Thank you Love Bug for partnering with us on this post.
20% off this week only with code MODERNMOM at checkout for Love Bug probiotics including Tiny Tummies and Labor of Love
We all know that the number one most important thing for a baby is that she is fed and healthy. I easily breastfed my first baby and my second one was an entirely different story. I tried everything and it just didn’t happen. So this article in no way is trying to shame or put pressure on any mom, it’s purpose is to provide some guidelines to hopefully help in the breastfeeding journey.
Breastfeeding should not hurt. I repeat, it should not be a painful experience. If your baby latches on correctly then you should not be in pain.
Baby needs to be taught how to breastfeed. Babies know how to suck, but they don’t necessarily come out knowing how to ‘breastfeed’ instead of ‘nipplefeed.’ To help guide your infant, hold your breast steady and compress it into a pointy shape with your hand. Next, bring the baby to you by holding him along his spine and at the base of his head. Try to have your nipple go deep into the baby’s mouth between the baby’s hard and soft palate.
Don’t get discouraged. If it hurts when your baby latches on, try again. It takes patience but you and your little one are in this together and she needs to be taught to nurse in a pain-free way.
Feed 8-10 times in a 24 period of time. You should be changing 6-8 wet or dirty diapers a day. It’s a lot, but it shows that your baby is getting enough milk.
Keep yourself nourished. Focus on healthy choices to fuel your milk supply. Protein-rich foods like lean meat, eggs, beans, and dairy will keep up your energy. Add in a variety of whole grains and fruits and veggies to balance it out.
Take probiotics to support your baby’s immune system. Did you know about three quarters of the immune system is located in our gut? The more probiotics and healthy bacteria living in your baby’s digestive tract, the more robust their immune system will be. Lovebug’s probiotic for pregnant and nursing moms, Labor of Love, contains the good bacteria that babies need as they travel through the birth canal and when they are breast-fed. Modern lifestyle factors may damage good flora that we want to pass on to our little ones but probiotic strains like B. infantis and L. plantarum may help produce important nutrients your baby needs.
Probiotics, like Tiny Tummies, are also helpful during the most critical window of time when a child’s microbiome is forming. Basically, these probiotics can restore and strengthen the population of healthy bacteria. Tiny Tummies is the first staged probiotic for babies from birth to age 4 to support your baby’s digestive and immune health. All of them are multi-strain and include prebiotics (fiber to feed the good bugs!)
Tiny Tummies 0-6 months has 1 billion CFU and 3 of the most critical strains, including the #1 clinically studied strain, LGG and B. Infantis. Tiny Tummies 6-12 months has 4 billion CFU and 5 strains, and Tiny Tummies 12 months to 4 years has 15 billion CFU and 8 strains. And now you can get 20% off Amazon orders of Love Bug probiotics with code: Modernmom.
According to a review by the AAFP, probiotics help with digestive conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and gastrointestinal diarrhea. When taken regularly by pregnant and breastfeeding moms, these friendly bacteria may help reduce the risk of infants developing allergies and skin conditions like eczema. Studies also suggest that probiotics help prevent upper respiratory tract infections in infants and children. JAMA Pediatrics’ study argues that infants who are given probiotics within the months after birth have a better chance of sidestepping issues like colic, acid reflux, and constipation.
You’ve got this. Just remember every baby is different and you’ll be getting advice from your besties to random strangers in the street. Take a deep breath and follow your gut and instincts (and the advice that makes sense for you). You got this.
Tell us in the comment section below:
What was the most surprising thing about becoming a mom?
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