Health Tips for October 22

Health Tip: Soothe the Pain of Breast-Feeding

Breast-feeding is a great time to bond with your little one. But for some moms, it can be a painful experience. The Nemours Foundation offers these suggestions to help make breast-feeding a little more comfortable: Make sure your baby is latched on correctly. Some women benefit from nursing more often, but for a shorter spans. Offer baby the side that's less sore. Try an over-the-counter lotion just for breast-feeding moms. Rub a bit of breast milk on the nipple after the feeding, and let it air dry. Breast-feed in different positions to help drain all areas of the breast. Use an ice pack or a warm compress on the breast just before nursing. Health Tip: Why Baby Won't Breast-Feed Sometimes, babies may stop wanting to breast-feed for a short period, for a variety of reasons. This is not necessarily an indication that your baby no longer needs to breast-feed. The Nemours Foundation offers this list of possible reasons why your baby may take a break from breast-feeding for a few days: New foods or other dietary changes may make your milk taste different. Your baby is teething, and has sore gums that make feeding painful. You are stressed, and your baby notices. You've changed your breast-feeding routine. You reacted loudly to an accidental bite, frightening your baby. You've changed your perfume or deodorant, and your baby notices the different smell. Your baby may have an ear infection, stuffy nose or other condition that makes breast-feeding painful or uncomfortable.