Your breastfeeding journey begins before your baby is born. It begins with reading every edition of What to Expect When You’re Expecting, listening to the Learning to Mom podcast, all while you're talking with others in your community who are going through the mom journey a little earlier than you.
Nurturing You and Your Baby: Common Breastfeeding Questions
Your breastfeeding journey begins before your baby is born. It begins with reading every edition of What to Expect When You’re Expecting, listening to the Learning to Mom podcast, all while you're talking with others in your community who are going through the mom journey a little earlier than you.
Step two begins when your baby enters the world. With their first breath comes their first hunger that isn’t immediately satisfied. When you choose to start on your breastfeeding path, you start on an experience that can be intensely bonding. It will also have its ups and downs.
You never really know what you’re going to experience until you’re in the midst of it.
The journey of motherhood is filled with a swath of joys; let us help you navigate the speed bumps. Here are some aspects of breastfeeding you may not have heard of that will help inform your new rituals.
A Common Reason Your Baby May Reject Breastfeeding.
We hear time and time again about the discomfort that teething causes, but what about oral thrush? This difficult to detect issue is incredibly common and causes irritation around the baby's mouth.
So, what is oral thrush? It’s actually an overgrowth of yeast, and with babies not having an robust immune system just yet- especially when they’re 6 months and under- it’s bound to arise.
Milk That Doesn’t Look Like Milk.
When your expectations don’t quite match up with reality, it could cause you some initial concern. Did you know that your milk actually comes in three stages?
- Colostrum: Typically you produce this type of milk in the first 5 days of breastfeeding. It’s incredibly rich and high in nutrients, and appears more yellow in color.
- Transitional Milk: Exactly what it sounds like, this is the transition between colostrum and your mature milk. It won’t quite be the thinner, more white milk you're expecting yet. However, it is closer to it than the colostrum appears.
- Mature Milk: This milk can come in as late as the second week, and looks similar to skim milk. It’s probably what you were expecting, and it’s what will be produced for the rest of your breastfeeding journey.
Devices such as Woddle Smart Changing Pad can help you track your baby’s breastmilk intake so that you can keep an eye on your baby’s feedings between doctor’s visits.
Breastfeeding Does, Indeed, Burn Calories.
Nurturing your little one means it’s especially important to stay hydrated and fed. Besides possibly contending with postpartum fatigue, breastfeeding burns a lot of calories. Your body is producing vitamins and nutrients it otherwise wouldn’t, playing a pivotal role in your child’s growth and development. Many mothers continue to take their prenatal vitamins as a way to help with getting the nutrition they need.
Don’t forget to take a moment to nurture yourself too.
Latching Takes Practice- and it’s Okay if it Doesn’t Come Naturally.
Every baby- and every parent- is different. There are professionals who, like a certified lactation consultant, who are able to help you if you and your baby are running into problems when trying to latch and breastfeed.
It’s not uncommon to run into roadblocks.
Wodde Baby AI Parent Coach can be used as a resource to ask questions and get instant answers. This is a tool parents love to use, particularly between visits to the doctor. We’re proud to be a part of your village.
Share Your Parenting Story
We invite you to share your parenting story with us in the comments section. Let's create a supportive space where we can celebrate the joys and triumphs of parenthood while offering encouragement to one another during challenging times. Get in touch with us at love@reservewoddle.com
