Meredith Briglio, IBCLC - Lactation Consultant

Is it hot where you are today?

Wondering if your little one who’s 0-6 months needs extra water to stay cool?

The answer is no (but always speak with your healthcare provider if you have questions).

If you’re feeding directly at the breast or chest, you little one will likely want to feed more often to quench their thirst. Continue to follow their cues and feed whenever they’re showing signs (hands to mouth, licking their lips, rooting).

Babies who are receiving only human milk (whether at the breast or by bottle) may feed more often to keep themselves hydrated in this hot weather.

Formula fed babies may also want to feed more often to keep hydrated.

Water shouldn’t be given to babies under 6 months of age as we don’t want to fill their tummies with it instead of their main food (or milk or formula).

Babies who are 6 months and older who have started solid foods in addition to their milk or formula feedings should be offered some milk in an open or straw cup along with their solid foods.

Check out ‘s website for more info.

https://www.lllc.ca/breastfeeding-summer-or-hot-weather #:~:text=Breastfeeding%20a%20warm%20baby%20on,a%20bathtub%20or%20children's%20pool.

Repost from - Everyone 6 months and older is eligible to get the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine, and it is recommended for everyone to do so. COVID-19 vaccines substantially reduce the risk of illness, severe outcomes, and death due to COVID-19.

And YES - that includes anyone who is pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Pregnancy leads to mild immunosuppression (so your body doesn’t reject the developing fetus) and that means you are at higher risk of illness during pregnancy. Indeed, data demonstrate that COVID-19 during pregnancy can lead to a variety of complications, including pre-term birth, stillbirth, low birth weight, preeclampsia, and NICU admission.

A bonus: when your B cells are making antibodies to protect YOU against COVID-19, those antibodies can be passively transferred to the fetus (via the placenta) or your newborn (via breastmilk). That means you are protecting your child when they are too young to be personally eligible for vaccination.

In addition, COVID-19 vaccination does not impact fertility. While some people may experience changes in menstrual cycles, this is because the endometrium of the uterus is part of your immune system. Changes in menstrual patterns are temporary, and it’s important to remember that lots of things can impact your menstrual cycle – really anything that alters your immune system including poor sleep, stress, and infection with pathogens like SARS-CoV-2. What CAN impact fertility is damage elicited by COVID-19 illness.

If you have specific questions about the optimal timing during your pregnancy, talk to your gynecologist/obstetrician.

We have a LOT of posts on these topics, so make sure to use our database to find more detail: www.uspodsources.com.

Reposted from - What you see on most of social media and the internet related to pumping is not the reality for most people. Do brimming, overflowing bottles of pumped milk make you feel insecure of your own milk supply? Stop comparing yourself. You don’t know their situation or journey for how they got there. Having an unrealistic expectation for your milk supply can also inadvertently sabotage your perfectly normal journey. So what’s normal?
🍼If you pump within 30 minutes of breastfeeding your baby, I expect you to only be able to pump 1/4-1oz COMBINED between both sides
🍼If you’re pumping in place of feeding directly from your body, every 2-3 hours, A normal volume would be 2-4oz depending on the age of your baby and your breast storage capacity
🍼 The best way to make milk is to frequently empty milk to either your baby or a quality pump. If you go more than 5-6 hours between feeding or pumping I expect your milk supply to drop. You can’t pump or feed less than 6 times in 24 hours and expect to have a full milk supply for a baby under 6 months. There are exceptions to this for few people who have a true oversupply. The MAJORITY of us need to feed or pump 8-12+ times per day to make the milk our baby needs. Normal
🍼 Breastfed babies under 12 months take 20-32oz of breastmilk in 24 hours. From current research, exclusively breastfed babies will average 25 ounces in 24 hours. That is the goal for volume
🍼 Not all pumps are created equal. There are some crappy pumps that will not stimulate you to release milk well, making you think you have a lower supply than you do. Pumping is never an indication of what your body can make
🍼Using the wrong pump fl**ge can also sabotage your supply by not emptying your breast well. If you have to have the suction on the highest setting, if you see a lot of ar**la being pulled into the fl**ge tunnel, did you see air around your ar**la while pumping, if you still feel like you have milk in the breast after pumping or are getting recurrent plugged ducts while pumping, you’re using the wrong size fl**ge
🍼 Milk volumes are supposed to fluctuate during the day. Higher in the AM, lower in the PM. Normal.

