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​Check out recent blogs!​
  • Breastfeeding: What's Normal, What Isn't, and When to Seek Help
  • ​What Exactly Happens During a Lactation Consultation?
  • 6 Reasons Why Private-Practice Lactation Consultants Are Worth Their Weight in Liquid Gold​​
  • 5 Myths About Tongue Tie​
  • How do I choose the right doctor for my baby?
Read this before scheduling please!
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The Breastfeeding Mother's Quick Guide to Surviving the Holidays

12/23/2016

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During the holidays, planning ahead will make you an even more confident new mom amid chaos. My hope is that this article will help you get organized and breastfeed peacefully this holiday season!

Article sections (scroll to see):


• Tips for Traveling (by plane, train or car)
• Tips for Holiday Shopping
• Tips for Leaving Your Baby During the Holidays
• Tips for Handling the Noseys
• Tips for Resisting the Urge to Start Solids Too Soon


Involve Your Closest Supporters

First, talk to your closest supporters and partner about their role in keeping you and baby breastfeeding peacefully. Whether youre at the mall shopping, at the in-laws, or at church make sure that those closest to you can help normalize your breastfeeding if opinions and impositions start up. Going in to situations prepared, like knowing the law, or having some sweet ways of steering potentially contentious conversations can help you manage situations peacefully.

Pay close attention to your milk supply

It isn't at all uncommon for lactation consultants to see an increase in clients seeking guidance on milk supply, plugged ducts or slowed infant weight-gain after the holidays.

In addition to asking family to be your breastfeeding-guardians, asking them to help take responsibility off from you during the holidays will help your milk supply stay merry and high. If you're hosting family and have a new baby at home, ask them to help with older kids, or take over meals, and let them know ahead of time that breastfeeding or pumping will be going on in your house. Letting others take over your holiday kitchen is one of the hardest things many of us can fathom, but remember to focus on the one meal that no one else can make for your baby this holiday season...your yummy breastmilk for baby!
​
Practical Tips for Surviving the Holidays:

Tips for Traveling with Baby

From plotting out breastfeeding areas on airport and train-station maps, to planning your highway stops around breastfeeding-friendly rest-areas, thinking your stay through thoroughly can help you avoid uncomfortable nursing situations.

First, for domestic travel, check out your destinations laws about breastfeeding in public...for international travel, search the laws online or ask your hosts to help you find them.

Tips for traveling by air or train:

•When booking your travel, let your agent or airline personnel know that youll be traveling with a baby. Although separate seats are hard to come by during holiday travel, they may be able to offer you more private seating and give you specific instructions about traveling with strollers and car seats.

•Consider your fellow travelers. While you shouldn't ever need to apologize for your baby's "behavior", nicely acknowledge that your children will be patented during the trip and let others know you appreciate their patience with things like diapers and feeds. Visit this super neat website for airline traveling with baby.

•If possible, plan layovers with enough time to fully prepare your family for the next leg of the flight. This includes having enough time to walk clear across the airport, change diapers, feed baby, feed siblings, feed yourself, etc. For families that need them, many airports and train stations have mother-rooms and family rooms for when parenting moments require privacy. You can find a list of many of these here.

• If you're a family who bottlefeeds, get to know the rules of traveling with breastmilk or formula. If you're traveling internationally, remember to check with the layover countries or destination country's' equivalent to the United States' TSA or customs, since rules may different.

If you're traveling by car:

• When possible, plan your trip with plenty of time to care for and feed your baby as frequently as you would when you're at home. Trying to go long stretches without nursing can cause breast discomfort, plugged ducts, and a baby who may be too hungry to focus when you do finally stop to feed. In addition, waiting too long to stop and change diapers can lead to uncomfortable baby bums.

• Consider mapping out your drive and knowing where the most comfortable rest areas or truck stops for you and your family.

• Never feed a baby in a moving car, no matter how much time youre trying to save...and this goes without saying but never breastfeed and drive!
Quick tip Milk-Storage Tips

• Any cup of clean warm water can serve as a milk warmer. Any clean cup of ice can serve as a place to chill bottles of pumped milk or formula.

• If you plan on traveling with expressed milk, practice milk-storage prior to your trip. Traveling with breastmilk in closed containers can be less messy than traveling with milk storage bags.

