Nursing

Content

• Sizing with Penelope Preggers
• Breastfeeding: The First 6 Weeks
• Breastfeeding Nutrition

Sizing with Penelope Preggers

How your Breasts Change Size During Pregnancy and Nursing

Here is our gal "Penelope Preggers" - foot loose and fancy free 3 days before she knows she's pregnant! She is wearing - and perfectly fitting - a 34B (our size is S)*.

Penelope is now 3 months pregnant! She is noticing many changes in her body, including her breasts and ribs. She is still wearing her 34B, but is starting to notice it is a bit tight. She is moving from a 34 - 36 and is beginning to be a C cup. She may be more comfortable in our S+.

6 months pregnant and Penelope is glowing! Her belly is more pronounced and her breasts and rib cage are both feeling bigger. She is a 36C now, and fully into our S+.

A full, radiant 9 months pregnant and almost ready to deliver. Penelope's breasts have felt a bit puffy and tender the last few weeks, and her ribs feel very pushed out. She knows her breasts will get bigger after she delivers. She is closer to a 36D now and is still wearing her S+, but not for long!

It is now 3-4 days after Penelope has given birth. She has been breastfeeding since birth, but today her breasts are significantly bigger and heavier. She has increased at least a full size in the cup (to a DD or more) but she feels relief in her rib cage now that the baby is born. She bought a S++ for her new, heavier breasts. She is also wearing the bra to bed, for greater comfort.

Penelope and Baby Pam are happily working on their breastfeeding relationship, and Penelope noticed around 10-12 weeks after birth that her breasts have relaxed in size and weight. She could easily wear her S+ again.

*The sizing refers to our Original Nursing and Original Soft Cup bras.

Breastfeeding: The First 6 Weeks

You spent 9 months focused on labor and delivery. Now give yourself some time to learn the Mom and Baby breastfeeding dance. Breastfeeding is a learning process for both you and your baby; neither of you have done this before! Breastfeeding takes time and you learn it by doing it... and doing it, and doing it.

Here are a few things to keep in mind in the first few weeks of breastfeeding.

Think of a large marble…

This is roughly the size of a newborn's stomach. With this in mind, your baby needs to eat at least every 2-3 hours (in other words, your baby is not eating more often than others!!). And if you have concerns about producing enough milk to keep up to this demand, don't. What your baby takes, your body makes - you will have enough milk!

Ouch!!

Yes, breastfeeding may hurt and cause sore nipples in the first few days, but it should not hurt for the whole feeding or over a period of a few days or longer. If pain persists, don't "tough it out" - seek help! There is an abundance of resources and support available to help you breastfeed (see sidebar). Roughly 95% of the time, the solution to sore nipples comes by simply improving your latch.

Yowza…are these my breasts?!

Didn't think your breasts could ever be this big? Feel like they're as hard as Mount Everest with veins as big as marked trails? Not to worry, they will settle down after the first few days, and then when you've established a regular nursing schedule, they'll settle down in size and weight again (and they won't act like that leaky faucet in your bathroom anymore!). In the meantime, enjoy your cleavage!

Make peace with dust bunnies

Let dust bunnies and dirty dishes become your friends for the first few weeks. The world will not stop if you have a messy house or do not make a 4 course dinner every night. Now is the time to concentrate on your baby; to get to know one another, learn to read their cues, sing silly songs, whatever. And never hesitate to ask for help or accept it when offered. Friends and family are marvelous at folding laundry, making meals, running to the store…

Shhhh…listen to your instincts

If you're hungry, eat. If you're tired, nap. If you want to wear pyjamas all day, do. If you're too tired to welcome visitors, defer. In other words, it's essential to take care of yourself as well as your baby in these first few weeks - you are doing important work!

Mastering the dance

By about 6 weeks, you and your baby will have learned the breastfeeding dance and settled into somewhat of a routine. Life will feel more familiar again, your breasts will look more familiar again, and suddenly, your family is the new familiar!

So remember, breastfeeding takes time.
Give yourself and your baby time to transition, to learn, to relax, and to fall in love.

