World Breastfeeding Week

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, Nizo Wear is offering 30% off any nursing bra purchased from their website http://www.nizowear.com/! Simply pick out what Nizo Wear nursing bra you cannot live without and enter coupon code: worldbfweek. You must hurry because this sale is only valid from Sunday July 31st thru Sunday August 7th!

What is World Breastfeeding Week??
World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August in more than 120 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration made by WHO and UNICEF policy-makers in August 1990 to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.

This year’s theme established by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy (WABA) is: “Talk to Me: Breastfeeding, a 3-D Experience.” Their focus is on the importance of connection between mother and baby (2-dimensions) but also the third dimension of support from the health care provider, friend, family member, or citizen. I LOVE this theme. Support is such an important aspect of breastfeeding, as those of you who know my story know that I could not have continued to breastfeed without it!

Breastfeeding is the best way to provide newborns with the nutrients they need. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding until a baby is six months old, and continued breastfeeding with the addition of nutritious complementary foods for up to two years or beyond.

The challenge

Malnutrition is responsible, directly or indirectly for about one third of deaths among children under five. Well above two thirds of these deaths, often associated with inappropriate feeding practices, occur during the first year of life.

Nutrition and nurturing during the first years of life are both crucial for life-long health and well-being. In infancy, no gift is more precious than breastfeeding; yet barely one in three infants is exclusively breastfed during the first six months of life.

The response
The World Health Organization recommends that infants start breastfeeding within one hour of life, are exclusively breastfed for six months, with timely introduction of adequate, safe and properly fed complementary foods while continuing breastfeeding for up to two years of age or beyond.

Promoting sound feeding practices is one of the main programme areas that the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development focuses on. Activities include the production of sound, evidence-based technical information, development of guidelines and counselling courses, provision of guidance for the protection, promotion and support of infant and young child feeding at policy, health service and community levels, production of appropriate indicators and maintenance of a Global Data Bank on Infant and Young Child Feeding.

Tips you always wish you knew on how to get the right bra fit

Tips you always wish you knew on how to get the right bra fit:
1.The bra should be quite firm around the body, and ideally fitted on the 3rd eye adjustment.
2.Shoulder straps loosened or tightened as necessary.
3.Breasts well enclosed within the cup.
4.Center front going back reasonably well to chest wall.
5.Snug fit at neck and underarm edges (not too tight and not gaping).

Your bra doesn't fit quite right if...

If the back rides up,
try going down a band size, but up a cup size for similar cup capacity i.e. 36C to 34D.

If you are spilling out of the cup,

try going up a cup size or two, keeping the band size the same i.e. 34B to 34D

If your bra looks like this your cup is too big,

try a smaller cup size, keeping the band size the same i.e. 34D to 34C.

Spill-over

Gapping

Low milk supply journey: Part 2

Low Milk Supply Journey: Part 2-

"Our journey towards weight gain continues. At my son's 4 mth check-up his doctor noticed a decline on his growth curve. For the next week I was instructed to start taking fenugreek as a supplement and to breastfeed my baby more often. In addition I was told to give him a 2 oz supplemental bottle after each nursing session.

I am incredibly fortunate to have an overproducing sister with a baby 2 months older than my son. She supplied me with frozen breast milk! After the first 9 days my son gained 14oz! The next week I was instructed to follow the same regime. After that week he gained an additional 6oz.

Then came the true test - stop the supplemental feeding, but continue the herbal boosters. The hope was to gain 0.5oz every day. Half way through this week I began taking Motherlove's More Milk Plus. My doctor - who is also a lactation consultant - was familiar with their products and pleased I was starting them.

I had been emailing with Motherlove's local representative and she was fabulous in helping me get going! I can tell the More Milk Plus has been increasing my supply - my breasts have been feeling fuller in between nursing session and I just felt like I was producing more. I was very hopeful going into our next weigh-in.

On our own he did ok, but not great. His next weigh-in showed a 2oz gain. That puts us on the 2 week weigh-in plan, opposed to the weekly one we were on. I admit to being frustrated with the situation - this is my 4th baby and the first time I've had to go in for so many weight checks!

I knew sudafed would lessen any one's milk supply; through my experience I've also learned that sage is to be avoided while breastfeeding for the same reason. Throughout this whole ordeal I feel so fortunate to have a doctor who supports breastfeeding and all the natural ways available to keep that going! I also am impressed by companies like Motherlove who share the common goal with excellent representatives. There is hope for low milk supply!!" -Lisa

Here is a link to other herbs that may affect milk supply: http://www.babycenter.com/0_breast-milk-interactions-chart_8788.bc?page=1.

I was surprised to see peppermint, menthol and parsley on there! This shows you how naive I was when I breastfed. I knew to stay away from alcohol and caffeine but herbs were so not on my radar! I guess since I did not have a problem with that I did not research it. Plus, being a new mom we all have so many other things to worry about :).

I want to send a BIG thank you to Motherlove who continues to impress me with the quality of their products and the kindness and integrity of their company! Good luck to those of you out there struggling with low milk supply. We hope this helps you on your own journey!! - Nicole, Nizo Wear