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Having Enough Milk for Your First Day Back

February 1, 2016 by 3 Comments
by Shari Criso, RN, CNM, IBCLC

This post made possible by the support of Evenflo Feeding

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As you are preparing to return to work, you’ll be wondering how much should I be storing and how far in advance do I need to prepare. As with anything, it is always best not to leave things to the last minute and pumping enough breast milk for your return to work is certainly at the top of that list!

Start several weeks prior to your first day back at work and calculate how many ounces you will need for your baby on the first day as well as your freezer stash.  

For example, if you will be away from your baby for 8 hours and will need to pump 3 times for 3-4 ounces each, that will be 9-12 ounces of milk needed for your first day back at work. If you add another 10 3oz bags for your freezer this will add an additional 30 ounces that you will ultimately need. In this scenario, in total you will need about 40 ounces of milk to be fully prepared.

Waiting to store this until the last week before you go back, will make it really difficult to achieve, and in this case I would recommend that you only focus on getting the 9-12 ounces pumped that you will need for your first day. You’ll have to catch up on the freezer stash later. Ideally, you will give yourself a minimum of 4-6 weeks to start pumping and storing.

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Pumping 1-2 ounces per day in addition to the ½ ounce of milk that you will continue to feed to your baby each evening (just to keep the bottle going) will give you more than enough over the 4-6 weeks to have all the milk you need for your first day back at work, plus your freezer stash.

For some moms this is not a problem and for others you may find it difficult to pump in between feeding your baby to get this extra milk.

One of the ways to work around this is to not try and pump between feedings, but to express a small amount, like a ¼ of an ounce from each side prior to each breastfeeding during the day. If you’re breastfeeding 8 times, and you express a ½ ounce each time, you will essentially be storing 4 ounces per day.  This is even more than I am even recommending you do, if you give yourself enough time.

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To view the whole video, click here.

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Shari Criso 2016

 

For over 23 years, Shari Criso has been a Registered Nurse, Certified Nurse Midwife, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, nationally recognized parenting educator, entrepreneur, and most importantly, loving wife and proud mother of two amazing breastfed daughters. See the entire library of Shari’s My Baby Experts Video Program here.
Filed Under: Article, Articles from the professional experts, Ask the expert, Featured, Relational Resource Tagged With: , , ,

“Let Love Flo” Infant Feeding Q&A With An IBCLC

February 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The Leakies with Shari Criso, MSN,RN, CNM, IBCLC

This post made possible by the support of EvenFlo Feeding

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We’ve asked Shari Criso to share her answers to Leakies questions about feeding their babies. If you have any questions you’d like to ask Shari, leave a comment!

Hi Shari,

My baby is due in about a month and I’ll be returning to work full time at 6 weeks postpartum. I heard that I’ll need to introduce a bottle right away for my baby to accept one. But then I heard that if you introduce it too soon my baby will have nipple confusion. I’m confused now. When and how often should my baby be given a bottle while I’m on maternity leave? Is there anything Any clarity you can offer would be great, thank you!

Jamie, Nipple confused in California

 

Hi Jamie,

Congratulations on the upcoming arrival of your little angel! The question about when to introduce your breastfed baby to a bottle is one that can be confusing with the enormous difference of opinion that is out there even among lactation experts. Some will say that you should wait at least 6 weeks before introducing any artificial nipple to your breastfeeding baby due to the potential risk of “nipple confusion” or preference for the bottle over the breast…while other advice will encourage you to introduce it much earlier so to avoid rejection of the bottle. In my experience, waiting too long to introduce the bottle to your breastfed baby does increase the chance of rejection and this is really difficult on a mom who needs to return to work. By 3 weeks most babies will develop a “nipple preference” either way. The advice that I always give to my breastfeeding who want to introduce a bottle, is to wait until your milk has fully come in and when your baby is breastfeeding well and regularly without any issues. This timing can vary for different moms. Some will achieve this as early as a week or two after birth. When this happens I encourage mom to pump or hand express a small amount each day (no more than 1⁄2 ounce) and then feed it to the baby in a bottle. After that they can finish the feeding at the breast. You are not replacing the feeding, but rather you are consistently introducing the bottle to the baby early when the baby is more likely to accept it and less likely to reject it. This should be done daily until the baby is 6 weeks old. Then you can pump and replace a full feeding if you choose to. This method is very effective in supporting a breastfed baby to accept a bottle, while at the same time continuing to breastfeed without issues and interfering with your milk supply. For more information and instructions there is an entire chapter about this in my full online class “Simply Breastfeeding” on my website. I hope this helps!

