At FIT4MOM Frederick, we are more than fitness, we’re a supportive community dedicated to empowering moms through every stage of motherhood. From pregnancy to postpartum and beyond, our programs are designed to nurture your body and mind. At our September Walk, Talk & Learn, we had the pleasure of having Cristina from Aterra Nutrition and Caroline from Milk & Honey Maryland join us as we focused on feeding our littles. The conversation and insight we had as a group was so wonderful that we decided we’d tackle the common questions and concerns every mom faces when it comes to feeding little ones right here for all the moms!

Whether you’re a new mom embarking on the breastfeeding journey or navigating the picky eating habits of your toddler (or big kids!), we’re here to provide clarity and support. This first post will focus on breastfeeding and weaning. Our hope is that it will equip you with practical tips and expert insights. Let’s dive into the FAQs that can help make feeding time a little easier and a lot more enjoyable for both you and your child!

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Breastfeeding & Weaning with Caroline Hall, IBCLC from Milk & Honey Maryland

What tips do you have for exercising while breastfeeding (comfort, supply, etc.)?

Exercising is an important part of your life as a mom and a human. Breastfeeding doesn’t preclude you from exercising but may make some aspects more challenging.

-Talk with your provider about clearance for exercise based on your history.

-Find a supportive and comfortable bra. This may be a completely different size than ones before or during pregnancy. You want support without it being too tight or constrictive.

-Consider babywearing while exercising! Walking is a wonderful form of exercise and doing it with others is even more awesome. Babywearing while doing this helps survive the “fourth trimester” and ease this transition from womb to world.

-Consider breastfeeding or pumping before exercising for your comfort. Full and engorged breasts may be uncomfortable while exercising.

-Make sure you’re eating and drinking enough. You may need extra food if you are doing vigorous exercise. Listen to your body and it will tell you what you need.

My first breastfeeding journey didn’t go as expected despite taking all the classes and making preparations. If I plan to try again in the future, will I be able to breastfeed?

Every breastfeeding journey is different. With support many parents find success in breastfeeding their second child, even if they faced challenges with their first. Research even shows us this!

-Increased milk production: A study published in The Lancet found that mothers produced significantly more breast milk (31% increase) at one week postpartum with their second baby compared to their first. This increase was even more substantial (90%) for those who had the lowest milk output with their first child.

-Improved efficiency: Mothers spent less time feeding their second baby (20% decrease), indicating more efficient milk transfer. This efficiency was also evident at 4 weeks postpartum.

I would recommend finding early support from a lactation consultant to discuss your challenges from the previous experience and talk about what to expect for this time.

My baby is 18 months old, should I think of breastfeeding as “snacks” or “meals” now?

Weaning is the process of slow replacement of feeds at the breast or breastmilk with solid foods. Remember that every child is different but if you have concerns about nutrition or the weaning process, consult your pediatrician or lactation consultant for personalized advice. During the first year of a baby’s life breastfeeding, breastmilk or formula is the primary source of nutrition even while solids are starting to be introduced at 6months old. After a baby reaches a year you’ll begin to take the approach of shifting from breastfeeding “meals” and solids “snacks” to solid food “meals” and breastfeeding “snack/supplement”. It won’t be overnight and every child is different. You may have to follow their lead on this one while also guiding them along the way. Cow’s milk isn’t required for every child and water can serve as another source of liquid other than breastmilk during this time as well.

My baby is over a year and I’m still breastfeeding but I don’t want to pump at work anymore, what do I do?

Milk supply is a supply and demand system: the more you demand the more supply, the less you demand the less supply. You used this in your favor to ramp up production but now you’ll use it in your favor to decrease production. As long as milk is being removed then you’ll keep making it. This removal at work isn’t required to keep up supply as long as you’re breastfeeding when together. For your comfort you may be required to wean down on pumping at work, please reach out to a lactation consultant to make a plan for this. You can breastfeed without pumping for as long as it is working for both of you.

My pediatrician told me my milk is “just for comfort” after one year. This doesn’t sound right to me but what do I do after 1 year?

There is never a point where breastmilk runs out of nutrients or becomes the same as water. In the second year (12-23 months), just 448 mL (16oz) of human milk provides:

-29% of energy requirements

-43% of protein requirements

-36% of calcium requirements

-75% of vitamin A requirements

-76% of folate requirements

-94% of vitamin B12 requirements

-60% of vitamin C requirements

The comfort from breastfeeding is an amazing aspect of all the hard work you’ve put in but providing breastmilk through the first few years is also important for child nutrition. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11236735/)

I’ve gotten some weird comments about continuing to breastfeed my toddler, how do I address this?

The way you address this can vary from ignoring to standing your ground firmly, whatever works for you. You do not have to explain yourself unless you want to. Some examples of phrases to put in your toolbelt can be:

-The World Health Organization and American Academy of Pediatrics recommends I do this for at least 2 years.

-My child’s doctor and I have discussed this. We are comfortable with how this is going.

-Weaning looks different for everyone, I’ll let you know when we are ready.

-I'm following my child's lead and meeting their needs.

-Extended breastfeeding has a lot of health benefits for both me and my child.

-This is a personal decision. Do not ask me again.

-Breastfeeding is normal and natural at any age.

-I'm comfortable with our choices. Your opinion wasn't requested.

-Did you know breast milk continues to provide nutritional and immunological benefits?

-I'm not asking you to do it. I'm asking you to respect our choice.

-Anthropological studies show the natural weaning age for humans is between 2.5 to 7 years.

Thank you to Caroline for her insight into the breastfeeding journey. If you are looking for more information please visit Milk & Honey Maryland's website linked here.