many women are using their pumps incorrectly and need some instruction. It can be confusing and while we go over pump use at our consultations, it is fine to schedule a consult if you have questions on how to use your breastpump. Remember, pumps are not necessary to use if breastfeeding is going well. The ease of just breastfeeding without extra work of cleaning and washing pump parts can be very freeing. That being said, we understand many moms need to return to work or would like the help of their partner with the feedings. Whatever your circumstance, we are here to help. In addition, your pump should not hurt or cause blisters, wounds or skin breakdown so if you are having trouble, be sure and schedule an appointment with your local IBCLC.

Some babies may need to take a bottle early on. Some babies will go to the Special Care Nursery or NICU and bottle feeding quickly become part of the feeding process. Keep in mind, bottle feeding is not synonymous with formula. In fact, when an IBCLC suggests bottle feeding, we always think of it as giving your baby breastmilk in a bottle and formula if you are not making enough breastmilk. We are grateful formula is there when we need it. We prefer to use the gold standard of breastmilk when we have it! Sometimes a baby has trouble latching or is not getting enough at breast and we need to start bottles. Paced bottle feeding is a technique that can help babies continue to breastfeed even though they are taking a bottle (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNMm4Twhvbs). This technique helps babies not get so used to the fast flow of the bottle. So many of our moms nurse for a 1-2 years or more and very successfully mix breast and bottle. You can too!

There may be something not listed here that you are experiencing. If you have any questions, feel free to email us newmom888@gmail.com or call us at 847-272-1500.