Breastfeeding Nutrition

What you feed Mom is just as important as Baby!

By MaryAnn Scandiffio, BA, CNP

here is so much information about what and what not to eat when you're pregnant, but what about when you're breastfeeding? If you think about it, you're still eating for two. And the smallest one of you is growing and developing at a phenomenal rate! In fact, nutritional requirements for breastfeeding are much the same as pregnancy, with sometimes even higher needs for many nutrients. Caloric needs increase from pre-pregnancy by approximately 300-400/day because your body is so busy producing breastmilk.
Why not make those necessary extra calories work to your and baby's advantage. We've put together a few nutritional guidelines and tips to help you in the first few months of breastfeeding. Once your baby has started solids (i.e. you're not exclusively breastfeeding anymore), some of these guidelines can be relaxed. However, good nutrition should always be ongoing - breastfeeding or not!

The Daily Dose To start, it's important that you choose foods from all the food groups on a daily basis. It's also important that you are getting the recommended daily intake of certain vitamins and minerals. Your daily diet should include:

Carbohydrates

This is what fuels your brain and your muscles and is a necessary component of breast milk! Eat plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables and legumes for good sources of these important 'building' foods.

Proteins

Protein is necessary for growth. Babies grow substantially during the first year of life and need the protein building blocks for all their body systems. You should be getting 75-80g per day - roughly double you pre-pregnancy needs. Good sources of protein include: fish, chicken, red meat, nuts, seeds, legumes and tofu.

Fats

Yes, there is such a thing as 'good' fat! Fats are a necessary part of your diet and are essential for the growth and protection of the brain and nervous system, for hormone-building and protection of all body cells. Good sources of essential fatty acids are seeds, nuts, fish, flax, and pumpkin and hemp seed oils. Other good sources include olive and sunflower oils and avocados.

Vitamins and Minerals

Most vitamins and minerals are found in abundance in fresh whole fruits and vegetables. Eating variety and color will ensure that you're getting everything you and your baby need during this important time.

While all vitamins and minerals are essential, Calcium and Iron are of particular importance during breastfeeding.

Calcium is essential for the growth and integrity of bones. Be sure to consume 1200 - 1500mg per day - 50% more than pre-pregnancy recommendations. Good calcium sources include dairy products, leafy green vegetables, almonds, salmon and fortified tofu.

Iron is necessary for the development of red blood cells and cardiovascular health and is an important factor in maintaining energy levels. Make sure you're getting 40-80mg a day - roughly double your pre-pregnancy needs. Foods high in iron include red meat, leafy green vegetables, grains, prunes, figs and beans. (Note: Be careful if you're consuming lots of dairy, as calcium from dairy can deplete iron levels. It's best to vary the food sources for your calcium!)

Drink Up!

What goes out must come back in again. Breastmilk is mostly water, so it's important for a nursing mom to keep topping up her fluids. Drinking to thirst is recommended and can include all liquids such as juice and milk in addition to water. A good way of making sure you don't go thirsty is to always have a glass of water accessible when you start to nurse. And here's a tip, drinking raspberry leaf herbal tea not only provides much needed liquid, but it helps to tone the uterus back into shape!

Variety is the Spice of Life

It's true…too much of something is not necessarily a good thing. Ideally, you should rotate what you eat with a variety of foods. And remember, it's good to have a combination of both cooked and raw fruits and veggies to capture those important enzymes which help us with our energy and vitality.

And Finally…

This is the time to take care of yourself as well as your baby. This is not the time to try and lose your 'baby fat'. Dieting and cutting out important nutrient-dense foods, especially in the first two months of breastfeeding, will only make you feel tired and depleted (more than you already are from sleepless nights!). Your diet is important not only to develop breastmilk for baby, but to keep you a healthy, energetic mom!

If you have concerns about your diet and nutrition, always consult your doctor, nutritionist or other healthcare provider to determine what is best for you and your baby.

MaryAnn Scandiffo is a practicing nutritionist and busy mom to 4 children, all of whom were breastfed.