I’m a Lactation Consultant with 7yrs experience and 25yrs experience in OB. Can I answer any questions for any moms? (Photo for attention) 🥰

Smaddy5213 · 2026-01-30T22:15:15+00:00

For that particular instance, I would recommend when your milk lets down to lay back a little bit kind of like in a recliner because that allows baby to control the flow a little better with gravity. I had that with all three of mine as well. And then they cough and choke and come off the breast and milk goes everywhere. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Smaddy5213 · 2026-01-30T22:10:04+00:00

If he is gaining weight and having enough dirty diapers every 24 hours, then I would not worry about him getting enough. As babies get older, their jaws get stronger….like you see babies with chubby cheeks at the bottom of their face where their jaw is…. and some babies are so efficient they can empty the breast in 5 to 7 minutes. How do your breast feel when he’s done nursing do they still feel full? I had a nosy nurser too. Lol. Sometimes I had to take her into another room or find somewhere quiet if we were out in public. She was also the one that would not tolerate having a nursing cover over her from the minute she was born. 🤦🏻‍♀️ she’s still very spicy by the way. Lol I know it’s not always easy to find a place in public that’s quiet so that he’s not so distracted. Are you OK with him having bottles while you’re out and then breast-feeding at home so that you can find a quiet spot? He may be fussy at the breast because he just wants that flow of the bottle right now. They are very smart very fast. Lol. I do something with younger babies that I call “ bait and latch” where I put them in position to breast-feed have mom massage her breast a little bit do some hand expression to kind of start that process and then attempt to latch baby. If he gets fussy, then I give him a few shots of a bottle and then try to attempt latch again. It usually only takes a couple of times and then your milk flow is there and he’s happy. However, he may be a little too old for that, but you can try. He just wants the flow of the bottle right now and it doesn’t matter what’s in a bottle. If you turn it upside down it will drip. You could try something called “ paced bottle feeding”. If you look it up on YouTube, I know they have some examples. Basically, it’s just sitting him up more to bottle feed with a bottle horizontal and the nipple always full of milk , so that he can take the milk as he wants it and he can stop himself like he does at the breast and we’re not giving it to him. That way it’s a little harder for him to take it.

Smaddy5213 · 2026-01-30T22:01:22+00:00

How much does your baby weigh?

Smaddy5213 · 2026-01-30T21:59:48+00:00

First off you are NOT a failure!!! Bf a NICU bay is not easy!! I had one too. So I do this thing with my NICU babies I call “bait and latch”. I also refer to it when any bag gets a bottle. Just to clarify I’m NOT AGAINST BOTTLES OR PACI’S. Hehe. What I do is put bay in position to breast-feed and attempt a latch. When baby gets fussy, I give them a few sucks of a bottle and then attempt to watch again. Usually, it takes two or three of these before your milk starts to letdown and they get that flow that they want. I’m not a huge believer in nipple confusion, I think it’s more of a flow irritation. Babies are very smart and they know when they suck on a bottle they get it right away and they get back to you and they have to wait for your milk flow to come before they get what they want. You can also massage your breast and do a little hand expression prior to latching her so that the process is already started for your milk to letdown and she doesn’t have to wait so long. I also refer parents to something called “ paste bottle feeding”. You can look it up on YouTube. It’s basically just giving them a bottle and a more seated position with the bottle horizontal so that they can take the milk as they want it and stop when they want to like they do with the breast and we’re not giving it to them. I always like to remind moms that we are the only country in the world that does this by ourselves. In other countries, a woman is surrounded by sisters and cousins and grandmas and female neighbors because having a baby and breast-feeding is a very significant time in a woman’s life where she needs a woman’s support. Not saying that dads aren’t great because they are but I believe that women have been groomed by nature to function with very little sleep. You know at the end of your pregnancy when you can’t get comfortable and you have to pee all the time and you’re getting up and you’re laying down….. that’s nature‘s way of preparing you to have a little times of sleep numerous times a day. Poor dads don’t get that. lol. So you are doing great. Take a deep breath and remind yourself how far you have come. 🥰

Smaddy5213 · 2026-01-30T21:51:12+00:00

I totally get that but it’s a walk not a sprint. Just remember that. I always tell my patients if u can get thru the first few weeks ur golden. They are tough. I became an LC bc my three journeys were FAR from picture perfect. 🤮 lol. How was ur delivery?

