I'm sure you know that breast milk is the best source of nutrition for your growing baby, but I'll bet I can tell you some things that you didn't know about the amazing powers of breastfeeding! Here are some little known breastfeeding facts: Past infancy, breast milk continues to provide rapidly growing babies and toddlers with a great source of nutrition. The fat and energy contents in breast milk cannot be matched in formulas or cereals found on store shelves. As quickly as their little bodies are growing and changing and moving, breast milk is the best source of energy, vitamins, and nutrition for them for years! Numerous … [Read more...]
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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.
Adoption and Breastfeeding: A Story of Success
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“So, are you going to breastfeed Abbey?” It was the beginning of a new school year. A few weeks prior, I had started homeschooling the children, but today was a special day. It was the first day of our homeschool co-op. I walked into the building to get “The Three Amigos” settled into their new Thursday routine and had plans to enjoy the rest of the day with my new baby girl. Several weeks prior, she had come to us by way of adoption. So, although I was still a bit sleep deprived when I walked into the church, I was excited to be a new mommy all over again. Many of my friends knew that our daughter had come home but had not met her … [Read more...]
Does Breastfeeding Hurt?
If you're a soon-to-be new mom or new breastfeeder who's not yet had the pleasure of nursing a child, you may have one question on your mind: Does breastfeeding hurt? The truth of it is, breastfeeding can, in fact, hurt. But does it always? Well, that depends on who you ask. Many women have successfully breastfed all of their children without a lick of pain. Others swear by "toughening" their nipples before baby arrives, although this is not recommended, as you may damage your nipples more than help them. But most mothers you ask may tell you about a week or two of pain, followed by no pain and sheer breastfeeding bliss. Pain, More Pain, … [Read more...]
Can You Get Pregnant While Breastfeeding?
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Can you get pregnant while breastfeeding? We have all heard one opinion or another regarding whether or not it is possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding. And many of our experiences run contrary to the information we were given. There is factual information about breastfeeding and fertility available, whether you hope to avoid pregnancy after childbirth or add to your family with a baby close in age to your little one. Much of the confusion comes not from misinformation—trusted health organizations (like the WHO and the La Leche League) are in agreement on the basic ways that lactation affects reproduction—but in the difficulty in … [Read more...]
10 Tips to Keep Your Baby from Weaning at 6 Months
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It's extremely common to hear mothers say that their infants self-weaned between six to eight months of age. With developmental milestones, teething, and just generally getting more involved in the world around them, babies are easily distracted from nursing. Fortunately there is no need for this to signal an end to the breastfeeding relationship. In no particular order, here are some tips that have been very helpful to other moms who have kept their baby from weaning at 6 months. 1. Start with a calm baby. Babies who are being forced to the breast will usually resist, which can lead to further breast refusal. 2. Take the baby into a dark, … [Read more...]
5 More Benefits of Breastfeeding for Baby and Mom
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Thanks for joining us for the second part of "Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mom and Baby." We talked about bonding/empowerment, antibodies, passing of meconium after birth, contraction, and developing sucking reflexes. If you missed the first 5 benefits, click here. Easy to Digest Breast milk is packed with a lot of vitamins, proteins, and amino acids that are easier to digest when compared to formula. Babies will have fewer occurrences of colic, constipation and diarrhea. However, because breast milk is so easily absorbed by the body, babies tend to nurse more often. Mothers need to be aware of the amount of time their babies spend … [Read more...]
5 Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mom and Baby
Breast milk is naturally produced by a woman’s mammary glands during or after pregnancy. Mothers who have decided to breastfeed their infants and toddlers are able to offer a natural source of vitamins, nutrients and immunizations, which enhances growth and development. This article highlights 5 benefits of breastfeeding for baby. These benefits are: bonding/empowerment, antibodies, passing of meconium after birth, contraction, and developing sucking reflexes. Bonding & Empowerment Mothers who have decided to breastfeed their babies after birth are able to develop a close emotional bond with their little ones. Mother and baby are taken … [Read more...]
An Extraordinary Breastfeeding Story (Part 2)
In the first part of this post, I shared a story of extraordinary breastfeeding obstacles, but now I come to the point in the story when we reached extraordinary success. After both of my boys were released from the hospital, we settled into a routine at home. I was successfully breastfeeding Simeon, and he was gaining weight and thriving. JohnOwen was still fed by a tube from his nose to his intestine, and his stomach was completely unable to process food. The first night at home he pulled the tube from his nose, and we found ourselves back in the hospital having it replaced. Feeding from the Tube After about a month at … [Read more...]
An Extraordinary Breastfeeding Story (Part 1)
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I always wanted to be a mom. With a big family. Wanted to start right away after getting married. And, of course, breastfeeding was a given. But God had other plans. After two years of trying, I finally saw two pink lines. And if the story had continued down a traditional path—baby showers, new maternity clothes, What to Expect When Your Expecting, birthing classes, and a little bundle arriving on time—well, then there would be no extraordinary breastfeeding story to share. Instead, two pink lines were followed by months and months of extreme hyperemesis, so that by the time of my 20-week ultrasound, I looked a bit like a skeleton with a … [Read more...]
Weaning from Breastfeeding: 7 Things for Moms to Consider
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Weaning from breastfeeding: I have successfully done this with four children. Okay, that’s not true. I have successfully weaned one child. The first three weaned themselves. Well, maybe that’s not true either. I guess it depends on how you define weaning. If I remember my La Leche League literature correctly, weaning from breastfeeding technically begins as soon you introduce solid food into your child’s diet. In that case, I began weaning all my kids around six months of age. Sometime eighteen months to two years later, they competed the process themselves. They simply lost interest over time (maybe with a little … [Read more...]
