Bobbi Taman, BSN, IBCLC, CLE shares breastfeeding tips for new and expectant mothers.
Learn more about BayCare’s maternity services
Breastfeeding Tips and Information
Featured Speaker:
Bobbi Taman, BSN, IBCLC, CLE
Bobbi Taman is an IBCLC and a lactation educator at BayCare. She has worked as a nursery nurse, Mother/Baby nurse, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and a patient educator for over 25 years at St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital. She helped develop an outpatient lactation department and started weekly breastfeeding support groups at the hospital. She now teaches prenatal breastfeeding classes to expectant parents. Bobbi has a strong passion about the benefits of human milk for both mother and baby. She loves educating and supporting mother/baby dyads through their breastfeeding journey. Transcription:
Breastfeeding Tips and Information
Introduction.: Here's another edition of the BayCare Health System’s podcast series, BayCare HealthChat with Melanie Cole.
Melanie Cole: When you breastfeed, you give your baby a healthy start that lasts a lifetime. Breast milk is the perfect food for your baby. It can save lives, money and time. This is BayCare HealthChat. I'm Melanie Cole and today we're discussing breastfeeding basics. Joining me is Bobbi Taman. She's a Registered Nurse, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Certified Lactation Educator at BayCare. Bobbi, I'm so glad to have you with us today. Let's start with the health benefits of breastfeeding for baby and for mother.
Bobbi Taman: Very happy to be with you all as well. Well, health benefits for mom, a reduction in breast cancer and some of the other female organs. The longer you breastfeed, the better the benefits or the longer the benefits last. In addition, moms tend to lose weight faster when they're breastfeeding direct, you know, right after they give birth to the baby. And then also every time a baby breastfeeds mom's body releases the hormone oxytocin. So they also have a reduced chance of getting post partum depression or baby blues. For babies, we see lots of benefits. It helps with their immune system, which is one of the biggest benefits. They also have a decreased chance of having obesity and diabetes later in life because they learn good feeding practice. They have less chance with the immunity boost of having upper respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections or stomach viruses. And those are kind of the benefits that we see with the babies as well.
Host: Well thank you for that. And as we talk about the benefits for babies and mothers, what about the benefits of prenatal breastfeeding classes and what can they teach moms to be?
Bobbi Taman: Well I teach prenatal breastfeeding classes at BayCare and I definitely tell my parents that that's one of the classes that I strongly recommend because when you are breastfeeding it is a natural process but it's definitely a learned process. So prenatal classes not only teach parents kind of the expectations to have with regards to breastfeeding, but it also teaches them resources to reach out to once the baby is born. Because in addition to having that knowledge before you go into breastfeeding, it's also important to know that once the baby's born, if you are having any struggles that you have somebody to reach out to. And BayCare has multiple services that are available for moms who are breastfeeding, such as support groups and consults and classes that they can attend even postpartum.
Host: So then let's talk about breast milk production from colostrum to mature milk. How can you tell when your milk is going to come in and tell us a little bit about how the process starts.
Bobbi Taman: So with colostrum, moms start producing colostrum between their 16th and 20th week of pregnancy. So as they enter the hospital giving birth, their body is already producing colostrum. Colostrum is what we call liquid gold. It is a very small quantity. Most women make anywhere between an ounce to four ounces total in the first 24 hours of baby's first day of life, usually between the second and fourth day after delivery, most women start producing what we call mature milk. And it usually takes about two to three weeks for moms to actually get to their total amount of mature milk that they'll be making in a 24 hour period. The average milk that most women make is about 25 ounces total in a day, but they can make anywhere between 20 ounces and 32 ounces of milk by the end of the second to third week after delivery.
Host: So then tell new moms about newborn feeding patterns. How often does baby need to eat and how do you know that the baby is getting enough?
