Some Cool Breastfeeding Info from an Online Lactation Conference I Attended
Hi everyone! Sorry I am so late writing up another post! My goal is to post something at least once per month.
I recently attended an online lactation conference in March, April and May. I thought it might be fun to share some of the cool things I learned from it.
One presenter, Professor Amy Brown of Swansea University, discussed what normal breastfeeding patterns really look like. Many books, websites and organizations recommend moms nurse their babies either 8 or more times per 24 hour period or 8-12 times per 24 hour period. However, is this a true estimate? Professor Brown shared the newest research on this topic which is based on more than 18,000 nursing babies. Except for week 1 postpartum and a few other occasional weeks listed, mothers reported anywhere from 6 to 20-25 feeds per 24 hours! The most common number of feeds given for most weeks was about 11 to 14 per 24 hour period. I hope this encourages you if you are a new mom whose baby tends to nurse a lot!
Dr. Nicola Singletary discussed lipase activity and oxidation in milk. Sometimes moms who pump their milk and freeze it report that after their stored milk thaws, it tastes or smells soapy. One possible reason for this is an excess of the lipase enzyme naturally found in human milk. Some women just have more of this enzyme than others. Having excess lipase is not harmful - the milk is still perfectly fine for babies. Freezing milk at temps lower than -70 degrees Celsius will prevent lipase from breaking down the lipids in the milk, but typical freezers do not go down to that temperature. One way to remedy this is to scald the milk before freezing. Another reason human milk may have an unusual taste or smell - fishy or metallic in this case - is due to oxidation. Some ways to combat this problem are to increase antioxidant vitamins in diet and to avoid polyunsaturated fatty acids. Here is one of Dr. Singletary's websites: https://breastfeeding.cals.ncsu.edu and Kellymom has more info on this topic here: https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/lipase-expressedmilk/.
Stephanie Carroll spoke about breastfeeding in Appalachia. Breastfeeding rates in that culture/area are generally lower than in other parts of the United States. Many women do not breastfeed their babies due to lack of family support which is so important in that community. Many people in Appalachia have a fatalistic philosophy about their lives - that it doesn't matter what things they do to be healthier, they will eventually get the same health problems as other family members. Therefore, encouraging breastfeeding by talking about all the benefits often does not increase breastfeeding rates. Also, many members of the nursing staff are not supportive of breastfeeding or give out inaccurate information to new moms. There are not very many lactation specialists/consultants in that region but there are quite a few WIC clinics (which is promising). Other barriers include moms tending to feel embarrassed by breastfeeding, and women going back to work quickly. Formula is seen as a "medical advancement" that only the wealthier can afford, so that makes it more desirable. Ms. Carroll established the Appalachian Breastfeeding Network and Hotline to help encourage, educate and support nursing moms and to educate peer counselors. Here is there website: www.appalachianbreastfeedingnetwork.com.
I recently attended an online lactation conference in March, April and May. I thought it might be fun to share some of the cool things I learned from it.
One presenter, Professor Amy Brown of Swansea University, discussed what normal breastfeeding patterns really look like. Many books, websites and organizations recommend moms nurse their babies either 8 or more times per 24 hour period or 8-12 times per 24 hour period. However, is this a true estimate? Professor Brown shared the newest research on this topic which is based on more than 18,000 nursing babies. Except for week 1 postpartum and a few other occasional weeks listed, mothers reported anywhere from 6 to 20-25 feeds per 24 hours! The most common number of feeds given for most weeks was about 11 to 14 per 24 hour period. I hope this encourages you if you are a new mom whose baby tends to nurse a lot!
Dr. Nicola Singletary discussed lipase activity and oxidation in milk. Sometimes moms who pump their milk and freeze it report that after their stored milk thaws, it tastes or smells soapy. One possible reason for this is an excess of the lipase enzyme naturally found in human milk. Some women just have more of this enzyme than others. Having excess lipase is not harmful - the milk is still perfectly fine for babies. Freezing milk at temps lower than -70 degrees Celsius will prevent lipase from breaking down the lipids in the milk, but typical freezers do not go down to that temperature. One way to remedy this is to scald the milk before freezing. Another reason human milk may have an unusual taste or smell - fishy or metallic in this case - is due to oxidation. Some ways to combat this problem are to increase antioxidant vitamins in diet and to avoid polyunsaturated fatty acids. Here is one of Dr. Singletary's websites: https://breastfeeding.cals.ncsu.edu and Kellymom has more info on this topic here: https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/lipase-expressedmilk/.
Stephanie Carroll spoke about breastfeeding in Appalachia. Breastfeeding rates in that culture/area are generally lower than in other parts of the United States. Many women do not breastfeed their babies due to lack of family support which is so important in that community. Many people in Appalachia have a fatalistic philosophy about their lives - that it doesn't matter what things they do to be healthier, they will eventually get the same health problems as other family members. Therefore, encouraging breastfeeding by talking about all the benefits often does not increase breastfeeding rates. Also, many members of the nursing staff are not supportive of breastfeeding or give out inaccurate information to new moms. There are not very many lactation specialists/consultants in that region but there are quite a few WIC clinics (which is promising). Other barriers include moms tending to feel embarrassed by breastfeeding, and women going back to work quickly. Formula is seen as a "medical advancement" that only the wealthier can afford, so that makes it more desirable. Ms. Carroll established the Appalachian Breastfeeding Network and Hotline to help encourage, educate and support nursing moms and to educate peer counselors. Here is there website: www.appalachianbreastfeedingnetwork.com.
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