- [Gabby] All right, we are live.
Good afternoon, everyone.
And thank you so much for joining us today for our Facebook live.
My name is Gabby and I am here with Dr. Megan Sauer who is a pediatrician at Boys Town Pediatrics.
We are going live every single day this week for World Breast Feeding week.
So make sure you check out our events page and look at the class lineup to see if there are other sessions
going on that you would like to join.
So it will be a really fun week.
And even more exciting is we are also doing a series of giveaways.
So if you look right above this video, there is a link to RSVP.
So make sure you click that link and fill out the form to be considered.
And then I will be announcing the giveaway winners at the end of the week.
So great.
Well, Dr. Sauer, thank you so much for joining us today.
How are you doing?
- [Dr. Sauer] I'm great.
Thanks for having me and for promoting breastfeeding this week.
Gabby: Yeah, definitely.
So with breastfeeding, like I said, there are so many different topics that
we could discuss.
But to kick off the week, we are going to start with what parents should know
before baby arrives.
So to set the scene, you know, you just found out you're pregnant,
you're super excited, a little nervous thinking about breastfeeding,
and all the things that come with it.
So we are going to talk through some of the questions to have Dr. Sauer kind of help alleviate maybe some
of the nerves when it comes to it and to get you set up for success.
So if you have any questions as we go through our Facebook live, go ahead and leave them in the comment
section and we will answer them at the end.
Okay.
So first off, what are in your opinion some basic principles that parents should know before their
breastfeeding journey begins?
Dr. Sauer: Sure, that's a great question.
And just like throughout most of people's pregnancies, they're preparing and gathering information.
So I think an important thing to start with is maybe speaking with your obstetrician about their
thoughts or recommendations.
And then probably most importantly is thinking about, as a new mom, what your hopes and dreams are
for your child, and that would include feeding.
And then using your support system, whether it's your spouse or significant other
or partner, to kind of come up with a plan and to engage with them about how they can be
supportive of you.
And if breastfeeding is what you're going to choose to make sure you have people around you that are there
to support you and help you navigate that journey of feeding your newborn that way.
Obviously, taking care of yourself and your pregnancy is going to help you to also be a successful
breastfeeder once your baby arrives.
And there are some things you can do to prepare, such as, you know, getting some supplies like a
nursing bra, maybe some nursing pads that line the bra to help with preventage of any of the leaked milk not
ruining your bras, and then like a nursing pillow.
A lot of people use, like, a Boppy pillow to help with positioning.
And then I think just knowing ahead of time that breastfeeding is great for both mom and baby,
I think gives a lot of moms reassurance that even though it's a lot of hard work,
the benefits are worth it for the baby and for you.
Gabby: Yeah, definitely.
So there are a few myths kind of surrounding breastfeeding.
Are there may be some questions that you get from some of your patients or some common myths that you've heard
before that we could maybe debunk right away just before the breastfeeding journey even begins?
Dr. Sauer: Sure, you know, that's a great question.
And certainly, with the internet now, you can gather lots of information,
whether it's accurate or not.
So before addressing specific questions, I think an important thing would be is just to make
sure that you're accessing information that is accurate and from reliable sources,
and especially maybe from your medical team or providers like your obstetrician.
Or you can also do, like, a meet-and-greet with your baby's potential doctor and
ask them questions as well.
So I think make sure you get trusted information that's good.
But you know, some myths are, well, I've small breasts, is my body going to be able to make enough milk?
I think that's, you know, one thing that certainly some parents can ask.
And our bodies are pretty amazing and can produce milk no matter the size of your breasts.
So that's one myth I think is I've heard that's maybe not accurate.
Doesn't matter the size of your chest.
Other ones, let me think if I can think of any others.
You know, some people say, well, I'm supposed to breastfeed for, you know, a full year,
that seems like a really long time.
I'm going to be going back to work.
I don't know if I can commit to doing nursing for a whole year.
And I think what most pediatricians recommend is breastfeeding for as long as that works for both you
and your baby.
And most of us recommend trying to do exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months and up to a year
if that's possible.
And then longer than that if it works for you.
But the biggest thing is to try to come up with a plan that works best for you and your family's situation
in conjunction with your baby's doctor about what's best for them at the time.
But that's another myth is, you know, I have to do it for a year.
That's way too long.
So that's another myth I would say is not necessarily true.
Gabby: Yeah, I love what you said about, you know, just doing what works for you.
And especially, you know, before you go googling all this stuff
about breastfeeding, like you said, like consult with your pediatrician because they are
going to be able to tell you what is real and what is not just like you just said.
And Boys Town does offer free meet and greets with our providers.
So I will make sure to link that in the comment section because you can set up a free meet-and-greet
with Dr. Sauer or any other pediatricians even before your baby is born.
So that's great.
Okay.
So we talked a little bit about nutrition at the beginning.
But how can mothers prepare nutritionally to breastfeed?
Should moms continue to take their prenatal vitamins?
And do you have recommendations for food and exercise?
Dr. Sauer: Sure, great question.
So just like when you're pregnant, it's important to eat, like, a well-balanced diet,
and making sure your body is receiving extra calories.
