With the bushfire season and the stormy season already started in different parts of Australia, it is time for a reminder that the disaster channel for up-to-date information in emergency situations in Australia is ABC Local Radio. Do remember to have spare batteries for a portable radio.

If accessing crucial information from a mobile device, it is useful to know that, if the power goes off, the device can be recharged from a car battery. (Just check - now - that you have the right connection to do this.) 

If your baby is breastfed and you are considering weaning you might want to delay this till after an emergency.  Continuing to breastfeed means food security for your baby and no worries about interruptions to water supply or power, or unsafe water. Did you know you can boost the milk supply by increasing breastfeeds for the duration of the emergency? If you need support to do this or are worried about your milk supply, contact the Australian Breastfeeding Association for 24/7 advice by telephone or email, or go to the website for links, at www.breastfeeding.asn.au . You may want to telephone your lactation consultant (IBCLC) if you are already in touch with one.

If you are not breastfeeding, now is the time  - before any emergency situation arises - to put together an emergency kit with your baby's food and the utensils needed to mix and give the feed. If in doubt, contact your local Child Health Nurse for detailed information.

Be prepared! We always hope that natural disasters won't happen anywhere near us, but unfortunately they do, as the last few summers have taught us. 

It is good to see more people are carrying refillable water bottles - computers on the train, school kids, breastfeeding Mums, fitness fans, busy Mums on the go, bike riders. It is one of those positive practices that has sprung up, to maintain hydration conveniently - without having to look for a drinking fountain or a shop. It's also good for the environment. So it is win/win.

Keeping the water bottle hygienic I guess means one user - not sharing it - and regular washing and draining it to dry it. On days that I use a water bottle I wash it in really hot water at the end of the day, before refilling it. When I have time I try to remember to let it drain on the sink, not every day, before refilling it. What do others do?

Earlier in this blog I mentioned soup as a way of drinking enough fluid. I'd love to have your comments about your favourite soup - chicken soup, pumpkin soup, congee, or other soups. While I enjoy many soups, I particularly enjoy the pumpkin and sweet potato or pumpkin and lentil soup in a cafe on campus.  It's my occasional treat.

Do YOU have a favourite soup recipe you want to share, or a story about why you enjoy it?

Mothers often look back over the time when they were breastfeeding and mention special memories. A baby's little hand patting the mother's face, the sounds babies make during breastfeeding....  If you are a breastfeeding mother, or if you breastfed in the past - even a long time ago - you are welcome to share these special memories here.

So often busy mothers with new babies wonder if they are drinking enough fluid, particularly if they hear conflicting ideas, often involving a number.

A set number doesn't account for changes in the weather or your activity. For instance, in hot weather you will of course need to drink more fluid, especially water. The same applies if you start more intense physical activity, such as going to the gym or playing a sport.

A quick guide is a) to drink according to thirst and b) increase intake or water or other fluid if your urine looks darker than usual. You will probably find you are thirsty and need to drink more while you are making milk for your baby.  Many mothers now carry a water bottle so that they can take a drink anywhere, any time, to make sure they drink enough. This is a good idea as it is so easy to forget one's own needs when caring for a baby.

Drinking an excessive amount of water to try to meet a goal that doesn't suit your needs can make you feel uncomfortable, and may even hamper the milk-ejection reflex, if taken to extremes. As mentioned, the amount you need may vary according to the weather and your level of physical activity.

Besides water, don't forget that soup and other drinks, and the cow's milk added to breakfast cereal, also count as fluid intake.

Parents, especially mothers, often worry when their baby wants to feed-feed-feed at the breast in the second week. Does it mean there's no milk? Is your baby the only baby in the world doing this? Are you creating a bad habit?

