Breastfeeding

Tata Tuesday chat - 8/12 with Shari Criso (LCshari)

Happy Tata Tuesday!

Today, from 1-2pm EST, Shari Criso (Evenflo Feeding's very own lactation consultant) will be in THIS thread to answer all your breastfeeding questions! Her username is LCshari.

By taking part in the conversation on this thread, you're automatically entered to win! We’ll pick three winners per week, and each winner receives one prize pack. Here’s what you could take home:

  • A Prize Pack from Boob-olution’s sponsor, Boppy (Original Slipcovered Pillows, Toy Prize Pack)
  • Baby K’Tan Prize Pack (Baby Carrier, Burp Cloth, Baby T-Shirt and Baby Hat)
  • Ingrid & Isabel Prize Pack (Drop Cup Nursing Bra, Crossover Nursing Cami, and Cami Bra)


A little bit about Shari:

Shari Criso is truly a Baby Expert! For over 20 years, Shari has been a Registered Labor & Delivery Nurse, Certified Nurse Midwife, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, a Baby Product Expert and a New Parent Educator. She has helped parents all over the world experience a joyful and confident transition into new parenthood through her private consulting practice, live web TV show, full video educational library and My Baby Experts website for new and expecting parents. Shari has partnered with Evenflo Feeding with a shared mission to provide breastfeeding support and knowledge to all new moms by combining affordable, quality products with exceptional education through her “Simply Breastfeeding” and “Breast Pumps & Briefcases” online breastfeeding classes.

See you at 1pm EST!

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Re: Tata Tuesday chat - 8/12 with Shari Criso (LCshari)

  • Hi Shari! Welcome to the board!

    Here's my question: I have a very painful letdown (LO is 5 weeks old so this is still new to me) is this normal?
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  • Hi Everyone!! Welcome to World Breastfeeding Month and Tata Tuesday!! Happy to be here with all of you :)

  • Hi Shari,

      I am having a hard time deciding how much to feed my baby.  I am a breastfeeding/pumping working mom of a 19 week old.  I used the Kelly Mom calculator when my baby was 3 months old and it said she should eat an average of 3 oz. every 3 hours.  That worked for about a month.  Now she seems hungry in between feedings.  We upped it to 4 oz. every 3 hours, but I am not able to pump that much.  Any advice?
  • Hi Shari! Two questions about nursing my 12.5-month-old …

    -DD is nursing mostly just twice a day now, at wakeup and bedtime. My breasts feel very full in the morning, but some nights (bedtime is 7:30 pm) they don't feel very full at all. Can I assume that I will maintain enough supply for 2x daily feedings? I haven't pumped in the evening to see what I get since I've been with DD. On weekends I offer at other times too when she seems grumpy/upset. 

    -Sometimes DD doesn't seem very interested in nursing for more than 5 min/side and we're down to just twice a day. Do babies self-wean before 2 years old? Sometimes I wonder if she's over it.
  • Is there a reason baby would latch really well on one side and not the other? I feel like she does great on the right but she always fusses on the left and we get frustrated. I try to hold her the same way and do everything the same as the other side but it's usually does not work. Any suggestions? Thanks.
  • Congratulations on the birth of your baby!! There are so many variations of normal when it comes to Breastfeeding.  In the beginning, as your body is adjusting to everything you may experience discomfort, however you should not be in pain. If the pain is just during the initial let-down it could be happening from the latch, but it could also just be the sensation that you feel as the milk starts to flow. This is especially possible if you have a strong let down or if your baby starts sucking harder once the milk is flowing. If it does not get better, or if it is interfering with your breastfeeding please go and see a Lactation Consultant. Sometimes it is just normal, and sometimes it just requires a small adjustment. All the best to you!
  • My lo is 3 weeks old. We are starting to get the hang if it but my nipples turn white and get very painful, both right after he nurses and also sometimes at random times. Is it a shallow latch? How can I improve that? Anything else I can do? Thank you!
  • Hi Shari.

