How to Treat Jogger's Nipple

Jogger's nipple is a condition suffered by runners which includes irritation, dryness and bleeding of the affected nipple. Jogger's nipple can affect one or both nipples, and is caused by the friction of clothing rubbing the nipple while running. It is easily treatable.

Instructions

1

Wash the affected nipple with water only. Using soap to cleanse the affected nipple may lead to further irritation and delay healing.

2

Expose the affected nipple to air several times during the day. This will allow the nipple to dry naturally without excess moisture buildup.

3

Apply petroleum jelly to the affected nipple. This will provide the nipple with lubrication and protection from rubbing irritation.

4

Protect the affected nipple. Covering the affected nipple with cotton padding or bandages during exercise will help protect it.

5

Wear clean cotton undergarments. Cotton is a breathable fabric and will allow proper air flow to the affected nipple.

6

Alter your exercise routine. Although jogger's nipple is treatable, the affected nipple may be extremely sore. Resting the nipple will give your body time to heal naturally.

How to Stay Bonded to a Baby When Going Back to Work

For many new mothers, the idea or act of returning to work is fraught with stress. Its exciting to get back into the swing of normal life and enjoy lunches with co-workers. However, the idea of leaving baby for several hours creates a different kind of stress. According to pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene, author of "From First Kids to First Steps," many mothers are worried that their babies might forget them after returning to work and being away for several hours a day. Instead of stressing about the time youre away, make the most of the opportunities at home to bond with your baby.

Instructions

1

Contact your baby while at work. For example, if your baby is in day care, ask one of the workers to hold the phone to your babys ear so you can say Hi. Parenting magazine also recommends spending your lunch hour using the Internet to video chat with your baby.

2

Cuddle with your baby while breast- or bottle-feeding. If youre not breastfeeding, pay attention that you give your baby every bottle. If you are breastfeeding or feeding him with a bottle, make as much skin to skin contact as possible. During this time, stroke your babys hair and share some quiet alone time together.

3

Give your baby an infant massage. According to KidsHealth, healthy, premature and medically compromised babies all respond to and will enjoy an infant massage. If youre unsure how to perform a massage on your baby, KidsHealth recommends speaking to your pediatrician or purchasing a video or book on the procedure. Whatever you do, remember that her skin is sensitive, so use a gentle touch.

4

Play a silly game or read a book to your baby. According to HelpGuide, smiling, laughing and speaking to your baby are as vital to his development as sleep and food. Play a silly game on the floor, read an age-appropriate book or simply gaze into your babys eyes while you tell him how much you love him. HelpGuide also urges mothers to watch for cues their baby is tired or overstimulated, such as restlessness or crying. If your baby becomes tired or overstimulated, allow him to take a nap or spend time cooling down before interacting again.

How to Cure a New Breastfeeding Mother From the Flu

Catching the flu while you are recovering from labor and delivery, learning to breastfeed and care for a newborn is a lot for a woman to handle. Recovering from the flue while you are breastfeeding can pose some unique treatment problems, but there are ways to get well without harming your nursing infant.

Instructions

1

Call your doctor. It's always best to check in with your OB/GYN to tell her your symptoms and make sure you don't need an office visit. She will reassure you on the list of safe medications to take while nursing as well.

2

Rest. It may seem impossible, but you need to get as much rest as possible so that your body can recuperate. This is the time to call on your neighbor, your parent, your sibling, or your spouse or partner to help with the baby so that you can sleep. Allow your body the rest it needs to fight off the virus.

3

Take a fever reducer and pain reliever. Acetaminophen (or Tylenol) is considered the safest option while nursing, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). This will help those aches and pains, plus keep down a high fever. Be sure not to exceed the recommended dosage, though. Taking too much acetaminophen can cause permanent liver damage.

4

Drink plenty of fluids. It's important to stay well hydrated when you have the flu. You should increase your intake of fluids while nursing anyway, according to the Mayo Clinic. Try broth, water or juice to help keep dehydration at bay.

5

Use approved nasal sprays and decongestants. If your symptoms include a runny nose or congestion, take Afrin, a spray, or Sudafed, a decongestant, or both. Both are safe while nursing, and could help you sleep if those symptoms are interfering with your ability to rest.

Information on a Career As a Lactation Consultant

A lactation consultant is a medical professional who assists new mothers with breastfeeding. Lactation consultants assist mothers during the nursing process.

History

The need for lactation consultants was first observed during the 1980s when the positions began to appear at women's hospitals. The field has grown since and both an American and International association for lactation consultants have been established.

Location

Lactation consultants work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, offices of obstetricians, centers that offer Lamaze or parental education, and at other community locations. In some areas, lactation consultants may have their own private offices or be located in a group with other consultants.

Function

The first few days following birth can be difficult for new mothers, and lactation consultants can provide tips and support during the first feedings. Later, consultants help mothers whose babies might not be thriving due to low milk production. Another service that lactation consultants offer is helping nursing mothers transition back to work with tips on pumping and maintaining milk supply.

Education

It is not required that a lactation consultant be a nurse prior to certification, though many are. The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners provides structured training programs for prospective consultants in North and South America, Southeast Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

Certification

The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners provides testing for the consultants. After passing the test, consultants are required to take yearly continuing education courses.

How to Get Rid of Breastfeeding Thrush

When breastfeeding your baby causes pain, you may have breastfeeding thrush. Follow these steps to end the discomfort.

