Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is often easier with the support of other moms, especially in the wee hours of the morning. Connect with other moms anytime they're online through our Carle Facebook Community.
The American Academy of Pediatrics hails breast milk as the perfect food for the first six months of your baby's life. It has just the right mix of vitamins, protein, fats, carbohydrates, and minerals. It also adapts to your baby's needs, going from a thick consistency (called colostrum) at the beginning that is higher in protein to a thinner consistency that is higher in fat as baby gets older.
There are breastfeeding health benefits for moms too. Breastfeeding burns calories. Women who breast-feed usually lose weight quicker than those who don't. Also, breastfeeding lowers the risk of ovarian cancer, premenopausal breast cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.
Although breastfeeding is the most natural way of feeding then nurturing your baby, we know that sometimes moms and babies need a little help. That's why our Carle Community Breastfeeding Clinic is available around the clock to talk through questions and help you breastfeed successfully.
Carle Community Breastfeeding Clinic
The Carle Community Breastfeeding Clinic can assist you with:
- Determining correct positioning and latch
- Developing family breastfeeding plans
- Ensuring your milk supply is adequate
- Preparing moms going back to work
- Fitting correct sized bras and finding correct breast pumps
- Checking on maternal medications/illness and effects on breastfeeding
- Dealing with suspected breast engorgement/infection, or blocked milk ducts
- Understanding breast milk storage guidelines
- Bottle feeding plans and questions
- Learning to feed babies with cleft lips or palates
- Feeding babies with reflux or spitting up
- Knowing what to do when your baby is fussy during feeding
- Weighing baby to ensure he is getting the proper amount during feedings
Support and Guidance
We offer a donor milk program for Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) babies and our breastfeeding educators and lactation consultants are available to support you in a variety of settings, including:
Help is available 24 hours a day at (217) 326-2610.
Call Anytime
Everyone's experience is unique, and each mother has different questions. If you have any concerns, you should always call for help at (217) 326-2610. We're here 24 hours a day. If you'd like to visit us in person, we are located on the North Tower 11 post-partum floor. Our lactation consultants are available for appointments or walk-ins 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and by appointment on weekends.
If your baby is less than a week old, call for help if:
- She is not eagerly nursing at least eight to ten times a day by day three
- Your baby does not have the daily number of wet and soiled diapers you were told to watch for
- Latch-on is painful
- Your baby's skin or eyes seem yellow in color, possibly indicating jaundice
- Your baby hasn't gained weight or you think he may be losing weight
- Your breasts don't feel full (heavy) with milk by the third or fourth day after delivery
- You are not sure you hear your baby swallowing regularly throughout the feeding
- Your baby is lethargic or irritable
Tips for Moms
- Breastfeeding is demanding, so eat when you're hungry and drink when you're thirsty. You will probably drink 8 to 12 cups of liquid per day. You will also need to eat around 500 extra calories per day.
- Use a breast pump to keep up your milk supply and express your milk during missed feedings. Safely store the milk to feed to your baby later.
- Don't be discouraged if you run into obstacles. The length and difficulty of labor and delivery, the use of medication, and separation of mother and baby after birth can influence a baby's ability to nurse in the early days. Carle's experts are available to help overcome that.
- Use your baby's reflexes to help with breastfeeding. Touch her lips or cheek and turn her toward your breast. Her rooting instinct will prompt her to search for something to suck. Touch the top of her tongue or let her suck on your finger. This will help her open her mouth on your breast.
- Try to avoid startling your baby. The "startle" reflex occurs when baby feels his head is not stable or if he's taken off the breast quickly. When he's startled, his arms will fly out and he will clench his jaw.