Feeding Your Baby:
Common Issues New Moms Encounter
For new moms, one of the most difficult aspects of parenting can be making sure they are fed. Here are a few common issues moms might encounter, and some tips on making each of these issues a little easier.
Breast milk and your baby don’t arrive at the same time.
A mother’s milk often doesn’t come in until three to five days after delivery. This is tricky, because the baby arrives and is hungry on day one! Babies are fine for the first few days, as they are getting the nutrient-rich colostrum provided by the mother. Colostrum comes before the milk and helps boost the baby’s immune system.
During the first few days after birth, frequent breastfeeding and holding your baby against you will help milk come in faster.
It’s painful to breastfeed.
A lot of people will tell you that breastfeeding isn’t painful if you are doing it right and that simply isn’t true. Breastfeeding can be painful for new moms, especially as their baby is initially learning to latch.
Try not to let the baby stay on the breast all the time. The longer the baby stays on the breast, sucking and keeping the area wet and agitated, the more difficult it is to heal.
When removing the baby from the breast, place your finger in the corner of the baby’s mouth to break the seal they have around the nipple. This is a much less painful way to un-latch the baby.
Nipples become red, cracked or bleeding.
Nipple pain and bleeding is a common problem new moms encounter, as both she and the baby are learning the process. New moms should know they are not alone in dealing with this pain.
Once the baby is done feeding, take some breast milk and rub it on the affected area including the nipple and the areola. This can help with the healing process. Also, if the nipple becomes red, inflamed or bleeding, visit with your obstetrician or pediatrician about ways they can help.
Mom needs to take medicine.
Many medications – even those sold over-the-counter – can interfere with breastfeeding. Some medications can be harmful for the baby, and others can dry up a milk supply.
It is important for mothers to always consult your doctor before taking any new medications.
Supplementing with formula is needed.
There are times in the breastfeeding journey where new moms might need to supplement their breast milk supply with formula. Some instances where this might be needed is if the baby is losing too much weight or if the baby is dehydrated or jaundiced.
Always supplement with formula after the baby breastfeeds.This helps the baby continue to practice latching and sucking, and it tells the mother’s body to make additional milk. This also helps with the natural bonding that occurs during breastfeeding.
It’s best if someone besides mom gives the bottle of formula, so breast is always associated with her, and bottle is associated with someone else.
Your baby is jaundiced.
Sometimes with breast-fed babies, jaundice can occur. Especially at the start of the breastfeeding journey, when there isn’t a lot of milk, babies can get a little dehydrated. In addition, the lack of milk causes fewer stools, which can also increase the risk of jaundice.
When the baby is around one month old, give one drop daily of Vitamin D supplement drops for infants. These drops can be purchased over the counter and should be continued as long as breastfeeding continues.
Mom isn’t getting enough calcium.
Women’s bodies need calcium to make breast milk, and if the mother isn’t taking in enough calcium, her body will begin taking that needed calcium from her bones. This is why past generations of women can seem slumped over, because they didn’t take in enough calcium when they breastfed.
Continue taking prenatal vitamins throughout the breastfeeding journey. If you cannot take prenatal vitamins, take two Tums a day or an Os-Cal supplement.
Baby has difficulty swallowing.
Also known as dysphagia, this is when a baby has trouble passing food or liquid from their mouth to their stomach. Common symptoms of this are coughing, choking, gagging, color change during or after feeding. Babies with dysphagia also have lengthy feeding times (greater than 30 minutes).
Babies with dysphagia need to be seen by a pediatrician, who can offer treatment options for parents including thickening the baby’s milk, speech therapy, and possible medication.
Baby is experiencing reflux.
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is a normal process in babies that occurs when stomach contents pass into the esophagus, sometimes causing regurgitation or vomiting. It’s very common in babies, affecting half to two thirds of them at least once a day until they are six months old.
Symptoms of reflux in babies include:
- Spitting up
- Coughing or hiccupping during feeding
- Being unsettled during feeding
- Crying and not settling
- Not gaining weight
- Arching of the back, often during or right after eating
- Colic
- Gagging or trouble swallowing
- Irritability, especially after eating
- Poor eating or refusing to eat
Reflux usually starts before a baby is 8 weeks old and gets better by the time they’re 1. Babies usually grow out of it without any treatment, but the age at which reflux stops can vary. Some tips to prevent reflux in babies include:
- Avoiding air-swallowing
- Using an air-free feeding system
- Feeding your baby in a vertical-upright position
- Smaller but frequent feedings
- Taking breaks to burp the baby
Baby has food allergies or intolerances.
According to the CDC, up to eight percent of children have food allergies, which can cause symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, rash, or stomach pain. When parents start introducing solid foods to their baby from around 6 months old, it is important to introduce the foods that can trigger allergic reactions one at a time and in very small amounts so that you can spot any reaction.
Common foods that trigger allergic reactions include:
- cows’ milk
- eggs (eggs without a red lion stamp should not be eaten raw or lightly cooked)
- foods that contain gluten, including wheat, barley and rye
- nuts and peanuts (serve them crushed or ground)
- seeds (serve them crushed or ground)
- soya
- shellfish (do not serve raw or lightly cooked)
- fish
If the baby already has a known allergy, such as a diagnosed food allergy or eczema, or if the parents have a family history of food allergies, eczema, asthma or hay fever, parents need to be particularly careful when introducing foods. Once introduced and if tolerated, these foods should become part of your baby’s usual diet to minimize the risk of allergy.
