[blparent] breastfeeding and prematurity

[jan wright]

Hi Bernadeta,
I have tried the nipple shield and it just does not stay in place for me.
But, you know, I should probably keep trying.
I have samples of formula that I have not used that is newborn to three months.
When I actually pass the 1yr mark, I give it to someone who wants/needs it.

Anniseed is also called Anise. It is an herb or a spice that tastes
like black liquorice (sorry about the spelling). If you want to taste
it for free, frequent a good Indian  restaurant. After dinner, there
are these anniseed dispensers that are close to the door, right as you
walk out of the restaurant. Anniseed or anise helps in digestion.
Indians would put it in their pan or betle leaf (someitmes a musture
of tabacco and spices)  to chew on after dinner. With all of those
spices, it helped them digest their food. I don't know the connection
with
medicines or spices that aid in digestion
and
the increase in breastmilk; but it seems to be there.
You chew these seeds and either swallow them or spit them out after
they become bland --  as you would chewing  gum.
I use to put them in my mint or ginger/mint tea. Sometimes, you can
boil some ginger root and add some anniseeds and make a tea with it
and then drink the tea before nursing.
It helped. also, fenugreek capsules can help.
Some lactation consultants say that you should be careful with
fenugreek because it can cause very small (0 to 3mo) or even 6mo
babies esophigeal probs, but I have not found the research on that
one.
Oh, Fenugreek is also known to be an aphrodesiac, so be careful.
(smile)
 Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. I do think that the
anniseeds helped,  but the most prominent thing that helped was to
pump freequently and for long periods of time: but it is hard to do
with a baby because it adds at least forty minutes onto "feeding
time."