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Dear Shari,

With my first 2 babies I had horrible oversupply and developed mastitis within the first two weeks postpartum and the recurring frequently throughout the first few months. It was horrible. I’m so afraid of it happening again, is there anything I can do to avoid it? The idea of battling mastitis off and on for the next few months is enough to make me not want to breastfeed this time around even though I really want to. While I’m so grateful to have plenty of milk for my babies even though my first two had slight tongue ties, I’m really afraid of dealing with mastitis again. Please help me.

Ready to quit, again,

Lisa, in Florida

 

Hi Lisa,

I am sorry that you struggled so much with your prior breastfeeding experiences! It can be so difficult and stressful when you are trying so hard and encountering so many challenges! Most breastfeeding moms do not fully understand just how difficult it can be to have TOO MUCH milk and the ensuing issues like mastitis that can occur, unless they are experiencing it. In my experience, oversupply can sometimes be more difficult of an issue than under supply, although neither are easy! There are a couple of things that I would recommend. First, make sure that you are not pumping in the early days and weeks to empty the breast after the feedings. This is a BIG mistake that moms make or are encouraged to do, and this can lead to oversupply. Also, feeding your newborn on one side at a time will help to bring down your supply quicker. Lastly, one of the most common reasons for mastitis that I see is constriction or pressure on the breast tissue from improperly fit bras or the use of underwire bras, especially early on and when the breast is full and engorged. This extra pressure on the full breast can cause plugged ducts and inflammation, which can lead to mastitis. Nursing frequently, warm compresses, not pumping, and avoiding pressure on the breast, will all help to normalize your supply and hopefully prevent you from developing mastitis. See this video for further information on the issue of “oversupply” that may help. Good luck to you!!

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Hi Shari,

Is it possible to not make much milk? With my son I was looking forward to breastfeeding but it just didn’t work out. I was heartbroken, I had tried so hard, used a system to supplement at the breast, had my son’s slight tongue tie revised, ate oatmeal every day, did everything I could find to do. I saw an IBCLC and she told me I may not have enough milk making tissue. My breasts aren’t very small but they aren’t very round or close together and they never changed in pregnancy or even after giving birth. I couldn’t express any milk with a pump, well, never more than a few drops and hand expression wasn’t any better. Breastfeeding is really important to me but I can’t handle seeing my baby lose weight when they should be gaining and it was really hard to see that I was failing my baby while hearing from everywhere that breast is best and I just needed to try harder. Could I be too broken to feed my baby? Is there anything I can do this time?

Thank you for taking time to answer. Heartbroken Heather from West Virginia

 