Something to think about...

If you're traveling far from home, or for a long period of time, it's a good idea to map out your destination's breastfeeding resources. Consider plugging in to a breastfeeding community by joining local online groups (but let the admins know your intentions since you don't want to seem like a troll, lol). Knowing where to score extra pump parts and where to seek expert support is important, too--and I say this based on the many holiday calls I get from families traveling to my city who call just to find out where they can find pump parts that were lost or forgotten at home. Also, if you're a mom whose travel occurs amid breastfeeding issues, make sure to know where your lactation resources are. I have cared for many a client of other lactation consultants while they traveled to SA for holidays or vacation.

Tips for Holiday Shopping with a Baby

Breastfeeding and holiday shopping...a combination many wouldn't think they need to prepare for...until they're stuck in an hour-long line with a hungry or fussy baby.

Here are some tips to help you stay in the holiday spirit while shopping with your breastfed baby:

• Shop online! Granted, I don't know of any new mother who doesn't dream about leaving her house after a few weeks, but if it helps you avoid long lines and be available for your baby's every feeding cue, shop online!

If it's available in your area, consider using personal-grocery-shopper services like shipt.com, instacart.com or your local retailer's store-pick up service for basics like groceries, diapers, etc.

• If you must leave the house, consider shopping as a team with your friends...not only is this is a great excuse to get out of the house, this gives you the chance to finally spend time with the moms in your mommy groups. When the lines are long and your little one gets hungry, you can take turns watching each other's merchandise or holding each other's place in line while you nurse, diaper or settle your baby.

• Babywear! Being able to shop for longer periods of time is reason 1,528 why baby wearing is awesome. Besides, of course, having your sweet baby nuzzled against you. But really, imagine being able to have TWO HANDS free to look through clothes racks and try on shoes.

​Tips for Leaving Your Baby This Holiday Season

Every year I get calls, too, from moms who want to attend holiday parties while breastfeeding. For many moms, it's their first time away from baby (and one of their first opportunities to drink, too 😁).

These are the top things families ask about with regard to leaving their babies for a few hours for the first time:

• I'll be gone from 6-12 pm. How much milk should I leave my baby?

It all depends on your babies age and weight, but doing a trial run a few days before can not only let you see how bottlefeeding could go, but it'll also give you a sense of how much your baby feels satisfied with. Some moms use breastmilk calculators available online to see more or less what their baby needs. Using the paced bottle feeding technique will also help baby pace their feeds similar to how they pace themselves at your breast.

• My party is next week but my baby has never taken a bottle. What do I do?

If you suspect your baby will ever need to be bottle-fed, introducing a bottle to your baby once breastfeeding is established can be a good idea. Whether you're going back to work, or simply leaving for a few hours to attend a holiday party, teaching a baby to take a bottle if you're planning for any type of separation will reduce stress for your baby, their caregiver and you!

• My party is next week. When do I start pumping?

My biggest recommendation would be to do a practice run of pumping to get a sense of how your breasts respond to the pump.

•And the famous one...I drank last night. Can I still breastfeed my baby.

Yes, probably...and the answer to that one is in this recent blog about drinking and breastfeeding.

​Tips for Handling the Holiday Noseys

How long do you plan on breastfeeding? Why don't you just pump and bottlefeed? Doesn't it feel weird? I didn't breastfeed and my kids are fine...

In many cases, gatherings with friends and family are (sadly) synonymous with breastfeeding intrusiveness. When what you really want to hear is "How are you doing, mama?" what many inquiring minds seem to care about is how your baby eats. The irony here is that the commentary can come from both camps: from those who are "pro" breastfeeding, and from those who aren't.

Interestingly, Aunt Sally's story about how she breastfed all of her seven kids perfectly may not be what a struggling new mom breastfeeding mom wants rubbed in her face. And the mom who is confident in her breastfeeding (or any mom, really) doesn't need to hear about Aunt Bertha's breastfeeding horror stories. Engaging in breastfeeding banter over Christmas dinner can spark Uncle Johnny to make some untoward comment, so if at all possible, know when to curve convos, and ask your support folk to step in.

