Why You May Need to Supplement While Breastfeeding
Baby refuses or has difficulties to latch on to the breast due to:
• Introduction of pacifiers and bottles
• Nipple anatomy (flat/inverted nipples)
Delay in milk production or low milk supply due to:
• Type I diabetes
• Previous breast surgery (augmentation, reduction, cancer)
• Maternal age
• First birth
• Delivery by C-section
• Prolonged 2nd stage of labor
• Labor pain medication
• Exogenous oxytocin use
• Maternal obesity
• Supplementation within 48 hours post partum
• Nipple pain when breastfeeding
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome
• Premature delivery
• Retained placenta syndrome
• IGT
Baby medical indication, such as:
• Weight loss (>10%)
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• Jaundice
Long Term Supplementation:
• Chronic low supply issues due to any causes
• IGT
• Non birthing parents
• Breast surgery (augmentation, reduction, reconstruction)
You’re not alone
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies are to be breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months. In America, only 1 out of 4 reach this goal.
• Extra stimulation and emptying of the breast increase amounts of prolactin which leads to increase in milk supply
• Milk production is regulated by the interaction of a number of physical and biochemical forces. In most circumstances, emptying of the breast by the infant’s suckling is the most important factor
• During periods of infection of either the mother or the baby, immune cell levels increased significantly in breast milk, but returned to baseline upon recovery. Infections examined ranged from breast-specific infections such as mastitis, which stimulated the most extreme immune cell response in breast milk (comprising up to 95% of total cells!), to other infections of the mother or the baby, that included the common cold, gastrointestinal infection, vaginal thrush, urinary, eye or ear infection
• Improves bonding and teaches mom to interpret baby cues better
• Lowers maternal risk of postpartum mood disorder. Skin-to-skin contact during kangaroo care was found to trigger the release of oxytocin, which is hypothesized to minimize the risk for depressive symptoms as well as decrease maternal stress
• Decreases risk of certain cancers (such as breast and ovarian)
"The Bridge™ should be part of every mom’s toolkit"
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