Saw this pod at Pearson airport in Toronto.

While it’s great to offer a (presumably) clean and private space for parents to pump or feed (I didn’t go in to confirm this), it’s important for parents to not feel pressured to feed their babies in here if they don’t want to.

Local laws generally permit a parent to or anywhere they are legally allowed to be.

Feed your baby anytime, anywhere. No need to hide away or cover up if you don’t want to.

As an IBCLC, I’m constantly learning about the latest research and evidence based techniques in lactation.

For many parents, pumping is a part of or exclusively how they feed their babies. One of my favourite things is properly sizing parents for their pump and seeing the difference in not only their comfort, but also the milk output!

So excited to continue learning from Jeanette Babies in Common at GOLD Lactation Online Conference this year.

Join us with Jeanette Mesite Frem MHS, IBCLC, RLC, CCE in our NICU Babies: Advancing Human Milk and Breastfeeding Practices Lecture Pack at GOLD Lactation Online Conference 2023!

"Pumping for Hospitalized Babies: 12 Keys to Supporting Families" brings you practical, evidence-based information. You'll learn the latest when it comes to pump choices, fl**ge fit, milk storage, and more!

Learn more about all the presentations in this lecture pack here: https://www.goldlactation.com/conference/add-on-information/nicu-human-milk-breastfeeding-practices-add-on

Love learning about the latest research in lactation. I’m excited to put this info into practice with the families I work with.

The latest breastfeeding research and clinical skills are only a few clicks away. Join us for an informative and engaging learning experience at GOLD Lactation Online Conference 2023! Learn all about the speakers and topics and start your learning journey today: https://www.goldlactation.com/conference/speakers

Will you be joining us this year? Tell us how you enjoy your GOLD Lactation Experience! Are you at work? Relaxing by the pool? Or are you curled up on the couch in your favourite pajamas, next to your little one, enjoying a cup of tea? Which part of the GOLD Lactation Experience are you looking forward to?

Here are some highlights:
🌟 28 Topics by 31 Expert Speakers
🌟 Live Presentations, On-Demand Recordings with Closed Captioning & Handouts
🌟 Access from Home, Work and On-the-go
🌟 Connect with over 4,500 Participants from 90+ Countries
🌟 Exclusive Interactive Sessions & Panel Discussions
🌟 Live Chat, Speaker-moderated Forums, Networking Sessions & Discussion Groups
🌟 Virtual Yoga, Mindfulness, Fun Contests & Giveaways, Mandela Colouring Books & More
🌟 Discounts Available for Specific Countries, Groups, Students & Volunteers
🌟 Accredited for 29.5 CERPs (26.5L, 3E), Nurse Contact Hours, CMEs, Midwifery CEUs and Dietetic CPEUs
🌟 Education covering all areas of the IBLCE Detailed Content Outline

Join IBCLCs, Lactation Consultants, Physicians, Nurses, Midwives, Doulas, Dietitians, Speech Pathologists, Breastfeeding Volunteers, Academics & Students from around the globe and take your practice to the next level. Learning online has never been easier for the busy professional!

For further information and to register for this conference click through here: https://www.goldlactation.com/conference/registration

A good demonstration of why if you’re sick, or baby is sick, keep on feeding and providing your milk!

Mom's Breast Milk Adjusts for Her Sick Baby

As an IBCLC, I’m often asked about the effectiveness of Lactation Cookies for increasing milk supply.

