Some mothers nurse several babies and never experience plugged ducts or mastitis (breast infection), while others have recurrent episodes. There are many reasons for these problems to occur, but treatment is essentially the same: rest, apply heat, breastfeed often on the affected side,  and use antibiotics only when medically necessary. A plugged, or clogged, duct is a sore, tender lump …

Sore nipples are one of the most common reasons new mothers give for discontinuing breastfeeding, often during the first week of nursing. This is quite unfortunate, for nipple soreness is almost always a short-term problem, and can usually be corrected in a matter of days. Breastfeeding isn’t supposed to hurt, but the fact of the matter is that most mothers …

Breast fullness is a normal part of lactation which nearly all women experience when their milk ‘comes in’ 2 – 5 days after birth. This feeling of fullness, which may be accompanied by a feeling of heaviness, tenderness, and warmth, is caused by swelling of the breast tissue as blood, lymphatic fluid, and milk collect in the ducts as the …

Because jaundice is such a common condition, some medical professionals don’t take the time to explain all the details, because they deal with jaundiced babies every day. However, when the baby in question is your own precious newborn, you need to get as much information as possible to put your mind at ease. Nearly all infants are jaundiced to some …

Over the past thirty-five years of experience working with nursing mothers whose breasts came in an amazing variety of shapes and sizes, I have discovered that breastfeeding can present special challenges for the large breasted woman. Breast milk production is a function of the glandular tissue inside the breast as well as the baby’s appetite and suckling ability. The fatty …

Ask Anne… Question: I have a one month old baby who only wants to nurse on one breast – is that normal? Also, about once a day, she spits up after she nurses.  Please let me know what to do. Answer:  Is this something that just started recently, or has she had a preference for the right side from the …

Ask Anne…  Question: I’m exclusively breastfeeding my three month old. Breastfeeding is going well, but I feel like my supply has gone down since I went back to work a month ago. My friend told me that drinking a beer at bedtime will increase my milk production. Is that true? Will beer increase my milk supply? Answer: Unfortunately, no. I …

Ask Anne… Question: My baby is 3 months old and I’m getting ready to return to work in a few days. I’ve been pumping every day for over a month to build up a freezer stash.  I introduced a bottle of expressed milk when he was 6 weeks old, and he’s always taken it with no problem. Here’s what I’m worried …