Hi Heather,

First of all, you are not broken! I can feel your heartbreak in not being able to breastfeed your baby the way you wanted to. It can be very frustrating and even depressing to try everything you know and still not be able to produce enough milk for your baby. To answer your question…Yes, unfortunately it is possible for a mom to not make much milk and this can be caused by a variety of reasons. This could be caused by hormonal issues that exist and go untreated (such as PCOS or Thyroid dysfunction)…it can be caused by failure to establish an adequate milk supply after birth from improper latch, formula supplementation, or even an undiagnosed tongue tie in the baby, etc…and it can also be caused by a condition call Insufficient Glandular Tissue (IGT) where the breast does not have enough glandular tissue to produce a full milk supply. This is something that can be identified during pregnancy, but cannot be determined until after the baby is born and all attempts to produce a full supply are unsuccessful. As a mom that is experiencing this it can be so difficult to keep hearing people offering advice on the very things that you have been trying all along! There are some things to try and consider all with the support and advice of an experienced Lactation Consultant. There are medications and herbs (such as Goat’s Rue) that can sometimes help. Make sure you are addressing and treating any underlying hormonal conditions with your practitioner that may be possible. Lastly, whatever amount of breast milk you are able to produce is still going to benefit your little one. It is definitely not all or nothing! If you are producing some breast milk, you may choose use a supplemental nursing system to deliver the supplementation (donor milk, infant formula, etc…) to the baby and continue to breastfeed at the breast. This can also be done if you are not producing any breast milk but still want to maintain the physical closeness of the act of breastfeeding. Either way always remember that this is not your fault! You are a great mom regardless of HOW or WHAT you feed your baby…and the most important thing that you can ever provide to your child is your love, which is always abundant and overflowing!! For more information, see this video clip. Sending you lots of love!

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Shari Criso 2016

 

For over 23 years, Shari Criso has been a Registered Nurse, Certified Nurse Midwife, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, nationally recognized parenting educator, entrepreneur, and most importantly, loving wife and proud mother of two amazing breastfed daughters.
Filed Under: Article, Ask the expert, Ask the IBCLC, Featured Tagged With: , ,

What You Need to Know About Jaundice, Breastfeeding, and Your Newborn Baby

November 12, 2015 by 1 Comment
by Linda Zager, RN, IBCLC
This post made possible by the generous support of Ameda, inc.

 

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You just went through this transformative experience. You created life! And then, as you bask in the glow, you are told the newest member of your family has jaundice.

What does it mean? How concerned should you be?

 

guest post, jaundice article

Jaundice is a very common condition in newborn babies. Newborn jaundice is caused by a pigment substance, known as bilirubin, and when it increases in the baby’s blood it makes him/her appear yellow. More than half of all newborns become jaundiced within the first week of life. This situation is usually temporary and resolves on its own within a few days without treatment. This is termed physiological jaundice. Physiological means what happens normally in the body. Physiological jaundice is not a disease but a temporary condition.

So what exactly is bilirubin? Bilirubin is formed in our bodies when red blood cells die off. This is a normal process. Red blood cells contain the substance bilirubin. Newborns are born with a surplus of red blood cells. When greater numbers of red blood cells break down, this yellow pigment, bilirubin, accumulates in the newborn’s blood and is deposited in the skin, muscles and mucous membranes, causing the skin to appear yellow. Bilirubin is fat soluble, meaning it mixes easily with fats and oils. For the body to get rid of bilirubin, it needs to be water soluble. So how is it possible for the body to get rid of bilirubin if this is the case? That’s the job of the liver. The liver processes the bilirubin, changing it from fat soluble to water soluble and is then passed into the intestines. From the intestines, the bilirubin leaves the body through the newborn’s bowel movements. Some bilirubin, however, is reabsorbed back into the body after becoming fat soluble again. This occurs if the baby is having very few or no bowel movements. The less bowel movements, the more bilirubin gets reabsorbed, resulting in higher bilirubin levels. The most common cause of increased reabsorption of bilirubin is insufficient intake of breast milk. Bilirubin levels on the third day is directly linked to the number of EFFECTIVE breastfeeds per day in the first few days of the baby’s life.

Some mothers are informed by their health care provider that they need to stop breastfeeding and start feeding their little one formula in order to lower the bilirubin levels in the blood but options are available to treat jaundice without interrupting breastfeeding. For the healthy, full term baby, breastfeeding should continue so it does not become more of a challenge for mother and baby. The solution is not to stop breastfeeding but to resolve the breastfeeding issue so the baby gets the breast milk needed to have regular bowel movements.