You know, that's really important in your postpartum period, especially if you're nursing as well.
So the most important thing is a well-balanced diet.
And then there's other things that your body requires.
You need to make sure that you're staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water every day.
And because of the increased needs that your body will have by producing the milk, you know,
you need probably maybe 500-plus more calories every day just to help make sure that you have
an adequate milk supply.
And most providers, if you're breastfeeding, would recommend that you continue to take the prenatal
vitamins that you were on when you were pregnant.
And then, obviously, you would just want to continue to have those
discussions with your own doctor, your obstetrician, when you go in for your postpartum checks to make sure
that there's no other additional things that they suggest.
But usually, yes, the prenatal vitamins, you continue to take while you're nursing.
Gabby: Great.
And similarly, what about medications?
You know, if we're on medications beforehand, kind of how does that work when you become pregnant and
then you're breastfeeding?
Dr. Sauer: Great question.
And so a lot of people have discussions with their obstetrician about medications that they're
on for either medical conditions that they have or any illnesses that might come up in the pregnancy.
And those conversations should definitely continue in the postpartum period if you're breastfeeding.
A lot of over-the-counter medicines, like, maybe pain medicines that you would receive in a
hospital after you deliver, or some allergy medicines.
There are a lot of medications that can be used while you're breastfeeding.
We would just always encourage you to discuss those medications with your obstetrician.
But then also your pediatrician is a great resource.
We get called frequently about medications that moms are taking, and they want to know if they are
safe during breastfeeding.
And so we're always a great resource.
Because there are so many medications, we actually have a book that we can consult to make
the proper guidance.
And that can be done in conjunction with your own provider as well to make sure we're all
on the same page.
Gabby: Yeah, great.
So after the baby is born, I have heard before that babies who are breastfed will
need a vitamin D supplement.
Is that pretty accurate?
And if so, how do you recommend giving that to newborns?
- Yes, you've heard correctly.
So because many moms are deficient in vitamin D, the breast milk can also be deficient in vitamin D.
And it seems a little bit counterintuitive because we always talk about that breast milk is best and it has,
you know, the complete nutrition profile that your baby would need.
Vitamin D is sort of one little caveat with that.
And so, what we want to do is make sure that the babies get that adequate vitamin.
And so usually, in one of the first visits with your baby's doctor, they'll recommend that you supplement
once a day with a dropper.
And it can be usually purchased over the counter, and it's just 1-milliliter once a day that the baby
gets by mouth, just to make sure that the breast milk and the vitamin together provide all the nutrients that
the baby needs.
But your doctor will usually talk to you about that at one of the first office visits.
Gabby: Okay, good to know.
So what are the benefits of breastfeeding in relation to, you know, the immune system
and bonding, postpartum healing?
I'm sure the list goes on if you want to talk a little bit about that?
Dr. Sauer: Sure.
So obviously, as pediatricians, we're huge proponents of breastfeeding for all of those
reasons that you just listed.
So if we talk about first from an infectious risk, we know that babies who are breastfed can have
decreased infections, like reduced ear infections, lower chance of pneumonia,
lower risk of diarrhea-like illnesses.
And so no parent wants their baby to be sick.
And so if by breastfeeding you're going to potentially decrease those chances, it's a huge plus and benefit.
We also know that there's benefits for the mom and baby as well.
It can help with bonding from skin-to-skin contact.
In the postpartum period, it can also help with, like, shrinking the uterine size down to a more normal size.
It can help with losing some of the weight that you've gained during pregnancy.
So between the reduced risks of infections, the increased bonding between mom and baby,
and then also just the maternal benefits, obviously, those are just a few,
but some of the important benefits that breastfeeding can provide both mom and baby.
Gabby: Yeah, that's awesome.
So in terms of sickness, you know, with COVID and flu season around the corner,
talk a little bit about can sick moms breastfeed?
Dr. Sauer: Yeah, I mean, we're all worried right now just with some
of the...you know, with COVID and other illnesses.
So great question.
Usually, when moms have a common or mild illness like an upper respiratory infection or cold,
or maybe even like gastroenteritis, like a vomiting and diarrheal illness,
most of the time, you can still breastfeed through that infection.
Obviously, it's always great to talk to your provider or your pediatrician about it if you have questions.
But most of the time, we recommend continuing to breastfeed
through those infections.
And then if there's any more serious or significant infections or underlying medical problems that you
would have, you would just want to clarify those conditions with your provider before breastfeeding.
But usually, if it's a common mild illness, you can go ahead and breastfeed
through that unfortunate illness.
Gabby: Okay, great to know.
Well, everyone, we kind of just brushed the surface I know with everything regarding breastfeeding
before baby arrives.
But like I said, we are going to be live every single day the rest of this week over the lunch hour.
So if you have a breastfeeding question that you would still like to be answered,
please feel free to message our page, or comment on this video,
and I will make sure to include them for our guest tomorrow.
But Dr. Sauer, thank you so much for joining us.
This was a really helpful quick video, and we really appreciate your time.
Dr. Sauer: You're welcome.
Thanks so much.
Gabby: Yes.
All right, everybody, we'll see you tomorrow at noon.
Have a good day.