Be assured that this is normal behaviour. When your baby was born, he had a very tiny stomach, which was just right for the small amounts of colostrum (the first milk) he was getting at the start. By the end of the first week and into the second week, his stomach capacity has grown - a lot. To fill up this larger stomach he needs more milk, and the way to make MORE milk is to stimulate the milk-making system by feeding very frequently.  at this age, your baby has one job to do - take lots of breastfeeds to stimulate  your breasts to make more milk. This is his WORK. Your clever little baby knows innately that if he keeps feeding his needs will be met. He doesn't have to think about this - he just does it. He is doing his JOB. Meeting his needs at this age won't create a bad habit, but will help him grow and feel satisfied.

Many mothers across Australia and across the world are also breastfeeding their new babies very frequent and some, like you, will worry whether they are doing the right thing. You are not the only one. You are doing the right thing. If in doubt, you can contact an IBCLC (lactation consultant) - see the Contact Ss page on this website or, for someone near you, visit www.lcanz.org and go to "Find a lactation consultant". Or you may want to contact the 24/7 helpline of the Australian Breastfeeding Association (see the Links page of this website).

It is common for babies to be fussy and to want to go to the breast more often at somewhere around this age.  A number of ideas and "names" for this stage have been suggested, none of them based on evidence - terms such as "appetite increase", "wonder week".  The most relevant question is: What has been happening in the last few days?

 

The consistent factor that I have found is that this is when mothers and their babies have several appointments.  These are their 6-week check-ups with the paediatrician and the obstetrician, and they may have an appointment with the Child Health clinic also. These appointments often involve finding parking and then waiting round.  While out for the day, they may stop off to get a load of much-needed groceries on the way home.

 

Consequently, a feed or two is delayed or missed.  The baby KNOWS what to do to make up for this reduction in intake, and wants to feed more often. More frequent feeding stimulates the breasts to make more milk (as the more milk taken out, the more that will be made).  In a short time, if the baby is given unrestricted access to the breast, the slight reduction in supply is fixed.  Easily fixed.  The baby becomes content again. 

 

 

-          Have a photo of your baby, so that you can focus on your little one, instead of the machine

-          Massage the breast or apply a warm pack

-          Hand express to start the flow [See YouTube videos – links below]

-          If using a machine pump, apply the well-fitting pump flange, making sure to centre your nipple so it won’t rub against the side. (A mirror can help.)

-          When the flow slows or stops, switch sides. You can switch back and forth if your supply is really low

-          When no more milk is coming, or 15-20 minutes is up, whichever  comes first, stop pumping

-          Use your hands to express your breasts for a little bit more

-          If you keep the pump set up on the table, you can do a short pumping session anytime you walk by it. That’s called “power pumping” – great stmulation!

 

 

 

1.                             Hand Expression Tutorial - YouTube

 

2.                             Hand Expression of Breastmilk - Newborn Nursery at LPCH ...

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3.                             Maximizing Milk Production with Hands On Pumping - Newborn ...

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Emergency information:

 

This message was prepared for people in Australia in areas of the southern states suffering serious bushfires, but it applies in other emergencies. Please be aware that ABC Local Radio is your emergency channel with regular updates specific to your location.  If you are a health professional, you will want to remind the families you work with about this.

 

Hot weather:

 

While other adults and children need extra fluid in the heat, breastfeeding mothers need to remember to drink plenty of water, too. A good guide in hot weather is to drink enough to keep urine clear (not dark).

For mothers:  A healthy breastfed baby, given unrestricted access to the breast, will obtain enough fluid to avoid dehydration, but make sure your baby doesn't become overheated, especially if a newborn. Unless you have air-conditioning, that means:

- undressing your baby to just a nappy (diaper),

- sponging her/him with cool water as often as necessary

- your baby's biggest feeds may be in the early morning and evening, with short, frequent feeds through the heat of the day to quench thirst

- if you  baby is too listless to feed or you are concerned about her/his condition, seek medical attention

 

It's worth repeating that

- the coolest spots in the home are away from windows and external walls, such as in an internal passageway

- pools and beaches are a no-no in the daytime, because there is reflected heat as well as direct heat. This can be overheat a baby, as well as damage delicate skins

- glare means heat.  So keep the curtains drawn to block the glare