Bobbi Taman: So most babies eat on demand when they're breastfeeding. And what I mean by demand is basically you watch the baby. We always tell moms, watch the baby, not the clock. So newborns eat very frequently. Breast milk digests in about 90 minutes. So you can expect your newborn to eat anywhere from an hour after the last feeding to possibly going as long as the three or four hour stretch. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies eat at least eight times in 24 hours in the first few weeks after delivery. So the expectation is the baby will have at least eight feedings in 24 hours, but it's not going to be by a clock. In addition some babies will do something called cluster feeding and cluster feeding is they will eat actually for two or three hours segment one feeding after another, feeding after another feeding. And some mothers worry that that means that they don't have enough milk because the baby is eating so frequently. Which actually it is just a way for baby to practice breastfeeding since they're learning.
And it's also a way to stimulate milk production in those first couple of weeks. You asked about how do we know if baby's getting enough? That is the number one worry for all new moms because we can't see what baby's getting when they're breastfeeding. So I always tell my mothers, whatever goes in must come out. So we're watching diapers. First week it's pretty easy. One, wet diaper, the first day, one poopy diaper, the second day, two diapers, two wet diapers, two bowel movements. Third day, three, three. By the time mom's milk is coming in which we discussed this between the second and fourth day. Wet diapers are going to pick up and usually by about the fifth day, sixth day babies are having at least six wet diapers in 24 hours more than that some, but at least six wet diapers is considered a norm. That's one way to know cause that tells you the baby is well hydrated, milk has come in and things are running smoothly. In addition, the doctors are going to be or the provider is going to be checking baby's weight and babies do tend to lose about 7% of their body weight in the first couple of days after birth. They usually are back to their birth weight by two weeks and they usually gain about an ounce a day. So six to eight ounces in a week from then on.
Host: So let's talk a little bit about some of the myths that you've heard about breastfeeding that it hurts or it's hard to do and some women do actually have difficulties at first. Bobbi, so speak about how latching baby onto breast difficulties that they may encounter. Some of the myths that you've heard.
Bobbi Taman: I hear a lot from moms that it's going to be painful and that it's going to be hard to learn. And as I said, it is a natural process of a baby to know how to breastfeed. It's an instinct, it's how they survive, but once the baby gets to the breast, there is definitely a learning process for both mom and baby. So I do tell them it's not hard to learn. It just is practice and practice makes perfect. The more you do something, the better you get at it. And that applies to two people when you're breastfeeding. Not only the baby but also the mom. So the more that the mom breastfeeds, the more her comfort level is going to be, whether she's right handed, left handed, doing the opposite hand. So there's definitely a learning process. It's also learning how to get the baby positioned correctly so that baby is facing breasts and not causing the discomfort or the pain that a lot of moms hear about before they go into breastfeeding. As far as pain and discomfort, I breastfed my own three children and I'm very honest with my moms about the fact that breastfeeding is going to be a little bit tender in the first few days to weeks when you're starting out.
Not throughout the whole feeding, but there is something in the lactation community called latch discomfort and that is in the first few seconds to a minute after a baby initially latches on a mother may experience a little bit of discomfort. Sometimes it's a little bit more than just a little discomfort and then it should subside. That should be the only pain or discomfort associated with breastfeeding. After the two week mark, usually moms are pain free. If there is any discomfort or pain beyond the first minute or two of nursing or past the first few weeks of nursing, moms should definitely be reaching out to a lactation consultant to have the latch evaluated and see what's going on with breastfeeding because it should not be painful. She should not be having continued pain throughout the whole feeding or pain to a point that she doesn't want to breastfeed. That is not a normal breastfeeding experience.
Host: And before we wrap up, do you have some advice for women about eating healthy while breastfeeding? And while you're telling us about that, tell us where we can find support and how women can get in touch with you and find out more about the breastfeeding classes.
