The Birth Song Botanicals Blog

How to Treat Clogged Milk Ducts and Prevent Mastitis.

How to Treat Clogged Milk Ducts and Prevent Mastitis.

We all know the many benefits of breastfeeding for us and our babies. If we all know how healthy breastfeeding is, why is it that 80% of moms start nursing right after birth, and by 3 months, only half are still nursing? Because breastfeeding challenges are real. They keep you up at night, and they hurt! Issues like poor latch, tongue tie, sore nipples, low milk supply, problems with infant weight gain, clogged ducts, and mastitis are painful. They can be incredibly discouraging, especially if the mother does not have a reliable support system to help her through difficult times. 

Today's post is about how to treat clogged milk ducts and prevent mastitis. I'll give you practical midwifery tips that encourage and support you to continue to breastfeed your baby.

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How to Heal Sore Nipples from Breastfeeding

How to Heal Sore Nipples from Breastfeeding

If you have sore, cracked nipples from breastfeeding, you know how bad nursing your baby can hurt! This might sound like an exaggeration to say it's one of the worst (physical) sensation a mom has to endure. You cringe every time baby latches, bracing for the sharp, radiating pain. You hold your breath as baby sleeps, knowing that her waking up means another painful nursing session. Even the most dedicated breastfeeding mom has had the fleeting thought that it's too hard. 

 

Today's post is about what is causing your nipple pain and how to treat it so you can keep breastfeeding like the rock star that you are!

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Treating Nipple Thrush Naturally

Treating Nipple Thrush Naturally
Have you struggled with repeated bouts of thrush on your nipples and in your babies mouth? Is yeast causing your nipples to crack and bleed? Do you find it keeps coming back after conventional treatment? A whole body approach may seem overwhelming at first, but food and herbs are good medicine for yeast and thrush.  The candida diet for breastfeeding moms is a must.  Read on to learn more! Continue reading

8 Things I Wish I Knew About Breastfeeding Before Giving Birth!

8 Things I Wish I Knew About Breastfeeding Before Giving Birth!
We all have our ideas about how breastfeeding will go for us, especially if we haven’t breastfed before.  Well reality is usually much, much different. And there is not that much glowing. There are latch issues, and fussy babes, and tired mamas, and sore nipples, and everyone is worn out and cranky and in need of some food and a nap. Continue reading

Padsicles: DIY Postpartum Ice Packs for Sore Nipples and Perineal Care

Padsicles: DIY Postpartum Ice Packs for Sore Nipples and Perineal Care

Your amazing body is made to give birth and to recover completely.  Having said that, after birth, your perineum is (at the very least) tender and sore. It might be torn or “scuffed.” Even without tears, it will be swollen, sometimes in strange ways. Walking around and sitting will both be uncomfortable at times, especially right after birth. When another part of your body is swollen and inflamed, you reach for an ice pack. Though that will work in a pinch, it’s not the most accessible area to place a bag of ice. That’s where padsicles for perineal relief come in.

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Breastfeeding With A Lip Tie or Tongue Tie

Breastfeeding With A Lip Tie or Tongue Tie

The severity of complications from a lip- or tongue-tied latch can range from clear and frustrating to hardly noticeable. In generations past, wise women, midwives, and mothers knew to check the lips and tongues of babies at birth when they first learned to breastfeed. We lost some of that wisdom in the middle of the past century, so the most recent generation of care providers have fallen out of the habit of checking and correcting ties when helping a mama breastfeed.

 

If you are struggling with your baby’s latch, your milk supply, or their weight gain, a lip tie or tongue tie could be at the root of the problem and you will want to read this post to resolve the issue.

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Breastfeeding with Flat Nipples or Inverted Nipples

Breastfeeding with Flat Nipples or Inverted Nipples
Everybody is unique and beautiful. No two people are exactly alike. Yet, many of us share similarities. When we notice a physical trait in our bodies that isn’t considered “normal,” we feel alone. Too many mamas with inverted nipples feel alone and are worried that this problem means they are somehow broken and unable to breastfeed. In truth, inverted and flat nipples are relatively common. And you will most likely be able to breastfeed. There are solutions, and your breastfeeding support team has helped other mamas overcome this same problem, and they will help you too! Continue reading