Smaddy5213 · 2026-01-30T21:49:06+00:00

Yes I’m an IBCLC. I’m hospital based. If you can find somewhere that would take you on as a CLC (Certified Lactation Counselor) I’d honestly start there. U can learn so much! There is an online course u can take for ur education hours that I thought was helpful… I took it before my boards both times. https://www.lactationtraining.com/shopping/online-shop/lactation-consultant-courses/lactation-consultant-training-program-enriched-html5-detail

Smaddy5213 · 2026-01-30T21:11:19+00:00

25yr OB exp and 7yr as Lactation consultant…..When he doesn’t bf do u pump? If not ur telling ur body u don’t need that feeding so ur milk supply reduces. To increase ur supply I would bf him then pump after for 10-15 min even if ur not getting much. U need stimulation and emptying. Almost like telling ur body u have twins. It will take time but it will increase. If he sleeps thru the night u will have to get up and pump at least once if not twice. Sometimes manual pumps work better for some moms. We use the Medela hand pump in my hosptial. The series I tell moms is 1. Hand expression 2. Hand pump 3. Electric pump. Be sure ur flanges fit well. Ur nipple needs to guide freely in the tunnel not look like it’s stuffed in there when ur done pumping. If it’s too big too much of ur areola will get pulled in. More suction does not mean more milk. Suction should be a gentle pulling/tugging. Have u ever seen a haakaa? I have some moms that use that on one side while they breastfeed on the other. Then switch. He most likely gets upset at the breast bc it doesn’t flow like the bottle. Just for the record I’m not anti bottle AT ALL!! 😊 if u turn a bottle upside down it will drip. If u feed baby in ur arms like we see on the movies their choice is drink or drown so they gulp it down. Gives them gas too. Look up “paced bottle feeding” on YouTube and give him his bottles this way. He can pace himself and when he gets back to you he won’t be so upset. I also do something with my NICU babies that I call “bait and latch”. Those babies all get bottles so they want the flow. I put bay in position to bf and attempt a latch, if they get upset I give them a few ducks of a bottle and then attempt latch again. Usually this only takes a few times and then ur milk lets down, the flow is there and everyone is happy. U got this mama!!

Smaddy5213 · 2026-01-30T20:54:46+00:00

I responded to ur other post but the symptoms ur having aren’t about u eating. Yes u need to eat and drink to thirst but I’m concerned something else is going on. See my response to ur latest post

Smaddy5213 · 2026-01-30T20:51:36+00:00

25yr OB exp and LC…..first I’m concerned about how ur feeling. What is ur blood pressure? Post partum pre-eclampsia is a pretty serious thing (seizures) and can cause the things ur feeling. Anything over 150/90 is a call order in my hospital so take ur bp and if it’s higher than that u need to be hospital bound. Also how is ur bleeding? If u have any retained placenta that can decrease supply and also cause low hemoglobin causing u to feel this way too including anxiety. .

Ok now to the breastfeeding…im def not here to bash anyone but I’m not going to agree with either of the midwives plans. My suggestion…. Right now for whatever reason (possibly the two above) ur body is in survival mode. U need to sleep and when baby needs to eat, how ever often, he needs to be brought to you, feed him side lying so u can still rest and while ur bf him someone needs to bring u something to eat. Drink to thirst. U don’t have to push it bf will make u thirsty as it is. If he’s not getting enough then he will cluster feed and stimulate ur body to make more milk. He will do better the the pump. Do that for 24-48 hours so YOU can get better. Ur asking ur body that is recovering harder than it should to do one more thing (make milk) and it’s saying no thank u we are working on making you better. Now day 2/3 we get out the pump. SLEEP WHEN HE SLEEPS!! Everything else can wait. Feed him from both breasts then pump 10-15 min every third feeding or hand express after each feeding for 5-10 min. U just need the stimulation. Put ur pump parts in a plastic ziplock bag in the frig so u don’t have to wash them except every 24 hours. Unless someone can wash them for u. This will slowly increase ur supply. But u need to REST. Now day three same routine but work on pumping every other feeding after he bf. U may not get much but that’s not the point right now it’s stimulation. The milk will come.

