5 Tips for Breastfeeding After Breast Cancer

The Village Supports you 

Congratulations! You are a survivor and now you’re expecting. For many women, this time raises concerns. Many women who have survived breast cancer and go on to have children wonder if they can breastfeed. Breastfeeding can become challenging for a mother under the best circumstances, but breastfeeding after surviving breast cancer poses different concerns. Depending on how long after your battle with cancer and if any tissue was removed, will determine your success rate. But there is hope! 

1. Seek Needed Support

Find an IBCLC 

The #1 suggestion is to get support.  Even though you may feel as if you do not need any assistance, you may want someone other than family to talk to.  Having family and friends available for support is still a good thing. But, don’t be afraid to seek professional help! Seeking help in the beginning can prevent small issues from spiraling out of control.  Here is a link to the registry for International Board of Lactation Consultants.  Certified Lactation Consultants, Breastfeeding Counselors, Peer-Educators, and La Leche League professionals offer great advice in normal situations.  IBCLCs are considered the gold standard of expertise in breastfeeding. If you are experiencing a problem outside of the norm; as you may with breastfeeding after cancer; you will be advised to see an IBCLC.   I recommend starting there.   Finding a "village" of women who have successfully breastfed after cancer can provide additional feedback. 

2. Understand Breastfeeding

During the first month of breastfeeding, be prepared for the demand exclusive feeding creates.  Contrary to the belief of many, the first few months of breast feeding are difficult for any mother.  Keep in mind that breastfeeding runs on a supply and demand function.  The more frequent that you nurse, the more milk your breasts will produce. You can download a copy of Will My Milk Be Enough? 3 Tips for promoting successful breastfeeding. My free guide to getting you started on the right step!

3. Proper Care for Your Breasts

Your breasts are tender and need to be properly cared for, especially when you are breastfeeding.  It is a good idea to apply some form of nipple cream on your nipples to ensure that they do not become painful due to cracking and peeling.  You will want to apply this cream on a daily basis. Everyone has their preference. I like Earth Mama Angel Baby Natural Nipple Butter. It is natural and non-toxic.  Also, self-expressing milk and

Great for soar nipples and is non-toxic

rubbing onto soar nipples helps with healing as well.  Don’t wash breast with soaps as this dries them out, and removes the natural scent of the nipples that aides a baby in breastfeeding.  

4. Staying Healthy

Many women do not realize how much breastfeeding takes a toll on your body.  Without the proper consumption of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, fatigue may occur.  To prevent this from happening, make sure that you have a plan that will nurture your body as well as your baby.

5. Your Plate

When you create your special breastfeeding diet, make sure that you incorporate all of the necessary food groups.  These essential food groups include grains, protein, meat, dairy, vegetables, and fruit.  These foods will provide your body with a substantial amount of energy and help your baby become strong. Breastfeeding women can consume up to an additional 500 calories during this time, as breastfeeding is a major calorie burner. The USDA has some updated recommendations for breastfeeding moms. 

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5 Steps That Need to be Taken When You Are Considering Leaving Your Abusive Partner While Pregnant

Staying healthy is an essential part of being pregnant.  If your spouse is abusive, whether verbally or physical, you need to consider your options of leaving. Stress is not good for you or your baby and there is a great chance that things will become worse.

1. Getting Back to You

In order to get “you” back, you have to be willing and ready to walk away from the situation. Although you may feel that things will get better with time, these chances are slim to none. You need to be able to walk away from the situation for the health of you and your unborn baby.

2. Setting the Limits

Emotional outbursts and criticism can take an extreme toll on you. In this instance, you will need to let your partner know that you are willing to discuss any concerns that he has, but there is no need to attack you to get your point across.

3. Consider All of Your Options

A lot of women are concerned about everything else but themselves. There is nothing wrong with being concerned about your partner because a relationship requires two people. In the same instance, he will need to understand what you are going through and the things that you are currently feeling.

4. Talk to Someone

Talking to someone can help a lot more than you imagine. Hopefully, you and your mate are able to come to a conclusion about the events that are taking place. Keep in mind that while being pregnant is stressful upon you, it is stressful for your spouse as well.

5. Letting Go and Moving On

In the event that you have taken several different steps to stop any physical and emotional abuse and nothing seems to work, make plans with a relative or close friend to move and have a place to stay. Take one to two days to only pack your essential needs. Items such as clothes, toiletries, and little odds and ins will need to be taken. If you decide to return for any reason, your spouse should undergo therapy or some form of counseling.
Get help: The National Domestic Violence Hotline 

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7 Exercises That You Can Do Now That Will Help During Labor

This article discusses 7 exercises that can be performed in order to ease the pains of pregnancy and easing the process of labor. This article also discusses how these exercises tone other parts of your body.

It is a fact that no one will be able to predict how your labor will turn out.  From pain to unpredictable instances during labor, no one will know until the process begins.  The good news is that there are a few exercises that you can do to help you prepare your body for the events to come.

Kegels

Kegels are one exercise that many expecting women perform on a daily basis in order to prepare them for the process of labor.  Kegals are an essential exercise to do to prepare you and your body for labor because when you perform this exercise, you are strengthening the muscles that are supporting your uterus, rectum, bladder, and urethra.  Strengthening these muscles will improve circulation to the rectum and vaginal area, which will help with the prevention of hemorrhoids.

Pelvic Tilt

The pelvic tilt is another exercise that you can do.  This exercise is also referred to as the “angry cat”.  In order to perform this exercise, you will need to be on all fours.  This particular exercise strengthens your abdominal muscles and helps with easing back pain that you may experience during pregnancy and labor.

