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[25 May 2010 | No Comment | 100 views]
Ameda Breast Pumps

PURELY YOURS ULTRA™ BREAST PUMP WITH CUSTOMFIT™ FLANGES
A Custom Approach – Because Every Mom is Unique
Ameda knows moms respond differently to different pumping patterns. Purely Yours Ultra’s CustomControl™ dual adjustability has separate suction and speed dials that let you choose from 32 different combinations to customize your pumping experience for the best results every time
Ameda takes customization a step further with its CustomFit Flange System™. Moms need their breast pump flange to fit properly for greatest comfort and better milk flow. Because flange fit can change with birth, breastfeeding and …

Breastfeeding, Featured, Nutrition, Parents »

[24 May 2010 | No Comment | 133 views]
How Much Breast Milk Should I Pump Per Day?

How much breast milk should I pump per day?  This is an extraordinarily common question many mothers ask, especially first-time moms new to breastfeeding.  The motherly instinct to provide the best possible nutrition for her baby has create certain uncertainties that need answers.
When finding out how much breast milk a mom should pump per day, she should seek the advice of her OB/GYN and/or her baby’s pediatrician.  These two resources will be invaluable assets in terms of breastfeeding advice.
Another way of determining the amount of breast milk a baby needs …

Breastfeeding, Featured, Nutrition, Parents »

[22 May 2010 | 5 Comments | 209 views]
Labeling and Storing Breast Milk in the NICU

Every NICU will have unique policies in regards to labeling and storing breast milk.  Because of this, it is important for a mother to ask the baby’s NICU nurse what should specifically be done in regards to the laebling and storing of her breast milk.
A common practice for many NICUs is to have the mother use a label that has her baby’s name and medical record number on it.  These labels will be placed on the storage container for the breast milk.  It should have the date and time the …

Breastfeeding, Featured, Nutrition, Parents »

[20 May 2010 | 2 Comments | 155 views]
Importance of Collecting Breast Milk

When a premature infant is born, they are usually not ready to breastfeed immediately after birth.  In fact, it may be days, weeks, or months before the baby is ready to breastfeed, depending on how early the infant was born, or the severity of the condition keeping the child in the NICU.
It is important for mothers to begin expressing their breast milk very soon after birth, because this provides the first form of breast millk, colostrum.  Colostrum is a nutrient-packed form of breast milk that protects a baby from disease …

Breastfeeding, Featured, Parents »

[18 May 2010 | One Comment | 107 views]
Renting a Breast Pump

Renting a breast pump is a very important part of expressing milk for a baby.  Mothers with a preterm infant will often find themselves unable to breastfeed, due to their baby’s prematurity.  regardless of the circumstances, renting a breast pump is a tremendous asset in the care and feeding of a baby.
The best type of breast pump would be a hospital-grade pump, that has a dual collecting kit, which enables the pump to collect breast milk from both breasts at the same time.  These are generally electric, but there are …

Breastfeeding, Featured, NICU General, Nutrition, Parents »

[28 Apr 2010 | No Comment | 119 views]
Breastfeeding After the NICU

Breastfeeding a premature baby at home, after it has been in the NICU, will often be very similar to how it was in the hospital.  Many parents come home with the expectations that breastfeeding will progress into that of a newborn baby very quickly.  This is not always the case.
It is common in NICUs to send premature babies home a week or two before their original birth date.  A 31-week preterm infant could, in theory, be sent home healthy at around 38 weeks, still 2 weeks early!  Because of this, it …

Breastfeeding, Featured, Parents »

[26 Apr 2010 | One Comment | 200 views]
Breastfeeding Benefits for Mothers

Mothers deciding to breastfeed have a very positive list of breastfeeding benefits, not only for their baby, but for themselves as well.  Whether a mother’s infant is in the NICU or at home, breastfeeding benefits may be surprisingly more prevalent than most moms expect.
In the NICU, parents are often forced to deal with the separation that occurs when their baby goes into the intensive care unit.  This separation can be very difficult, especially for the mother.  Natural protective instincts create an irrespressible desire to be with their baby at all times.
Fortunately, in …

Breastfeeding, Parents »

[9 Nov 2009 | No Comment | 280 views]

 
NICU
Best 5 Breastfeeding Forums for Moms
Breastfeeding is on of the best ways to supplement and protect your baby.  It provides vitamins and nutrients, as well as antibodies that forumla cannot duplicate.  Mothers around the world are often looking for resources and information regarding breastfeeding and the benefits of breast milk, so I have found 5 excellent breastfeeding forums.
These breastfeeding forums cover countless topics, and chances are, if you have a question regarding breastfeeding, you may find your answers among one of these sites.  Not only can you find information, but you …

Breastfeeding, Parents »

[7 Nov 2009 | No Comment | 126 views]

NICU
Mastitis and Breastfeeding
Mastitis is an infection of the breasts most commonly found in breastfeeding mothers.  A breastfeeding mom with mastitis may feel like she has come down with the flu, as many of the symptoms are similar.
Causes
Mastitis is caused by bacteria that enter your breast through a break, or crack, in the nipple.   The bacteria can also enter the milk duct openings via the nipple as well.  Bacteria from the baby’s mouth, or from the surface of the mother’s skin, is the likely source. 
Mastitis occurs when those bacteria enter the milk …

Breastfeeding, Parents »

[3 Nov 2009 | No Comment | 134 views]
Let Down Reflex – Breastfeeding Tips

Let Down Reflex – Breastfeeding Tips
A mother’s let down reflex simply refers to the process in which breast milk enters the milk ducts and nipple for a baby to breastfeed.  If you have ever heard a baby cry, or even had the slightest stimulation around your breasts, and begun to leak breast milk, then chances are your let down reflex is perfectly tuned for optimal breastfeeding.

What happens when a mother breastfeeds is when a baby is put to breast, and begins to suck, the nerves in the nipple begin sending …