    My DD self weaned just before her 2nd birthday in June.  I'm expecting #2 in December and plan to BF again.  Is it common for older siblings to want to BF again when new baby is added to the family?  If she does, it is best to always feed baby first? Any concern about over supply if DD is doing it more for comfort?
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  • I have a 6 month old breastfed son, and am 19 weeks 3 days with twins, so I need to invest in a pump. Which ones would you recommend?
  • Hi Shari - 

    as a new FTM, not due until December - what are your best tips on both feeding off the breast, and still pumping to create a stash to allow DH to help with feeding responsibilities?  I haven't taken my breast feeding class, so unsure (but hoping) a lot of this will be covered.  Thanks!
  • Hi @mommaofmultiplesIt is really hard to estimate what your baby is eating at the breast by what you can pump.  What I would recommend is that you pump more frequently in order to collect more for the feedings that you will not be with your baby.  Some moms find it helpful to pump a little during the night when your supply may be increased.  There is no real “calculator” that I know that will give you the amount that YOUR baby needs.  It is a matter of following your babies needs.  The other thing to consider is that your baby may be going through a normal growth spurt in which case you will need to feed more frequently to increase your supply.  Try to not supplement during this time, as this will only make the situation worse. Hope this helps!

  • Hi Shari! I'm going to be a first time mom this December and plan to exclusively breastfeed until I go to back to work. What is a good timeframe to start pumping so my little one will transition to bottles?
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  • @RDK24  Your breasts don’t have to feel full to have milk. Your supply is typically highest in the morning and lowest in the late afternoon and evening…so this is normal.  The feedings may only last about 5 minutes but it does not indicate how much she is eating as this could be a full feeding for her.  Babies can wean themselves at this time and it is common. Just keep offering it to her if you want to continue and allow her to lead. She will let you know what she wants and two feedings a day would be great if you can keep that going for now J

  • Hi @chambressa… one reason that your baby may be preferring one side over the other is that one side may be making more milk or have a faster let-down. This could cause the baby to become “frustrated” with the other side…they can be very impatient J  There is not much you can do about it and it is VERY normal for your breasts to have a more dominate side. What I would do is start on the side that she gets fussy on as she may be more accepting when she is hungrier.  Just know that many moms wind up exclusively feeding on one breast for this reason and make plenty of milk for their babies…I was one of them J

  • Good afternoon, Shari.
    My 15 month old son was weaned besides nursing a couple times during the night. He was sick a few weeks ago and only wanted to nurse. Now he refuses to take a bottle. My question is will he eventually just grow out of nursing? The last time he weaned didn't feel natural to me or LO, a lot of tears were involved and I'd like weaning to be tear free this go around. Any tips are appreciated. Thanks in advance! -Kelly O.
  • @twolittledogs The best thing you can do as a new mom who is breastfeeding is to educate yourself and understand what is normal. Unfortunately, most issues that I see are perceived issues rather than real physical problems, especially with milk supply.  Many times it is the perceived low supply that causes moms to supplement that then leads to a REAL low supply.  Remember that we are mammals, we are meant to do this, we have been doing this since the beginning of time, people in other countries do not have the same struggle with this that we do!!!  Learn how to tell your baby got enough and how much (or how little) they actually really need. Watch my Simply Breastfeeding Online Breastfeeding Class for this full education www.MyBabyExperts.com and here is a short video that you can watch about “How you can tell your baby got enough”

  • @loosgroovmom  Congratulations!  What you are describing is Raynauds which is a vasoconstriction of the blood vessels in the nipple after or during the feeding. The white color and the pain are classic signs of this. What you can do is have very warm compresses ready to apply directly to your nipples at the end of the feeding. This should help a lot.  Look it up online and read more about it. It is something that can definitely resolve with time, but not typically caused by a poor latch. Latch issues will usually result in a different kind of pain and eventual breakdown of the skin that you are not describing.  Hope it gets better J

  • Thanks Shari! I'll check out your site too
  • @alltheteainchina Congrats on baby #2!  It is very common for an older sibling to want to go back to Breastfeeding when they see the baby doing it, however the longer it has been since you weaned, the less likely that this will happen. What I would not do is make a big deal out of it. If she wants it, let her try it. Most likely she won’t even like the taste, as it is quite different than the breast milk that she has been drinking J   Always feed your newborn first. I would not be concerned about oversupply issues and take once step at a time.  Good luck!

