How long should I breastfeed my baby?

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization both recommend exclusively breastfeeding infants for the first six months of life.

Despite those recommendations, only about 25.6% of infants are exclusively breastfed in the first six months, and only 35.3% are breastfed throughout one year. Many mothers are not well supported when they have difficulty nursing. And most mothers lack confidence that they have enough milk production.

Any amount of breastfeeding and human milk will reduce your baby’s risks for allergies, asthma, SIDS, childhood leukemia and obesity. And it lowers your risk of postpartum depression and reproductive cancers. The longer and more exclusively you breastfeed, the greater the benefit. 

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If things are going well, know that humans generally wean on their own between ages 2-6 and it is a highly personal decision for each family to make. 

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If things are not going well, set short term goals and evaluate whether you have enough support to meet your current challenges. A good lactation consultant will help you evaluate and adjust your overall feeding plan so you don't feel sad, overwhelmed and/or guilty that you are causing harm.

Should I wear a nursing bra while breastfeeding? What kind and how many do I need?

Nursing bras are nice to have for breastfeeding, especially if your breasts are leaky, large and/or heavy. They are comfortable and meet breastfeeding needs of both support, and easy access to a breast. Clips, snaps or hooks allow you to conveniently drop your bra cup while keeping your bra on. Modern fabrics are stretchy, supportive and most of all breathable!

Nursing tanks are an amazing hybrid option when nursing your baby. This stretchy and soft camisole has a built in nursing bra. You can wear them day and night, at home and out in public, alone or layered with a shirt or hoodie. They eliminate that "naked feeling" and boost your confidence to nurse your baby anytime and anywhere.

I recommend having at least three nursing bras and three nursing tanks. "One to wear, one in the wash and one in the drawer." Between leaky milk and spitting up babies, you will be changing your bra and top more than you can imagine.

Wearing a nursing bra or tank is an easy way to hold nursing pads in place and will help keep your tops dry and free of wet of unsightly wet spots.

Help--one of my boobs is bigger than the other!

It’s normal to have a boob that is larger and produces more milk than the other breast. Usually, breasts are about the same size, but some babies have a breast preference, or moms end up nursing more often on one side because they are using their dominant hand to type, eat or something vital. 

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As long as your baby is gaining weight and your production is adequate, it's more of a cosmetic problem.

If you’re looking to even out how they look, try starting your breastfeeding sessions on the smaller breast to stimulate more milk production. If your baby has a preference for the larger breast, and won't nurse on the other side, try when they are sleepy or breastfeed on the larger breast while pumping with the other.

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If giving your smaller boob more love and attention is not evening them out, you can camouflage with a larger bra and padding, or wearing loose-fitting and/or patterned tops. 

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What if my nipples aren't normal?

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Every mom had differences in breast size, the amount of milk each breast produces and of course, different nipples. Usually a baby will figure out how to nurse well on each side, in spite of the differences. It may take a little time, and a lot of patience, and you both may be frustrated while you are learning. The important thing to remember is that babies BREASTfeed. A pronounced nipple can help them locate the milk when they are first learning, but after they are attaching well, it really makes no difference.

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• If your nipples are very large, (larger than a quarter coin) you may have some pain until your baby grows a bit.

• If your nipple is inverted, you may experience pain and cracking while your nipple is everting and stretching out and will then resolve.

• If you have nipple piercings, you may find milk leaking through the piercings, or you may feel some discomfort if your baby latches in a particular position. Some people find that a few nipple openings have been closed off by scarring.

• If your nipples are flat, you may find that supporting and shaping your breast during attachment makes it easier.