VitaNurture Toronto Breastfeeding Inc.

We celebrated our 4th year together this weekend. My love bought me the beautiful yellow dress I am wearing

Thank you . Posted @withregram @milkbankontario The pandemic may have brought change, but your donations bring hope. During the pandemic our donor numbers have remained consistent but with an increased volume of milk donated by each donor. Thank you all for your continued support!... For more information on how you can donate to help hospitalized babies, click the link in our bio. #MilkDonationDay

The way we communicate with others is so important. Language is not only the words we use to communicate with others, body language, facial expressions are also ways we send messages and complement the words we use. Making sure that we clarify what we are communicating is even more important than the chosen words used to express ideas. Communicating is very challenging, especially today with emails and virtual meetings. As health care workers it is especially important and it's our responsibility to check back with our clients to make sure we're effectively communicating throughout the care we are giving. This is what I practice and what I hope I am teaching the practitioners I mentor. Also, many times miscommunication can happen and one can hurt others. Avoiding this is so mportant .

Eid Al-fitr to those celebrating!

Every day, I receive questions from breastfeeding mothers who ask about conflicting, inconsistent information about breastfeeding at a critical time when they n...eed to know what to do immediately. Everybody sounds like an expert - from their own mothers to friends and health professionals. But it is no easy feat to distinguish helpful advice from well intended non-sense. Here is a selected collection of recent unscientific and illogical advice from health professionals. On reading them collected, they have the cumulative effect of being almost unbelievable. And yet, time and again, bad advice comes up: from the traditional "you don't have any breastmilk yet in the first few days" and "your nipples are flat or otherwise unsuitable for breastfeeding" and "it's normal to have sore nipples" to the following I have gleaned recently: 1. My son (3.5 years old) had been sick 5 times in 5 months while staying at home. My daughter has not been sick once. Could my breast milk still be protecting her? The paediatrician did not think that at this point breast milk helps with immunity. (My comment: Why would there be a time limit to how long the immunity of breastfeeding lasts?) 2. My 9 month old baby is still very dependent on breastfeeding, does not show any sign of self weaning. However, my doctor only wants the baby to have breastmilk as a "snack" and not his main meal. (My comment: I cannot even imagine how one differentiates a "snack" from a "main meal") 3. I am having a CT Scan of my neck with contrast dye. I have asked a local lactation consultant and they weren't sure if I needed to wait before breastfeeding and the radiologist had conflicting answers initially saying I could feed immediately after and then stating I should pump and dump. My 20 month old son still breastfeeds on demand and he feeds at night. (My comment: Yes, she can breastfeed, no need to "pump and dump".) 4. Almost every time after latching, the baby vomits a lot. My doctor explained that it could be because the baby is not able to handle the multiple holes from our nipple as there is only one hole in the milk bottle. (My comment: Seriously, is this a joke and someone is having me on?) 5. My baby is soon to start solids. A local pediatrician told me that mixing solid foods with my breastmilk can be dangerous since it can break down nutrients in solid food, therefore, making it of no value. Is this true? Is it safe to mix breastmilk with for example pureed sweet potato? (My comment: Seriously, is this a joke and someone is having me on?) #breastfeeding #jacknewman #breastfeedingclinic

Beautiful day to help my beautiful parents and babies . This beautiful mother and baby were dealing with baby not latching on and baby was very fussy. After 3 consultations, first one was virtual and 2 follow-ups, this beautiful 4 week old baby is now latching on and happier at the breast . So proud of this family working so hard! . .... Feeling blessed to be able to help and also to be able to teach our students the art, skill, technique and counseling needed to help breastfeeding dyads with complex issues. @wpglactation, Ooma joined me today and shared very useful information that will really help this breastfeeding family. I'm so proud of Ooma . . See more

To call work what you love doing, what you excel at doing and what you're truly passionate about is called a blessing! . I'm available to help you sort out any breastfeeding difficulties you have, I will listen to you and will work around what works for you and your family. .... Contact me to book your appointment Monday through Sunday depending on availability of course. We can set up an in-person consultation at your place or at my office located at the International Breastfeeding Centre. Virtual appointments are an option as well and are excellent as an initial appointment or for those families that are not close to the GTA. #yourenotalone See more

No caption needed! Simply beautiful! Happy Monday . . #Repost @melaninconnex with @get_repost... iya ni wura X @chocolatemilkmommies #MELANINCONNEX #iya Iya ni wura translates to mother is gold/ mother is the most precious in the Yoruba language Side Note: Mothers Really Gotta Share EVERYTHING My Respect For Them Is Outta This World See more

#cliniclife happily supporting our patients @wpglactation . . #werehereforyou @ International Breastfeeding Centre

