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Disclaimer: The information in this post is for educational purposes only. I am not a doctor. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. None of the opinions are meant to diagnose or treat any disease or illness. You should always consult your healthcare provider.


Strategies for Breastfeeding a Baby with Food Allergies

While it's not common to find a breastfed baby with food allergies, it can happen!  The most common food allergies that a breastfed baby will react to are cow's milk products and soy products.  Some babies may also react to wheat or gluten, corn, eggs, or peanuts in mom's diet. Warning Signs that You Have a Baby with Food Allergies The first and most noticeable warning sign of food allergies is fussiness.  Unlike colic that usually happens at a consistent time of day (or night!), a baby with food allergies will become fussy immediately after eating.   Other things can cause fussiness after eating, like overactive letdown or poor latch.  … [Read more...]

Symptoms of a Food Intolerance While Breastfeeding

So let's clear one thing up first mamas: your baby can't be exactly allergic to your milk. Your milk is made especially for them! However, there are things within your milk or things about a baby's health that can cause "allergies" or issues with their ability to happily digest your milk. Symptoms of a food intolerance while breastfeeding can be tricky to judge because these symptoms can also be symptoms of other issues. A food intolerance that your baby may have is simply fixed by dietary changes on your part. However, this can be frustrating and exhausting at times.   Solving the mystery: food intolerance or something … [Read more...]

Breast Milk Freezer Storage Organization Ideas

When building up your breast milk freezer storage stash, you may be wondering just how you are going to organize all of those baggies of breast milk. If you don't have some sort of system, you will end up with frozen bags that slide all over your freezer. You may even lose some as they fall down behind your freezer shelves. It would be awful to think you have less breast milk stored than you actually do! While you can purchase storage containers specifically made for storing and organizing your breast milk in an upright position, you can also get creative and use items you already have to store your breast milk in the storage … [Read more...]

The Safest Way for Warming Breast Milk from the Freezer

Whether you pump exclusively or are an occasional pumper, if you store your breast milk in the freezer you need to know how to warm it up before you give it to your baby. Remember, when you breastfeed your baby, the milk is the same temperature as your body, so your baby may refuse bottled breast milk if it is too cold. On the other hand, you want to make sure the breast milk isn't too hot or you could harm your baby. Warming breast milk from the freezer is a pretty straight forward process. Warming Breast Milk from the Freezer   Storing Your Breast Milk in the Freezer First, let's take a minute to review proper breast milk … [Read more...]

Myth Busters: Does Frequent Nursing Mean Baby isn’t Getting Enough?

It seems like when a woman has a new baby, she is suddenly presented with an onslaught of people who want to be helpful by offering their advice! The problem is that not all of their input is very educated! It doesn't matter if it's a friend who is trying to be helpful, her mother or mother-in-law, or Great Aunt Sue. One of the most frequent things a new mom hears when putting her baby to breast is, "Again?! He just ate a half hour ago! Your frequent nursing must mean you don't have enough milk." When pregnant moms picture caring for their infants, they often picture the baby waking up to nurse every three to four hours, and dozing off … [Read more...]

Myth Busters: Will Pumping Show You How Much Breast Milk You Have?

(Editor's Note: During the month of May, Breastfeeding Place contributors will be sharing posts that address common breastfeeding myths. We sincerely hope this will be an enlightening and helpful series!)   It is common for new breastfeeding moms to question whether or not they are making enough milk for their baby. Breast milk is so mysterious. The new baby is breastfeeding for the first time and he or she may not give you all the information you need to gauge satisfactory output. However, pumping is not an accurate measurement method.   Clues That Baby is Getting Enough The number one way to tell if your baby is … [Read more...]

Is My Baby Allergic to My Breast Milk?

With the incidence of food allergies (and the knowledge of such!) on the rise in recent years, it is understandable that moms would be concerned about the possibility of babies being allergic to their breastmilk. Fortunately, this is very rarely the case! A true inability to digest the galactose in breastmilk is called galactosemia. Galactosemia is a genetic mutation that affects the body's ability to convert galactose into glucose, and causes the galactose to build up in the blood. Most cases are diagnosed through the newborn screen completed 24-48 hours post-birth (the "heel prick test"). Galactosemia, in the western world, occurs in … [Read more...]

How to Get Paid for Breast Milk Donation

I like donating to a milk bank because all of the donors are carefully screened, the milk is regulated, and I'm confident that needy babies are receiving the breast milk donations. However, I also like the idea of getting paid for all that liquid gold! Unfortunately, that is only an option through private breast milk donation. I'm not opposed to private donation, I've done it already myself, but there are some risks since things aren't as regulated. If you want to donate breast milk, you have to choose. Do you want things regulated or do you want to do get paid? Thanks to the Mothers Milk Cooperative in Oregon, you don't have to choose … [Read more...]

Breast Milk Storage Guidelines

Whether you're preparing to return to work or just want to freeze enough milk for emergencies, the idea of pumping and storing your breastmilk can be a bit daunting. How long can I leave breastmilk in the freezer? Is it okay to leave milk in a bottle from one feeding to the next? These simple breast milk storage guidelines can help reduce the stress of needing to express and store your breast milk! Breast Milk Storage Guidelines Room temperature. After expressing your breastmilk, it can safely be left at room temperature for four to six hours. If the room is very warm, it is ideal not to leave your milk out longer than two to three … [Read more...]

How Long Does Frozen Breast Milk Last?

Ahhh, that stash of frozen breast milk is building! In fact, your freezer is overflowing and, what you once thought might only last a couple weeks, you’re now wondering if you have enough to eventually send her off to preschool with bottles! Which brings a new question to light: how long will that frozen breast milk truly last? The Storage Life of Frozen Breast Milk If you have a freezer unit that is attached to a refrigerator, your frozen breast milk has a storage life of up to six months. The temperature should be kept below 39 degrees. If you have a separate deep freeze unit, the storage life can be up to 12 months (though it's … [Read more...]