From both personal and professional experience working with both breastfeeding naysayers and breastfeeding sanctimommies, I find that it's best to simply listen, change the subject, or educate with the goal of normalizing.

Consider using one of these lines to stump the nosiest of friends or family:

•EDUCATE (with shock and awe): Why don't you just pump and feed? Because it's his spit on my nipple and areola that uploads his nutritional and immune need into me. Pumps and formula can't do that.

• LISTEN and CHANGE TOPIC: I fed my kids formula and they're fine. I'm glad your babies grew up to be healthy. How is cousin Tommy, btw?

And if you really just want to be snarky...

• How long do you plan on breastfeeding? Oh, he should be done in about 10 minutes. ;)

Remember too, that these same people will go on to ask about your choice in diapers, how long your baby sleeps at night, and whether or not you plan on getting pregnant again next month. The good thing is that if you feel the need to escape further conversation, you can always pull the breastmilk-poop blowout card. Sorry! Gotta go change the baby!

​
Tips for NOT Starting Solids Before Your Baby is Ready this Holiday

For even the most conscious of us it can be hard to resist not commemorating baby's first holidays with a milestone-memory. All too often, though, parents or well-intentioned family members want a sweet baby to experience the coming of age of starting solids or starting a food their body isn't able to properly handle. I get quite a few calls after the holidays from concerned mothers who didn't resist the temptation to wait until their baby was ready to start solids, or from frustrated moms whose cousin-in-law offered their baby ice-cream. Whether the temptation is on your part or on a friend or family members', if a baby's gut isn't ready even "just a taste" of something from the holiday table can lead you anywhere from gassiness to full on allergic reaction and an emergency room visit.

First, remember that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that babies be given only breastmilk (or formula) when they are mature enough.

Even if your baby is old enough and ready to start exploring new foods (see last hyperlink for readiness cues), ask yourself the following:

•How many ingredients does this food have? Starting with one-ingredient foods (for example, yams only) will help you identify causes of reactions better than wondering if the reaction came, for example, from the yams, the butter or the marshmallows. What if your baby isn't ready for eggs or dairy, yet you're tempered to offer your baby a bite of that cookie you're eating?

It's a good idea, too, to chat with your partner or support people about resisting the temptations and about being vigilant that others don't offer your baby food they aren't ready for. In fact, lt them know that there's only potential benefit to starting holiday solids before your baby is ready...and that's that they'll get to stay up with your baby all night and be able to catch a glimpse of Santa. ;)

​Did you find these topics helpful? What other holiday survival advice could you use? And if you have some to share, please comment below!

I wish you and your babies the absolute breast this holiday season! 🎄
​

Although I've lovingly written this article is for all mothers, please understand that this article I written from a breastfeeding-as-the-norm perspective--understandably since I am a lactation consultant and this is a breastfeeding website. -Laura
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Tips for NOT Starting Solids Before Your Baby is Ready this Holiday

12/23/2016

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From the BreastReading Blog "The Breastfeeding Mother's Quick Guide to Surviving the Holidays"

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Tips for NOT Starting Solids Before Your Baby is Ready this Holiday
​

For even the most conscious of us it can be hard to resist not commemorating baby's first holidays with a milestone-memory. All too often, though, parents or well-intentioned family members want a sweet baby to experience the coming of age of starting solids or starting a food their body isn't able to properly handle. I get quite a few calls after the holidays from concerned mothers who didn't resist the temptation to wait until their baby was ready to start solids, or from frustrated moms whose cousin-in-law offered their baby ice-cream. Whether the temptation is on your part or on a friend or family members', if a baby's gut isn't ready even "just a taste" of something from the holiday table can lead you anywhere from gassiness to full on allergic reaction and an emergency room visit.

First, remember that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that babies be givenonly breastmilk (or formula) when they are mature enough.

Even if your baby is old enough and ready to start exploring new foods (see last hyperlink for readiness cues), ask yourself the following:

•How many ingredients does this food have? Starting with one-ingredient foods (for example, yams only) will help you identify causes of reactions better than wondering if the reaction came, for example, from the yams, the butter or the marshmallows. What if your baby isn't ready for eggs or dairy, yet you're tempered to offer your baby a bite of that cookie you're eating?