  • Hi Shari

    I have 9 (almost 10 month) old twins. One is breastfed and I pump for the other. My son, the breastfed one, has had issues with preferring the bottle, but we're in a pretty good place with feeds now, i.e. no screaming during feeds anymore. He seems happy when he's finished, but no matter how recently he's eaten, he goes crazy when he sees his sister's bottle. He breastfeeds (or gets a 5 oz bottle) about 5 times a day and usually sleeps through the night. He eats 3 solid meals, too.

    I don't know if his reaction to his sister's bottle is because he's actually still hungry. He has struggled with weight gain but has been doing a little better since starting solids. I'm worried that I'm relying too much on solids. Should I give him a bottle when he gets excited about his sister's bottle, too? He's fed on demand but it's generally every 3 hours during the day (up to 4 if he's napping). Should I try more frequent feeds?

    Thanks.
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  • Hi Shari! I have a question regarding pumps -- I recently purchased a hand pump for occasional pumping, but I'm having a bit of trouble with it. I've used hospital grade pumps before when my daughter was in NICU and was able to keep the Medela piston that converts into a hand pump, which I used without any issues as well. However, it's been difficult to pump with the new hand pump I just got. I'm not able to comfortably pump as it feels like there is too much suction. Is there a way to fix this? I recall the piston having an adjustment but this hand pump does not.
  • @sjc8187 Congratulations!!!  You definitely want to get a pump that is going to be easy to use, easy to clean, fast and efficient.  I helped design the NEW Evenflo Feeding Advanced Double Electric and it is an amazing pump!  Actually won best pump of the year here on The Bump this year! SO MANY great features like multiple flange sizes included, 32 settings, individual speed and suction control, and a CLOSED SYSTEM so that you do not get any milk backing up in the tubes, which can lead to mold growth.  The pump also comes with both of my Full Length Breastfeeding Classes for free.  Here is a link that will show you all the features that I mentioned and everything that you should be considering when looking at which pump to choose. All the best to you!!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r_dmB4HHZ4   

     

  • I am having my first in just a couple of weeks. We will be delivering in the hospital and I was curious what kind of breastfeeding clothing or supplies I need to bring with me to the hospital?
  • Hi everyone!

    Thank you SO much for joining our live chat! If your question was not answered, please check in next week for the next round of Tata Tuesdays. The earlier you join the better :)
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  • @bdblZ Congratulations!  What I would recommend is that you do not try to store any milk for the first 6 weeks, as you are establishing your supply, and this will interfere possibly creating an oversupply or not having enough for the actual feeding.  Either is not good.  What I would recommend is that you pump a very small amount once a day starting early on (like a ½ ounce) and start introducing your baby to the bottle while finishing the feeding at the breast.  They may cover this in your breastfeeding class but all classes are different. I have a whole chapter that will describe this process to you in my online class that you can watch here https://www.mybabyexperts.com/#!classes/cwzb or it is included with every Evenflo Feeding Breast Pump (even the manual one!).  Every expert has a different opinion and ultimately it will be up to you to make the decision about what feels right for you and your baby.  Good luck to you!

  • @kim0710  Congratulations…how exciting for you!  I just replied about introducing the bottle early in order to get your baby used to it.  When you wait too long, you do run the risk that the baby may reject the bottle. Introduce some pumped milk at around 1-2 weeks old, but do not storing or pumping extra until your baby is 6 weeks.  All my best!! J

  • @kellyLO85 It is perfectly normal for your LO to want to go back to the breast especially when he is sick. If you are okay with continuing to breastfeed (which is sounds like you are) than it is actually the best thing that you could do and I would say that this was a blessing!  Your baby continues to receive the benefits of breast milk for as long as they continue.  Twelve months is the “minimum” recommendation but 2 years is ideal and normal in most places in the world. The World Health Organization actually recommends continuing for 2 years.  The best way to wean tear free is to wait until your LO is ready J

  • Thank you everyone for your GREAT questions!! Happy Breastfeeding!!!   :x
  • Thanks I'm checking more into this!!
  • BumpJackieBumpJackie member
    edited September 2014
    Thanks for participating everyone!

    Congrats to this weeks winners!


    Join us next week for our next round of Tata Tuesdays with Jennifer Ritchie! Same time, same prizes. See you then!
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  • Oh I won!  How do I get my prize?
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