Colostrum, the first milk available to the newborn, is actually a laxative which causes bilirubin to pass into the meconium stools. However, when a newborn does not receive enough colostrum as a result of inadequate feeding; either too few feedings, ineffective feedings, or both during the first few days, the bilirubin levels are exaggerated by day three. All mothers and babies should be assessed for effective breastfeeding while in the hospital by the nursing staff every shift and by a Lactation Consultant if a problem has already been identified. A newborn can be at the breast frequently but not breastfeeding. They do not become jaundiced from the breast milk but from a lack of breast milk. That is why it is necessary to have the nursing staff and/or a lactation specialist evaluate baby for effective latch and nutritive breastfeeding. Milk transfer is critical. Mothers may need to be taught how to latch their baby correctly to the breast and to recognize effective breastfeeding. This action assures mothers of comfortable, efficient breastfeeding and prevention of newborn jaundice.

As the liver is responsible for converting fat soluble bilirubin to water soluble bilirubin problems can arise because a newborn’s liver is relatively immature and may be unable to convert all the bilirubin in the first few days. Premature newborns’ livers are even less mature so therefore have higher levels of bilirubin than full term babies.

There are other reasons for excessive red blood cell breakdown resulting in high bilirubin levels and jaundice. ABO blood type incompatibility can result when mother has type O blood and her baby is one of the other blood types, A, B or AB. During pregnancy, red blood cells can leak across the placenta from the baby to the mother. The mother’s immune system reacts to the baby’s cells by forming antibodies against the baby’s blood resulting in increased red blood cell breakdown after birth and jaundice. With appropriate treatment, jaundice resolves. If a baby has a difficult birth and this results in bruising or a hematoma, there will be more red cells broken down resulting in higher bilirubin levels and jaundice. These are all normal causes of newborn or physiological jaundice with some babies requiring treatment and others not. But all these babies have one thing in common; they can and should continue to breastfed a minimum of 10 times or more per day every 24 hours for the baby’s first 2 days of life. Frequent nursing should be considered the norm; rooming-in with your baby promotes more breastfeeding than if baby were kept in a separate nursery.

Some babies are often sleepy as the bilirubin levels increase, sometimes resulting in baby falling asleep soon after feeding begins or he/she won’t even wake up to feed at the breast. Try skin to skin, holding you baby between your breasts, keep baby in close proximity to enable you to observe feeding or waking cues and never watch the clock for when you should nurse next. Remember a minimum of 10 or more feeds in 24 hours is norm. If baby does not respond to various stimuli to breastfeed more effectively, then an alternative method should be used to supplement baby with expressed colostrum/breast milk, if necessary. Hand expression of the breast is a very effective means of collecting colostrum. It can be expressed into very small cups or spoons for feeding. Mom should receive instructions for using a Hospital Grade breast pump for milk expression and to breast stimulation for adequate milk production. Breast milk can be given by cup, syringe, eyedropper or small spoon. Formula supplementation, on a short term basis, may be needed if fewer effective breastfeeds in the first days has contributed to a lower milk supply. Mother can continue pumping and nursing during treatment.

guest post, jaundice article

Most cases of jaundice require no treatment or little more than exposure to direct sunlight each day, but if the bilirubin levels continue to rise, more action is needed. The child’s physicians will observe and monitor the baby’s jaundice and bilirubin levels which are obtained through a simple blood draw from the baby’s heel. Phototherapy is a common treatment for all types of exaggerated jaundice. Phototherapy uses fluorescent light to break down bilirubin through the skin. The bilirubin absorbs the light, changing the bilirubin to the water soluble form, which then is eliminated through the baby’s stools. The baby is placed in an Isolette or self-contained incubator unit that provides for controlled heat and humidity. The light source, called bili-lights, is placed over and/or on the side of the Isolette. The baby is naked but for his diaper. His eyes will be covered to protect his retinas and corneas from damage.