I think this quote from the randomized control trial (considered the gold standard of study designs) sums up my thoughts perfectly:

“Recommendations to consume [Lactation Cookies] for increasing objective or subjective milk supply may deliver false hope and unnecessary financial costs at a vulnerable time.”

Remember, effective and frequent milk removal is NECESSARY for milk production. Could certain Galactogogues help? Yes, BUT ONLY along with effective and frequent milk removal.

Got more questions about milk supply? Ask an



https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002916523462661?fbclid=IwAR2LWSrOKCWpWRxn-lCKtz4YFNYFhWiSKy55v1rVFqAP7Fuwiwb3362syKs

Great to see HuffPost Parents discussing the option to breastfeed/ chestfeed for parents who haven’t given birth.

These Parents Didn't Give Birth, But They Are Breastfeeding Their Babies Some adoptive, surrogate and q***r parents are able to nurse their babies by inducing lactation.

Remember - you can’t spoil a baby! They’re not a bag of apples.

Cuddle them, feed them, respond to them when they cry. They’re communicating the only way they know how.

I often get asked about strict routines for new babies, like feed, sleep, play routines, or time based routines from parenting books.
So are routines a good idea? Do they work? Are they beneficial?

For some families, they start to follow a routine and it goes well. It seems to all fit together nice and easily and everyone is happy. If that was you, great stuff.
But, for the vast majority of families this isn't the case at all. Let me explain why.

Babies do not read books.

Babies live purely on instinct. Their basic human needs of warmth, comfort, love, and nutrition. What a baby is expecting, is to be in the arms and at the breast of their caregiver pretty much 24/7. It's a matter of survival for them. They are completely dependent on their parents to do absolutely everything for them because it is literally impossible for them to do it for themselves.

Babies feed frequently. They have tiny tummies that need refilling often. But they don't just feed for hunger. They feed for thirst. Comfort. Pain relief. To pass wind. If they're hot. If they're cold. Scared. Lonely. Uncomfortable. The list goes on.

Breastfeeding and reaching out for their parents is the only way a baby knows. It is not done for control, or manipulation. It is not done consciously. It's survival.

Just like older children and adults, a baby's needs and mood change daily...or even hourly!
To try and get them to fit into a schedule for those needs (and not object to it) just doesn't make sense. Especially in those early few months when the baby is very much in a 'womb to world transition'

Putting a baby in a routine doesn't work, and then the parents feel like they're failing. Like they're doing something wrong, or something is wrong with their baby, or with breastfeeding.
For example 'I can't put the baby down for their nap without them waking up for more milk, is my supply running low'
No, its because babies don't like being put down! Their survival mechanisms kick in to make sure they're back in the arms of the people who can keep them safe.
'My baby is meant to be having tummy time now, but keeps getting upset'
The baby may not be in the mood for tummy time at that point. Maybe their tummy is uncomfortable, or they're tired. There could be a whole host of reasons, but they can't tell us what it is. So if they're objecting we need to listen to them, they're not being difficult - they have a reason.

So why do we try and put babies into routines when they just seem to cause more stress?
Well society has it so deeply ingrained in us that we are in control of the baby, and what they do and when. That we can somehow manipulate what they need and when they need it. That longer sleeps are somehow better. That they shouldn't need tending to at night time and that we can somehow teach them not to need us at night. That it's our 'job' to 'train' the baby.

It's time we flip it on it's head.
We're not in control and neither are they. It's a relationship from the very start, and as their parents we need to do what they need, when they need it, to support their physical, mental and emotional needs. We have the science to back this up too.

Does this mean we shouldn't ever use routines?
Let's face it, routine has to happen eventually for most families. With work and schooling it's inevitable really. Does that mean we should rush it or force it? Nope.
As the weeks and months go by and a pattern naturally starts to emerge, we can encourage the bits that suit our individual family circumstances. It can happen smoothly and gently with less upset for everyone.