At the clinic helping my beautiful breastfeeding families . Because optimal health and nutrition should be supported and promoted from the very beginning, especially during these difficult times when immune support and strength is everything. = . Have a wonderful weekend everyone

Can’t breastfeed because you have an infection? For a fuller discussion, see: http://ibconline.ca/maternal-illness2/ Infectious illnesses, even COVID-19 and inf...luenza, are not reasons to interrupt breastfeeding. On the contrary, breastfeeding helps protect the baby from becoming sick since breastmilk is full of anti-infective agents. Not just antibodies, but also a whole host of other anti-infectious agents that help to protect the baby. Most infectious diseases, whether they are due to a bacterium or a virus, are most infectious before the person with the infection feels sick. Thus, the breastfeeding baby or toddler is exposed to the bacterium or the virus for days, even weeks in the case of some infections, before the mother has any symptoms such as fever or rash. Even if it were a good idea to interrupt breastfeeding (IT IS NOT!), by the time the mother has symptoms, the infection has already been passed to her baby and continued breastfeeding is best for both mother and baby. Even human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), once considered a contraindication to breastfeeding in affluent societies, is now considered compatible with breastfeeding. Mothers with HIV should take anti-retroviral drugs during the pregnancy and after the birth and breastfeed normally, exclusively. See the World Health Organization website regarding HIV and breastfeeding. Antibiotics do not require a mother to interrupt breastfeeding. Even doxycycline, for years considered contraindicated because it was wrongly thought to stain the child's teeth has always been safe because of the way it is bound to the calcium and other elements in breastmilk and thus not absorbed by the baby. But now parents can feel even more reassured because it has been shown that doxycycline given to children directly, usually to treat malaria, does not have the effects on teeth previously ascribed to it. So now there are additional reasons for doxycycline to be considered compatible with breastfeeding. The mother feels really unwell? We recommend taking the baby to bed with her and continued breastfeeding. Want more information on breastfeeding and inducing lactation? See my eBook https://ibconline.ca/ebook/. New! An audiobook of my book Dr Jack Newman’s Guide to Breastfeeding. https://www.audible.ca//Dr-Jack-Newmans-Guide-/1515933490https://www.audible.ca//Dr-Jack-Newmans-Guide-/1515933490

Happy pain-free #breastfeeding Wednesday . . This beautiful breastfeeding dyad came to the clinic because of persistent nipple pain when breastfeeding and baby's difficulty latching-on and sustaining a deeper latch. .... Latching adjustments by my skilled intern, @wpglactation Ooma and myself helped to latch baby on and sustain the latch but the baby was still not able to sustain a deep latch and although the pain was decreased, it was not resolved. . Upon oral examination we noted restriction underneath the tongue and lifting the tongue revealed a short and tight posterior lingual frenulum suggestive of ankyloglossia (tongue-tie). Our pediatrician confirmed baby's posterior tongue-tie and offered a release. . The combination of skilled hands-on latching adjustments done by experienced IBCLCs, our advanced clinical interns and our pediatricians that are highly specialized in lactation medicine makes a world of difference when helping parents overcome their breastfeeding concerns. . If you're struggling with breastfeeding, reach out to @ibc_toronto we're here for you! . I also offer private breastfeeding #lactation consultations. Virtual and in-person appointments available. See more

The celebration continues during World Breastfeeding Week! . This hard working mother's goal is to be able to feed her baby directly from the breast. She was told that she would not be able to breastfeed her baby because she could not produce a drop of milk . She was given a nipple shield to try and latch her not latching baby and has been trying for 7 weeks but it was not sustainable and only working occasionally. Baby was latching briefly but not sustaining the la...tch due to slow flow and not enough milk transfer and; this family was triple feeding (attempting to latch-on the breast with the nipple shield, trying to pump and bottlefeeding baby). That is a lot of work! . They were referred to us and seen yesterday and I am happy to report that now with the skilled hands-on help of our intern @mbriglio1 this mother is able to breastfeed her baby, without a nipple shield and we observed good drinking, so obviously, this mother produces milk! We also taught her how to use the tube at the breast (lactation aid) to top-up feedings as needed and to minimize the need to do triple feedings which was exhausting for this family and it was not what this mother wanted to do. . Breastfeeding is more than just the milk and when you use the tube at the breast, no matter what's in it, it's breastfeeding . . Happy Thursday! See more

What is the best way to celebrate #wbw2020 World Breastfeeding Week? Celebrating at @ibc_toronto the ability to help this beautiful breastfeeding dyad achieve a pain free #breastfeeding session after 6 weeks dealing with painful feeding . . Adjusting the latch helped with decreasing the pain along with releasing baby's posterior tongue tie which optimized baby's ability to latch deeper. We also observed increased milk transfer . .... Working with our amazing intern Meredith Briglio who is doing an amazing job! . See more

