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Bottle-Feeding: When Baby Doesn't Want to Stop
Some babies grow attached to the bottle and do not want to give it up. Here are some common behaviors and suggestions on how to deal with them. Your baby always wants to have a bottle in his or her mouth. Do not let your baby crawl, walk around, or go to bed with a bottle. This will make him or her more prone to dental...
Bottle-Feeding: Weaning a Baby
Here are some tips for weaning your baby from the bottle: Don't allow the baby to carry the bottle around. This can help prevent injuries if your baby falls. It also can help keep the bottle from being a comfort item for your baby. Help transfer the baby's attachment from the bottle to another comfort object. When your...
Feeding Your Premature Infant
Some premature babies can't be fed by mouth right after birth. If your baby was born before the gestational age of 32 to 34 weeks, he or she can't feed by mouth. The reasons are: Poor coordination (or lack) of sucking, swallowing, and gag reflex. Weakness of both the oral and stomach muscles. Small stomach capacity...
Nutrition While Breastfeeding
Eating well during breastfeeding helps you stay healthy. Eat a variety of grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy or dairy alternatives, and protein foods. Avoid fish high in mercury. And limit alcohol and caffeine. Your doctor or midwife may suggest eating more calories each day than otherwise recommended for a person of...
Breastfeeding: Waking Your Baby
Most medical professionals recommend letting a baby eat on demand. But during the first few days of breastfeeding, your baby will breastfeed at least 8 times in a 24-hour period. This means you may need to wake your baby to eat. This will help to get your milk supply going. Try these tips to make the transition from...
Breastfeeding Your Newborn and an Older Child
Breastfeeding more than one child is called tandem breastfeeding. If you continue to feed your older child along with your newborn, keep in mind that the newborn's feeding is the higher priority. Some general feeding guidelines can help ensure that your newborn is properly nourished: Feed the newborn about 8 to 12 times...
Quick Tips: Successful Breastfeeding
Offers tips for breastfeeding, including when to feed, how to hold your baby, and how to get a good latch.
Cup-Feeding Baby With Breast Milk or Formula
Cup-feeding is a way to provide breast milk or formula to a baby who is unwilling or unable to breastfeed or drink from a bottle. If you do breastfeed, you can also use cup-feeding instead of bottle-feeding if your baby needs supplementation for a few days. Many babies with special needs can easily learn how to...
Weaning: Signs That Baby Is Ready
Signs that a baby may be ready to wean often appear after the baby has learned to crawl (7 to 8 months) or learned to walk (9 to 15 months). If you are breastfeeding, your baby may: Suck a few times and then stop nursing. Look around, play with your blouse, try to slide off your lap and move away, and seem uninterested...
Weaning
Weaning is the process of switching your baby from breastfeeding to bottle-feeding, or from a breast or bottle to a cup or solid foods. Weaning usually works best when it is done gradually over several weeks, months, or even longer. There is no right or wrong time to wean. It depends on how ready you and your baby are...
Breastfeeding: Weaning a Baby
There are two ways to wean. Gradual weaning happens over time. It lets your baby have more control over when to stop breastfeeding. Abrupt weaning happens all at once. Which style you use will depend on your preferences, why you plan to wean, and how often your baby breastfeeds. Gradual weaning One way to let a baby...
Breastfeeding: When Baby Doesn't Want to Stop
There may be times when you want to stop breastfeeding, but your baby shows signs of wanting to continue. If possible, keep breastfeeding a while longer. If you can't, then try these tips: Offer breast milk pumped from your breast, formula, or cow's milk (if your baby is more than 12 months old) in a cup or bottle. Do...
Hospital Policies and Breastfeeding
It's important to have support from the doctors, nurses, and hospital staff who care for you and your baby. Before it's time for you to give birth, ask about the breastfeeding policies at your hospital or birthing center. Look for a hospital or birthing center that has policies for: "Rooming in." This policy encourages...
Feeding Your Infant
Feeding a baby is an important concern for parents. Experts recommend feeding your baby only breast milk for about 6 months. They also support breastfeeding for 2 years or longer. But your baby benefits from any amount of time that you breastfeed. Try to breastfeed for as long as it works for you and your baby. If you...
