Right after you have a baby, the last thing you feel like doing (or should be doing) is getting up to exercise. Fortunately, if you breastfeed, your body is willing to do some of the work for you. Breastfeeding is hard work. Many women want to know, "How many calories do you burn breastfeeding?" How Many Calories Do You Burn Breastfeeding? Although the amount varies for each woman, the average is around 500 calories a day. The number depends on how frequently you're nursing, whether you're supplementing with formula, and how much milk your body produces. While burning 500 calories when breastfeeding sounds like a lot, it's important … [Read more...]
Please Note: This post may contain sponsor, affiliate, and/or referral links. Read my full disclosure statement.
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.
A mom of four with one current breastfeeder, Stephanie loves to share her breastfeeding, birthing, and child-rearing experiences with anyone who asks. She is an experienced copywriter, editor, and blogger who hopes her words will reach others while glorifying God. Feel free to drop her a line at ForgetiveOkaasan@gmail.com
What Not to Eat When Breastfeeding
By 5 Comments
When you were pregnant, you had to keep a close eye on your diet. Now that you've had baby, you may be wondering what not to eat when breastfeeding. Eating and Drinking: What Not to Eat When Breastfeeding Alcohol: You won't hear many practitioners advocating alcohol when you're breastfeeding. However, new research says you should be fine with a few drinks - as long as you're capable of caring for your baby, you should be ok to breastfeed. If you're still concerned, however, you could just wait to drink right after you've breastfed your baby. Fish: Although the rules on fish and breastfeeding are a bit more lax than they were with … [Read more...]
All About Breast Milk Lactose
Breast milk is made up of many different components, all of which have varying benefits for baby. Lactose is an important part of a mother's milk, but what is breast milk lactose, and how is it different than cow's milk lactose? What is Breast Milk Lactose? Lactose is the main carbohydrate in breast milk. It comprises approximately 40% of the calories in your milk. Lactose is useful because it decreases the total unhealthy bacteria in baby's tummy, helping improve the absorption of important minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, and phosphate. It also helps the good bacteria to grow, and it's great for energy and brain … [Read more...]
Breast vs. Bottle Feeding
By 2 Comments
We know that breast is best -- but do we know why? If you compare breast vs. bottle feeding, which one comes out on top? Let's take a look at the two to see the pros and cons. Breast vs. Bottle Feeding - Which is Best and Why? Convenience: In terms of convenience, breast will always come out on top -- for the mom, anyway. For a caregiver, they will need to heat up a bottle, whether it's full of breast milk or formula. However, anyone can give a baby a bottle. Cost: Breast milk is free! However, if you're not hand-expressing your milk, you will have to pay for a pump, plus the bottles and storage containers, and possibly even the breast … [Read more...]
What Are the Components of Breast Milk?
By 2 Comments
Just as every baby is different, so is the breast milk baby drinks. While the make-up of the milk changes every day with mom's diet, the basic components of breast milk stay the same. And while there are thousands of different components of breast milk, we'll cover some of the essentials. What Are the Components of Breast Milk? Water: Breast milk is approximately 88% water; all the other components are diffused into the water. Breast milk provides more than enough water for baby, and giving baby extra water is not only unnecessary, but potentially dangerous if baby drinks too much. Fat: Despite what you hear in popular media, some fat … [Read more...]
What is Breast Milk Jewelry?
Not too long ago, I stumbled across a discussion about breast milk jewelry. I was baffled. What is breast milk jewelry? I soon discovered it's exactly what it sounds like. Breast milk jewelry, also known as breast milk pendants, are keepsakes of your body's most precious gift to your baby: your breast milk. How is Breast Milk Jewelry Made? Although each artist has their own unique system for creating breast milk jewelry, the overall process is similar. You express about 2 tablespoons of breast milk into a baggie, then send the small sample to the jewelry artist. The artist then takes steps to preserve or prepare the milk, molds it into a … [Read more...]
Antibodies in Breast Milk: Baby’s First Line of Defense
By 2 Comments
Breast milk is pretty amazing. In addition to providing all the nutrients your baby needs for its first year of life (and longer!), there are also antibodies in breast milk that give your baby the defense it needs to fight sickness in the early years of baby's life. What Are Antibodies in Breast Milk? Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins, are special proteins used by your immune system to ward off the bad guys, such as bacteria and viruses. They come in five different classes, and although all five have shown up in breast milk, one in particular is the most prominent: secretory IgA (aka, sIgA, or Immunoglobulin A). These antibodies … [Read more...]
5 Types of Breast Milk Containers
When you're ready to pump breast milk for your baby, you'll need to find a good storage container for the milk. There are a lot of breast milk container options on the market, and it's a good idea to experiment and see what container, or set of containers, works best for you. 5 Types of Breast Milk Containers 1.) Bottles - Bottles designed specifically for storing breast milk are a great option because they can twist right onto your breast pump, then twist or snap onto the bottle's nipple without having to transfer the milk. They come in many shapes and sizes, and their rigid form gives you an accurate reading of how much milk you're … [Read more...]
My Favorite Breastfeeding Accessories
By 1 Comment
Every mom needs her "mom gear!" And, while some items are necessities, others are simple luxuries. Breastfeeding calls for some new things, and this list showcases the nursing items I can't live without -- my favorite breastfeeding accessories. Nursing Cover - I'm not one of those women who feels comfortable nursing in public or at home with guests without some kind of covering. And for nursing covers, the bigger the better. I initially used a sort of drape that covered my front and back. However, the neck was so wide, it was easy for baby to pull down, and the cover didn't go quite low enough to cover me if baby was kicking a lot. I then … [Read more...]
How Long Will Thawed Breast Milk Last?
Once you know how to properly express and freeze your breast milk, you will need to know how long it will stay good after you take it out of the freezer. So how long will thawed breast milk last? If you let the breast milk thaw out in the fridge, you can keep it in the fridge up to 24 hours after it has finished thawing. (Note that it can take around 12 hours to thaw depending on how much milk is in the container and how cold your fridge is). If you warmed the thawed breast milk, do not try to hang on to it. Warmed milk is far more likely to have been exposed to bacterial growth. Why Should Frozen Breast Milk Be Thrown Out Sooner Than … [Read more...]
