The Mom's Cheat Sheet » breastfeeding

Breastfeeding? Here’s a Drink for You

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:57:15 +0000

One of the things that surprised me about breastfeeding was just how thirsty it made me! I was prepared to feel extra hungry and tired, but didn’t expect to be toting around a huge water bottle everywhere. And because nursing moms have to watch what we drink, we can’t keep ourselves hydrated by triple espressos and margaritas. What goes in us, goes in baby. This is why I was happy to see Mamaista’s blog today, which features a drink made specifically for breastfeeding moms.

Breastfeeding Made Easy [mamaista]

Lowered Blood Pressure – Yet Another Breastfeeding Benefit

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:59:56 +0000

Most of us moms have heard of the benefits that breastfeeding comes with. Not only is great for your baby, free, and convenient, but it benefits your health, too. Nursing moms often enjoy quicker weight loss after pregnancy, lower chances of breast cancer, as well as other added benefits. One benefit that I was unaware of is something that I came across this morning in an article from USA Today -

“The longer women breast-fed, the lower their chance of developing metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors such as high blood pressure and high triglycerides associated with obesity, the scientists found.”

I think it’s great that we are finding out more and more about the benefits of nursing. Since nursing can be a challenge at first (not to mention painful!) it is encouraging to read about the benefits for both mom and baby.

For the full article, see Breast-feeding may protect moms’ health [USA Today]

How to Soothe Engorgement – Help For Nursing Moms

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:00:56 +0000

My cousin is getting ready to have her first baby in a few months, and I was thinking about her today and reflecting on what it was like a few years ago for me as a new mom. Pregnancy, a newborn baby, and nursing were consuming! There is so much information to absorb, and the clock seems to start ticking once you see that positive pregnancy test.

I learned a lot during that first year as a new mom, and I try to pass on whatever little nuggets of wisdom that were passed on to me. Some things I had to learn the hard way, while others were easier thanks to the help of friends and family. Advice from moms who know what they are doing can be very helpful when you’re sleep deprived, sore from delivery, and not exactly sure what you are doing.

One thing in particular I learned was a bit of information passed to me from my mother-in-law (who incidentally has twelve children!). Before I had my daughter, she let me in on a little “nursing hack” that I would later be extremely grateful for. We all know that during those first few days and weeks of nursing, breastfeeding can be pretty painful. One of the reasons it can be so painful is because your breasts become engorged with milk, and sometimes the supply exceeds the demand. Trust me, this isn’t a pretty picture.

Here’s the trick: Take a clean diaper, and wet it with a decent amount of water (the diaper will absorb the water). Put it in the microwave and let it get hot. This will act as a heating pad, and it stays hot for a long time. It feels absolutely wonderful when you are engorged, and this homemade heating pad is much more effective than anything else I’ve tried. When you have a three day old baby who just won’t nurse enough to help you out, this will help tremendously.

-Grace

Breastfeeding For Your Child’s Future

admin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:50:06 +0000

Did you know that nursing may help boost your child’s future grades in school?

I read an interesting article today on this topic. I have been a big fan of Dr. Sears ever since my first daughter was born, and I enjoy reading health news and updates from www.drsears.com. Today they posted an article that talks about yet another benefit of breastfeeding. We’ve all heard about how great breastfeeding is for your baby (and for you), but this is the first article I’ve read that suggests the benefits carry into the teenage years.

“The researchers found that even between siblings, breastfeeding did appear to make a difference. On average, breastfed siblings had a 12 percent to 14 percent higher grade point average (GPA) in high school, and were somewhat more likely to go to college.

What’s more, GPA tended to inch upward with each additional month of breastfeeding, as did the odds of attending college, according to findings published in the Journal of Human Capital.”

For the full article, go to their website and read Breastfed babies may become smarter teens. [Dr Sears]