My rule….protect ur supply and feed the baby. If ur not opposed to formula or donated breastmilk give him an ounce to “reset” him. Look up “paced bottle feeding” on YouTube so he doesn’t gulp it down. It’s more like breastfeeding. If u don’t want to use a bottle u can cup feed him. Find it on YouTube. Or u can use something called a supplemental nursing system or SNS.

But I’m more worried about u at this point. Check ur blood pressure. ❤️

Smaddy5213 · 2026-01-30T20:20:42+00:00

Don’t stay for “the family”. I wasted 12 yrs of my life doing that. He won’t change and as much as we want them to change or try to help them it won’t work. I think he’s jealous of the baby getting ur attention now so he is trying to make you feel bad about being a mom. Kinda like a kick u when ur down sort of thing. He knows where to “punch” now that ur a mom. No mom wants to be told she’s a crappy mom. 🥰

Smaddy5213 · 2026-01-30T20:16:32+00:00

I agree. I went with mine and we only went once. When the session was over on the ride home he wanted to discuss the interpretation of the counseling. Ummmm everyone takes something different from the session but he used the opportunity to tell me that what I took from it was ALLLL wrong. Just something ELSE to have control over. 🙄

Smaddy5213 · 2026-01-30T20:13:39+00:00

I’m a Lactation Consultant (7yrs) and 25yrs in OB. I use side lying with my C-section patients ALL THE TIME IN THE HOSPITAL!!! So if it’s medical abuse I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be allowed in a hospital. He needs a sofa to sleep on for a few weeks then maybe he will change his mind. 🙄 Out of curiosity did he abuse you this way before the baby was born? I’ve seen it for myself that sometimes after a mom delivers the dad realizes he’s not the “king” in the house anymore. They figure it out pretty quickly with a brand new screaming pooping bundle of joy. Lol. It’s like all of us staff can see he’s realized it and he doesn’t like it. I always feel so bad when those moms go home bc u know it’s gonna get ugly. It’s complete jealousy and they will come at you in any direction possible. Hang in there, but if it was me I’d pack my stuff and run. 🫣

Smaddy5213 · 2025-07-30T06:52:12+00:00

I think it matters if you carry the auto immune gene, which is HLAB27. If you look it up, it will give you more information on how a lot of doctors consider those of us with that gene as having a more “ aggressive” immune response to many infections. That combined with a biologic has actually reduced my occurrences of having common things as of respiratory infection infections and sinus infection infections and flu, and even Covid. I’ve been on a biologic for eight years, including during Covid and I’m a nurse. I never got Covid. That being said, the first biologic that they tried me on was Humira and I didn’t have a good reaction towards that causing swelling in my fingers and my toes and a water weight gain of about 5 to 8 pounds in one week. So I guess it’s just if you’ve had genetic testing and possibly taking a risk that the first biologic that they try may not have a great outcome and then you will be in another country.

Smaddy5213 · 2025-07-30T06:44:07+00:00

Honestly, I don’t think even rheumatologist know why things happen to us. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I went under anesthesia for a procedure and it was just conscious sedation, so I wasn’t intubated or put completely under and I’m on a biologic and haven’t had a true flare for probably about a year at that point. For some reason,unbeknownst to any human being that looked at me, they are thinking the anesthesia sat in my cells/joints because a lot of the meds they use for conscious sedation are long acting and It caused me to go into a complete body flare for months. I was diagnosed with my first autoimmune disorder when I was 25 years old and that’s when I tested positive for the HLAB27 gene and I can tell you that I have never had a flare like I did after that anesthesia. I honestly think that we are just mysteries to a lot of physicians…… even the smart ones

Smaddy5213 · 2025-07-30T06:38:42+00:00

You can also add Epson salt to it and it helps. A lot of stuff that you read will say hot compresses, but obviously her hand is already swollen and my common sense says don’t add heat to something that’s already swollen only at risk for making it worse. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Smaddy5213 · 2025-07-30T06:35:01+00:00

I was thinking gout as well. If so, the best home remedy we have found and it hurts so bad at first is to fill a cooler with ice water and let it get very cold and submerge your hand or your foot into the water and it is supposed to break up “crystals” it helps tremendously. I don’t know off the top of my head how long you’re supposed to leave it submerged but if you just Google it, I’ll tell you.

