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If you are supplementing, it is recommended that you pump and store your
expressed breast milk while your baby is being fed. This will help you to
maintain your milk supply. Babies may not readily accept bottles from their
mother; let Dad feed the bottle to the baby. We recommend silicone nipples
instead of latex when bottle feeding. These nipples do not seem to interfere with

latch when an infant is breast and bottle fed.

5. Weaning
Most babies will make an attempt at weaning around 6-9 months of age. This
may also be a convenient time for you. Some mothers prefer to wean "cold
turkey" though this is sometimes uncomfortable. You may also wean gradually
by using formula at a specific feeding and adding another bottle feeding each
day until your baby is completely off the breast. You should only express milk
during this time when your breast feels very uncomfortable. Othen/vise it will
stimulate your breast to continue producing milk.

6. Breast Milk Storage
Freshly expressed breast milk can be stored at room temperature for 8 hours, in
the refrigerator right after expression for 2-3 days, in a refrigerator freezer for up
to three months and in a free-standing freezer for up to 6 months. If you have
extra milk from a feeding that you have heated up for the baby, it is best to re
use that milk only at the next feeding. Since it is difficult to assure appropriate
and uniform temperature of milk when heated in a microwave, we recommend
that you do not microwave milk of any kind. Microwaving also destroys the

helpful antibodies.

7. Problems Encountered with Nursing

If you have questions about breastfeeding or are having problems please

call us.

a. Engorgement At times, especially early on, your breasts may feel
uncomfortably full. This may be relieved by nursing your baby or expressing
some milk by hand or breast pump. Massaging your breast in a hot shower is
also relieving. Some women will put heat before nursing and ice or cold
compresses on after nursing.
b. Cracked Nipples: Soreness and cracking of your nipples may occur prior to
your nipples becoming accustomed to nursing. Do not put anything on your
nipples prior to checking with a lactation consultant. The best thing to put on
your sore nipples is expressed breast milk and allow to air dry. Try to vary your
infant's position from feeding to feeding, and always make sure that your baby is
directly facing your nipple and not pulling it at an angle. This will help distribute
the pressure to the entire nipple area (areola). You may need to give your
breast a rest period if the pain becomes severe. If you are having severe pain,
please call our office.

c. Mastitis or plugged duct If you see a red area or a red line on your breast, or
a sore lump in your breast, you need to contact your obstetrician. This may be a
plugged duct or an infected breast and will require treatment. In either case, you
should continue to nurse during treatment as this will help speed healing, and
will not harm your baby. Avoid wearing an unden/\/ire bra. There is no right or

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