chatwithketch

It looks like the entire feed.

Before you panic or immediately offer another full feed, ask one important question:

Did the milk dribble easily from your baby’s mouth or did it shoot out with force? Read!

Q: Good afternoon Dr Ketch. I have a 3-week old son who vomits sometimes after breastfeeding. Please I will like to know what causes it and what I can do to remedy it. I intend to do 6months exclusive breastfeeding. Thank you and remain blessed

A: Hi dear, congratulations on your new baby. This baby will do super-amazing awesome things…Amen!

Now, is your baby ‘vomiting’ or spitting up the milk? Bear in mind, that when I say spitting up, it’s not the type that you and I do. Spitting up in babies refers to an easy flow of the milk your baby just took out of his mouth accompanied by a burp sometimes. Vomiting, however, is more forceful and would move a couple of inches more from the baby’s mouth.

What causes reflux? There is a ring of muscle that separates the stomach from the esophagus (the food pipe). In babies, this muscle is not well developed and so allows food that has moved into the stomach to sometimes come back up. This would continue, sometimes, up till when the baby is about 12 months but is more common within the first 3 months of life. It is also common in babies who are over-fed 😀

You can help to reduce this by:

Feeding your baby in an upright position and keeping baby upright, if possible, for a couple of minutes after breastfeeding

Burping your baby after meals

Feeding baby small and more frequent meals to prevent overfeeding at any meal time. For those bottle feeding, check that the hole in baby’s bottle teat is not too big.

You can also check to see whether your diet is culprit. If you suspect one, eliminate for at least a week and see if there is an impact.

If your baby, however, ‘vomits’ forcefully, is not gaining weight, gags, has difficulty swallowing or sleeping etc, please see his doctor for a review.

Please keep your commitment to the exclusive breastfeeding plan. It’s a sure winner. My love to your baby!

How do you make sure your baby does not ‘vomit’ after a meal?

YOU FINALLY FIND A BREASTFEEDING POSITION THAT LETS YOUR EXHAUSTED BODY REST…

Then the fear hits: “What if I fall asleep and harm my baby?”

You can breastfeed while lying on your side. The position itself is not automatically dangerous but where and how you do it matter.

Share this with a tired mum!

Everyone says, “Never wake a sleeping baby.”

But when a young baby sleeps through feeding time, letting them continue sleeping is not always the right decision. Read!

Q: Good evening, doctor. Please, I want to ask you how long I should allow my baby to sleep? He’s only 7 weeks old and he sleeps much especially during the day.

Today, for instance, he has been sleeping from past 9 a.m till now and it’s almost 5p.m. I’m afraid he might be hungry though he wakes when he is hungry.

But please doctor, is this ok for him? If not, for how many hours should I allow him to sleep before I wake him? God bless u doctor!

A: In the first few days and weeks of your baby’s birth, he’s likely to spend a lot of time sleeping. Indeed, he may be sleeping up to 16 hours per day…but really not at a stretch, usually.

Ordinarily, he should be breast fed on demand and that means everything he asks for a feed.

The problem is that your baby may just forget this all important function, ‘feeding’ and sleep for a looooong time!

At this stage, you should never let your baby sleep for more than 4 hours at a stretch without waking him up for a feed. When counting the hours between feeds, remember that you are counting from when your baby started feeding and not when he stopped feeding. For instance, if your baby started feeding by 9am and finished at 9.30am; if he sleeps off, he’s due for another feed by 1pm and not 1.30pm.

He should regularly be having about 7 to 9 feeds per day now. And just to be sure that he’s getting enough to eat, he should be having at least 8 diaper changes per day.

As your baby grows and becomes more aware of his environment, his sleeping and feeding needs will change to accommodate his new stage.

Where in doubt, always have a chat with his paediatrician. The times you go for your baby’s vaccinations should be good times to check in with the doctor

MY BABY KEEPS SLIPPING OFF THE BREAST AND FEEDING HURTS. COULD HER TONGUE BE THE REASON?

Possibly. But tongue-tie is only one possible cause.

Painful breastfeeding or difficulty staying attached may also result from positioning, shallow attachment, breast fullness, nipple damage or another problem affecting your baby’s feeding.

That is why a tongue-tie should not be diagnosed from appearance or pain alone.

Ask a trained breastfeeding professional to watch a full feed and check:

▪️ How your baby attaches to the breast
▪️ Whether your baby can remain attached
▪️ How effectively milk is transferred
▪️ Your baby’s weight gain
▪️ Whether your nipples are being damaged

Tongue-tie becomes more likely when a tight band beneath the tongue restricts its movement and this is affecting feeding.

Even then, not every tongue-tie needs to be cut. If your baby feeds effectively and gains weight, a procedure may not be necessary. Treatment may be considered when restricted movement is causing a feeding problem that skilled support has not resolved.

And what about speech?

Tongue-tie does not automatically delay speech. Some children may later have difficulty making particular sounds, but this cannot reliably be predicted during infancy.