If breastfeeding is a priority talk to your doctor and nurses about options. Often, babies are taken to the nursery for this treatment but most hospitals give mothers the option of treatment in their room. Baby’s eye patches should be removed during feeding to make eye contact with his parents. The Wallaby phototherapy unit is a fiber optic blanket that is wrapped around the baby’s trunk and provides continuous treatment that does not require eye patching or separation. The blanket can be used both in the hospital and in the home after hospital discharge.

If your baby has jaundice, it doesn’t have to interrupt breastfeeding. You are your child’s number one advocate and if breastfeeding is important to you, communicating that with your child’s care providers is an important part of your child’s care. Breastmilk may be exactly what is required to help your new baby get well. 

More information:

AAP Management of Hyperbilirubinemia in the Newborn Infant 35 weeks or More

AAP Clinical Practice Guidelines for Hyperbilirubinemia in the 35 week or more newborn infant

Bilirubin Screening and Management of Hyperbilirubinemia, Stanford Medicine

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine protocol for management of jaundice in the breastfed newborn of 35 weeks or more

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Did your baby have jaundice as a newborn? How were they treated? Were you supported in continuing to breastfeed?

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Linda, IBCLC2 smaller
Linda Zager, RN, IBCLC
I’ve been an RN for 37 years, working in various hospital positions from Intensive Care to Hemodialysis/Plasmapheresis, Maternal Child Care and finally Lactation Consulting, my true calling in life. I have been an IBCLC for 23 years working with moms/babies in their homes and in the hospital. I left hospital work and now work as Ameda, Inc.’s Nurse Clinician/Lactation Consultant in the ParentCare division. I speak with mothers all over the country when they require resolution to breastfeeding/pumping issues.
Filed Under: Article, Ask the expert, Ask the IBCLC, Breastfeeding, Featured, guest posts, Relational Resource Tagged With: , , , , ,

Receiving Breastfeeding and Pumping Support Online and Over the Phone

September 17, 2015 by 1 Comment
by Linda Zager

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In today’s busy world moms cannot always find time to meet with a lactation professional in-person when support is needed. These professionals can be far away, only have office hours at limited times and let’s be honest, when you have a newborn it can be near impossible to even get dressed let alone making it out of the house. But there is hope! Breastfeeding moms can receive support by reaching out by phone and speaking with a Lactation Consultant, nurse or a member of the breastfeeding community regarding breastfeeding or pumping concerns. Phone triage is a first step to resolving some breastfeeding issues. Mom’s face frustration caused by inconsistent information about breastfeeding and often, the unique personality of the baby is not taken into consideration.

Amanda, ParentCare smaller

 

Families can experience stress once they bring their baby home from the hospital. There may be questions surrounding breastfeeding and learning to “read” the newest addition to their family.  A phone conversation can dispel common myths. Offering a small amount of education and lending an empathetic ear goes a long way. By listening carefully, a lactation professional will be capable of addressing some issues by phone. Offering mom different ideas of how to resolve simple issues can also empower moms! Follow up is often necessary to assess if the advice resolved the issue.  The lactation professional may detect a more complicated issue that cannot be addressed over the phone, and in that case, the mom will be referred to a skilled Lactation Specialist for an in-person assessment.

The challenge for those who are providing support to breastfeeding women over the phone will be to distinguish between the mothers and babies whose situations are uncomplicated and those who will need the special assistance of a skilled International Board Certified Lactation Consultant(IBCLC). Proper assessment of the breastfeeding process requires an understanding of how the anatomy, physiology and psychology of how the mom and infant interact during lactation. Conducting a thorough history of the breastfeeding woman’s pregnancy, labor and delivery and postpartum period can shed light on any complications that could affect breastfeeding.