It's a good idea, too, to chat with your partner or support people about resisting the temptations and about being vigilant that others don't offer your baby food they aren't ready for. In fact, lt them know that there's only potential benefit to starting holiday solids before your baby is ready...and that's that they'll get to stay up with your baby all night and be able to catch a glimpse of Santa. ;)


​Did you find these topics helpful? What other holiday survival advice could you use? And if you have some to share, please comment below!

I wish you and your babies the absolute breast this holiday season! 🎄
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Tips for Handling the Holiday Noseys

12/23/2016

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From the BreastReading Blog "The Breastfeeding Mother's Quick Guide to Surviving the Holidays"

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Tips for Handling the Holiday Noseys

How long do you plan on breastfeeding? Why don't you just pump and bottlefeed? Doesn't it feel weird? I didn't breastfeed and my kids are fine...

In many cases, gatherings with friends and family are (sadly) synonymous with breastfeeding intrusiveness. When what you really want to hear is "How are you doing, mama?" what many inquiring minds seem to care about is how your baby eats. The irony here is that the commentary can come from both camps: from those who are "pro" breastfeeding, and from those who aren't.

Interestingly, Aunt Sally's story about how she breastfed all of her seven kids perfectly may not be what a struggling new mom breastfeeding mom wants rubbed in her face. And the mom who is confident in her breastfeeding (or any mom, really) doesn't need to hear about Aunt Bertha's breastfeeding horror stories. Engaging in breastfeeding banter over Christmas dinner can spark Uncle Johnny to make some untoward comment, so if at all possible, know when to curve convos, and ask your support folk to step in.

From both personal and professional experience working with both breastfeeding naysayers and breastfeeding sanctimommies, I find that it's best to simply listen, change the subject, or educate with the goal of normalizing.

Consider using one of these lines to stump the nosiest of friends or family:

•EDUCATE (with shock and awe): Why don't you just pump and feed? Because it's his spit on my nipple and areola that uploads his nutritional and immune need into me. Pumps and formula can't do that.

• LISTEN and CHANGE TOPIC: I fed my kids formula and they're fine. I'm glad your babies grew up to be healthy. How is cousin Tommy, btw?

And if you really just want to be snarky...

• How long do you plan on breastfeeding? Oh, he should be done in about 10 minutes. ;)

Remember too, that these same people will go on to ask about your choice in diapers, how long your baby sleeps at night, and whether or not you plan on getting pregnant again next month. The good thing is that if you feel the need to escape further conversation, you can always pull the breastmilk-poop blowout card.Sorry! Gotta go change the baby!

​
Did you find these topics helpful? What other holiday survival advice could you use? And if you have some to share, please comment below!

I wish you and your babies the absolute breast this holiday season! 🎄
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Tips for Leaving Baby During the Holidays

12/23/2016

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From the BreastReading Blog "The Breastfeeding Mother's Quick Guide to Surviving the Holidays"
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Surviving Holiday Parties while Breastfeeding


Every year I get calls, too, from moms who want to attend holiday parties while breastfeeding. For many moms, it's their first time away from baby (and one of their first opportunities to drink, too 😁).

These are the top things families ask about with regard to leaving their babies for a few hours for the first time:

• I'll be gone from 6-12 pm. How much milk should I leave my baby?

It all depends on your babies age and weight, but doing a trial run a few days before can not only let you see how bottlefeeding could go, but it'll also give you a sense of how much your baby feels satisfied with. Some moms use breastmilk calculators available online to see more or less what their baby needs. Using the paced bottle feeding technique will also help baby pace their feeds similar to how they pace themselves at your breast.

• My party is next week but my baby has never taken a bottle. What do I do?

If you suspect your baby will ever need to be bottle-fed, introducing a bottle to your baby once breastfeeding is established can be a good idea. Whether you're going back to work, or simply leaving for a few hours to attend a holiday party, teaching a baby to take a bottle if you're planning for any type of separation will reduce stress for your baby, their caregiver and you!

• My party is next week. When do I start pumping?

My biggest recommendation would be to do a practice run of pumping to get a sense of how your breasts respond to the pump.

•And the famous one...I drank last night. Can I still breastfeed my baby.

Yes, probably...and the answer to that one is in this recent blog about drinking and breastfeeding.

