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What’s Lowering Your Milk Supply?

November 30, 2021/0 Comments/in Breast Pumping, Breastfeeding, Breastfeeding Diet, Breastfeeding tips, Exclusively Pumping /by Melissa Portunato

By Jacquelyn Ordner BSN, RN, IBCLC, RLC

A breath mint, candy cane, or peppermint patty all seem pretty harmless, right?  Did you know that peppermint is often the sneaky culprit of reduced milk supply? Most moms don’t!  So, to make it easier for nursing moms, we’ve compiled a list of some little-known milk supply suppressors. 

The following are usually harmless to milk production in typical quantities used for cooking as long as they aren’t consumed in large amounts or very frequently.

– Parsley

-Oregano

-Caffeine

-Thyme

-Vitamin B6 – Watch out for large amounts in common breakfast cereals! (stay well below the 100mg daily limit and you should be fine)

These foods/products/behaviors should be AVOIDED if you are breastfeeding  and want to keep your supply:

-Peppermint: Peppermint Essential Oil is often used when a mother wants to dry up her milk supply!  It is effective at doing so and should be avoided. Most people don’t realize that peppermint oil is in mint-flavored candies, gums, and even menthol cough drops!  A cup of peppermint tea here or there will likely be fine, but that’s the limit. 

-Sage: Sage Tea is another remedy often used when a woman wants to wean or dry up her milk supply.  Sage is powerful and even too much in a turkey and dressing recipe can have negative effects. 

-Smoking: Studies tell us that mothers who smoke produce less breastmilk and their infants typically weigh less.  Studies also reveal that breastfed infants of mothers who smoke sleep less. Coupled with the increased risk of SIDs, it’s clear that quitting is best. Still, smoking and breastfeeding has far more benefits than formula feeding and breastfeeding!

-Dehydration:  You’ve probably seen one of those posts in a social media breastfeeding group where someone swears by red Gatorade, Body Armour, or drinking 200 oz of water a day.  The truth is that you need to be adequately hydrated to make milk, but you don’t need special drinks or excessive amounts of water. In fact, excessive fluids can actually have a negative impact on your supply! So, shoot for your 8 glasses of water a day, plus drinking to thirst, and that’s all you need.

-Dieting:  Don’t get me wrong, eating a healthy and balanced diet is fantastic!  However, heavily restricting your calories can definitely reduce your milk production.  Talk with your doctor about a healthy calorie range for you. Make sure they know you’re breastfeeding, and keep in mind that some women are more sensitive to calorie restrictions than others.

-Decongestants: Think Sudafed.  If it’s meant to dry up mucus, it can also dry up breastmilk.

-Many forms of Birth Control:  The biggest culprits are birth controls that contain estrogen.  Beware, even birth controls that are supposed to be “ok for breastfeeding” can still cause major supply issues for sensitive women.  The best bet for your supply is a barrier method (like condoms). The next best choice is a non-hormonal method (like an IUD). The third choice would be something like the mini pill.  Just be aware that any birth control that contains or affects hormones CAN negatively impact your milk supply. Always talk with an IBCLC if you have questions about medications and breastfeeding.

-Stress: Yep, we know…..this one’s a doozy!  Stress is everywhere when you’re a mom!  Still, if there’s anything you can do to reduce stress, it will benefit your milk supply.  Incorporating light exercise, like walking can help reduce stress. Eating well, trying to incorporate more sleep, and even just getting 30 minutes of “alone” time can be huge for stress reduction. Are there little things you can do to help?  Maybe prepping a few meals on the weekends, or packing your pump bag and baby’s diaper bag the night before? Even seemingly small reductions in stress can have a big payoff!

BONUS:

-Alcohol:  Maybe you’ve heard you should “have a beer so you can relax and make more milk”.  Well, there’s more to it than that! While alcohol consumption isn’t prohibited for breastfeeding mothers, it can have a negative impact on their breastfeeding relationship and breastmilk production.  Alcohol can inhibit your Milk Ejection Reflex or MER. The MER is what causes your milk to let-down. If your milk won’t let down, or if it lets-down very slowly, baby won’t drink as much, or you won’t pump as much.  In the long run, this can lead to less milk being produced. 

