Category: Ask Nurse Nancy

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Care of the Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow

Here’s a question from Kelly in Richmond Hill, ON:

Q: I have a question about cleaning the Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow. Unfortunately my older child spilled juice on the pillow – should I have it dry cleaned?

A: Thanks for your question, Kelly – the good news is that your Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow is fully washable! For most little spills and baby spit-ups, the zippered cover can be removed for laundering. For bigger spills that soak through to the pillow, check the seams to make sure they are intact and place in your full-sized washing machine with warm water and a scant amount of liquid detergent. Laundry soap like Ivory Snow is not recommended, as it tends to clump the fibrefill. Then it can be tumbled dry at warm in your full sized dryer. Dry cleaning is not recommended, because of the chemicals used which you do not want next to baby’s face.

You’ll find that most nursing pillows on the market are not washable – the ones that are made of foam are particularly problematic since they cannot be washed and soon become contaminated with milk and anything else that can soil it, including those leaky diapers!!

Nancy Lahn RN

Developer of the Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow

Originally posted 2016-02-24 11:48:50.

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Engorgement – hot or cold compresses?

Here’s a question from Ruth in North York, ON:

Q: I have a question – hope you can help! I just had my second baby three days ago – and I’m so uncomfortable with engorgement! It started yesterday, and my friend told me to put warm towels on my breasts and to pump to relieve the discomfort. Another friend told me today to use cold compresses. Who is right?

A: Well, Ruth, both friends ‘ advice can be helpful, when used at the right time. Engorgement is a very normal experience for new mothers – often on Day 2 or 3, or as late as Day 5, many nursing mothers feel a real difference in their breasts. Hormonal changes cause blood to rush to the area as the mature milk begins to replace the colostrum, and blood and lymph fluid causes swelling of the breast tissue. The best strategy to relieve your discomfort – your baby! Nurse frequently, every two hours or more often, so the baby can regulate the “supply and demand”. While I don’t recommend pumping in the first 6 weeks unless your baby is unable to nurse effectively (or your lactation consultant has advised this for a reason unique to your case), it can be helpful to hand- express some milk to soften the areola and make it easier for the baby to latch onto very swollen breasts. Excessive pumping or hand expression can actually make engorgement worse by encouraging increased milk production.

As for compresses, it can be helpful to apply cold compresses between feedings (try 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off and repeating this). My mother’s method was to wet a tea towel, wring it out, fold it in thirds length-wise and place it in the freezer. Applying the frozen tea towel across the breasts and under the arms felt wonderful and helped to ease the discomfort. A bag of frozen peas, wrapped in a towel, applied to each breast also works well, or the midwife’s trick of a leaf of green cabbage inside each bra cup. The tannic acid in the cabbage helps to reduce the swelling. Using the cabbage a couple of times a day is best, and it should be discontinued as soon as engorgement starts to ease, as some say that excessive use of cabbage can lower the milk supply. Warm compresses should be applied for a few minutes just before a feeding – a warm, moist washcloth works well. This will help the milk start to flow at feeding time but will not reduce swelling – in fact, if used between feedings warm compresses have the effect of increasing swelling.

Be patient, Ruth – engorgement usually lasts only about 48 hours! However, if it is not reduced using these methods, or is worse, or if you have a fever of greater than 100.5 degrees F, I recommend that you consult your Lactation Consultant or physician.

Nancy Lahn RN
Owner, Cozy Cuddles Baby Products
Developer of the Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow

Originally posted 2017-02-01 12:48:20.

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Will I Be Able To Breastfeed?

I teach prenatal classes regularly, and here’s a question we hear all the time from expectant moms…

Q: How do I know if I will be able to breastfeed my baby?

A: While pregnant women may doubt their ability to feed their babies, your body assumes that you will breastfeed and begins to prepare for it right from the day you conceive! The milk production tissues and ducts develop throughout your pregnancy, and it is estimated that 97% of women are physically capable of producing all the milk their baby will need. The key is ensuring that the baby latches well to the breast so that he/she can access the wonderful milk that you have!

Originally posted 2017-06-21 11:27:22.

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Is there a cream for nipple soreness?

Here’s a question from Connie in Toronto, ON:

Q: My baby is four days old. The nurses at the hospital said she has a good latch (we’ve been home for two days now), but my nipples are getting so sore! Is there some kind of cream that will help?

A: You mentioned that the hospital nurses said your baby is latching well – it would be good to confirm this by going back to the breastfeeding clinic at your hospital or Public Health clinic, since a proper latch is critical in avoiding nipple trauma. It is normal to experience some tenderness in the early days of breastfeeding, but pain that does not lessen in the first few seconds after latching can be a sign of other problems, including an improper latch. If the latch is determined to be correct, an excellent nipple ointment is available called APNO – All Purpose Nipple Ointment”. It was developed by Dr. Jack Newman, world-renowned breastfeeding expert whose clinic is right in your hometown of Toronto, Connie! APNO is made up of four ingredients that have been shown to treat a wide variety of nipple problems – you can learn more about it at http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=doc-APNO.

Originally posted 2013-10-01 11:46:14.