​
Did you find these topics helpful? What other holiday survival advice could you use? And if you have some to share, please comment below!

I wish you and your babies the absolute breast this holiday season! 🎄

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6 Reasons Why Private-Practice Lactation Consultants Are Worth Their Weight in Liquid Gold

12/8/2016

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Schedule Appointment

Not every mother experiencing a breastfeeding issue needs an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), but those who do may not know that theyoptions with regard to where they go they go for expert support. One type of IBCLC that many families don't know about is the lactation consultant who practices outside of hospitals and free breastfeeding clinics. In fact, these lactation consultants can often be found in the very comfort of a mother's home (or in the sweet comfort of their own private cozy clinic).

In this blog, I offer six reasons why hiring a private-practice lactation consultant can be worth their weight in gold (liquid gold, that is).

#1. Lactation consultants in private-practice spend sooo much time with you.

Because we aren't bound by hospital or government agency budgets (or the volume of clients), private-practice lactation consultants are able to spend time with breastfeeding families. Most private-practice lactation consultants spend two to two and a half hours in your home (and about one to one and a half hours in our cozy offices). We spend our time with you gathering everything we need to know to help you us create a plan for you to meet your breastfeeding goal.

#2. We understand that grumpy nipples and hungry babies CANNOT wait.

Most private-practice lactation consultants have the life-logistics to be able see you relatively soon after you reach out to them. Although we do enjoy our family-time and have boundaries just like anyone else, you don't usually have to wait until Monday at 8 to call us. In fact, many (not all) private-practice lactation consultants will see urgent situations during evening, weekends and some holidays.


#3. We very often work with mothers and babies where they breastfeed the most--in their home.

Private-practice lactation consultants who do home visits are able to assess a mother's breastfeeding exactly where it happens most. Again, being able to work with a client in her own space, on her own furniture and around those who support her is important to help a mother nurse confidently.

#4. We get to know your family.


Most of us who do home-visits want your partner, mother, mother-in-law, sister, friend, or family dog to be present during the consult because they're exactly who you will breastfeed around when we leave. With your permission, we involve family members in our teaching, and spending time with your household helps us identify and work with any family members needing extra help in the breastfeeding-supportiveness department. ;)

#5. We know your birth and breastfeeding community better than you do...and we can teach you to navigate it wisely.

Private-practice lactation consultants know their birth and breastfeeding community exceptionally well. Since we are mostly self-employed, we are able to make the time to get to know community physicians, midwives, pharmacies, chiropractors, mommy groups, etc.. And because we know who does what in our communities it's often private-practice lactation consultants who can help clients with things like locating weekend breast-pump rentals, or can help clients locate niche professionals, like licensed herbalists or infant masseuses who support breastfeeding, or ERs who do breast-related care.


And finally, based on the comments of the hundreds of families I've worked with...

#6. We can be that one reliable and steady opinion about your breastfeeding.


Private-practice lactation consultants are available to families from pregnancy (usually via group or private breastfeeding classes) through the weaning season. We see clients as often as they need us, and most of us support mothers through all of their babies' breastfeeding seasons.

So there you have it, the top six reasons why spending time with a private-practice IBCLC is worth it's weight in gold (I mean liquid gold!).

To read more about why lactation consultants are valuable to mothers, visit this awesome article from BestforBabes.com:
http://www.bestforbabes.org/are-lactation-consultants-too-pricey/

If you're a mom wanting to experience breastfeeding support from a private-practice lactation consultant and if you're in San Antonio, just tell me when and where, and I'll be there. If you're far away and don't have an IBCLC nearby or available to you, know that I can see you and your baby virtually.

To find a private-practice lactation consultant, you can type in "private-practice IBCLC _________" (the blank is for the name of your city or zip) in to your browser. ILCA's Find-A-Lactation-Consultant search tool is also helpful, though not all private-practice lactation consultants are members of ILCA, so they may not be listed.

If this blog has helped you or could help others, please share! ??
Read this before scheduling please!
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"I love getting 500 different opinions about my breastfeeding."

12/8/2016

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​-said no breastfeeding mother ever.

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Just an sweet invitation to all #breastfeeding mothers to reach out to your friendly neighborhood lactation consulant when you need one!

Share if an #IBCLC helped you!