Looking for breastfeeding support? Schedule a complimentary consultation with a Spectra Baby USA IBCLC here. 

 

Managing Your Pumping Schedule

November 16, 2021/0 Comments/in Real Mom Story /by Melissa Portunato

 

Melissa Portunato MPH, IBCLC, RLC

It’s hard enough to care for a newborn while you recover from childbirth; throw pumping in the mix, and it can be challenging to juggle it all. But we have good news on the horizon! Often, there are areas in your pumping schedule you can limit, rearrange or eliminate all together and still have a healthy milk supply. Read on to learn about my Top 3 Pumping Schedule Killers and how you can avoid them so you can make plenty of super milk for your baby and keep your sanity too! 

Pumping Schedule Killers

1. Pumping more than 8x times per day 
If exclusively pumping, the first 12 weeks aim for pumping every 2-3 hours, which is about 8x per day. Pumping more than that will be harder to manage your schedule plus can increase nipple soreness and pain. Pumping sessions should be 15-20 minutes. After 12 weeks is a great time to start scaling back on pumping to around 6x per day. As a general rule, exclusive pumpers need 120 minutes per day of quality breast stimulation with a hospital strength pump. 

2. Everyday Power Pumping
Power Pumping is a technique that requires on/off pumping for one full hour. Talk about a time sucker! But, when used short term, it can help increase milk supply. But beware! Power pumping every single day for an hour is exhausting, draining, and not necessary. And worse! Your body will plateau and get used to pumping for the full hour, making shorter pumping sessions harder to achieve. Instead, keep Power Pumping limited to once a month and only for 3-4 consecutive days. This is a great way to stimulate the effects of a growth spurt or cluster feedings. Expect to see an increase in about a week. Learn more about Power Pumping here. 

3. The Triple Feeding Nightmare
Ugh, Triple Feeding, just reading those words can be overwhelming. Nurse at the breast, bottle feed baby, then pump. Repeat over and over at EVERY feeding. This advice, in theory, makes sense but is it realistic? As an IBCLC, I speak to so many parents ready to quit their breastfeeding journey because they simply can’t keep up with the triple feeding schedule. Instead, single pump while doing skin to skin with baby. Practice nursing between feedings because we know a “hangry baby” will be more difficult to latch. Try using a supplemental nursing system at the breast, which can encourage more nursing and less bottle feeding. Work on a few nursing sessions a day instead of every feeding. This can ease your mind for a bit and give you some much-needed rest and downtime. 

Sample Pumping Schedules 

Exclusive Pumping
Set reminders, block off pumping times on your calendar, and aim for 8x per day 20 min each. Pump when baby eats can be an easy-to-follow schedule, especially during the newborn phase. 

Newborn 8x per day 
7am, 10am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 9pm, 12am, and 4am

After 12 weeks, 6x per day 
6am, 10am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 10pm

Nursing and Pumping 
The best time to pump will always be in the morning, 30 min or so after nursing your baby. In the morning, prolactin (milk-making hormone) peaks; take advantage of this time and pump. You can do single or double pumping. Expect to see between ½ – 2 oz combined. If you’re returning to work, start pumping more consistently about 2-3 weeks before your return. A few days before you head back, pump at times you will be pumping at work. 

It’s OK if you don’t pump at the same time every day! Skipping a pumping session or going over in-between times occasionally shouldn’t have a drastic effect on your supply. Focus your energy on consistency and commitment! Don’t dwell on what happened in the past and push forward towards your pumping goals. 

Need help managing your pump schedule? Our highly skilled Spectra IBCLCs can help! Schedule your complimentary consultation today. 

 

Setting Up a Mobile Pumping Station

November 9, 2021/0 Comments/in Breast Pumping, Breastfeeding, Breastfeeding tips, Exclusively Pumping /by Melissa Portunato

 

Melissa Portunato MPH, IBCLC, RLC

Setting up a pumping station is an inexpensive and practical way to make breastfeeding easier for all moms! This simple DIY can save you time and allow you the mobility to move around the house to find a quiet place to help you relax while you pump.

How to do it

Step 1 

An art cart or portable plastic drawers will work well – must have wheels! Most portable carts and drawers come with three levels which is plenty of space to include all your must-haves. The more levels, the better; just make sure they have enough space in between for some of the larger items. You can use some of the movable space for other baby items, too, like diapers, wipes, and extra clothes! 

