I’m a big fan of evidence-based parenting. It’s a huge part of my child-rearing style, and also a key reason why I’m a nurse. I like to read recommendations and research regarding what is best for my babies – especially regarding health and nutrition. Science is constantly evolving and changing and it just fascinates me.
You may have seen in the news the new recommendation to introduce high-risk allergy foods between 4-6 months as new data are emerging that suggest the early introduction of the highly allergenic foods may reduce the risk of food allergy. This conflicts with recommendations from the last time I had a baby: to breastfeed exclusively to 6 months old. How on earth am I supposed to breastfeed him until he turns 6 months old…and introduce foods like eggs, soy, wheat, and peanut products by 6 months as well?
I am in 1 in 4 Canadian women who exclusively breastfeed to 6 months old. That statistic is from 2011/2012 data and was on the rise from only 17% in 2003. I chose to stick with my goal of exclusively breastfeeding for 6 months, in spite of the new recommendations, as the evidence is a bit conflicting. I knew I wouldn’t be harming Jonathan or putting him at a disadvantage by doing so; we don’t have food allergies in our immediate family either.
Despite some studies that showed an increased risk of allergic disease with exclusive breast-feeding, the overall benefits of breastfeeding on the general health of the child are likely to outweigh the potential drawbacks, regardless of the allergic status of the mother or child. – American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology
As a Canadian and a health care professional in Canada, I look to what Health Canada has to say for Canadian moms regarding breastfeeding. Currently, they still recommend “breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months, and sustained for up to two years or longer with appropriate complementary feeding – is important for the nutrition, immunologic protection, growth, and development of infants and toddlers.” The new recommendations regarding introduction of high-allergy foods are coming out of the United States and Europe.
Jonathan has been loving his first purees and he was ready to start eating at 6 months old! At the end of the day – follow your baby’s cues, what you feel best and talk to your pediatrician about it.
How Did I Breastfeed to 6 Months?
I am blessed with oversupply. In the beginning, it seems like a curse, as my babies have all sputtered and drown at my overactive and forceful letdown, but with the help of my Medela Freestyle double electric pump, I found an amazing routine that worked for me and Jonathan – especially because he started sleeping through the night and naturally weaned himself from night feedings. I pumped off 4-5 oz from each breast every morning and was able to donate 16.1 litres of milk to the NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank last month.
I just fed Jonathan on demand and let him be my guide. I noticed between months 5-6 that my body was starting to slow down milk production naturally, as with my other babies too. I haven’t found any literature or sources on why this has happened to me – as nothing at all changed on my part with how often I’ve fed him – but I can’t find anything specific. I assume just a shift in my hormones and him getting ready to start solids.
However, when I do have questions about breastfeeding, I know I can turn to the MyMedela App with articles like Breast milk supply: too little or too much milk to find answers instantly at the tips of my fingers. As a mom to a newborn, and even now a 6 month old baby, my phone is never far from my reach. The nurse in me also likes to track everything – feedings, sleep, diaper changes – especially in the foggy newborn days, and the free MyMedela App allows me to do this too!
Jonathan will finally take a bottle now, which was very helpful when I had no choice but to leave him for his older brother’s surgery last week. I wish I had introduced a regular bottle-feeding regime when he was younger that was breastfeeding friendly, like with Medela’s award winning Calma feeding system, which is the only research-based feeding system that will help in continuing the breastfeeding relationship with your baby.
Giveaway
I want to share the Medela love with you all and now’s your chance to win 1 Freestyle Double Electric Breast Pump valued at $495 CAD. This giveaway is open to Canadians 18 years and older only (excluding Quebec).
Medela #MedelaCanada Freestyle Double
Breast Pump Giveaway
Disclosure: I am part of the PTPA Brand Ambassador Program with Medela Canada and I received Compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
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I would love to know if any other Mother has wished for a pacifier made by Medela that would further prevent nipple confusion as much as their Calma system claims to. My first two kids never took a bottle or a soother but I so desperately need this third baby to take a bottle occasionally and it would help my anxiety and nerves if he could be calmed by a pacifier (especially in the car).
I’ve tried a few pacifiers and he’s not taking to them and he seems to be nursing weird at my nipple now – so frustrated as for my own health and sanity I wish to have him take a bottle and soother so I can better take care of my other two kids and myself by getting a break while my husband can feed baby etc.
I have a pump in style that’s 10 yrs old & working ok but it’s so big to travel with. Have dealt with it but winning a smaller Freestyle would be awesome!
Good luck, Jill! You have good luck with my giveaways – here's hoping!
I'm pregnant with my first, due the beginning of January and would certainly find this helpful!!
Thoroughly enjoy reading your blog and sharing the ag related articles to help de-bunk myths- keep up the good work 🙂
The Freestyle is by far the best purchase I have made for my babies no matter your situation on milk supply this investment is well worth it! On a trip I had forgotten parts and bought a Swing to get me through but there is no comparison and my milk supply dropped. Expecting a third in January but may have to replace my original as my screen is no longer working so would love to win a replacement.
Neat blog and love this post! Nice giveaway too! From what I’ve read the freestyle is the best pump!
I would love to win this! I am due in February and know that I am interested in pumping and I've heard such awesome things about Medela!
I am due with my first in a few months and would love this pump!! I don't have time to wait around for a single pump! haha
Love reading your blog and following you on instagram!
Love reading your blog! I plan on entering for the breast pump!
Love Medela! Rented a pump with my first. Would like to invest for sure this time around.
Thank you for all of your posts! I’m an agrologist and we farm as well and I’m currently expecting our first baby in February. I am with you on science-based info and am planning to model my parenting after it as well. I’m not sure what to expect with breast feeding but my sister and mom both had good milk supply so I’m preparing for that and would love the opportunity to try a Medela pump!
We are pregnant with our 4th, I would love this pump, I have been using Avent brand pumps with my last children. I have always wanted to try Medela but the price is what discourages me from doing so
This pump sounds fantastic! With my first I used a small, slow, manual pump that was extremely tedious to use and so I found I really didn’t use it much but just dealt with my oversupply. My second was exclusively breastfed until she went on a nursing strike at about 5-6 months and I had to rent the “good pump” from our local public health until she decided to nurse again. Awful experience. I borrowed a small electric pump for my third and it made a huge difference in the pumping experience! Unfortunately she wouldn’t take a bottle though and we are too far away from any breastmilk bank. I’m currently expecting our fourth and final baby and thinking about all the ways to make the transition easiest on our family. This pump would be a great addition! Love following your blog and hearing about your “real” life experiences!
I have the Medela Swing, and would definitely love an upgrade!
I am currently pregnant with my first and love reading your posts!
Amazing – I practice as a Registered Dietitian and we're expecting our first babe. After all the counselling and presentations I've done about breastfeeding, it will be fun (but also nerve wrecking) to see how it all pans out for babe and I!
My recent post Snacks: What, Why and When
Thank you for being so real and raw. As a fellow farm wife and mama I love your posts. My first baby is just about 6 months. She was exclusively breastfed for 4 months and then supplemented with a few formula bottles. I wasn’t able to pump enough extra milk to have a stock pile to leave her for a few hours. We are just starting with solids. We are just a few weeks behind you so your blog posts are usually pretty timely for us!!
Oh I love hearing that, thanks so much, Kendra, and have fun!
I would love to win this! I also struggle with oversupply, and it seems like the double pump would be so much more efficient than a single or manual!
I had the Medela single electric for my first 2 and I borrowed my sister-in-law's Medela Pump In Style double electric – and WOW! What a difference! So fast and having the 2 stage expression system like with the Freestyle is so slick!