Bobbi Taman: As far as eating with breastfeeding, we encourage moms once baby is born that they may eat whatever they would like to eat. There are limitations. One is caffeine. We recommend no more than two servings of caffeine in a day. And other than that they can go back to whatever diet they were eating before they were pregnant. So anything that they were told they could not eat while they were pregnant, they can go back to eating, such as I hear a lot about sushi or deli subs, things like that. We do advise them to continue taking their prenatal vitamins while they are breastfeeding. So if they breastfeed for a year, they'll be taking prenatal vitamins for a year. And then with alcohol consumption there is, it's not a limitation, it's just a knowing. If you decide that you need to have a glass of wine and you are breastfeeding or you want to have a beer, you have to wait between two and a half to three hours before you can go back to breastfeeding your baby.
So we usually advise moms to hold off on having any kind of alcohol until the baby is probably, you know, four to six weeks out because at that point the baby may be falling into a pattern where you know, the baby's going to go to bed at eight o'clock and won't be ready to be nursed again until maybe 10:30, 12 o'clock somewhere in there. At that point, the alcohol will have metabolized out of your system and mom can go back to breastfeeding. So the rule of thumb with alcohol consumption is that she has to have a time period that she waits before she can go back to breastfeeding. So anywhere between two and a half to three hours for one glass of wine or one beer or a cocktail, and then she can go back, you know, resume, breastfeeding or resume pumping. If she's feeding the bottle. My best advice is to reach out with any questions, concerns, find a support group. So with BayCare, BayCare has many opportunities for moms to reach out and get support.
We have multiple hospitals throughout the BayCare system that have lactation helplines that moms can call into and ask questions and have kind of a phone triage if they need additional support. We also offer outpatient consults so moms can come into the hospital after they've been triaged and have additional one-on-one support with a certified lactation consultant. And then we also offer support groups. The support groups are weekly and moms have multiple choices again throughout the BayCare System, at different hospitals throughout, you know, the Tampa Bay area to go in and actually spend time not only with a certified lactation consultant but also with other mothers. Which I do tell everybody that is a great experience to have because in addition to getting help from a lactation consultant, you also have other mothers that are in the same walk of life that you're in and it allows them to be able to share their experiences and many, many friendships have formed through the support groups, but it's also a way to get, you know, know that you're in motherhood and that motherhood is a new and learning experience, and you're all learning together.
Host: Thank you so much Bobbi, for joining us today and sharing your expertise. What great information for new mothers. That concludes this episode of BayCare HealthChat. To learn more about BayCare's maternity services, head on over to our website at BayCareMaternity.org for more information and to get connected with one of our providers. Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and all the other BayCare podcasts. For more health tips such as these, please follow us on your social channels. I'm Melanie Cole.
Breastfeeding Tips and Information
Introduction.: Here's another edition of the BayCare Health System’s podcast series, BayCare HealthChat with Melanie Cole.
Melanie Cole: When you breastfeed, you give your baby a healthy start that lasts a lifetime. Breast milk is the perfect food for your baby. It can save lives, money and time. This is BayCare HealthChat. I'm Melanie Cole and today we're discussing breastfeeding basics. Joining me is Bobbi Taman. She's a Registered Nurse, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Certified Lactation Educator at BayCare. Bobbi, I'm so glad to have you with us today. Let's start with the health benefits of breastfeeding for baby and for mother.
Bobbi Taman: Very happy to be with you all as well. Well, health benefits for mom, a reduction in breast cancer and some of the other female organs. The longer you breastfeed, the better the benefits or the longer the benefits last. In addition, moms tend to lose weight faster when they're breastfeeding direct, you know, right after they give birth to the baby. And then also every time a baby breastfeeds mom's body releases the hormone oxytocin. So they also have a reduced chance of getting post partum depression or baby blues. For babies, we see lots of benefits. It helps with their immune system, which is one of the biggest benefits. They also have a decreased chance of having obesity and diabetes later in life because they learn good feeding practice. They have less chance with the immunity boost of having upper respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections or stomach viruses. And those are kind of the benefits that we see with the babies as well.
Host: Well thank you for that. And as we talk about the benefits for babies and mothers, what about the benefits of prenatal breastfeeding classes and what can they teach moms to be?
