THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A LAZY BABY
I want to address a term that often surfaces in consultations and pediatric visits: "lazy baby." I believe this term is not only inaccurate but also unhelpful. It suggests a negative connotation and unjustly assigns blame to your infant for challenges in breastfeeding, which is unfair and unfounded.
pumping to empty
I was recently listening to a podcast. One of the people interviewed had mastitis and was talking about how she was always pumping to empty her breasts because she was so scared of getting another mastitis. This is a common misconception. You get mastitis after going a little longer between nursing or pump sessions, and therefore you start to pump or nurse more and more in order to prevent another mastitis. This thinking is based on a theory that plugged ducts or mastitis happen due to stagnant milk that's been sitting in the breasts for too long. If that’s the case, we need to empty, and empty, and empty, more frequently and more completely to make sure that we don't get another plugged duct or infection.
Understanding and Managing Fast Letdown in Breastfeeding
Some women experience a fast or forceful letdown when breastfeeding. While this isn't always a problem, it can be challenging for some babies to cope with milk flowing out faster than they can comfortably handle. Babies need to coordinate sucking, swallowing, and breathing during feeding, and a forceful letdown can disrupt this delicate balance.
Understanding Engorgement in the Postpartum period
Breast engorgement is characterized by the breasts becoming hard, swollen, and painful. It happens not only because milk production increases but also due to inflammation and fluid buildup in the breast tissues. This swelling can make it difficult for babies to latch onto the breast and for milk to flow easily, causing frustration for both the mother and the baby.