So how do you cope in the meantime?
We are creatures of habit. We thrive on routine, control, and predictability. The way we live our lives doesn't fit with the way a baby needs to live theirs, and we end up in the difficult battle with our baby and ourselves.
Often coping is having the knowledge and acceptance of what's normal, even when the normal is really tough. Put as much as you can on hold until things are more settled - and they will be.
Reach out for as much support as you can get, both mentally and practically.

On - I want to thank all the incredible families I’ve worked with who make my job so rewarding and fun.

Thanks also to my wonderful mentors and colleagues and beyond for helping me to continually grow and expand my knowledge and skills.

I’m so proud to be an !

I LOVE supportive families at all stages of their feeding journeys.

Thank you so much to all the incredible parents and babies who make my job so rewarding and so much fun!

Shout out also to my incredible mentors and colleagues and beyond who enable me to grow and continue to expand my knowledge. Thank you!

Questions about safer bedsharing?

Check out this wonderful new resource from The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine for parents feeding at the breast or chest.

Remember to plan ahead and take note of situations when you should NOT bedshare including for:
- premature babies
- smoking household or parent
- any use of alcohol or drugs (or medications causing drowsiness) by a person in bed with baby
- unsafe surfaces
- babies not feeding at the breast or chest

It’s pretty obvious you love your job when many of your holiday gifts have to do with , supporting families in their feeding journeys and learning how other mammals parent their babies.

Happy Holidays!

If you use Similac formula, check your lot numbers to confirm they’re not affected by the recall.

https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/home.html?fbclid=IwAR1g1u3Pmh3uBTkPESSYENLX-E0EyKhYJqKiSgf3kZgAiOpIbiVvRdzoPmw

Abbott Recall | Powder Infant Formulas & 2 fl oz Ready-to-Feed Liquid Products Home for info about the recall of powder infant formulas and 2 fl oz ready-to-feed liquid products.

YES and YES!

Infant feeding support is about providing information for parents to make the choices that are right for their family.

Repost from using repost_now_app - Happy World Breastfeeding Week 2022!  
 
We're celebrating this year's theme "Step up for Breastfeeding - Educate and Support"…
 
Globally, breastfeeding provides food security and reduces inequalities. World Breastfeeding Week offers us an opportunity to improve existing systems and to recognize the importance of various levels of support. 
 

Taking some time and a breath.

It’s so hard as a parent (especially a parent of little ones) to find a minute to breathe. Taking that time requires support and sadly, often privilege. Sometimes that time is a nap or a shower (when babes are very little). Sometime it’s a quick coffee on a patio when you arrive early for camp pick up.

Today was a busy one - helping 4 families in 5 hours. And I’m so grateful for 20 minutes to regroup before picking up my kiddos (and doggo).

It’s so hard, but try to find a minute for yourself, even if it’s just a walk around the block with babe in a carrier. And don’t forget to ask for help to make that time possible (if you can)!

It gets easier as the babes grow. You’ve got this!

Yes! Don’t move your breast when latching.

I think this is something I notice in almost every consult. We live in a very bottle feeding culture - we are used to seeing people move a bottle to a baby’s mouth. It’s very tempting (and super common) for us to treat breasts in the same way - position baby and then move the breast. The problem with this is that people then let go.
What would happen if you put a bottle in a baby’s mouth and then let go? It will fall / move.
What happens when you move the breast into a baby’s mouth and then let go? The same thing - it will fall/move back to it’s natural position. It will drag in the baby’s mouth causing a change in attachment and often pain.
The baby needs to come to the breast, not the other way around. Find out more here: https://www.carolsmyth.co.uk/babytobreast

Yes! If you’re experiencing one of these challenges- reach out for support!

Let me go down the list with you with very short explanations.

⮞Sleep regression: Someone made up that term a few years ago. It came out of nowhere! Babies change, yes! But regression? That would be a serious developmental problem.

