feeding

Personalized Support for the 5 Biggest Baby Feeding Questions

Thank you to Emily Sylvester, MS, RD, LDN, IBCLC, and Founder of NurtureTalk for this guest post!

More and more moms are turning to social media as a hub of information or a source of social support in pregnancy or through infant feeding. I mean how cool is it to have millions of other moms, who have real life mamahood running through their blood, available right at your fingertips! But let’s be honest mama, sometimes it can seem like every other response you get expresses a different opinion with comments swinging all over the place. How many times have you read through a mommy social media post and left feeling more confused than when you started? As great as it is to get so many answers to what seems like your endless list of baby feeding questions, and have a posse of moms to lean on, you should never be left wondering what is right for YOU. 

So what if mastering baby feeding was so much easier? This is where a baby feeding coach comes in.

I’m sure you know you can find a coach for anything these days -weight loss, money making, spiritual mastery, even bringing your sex life to the next level (yup I said it). Soooo it is time you gained this type of coaching power for the most stressful and unpredictable time in your life-birth and feeding baby. 

NurtureTalk is a one-of-a-kind feeding support service giving moms unlimited access to a dietitian (baby feeding/mama nutrition expert) who is a board-certified lactation consultant (breastfeeding expert). Your NurtureTalk coach is there to coach you through any AND every feeding problem in your mama journey. 

Continue reading to learn the 5 biggest baby feeding questions at NurtureTalk!

What is a baby feeding coach?

Every mom who subscribes gets a coach that is an expert in all baby feeding. Your NurtureTalk coach is there to help you navigate through any and every feeding problem in your mama journey. 

Every mom deserves unbiased support from an expert who gets what you’re going through. And, call us crazy, but we believe you should get that support exactly when you need it so you can spend less time worrying and more time cuddling your bundle of joy.

Every single pregnancy is different and unique to a mama and her baby. That variation in experience is one of the things that makes motherhood so beautiful, and is also what makes it so challenging. What worked for your sister, mom, best friend, or even you two years ago may not be what works for you now. So, whether you are a first-time or veteran parent, coaching can take away the worry. 

What if you want to formula feed or are not quite sure about breastfeeding? 

Not quite sure? Well, we agree it is oftentimes forgotten in the baby feeding space that there are many paths to get to your feeding goals. Yes, at NurtureTalk we do love breastfeeding! This is because breastfeeding protects the health of you and your baby and is a beautiful opportunity to bond. We have seen NurtureTalk work to help moms achieve their breastfeeding goals even if they are not sure. Studies suggest that moms using NurtureTalk for feeding support are more likely to be breastfeeding at 3 months and less likely to have introduced formula at 3 months than moms who aren’t. 

But, while we’re here, let’s clear something up. The number one goal with NurtureTalk coaching is always to feed your baby, keep them growing, and meet your needs as a new mama. Because if you feel informed in your choices, you will have all the mama power in the world. As registered dietitians, we have all the experience and knowledge in the world to advise on mixed formula and breastfeeding and formula choices. 

Baby Feeding Q&A with NurtureTalk Founder Emily Sylvester, MS, RD, LDN, IBCLC 

Here are five of the most common (and real life) questions we get from real moms navigating their feeding journeys and quick tips to help tackle them.

Note: Questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Q1: I feel like in the first two days of feeding, I let her latch more shallowly and am now struggling to correct some bad behavior. Any suggestions for getting a deeper latch?

Things to look for in your latch. If you don’t see these, go ahead and re-latch! Corner of the mouth is “o” shaped. Now “v” or “I” shaped Nose starts out across from the nipple when latching so baby gets a big cheeseburger biteLips are flanged out (if the rest of the latch feels okay, feel free to flip them with your finger!)There is no clicking sound or puckering of the cheek when sucking and swallowingBaby is more on top of you than you are over them.

Q3: Should I wake him from sleep if it’s time to feed? He takes longgggg naps/sleeps. And how often? Every 2 hours? 

Some babies are just especially sleepy!  In the beginning it can be advisable to wake him every twoto four hours for feeding. If your baby is falling asleep too soon during feeds you can undress him forfeeds, change his diaper before feeds or in between feeding the left and the right breast, or tickle orplay with his feet.

Q3: Can you tell me more about cluster feeding? 

Cluster feeding is a time when your baby wants lots of short feeds over a few hours. It’s exhausting but normal and will often happen in the early days of breastfeeding. There is no particular reason why babies cluster feed, but some experts believe it might be a way to boost mom’s milk supply.  5 Tips To make cluster feedings easier: Relax your baby’s leadEat well Try to rest in the early part of the day to prepareStay hydrated! This is thirsty work Get as much partner and family support as you can  It’s exhausting now, but you can look forward to a sleepy, settled baby after feedings are done being clustered.

Q4: Is there any way to know if my supply is “right” and that my baby is getting enough milk?

Keeping count of wet and soiled diapers is the gold standard for assessing your baby’s intake! Once your milk comes in, you can expect around five or more wet diapers per day and at least three stools. If your baby has fewer than expected wet or soiled diapers or urine darker than a pale yellow, it might be time to follow up with an IBCLC or medical provider.

Q5: Is it true that formula is harder for my baby to digest? What’s your advice on transitioning onto a new formula – would you mix the two formulas or switch cold-turkey?

Breast milk is in fact easier for your baby to digest because it’s made specifically for your baby’s body. I would not suggest mixing the two formulas. Either fill half of the day’s bottles with the old formula and use the new formula for the other half, or just start the new formula! Whichever way you choose to do it, it will likely take up to a week to see a difference, so I would stick with it unless there are some serious side effects. We want to avoid changing formulas too much too soon to see if there are any changes in tolerance and digestion.

If you have questions about feeding your baby and feel like you don’t know who to ask or what to trust. NurtureTalk can help! And unlimited means unlimited, so send that 2AM text. It’s ever too early, we swear! Visit www.nurturetalk.com or add NurtureTalk on Instagram (@nurturetalk) for more! 

Read more:
Breastfeeding and Pumping: The All-In-One, Award-Winning System
Breastfeeding Mom Must Have: MilkBliss Lactation Cookies
Motif Luna with Battery Breast Pump: Real Mom Review