Hello, lovely moms and families! As pediatric and pregnancy chiropractors, we are passionate about supporting you and your growing family from conception through pregnancy and beyond. World Breastfeeding Week, celebrated every August, gives us a wonderful opportunity to highlight the importance of breastfeeding and its incredible benefits for both babies and mothers.
The Golden Nectar: Benefits of Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is a beautiful, natural way to nourish your baby. Here are some of the amazing benefits it offers:
- Nutritional Superiority: Breast milk is packed with the perfect blend of nutrients, antibodies, and enzymes tailored specifically for your baby’s needs. It helps build a strong immune system and promotes healthy growth and development.
- Bonding Time: Breastfeeding fosters a unique emotional bond between mother and baby. This close physical contact promotes feelings of security and love, which are vital for your baby’s emotional development. Not to mention the good hormones that are released for mom to baby.
- Health Benefits for Baby: Breastfed babies have a lower risk of infections, allergies, asthma, and obesity. They also have better digestive health and a lower incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). SIDS is a whole other topic – however, a well-adjusted baby should never have any worries or concerns as a certified pediatric chiropractor assesses the neck for any subluxations that wouldn’t allow the baby to properly turn their neck and head from side to side.
- Health Benefits for Mom: Breastfeeding helps mothers recover more quickly from childbirth, reduces the risk of postpartum depression, and lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancers. Those happy hormones again!
Boosting Milk Production
For some moms, increasing milk production can be a concern. Here are some tips to help boost your milk supply:
- Frequent Nursing: The more you nurse, the more milk your body produces. Try to nurse your baby every 2-3 hours, including during the night.
- Hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Staying well-hydrated is essential for maintaining a good milk supply. Minimum of your body weight in ounces is needed.
- Nutrition: Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Foods like oats, barley, fenugreek, and fennel are known to boost milk production.
- Rest and Relaxation: Stress can impact milk supply. Make sure to get enough rest and find ways to relax and unwind.
- Herbal Supplements: Certain herbal supplements, such as fenugreek, blessed thistle, and milk thistle, can help increase milk production.
When Breastfeeding Isn’t Possible
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, breastfeeding might not be possible. It’s important to remember that you are not alone, and there are excellent alternatives to ensure your baby gets the nutrition they need.
- Donor Milk: Human milk banks provide donor milk, which may be more widely known, which is a fantastic alternative when a mother’s own milk is not available. However, there are many additional options once you begin looking. Local moms and support communities are wonderful connecting points for moms when in need of donor milk. Sometimes just knowing that you can ask is all that is needed to keep that milk train coming.
- Pumping and Bottle Feeding: If direct breastfeeding is challenging, pumping your milk and using a bottle can be a wonderful way to continue providing breast milk. There are many excellent bottles designed to mimic the breast, making the transition smoother for your baby. Another note on pumping and supply – make sure to try different pumps and shield sizes. Me personally, I never thrived with a traditional machine. 2 hours hooked up and not producing any milk is not ideal for anyone and with a manual hand pump, producing 7 ounces per side in 15 minutes was a huge win for me. Not every machine is created equal!
- Formula Feeding: Modern formulas are designed to mimic breast milk as closely as possible, providing essential nutrients for your baby’s growth and development. This can be a challenging topic for some pediatricians – fed is best, but again not all formulas are created equal. When choosing a formula, goats’ milk is the most closely aligned option to your breast milk. Other brands I recommend are Holle and Kabrita which are the next best options for keeping your baby well fed and loved.
Overcoming Challenges: Lip and Tongue Ties
Check out our PODCAST Episode for more
One common challenge that can impact breastfeeding is the presence of lip and tongue ties. These are conditions where the tissue connecting the tongue or lip to the mouth is too tight, restricting movement and making breastfeeding difficult.
As certified pediatric chiropractors, we can help assess and manage these conditions. Proper assessment and treatment are key to ensuring a successful breastfeeding journey. Gentle chiropractic adjustments can help improve the function and mobility of your baby’s mouth, supporting a more effective latch and comfortable feeding experience.
Most times, pediatricians and even some lactation consultants aren’t properly trained to assess and make proper recommendations. This is not a fad and if not resolved or addressed in the infant stages will need to be assessed as they grow and develop.
Also, remember that even after you may decide to have a lip or tongue recession, your baby has developed this habit of tongue pattern movement for the past 9-10 months in utero. It will take time and patience to learn these new habits. Along with pediatric chiropractic care we can assess to make sure the brain is maintaining proper communication from the tongue to the mouth to the digestive system. A triple win!
A Community of Support
Remember, breastfeeding is a journey, and every family’s experience and needs are unique. It’s okay to seek help and support from professionals, lactation consultants, and your community. We’re all in this together, and the goal is the same: to nurture and support our little ones in the best way possible.
Let’s celebrate World Breastfeeding Week with love, understanding, and support for all mothers, regardless of their breastfeeding journey. Together, we can ensure our children grow healthy and happy, starting with the nourishment they receive from the very beginning and interference free with specialized chiropractic care. Don’t be a stranger, join an upcoming ladies night or community event!
Blessings,
Dr. Julie Wyss
Prime Family Chiropractic Centers – Together, let’s redefine what it means to be a role model and to impact our future generations. Rest Assured we’re still Your Family’s MOST Trusted Healthcare Advisor – and Gran’ma Approved !! Follow us on social @PrimeFamilyCenters, visit our website: www.Primefamilycenters.com or reach out at 920-781-8228.
