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...
Inverted nipples fold inward instead of pointing out. Most women with inverted nipples will still be able to breastfeed. If the baby is having a hard time latching on to the breast, ask your doctor, midwife, or lactation consultant for help. To find out whether you have flat or inverted nipples: Place your thumb and...
Here's a step-by-step guide to the basics of breastfeeding.
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...
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...
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...
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...
Learn how to get your baby to latch when breastfeeding and learn what to do if you're having problems.
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...
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.
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.
Explains what causes sore or cracked nipples from breastfeeding. Provides self-care tips, prevention, and when to get help.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Breath-holding spells are brief periods—usually lasting no longer than a minute—when a young child stops breathing. These spells usually result from anger, fear, pain, or frustration and are not a deliberate behavior on the child's part. The two main types of breath-holding spells are cyanotic, caused by the change in...
What are breath-holding spells? Breath-holding spells are brief periods when young children stop breathing for up to 1 minute. These spells often cause a child to pass out (lose consciousness). Breath-holding spells usually occur when a young child is angry, frustrated, in pain, or afraid. But the spell is a reflex...
Before taking your child to a doctor for breath-holding spells, write down what typically happens. These descriptions will help you to give your child's doctor accurate information to make an initial diagnosis. Try to observe and record what happens before, during, and after the breath-holding spell. Keep the following...
An incentive spirometer is a handheld device that exercises your lungs and measures how much air you can breathe in. It tells you and your doctor how well your lungs are working. The spirometer can help you practice taking deep breaths. Deep breaths can help open your airways and prevent fluid or mucus from building up...
Covers helping a child use a metered-dose inhaler with mask spacer. Explains that a metered dose inhaler delivers a measured dose of medicine directly to the lungs. Includes pictures on how to use metered-dose inhaler with mask spacer.
Covers using an inhaler to get needed medicine into lungs quickly. Describes dry powder inhalers, how they work, and why to use them. Includes pictures on how to use a dry powder inhaler.
A metered-dose inhaler lets you breathe medicine into your lungs quickly. Inhaled medicine works faster than the same medicine in a pill. An inhaler allows you to take less medicine than you would need if you took it as a pill. "Metered-dose" means that the inhaler gives a measured amount of medicine each time you use...
A nebulizer is a tool that delivers liquid medicine as a fine mist. You breathe in the medicine through a mouthpiece or face mask. This sends the medicine directly to your airways and lungs. You breathe in the medicine for a few minutes. Why is a nebulizer used? A nebulizer may be used to treat respiratory problems...
It is common to cough for a few minutes after breathing in smoke or fumes from a fire. Your breathing should return to normal within a short period of time, about 30 minutes. If your breathing does not return to normal or if your breathing is getting worse instead of improving, it is important to think about whether you...
During childbirth, breathing in a rhythm can help distract you from pain. It can also help relax your muscles and your mind. As your due date gets closer, you can learn and practice different ways of doing focused breathing, such as belly breathing and pant-pant-blow breathing. Childbirth classes can also teach you...
Breathing with your diaphragm, also called diaphragmatic breathing (belly breathing), helps your lungs expand so that they take in more air. Lie on your back, or prop yourself up on several pillows. Put one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. When you breathe in, push your belly out as far as possible. You...
Breech and transverse twins require a cesarean delivery to avoid complications.
A fetus with the feet, buttocks, or legs pointing down toward the cervix is said to be in breech position. Before birth, most breech fetuses change position so that the head points downward, but some breech fetuses stay in breech position late into the third trimester (the last part of pregnancy). The frank breech...
