Pets and babies: Making it work!

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Pets and babies: Making it work!

Here's question I got from a past client after coming home with their newborn.  

I am thinking of getting rid of my dog and cat. I just can’t handle them with our new baby. Have you had other parents who felt the same way during these early weeks and then things got better?

My answer: I appreciate your honesty. A new baby in the house is a huge adjustment for everyone, including our pets!

I worked with a family and their 3-week-old recently, and it was obvious how much their family dog means to them. The house is decorated with professional photos of the dog, comfy pet beds fill the corners and soft blankets cover special chairs. The dog had still not eaten her breakfast by the time I arrived at noon, causing angst in the mom. …

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Support for breastfeeding during month of raised awareness

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My baby nurses her baby.

My baby nurses her baby.

Even though I am way beyond the early years of having and raising babies, breastfeeding remains a frequent topic of conversation in my home. Of course, my line of work lends itself to friends and family sending me breastfeeding stories in the news, or social media posts by celebrities making statements around their choices to breastfeed (or pump) whenever and wherever they choose. But the conversations are also sometimes like this…

During a recent discussion about my line of work with my daughter’s boyfriend, I asked him if he was breastfed. “No,” he replied and quickly added, “but I turned out just fine. And look at Olivia,” he continued, “she’s great, too.” To which Olivia piped up, “Uh, I breastfed for three years.” That tidbit of information didn’t appear to phase him. In fact, it reminds me of when I first started learning about breastfeeding relationships and how they could look, which was much different than my limited exposure imagined. 

Mom pumps milk in the middle of Laguardia airport before installation of nursing pods.

Mom pumps milk in the middle of Laguardia airport before installation of nursing pods.

I recall being at a La Leche League meeting with my 5 week old baby and seeing a toddler nursing in his mother’s lap. I had never seen a child that age nursing (until I had my own I had little experience with babies breastfeeding) and it took some getting used to on my part. Clearly, I made it past all that considering my own breastfeeding journey and later profession. 

Do I think breastfeeding is the only way to feed a baby? Absolutely not. I’ve seen far too many situations where breastfeeding was not working for one reason or another. We aim to support mothers and families where they are. However, I do believe breastfeeding is a human right, and that it saves lives and helps communities. I desire to see mothers supported to successfully breastfeed, and I want negative beliefs that undermine their success to be challenged. 

NationalBreastfeedingMonth.jpg

August is National Breastfeeding Month in the US, which is celebrated in order to support and increase awareness of breastfeeding and its benefits. World Breastfeeding Week was the first week of August and commemorates the Innocenti Declaration On the Protection, Promotion and Support of Breastfeeding, signed in August 1990, by government policymakers, the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF to promote and protect this important first food. 

To pump or not to pump, that is the question...

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To pump or not to pump, that is the question...

Mother’s Situation: I’m six months pregnant with my first child and I’m planning on trying to breastfeed. I’ll be returning to work, though, and I think it might be difficult. I’m considering breastfeeding just until I return to work because I don’t want the hassle of pumping and storing my milk. What inspires other mothers to keep on breastfeeding or pumping even after they resume working? 

As a postpartum doula who works with mothers in their homes after they’ve had their babies, I am inspired by the thought you are putting into this important decision. Many of my clients return or will be returning to work, and most of them choose to breastfeed. Many plan to breastfeed until they return to work, and some plan to continue pumping while they are working. 

Quite simply, what inspires them to continue are their babies! 

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Birth of a Doula

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Birth of a Doula

A brand new mother sat at home in her living room with her baby boy a couple of days after giving birth. She had done so much preparation leading up to her birth - she and her husband attended a childbirth class that focused on having the partner as coach to the laboring mother. Even so, she had hired a birth doula to support them both through the process. As part of her childbirth class she attended a breastfeeding support group to learn about feeding her baby once he arrived. She had her music picked out for her birth, lined up her photographer, and packed all the special items she wanted to bring with her to the birth center. 

Things didn’t go as planned. …

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We were all thumbs, or, what to do about thumbsucking

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We were all thumbs, or, what to do about thumbsucking

Q. My baby used to love her pacifier, but now she’s found her thumb and there’s no looking back. Should I worry about the problems we’ll have breaking her of this habit in the future?

You’ve certainly asked the right person - I had a thumb-sucker myself. (Notice the emphasis on “had.”)

Sucking is one of the most common ways babies and toddlers comfort and settle themselves. Many – like my daughter, Olivia, for instance – start in the womb. According to Cary lactation consultant Cindi Freeman, “Sucking is a normal and necessary biological activity for young children that can last well beyond their weaning from the breast and bottle.”  And sucking on a thumb has several advantages over a pacifier. ...

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Getting clear on foremilk/hindmilk

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Getting clear on foremilk/hindmilk

Q. I read about foremilk/hindmilk imbalance on the Internet and I’m worried that I have it. What should I do?

A. Oh, the Internet. What a great resource it can be for quick answers and support on so many topics. Yet, sometimes it’s misleading.

Inevitably when a breastfeeding mom is concerned about this issue, I know she has been self-diagnosing online. Information on the Internet about foremilk/hindmilk imbalance tends to trick a mother into thinking she has the condition when, in fact, it’s a very rare condition, says Cindi Freeman, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and owner of Freeman Lactation Services in Cary, North Carolina.
 

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Adventures of a one armed baby (or one way to wean from a swaddle)

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Adventures of a one armed baby (or one way to wean from a swaddle)

A while back I collaborated with Heidi Holvoet on a “why and how to” swaddle article. Heidi is a sleep consultant, author and owner of Baby Sleep Advice. In the article, I wrote that swaddling is one of the best tools new parents have for calming newborns and helping them to sleep better. I explained how swaddling prevents the startle reflex from waking newborns and creates a comforting, womb-like sensation.

Eventually though, even the best tools get thrown out of the toolbox. ...

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