⮞Mild tongue tie: The frenulum under the tongue is either causing a problem or it's not. If it's a problem, it's called a tongue tie. If it's not, it's called a frenulum.

⮞Nipple confusion: Many of us were taught about ni**le confusion. Myself included! But the babies have taught me it doesn't exist. If I do ever see ni**le confusion, I promise I'll be the first to admit I was wrong!

⮞Breast refusal: Babies don't refuse the breast--they may have difficulty, but let's get real. An infant can't refuse a biological need.

⮞Self soothing: A term coined for research in the 70s that lately has been turned into a goal. And it's not really something that babies can do.

⮞Lazy eater: If a baby can't easily eat, that is a problem but it's not because they are "lazy."

⮞Fore milk/hind milk: Fat content varies throughout the feeding and throughout the day. But we don't make two kinds of milk! And regardless of fat content, it's ALL good!

Thank you for indulging me!

**leconfusion

The FDA expanded their recall advisory yesterday. It’s unclear if the wider list also applies to cans sold in Canada.

Check the manufacturer’s website and make sure you also follow the guidelines when preparing powdered formula.

Repost from using repost_now_app - Serious infant formula recall on 20 powdered Similac products. Please copy the link below for further details on which products have been recalled.

We would like to take this opportunity and share that infant powdered formula is not recommended for infants under 3 months of age. As powdered formula cannot be sterilized risk of infection such as in this recall exists. Serious illness and potential fatality is the concern. Thank you.

https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/certain-abbott-brand-powdered-infant-formula-products-recalled-due-cronobacter

Today is !

Got questions about what an does or how they can help you? Check this out:

https://vimeo.com/518332832

How a Lactation Consultant Can Help You “You gave me all the tools and support to find my way.” Have breastfeeding or chestfeeding questions? International Board Certified Lactation Consultants…

Today we celebrate all the amazing (s) helping families navigate the world of infant and child feeding.

It’s a privilege to help the families I meet, and I’m very grateful to the my IBCLC mentors who supported me while working towards my certification.

Did you know that IBCLCs are all held to the standards of our governing body ? In addition to a post secondary education in areas such as anatomy & physiology, infant/child development, nutrition and psychology, we need at least 500 hours of practical experience working directly with families before being eligible to write our certifying exam. We are required to re-certify every 5 years, acquiring additional education during that time.

If you have questions about feeding your child, talk an to access the latest evidence based practices and knowledge so you can make informed decisions for your family.

Lots of exciting things going up my exam room today.

Even though I wrote my exam last spring, due to the pandemic, my official certificate just arrived.

Love love love my Xmas present that’s now framed and ready for my room

captured this beautifully simple moment - just a parent feeding her babies.

So many great quotes from this article (BBC Future)

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220131-the-science-of-safe-and-healthy-baby-sleep

examining several studies to show what physiologically NORMAL newborn sleep looks like.

“Sleep regressions aren't real. Night wakes are normal, and protect against SIDS. And 12 hours of sleep isn't a gold standard. Here's what scientists want us to know about baby sleep.”

“Studies suggest that a baby-led approach has a number of advantages over a strict, parent-imposed schedule or routine. Research has found, for example, that the more parents controlled their baby's feeds, the more likely the child gained either too much or too little weight…”

“Observing and following the baby's needs may also benefit the parents' mental health. Parent-led routines are linked to higher levels of reported anxiety among mothers. Another study co-authored by Brown found that mothers who used baby books that promoted strict routines were more likely to say they felt depressed, stressed and less confident in their parenting abilities”

Repost from BBC Future] using repost_now_app - If you’re a parent or guardian, you’re likely to have heard some advice – solicited or not – about baby sleep. The sheer volume of advice about how much, when and where babies should sleep can be incredibly confusing. What’s the truth? Tap the link in our bio to read about what science can tell us about healthy baby sleep. 📸 Getty Images.