If breastfeeding is painful, your baby is not feeding effectively or weight gain is poor, please see your baby’s doctor and seek skilled breastfeeding support.

Has anyone ever suggested that your baby might have a tongue-tie?

Save this post and share it with a breastfeeding mother.

#BreastfeedingMonth
#HealthyLivingWithDrKetch

Yesterday, your baby breastfed normally. Today, she pushes the breast away. Is she weaning herself?

Not necessarily.

When a baby suddenly refuses to breastfeed, it may be a ‘breastfeeding strike (nursing strike)’. Self-weaning is usually gradual: feeds become less frequent over time rather than stopping abruptly.

At six months, breast milk alone can no longer meet all your baby’s nutritional needs. This is why varied, nutritious complementary foods should be introduced from then.

But complementary feeding does not mean breastfeeding has ended. Continue offering the breast alongside your baby’s meals.

Why might a baby suddenly refuse?

A blocked nose or illness may make feeding difficult.
Teething, ear pain or mouth pain may make sucking uncomfortable.
Some babies become easily distracted.
A change in routine or milk flow may affect feeding.

What can you do?

Offer the breast calmly. Do not force it.
Try again when your baby is relaxed or sleepy.
Choose a quiet place with fewer distractions.
Express milk to maintain your supply.
If baby will not feed directly, continue offering expressed breast milk.

Contact your child’s doctor if the refusal continues, your baby has fewer wet nappies, appears unwell or seems to be in pain while feeding.

Has your baby ever suddenly refused to breastfeed? What helped?

#BreastfeedingMonth
#HealthyLivingWithDrKetch

Do you feel suddenly sad when you start breastfeeding, then feel like yourself again a few minutes later?

This pattern may be D‑MER – Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex.

It is a brief emotional reaction that occurs just before or as breast milk begins to flow. Some mothers feel sad. Others describe a sinking feeling, anxiety, irritation or hopelessness.

The timing helps distinguish D‑MER from postnatal depression or anxiety.

With D‑MER, the feeling appears around the time milk begins to flow and passes quickly. With postnatal depression or anxiety, the feelings may continue outside breastfeeding. It is also possible to experience both.

If this happens to you:

Notice whether it follows the same pattern during feeds or pumping.
When it begins, try slow breathing or distract yourself briefly.
Rest when you can and drink enough fluids.
Discuss it with a health professional familiar with breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding can often continue while you seek support.

Get urgent help if you feel you may harm yourself or your baby. Please also seek professional help if the feelings occur outside breastfeeding or interfere with daily life.

Had you heard of D‑MER before today?

#BreastfeedingMonth
#HealthyLivingWithDrKetch

Four hours? Eight hours? One full day?

None. Breast milk does not spoil inside your breast.

If your baby suddenly refuses to suck, the real concern is not “bad milk.” Your breasts may become painfully full, and repeated missed feeds may gradually reduce your milk supply.

What should you do?

Offer the breast calmly. Do not force baby.
Try skin-to-skin contact and a quiet feeding space.
Hand-express or pump about as often as baby normally feeds.
Ensure baby continues receiving enough milk.
Find out why baby is refusing: illness, a blocked nose, mouth or ear pain, teething or a temporary nursing strike.

Please seek help promptly if baby repeatedly refuses feeds, has fewer wet nappies, becomes unusually sleepy or appears unwell.

The milk has not gone sour but a baby who will not feed should not be ignored.

Were you ever told that milk left inside the breast could spoil? Tell me in the comments and share this with a new mother who may be worried.

#BreastfeedingMonth
#HealthyLivingWithDrKetch

PLEASE DON’T TRY TO MASSAGE THAT PAINFUL BREAST LUMP OUT.

What many breastfeeding mothers call a “blocked duct” is often inflammation and narrowing around the milk ducts, not a solid plug that must be forced out.

Hard squeezing, aggressive massage and repeatedly pumping to “empty” the breast can worsen the swelling.

Instead, remember to stay CALM:

C – Continue breastfeeding normally.

A – Avoid aggressive massage and extra pumping.

L – Lower the swelling with a wrapped cold compress, rest and a comfortable supportive bra.

M – Medical help when needed.

The lump could also be mastitis, a milk-filled cyst, an abscess or another breast condition, so please do not self-diagnose.

See your doctor if you are unsure, develop fever or flu-like symptoms, notice increasing warmth, redness or pain, or do not improve within 12 – 24 hours.

A painful lump does not automatically mean cancer. However, any lump that persists or repeatedly returns must be examined.

For pain relief or medication, follow your doctor’s advice.

Were you ever told to massage a breast lump as hard as possible?

YES or NO?

#BreastfeedingMonth

#HealthyLivingWithDrKetch

Breast milk + formula is not exclusive breastfeeding.

But it is still breastfeeding.

And it is NOT failure.

Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months—but when that is not possible, a mother needs practical support, not shame.