7 Steps to Navigate the Holidays with a Baby
Seven steps to navigate the holidays with a baby can be your life preserver during such a stressful time. Share these tips with your partner and get a head start on your planning. Birth is one of those times that an instruction manual would come in handy. Each human spirit is so individual that the need for a unique set of guidelines at any birth could prove advantageous, for the rest of their life. No two beings are the same, and parenting them as such could improve the outcome for both mom & baby. Since our mothering instincts guide us and a lot of trial and error, I thought you might appreciate a few tips on a subject rarely intuitive or discussed. Special Occasion Tips How to navigate holidays, parties, celebrations, vacations, and any occasion that may take you and your baby away from your everyday norm can be confusing at times. Most families would go about the event as usual and deal with issues as they come up, not realizing they could’ve avoided some pitfalls. Get help; If you are in the first weeks (<12 weeks) postpartum and there is an occasion you are hosting, please enlist all those beautiful people in your life who are begging to lend a hand in some capacity. Be humble. Being a supermom is a curse, not a blessing. If you have a hard time letting go due to perfection issues, lower the bar just this once. Learn to “go with the flow” and be grateful for their efforts. There is scientific proof that your body needs to do nothing but rest, recuperate and feed your baby for a minimum of 6 weeks. Everything else will fall into place as it should. Early: The earlier you reach out for assistance during this event, the easier it will be for everyone. If you’re aware of the activity before birth, do some of the preparations ahead of time. Even meals can be cooked and frozen. If you fail to take my advice and do too much, you will feel the ill effects and have regret. Also, beware of going to any events in those first weeks as well. If you can decline the invitation, do so. Maybe you could skype or FaceTime to be part of more important activities. The people who care about you most will understand the importance of your recuperation and fear of germs with a newborn. If you are >three months postpartum, you still have every right to take it easy. The exhaustion and demands of the baby take up a good chunk of your life, and you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed. Let’s face it, babies can’t help themselves and need you 24/7, and the life events we are asked to be part of or plan will never take precedence. As exciting as it may be to get out and about with family and friends, reconsider when feelings of drudgery creep up. Nothing can be vital enough to cause you constant worry in your first year as a new mom or even a seasoned mom. Learning to care for another person can be so time-consuming that you can’t afford to risk the stress. Remember, stress equals a lowered immune system, which creates illness. You are most crucial to your family and need to stay healthy. Wearing your baby in a crowd will help lessen the germs and prevent well-meaning individuals from touching your little munchkin. If you must share, remind the family to wash or give them a squirt of hand sanitizer. Be especially active in your convictions around flu season, as many people can wake up sick the next day. You can also insist that he needs to eat often and take frequent breaks to avoid germs. Sometimes the baby may enjoy being passed from one relative to another. Even though he may be seemingly content, continue to feed him periodically. If you wait for him to tell you he’s hungry, you may have to deal with a complete meltdown and engorged breasts. He may be distracted one minute and ravenous the next. Engorged breasts can lead to plugged ducts and possibly mastitis, which can lower milk supply, which can create problems that last. Not worth it. On the other hand, you may have a fussier baby on these occasions. Keep in mind all personalities are different, and some babies may feel stressed in these circumstances. It’s best if you’ve prepared yourself to feed in public (practice in front of a mirror) and potentially in the presence of naysayers. He will settle best by continuing to feed frequently and hold or wear him. Someone undoubtedly will ask you if “he’s getting enough” or “when are you going to stop breastfeeding?” or worse yet, “would you like me to feed him a bottle?” Have a few comebacks ready or learn to steer clear of those people. Don’t let ignorant comments bring down your confidence. Do what’s best for you and your family. If you need to travel long distances, plan outside the box. By car, it’s best to visit when the baby sleeps most, even if it’s the middle of the night, and frequently stop when awake. By plane, take nonstop flights, breastfeed during take-off and landing, travel when the baby is sleepiest and pick seats next to a window or 1st class. Keep long-distance traveling to a minimum during those first years. It’s not for everyone. The steps to navigating holidays with a baby can be perfected with enough support and planning. There’s much to consider when pondering a holiday get together or vacation. Prior planning can help prevent catastrophes or lessen the discomfort. Be picky about taking on too much, and don’t let anyone bully you if you’re not up to it. If you find yourself with breastfeeding concerns after an event, be sure to reach out for help right away to get back on track. Happy Parenting!
