Breastfeeding mums need lots of calories!

Why you might want to think twice about dieting and doing excessive exercise during the first year of your baby’s life.

One of my lovely clients texted me about her New Years resolution turning into a disaster. Here is what she said and why breastfeeding mums might want to think twice about dieting and doing excessive exercise in an attempt to get their bodies back in shape. You have plenty of time for that when you finish breastfeeding.

2022 rolled around and it was time for New Year's resolutions. With a baby about to turn 6 months old, I was ready get back to feeling and looking like my old self.

My partner and I decided to embark on a health kick for all of January. We cut out sugar, decreased our carbs and I began jogging again after not doing much activity except walking since the birth. I was (and am still) exclusively breastfeeding, so jogging with milky boobs was something new!

The great thing was I lost 500 grams in a week. However, there were some unexpected and unwanted consequences.

My boobs we're just not as full of milk as before, which meant my baby was taking longer to breastfeed. I remember feeding my baby one night and not having a single let down. It was so worrying that for that feed, he didn't get any milk at all.

I began to feel really worried, not knowing why my milk supply had suddenly dropped. Was this the end of our breastfeeding journey? It had taken three months of hard work, after a NICU stay and other setbacks, to get to the point where we were exclusively breastfeeding, and I wasn't ready to accept that my milk was simply 'drying up'.

Then it hit me. I had restricted my kilojoule intake and my body had been using up energy for more strenuous exercise. This meant my body had less resources to produce milk.

This inspired me to ditch the health kick and go back to walking as my main form of activity. My milk supply promptly returned. I've decided I'm quite happy with my body as it is: an amazing source of nourishment for my baby. I'll save the health kick for later.

New Year's resolutions are overrated anyway.

Written by Natalie Repetto

Expectant or Natural Management of Miscarriage.

Miscarrying a loved baby is not what any woman wants to experience. With one in five babies passing before 20 weeks gestation many women do experience miscarriages and have varying experiences. Most babies pass before 12 weeks gestation and many pass without women even knowing they have conceived.

In our society, the natural reaction for most women when they see vaginal bleeding or experience cramping while pregnant is to go to their doctor or midwife and make sure everything is okay. If there is reason for concern you will most likely be referred for an ultrasound to make sure your baby is okay. If your baby has died there are varying ways to manage a miscarriage. Waiting or expectant, medical and surgical.

I few weeks ago I received an email from a woman overseas who had recently experienced a medically managed miscarriage. Her experience had been less than positive and she was searching for answers and wanted to know what other options are available should it happen to her again. She wanted to know what my thoughts where on miscarriage. I felt the best way I could share my thoughts was to share my own miscarriage experience.

To set the picture, my miscarriage happened 22 years ago at my home in rural Hawaii, 2.5 hours drive from the nearest hospital. Like many local residents I didn't have the income to pay for medical insurance and there weren't and still aren't any public hospitals like here in Australia. Due to no insurance we often handled medical needs ourselves, including birth and in this case miscarriage.

I started spotting brown blood at around 13 weeks pregnant. I knew this didn't mean my baby had passed but certainly may have. I continued to spot for 10 long days. At that time I didn't even know what the other options were other than stay at home and wait. I read Ina Mays "Spiritual Midwifery" chapter on miscarriage and prepared myself for what may lay ahead. It was a very sad time for not only me but also my husband and daughter. At first I prayed my baby was still alive and I was just having some random spotting. As each day passed and I continued to spot brown blood I became more sure my baby had died and I started to grieve. On the 10th morning of spotting I woke to contractions. The contractions were pretty intense, which I had expected having read Ina Mays book. Ina May had also warned about the amount of blood loss to expect lasting approximately an hour, and not longer than one hour. Thank goodness I had read the book because for one hour I bleed a very large amount of blood, then I passed a little baby. The bleeding immediately slowed right down after the little one passed. To my surprise the next day the process started again and I passed another what seemed to be a little baby. Then the blood slowed down, similar to a period.

