Category: Ask Nurse Nancy

Here’s a question from Debbie in Niagara Falls, ON:

Q: My baby is due soon. I’ve heard that most mothers don’t have enough milk for their babies in the first 3 days after birth. Is this true?

A: No, Debbie, that’s not true – right now, you have colostrum that will be there for your baby right after birth. Colostrum, or “first milk”, is perfect for your newborn – it is thick, yellowish in colour, and packed full of nutrition and antibodies. It is so concentrated and full of energy that your baby only needs a small amount to meet all of his or her needs. As your baby latches on frequently and receives your colostrum, your body will be stimulated to produce your mature milk, which begins to come in on the second or third day after birth.

Originally posted 2014-03-18 13:53:32.

Here’s a question emailed to us by Elise G.:

Q: I would like to know if it is possible to breast feed two babies at the same time with your pillow? I’m pregnant with twins and I never breastfed in my life so I don’t know anything about it but I want to try it for sure..so would your pillow help me do that?

A: Thanks for inquiring about the use of the Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow for twins!  Yes, absolutely you can nurse both babies at once using our pillow – many, many customers have done just that!

Most mothers use the “football” or “clutch” hold to do this, and in this position you tuck one baby under each arm and the pillow supports them.  You can see this position pictured on the graphic here.

You can also feed them in three other positions – the front cross (both in the cradle hold), one in football hold and one in cradle hold, or the upright latch where the Mom uses the “laid-back” position.  In this graphic, Mom is nursing one baby in the laid-back position but both twins can be nursed at once positioning them this way.

Our pillow has been featured in twin publications and also on a TV show on twins, when 18-month-old twins were featured, still nursing with their Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow!!

Here you can see other uses for the Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow as well. They can lie on it on their back from newborn to be propped up (to see what’s going on in the room or to play with their “play gym” toys, for supervised “tummy time” once they gain neck strength, and later (around 6 months) for giving them support as they learn to sit up.  Many parents of twins use two Cozy Cuddles pillows for these purposes.

Originally posted 2016-08-04 19:25:27.

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 Roxanne in Toronto, ON:

Q: My daughter is a month old now and I’m breastfeeding her – my problem is that I think I have TOO much milk! When she latches on and the milk lets down, she seems to pull away and fuss, as if it’s too much for her. I also notice that her stools are often greenish, and they irritate her skin. What can I do to help with this problem?

A: Yes, it sounds like you have an abundant milk supply, Roxanne, which is great but it can be a bit daunting for a newborn! The cause of the problem is usually a combination of an overactive letdown reflex, and an imbalance of foremilk (the more watery, sweet milk at the beginning of the feeding) to hindmilk (the milk more rich in fat at the end of the feeding). In the course of a feeding, the milk gradually changes from more watery to fat-rich. If a mother with an over-abundant milk supply feeds at both breasts, the baby may receive a higher than normal proportion of foremilk, which can result in the greenish, irritating stools. It may help to offer the baby only one breast at a feeding. One breast will supply all she needs at a feeding, and the ratio of hindmilk will be higher.

Also, you can try positioning the baby so that gravity helps to slow the milk flow rate. The fastest flow rate will be when Mom is sitting up, so try lying on your side, or on your back with your head supported with a pillow (your Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow is perfect for this!) and with baby resting on your chest. If the milk sprays with let-down, try catching it with a towel until it slows down, and then latch the baby on. Try to avoid pumping or hand expression – if you do this for comfort, limit it to a few seconds as this will encourage more milk production.

The good thing is that as your baby matures, she will regulate the flow and will become accustomed to your abundant milk supply!

Nancy Lahn RN

Developer of the Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow

Originally posted 2016-11-16 13:09:43.