Squat

Although this is not a favorite position or exercise for many expecting mothers, this exercise helps open your pelvis.  Squatting will also help strengthen your thighs.

Tailor

This exercise is able to help open your pelvis and help loosen the joints of your hip.  This exercise also has the ability to ease pain and tension in your lower back and improve your posture.  This exercise is also known as the Cobbler Pose.

Walking

For some expecting mothers, power walking is not in the forecast, but walking will benefit you a lot more than you may realize.  Walking will keep you fit without affecting your knees and your ankles the way running may. 

Swimming

Swimming has been deemed the best of the best when it comes to expecting mothers.  Swimming gives your entire body a work out without overdoing it.  This is a great way to keep pregnancy weight to a minimum.

Low-Impact Aerobics

These type of aerobics strengthen your heart and has the ability to tone your body.  This is a great way to prepare your body for the changes and process that will occur in the near future.


Each of these exercises and techniques are great to keep an expecting mother fit and healthy without overworking or burning out the body.  Make sure that you keep yourself hydrated and consume healthy foods.



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Labor with a doula

Since today is labor day, it would only be fitting that I dedicated this post to the birth doula. 

Birth doula's have made major headlines in the last decade. Not a new concept, doula; an ancient Greek term for "a woman who serves"; have been a integral element of childbirth for centureis. A doula is now viewed as trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period. The emphasis remains on service.



A birth doula:

• Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life 
• Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor 
• Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth 
• Stays with the woman throughout the labor 
• Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed decisions 
• Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers 
• Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman's memory of the birth experience 
• Allows the woman's partner to participate at his/her comfort level 

Each women labors differently and there is a doula for every women.

If you would like to schedule a free consultation, here is our contact form.

Risk of Not Breastfeeding

If you are like most women, then you are well aware of the BENEFITS associated with breastfeeding. Here are just a few:

Decrease risk of SIDS

Decrease risk of childhood obesity

Allergy prevention

Not to mention, there is absolutely nothing in the world, that anyone can manufacture, that can ever be as easily digestible and homogenous to your baby’s digestive system as human breastmilk. But did you know that by not breastfeeding you and your baby are at a higher risk of developing certain diseases?

Risks for your baby:

Ear infections 

Gastroenteritis 

Pneumonia 

Atopic Dermatitis 

Childhood cancer 

Risk for you :

Menopausal breast cancer 

Ovarian cancer 

Postpartum depression 

On a larger scale, Author of The Politics of Breastfeeding, Gabrielle Palmer credits women for producing "the most ecological food product in the world." Breastmilk is a natural, renewable resource! According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, $3.6 BILLION would be saved if we increased the number of breastfeeding women 10%. So see, the benefits of breastfeeding don’t stop at your front door. Breastfeeding can have a major positive economic effect nationwide.

Key points:

Breastfeeding is good for baby, mommy, and our economy 

American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for 1 year (only breastmilk for the first 6 months)

Infant feeding

It’s important to understand that newborns feed frequently.  It may be every 1-2 hours, or in 45 minute time spans.  Understand early hunger cues and it will be easier to feed baby. 

Early hunger cues:

¨ Smacking or licking lips

¨ Opening and closing mouth

¨ Sucking on tongue, lips, hands, etc

¨ Rooting (turning head to the side searching for nipple)

Late hunger cues:

¨ Moving head frantically from side to side

¨ Fussing and breathing fast

¨ Crying

Since the proteins in breastmilk are small, it is a lot easier to digest.  A breastfed baby will feed more often than a formula fed baby. Also, a newborn’s stomach is very small. At this time you will be producing about 30 mL of colostrum per day; more than enough to feed your baby.  3-5 days after birth, your milk will increase in volume.   Since your baby has retained fluid at birth water is not necessary.   Even after baby has lost the extra fluid, your breastmilk is designed to hydrate your baby. Your foremilk is thinner and will quench his thirst. The hindmilk is denser and calorie rich providing baby all the nutrients he needs for the first 6 months of life.   

Also, for the first 6 weeks resist the urge to use bottles or pacifiers.  This is especially important for mothers that want to exclusively breastfeed. By using a pacifier, you are satisfying your babies sucking need and decreasing the stimulation to your nipples needed to increase milk volume.  The use of bottles will create a preference; not confusion.  Babies are not confused.  It’s much easier to get milk out of a bottle. He has to work harder to massage milk from the breast and may begin to prefer the bottle over your breast. At about 6 weeks, a good breastfeeding regimen should be established, and introducing any of these items at this point should not interfere with breastfeeding.

The Importance of Skin-to-Skin

Skin-to-skin, also called kangaroo care, is a crucial first step in creating a bond between you and your baby that will promote the release of oxytocin and promote let-down.  Skin to skin regulates the baby’s temperature, blood sugar, breathing, heart rate, and calms a fussy baby.  Immediately following birth place baby on your bare chest between y our breast. Baby will lay there for a while and begin to familiarize himself with the new surroundings. It may take some time (1-2 hours), but a newborn can actually find, crawl to, latch, and breastfeed on their own! All around the world, women are experiencing the breast crawl phenomenon.  Here’s a link.  Discuss your wishes with your healthcare provider.   A good way to begin the conversation is by developing a birth plan.  A birth plan outlines your wishes for your birth experience.  Please visit our website for a printable birth plan worksheet.  

Key points:

¨ Skin-to-skin helps baby acclimate themselves with their new world

¨ Promotes release of “feel good” lactation hormones

¨ Skin-to-skin immediately after birth and as often as possible

¨ Create and discuss your birth plan with healthcare provider