For new Moms: Prevention of Endometriosis
Nabta Editorial Team • July 31, 2018 • 5 min read
A recent study showed that breastfeeding has a protective effect against endometriosis. The findings were that women who breastfed for a longer period of time has a lower chance of contracting endometriosis later in their lives. This effect was compounded when they exclusively breastfed for longer periods (i.e. they delayed the introduction of solid foods). The protective nature of breastfeeding was increased when they breastfed more than one child.
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5 Nutrients for Baby-Led Weaning
Baby-led weaning is one way to start solids with your baby. It involves skipping the spoon and allowing your baby to self-feed solids that are prepared in graspable and dissolvable forms, such as sticks of cooked meat or ripe fruit cut into wedges or sticks. While research suggests that baby-led weaning encourages self-regulation, [development of feeding skills](https://nabtahealth.com/articles/9-ways-to-make-night-weaning-work-for-you/), and leaner babies, there isn’t much research to assess its nutrient adequacy. Some research suggests that lower calorie foods such as fruit and vegetables are more common in this feeding approach, which may be associated with baby’s weight status. More recent research points to inadequacies of [iron](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/iron/) in the diet of baby-led weaners and their spoon-fed counterparts. More research on nutrient intake is needed to help guide optimal food selection to support normal growth and development. #### In the meantime, here are [five nutrients parents](https://nabtahealth.com/articles/qa-with-dr-jen-lincoln-what-about-weaning/) of baby-led weaners should pay attention to, and why: [Iron](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/iron/)—[Iron](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/iron/) requirements are particularly important during the first year of life when baby’s brain is developing, his body is growing, and [iron](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/iron/) stores are being built up. Around the time of introducing solid food (6 months), [iron](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/iron/) requirements shoot up to 11 mg/day (from 0.27 mg/day), making [iron](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/iron/) an important consideration when choosing foods to feed your baby. If you are breastfeeding your baby, [iron](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/iron/)\-rich foods will play a central role to your baby’s overall growth and development. Try to offer two servings of [iron](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/iron/)\-containing foods each day; if offering plant-based [iron](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/iron/) sources, give a source of vitamin C (orange juice, tomato sauce, etc) at the same time to maximize [iron](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/iron/) absorption. Good sources of heme [iron](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/iron/) (animal-based and naturally well-absorbed in the body) are: chicken liver, oysters, beef liver, beef cuts and ground beef, turkey (dark meat), tuna canned in water, turkey (light meat), chicken (light and dark meat), fresh tuna, crab, pork, shrimp, and halibut. Good sources of non-heme [iron](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/iron/) (increase absorption by adding a source of vitamin C): ready-to-eat cereals, oatmeal, soybeans, lentils, beans (kidney, lima, black-eyed peas, navy, black, pinto), tofu, spinach, raisins, molasses, and commercially prepared white and wheat bread. [Zinc](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/zinc/)—[Zinc](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/zinc/) is a key nutrient for growth and appetite. Children with poor [zinc](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/zinc/) intake may grow slowly, and have a poor appetite causing inadequate food intake. [Zinc](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/zinc/) is also tied to immunity and plays a role in keeping your baby healthy. Include [zinc](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/zinc/)\-rich foods as your baby transitions to solid food, such as red meat like beef and lamb, poultry like chicken or turkey, crabmeat, lobster, fortified ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, a variety of beans, different nuts (when older), whole grains and foods made with whole grains, and dairy products. Fat—Babies need quite a bit of fat in their diets to sustain their rapid growth in the first year of life, especially when considering how easily their tummies fill up. Every calorie counts! In fact, babies need about 50 percent of their total calories from fat, which is an amount naturally found in breast milk and infant formula. However, when babies start solid food, their fluid intake naturally decreases over time, making fat sources from solid food an important inclusion. Fat sources include plant oils, avocado, nut butter, butter, whole milk (wait until a year old) and yogurt [Vitamin D](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/vitamin-d/)—If you’re breastfeeding, your baby should already be getting a [vitamin D](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/vitamin-d/) supplement; [vitamin D](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/vitamin-d/) is included in the panel of nutrients in infant formula. As your baby transitions to solids, keep an eye out for foods that include [vitamin D](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/vitamin-d/), either naturally (fatty fish such as salmon, cooked mushrooms, or eggs) or fortified with [vitamin D](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/vitamin-d/) (milk or [vitamin D](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/vitamin-d/)\-fortified orange juice). As you reach the one year milestone, milk or milk alternatives fortified with [vitamin D](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/vitamin-d/) will help your baby reach his requirements, though you may still need supplementation to assure your baby is getting enough. DHA—Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid essential for the development of the retina and the brain. Breastfed babies will receive DHA through mother’s milk, provided that mom has a good diet including DHA food sources (found below); many infant formulas include DHA. By 9 months, start offering solid foods that are [good sources of DHA](https://nabtahealth.com/articles/qa-with-dr-jen-lincoln-what-about-weaning/), including 1-2 servings of low-[mercury](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/mercury/) fish each week, including salmon, trout, shrimp, tilapia, pollock, and canned light tuna. Other sources of DHA include fortified eggs, DHA-fortified milk, and DHA-fortified orange juice. Consider a DHA supplement if your toddler won’t eat fish or other sources of DHA. **Sources:** * A Review of Studies on the Effect of [Iron](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/iron/) Deficiency * The Journal of Nutrition. Castle JL and Jacobsen MT * Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters from High Chair to High School * Jossey-Bass, 2013. Development and pilot testing of baby-led introduction to solids * BMC Pediatrics. Zeigler et al * Dry cereals fortified with electrolytic [iron](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/iron/) or ferrous fumarate are equally effective in breast-fed infants * J Nutr * 2011; 141: 243-248. Powered by Bundoo®
