When your baby is in the NICU, it is even more important that he or she get powerful breast milk. In fact, the breast milk of the mother of a preemie is specifically engineered for a premature baby. It isn't always easy to breastfeed in the NICU, however. Here are tips on breastfeeding in the NICU.

I experienced a dreadful feeling that sunk to the pit of my stomach when I saw spots on my son's front top teeth when he was two years old. Like lots of other parents, I had been fastidiously cleaning his gums before he even sprouted his first tooth, and brushed his teeth with flouride toothpaste. Now, he has cavities! How could this have happened? My mother-in-law blamed it on nighttime nursing, and for the first time, I thought maybe her criticism of my parenting had some merit.

"How long do you expect to keep that up?" "Are you still nursing?" "Wouldn't it be easier to just use formula?" You have a choice in how you deal with breastfeeding criticism. It all depends on your mood at the time, your individual personality, and the mindset of (and your relationship with) your critic.

The most common breastfeeding worry for mothers is that they are not making enough milk. Many mothers are not aware that the normal course of breastfeeding brings on changes in the baby's behavior and in your breasts, and you erroneously assume that baby is not thriving at the breast. Here are some common "false alarms" that should put every breastfeeding mother's mind to ease, and also to indicate whether you truly need to increase your milk supply.

When a mother and child find themselves embroiled in a crisis situation, fear can easily take over during war, terrorist attacks, hurricane, earthquake, or other natural disasters. During times of such disasters, many governments respond by distributing infant formula, but that has been proven to cause further catastrophe.

From ancient times, mothers have helped each other learn the womanly art of breastfeeding. No book compares to talking with an experienced mother who understands the challenges of nursing. Participating in a La Leche League meeting means surrounding yourself with other caring and knowledgeable breastfeeding mothers, and also mothers who have weaned their children but still wish to help other mothers to enjoy breastfeeding relationships.

If you are feeling run down, achy, have breast discomfort or pain, and are running a fever, then you are likely suffering a bout of mastitis. Mastitis is generally defined as any inflammation of the breast and can be caused by a plugged milk duct or by an infection. Continuing to breastfeed frequently, and resting with your baby in your bed, is the best treatment for your recovery from a plugged milk duct.

Many mothers experience some changes in their breastfeeding experience when their nurslings reach the stage of teething. Teething makes a baby's gums sore and swollen, and can cause a baby to chew or bite the mother's nipple to relieve his discomfort. OW! To make matters more complicated, some biting is not caused by teething! This article will give you some tips on how to cope with this problem and to salvage your pleasant breastfeeding experience.

Many mothers respond to the diagnosis of a multiple pregnancy with mixed emotions, including fear of a high-risk pregnancy and of breastfeeding more than one baby. "How am I going to make enough milk!?" You can prepare for breastfeeding multiples while you are pregnant, by eating foods high in nutritional value and eliminating junk food. You do not want to restrict your weight gain, as that may result in lower birth weight in the babies. Multiples can be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of their lives, just like singletons, so you will have plenty of time to lose that pregnancy weight while you are breastfeeding.

Remember how long you breastfeed and when you wean is up to you. What are your feelings about breastfeeding? Do you still like it? Do you think it’s becoming stressful and inconvenient for you and you want to start weaning? Is your toddler losing interest? Examine all the pros and cons of weaning your baby off breastfeeding before deciding what is best for you and your child.