 

Pumping moms can seek advice over the phone to resolve problems they are experiencing with breast pumping. All Moms are unique and may have different experiences when using a breast pump. Not all breast pumps are made to operate in the same manner and one type of breast pump can work very well for one woman and poorly for another. Therefore the person offering advice on pumping by phone requires education on various types of breast pumps, which pump is best for the reason mom is using it, basics of pumping and suggestions to help stimulate a milk letdown. Moms need to be directed to READ the instruction manual of their breast pump and not assume it works like her friends or the one she used 3 years ago. Mom needs to be patient with her body as it adapts to a breast pump to express her milk. The first few pumping sessions should be looked at as practice. Pumping is very different than nursing a baby and a body needs to adapt to this difference. Pumping should never be a painful experience. If a mom is stating pumping is painful, factors such as flange size, suction pressure and pumping technique must be reviewed with her.

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At Ameda, we have ParentCare Specialists available that are knowledgeable in the basics of pumping and how the Ameda breast pump functions. The representatives are responsible for thorough troubleshooting of the Ameda breast pump if an issue occurs so the mom has a positive pumping experience. If a ParentCare Specialist cannot resolve the issue, the mom’s case file is escalated to one of our IBCLC’s for assistance. And that is where I come in, I am a RN and IBCLC. I assist moms with both breastfeeding and pumping issues using phone triage to find a resolution to an issue. A mom who finds breastfeeding support during her motherhood journey can reach her goal of feeding her baby breast milk – a truly special gift.

 

Linda, IBCLC2 smallerLinda Zager, RN, IBCLC
I’ve been an RN for 37 years, working in various hospital positions from Intensive Care to Hemodialysis/Plasmapheresis, Maternal Child Care and finally Lactation Consulting, my true calling in life. I have been an IBCLC for 23 years working with moms/babies in their homes and in the hospital. I left hospital work and now work as Ameda, Inc.’s Nurse Clinician/Lactation Consultant in the ParentCare division. I speak with mothers all over the country when they require resolution to breastfeeding/pumping issues.
Filed Under: Article, Ask the expert, Breastfeeding, breastfeeding video, breastmilk pumping, Featured, Pumping Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Ask the CPST with clek- Keeping Your Newborn Safe

July 6, 2015 by 539 Comments
This post features questions from readers for a CPST (Child Passenger Safety Technician) focusing on car seats and is made possible by the generous sponsorship of clek who have made their staff CPSTs available to The Leaky Boob community in order to answer your questions and help you keep your children safe. For more questions related to infants in car seats, see questions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 from our live chat on TLB Facebook wall. 

clek infant thingy

Dear Trudy,

I think we have everything just about in place for our new babe due in about 6 weeks but I’m completely overwhelmed and have anxiety about that drive home from the hospital with our new baby. Is there anything special we need to keep in mind with a newborn in a seat? Older babies seem less concerning as they can support their own heads better and have more muscle tone. I know we’ll have to get comfortable driving with our baby but those first few trips are particularly stressing me. I asked about car seat checks at our hospital tour and they said they’ll send a nurse out with us to be sure we have a proper seat but they aren’t responsible for ensuring we are using it properly. What can we do? What do we need to keep in mind with buckling a newborn? 

Thank you for your help!

Worried in Wisconsin.

 

Dear Worried in Wisconsin,

Having a baby is such an exciting time in life! Having new concerns and worries pop up as you near the big day is perfectly understandable.

You’re right that a newborn baby has a weaker neck and needs help in supporting its head. Installing your car seat so that it’s reclined properly will make sure that your new babe’s head is supported and doesn’t tip forward. Your rear-facing car seat will come with instructions for adjusting the recline and installing it in the vehicle.

Before baby arrives I’d recommend reviewing the information in your car seat manual about securing babe in their car seat. Using a teddy bear or other stuffed animal can help give you some familiarity about how to use and tighten the harness.