Feeding Schedule for Babies
Experts recommend that newborns be fed on demand. This means that you breastfeed or bottle-feed your infant whenever they show signs of hunger, rather than setting a strict schedule. Newborns follow their feelings of hunger. They eat when they are hungry and stop eating when they are full. In the first few days after...
Breastfeeding: How to Use a Breast Pump
A breast pump is a device that allows you to empty milk from your breasts whenever you want to or need to. Then you can store the milk for later. Using a breast pump is a good way to provide the benefits of breastfeeding when you have to be away from your baby. Pumping will help keep up your milk supply. It also...
Breastfeeding: Choosing a Breast Pump
A breast pump is a device that allows you to empty milk from your breasts whenever you want to or need to. Then you can store the milk for later. You can also express breast milk by hand ( manual expression). But it takes longer to completely empty a breast this way. Pumps work faster and can be operated by hand, with...
Storing Breast Milk
Breast milk can be released (expressed) by hand or with a pump. Then the milk can be stored to feed your baby later. Breast milk can be stored at room temperature, in the fridge, or in the freezer for certain amounts of time. Storing breast milk properly can help keep it safe to feed to your baby. Why store breast milk...
Combining Breastfeeding and Bottle-Feeding
You may choose to breastfeed and use a bottle for some of your baby's feedings. It is best to wait until your baby has been breastfeeding well for several weeks before you try feeding your baby from a bottle. Sometimes the shape of the nipple plays a part in how well your breastfed baby adjusts to bottle feedings. Many...
Breastfeeding: Planning Ahead
Provides tips for how to prepare for breastfeeding. Covers talking with your doctor or a lactation consultant, taking a class, connecting with the birthing center, and gathering supplies and support.
Breastfeeding When You Have Diabetes
Breastfeeding is good for you and your baby. Even with diabetes, you can have the same chance of success with breastfeeding as anyone else. Here are some tips for eating a healthy diet when you're breastfeeding. Get help from a registered dietitian. It's important to eat a nutritious diet. A registered dietitian can...
Breastfeeding After Breast Surgery
Women who have had breast implants or surgery to remove cysts or benign (noncancerous) lumps usually are able to breastfeed. Women who have had surgery to make their breasts smaller (breast reduction) may have trouble breastfeeding if the milk ducts were cut or removed during surgery. These women may wish to consult...
Preventing Mastitis
Mastitis is a breast inflammation usually caused by infection. It can happen to any woman. But it's most common during the first 6 months of breastfeeding. You can keep nursing your baby. In fact, breastfeeding usually helps to clear up infection, and nursing won't harm your baby. If you have mastitis, you may first...
Poor Let-Down While Breastfeeding
You sometimes may notice that your milk does not flow easily, or let down, when you attempt to breastfeed or use a breast pump. Emotional stress, fatigue, anxiety, smoking, pain, or being cold are common causes of poor let-down. With poor let-down, you may not experience the tingling and leaking of milk that usually...
Breastfeeding at Work
If you're going to keep breastfeeding after you return to work, it may help to plan ahead. Here are some things to think about. Employer support. Before your child is born, talk to your employer about your breastfeeding plans. Work out the details of where you can breastfeed or pump, and decide how you will store your...
Diet, Breastfeeding, and Colic
The exact cause of colic is not known. It is possible that some foods may affect breast milk and contribute to intestinal gas or other digestive problems. These problems may make crying episodes worse. Foods that often affect breast milk in this way include: Garlic, onions, cabbage, turnips, broccoli, and beans...
Breastfeeding a Sick Baby
Your baby may have signs of a minor illness, such as cold symptoms or mild diarrhea. If so, it's best to keep breastfeeding. Breast milk provides your baby with the best possible nutrition. If your baby is too sick to breastfeed, try cup-feeding. With this technique, you feed your baby collected breast milk. Take your...