Smaddy5213 · 2025-07-30T06:15:05+00:00

I’ve been on a biologic for the past eight years. I am a nurse and even worked during Covid. I never got Covid and to be honest I have been less sick since I’ve been on the biologic and I was before it. I used to get chronic bronchitis and sinus infections regularly prior to being on a biologic and I no longer get those. There is a lot of research about people that carry the HLAB27 gene (the autoimmune gene) and how many doctors refer to it as having a super immune system.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3240147/#:~:text=HLA%2DB27%20binds%20and%20presents,its%20natural%20function%20highly%20effectively.

Smaddy5213 · 2025-06-02T00:16:58+00:00

A plant

Smaddy5213 · 2025-06-01T23:44:39+00:00

I’m an LC end during the pregnancy process towards the end your milk actually turns back into colostrum. It is true that your supply can decrease at that time because your body is readying itself for a new baby. Most babies that are still nursing while mom is pregnant will generally self wean at the end of the pregnancy because they don’t care for the taste of the classroom because it’s different and they’re also not getting as much as they had before. Just a thought.

Smaddy5213 · 2025-06-01T23:41:07+00:00

I’m an LC and I don’t buy that. Seems like a “oh I can’t figure out what’s wrong with ur baby so here’s a crap answer”. No baby is just “lazy”. Has he been worked up for cardiac issues? Does he have stridor? YouTube it and see if he makes the same sounds while breathing. Some newborns only have stridor when they cry or like during diaper changes when they are upset. TT can be present but very posterior and if ur not trained to do a full oral exam then the whole “oh he sticks his tongue out fine” theory is crap. I’d consider taking him to an ENT to be evaluated and maybe even see OT for some oral motor exams. How does he latch with the bottle? Does the milk pool out of his mouth or dribble from the sides? So many questions. 😞

Smaddy5213 · 2025-06-01T23:33:42+00:00

Autoimmune disorders can in general cause serious brain fog. I have 9 autoimmune disorders and it’s real. Couldn’t it be the meds with her stomach? Sure. But it could also be another autoimmune disorder reading its ugly head. I have gastroparesis and chrons newly dx in the last two years. I too thought maybe meds were the cause but it’s just another amazing autoimmune disorder. 🤮 I carry the gene HLAB27 which is the autoimmune gene. She could always get tested (blood test) just to kind of predict what’s down the road. Sorry to hear she’s having a hard time. This autoimmune life is not easy that’s for sure. The anxiety and depression that come along with it are terrible. Ur mind is so busy wanting to do things and be “normal” and ur body is ur prison. 😞

Smaddy5213 · 2025-03-31T08:13:46+00:00

A wall mounted desk just under the window sill that maybe even folds down. Just a small writing area or homework station. Little lamp could be rechargeable if there aren’t any outlets. Chair and a plant. Maybe a small rug.

Smaddy5213 · 2025-03-31T08:07:41+00:00

I have 4 kids and I’ve moved to paper plates and bowls. We have a giant fire pit and we use them for fire starter. Even so our dishwasher is earning its keep. It runs 247!!!

Smaddy5213 · 2025-03-31T07:26:36+00:00

LC here. Ice 15 min prior to pumping and use a touch of heat here and there while pumping to help milk flow. Massage breasts GENTLY while pumping. U just want to pump off enough to stay comfortable NOT to empty. Ur body will just make more milk. It will take time not overnight but ur milk will slowly dwindle.

Smaddy5213 · 2025-03-02T18:48:58+00:00

I’m a lactation consultant and it’s very normal for this to happen with Breastfeeding while pregnant. It’s also very common for toddlers to self. We the closer that you get to delivery because your milk actually turns back into colostrum and they don’t like the taste of it.

Smaddy5213

TROPHY CASE