Category: Ask Nurse Nancy

Here’s a question from Asha in Brampton, ON:

Q: Someone told me that breastfeeding makes babies more intelligent – can that be true?

A: Yes, Asha, we’ve known for a long time that the fat in breastmilk is perfect for the development of the human brain (which, incidentally, is comprised of about 60% fat!). Research is now showing that children who were breastfed for at least 6 months grow into adults who score close to four points higher on IQ tests, attend school for a year longer and made 15% more money at age 30! These were the findings of a recent study of nearly 6,000 babies. Interestingly enough, the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Bernardo Lessa Horta from the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil noted that “What is unique about this study is the fact that, in the population we studied, breastfeeding was not more common among highly educated, high-income women, but was evenly distributed by social class.”

One more great reason to breastfeed your baby!

Nancy Lahn RN
Developer of the Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow

Originally posted 2015-04-14 15:58:57.

Here’s a question from Jessie from Guelph, ON :

Q: I’ve heard that breastfeeding delays the return of menstrual periods, so it’s safe to assume you can’t get pregnant if your periods haven’t returned. Is that right?

A: It’s true that breastfeeding tends to delay the return of your periods, but you will ovulate before your first period resumes. You could therefore become pregnant before your period returns.

The best way to use breastfeeding to delay the return of ovulation (egg production) is to observe the LAM, or Lactation Amenorrhea Method which is said to be 98% effective, but only if the following rules are observed:

– Your baby is younger than 6 months old

– Your periods have not returned

– You are exclusively breastfeeding on demand, night and day

“Exclusively breastfeeding” means a minimum of six long breastfeeding sessions every 24 hours – with a gap between feedings no longer than four hours during the day and six hours during the night. It’s also important not to give other fluids or solid foods to your baby. Soothers can also interfere with the success of LAM, as your baby’s suckling stimulates the hormones that suppress ovulation.

Nancy Lahn

Owner, Cozy Cuddles Baby Products

Originally posted 2013-09-04 13:46:34.

Here’s a question from Carly in Huntsville, ON:

Q: I’m expecting my first baby soon. I’ve heard that in order to increase your milk production, you should wait at least 3 hours after you empty the breasts at a feeding to feed your baby again to allow the milk to fill up again. Is this true?

A: Good question, Carly, but this isn’t actually the case. Research shows that since milk is being produced at all times, the breast is never actually empty. In fact most babies remove an average of 75-80% of milk at a feeding, so there is always milk remaining in the breast after a feeding.

The strategy of waiting a set amount of time to nurse your baby (under the mistaken belief that the breasts need time to “refill”) will be counterproductive to your goal to increase your milk supply. This is because milk production slows down when milk accumulates in the breast. So, the best strategy is to feed your baby frequently, thus emptying the breasts as much as possible, especially in the early days. Newborns will often “cluster feed” which means that for a period of a few hours a day they will feed almost continuously, and this is very helpful in increasing your milk supply.

Nancy Lahn RN
Deveoper of the Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow

Originally posted 2015-04-28 13:13:10.

Here’s a question from Narinder in Brampton:

Q: My baby is due next month. Some of my friends say that they combined breastfeeding and formula feeding and that this gave them the best of both worlds – what do you think?

A: I know that this is a popular notion, Narinder, but it is not the best option. Breastmilk is superior in every way to formula, and there is no need for babies to have any other kind of feeding unless in a rare situations and as advised by your lactation consultant – even water is amply supplied by breastmilk. Women who combine breast and formula are much more likely to wean before the recommended 12 months, thus depriving baby of the ideal balance of nutrients and of antibodies. Research has also shown that exclusive breastfeeding also protects the baby by colonizing the baby’s digestive system with healthy bacteria, and that even one bottle of formula upsets this balance and unhealthy bacteria are no longer inhibited. Even when exclusive breastfeeding resumes, it can take weeks for the healthy bacteria to return to their former level.

The only “advantage” of formula is that someone else can give a bottle when you’re away from your baby. In the first 4 -6 weeks, this can cause nipple confusion as the baby sucks very differently from a bottle than they do from the breast, which increases the risk of early weaning. After 4 -6 weeks, you can easily pump your milk and leave this for a caregiver to give when you are out, and this way the baby will receive the “gold star” milk all the time and never has to receive second-best.

The familiar saying, “Breast is Best!” is so true, and research is revealing more reasons to affirm this all the time!

Nancy Lahn RN

Developer of the Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow

Originally posted 2016-02-10 14:09:29.