In my experience there were many benefits miscarrying naturally at home. I had time to process and grieve the loss of my baby over those 10 long days. I got to experience a short labour which was intense but it helped me emotionally let go of my baby. Due to my miscarriage happening when my body was ready everything released and passed well. It also allowed my husband and daughter to be part of the process and gave them an opportunity to grieve also.

After my miscarriage a midwife friend suggested I wait until my babies were due to be born before I conceived again. She had seen this done before and said it would be great for my body's recovery and sometimes interesting things can occur. I decided to take her advice. Sure enough a very interesting thing did happen. Eight months after my miscarriage, I produced colostrum. What a surprise that was and an amazing thing to experience. My body remembered it had been pregnant. I conceived again shortly afterwards.

We live in a society where we wait for very little. Patience is becoming less prevalent therefore waiting for a baby to pass won't be for everyone. I hope for those women that are interested in knowing their options this article gives you some insight into another way. Like everything in regards to our health, educate yourself so you feel confident and safe in the choices you make.

Building Endurance to avoid an unwanted epidural during labour

Many well intentioned first time mums start out on their birth journeys planning to birth naturally. In current times there's an abundance of classes women can attend in preparation for birth. Unfortunately one thing that is easily overlooked during pregnancy is building physical stamina so you have the endurance for labour.

First births are often very hard work. If you've focused on building your stamina during pregnancy you're more likely to have the energy to complete cervical dilation with energy left to push out your baby unassisted.

So what can happen if we haven't worked on our stamina?

When labour goes on for an extended period of time some women become exhausted. Once exhaustion sets in contractions can become less effective. When labour gets to this point the labouring mum may simply want labour to end as she's run out of steam. If the end of labour isn't in sight an epidural may be offered as a way to help her rest and rebuild her energy. Understandably, for many mums this is a very appealing option. Unfortunately birth becomes a very different experience once an epidural is administered. Many women feel completely out of control and feel a sense of loss if they had planned a natural birth.

So what is one simple, very affordable and effective exercise you can do to build your stamina ready for labour?

WALK, WALK, and WALK. Everyone's physical capabilities are different so start out at a pace and distance that's comfortable for you. Aim to walk 3 to 4 days a week, 5 km’s each walk. Sharing the walk with a furry or not so furry friend can make it more fun. It’s important your walk is enjoyable so perhaps make the effort to walk where you enjoy the surroundings.

Please note.....building your stamina isn't critical in the first trimester when you're completely exhausted and feeling unwell. Start when you're feeling better in your second trimester.

Benefits of Infant Massage

Making the world a more peaceful place one baby at a time.

Baby massage is a tradition practiced by different cultures around the world. In western cultures baby massage is a relatively new concept with many more families massaging their babies every year.

So why do traditional cultures massage their babies and have continued to do so for generations? The answer to that question is quite simple. Research shows babies that are massaged daily are healthier, stronger and generally happier.

How does massage have this positive effect on a baby? Imagine If you received a massage daily which improved your digestion, helped you sleep sounder and made you feel relaxed and safe, you’d probably be feeling more positive about life too.

Why does a baby need massage? Birth is a big event for both mother and baby. Some babies experience relatively easy births and others experience different levels of stress and sometimes trauma. Even the most straight-forward birth involves the baby making a massive transition from life in water to breathing air. The baby has left the dimly lit, juicy, warm and safe space of utero into a bright, dry and quite rough textured world.

In utero during the later stages of pregnancy the baby experiences continuous sensations against their skin from the walls of the womb. Once born these familiar sensations abruptly cease. When we undress a baby in a warm environment and rub oil or natural moisturiser into their skin and massage them with smooth, rhythmic, firm strokes, we are talking to them in a language they are familiar with and trust, the language of touch. The familiarity of touch encourages babies to relax in their little bodies. They quickly learn that life is good and feel safer in the new world around them. Massage encourages babies to sleep deeper and cry less. Massage is known to build stronger immunity, digestion and cognitive development.

Some breastfeeding mothers who massage their babies daily have seen an improvement in their milk supply due to an increase in prolactin. They often feel more connected to their babies which encourages the hormone oxytocin.

