Happy Monday!

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekends! Over the weekend, we learned a few things about breastfeeding that was very interesting. Whether you are a "radical lactivist" or planning on giving your baby formula, we always think it is good for expectant moms to have as much information as possible. Here are some the pieces of info that we learned about breastfeeding that might surprise you too:

*Your breast/nipple size has nothing to do with the amount of milk you can produce. No matter how much fatty tissue your breast contains (lending to bigger or smaller boobs), there is no evidence proving that small breasted women have more problems producing milk. Milk is produced in the mammary glands so rest assured that big or small, the girth of your breast will not impact your ability to breastfeed.

* Some people are not supportive of mothers who choose to breastfeed in public, but a law was actually passed in 1999 that protects a women's right to breastfeed anywhere on federal property. Additionally, there are other laws that protects a lactating woman's rights which include The Pregnancy Discrimination Act, The Breastfeeding Promotion Employers' Tax Incentive Act and The Safe and Effective Breast Pumps Act.

* Your baby can smell the unique scent of your breast milk that helps form the bond between mother and baby. Since babies have very strong senses of smell, a good trick to tell if your baby is hungry is to hold the baby near your chest. If the baby smells the milk and is hungry, the baby will generally turn his/her head and attempt to clamp onto your breast.

*The inability to produce enough milk for the baby is rare. Generally this deficiency is related to women who have had prior breast trauma, polycystic ovarian syndrome, rapid weight loss or extreme lack of calorie consumption, hyperthryoidism and pregnancy. Women who become pregnant while nursing are sometimes encouraged to wean their baby off of nursing because in a few situations there are medical reasons, however this is not always the case. It is always best to check with your healthcare provider about issues such as this and nursing questions in general.

* Breast milk can be kept in the fridge at 39F for 24 hours and can be stored in the freezer for 2 weeks or longer. However, once the milk is thawed you should never re-freeze it.

* Be careful if you are consuming caffeine while breastfeeding because your breast milk will contain caffeine as well which might cause your baby to become restless.

Are there tid-bits about nursing that you want to share with us? Tell us some interesting facts! We love hearing from you.

Have a great start to the week!

xoxo,

The Moody Mamas