When you put baby in the first time, you’ll want to check how they fit in the seat. Depending on the seat you choose, you may need to make some minor adjustments to either the harness height and/or the crotch buckle before leaving the hospital. Your car seat manual will have those instructions in it. Most manufacturers recommend that the harness be positioned so that the straps are at the closest height either even or below the baby’s shoulders.

Once you’ve checked that your seat is adjusted properly for your new babe, make sure that their bum is snug to the back of the seat so that they’re not slouching, and then adjust the harness so that it’s snug over their body. A snug harness has no visible slack, but doesn’t push their body out of position.

I’d also recommend getting in touch with a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST). A CPST has training in helping families install and use their seats properly, and might give you that last bit of peace of mind. You can check for a tech near you by visiting the Safe Kids website and searching by your city and state.

Best wishes as you finish the final preparations for your new baby.

Trudy

 

Dear Trudy

It has been 9 years since I had my last child and now I’m expecting again. The world of car seats seems to have changed a lot and I’ve learned I made a lot of mistakes with my 9 year old, which has caused me to question what I thought I knew. With my son, I used one of those newborn head support inserts that didn’t come with his seat. I have been given a cute little newborn head support insert for this baby but I’ve heard that these aren’t safe yet I noticed many of the seats we have considered for this new baby come with them. Can I not switch out the one in the seat for the cute one we were given? 

Sincerely,

Confused and Concerned

 

Dear Confused and Concerned,

Congratulations on your upcoming new arrival! You’re right – car seats certainly have changed a lot in the last 9 years!

Car seat manufacturers test their seats using the specific covers and accessories that come with the car seat, and carefully select each piece to make sure that the car seat will keep your baby as safe as possible. You’re right that the extra head support inserts that are available in stores shouldn’t be added to your car seat. Most car seat manuals include instructions to only use products provided and approved by the car seat manufacturer for use with the seat, so in most cases you wouldn’t be able to switch out the one that came in the car seat.

The extra head supports available in stores definitely are cute. It’s possible you may be able to use it in your stroller instead and then you can still enjoy the cute factor.

Safe Travels,

Trudy

 

Dear Trudy,

Some of the materials I’ve read say that a baby isn’t safe to be left in a car seat due to possible breathing concerns and now I’m worried about my baby’s breathing even when we’re in the car. If it isn’t safe for a baby to be left in a bucket seat while they nap in the house, how can it be safe in the car? Are there some seats that are less of a risk than others for breathing issues?  

Peace,

Ready to breathe easy.

 

Dear Ready to breathe easy,

There are a few reasons that experts recommend limiting the amount of continuous time an infant spends in a car seat, but the most substantial one is related to possible breathing concerns as you’ve discovered.

Using a car seat in the car is different than using it in the house for a few reasons. Car seats generally sit at a different angle when they’re properly installed in the car vs. when they’re sitting on a surface outside of the car. This increased recline in the car ensures that their head stays in position and doesn’t tip forward. If a car seat sits more upright in the stroller or on the floor, it may lead to positional breathing problems. Infants also typically spend less time in their car seat on an average car ride, than they would if they were napping or sleeping or playing in their car seat outside the car.

In most cases, positional breathing problems happen after a baby has been buckled in to a car seat for an extended period of time. If you have any long car trips coming up while your baby is less than 6 weeks old, I would recommend talking to your baby’s doctor to see if they have any recommendations on how often you should stop for a short break to remove baby from the car seat. In the absence of special medical needs, I generally recommend planned stops at least every 1.5 hours.

Rear-facing only seats are designed to provide protection to your precious cargo at their smallest size, and all rear-facing only seats have a recommended recline angle for when the seat is installed in the car. There can be some variation in the manufacturer’s preferred recline between different models, but provided the seat is installed according to directions, your baby fits the seat properly, and baby’s head doesn’t tip forward chin-to-chest during trips, then you can breathe easy knowing that your baby will breathe fine during car trips.

