Help Moms Achieve Their Breastfeeding Goals
Begin by checking on mom’s goals and the baby’s well-being. Follow-up on how breastfeeding is going, provide targeted reassurance tips, and use the Tailoring Calculator to identify if a formula tailoring opportunity exists.
Learn more about how much milk your baby needs.
Hand Expression softens the nipple and areola so the baby can latch and relieves the fullness, so mom is more comfortable.
Learn more about hand expression and pumping.
Learn more about how breast milk is made.
A good rule to remember: warmth before feedings, cool after feedings.
Learn more about sore nipples and engorgement.
Ask mom if her breasts feel very hard and painful with signs of:
Engorgement can flatten the nipple and make it harder for the baby to latch. Engorgement can lead to plugged ducts and mastitis, so it is important to try to prevent it before this happens. Ask mom if she has tried massaging to focused areas to help move milk through blocked areas.
Learn more about engorgement and how to treat it.
Ask mom if she feels like there is a tender and sore lump in the breast. If mom has a fever or other symptoms then she probably has a breast infection rather than plugged ducts.
Ask mom if she has tried massaging to focused areas to help move milk through blocked areas. Gently massage the plugged area while the baby is feeding to help dislodge the plug.
Learn what causes plugged ducts and how to get relief.
An abscess is a pocket of pus that is confined in one area in the body. It is caused by an infection and can be very painful and warm to the touch.
An abscess can occur anywhere on a mother’s breast. The mother might report:
Learn what causes abscesses and how to get relief.
Ask mom if she has tried to apply heat to the sore area with a warm, wet cloth. Or if she has tried massaging the area, starting behind the sore spot. Moving her fingers in a circular motion and massage toward the nipple.
It is not always easy to tell the difference between a breast infection and a plugged duct, because both have similar symptoms and can get better within 24 to 48 hours. Some breast infections that do not get better on their own need to be treated with prescription medicine from a healthcare provider.
Learning from the mom that she feels a lump, feels feverish, and her breast is reddened and warm to touch may indicate mastitis, which requires referral to her healthcare provider.
Learn about the signs of Mastitis and how to treat it.
Thrush is a fungal infection that is also sometimes called a yeast infection. Thrush may have these signs:
If mom has concern of a fungal infection, mom should call both her healthcare provider and baby's healthcare provider. That way, they both can be correctly diagnosed and treated at the same time. This will help keep mom from passing the infection back and forth.
Learn more about the signs of thrush and when to call your healthcare provider.
Hungry babies will show signs of hunger before they begin to cry. Once baby is crying, it can be harder to latch.
Watch for these signs that baby is hungry, and then feed baby right away:
Learn how to tell if your baby is hungry or full.
Learn how to tell if your baby is hungry or full.
Learn how to tell if your baby is hungry or full.
Learn how to tell if your baby is hungry or full.
It's important to let baby nurse until they're full. Some signs that babies are done eating are:
Learn how to tell if your baby is hungry or full.
Learn more about how much milk your baby needs.
Learn more about cluster feedings and growth spurts.
Positioning - No Single “Right” Way
Learn more about position.
Good if:
Learn when to use the football hold and how to do it.
Good if:
Learn when to use the cross-cradle hold and how to do it.
Good if:
This is how you and your baby are comfortable breastfeeding. This hold is very common because
Learn when to use the cradle hold and how to do it.
Good if:
Learn when to use the laid-back hold and how to do it.
Good if:
Learn when to use the side-lying position and how to do it.
No matter what position is used feed the baby, it's important to get a good latch.
See the steps and signs of a good latch.
Learn more about breastfeeding with confidence.
Learn more about how to transition back to work or school.
Learn more about making milk expression work for you.
Hand expression can be an effective way to express milk for short separations.
Learn more about hand expression.
Learn more about milk storage and how to thaw milk.
When baby leads the way, babies gradually discontinue feedings on their own.
Learn more about baby-led and mom-led weaning and why baby may suddenly refuse the breast.
Some parents may decide to actively wean before their baby shows signs of wanting to wean.
Learn more about weaning your baby.
Learn more about weaning your baby.
If weaning is for a medical condition, refer the mom to her healthcare provider about the safety of expressed milk for baby.
Learn more about weaning your baby.
To make the process easier for mom and her child, wean over several weeks or more. As mom slowly stop breastfeeding, her body will start producing less breast milk and eventually her body will no longer make breast milk.
If a mom wants to wean from formula and return to full breastfeeding, the CPA will use critical thinking skills to determine appropriate recommends based on the baby’s age and the amount of formula the baby has been receiving.
Learn more about weaning your baby.
Begin decreasing supplemental formula at times when the mom tends to have more milk, such as in the mornings.
Learn more about weaning your baby.