I could write paragraph after paragraph about the positive changes I’ve personally witnessed in babies simply because their dedicated parents massaged them 10 minutes each day.

If you’d like to learn the full body baby massage routine, see the link at the bottom of this article to find an instructor in your area.

Meanwhile I’d like to help you to get started with some basic guidelines. Any intentional regular touch is better than no touch.  Follow your instincts and intuition moving love through your hands into your baby.

 Let’s get started

•  Massage is best done when your baby is receptive. It’s important that both you and your baby are enjoying the experience. You’ll find a time of day that works best for you and your family.

•   Find a warm place in your home to set up a mat on the floor. You can play soft music if desired.

•   I suggest you massage with a cold pressed, edible oil from a vegetable, nut or seed. Use one oil at a time to test for any skin reaction. Some mums prefer to use a favourite natural moisturiser, chemical free is important.

•  Massage is best done with your baby’s nappy off so you can massage the full length of muscle and lymph nodes.

•  Pour some oil or natural moisturiser onto one of your hands. Rubbing your hands together, hold your hands up in front of your baby and ask your baby for permission to start massaging them. This is important, it will teach your baby that people need to ask permission before touching them, a great life lesson. You will know your baby is ready to receive if they face you and interact. If they are turning away and crying, it’s not a good time for massage.

• On the limbs you can stroke either direction. Strokes in the direction from the heart towards the feet are relaxing, great for preparing your baby for sleep and improving immunity. Strokes from the feet towards the heart are stimulating, beneficial for growth and building strength.

•   Back strokes move from the neck towards the toes. Making tummy time more fun and strengthening.

• Massaging the feet stimulates reflex points which encourages better health.

•  Chest strokes are relaxing, a fun time to add songs and nursery rhymes. Chest and shoulder strokes may help relax tight neck muscles. If your baby prefers to only look one way this maybe a sign of tight neck muscles.

•  Head and face strokes are relaxing. There are lots of muscles on the face that hold tension, especially around the jaw.

•  Tummy massage is more effective if strokes move from your left to right, following the direction of your baby’s large intestine, guiding gas down and out. Stomach massage improves digestion and is good for relieving colic and constipation.

•  Once you feel confident massaging your baby you can add nursery rhymes and songs to your massage routine cognitive development.

Most importantly have fun massaging your baby. Once you have a massage routine you could teach your partner how to massage his/her baby. A wonderful way for the working parent to connect with their baby at the end of the day.

I hope this article gives you some insight into why these cultures have continued to massage their babies from one generation to the next. I imagine it’s as simple as this, “if it works don’t stop doing it”.

If you’d like to learn the full course of baby massage please contact: 

Jodi Atkinson, IMA certified instructor.

jodi@flourishmumsandbubs.com.au 

Offering in person, one on one classes and group workshops.

Zoom classes are available, please email for bookings.

https://www.flourishmumsandbubs.com.au/

https://www.flourishmumsandbubs.com.au/infant-massage-classes-sunshine-coast-brisbane

Follow the link below for Infant Massage Australia ( IMA) instructors Australia wide.

https://infantmassage.org.au/ 

Benefits of delayed cord clamping

Support your baby’s well-being

Working as a doula there are many hospital protocols and procedures I educate and prepare my clients for. One of the most simple procedures that is rushed at the cost of your baby’s well-being is "umbilical cord clamping”.

For many years there was no evidence as to why it was important to delay cord clamping but this is no longer the case.

One of many studies available was conducted by Erickson-Owens and this is a little of what she had to say.

"When we wait at LEAST 5 minutes to clamp the cord of healthy babies, there is a return of the infant's own blood from the placenta, up to 50 percent of the baby's iron-rich blood cells," So when the brain needs red blood cells (and iron) to make myelin, the robustness of the iron stores make a big difference,"

She goes on to say that the practice of immediate clamping of the cord is still a widespread practice in many hospitals.
I think most of us know the value of iron and how important avoiding anaemia in a newborn must be, but what is the iron connection to myelin?

