Featuring: Physical + Emotional

Changes

Breastfeeding

Exercising

Sexual Activity

Information About

Weaning

Information About

Lactation Stations

Taking care of yourself after giving birth.

Mom Life: The New You

Congratulations on Your New Baby!

During the postpartum period, it’s natural to want to focus all your attention on your newborn. However, it’s important to remember that this six-to-eight week period involves both physical and emotional changes for you, and shouldn’t be ignored. Baptist Health wants to remind you to take care of yourself, too.

Physical changes:Hair loss, skin discoloration, swollen breasts, back pain, incontinence and stomach changes are all things that may happen during the postpartum period. While these changes are common after pregnancy, Baptist Health recommends that you schedule and go to your postpartum checkups with your OB/GYN, as some symptoms may indicate health problems.

New mothers are more susceptible to certain illnesses, and that’s why postpartum care is of the utmost importance. Book a postpartum appointment with your physician.

For a more extensive list detailing how your body may change, visit our Women’s Health blog: 10 ways your body changes after pregnancy.

Emotional changes:You may have heard about postpartum depression, a serious psychological disorder that occurs after giving birth in a certain percentage of new mothers. However, more commonly, women can experience:

• Baby blues• Adjustment problems• Anxiety

We encourage women experiencing these symptoms to verbalize them during their postpartum checkups. Learn more about postpartum depression and emotional changes here.

Breastfeeding and You

Baptist Health is a baby-friendly

hospital, as such, we believe that

breastfeeding is the optimal way

to nourish your baby. Skin-to-

skin contact (or kangaroo care) is

recommended during the golden

hour (immediately after delivery) to

promote ease of breastfeeding.

In most cases, you can begin

breastfeeding an hour after birth.

A mother’s first milk is called

‘colostrum’, and is high in protein and

contains antibodies that are a perfect

way to nourish your baby. Colostrum

is yellowish in color and quite viscous.

Gradually, mature breast milk will

replace the colostrum.

Physicians recommend that mothers

who are able to breastfeed should

continue up until 12 months.

Thereafter, we believe that it is the

mother’s decision when to stop

breastfeeding.

During breastfeeding, you may need

to eat a little bit more than usual.

Physicians recommend eating at

least 300 to 400 extra calories per

day of nutrient-rich and high-protein

foods. Meat, eggs, fresh fruits, whole

wheat grains, and vegetables are all

recommended.

You will also feel thirstier than usual.

We recommend that you drink as

much water as possible and stay

away from sugary fruit juices and

sodas.

Food and drink to avoid would

include alcohol, excessive caffeine

(2 cups per day is okay), or any high

mercury seafood.

Breastfeeding: Deciding When to Stop

If you’ve read our articles with FAQs about breastfeeding, you’ll remember that Baptist Health recommends that mothers who are able to breastfeed should continue up until 12 months of age. The process of stopping breastfeeding is called ‘weaning’, and the decision to stop breastfeeding is a decision that is entirely up to you and your baby.

Some indicators that it may be time to start thinking about weaning:

• Breastfeeding is starting to hurt

• Your baby is more interested in the foods you

are introducing into their diet

• You begin to resent breastfeeding

• Breastfeeding and your lifestyle (work) are

getting to be too much

• Your baby is playing more than eating

• You notice a lower milk supply

• Your baby is happy and healthy

• You simply decide that it’s time to stop

Breastfeeding: Deciding When to Stop

Weaning your baby off of breastmilk The introduction of solid foods

typically begins at 6 months, and

babies will naturally be weaned off of

breastmilk.

After consulting your physician, it’s

best to wean slowly and gradually.

This starts with decreasing

the frequency and duration of

breastfeeding. This process can take

weeks or months, but tapering off

feedings will eventually diminish

your milk supply. At first, you may

experience breast engorgement.

You can use a cold compress to ease

discomfort.

If your child wants to nurse, it is best

to let them. Since babies are more

attached to the first and last feedings

of the day, it’s best to gradually wean

them off of midday feedings.

For more information about

breastfeeding, contact Expressly

For You, the Baptist Health lactation

specialists.

Pumping and Storing Breast Milk

If you’re breastfeeding, we understand that you can’t be there to feed your baby 24 hours a day. Whether you decide to pump because you’re returning to work or because it is a better fit for your lifestyle, Baptist Health has some useful advice and resources to help you.