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Happy nipples! Happy pocketbooks! Happy holidays! 

12/6/2016

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Just making sure that the holidays are comfortable for both nipples and pocket books... 🎄

If you're in San Antonio, kindly share so new mamas in need of breastfeeding support can focus on what's most important this holiday season...enjoying their sweet new little ones!

​👸🏽👶🏽🎁
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Racial Equity & Diversity  in Breastfeeding Resource Page

12/4/2016

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​Because BH believes in taking action and eliminating disparities in breastfeeding:
​
​ Racial Equity & Diversity Resource Page


If you have a resource that you would like linked, please post it in the comments section below!
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Five Myths About Tongue & Lip Ties

12/1/2016

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...and the perspective-offering facts that can replace them 

​Laura M. Gruber, IBCLC ​
#breastreadingblog
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​By the time you arrive at this website, it's likely you've been googling up a storm, trying to learn absolutely everything you can about tongue and lip-ties ​​(which I'll call "tongue-ties" or "ties" for the rest of this blog). You're likely that mom (or dad) who has a hundred pictures in your phone of your sweet crying baby's mouth, and you've trolled every online breastfeeding support group and forum trying to learn about how other parents fared with the whole tongue-tie issue.

If this is you, consider yourself gently nudged (begged, actually) to get off of Google and reach out to me (or to any other lactation consultant experienced in tongue-tie screening). For all you know, it could be that your baby is genuinely tongue-tied, or it could be that you just needed to learn a new latching technique, or maybe you needed specific-to-you (or your wife, partner, etc.) guidance to heal a nipple or increase your milk supply.

Yes, it seriously could be that easy...imagine clicking away from here, finally going to bed, and tomorrow having all of your tongue-tie questions addressed along with getting a snapshot of what your breastfeeding big-picture, and a plan to help you improve it all because you finally called an IBCLC (an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant).

But, alas, even if you *do* keep googling I want to empower you with perspective. I hope that these Five Myths about Tongue Tie help you:
​

Tongue Tie Myths

​Myth #1: All pediatricians, ENTs, lactation consultants, pediatric dentists and speech pathologists know how to assess for tongue-tie
  • Fact: Every day more providers are learning how to assess babies for tongue-ties but the fact is, that many still do not know how to screen or evaluate for ties. Providers who know how to assess for tongue-tie know that it is difficult to see the extent of a tongue-tie. Even when an obvious tie is seen, providers who know how to assess for them will do a thorough oral exam to understand how the tie is affecting the baby's general use of their mouth. Note: "Your latch looks great!" (even though you're cringing in pain or your baby's weight is affected) or "See, your baby can stick their tongue out just fine!" are two common things mothers are told by peers (forgivable, since most of your peers they aren't professionals) or providers who don't know how to assess (but who should be humble enough to refer to experienced providers). Remember, that it's perfectly ok to seek out a second opinion. Never be afraid to ask a provider about their experience screening for tongue tie.

Myth #2: Fixing your breastfeeding is as easy as having your baby's tongue-tie released.
  • Fact: Actually, even though some mothers report near-instant improvement in a baby's latch, many babies go on to need extra help with learning to use their newly-loosened tongue or lip. Since the tongue and lips are muscles, their muscle-memory often needs to be retrained from how they had been using it during gestation and until their frenectomy (the procedure that releases a tie) was performed. In order to know whether your baby's latch has improved with a frenectomy alone (and the excercises you may be asked to do to keep the frenelum from re-attaching), follow-up with your lactation consultant (in addition to following up with the provider who performed the frenectomy) to ensure that latching and milk transfer has indeed improved. If you lactation consultant feels like your baby's oral-motor function needs further support, she (or he) will likely refer you to a speech pathologist who specializes in breastfed infants.

Myth #3: All babies with tongue ties need to have them released ASAP.
  • Fact: Parents who have recently been told that their baby has a tongue-tie have been handed a lot to think about. Needless to say, anything that could affect a baby's ability to thrive is time-sensitive and requires a good amount of thought, however, just because a tie is "discovered" in a baby doesn't mean a baby has to undergo a procedure right away. Instead of stressing about your baby's tie alone, reach out to a lactation consultant who can help you stabilize and optimize your breastfeeding big-picture AND who can give you guidance on what to expect from your particular breastfeeding situation whether or not you decide to have your baby's tongue-tie released now, later or ever. Note: This section is not intended to deter families from having their tongue-tied baby's frenelum revised. Only you and your experienced providers know your breastfeeding situation, which is different for every breastfeeding couple. The choice to revise a tie should be carefully considered along with other situations (i.e. infant-weight loss, or mom's ability to produce milk) which are affecting your breastfeeding.

