Breastfeeding Archives - Babymoon Inn Birth Center
Breastfeeding Snack Hacks!

Breastfeeding Snack Hacks!

by | Jul 7, 2020 | Breastfeeding, Postpartum, Uncategorized

Five Breastfeeding Snack Hacks

Breastfeeding can be so rewarding for you and your baby, but it often feels extremely demanding of your time and energy. Cluster feeding, pumping, toddler gymnurstics… we know how tough it can be at times. Plus, breastfeeding parents need an average of 500 extra calories to keep up with the physical demand of fueling our little babies!  So, here are my top 5 breastfeeding snack hacks to help you fuel your body!

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Pick a super fun water bottle like this one or this one. Breast milk is about 90% water and, while drinking to satisfy thirst (not forcing liquids) is sufficient, we know that with how busy you are it can be easy to forget or ignore the signs that your body is thirsty if there isn’t a cup handy. 

One-handed snacks are your friend!

Congratulations, you’re now a queen of multitasking! Read + feed the baby, chase a toddler + feed the baby, poop + feed the baby… yeah I said it. #beenthere So being able to grab a quick bite for yourself while you’re also feeding the baby can be a huge life saver. Try one of these ideas:

  • Popcorn
  • Edamame
  • Tortilla roll-ups
  • String cheese
A mother breastfeeds while her toddler takes a bite of her snack

When planning out your favorite breastfeeding snacks, remember to account for enthusiastic (and hungry) toddlers who may wander by!

No-bake/no-blend granola bars

Because who wants to heat up the house with the oven, and who wants to wake up the baby with the blender – not me! These are so tasty, and don’t worry if they don’t stick together in bars, you can always eat it with a spoon!

Non-refrigerated snacks

Picture this, it’s 2am, baby just finished a feed and settled back down to sleep and now you’re hungry – I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like hiking down to the kitchen for a midnight snack. Keeping a stash of non-refrigerated snacks bedside can help you calm your hunger and get back to sleep! Try one of these:

  • Dried fruit
  • Whole-grain crackers
  • Trail mix
  • Mini-muffins 

Overnight oats

While there is no secret snack actually proven to increase milk supply (nurse, baby, nurse – it’s all about supply & demand!), oatmeal is a good source of iron. “It is known that maternal anemia/low iron levels can result in a decreased milk supply, so it makes sense that eating something high in iron might increase milk supply in some women.”

There are tons of variations you can try out, but here is my absolute favorite overnight oats recipe. It’s so nice to know breakfast is ready to go each morning! Bonus – they are gluten-free, and peanut butter could be substituted for sunbutter to make them allergy friendly. I’ve also used crasins or mini M&Ms as toppings instead of chocolate chips before!  Enjoy! 

Reach Out With Questions

Michelle Petkovic

Social Media Manager, Babymoon Inn

Michelle Petkovic received her degree in International Affairs from Sweet Briar College. She is a mother of one energetic toddler and one newborn, and she loves spending time outside camping, hiking and traveling with her family.

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Medications and Breastfeeding

Medications and Breastfeeding

by | Nov 14, 2019 | Breastfeeding, Clinical, Postpartum

People often instinctively avoid medications – both prescription and over-the-counter—when pregnant or breastfeeding. 

The good news is that that most medications are safe for breastfeeding.  The really good news is that you can easily look up medications and even environmental substances to see what’s known and what’s safe.  (links below)

The best news of all is that there are dedicated researchers who continue to study the amazing attributes of breastmilk (the human variety in particular) and how some substances get through the mom’s body into the milk and how they affect babies.  Dr. Thomas Hale of Texas Tech University is a champion in this field with his Infant Risk Center.  You can even help, especially if you or a friend needs a medication that’s on the list of drugs under study and can provide breastmilk samples. 

The bad news is that if you ask a medical provider, you may get poor advice!  Many doctors, particularly in specialties that don’t see breastfeeding often (like urgent care, emergency and surgery) will advise mothers to stop breastfeeding either temporarily or permanently.  The medical field is just starting to improve on its education and advocacy for breastmilk, including the risks to babies who aren’t breastfed. 

Here’s where you can go for accurate information when you need it:

www.mothertobaby.org This FREE source is super handy.  You can email them, call, text or IM on any substance exposure, including medications.  The University of Arizona is part of their team! 

https://www.infantrisk.com/apps  Dr. Hale and the Infant Risk Center have up-to-date apps that are really handy.  It summarizes information on medication safety for pregnancy and breastfeeding. This is the one I recommend to professional colleagues – it’s one of the few “paid” apps I keep!

The Arizona Breastfeeding Hotline:  1-800-833-4642     There’s a lactation consultant always available to answer your question, even in the middle of the night.  It’s a FREE call, and the lactation consultant can talk to you about any questions or subjects related to breastfeeding at any stage.

The Babymoon Inn Midwives!  Just give us a call, we’ll be happy to chat about your question.  

Olga Ryan MS-NL, RN

Olga Ryan MS-NL, RN

Director, Babymoon Inn Tucson

Olga has been in Perinatal nursing since 1995 and in birth center nursing since 2006.  She has been studying leadership her whole life and recently joined the Babymoon Inn team as director of the Tucson location.

Breastfeeding Tattoos

Breastfeeding Tattoos

by | Jan 26, 2017 | Breastfeeding, Postpartum

Essential Baby highlights a new trend for celebrating the breastfeeding relationship between mom and child – breastfeeding tattoos!  Author Evelyn Lewin explains:
Psychologist Sharon Draper, author of Stuck in the Mud, says the tattoos can be beneficial, as they can remind mums of the strength they found during breastfeeding.”They can [also] be a form of self-expression to show the world how proud they are of something they believe in,” she says.

Sharon says breastfeeding tattoos also send a positive message to others.

“For other mothers, seeing these mothers embrace breastfeeding in this way can provide a form of support to them, to let them know it’s a positive thing and we shouldn’t be ashamed of it.”

To find inspiration and images, visit the entire piece here.  Ms. Lewin also suggests:

If you’re contemplating getting a breastfeeding tattoo, it’s easy to find inspiration on social media. Type in ‘breastfeeding tattoo’ on Facebook or Instagram and you’ll find many beautiful images of these works of art. Pinterest has stunning examples, too – as does a simple  image search.

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