Breastfeeding: Sore Nipples
Explains what causes sore or cracked nipples from breastfeeding. Provides self-care tips, prevention, and when to get help.
Nipple Shields for Breastfeeding Problems
Nipple shields are devices that can help with certain breastfeeding problems. A nipple shield looks like a little hat with a brim. Many have a cutout area on the brim to allow for more skin-to-skin contact. The crown of the hat fits over the nipple, and the brim lies over the dark area around the nipple (areola). Most...
Breastfeeding and Your Milk Supply
A number of things affect how much milk your breasts make (your milk supply). The two most important things are how often you breastfeed and how well your breast is emptied. Breastfeeding stimulates the hormone that prepares your breasts to make milk ( prolactin). So the more often you feed your baby and empty your...
Breastfeeding: Exercise and Weight Loss
Keep the following in mind as you start an exercise program or try to lose weight while you are breastfeeding. Exercise Being active helps promote weight loss, improves your energy level, and can help you relieve stress. Follow these tips when you start an exercise program while you are breastfeeding: Start out slowly...
Signs That Your Baby Is Getting Enough to Eat
Babies give cues during feeding that show how hungry they are. Pay attention to these cues to help know when your baby has had enough to eat. A baby who is hungry will latch on to the breast or bottle and suck continuously. A baby who is getting full during a feeding will take longer pauses between sucking. A baby who...
Breastfeeding: Baby's Poor Weight Gain
Most infants lose up to 10% of their birth weight in the first week. A baby's weight decreases from the normal loss of fluid, urine, and stool. Babies also get few calories from early breastfeeding patterns. Their bodies have special fat stores for this early time. Normally, feeding sessions in the first few days...
Breastfeeding Positions
Explains 5 ways to hold your baby for breastfeeding. Includes illustrations.
Breastfeeding Multiple Infants
You may choose to breastfeed. This can be more challenging with multiple babies. But support and guidance can help you be successful. Talk to your doctor, your midwife, or a lactation consultant if you need help. Support can also come from a trusted friend or family member or another person with expertise in...
Breastfeeding: Should I Breastfeed My Baby?
Guides through decision to breastfeed. Discusses common concerns and issues related to breastfeeding. Links to personal stories. Covers benefits and risks. Includes an interactive tool to help you make your decision.
Breastfeeding: Using Medicines Safely
Talk to your doctor before you take any prescription or over-the-counter medicines while breastfeeding. That's because some medicines can affect your breast milk. Many medicines are safe to use when you breastfeed. These include: Pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Some cold...
COVID-19: Advice if You're Planning a Pregnancy, Pregnant, Recently Pregnant, or Breastfeeding
There are things you can do to protect your health and the health of your baby. Experts recommend getting the COVID-19 vaccine if you are planning a pregnancy, are pregnant, were recently pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you're pregnant or were recently pregnant You are at higher risk for getting seriously ill from...
Breastfeeding: Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drugs
If you are breastfeeding, many things that you eat, drink, or take into your body end up in your breast milk. Some of these things may harm your baby. Tobacco and nicotine. Smoking cigarettes or chewing tobacco may reduce your milk production. It also may make your baby fussy. Babies who are exposed to secondhand smoke...
Sleep, Rest, and Breastfeeding
Rest and sleep are important to breastfeeding women for keeping up their energy and their milk production. Help yourself sleep well Avoid or limit caffeine, especially in the hours before bedtime. Caffeine can keep you awake. Use the evening hours for settling down. Avoid watching TV and using the computer or phone if...
Breastfeeding During Pregnancy
You usually can continue breastfeeding your child if you become pregnant. If you breastfeed while you are pregnant, be aware of the following issues: Breastfeeding during pregnancy is not recommended if you are at risk for preterm labor. Breastfeeding may stimulate uterine contractions, which can lead to premature...
Breastfeeding After a C-Section
A cesarean delivery may delay the start of breastfeeding. You may be sleepy from medicine or in pain from the surgery. Try breastfeeding your baby as soon as you are able. Ask whether your baby can be brought into the recovery room to be held and breastfed. Ask your nurse or other health professionals to help you...