Dove Miracle Moments

Did you know that it is normal for infants to wake at night to feed? That doing so protect breastmilk supply and ensures adequate nutritional intake as well as promotes parental bonding?

That doesn't mean you can't encourage that stopping when you and your little one are ready though.

It's Sleep Awareness Week and TLB Night Weaning Week and we're talking about why you might want to night wean, when is a good time to night wean, and how to night wean.

Not sure if your child is ready? Download this free, printable night weaning readiness checklist: http://eepurl.com/gVmN-n

Have questions about night weaning gently? See FAQs here: https://bit.ly/2xrQOPz

What’s the best bottle?

It’s one of the most commonly asked questions among families because regardless of whether you plan to use it occasionally or exclusively, there will probably be a time you want or need to use a bottle.

Tips for Using Bottles:
1) The bottle shape itself is not very important. Fancy angled shapes or bottles that mimic the shape of a breast are largely just aesthetically appealing to you as the parent. Your baby doesn’t really care.
2) The shape and flow of the ni**le are major factors to consider. Ideally, the ni**le should be round and should have a gradual taper down to the base. Think of how a ni**le should be shaped after breastfeeding: round! Not compressed, wedged, or lipstick shaped. It should have a slow flow rate.
• there is no standard for flow rates. If the flow rate is “slow” then it only means it is supposed to be slower than the other ni**les made by that manufacturer.
• if your baby cannot suck on a round ni**le or struggles to drink from a slow flow, this indicates a functional issue and should be evaluated.
3) Pace feed bottles based on hunger cues! Let your baby show you it’s time to eat and allow your baby to latch to the bottle. The bottle should be held horizontal, allowing the milk or formula to fill just the tip of the ni**le. This helps your baby swallow less air, allows them to coordinate sucking, swallowing, and breathing, reduces spit up, and helps your baby recognize their own hunger and fullness. For parents who are also feeding at the breast, it can also help prevent bottle preference!

If you need help, this is within the scope of a lactation consultant whether you’re feeding breastmilk or formula!

Spitting up is common in healthy babies! During the first 3 months, about half of all newborns experience spitting up- when the contents of their stomach come back up into the esophagus- a condition known as gastroesophageal reflux, GERD, or infant reflux. The small muscle between the esophagus and the stomach (lower esophageal sphincter) keeps stomach contents where they belong. In newborns, this muscle is still growing. Until this muscle is fully mature, spitting up might be an issue — especially if your baby is full.

Here is the thing! The amount of milk or formula your baby spits up can be deceiving! After a spit up, it can feel very overwhelming to see what looks like an entire feed splattered on the floor or soaking into fabric. What looks like an entire feed is likely only a small amount.

Take a look at this graphic. Especially on fabric, spit up can spread quickly and look like far more than is actually present. One tablespoon of fluid soaks through the entire chest area of a multi layer swaddle within moments. One tablespoon is only 1/2 an ounce or 15ml, a small fraction of a feeding for most newborns!

Spit up is very common in many healthy newborns. As long as baby spits up without discomfort, it comes out with ease, and baby is gaining weight, this is what I refer to as “a laundry problem” more than anything else. If baby is difficult to soothe or is in pain, is refusing to eat, if spit up is discolored (green or bloody), or if baby is having trouble gaining weight then it is time to consult with your pediatrician for further evaluation.

A few tips if your little one is a “happy spitter”:
-Keep your baby upright. Let gravity be on your side! Feed your baby in a more upright position. Follow each feeding with extra time in an upright position, avoiding immediate active play or bouncing.
-Avoid overfeeding. Feeding your baby smaller amounts a bit more frequently may help.
-Take time to burp your baby. Frequent burps during and after each feeding can keep air from building up in your baby's stomach.

Breastfeeding benefits are important for baby AND mom!

Image Credit: Fashion Lady

So true!