Breast Pain
When breast pain doesn’t go away it can leave a mother to feel defeated and distraught. Especially for those that felt breastfeeding was going well and her achy breast was not much of anything to worry about. Clearly, having a plan to resolve the issues quickly can bring peace back to the symbiotic relationship. Breastfeeding is an intricate exchange between a mother and her child. The mother relies on her offspring to take the milk from the breast while the child expects to find a quality bounty while suckling. Now and again the communication between the breast and infant goes awry for one reason or another and a “back-up” in the breast occurs. A firmness that makes the mom feel full and uncomfortable can become rather troublesome. Despite all the tips and tricks, she does to alleviate engorgement, the breast pain doesn’t go away. This situation is oftentimes a surprise to a mother that wakes up one morning in breast agony, unsure how she ended up here. Or possibly the mom who missed a feeding or two and has been behind since. Whatever her scenario, the quicker she gets it under control, the less damage will be done. Usually, the first sign of trouble is a sore lump in the breast, called a plugged duct. If mom can spend a few days being more mindful of emptying the breast well, with heat & massage, she’ll nip it in the bud. If the breast pain doesn’t go away, seeking help is her next step. She also needs to focus on how she got to this point to avoid recurrent issues. Mastitis If this “sore lump” doesn’t go away, or she isn’t able to empty the breast efficiently enough, this may move on to the next stage called mastitis. She may find herself with some or all of these symptoms: a very achy breast pain that won’t go away sore to the touch red & inflamed flu-like symptoms fever 101 or more chills exhaustion body aches She should call her obstetrician and lactation consultant to help her navigate this slippery slope. If the mother recognizes these signs early and reacts swiftly, she may be able to avoid antibiotics. Although it is still essential to have a caregiver or two to work with during this time. Using the suggestions for engorgement relief, along with these tips, can assist in a speedy recovery: Tips to Heal Mastitis Breast Pain Mom should take her baby and go to bed immediately. Treat herself as though she has the flu (no other chores). Feed baby often and effectively on both sides, starting with the affected breast first. If latch is not great, get help ASAP. Use breast compressions to be more effective at emptying the breast. Along with warm compresses and massage, put breasts in the bowl of warm water a few times per day (you can use Epsom salt in water). Dangle breasts over baby while feeding. Take hot showers. Stay braless if you are in bed. Reduce any constrictive clothing or positioning (don’t lay on belly). Stay hydrated. When prescribed, it’s crucial to finish the medication. Pump to drain breasts after feedings, using hand massage as well. Take anti-inflammatory medications as needed. Put cold compresses on the affected breast between feeds. This mother needs to keep her guard up even when she feels better. She is more susceptible to recurring plugged ducts or mastitis. Mom should not skip feedings or pumpings. Be sure the pump fits appropriately, and it is working effectively. Get help, if this happens again. Most important, DO NOT try to wean at this time. The process of drying your milk up could take days, weeks, months, or years in some cases. If she tries to do it too quickly, a larger infection can settle in and cause more problems. She needs to work with a healthcare provider and lactation consultant to find the best course of action for her situation. When Infection Goes Deeper than Breast Pain If a mom does not take mastitis seriously, a deeper infection may form-called a breast abscess (a localized area of pus). This is very serious and should not be taken lightly. She should talk to her HCP if she is not feeling any improvement with mastitis treatment after three days. The doctor may order an ultrasound of the breast to be sure she does not have an abscess. If the test confirms it, the mother will need to have it drained. This process can be done with surgery or fine-needle aspiration. Either way, she will need to keep emptying the breast during this time to avoid other problems. Working with a lactation consultant in conjunction with her physician can expedite the healing process. Keep in mind that the milk volume and taste (it’s saltier) will change during these conditions. Some babies outright refuse to feed on the affected side, and the mother will have to use a quality breast pump to keep emptying appropriately. She shouldn’t take it personally if she pushes past these issues breastfeeding can go back to normal in time. She needs to be patient and vigilant about treatment as well as working with professionals to avoid future complications. Here is the recap on the breast pain timeline: Manageable engorgement-breast pain eases with feeding or pumping. Challenging engorgement-breast pain that won’t go away regardless of efforts. Manageable plugged duct-lump in the breast that eases with feeding or pumping. Takes a few days. Challenging plugged duct-a lump that is not changing despite efforts even after a week. Manageable mastitis-red swollen, inflamed breast with mild flu-like symptoms, that improve with OTC or Keflex treatment. Challenging mastitis- red swollen, inflamed breast with flu-like symptoms, that despite antibiotic is not improving. Breast abscess-never manageable on your own. Seek care from a physician expert in breast care. Whatever the reason for her breast pain, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If she promptly reaches out to the right professionals and follows all the suggestions