These are really sad and difficult times. Let's pray for our world, and especially Beirut . So many tragic events happening at the same time that this whole 2020 year has been a roller-coaster but, not a fun one, but one that you will not want to ride on ever again! I wish there was a delete or unfollow button for 2020! That's why more than ever it is important to take care of ourselves and take a break to just breathe deeply. Besides fitness, what we have found therap...eutic and when weather permitting of course, Joe and I go for our nighttime walks and try to disconnect from this horrendous global situation. Last night the lake was so calm after the stormy weather but we could see some lightning in the distance, it looked so cool. Everything looked so beautiful and peaceful . . #shotoniphone #iphone11promax #nofilter #noedit @ Port Credit Lake Front See more

When you catch your son doing this with your breastfeeding doll. You can hear in the background that I'm attending a lactation conference

Happy World Breastfeeding Week everyone! . This photo was taken minutes after I had given birth to my third miracle, my daughter Andrea . I had a very bumpy post-partum recovery. I had been on an IV for more than 48 hrs. I had so much swelling, edema, pain and fever. So needless to say, breastfeeding did not go as expected for some weeks. I knew what to do, I had done it twice before but every baby is different, each pregnancy is different, so, I had my challenges and brea...stfeeding her was very different than breastfeeding my other two. I dealt with some health concerns that kept me away from her and I had the fortune to have a very close and dear breastfeeding friend who was able to breastfeed Andrea while I couldn't. . In summary, throughout my journey breastfeeding my 3 children, it was a long one 5+ years, I went through many issues, and had the support of many health-care practitioners who empowered me, gave me the information and the tools I needed in order for me to work on what breastfeeding meant to me, my own definition of breastfeeding. . Promoting and protecting breastfeeding/chestfeeding does not mean that it is an all or nothing! Parents need the information and only then parents will decide on what works for them. . As an IBCLC I'm required to promote breastfeeding /chestfeeding, protect it and support families to reach their own definition of successful breastfeeding. It is important, and it's for a healthier world! A Healthier planet See more

Can’t breastfeed yet because your baby is premature? There are many obstacles put in the way of breastfeeding premature babies. See also Can’t breastfeed becau...se you are taking medications? Posted July 24. The attached photo shows a premature baby born at 28 weeks gestation and breastfeeding at the age of 10 days. Myth #1: premature babies need to live in incubators. Premature babies are more stable skin to skin with the mother than in an incubator http://ibconline.ca/premature1/ In fact, the sicker the baby the more this is true because skin to skin is what supports the physiological function of every system in the baby's body. The link http://ibconline.ca/premature1/lists several articles how Kangaroo Mother Care supports the physiological function of every system in the baby's body. Breastfeeding is much more likely to work well when the baby is in Kangaroo Mother Care. Myth #2: premature babies cannot breastfeed until they are at least 34 weeks gestation. Many premature babies can latch on and breastfeed (and receive milk) even by 28 weeks gestation and most well before 34 weeks gestation http://ibconline.ca/premature2/ See the attached photo. Myth #3: non-nutritive sucking is a good way to teach premature babies to breastfeed How does this make sense? There seem to be two reasons for some neonatal special care units to ask mothers to empty their breasts and only then put the baby to the breast. 1. To prevent the baby from accidentally getting milk before he is ready to suck and swallow, and thus aspirating milk. Why is a baby more likely to aspirate at the breast than from a bottle or nasogastric tube? And 2. So that the staff can measure how much the baby gets from the breast. Oh, we love to measure, but this process often results in mothers and babies never really breastfeeding successfully. This notion also supports the notion that premature babies need to use pacifiers to learn to suck before they are ready to swallow. Myth #4: Breastfeeding tires out premature babies (the same is said about term babies and babies with cardiac problems) This notion seems to come from the idea that babies transfer milk. But babies do not transfer milk . Mothers transfer milk http://ibconline.ca/who-transfers/. But starting with the notion that babies transfer milk, essentially, that babies suck milk out of the breast, breastfeeding is felt to be hard work and babies fall asleep at the breast because they tire out. Babies tend to fall asleep at the breast when the flow of milk slows down. Myth #5: Premature babies need to learn how to bottle feed before they can breastfeed This one is still around. Never made sense and still doesn’t. The use of bottles in NICUs usually results in very few premature babies leaving hospital exclusively breastfeeding. Myth #6: Most premature babies need human milk fortifier. Human milk fortifier is misnamed and is formula milk, and makes many, even health professionals, think that it’s made from breastmilk. Most such products are made from cow’s milk. Human milk fortifier has been associated with an increased risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). If a premature baby needs extra nutrients and/or volume, these can be given with banked breastmilk, which is used more and more in some, but not all, special care units. Want more information on breastfeeding the premature baby? See our eBook "Breastfeeding: Empowering Parents". The eBook contains videos, links to scholarly articles and more: https://ibconline.ca/ebook/. New! An audiobook of my book Dr Jack Newman’s Guide to Breastfeeding. https://www.audible.ca//Dr-Jack-Newmans-Guide-/1515933490

