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.

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

Q: I’m 7 months pregnant with my second, and my 12-month-old son has recently refused to nurse anymore. Is something wrong with my milk?

A: No, Kerri, there’s nothing wrong with your milk. The hormones of pregnancy will cause most women’s milk quantity to decrease, and then when they’re in their third trimester, as you are, the milk will begin to change back to the colostrum (first milk) that your newborn will need. Some nursing babies don’t mind these changes, but others will react with dislike to the different quality of your milk and may wean themselves.

Nancy Lahn

Owner, Cozy Cuddles Baby Products

Originally posted 2013-08-21 14:52:46.

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.