Blog

I have a good Christmas present for nursing mothers or mothers to be. Who has heard of Silverette? Small silver cups that are worn in your bra over your nipples in the early days of breastfeeding. Silver is a natural antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti fungal remedy and it heals and prevents cuts, wounds, cracks, soreness and infections.
Once you own a pair of Silverette cups they can be stored and used for your next baby. After all your baby’s are born and breastfeeding is over for you the company can make a piece of jewelry for you out of the original silverettes you used while breastfeeding your babies.  Check out the company Silverette USA. Preventing a nipple infection is the first step to prevent yourself from getting mastitis.

I have to get on my soap box today and post a few important facts about breastfeeding in general.  Colostrum is the first substance that is present in a pregnant womans breast when she is 20 weeks. Colostrum is very protective for your new baby. The colostrum coats the mouth, esophagus, the stomach and the intestines which prevents germs from being able to penetrate the baby’s  system. Colostrum changes into transitional milk somewhere between 2-5 days in the life of your baby.

The catalyst that gets the body to make breast milk is the placenta leaving the body. When the placenta leaves the body, prolactin, the hormone that makes the milk spikes in a new mother’s blood stream for 2 weeks. At the 2 week mark the milk making system becomes supply and demand. The best chance to set the bar for a healthy milk supply is in the first 2 weeks of life. A brand new baby is a mother’s new pump but if the baby is too sleepy or having a hard time with the latch this can take a few days to work through. My advice is to pump your breasts every 3 hours in order to maximize the effect of elevated prolactin levels during the first 2 weeks after birth.

Literature says don’t pump for the first month which is such an injustice that needs to change for so many women!

Cando Kiddo is a great resource for all kinds of information about babies and some of the challenges they can bring. Topics to include brain boosting baby play, when and why solids are introduced and how to, avoiding the baby helmet and helping baby learn walk. http://www.candokiddo.com/news/when-to-start-solid-foods