Can’t breastfeed because you are taking medications? See: http://ibconline.ca/maternal-medications/. Chances are you are not getting good information. This link... gives you considerable information on drugs and breastfeeding. One of the commonest reasons mothers are told they cannot breastfeed is that they need to take medication. Unfortunately doctors generally are so poorly educated on breastfeeding, that many automatically reply to mothers that they must stop breastfeeding. This misinformation is backed up by the drug companies’ warnings in the package insert in order to protect themselves, not the mother or baby. If parents read the short statement in medication package inserts under Breastfeeding, they will generally learn: Most medications will pass into the breastmilk. Do not take while breastfeeding. In fact, the vast majority of drugs taken by the mother are safe for the baby. Why? Because so little of the drug gets into the milk. And therefore, the real question is: which is safer for the baby, breastfeeding with minuscule amounts of drug in the milk or artificial feeding? Given the risks of not breastfeeding for both the child and the mother, it is almost always safer for both the mother and the baby to continue breastfeeding. It is important to know, as many doctors do not, that in order for a drug to get into the milk, it needs to get into the mother’s blood. If it’s not in the blood, it cannot get into the milk. One of the drugs I am asked about most frequently, almost daily, is botulinum toxin (Botox). Botulinum toxin is used to treat, amongst many other problems, painful muscle spasticity, migraine headache, and, of course, it is used for cosmetic purposes. But botulinum toxin stays, one hopes, where it is injected and does not get into the blood stream. It is also a very large molecule, too large to get into the milk, even if it did get into the mother’s blood stream, which it does not. Want more information on drugs and breastfeeding? See our eBook "Breastfeeding: Empowering Parents". The eBook contains videos, links to scholarly articles and more: https://ibconline.ca/ebook/. New! An audiobook of my book Dr Jack Newman’s Guide to Breastfeeding. https://www.audible.ca//Dr-Jack-Newmans-Guide-/1515933490

We are all used to measurements and numbers and for some situations and in our daily routines, measuring time, having set routines and scheduling activities is useful but this is not the case when breastfeeding your baby. . Yes, babies will at some point establish some sort of flexible routines but these can and do change depending on baby's needs and other factors throughout the breastfeeding journey. .... Babies can and will stay latched onto the breast 10, 15, 20 +++minutes and still might not be getting enough milk in spite of the length of time spent at the breast. Instead of looking at the watch or an app, a better indicator of what's happening at the breast is your baby. Your baby will let you know and will show you when they're nibbling/suckling or drinking and their behavior at the breast and away from the breast will also show you if they've had enough, if they want a little more or if it's time to eat again. . Scheduling and timing feeds will often not match your baby's needs and will most likely lead to breastfeeding problems. . If you're concerned about your baby getting enough, fussiness at the breast, fussy periods, baby is sleepy at the breast, slow weight gain, supply concerns, set up an appointment with an IBCLC. It is key in order to successfully breastfeed your baby to understand how to make sure your baby is drinking when at the breast. . A thorough breastfeeding assessment and consultation by an IBCLC is the best way to learn about how to manage breastmilk intake and resolve milk intake problems. . If you're struggling with breastfeeding and if you're not sure if you're baby is getting enough, contact me and we can set-up an appointment today! . Happy Wednesday

I love mentoring IBCLC students at the clinic . Our amazing intern @wpglactation and I going over our patient’s case before presenting to the doctor @ International Breastfeeding Centre

I love my profession . That special intuitive and magical moment immediately after birth when your baby starts mouthing, starts rooting and when left uninterrupted and guided by her parent, the baby will approach the breast/chest and will latch and suckle. . Babies do not need to be separated from their parent at birth during the initial assessment/examination unless truly medically indicated. Everything can be done while the baby is with the parent. ... . Many clinically relevant and useful information can be obtained by observing baby's innate reflexes at birth when the journey towards the nipple begins. It's truly a miracle that no matter how many times I've had the honour to observe, it still brings tears to my eyes . That gaze, that bond, it's truly beautiful and unforgettable . . Thank you Paola for this beautiful video and photo capturing your beautiful first breastfeeding experience . . Happy Wednesday . If you are experiencing any breast/chest feeding questions or concerns, contact me to set up an appointment by DM or email at [email protected] . See more