Bobbi Taman: Well I teach prenatal breastfeeding classes at BayCare and I definitely tell my parents that that's one of the classes that I strongly recommend because when you are breastfeeding it is a natural process but it's definitely a learned process. So prenatal classes not only teach parents kind of the expectations to have with regards to breastfeeding, but it also teaches them resources to reach out to once the baby is born. Because in addition to having that knowledge before you go into breastfeeding, it's also important to know that once the baby's born, if you are having any struggles that you have somebody to reach out to. And BayCare has multiple services that are available for moms who are breastfeeding, such as support groups and consults and classes that they can attend even postpartum.
Host: So then let's talk about breast milk production from colostrum to mature milk. How can you tell when your milk is going to come in and tell us a little bit about how the process starts.
Bobbi Taman: So with colostrum, moms start producing colostrum between their 16th and 20th week of pregnancy. So as they enter the hospital giving birth, their body is already producing colostrum. Colostrum is what we call liquid gold. It is a very small quantity. Most women make anywhere between an ounce to four ounces total in the first 24 hours of baby's first day of life, usually between the second and fourth day after delivery, most women start producing what we call mature milk. And it usually takes about two to three weeks for moms to actually get to their total amount of mature milk that they'll be making in a 24 hour period. The average milk that most women make is about 25 ounces total in a day, but they can make anywhere between 20 ounces and 32 ounces of milk by the end of the second to third week after delivery.
Host: So then tell new moms about newborn feeding patterns. How often does baby need to eat and how do you know that the baby is getting enough?
Bobbi Taman: So most babies eat on demand when they're breastfeeding. And what I mean by demand is basically you watch the baby. We always tell moms, watch the baby, not the clock. So newborns eat very frequently. Breast milk digests in about 90 minutes. So you can expect your newborn to eat anywhere from an hour after the last feeding to possibly going as long as the three or four hour stretch. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies eat at least eight times in 24 hours in the first few weeks after delivery. So the expectation is the baby will have at least eight feedings in 24 hours, but it's not going to be by a clock. In addition some babies will do something called cluster feeding and cluster feeding is they will eat actually for two or three hours segment one feeding after another, feeding after another feeding. And some mothers worry that that means that they don't have enough milk because the baby is eating so frequently. Which actually it is just a way for baby to practice breastfeeding since they're learning.
And it's also a way to stimulate milk production in those first couple of weeks. You asked about how do we know if baby's getting enough? That is the number one worry for all new moms because we can't see what baby's getting when they're breastfeeding. So I always tell my mothers, whatever goes in must come out. So we're watching diapers. First week it's pretty easy. One, wet diaper, the first day, one poopy diaper, the second day, two diapers, two wet diapers, two bowel movements. Third day, three, three. By the time mom's milk is coming in which we discussed this between the second and fourth day. Wet diapers are going to pick up and usually by about the fifth day, sixth day babies are having at least six wet diapers in 24 hours more than that some, but at least six wet diapers is considered a norm. That's one way to know cause that tells you the baby is well hydrated, milk has come in and things are running smoothly. In addition, the doctors are going to be or the provider is going to be checking baby's weight and babies do tend to lose about 7% of their body weight in the first couple of days after birth. They usually are back to their birth weight by two weeks and they usually gain about an ounce a day. So six to eight ounces in a week from then on.
Host: So let's talk a little bit about some of the myths that you've heard about breastfeeding that it hurts or it's hard to do and some women do actually have difficulties at first. Bobbi, so speak about how latching baby onto breast difficulties that they may encounter. Some of the myths that you've heard.
Bobbi Taman: I hear a lot from moms that it's going to be painful and that it's going to be hard to learn. And as I said, it is a natural process of a baby to know how to breastfeed. It's an instinct, it's how they survive, but once the baby gets to the breast, there is definitely a learning process for both mom and baby. So I do tell them it's not hard to learn. It just is practice and practice makes perfect. The more you do something, the better you get at it. And that applies to two people when you're breastfeeding. Not only the baby but also the mom. So the more that the mom breastfeeds, the more her comfort level is going to be, whether she's right handed, left handed, doing the opposite hand. So there's definitely a learning process. It's also learning how to get the baby positioned correctly so that baby is facing breasts and not causing the discomfort or the pain that a lot of moms hear about before they go into breastfeeding. As far as pain and discomfort, I breastfed my own three children and I'm very honest with my moms about the fact that breastfeeding is going to be a little bit tender in the first few days to weeks when you're starting out.