Here are some reasons that women consider pumping breast milk:

• They want to have milk available when they’re away from their baby.

This way, husbands, partners, family, friends, etc. can feed the baby when

their mother is not around.

• Their baby is experiencing difficulty latching or feeding from the breast.

• They simply want to give breastmilk, but do not want to feed from the

breast. This could be because they are suffering from mastitis or are trying

to alleviate pressure from the breast while weaning.

Pumping and Storing Breast Milk

When you first start to pump... In the beginning, you may not be able to pump a lot of milk. As you begin to

pump regularly, the amount that you pump will increase. The more you pump,

the more milk your breasts will produce. It is important to hydrate yourself.

As you pump more frequently, the amount of time that it takes to pump will

decrease. You may be able to pump in as little at 10-15 minutes once you’ve

done it a few times. Full milk production is about 25-35 oz. per 24 hours.

If you’re pumping because you’re returning to work... If you’re planning to pump before returning to work, we recommend that you

practice pumping a few weeks in advance to ensure that you’re ready.

Tips for pumping breast milk:• Pump in the morning - the majority of new mothers get the most milk

early in the day.

• Plan to pump at least 8-10 times in a 24-hour period

• Find the right breast pump for you. Check with your insurance provider,

as they might provide or cover the cost of a breast pump.

• You can pump between breastfeeding. Pump at least 60 minutes

before or after breastfeeding.

• Make sure the flanges are the right size - you can get fitted at

Expressly For You.

When you’re out with your baby, it’s important to feel comfortable when it’s time to breastfeed. Luckily, in Arkansas, there are Lactation Stations available to breastfeeding women. Here are a few:

1. Babies R Us

2. Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport

3. McCain Mall

4. Museum of Discovery

5. Outlets of Little Rock

6. University of Central Arkansas

Lactation Stations in Central Arkansas

At Baptist Health, we want to provide you with all the resources you need to ensure that you feel ready to breastfeed.

Expressly For You is a Medela Certified Nursing Center staffed by International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) and Registered Nurses, and is our number one recommendation for breastfeeding advice and products needed to achieve successful breastfeeding.

Expressly For You offers breast pumps, nursing bras, slings and other breastfeeding accessories for purchase. A rental program is also available for your needs after discharge from the hospital. Weight gain is often a concern to breastfeeding mothers. Expressly For You also provides a baby weigh station to weigh your breastfed baby, free of charge.

Your physician may encourage you to make a prenatal or postpartum appointment at Expressly For You with a lactation consultant. We are conveniently located on the second floor of Hickingbotham Outpatient Center at Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock and are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you have questions about available products or the rental program at Expressly For You, please call (501) 202-7378.

Breastfeeding and Expressly For you

The Breastfeeding Timeline

Knowing what to expect the first few weeks after childbirth can help make breastfeeding easier. Below is a detailed timeline about the first 10 days postpartum.

• Most babies will nurse very easily during this time.• Frequent effective feeding establishes milk supply. • Have your RN or lactation consultant review proper latch techniques while in the hospital.

ONE - FOUR DAYS• Baby may rather sleep than eat. Frequent removal of colostrum from your breasts will help establish a good milk supply. Pumping or hand expression of colostrum is a good idea if you are not seeing obvious signs of effective feeding.• If baby is not waking on his or her own at least every three hours, you must wake your baby so he or she is feeding effectively at least eight times in 24 hours.• If you do not recognize effective feeding, schedule an appointment with a lactation consultant.• Your baby is getting plenty of your milk if he or she is meeting the goals on the feeding record given to you at the hospital. • Schedule your infant’s first pediatrician appointment.

THREE - FIVE DAYS• You may feel engorged (tender, full) as you begin producing more milk. The most important thing is to keep the breast empty by effective feeding or pumping.• Engorged breasts may make it difficult for baby to latch on. Relieve engorgement by alternating hot and cold packs and emptying the breasts frequently. • Your growing milk supply will appeal to baby’s desire for instant gratification and you should begin to hear his or her suck and swallow. Recognize this as a sign of effective feeding. • Some nipple soreness can be present at this time but should be resolved with normal comfort measures such as lanolin cream or hydrogel dressing.

