Breastfeeding

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“I make milk. What’s your superpower?”

Breastfeeding/pumping is so much more than nutrition, it is a powerful form of connection between mother, child and mother nature as a whole. Breastfeeding can be challenging and many people give up breastfeeding for a variety of reasons, support and community awareness is key to helping bring awareness around breastfeeding.

Engorgement and improper latching are two of the most common hurdles to comfortable breastfeeding. Below you will find 6 interesting facts about breastfeeding and 6 ways how how acupuncture, herbal medicine and lifestyle adjustments can support you.

Six interesting facts about breastfeeding:

  1. Encourages the uterus to contract back to its normal size.

  2. Breastfeeding burns between 500-600 calories a day. Natural way to get your body back without any exercise.

  3. Contains antibodies and live white blood cells that help your baby fight against infection. If you or your baby are sick, the amount of these cells in your breast milk increases to support you and your baby.

  4. Colostrum- the first milk that comes out after birth contains specific proteins that coat your baby’s intestinal tract to protect against harmful bacteria right from the start.

  5. Your brain releases the hormones prolactin and oxytocin during breastfeeding, helping you and your baby to bond and aids in stress and anxiety.

  6. Your breast milk is constantly changing to meet the needs of your growing baby. From month to month, throughout the week, day to day, and even throughout a single feeding.

Six tips to support you during breastfeeding:

  1. Acupuncture can increase milk production, insufficient breast milk in TCM terminology is due to postpartum depletion of Qi and Blood and/or due to liver qi stagnation.

  2. Herbal Medicine to help nourish your blood and boost energy meanwhile reducing stress.

  3. Consume blood building foods; such as dates, beets, dark leafy grains, protein, root vegetables, red meats, beets, avocados, nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds), sea veggies.

  4. Sleep, we cannot urge the importance of sleeping during postpartum, sleep when baby sleeps! Sleep will help support your bodies natural processes and hormones for milk production.

  5. If you are low in Iron/Anemic chat with your doctor about iron supplements, this usually gets missed and patients end up being anemic which can further cause low milk supply.

  6. Stay hydrated- aim to drink around 3 L of fluids per day. Breast milk is around 90% water, have your water next to you while breastfeeding to help you remember to stay hydrated.

If you have further questions please contact your practitioner for further information.

Resources for breastfeeding:

International Breastfeeding Centre        https://ibconline.ca/

La Leche League Volunteer support        https://www.lllc.ca/

Kelly Mom online resources                   https://kellymom.com/

 

 


Acupuncture, Food, Food Therapy, Postpartum, Pregnancy, Prenatal, Reproductive Health, Sleep, Wellness, BreastfeedingKelso Millbreastfeeding, lactation consultant, acupuncture, Vancouver Acupuncture, Vancouver Doctor, vancouver bc, vancouver, vancouver wellness, pregnant mama, milk, pumping, natural remedies, natural way to boost breast milk, breast milk, breastfeeding support, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Herbal Prescription, herbal medicine, life support, lifestyle, sleep, calories, water, hydration, 6 facts about breastfeeding, 6 tips on breastfeeding, milk production, breastmilk, vancouver mom support, vancouver breastfeeding support, Vancouver acupuncture, Vancouver breastfeeding, Postpartum support Vancouver, Vancouver herbal medicine, Women's health vancouver, Women's health, Vancity acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine Vancouver