Category: Ask Nurse Nancy

Here’s a question from Jayne in Kincardine, ON:

Q: Can my son be nursing too often? He is 5 days old today, and seems to want to nurse constantly. He nurses and seems to settle, but when I put him down he starts fussing again. He’s making lots of diapers but I’m wondering why he does this – I don’t remember my first son (now 2 ½ ) doing this. I feel so worn out from running after my toddler and nursing all the time!

A: Sounds like you’ve got a lot on your plate, Jayne! Looking after a newborn and a toddler is challenging, especially as you’re recovering from childbirth. Your newborn is engaging in what is known as “cluster feeding”, which means he feeds frequently to signal your breasts to bring in your mature milk. This is a gradual process, and it sounds like your milk is coming in, if he is making “lots of diapers” as you say. A rule of thumb for wet diapers is to expect one on day 1, two on day 2, three on day three and so on until day 6 and onwards when you’re looking for 6-8 soaking wet diapers and multiple stools.

It may be that your fatigue in parenting both children is contributing to the baby’s fussiness. For now, be sure to let all non-essentials like cleaning and phone calls go. A great time to order in food or call in favours from friends who have offered to cook or to spend time with your toddler. Lie down to feed the baby as much as possible to increase your rest time. Hang in there – this phase won’t last long!

Nancy Lahn RN

Developer of the Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow

Originally posted 2017-01-07 22:19:45.

Here’s a question from Danielle in Thornhill:

Q: Everyone’s talking about the Canadian government’s plan to legalize marijuana use. My friends all say it’s harmless – but can it have an effect on the baby if a woman uses it while pregnant or breastfeeding?

A: So glad you asked this question, Danielle. There’s a lot of misinformation out there about marijuana (cannabis), and many people are not aware of the long-term effects on babies, children and teens/young adults. There is no known safe amount of cannabis use in pregnancy and when breastfeeding.

Cannabis smoke contains many of the same harmful chemicals (over 700 of them) found in cigarette smoke. It can reduce the oxygen supply and nutrients to the fetus, and can affect the newborn with lower birth weight, lower alertness and slower growth rate. It can also cause a decreased ability for the baby to self-soothe and make them more irritable and have sleep disturbances. As the child grows, studies have linked maternal cannabis use to poorer memory and verbal reasoning skills, hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder (ADD), learning disorders, and also depression and anxiety.

When a breastfeeding mother uses cannabis, the chemical THC (the ingredient that makes the user feel “high”) passes into the breast milk and is taken into a baby’s fat cells and brain. It can be stored for weeks, and research has shown that it can cause slower motor development in the baby.

Research has shown that a young person’s brain is continuing to develop into their mid twenties. Cannabis use has been shown to cause reduced school performance, delinquency problems, hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention.

Being high while parenting can affect your interaction with your child, causing you to miss your child’s cues for hunger, their need to be comforted, or to play and learn. It can also affect your ability to judge correctly and to be alert to situations that are dangerous to your child.

So as you can see, Danielle, you are right to be concerned about cannabis use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, during the parenting years and also about the effects upon our teens and young adults who use it. Contrary to what your friends have told you, it is far from “harmless”.

Nancy Lahn RN
Developer of the Cozy Cuddles Nursing Pillow

Originally posted 2017-07-11 18:00:45.

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.

Good for you for deciding to breastfeeding your baby!  What you’ve decided to do is one of the most important things you can be doing right now for your child.

To help you out, check out this link to see a list we’ve compiled of the Top 10 Tips for Breastfeeding Mothers.

Originally posted 2013-12-05 15:35:18.