9 Ways to Make Night Weaning Work for You
You worked hard to make breastfeeding work and you are on a roll. Your baby is thriving and your confidence in nursing is solid. But now you’re tired! Your baby is still waking up several times at night, and you can’t get back to sleep. Many families in this position decide it’s time to wean, if only to get better sleep. But there is a middle ground. Breastfeeding is not an all-or-nothing proposition. If you are struggling with frequent night-waking, you may want to consider night weaning as [opposed to full weaning](https://nabtahealth.com/articles/qa-with-dr-jen-lincoln-what-about-weaning/). This way, your baby still gets all the benefits of breastmilk and you can hopefully get some much-needed sleep. There is a right time and a wrong right time to wean: babies under the age of 6 months are too young to wean from nursing at night because they still need the calories. Sucking at the breast also has proven protections against SIDS. But if your baby is more than 6 months old and you want to try night weaning, here are some good tips. #### [Strategies for Successful](https://nabtahealth.com/articles/tips-for-baby-led-weaning/) Night Weaning Whatever the age of your baby, there are a few things to keep in mind when night weaning: Make sure your baby is nursing plenty during the day. It can be easy to get distracted and forget to nurse as often as it takes to satisfy your baby’s caloric needs. Your milk is calorie-dense and very hydrating. Prepare your baby by telling her that she is not going to nurse until the sun shines. Teach her about day and night. Even if your baby isn’t speaking yet, she may still understand you. Routine and consistency are important. Have a set bed time and bedtime ritual. This could be bath time, baby massage, reading or telling a story, and nursing. Be sure your baby is eating nutritious solids. If your baby is already eating solids, make sure to provide as much nourishing and filling food as possible during the day. Plan to cluster nurse just before bedtime. Your [milk is fattier](https://nabtahealth.com/articles/5-nutrients-for-baby-led-weaning/) if you nurse in clusters. In the evening, your milk has more melatonin to help your baby sleep more. Avoid night weaning when your baby is sick or teething. This is a time when your baby needs attention twenty-four hours a day, and sleep disturbance comes with the territory. It is also best not to wean during a big change such as a move, a parent returning to work, or during holidays and vacations. Many babies who once slept through the night will wake more when routines change, when mom returns to work, during travel, or when there are visitors. #### Offer lots of skin-to-skin contact while night weaning. Have a sippy cup with water available. You may be surprised to know how thirst-quenching your milk is, so your baby may actually be thirsty. Avoid pumping at night to relieve fullness. This will encourage your body to continue making milk at night, so you’ll just be pumping instead of nursing. This negates your plan to be able to sleep more. Hand-expressing can help to relieve fullness without over-stimulating your breasts. **Sources:** * Cohen Engler A, Hadash A, Shehadeh N, Pillar G * Breastfeeding may improve nocturnal sleep and reduce infantile colic: potential role of breast milk melatonin * Eur J Pediatr * 2012 Apr;171(4):729-32.Does Breastfeeding Reduce the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome? Powered by Bundoo®
Oversupply and Overactive Letdown: What is It and how can you Handle It?
When a mom’s milk lets down while nursing, it means that the cells that make and store the milk are contracting and releasing their contents so the baby can start eating. While it may seem like more is better when it comes to a good let down, this isn’t always the case. Known as an overactive letdown, this occurs when a very forceful letdown releases a lot of milk at once. For some babies, this can actually make those first moments of nursing really difficult to handle. Think of it as drinking from a fire hose! Babies of moms who have overactive let down may sputter or gag at the breast as they try to handle all the milk coming their way. They may pull off frequently as they try to self-regulate the flow of milk. This can [lead](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/lead/) to swallowing a lot of air during feeding, which in turn may cause excess gas. It can also cause pain for mom as the baby is constantly pulling off and trying to re-latch. Babies may also seem fussy at the breast and may have green stools related to the fact that they ingest a lot of foremilk and end their nursing sessions early. Moms with overactive let down may also have milk oversupply — another blessing and a curse — so these babies may show very rapid weight gain. However, if a baby is not nursing well because of the overactive letdown, weight gain may actually go down. Overactive let down can also [lead](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/lead/) to a sensation of pain for mom. Some women describe it as a sharp or shooting pain that usually doesn’t involve the nipple. Any mom who is having breast pain should be examined to make sure mastitis or plugged ducts are not the culprits, but sometimes it may just be related to a really forceful letdown. The good news is there are some things you can do to manage their overactive letdown. One trick is to stimulate a let down by pumping or simply doing a hand massage before the baby latches, and then have a washcloth (or bottle) ready to let the milk spray into. Once the let down has passed, let baby latch on as the milk flow will now be slower and easier to handle. A nursing baby in a position that is more “uphill” can help slow the flow of milk somewhat and let the baby have more control. Positions such as the football hold, cradle hold with the baby propped up more on pillows, and laid-back nursing positions can be good ones to try. It may seem instinctive for a mom to keep pressing her baby’s head back onto the breast when he pulls off. This can actually cause more problems, however, because the baby needs to be able to breathe and self-regulate. If they keep feeling forced on the breast, they may become resistant to nursing and stop feeding well. Luckily, over time some women do notice that their overactive let down seems to settle down somewhat, and as a baby gets older, she often is able to work with it more easily. As with any breastfeeding problems, seeing a [lactation](https://nabtahealth.com/glossary/lactation/) consultant can be key if the techniques mentioned here don’t help mom and baby. **Sources:** * The Breastfeeding Answer Book * La Leche League International * 3rd revised edition. Powered by Bundoo®