Not throughout the whole feeding, but there is something in the lactation community called latch discomfort and that is in the first few seconds to a minute after a baby initially latches on a mother may experience a little bit of discomfort. Sometimes it's a little bit more than just a little discomfort and then it should subside. That should be the only pain or discomfort associated with breastfeeding. After the two week mark, usually moms are pain free. If there is any discomfort or pain beyond the first minute or two of nursing or past the first few weeks of nursing, moms should definitely be reaching out to a lactation consultant to have the latch evaluated and see what's going on with breastfeeding because it should not be painful. She should not be having continued pain throughout the whole feeding or pain to a point that she doesn't want to breastfeed. That is not a normal breastfeeding experience.
Host: And before we wrap up, do you have some advice for women about eating healthy while breastfeeding? And while you're telling us about that, tell us where we can find support and how women can get in touch with you and find out more about the breastfeeding classes.
Bobbi Taman: As far as eating with breastfeeding, we encourage moms once baby is born that they may eat whatever they would like to eat. There are limitations. One is caffeine. We recommend no more than two servings of caffeine in a day. And other than that they can go back to whatever diet they were eating before they were pregnant. So anything that they were told they could not eat while they were pregnant, they can go back to eating, such as I hear a lot about sushi or deli subs, things like that. We do advise them to continue taking their prenatal vitamins while they are breastfeeding. So if they breastfeed for a year, they'll be taking prenatal vitamins for a year. And then with alcohol consumption there is, it's not a limitation, it's just a knowing. If you decide that you need to have a glass of wine and you are breastfeeding or you want to have a beer, you have to wait between two and a half to three hours before you can go back to breastfeeding your baby.
So we usually advise moms to hold off on having any kind of alcohol until the baby is probably, you know, four to six weeks out because at that point the baby may be falling into a pattern where you know, the baby's going to go to bed at eight o'clock and won't be ready to be nursed again until maybe 10:30, 12 o'clock somewhere in there. At that point, the alcohol will have metabolized out of your system and mom can go back to breastfeeding. So the rule of thumb with alcohol consumption is that she has to have a time period that she waits before she can go back to breastfeeding. So anywhere between two and a half to three hours for one glass of wine or one beer or a cocktail, and then she can go back, you know, resume, breastfeeding or resume pumping. If she's feeding the bottle. My best advice is to reach out with any questions, concerns, find a support group. So with BayCare, BayCare has many opportunities for moms to reach out and get support.
We have multiple hospitals throughout the BayCare system that have lactation helplines that moms can call into and ask questions and have kind of a phone triage if they need additional support. We also offer outpatient consults so moms can come into the hospital after they've been triaged and have additional one-on-one support with a certified lactation consultant. And then we also offer support groups. The support groups are weekly and moms have multiple choices again throughout the BayCare System, at different hospitals throughout, you know, the Tampa Bay area to go in and actually spend time not only with a certified lactation consultant but also with other mothers. Which I do tell everybody that is a great experience to have because in addition to getting help from a lactation consultant, you also have other mothers that are in the same walk of life that you're in and it allows them to be able to share their experiences and many, many friendships have formed through the support groups, but it's also a way to get, you know, know that you're in motherhood and that motherhood is a new and learning experience, and you're all learning together.
Host: Thank you so much Bobbi, for joining us today and sharing your expertise. What great information for new mothers. That concludes this episode of BayCare HealthChat. To learn more about BayCare's maternity services, head on over to our website at BayCareMaternity.org for more information and to get connected with one of our providers. Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and all the other BayCare podcasts. For more health tips such as these, please follow us on your social channels. I'm Melanie Cole.