SIX - TEN DAYS• Any nipple soreness should be resolving/resolved.• Baby should appear satisfied after feedings and your breasts may feel softer after feedings. Your breasts may leak in between feedings; this will probably subside after a few weeks.• Baby should have six to eight wet diapers and three to four yellow stools per day for the first two months of life.• Breastfeed eight to 10 times per 24-hour period, but baby may begin to have one longer interval (up to five hours) between feedings. By the end of the second week, most babies will have regained his or her birth weight.

YOUR BABY’S DEVELOPMENT:

We recommend that women who plan to breastfeed take approximately six to twelve weeks of leave from work. Once returning to work, a slow pace and gradual return will give you more time to adjust. It’s important to find private areas at your workplace where you feel comfortable and can safely pump milk. Moms who return to work full time will need to pump 8-10 times per day to maintain a full milk supply. This will mean pumping 2-3 times at work.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), your insurance company may provide coverage for lactation consulting and breast pumps. To find out which type of ACA breast pump your insurance will cover and which is the right pump for you, visit breastfeedinginsurance.com.

How do I choose a breast pump?To help stimulate milk production, it is important to use a hospital grade, double-electric pump and empty both breasts at the same time. Our lactation consultants recommend the Medela Symphony or Medela Pump In Style Advanced breast pumps. If you have a battery-operated or manual breast pump, these can be used after you have reached a full milk supply. A rental program is available for your needs through Expressly For You at Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock. For more information specific to your needs, contact a lactation consultant at (501) 202-7378.

How often should I pump?Breastfeeding is a “supply and demand” process-new moms should be pumping eight to twelve hours after delivery, if possible. In the first week or two after delivery, you may need to pump as often as eight to 10 times daily, which is as often as a full term baby would breastfeed in the immediate days after birth.

Breast Pumps

Breast Pumps

What amount of milk should I expect?It is a common concern of mothers, especially those who deliver prematurely, to wonder if they are producing “enough” milk. There are many factors that can affect the amount of milk produced, particularly in the first few days after delivery. A slower onset of milk production does not mean that a mother will not make enough milk for her baby. It simply means it may take a few more days to catch up with mothers who have had uncomplicated deliveries. The best scenario is to be pumping 750-1,000 ml of milk each day by the end of two weeks. This is generally the amount your baby will need each day following discharge from the hospital.

How should I store my milk?You will pump milk either into bottles or bags provided by Baptist Health. It is important to label your milk with the baby’s name, date and time it was pumped. You can store all the milk from a single pump session into 1 container but do not add new milk to a previous collection.

How long should I pump?In the beginning when you are producing small amounts at each pump session, the session lasts for 10-15 minutes. Later, after your milk has “come in” abundantly, you should continue pumping past when the milk stops to flow for one to two minutes. The last droplets of milk contain the highest levels of fat which provides the greatest calories for your premature baby. Also, by emptying the breast more completely, the body will receive an important message to make more milk for the next pump session. If the breasts do not get emptied completely or often enough, the body begins to produce less milk.

Some mothers say the milk never stops flowing while they pump. Typically, you should not pump longer than 30 minutes, even if the milk is still flowing. Also, if you pump this long, you may not need to pump as often as a mother who can express her breasts in a shorter time period.

Breast Pump Insurance Form

When is it safe to become sexually active again?

Sexual activity after delivery depends on you. You may feel low sexual desire, vaginal tenderness and exhaustion immediately after delivering. There are no hard and fast rules about when to resume sexual activity after delivering, but most physicians will recommend that you wait four to six weeks to give your body time to heal.

At your postpartum checkup, you’ll be able to ask your gynecologist any questions you might have about sexual activity. During this time, you may also want to address your emotional readiness to have intercourse.

When is it safe to start exercising again?

Exercising after giving birth can really help you feel your best. It promotes healthy weight loss, can improve your cardiovascular health, strengthen your abdominal muscles, improve your mood and help you sleep better.

If you had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery, you can start exercising as soon as a few days after delivering your baby. The general rule of thumb: exercise only when you feel ready, and don’t overdo it.

If you delivered via c-section or had complications during delivery, we recommend that you do not exercise until you’ve attended a postpartum appointment and discussed it with your physician. They will need to ensure that incisions are healed and that your body can handle exercise safely.