Asked Questions about Breast-feeding
Do mothers have to eat a special diet while breast-feeding?
No. Mom's diet does not affect breast milk, nor do mothers have to drink milk to make milk. Nursing mothers need to take more calcium to prevent excess loss of calcium from their bones. The simplest source of calcium is cow's milk, so drinking three 8oz glasses per day is recommended for nursing moms. Apart from that, mom's diet should be well-rounded. Occasionally, moms will notice that their baby gets “fussy” after she has eaten a certain food, spice or food prepared in a certain way. Common sense would suggest that mom should avoid that food until baby is weaned.
Should nursing mothers avoid all medications while breast-feeding?
In general, physicians do not like mothers to take medications while they are pregnant because they may affect the baby's growth or the development of the baby's organs. Concerns about medications passing through the breast milk of nursing mothers is not as great, and in fact, many medications will not harm the
baby. The best approach is to let your doctor know about any medications you are taking, including herbal products or supplements. On the flip side, you should always let any prescribing doctor know that you are breast-feeding so they can check on the safety of the medication.
Do babies always eat the same amount each day?
No. Babies will go through “growth spurts” every 4 to 6 weeks and mothers may feel that they cannot make enough milk to satisfy their baby. The best approach is to feed the baby on demand. When you increase the frequency of feeding, the breasts will usually respond and “catch up” to the baby's demands in 1 to 2 days.
This increased feeding rate will avoid the need to offer supplemental formula or other fluids, and using supplements may prevent the breast from achieving the natural “catch up”. If we sterilize bottles,
why don't mothers have to wash their nipples before feeding?
Washing normally with a sponge or cloth during the daily shower is all that is required to keep the nipples healthy. The milk is sterile within the breast. Applying creams, lotions or soap to the nipples frequently may result in a drying of the nipples with painful cracking.
What do I do with sore nipples?
It is more common than not for mother's nipples to become sore following the start of breast-feeding. Nipples usually adapt to feeding within a week or so. You may find that if you rub a little milk over the nipple following the feed and let the breast air dry may help. Sometimes, however, sore nipples are caused by a yeast infection. Check the baby's mouth for white spots that peel off, but do not wash.