Myth #4: I only bottlefeed so my baby's tongue-tie doesn't matter.
  • Fact: Your baby's tongue-tie matters the most, since bottlefed kiddos don't get to tone their tongues, lips and cheeks the same way breastfed babies do. In fact, tongue and lip-ties can affect an exclusively bottle-fed baby's current and future digestion, acceptance of solids, dentition (how their teeth come in), future speech, narrow nasal passageways, etc.. If you suspect that your bottlefed baby may be lip or tongue-tied, please have them assessed by a lactation consultant (yes, we work with bottle-feeding babies, too) or an infant speech pathologist.

Myth #5: All feeding issues in a baby are related to tongue and lip-ties.
  • Fact: It may seem that way to some, especially if you're a member of breastfeeding circles where tongue-tie is a hot topic, but the truth is that infant feeding issues have their origin in many places. Feeding issues can arise from something as simple as a baby sleeping in wonky position, or they can stem from a baby having to a misshapen head and contorted body following malpositioning in the womb (for which craniosacral therapy, chiropractic and physical therapy care can help). Suck strength is a feeding issue which can be affected by a baby's general body muscle tone, oral muscle tone, jaundice levels, birth weight, weight loss, etc.

The bottom line...
If you're having feeding difficulties at all, its best to stop Googling and let your baby's doctor know immediately (espcially when a baby's weight gain is affected) AND quickly reach out to an IBCLC who can assess, improve or stabilize your breastfeeding big-picture until your baby's feeding difficulties are better understood.

If you are in San Antonio and surrounding areas, know that Breastfeeding Housecalls helps families overcome breast and bottle-feeding issues. Moms and babies are objectively screened and referred to the right providers. Arriving at a mother's breastfeeding goals during times of feeding difficulties are always discussed from a 'benefits vs. risks' perspective for the three entities involved in a breastfeeding relationship: the mother, the baby, and the breastfeeding itself. ​

Visit Breastfeeding Housecalls' Tongue-Tie Resources page for more education and San Antonio-area resources.
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FREE Breastfeeding Class this weekend!

11/30/2016

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Share with moms who need to attend a breastfeeding class!

Did you know that Breastfeeding Housecalls (yours truly) teaches *free* monthly breastfeeding classes for groups of birth professionals' clients?

If you're a doula, childbirth educator, midwife or physician and have multiple clients needing a breastfeeding class, let me know!

November's class was for TranquilSeasons.com, and this upcoming class is for Journey to Motherhood (SanAntonioMotherhood.com)! Most classes have space for moms from the general public, too! Class time is 10-12 pm this upcoming Sat, and will be located at my office, @ 15303 Huebner Rd. Bldg 15, San Antonio, TX 78248.

To register for a class, please RSVP by emailing your name and phone number to Laura @ breastfeeding [email protected].
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The Breastfeeding House / Breastfeeding Housecalls & Lactation Clinic, LLC
211 Babcock Ste B
San Antonio, TX 78201

The services offered by Breastfeeding Housecalls do not replace medical advice;
please consult your healthcare provider if you suspect you or your child are not well.


Our Affliations
​

The Breastfeeding House aka Breastfeeding Housecalls adheres firmly to the
​ World Health Organization's Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes
and only participates in activities or conducts business with organizations that are free from financial ties from manufacturers of artificial baby milk (infant formula or other breastmilk replacements).

Website and all content © 2024
Breastfeeding Housecalls & Lactation Clinic LLC


The Breastfeeding House (aka Breastfeeding Housecalls) promises to take legal action
against any person, company or organization who/that takes or uses as theirs
any content or original concept from this website.


Breastfeeding Housecalls, LLC's ​Privacy Practices


​Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb
and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast.

Psalm 22:9

Photos from x1klima, symphony of love, xddorox
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