Safe travels,

Trudy

 

Dear Trudy,

Our infant car seat from my two older children has expired and we need to get a new one for the baby on the way. I’m trying to figure out if there is any reason to get two different seats or if it is more practical to get a convertible that will go down to newborn weight ranges. Is there anything we need to consider when looking at convertible car seats with the intention of using it from the beginning? Are these truly safe options? How does it work to cover such a wide range of sizes? Would it actually be better to just get two different seats?

Thanks for helping us keep our babies safe!

With gratitude,

Two and One on the Way

 

Dear Two and One on the Way,

The decision about whether to start with a convertible car seat or a rear-facing only car seat is one that a lot of families debate. The answer about which style of seat is better is going to be different for each family, but there are some factors you can consider that should help make the decision easier for you.

Convertible seats come in a wide range of sizes and designs. Most of them start at 5lbs, but some of them do a better job of fitting a newborn than others. Depending on how big your baby is at birth, and the model of convertible seat selected, sometimes a newborn doesn’t fit properly in to a convertible seat. Some convertibles, such as Clek’s Foonf and Fllo when used with the infant-thingy, have inserts available that allow newborns to be properly positioned and fit the seat well.

Rear-facing only seats are designed to fit newborns, so if you’re expecting a smaller baby, then they are generally the preferred choice. A rear-facing only seat also has the benefit of being easily portable. This can be helpful if you live in either a very hot climate or a very cold climate since it lets you buckle baby in in the comfort of your house and then carry him or her to your car. It also gives a lot of convenience if you frequently have short trips with a lot of stops along the way.

Provided you’re fairly certain baby will be full-term and of average size, the convenience factor is often the easiest way to decide which option will work best for you. If you plan to babywear, or not use the car seat outside of the car, then choosing a convertible seat may be a practical plan for you. If you think you will appreciate having the carrier option, then that may mean that purchasing two seats is the best choice for your family.

If you decide to go with a convertible seat, I’d recommend researching different models to find a model that fits in your vehicle at a newborn recline, and is also known for fitting small babies well. Google images or visiting a company’s facebook page where customers often share their pictures can be very helpful in giving you a feeling for how a newborn looks in the bigger seat.

Congratulations on the upcoming addition to your family!

Safe travels,

Trudy

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Not only does clek want to help us all get comfortable with getting our little ones secure in our vehicles, they’re going to physically help one Leaky do just that! 

Clek is giving away a Foonf Convertible Car Seat in Flamingo or Tank to a Lucky Leaky.

Foonf is Clek’s no-compromise convertible child seat – introducing revolutionary safety technology, extended rear-facing to 50 lb, innovative convenience features, and it’s recyclable.

Total Retail Value: $449.99 USD ($549.99 in Canada)

Visit www.clekinc.com for more information

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to enter. A big thanks to Clek for their support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to take a moment to thank Clek on their Facebook page  for their show of support! You can also follow Clek on Twitter and Instagram: username @Clekinc

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Trudy SlaghtTrudy Slaght, Clek CPST, CRST-IT As Clek’s Child Passenger Safety Advocate, a previous board member of the Child Passenger Safety Association of Canada, and a CRST Instructor from Edmonton, Alberta, Trudy Slaght pretty much breathes, eats, and lives child passenger safety. With her brain crammed full of valuable tips and advice, Trudy attends and speaks at various industry conferences across North America and provides everything from simple helpful guidance to advanced technical support for parents, caregivers, and even fellow technicians.
A mom of three, Trudy has been involved in the field for over 7 years, spending lots of time thinking about, practicing, and preaching the best methods to keep our little ones safe for the ride. And, even with all this on her plate, Trudy still somehow has the passion and energy to be a contributing author to Canada’s National Child Passenger Technician Training curriculum.
Filed Under: Article, Ask the expert, baby, Car Seat Safety, car seats, Featured, giveaway, Relational Resource Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
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