Myelin is a fatty substance in the brain that wraps around all of the axons of the nerve cells. "It's an insulator and very important in the transfer of messages across the nerve cells in the brain. It's assumed that the better the myelination, the more efficient the brain processing is," "The regions of the brain affected by increased myelination are those associated with motor, sensory processing/function and visual development.

So what is the rush to clamp and cut the cord?

The cord clamp is made of either metal or plastic and is literally a clamp that once clamped tight stops the return of your baby’s blood from the placenta. My client's birth plans state, “do not clamp our baby’s cord until it's stopped pulsating and turned white”. This can sometimes take a good 15 minutes.

What’s the rush, the cord doesn’t have to be cut for the placenta to be born?

Did you know you can actually leave the cord attached to your baby for an hour or even days?. There's even a ritual known as Lotus Birth where the baby remains attached to their placenta until the cord dries and falls off. This ritual isn't for everyone but it does prove there really isn't any rush to cut the cord other than getting you cleaned up and out of the birth room ready for the next patient.

I encourage you to do what's right for you and your baby. Stay strong and communicate your wishes with your care providers. As long as all is well with you and your baby it's safe to delay cord clamping.

Your baby deserves the best start in life.

"Milky Way" Breastfeeding Tea, how does this tea support breastfeeding mums?

“Do I have enough milk?” The big question so many mums ask.

Most mums will make plenty of milk for their babies. Learning to breastfeed is a little like learning to ride a bike, it requires patience and support when you first take off. Once mastered you’ll be able to feed without even thinking about it. However, this isn’t the case for some mothers, and they need some extra nutritional and herbal support to keep up with their baby’s demand. Even mums with adequate supply have days when they feel they need some extra nutritional support. You may have had a marathon few days feeding your baby during a growth spurt or perhaps you’ve been unwell. Mums with older babies or mums with numerous children get tired from constantly being on the go, they too may benefit from the support of galactagogue herbal tea. Galactagogues have been used for centuries to help mums increase and maintain their supply.

My breastfeeding tea is a beautiful blend of organic botanicals that naturally promote milk production and help sooth your baby’s tummy, easing the effects of colic.  

After much deliberation, testing for effectiveness and flavour I was finally satisfied and excited about the herbs I chose for this blend. Upon request I didn’t use the well-known galactagogue fenugreek as this herb has been known to unsettle the tummies of some breastfeeding babies.

My blend contains 5 different galactagogue herbs that are well known for their effectiveness, Goats Rue, Shatavari, Aniseed, Fennel and Ginger with a touch of beauty and flavour from Rosehips, Hibiscus and Calendula. If your supply is low you can drink this tea 4 x per day. If you’re looking to maintain your supply 1 - 2 cups per day should be sufficient. During the hot months this tea is fantastic chilled and poured over ice. It’s beautiful red colour and flavour is fun and delicious to mix half and half with mineral water.

Here’s some tips to help you know if your newborn is getting enough milk?

Here are a couple of simple indicators to help you know if your baby is getting sufficient breast milk.

§  Your baby will wake on their own for regular feeds, newborns generally feed every 2 to 3 hours.

§  Your baby will be alert when awake, (not necessarily happy, babies are human they aren’t always happy).

§  Your baby will have the expected urine and faeces output daily. One movement of each kind day one. Two on day two. Three on day three and so on following the same pattern until day 7.

If your baby is thinner than other babies it doesn’t mean they are deprived of food. My first baby was a thin baby. She was a very efficient feeder and loved her breastmilk. She solely breastfed until 7 months at which time I introduced solids. She continued to breastfeed until 2 years of age.

My second baby was a very chubby baby. She also loved her time breastfeeding and reached for solids by 4 months of age. The first baby is now 25 years old and is tall and slender. The chubby bub is now 20 years of age and is shorter and more solid boned than her sister.

We are all different and gain weight and grow in our own unique ways.

One thing you may find helpful and may help you avoid confusion and doubt in your ability to breastfeed your baby is to wait to pump breast milk and feed from a bottle until your baby is at least 6 months of age. Breastfeeding success depends on the simple act of supply and demand. What your baby drinks your body will replace. Trust that your baby and your body know how to work together and support this natural process where possible.