Bonus Tip: Add bins to separate items and create an even more organized mobile pumping cart! 

Step 2 

Time to load up your mobile station with all your pumping cart essentials! 

Handy Checklist for the Perfect Pump Cart:

✔ Spectra baby USA pump
✔ Power cord 
✔ Pump Accessories – duckbills, backflows, flanges, bottles, caps, and disks
✔ Wet bag for used pump parts
✔ Milk Storage Bags
✔ Cooler kit with an ice pack
✔ Paper Towels or Napkins for spills
✔ Hand Sanitizer 
✔ Water bottle
✔ Cell phone and charger 
✔ Yummy snacks – nuts, dried fruit, and crackers make great snacks! 

Do I really need a pumping cart? 

If you are mostly nursing at the breast, you can definitely do without; but if you are pumping multiple times a day or exclusively pumping – highly recommended. It especially comes in handy if you are working from home, others are working from home, or in virtual school, where space is sometimes limited, and working areas can change throughout the day. Creating a mobile pumping station can help you stay organized and make pumping less stressful to squeeze into your busy day!

Want more pumping tips? Follow us on IG and Facebook!

Happy Pumping Team Spectra!

Traveling With Your Rechargeable Pump

November 2, 2021/0 Comments/in Breastfeeding, Breastfeeding tips, Exclusively Pumping /by Melissa Portunato

Melissa Portunato MPH, IBCLC, RLC 

Are you ready to hit the road with your baby and breast pump this holiday season? Planning ahead will eliminate unnecessary stress so you can enjoy the time away with your growing family. Read on for our best tips for traveling with your rechargeable breast pump. 

In the car 
Car Charger is a MUST! Spectra has car chargers for both the Spectra 9 Plus (9 volt) and the Spectra S1 (12 volt). We recommend charging your Spectra rechargeable pump for 3-4 hours; leaving it to charge overnight can ultimately damage the battery. If you’re traveling abroad, Spectra baby USA breast pumps are internationally compatible, which means all you need is the country converter, and you’re all set! 

On a plane 
Yes, you can absolutely pump on a plane! And your breast pump does NOT count as an additional carry-on. Find out more on the TSA guidelines on carrying a breast pump and breastmilk here. Don’t pump in the restroom! Most airports now provide private pumping pods where you can nurse or pump in a clean, quiet space. Download the app to plan ahead and find the nearest pod if you need to pump before boarding. 

Anywhere Must – Haves 
Milk Storage
Keep your breast milk cool when a refrigerator is not available. Transport refrigerated/frozen milk by placing breastmilk in an insulated bag or cooler with a frozen cold pack. Milk should be refrigerated or frozen within 24 hours. 

Remember the RULE of 4! According to the CDC, breastmilk is optimal for 4 hours at room temp, four days in the fridge, and 4-6 months in the freezer. If you will be freezing your breastmilk, it’s best to freeze it right away. Refrigerated breast milk can be frozen within four days of expression. 

Extra Parts
It’s recommended that you wash all your pumping parts (except tubing) after every use in a designated basin with warm soapy water. In addition, the CDC recommends sanitizing parts once daily for extra germ removal. If you know you won’t have access to a sink, bring enough sets of pump parts to get you through the day. Placing pumping parts in the refrigerator in between uses is not recommended. 

Hand Pump
Every mom should have a hand pump as a backup. They are lightweight, convenient, and can be your lifeline in an emergency! Throw it in your pump bag and never get left without pumping if you run out of battery on your rechargeable electric breast pump. 

Pumping Packing List 

✔ Pump Bag

✔ Power cord 

✔ Breast pump 

✔ Car adapter 

✔ Extra accessories – duckbills, backflows, flanges, bottles, caps, and disks

✔ Wet bag for used pump parts

✔ Milk Storage Bags

✔ Cooler kit with an ice pack

✔ Hand pump

✔ Nursing Cover

✔ Paper Towels or Napkins for spills

✔ Hand Sanitizer 

Have more questions before you hit the road? Email us at IBCLC@spectrababyusa.com! 

We’re here for you, and we support you! 

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