Instructions

1

Determine if you have breastfeeding thrush. Thrush can be extremely painful and felt during nursing when something comes in contact with your nipples, or it can manifest itself as shooting pains deep in your breast. Nipples may be cracked, sore, flaky or have blisters. These are all signs of thrush.

2

Check to see if your baby has thrush. You may see white bumps that don't wipe off like milk in her mouth. Thrush may also cause your baby to have a diaper rash.

3

Consult your doctor for medication that may help get rid of breastfeeding thrush.

4

Buy some gentian violet at a drugstore. Coat your nipples with the purple liquid twice a day. You don't have to wash it off before nursing your baby. The gentian violet will come off on her but will help clear up the thrush in her mouth.

5

Wash all of your bras in hot water with bleach. Breastfeeding thrush can live through the wash otherwise. Wash all of your baby's toys and anything else that comes in contact with her mouth. You will need to boil any pacifiers or bottle nipples.

6

Use a mixture of 1 tbsp. of vinegar and 1 cup of water to rinse your nipples after every nursing session to help with the pain. Use a fresh swab to apply the solution each time.

7

Continue with these steps for 2 weeks after the breastfeeding thrush has seemed to fade. It is hard to get rid of breastfeeding thrush, and it may come back if treatment is ended too quickly.

How to Feed & Burp a Newborn

Feeding your newborn isn't rocket science, but it isn't without its pitfalls, either. Every baby is unique; what works for your first might not work with the second. Whether you're breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, it makes sense to follow the same basic guidelines: let your baby set the feeding pace and schedule, and use feeding times as opportunity for cuddling and bonding.

Instructions

1

Wake your baby every four hours to eat if he doesn't wake on his own. Don't let him sleep through the night for at least the first two weeks of life. Newborns need frequent meals so they grow normally and don't become dehydrated. If he's doing well at his two-week checkup, it's okay to let him sleep through, if you're so lucky, pediatrician Dr. Ari Brown, author of "Baby 411" and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics explains on CNN.com.

2

Hold him closely, whether you're breastfeeding or bottle-feeding your baby. Obviously, you can't breastfeeding from a distance; that's one of breastfeeding's big advantages for your baby. Hold your baby the same way when you bottle-feed, including skin-to-skin contact if you want. Never prop a newborn's bottle; babies need close contact with their caregivers.

3

Interact with him during feedings. When you're a new mom, it's hard not to use feeding times to multi-task. But don't use feeding times as a time to talk on the phone or watch TV, at least not exclusively. Look at your baby, talk to him and get to know him during feeding times.

4

Position him for burping every few ounces while bottle-feeding or when you switch sides when breastfeeding. Hold him up over your shoulder, sit him up with support, or lie him on his stomach over your lap to burp him.

5

Pat or rub his his back gently while burping; if you pat too hard, he's more likely to spit up. A little spit-up is normal during burping; report projectile vomiting to your baby's doctor. Do your best to get the burp up before lying him down. It's tempting to just lie him down if he hasn't burped and he's asleep, but he's more likely to wake up in a short time with gas pains if you don't.

6

Watch your baby for signs that he's had enough. Don't force that last ounce of formula down him just because it's in the bottle; let him decide how much he needs to eat and how often, as long as he's growing and gaining weight. If you're breastfeeding, let him empty one breast, sucking for 15 to 20 minutes, before switching sides. He needs the hind milk, which comes at the end of the feeding and contains more fat, which will help him feel full.

7

Feed your baby on demand; he knows best what he needs and when. As he gets a little older, every cry might not be a hunger cry, but when he's a newborn, if it's been 1 1/2 hours since his last feeding, assume he's hungry and feed him. As long as he's getting eight to 12 feedings per day, he should get what he needs to grow, according to MayoClinic.com.

Breastfeeding & Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis has been called an "old woman's disease" because it afflicts some many women in their 60s and 70s. But osteoporosis is actually a pediatric condition with a geriatric outcome because bone density is primarily built during the adolescent years. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, pregnancy and breastfeeding have an effect on osteoporosis.

Identification

Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones that cause loss of bone density which may result in painful bone breaks. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services it is most common in women who have a small frame and a family history of osteoporosis. Women of Caucasian and Asian decent are more likely to develop osteoporosis than those of Hispanic or African decent, but women of all ethnic backgrounds are at risk.

Effects

Although osteoporosis typically presents in older women, it can be diagnosed at any stage of life, including during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Osteoporosis in the spine may result in sloping of the shoulders, a curvature of the back, loss of height, a protruding abdomen, back pain and a hunched over appearance. Easily broken bones are a common effect of osteoporosis, particularly in the wrists and hips.

Features

According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases pregnancy adds an additional demand on the mother's calcium supply because developing babies need a significant supply of calcium in order to properly develop their skeletal system. Breastfeeding mothers may lose between three and five percent of their bone mass during breastfeeding. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases notes that most breastfeeding women recover any lost bone mass soon after weaning.

Considerations

According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, teenagers who become pregnant may be at a higher risk for osteoporosis later in life. In order to minimize bone loss during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis later in life, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases recommends pregnant teenagers get sufficient calcium, either through diet or supplements.

Benefits

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases recommends women who are pregnant or breastfeeding eat a healthy, balanced diet that includes foods that are rich in calcium. Regular weight-bearing exercise, eliminating smoking from the mother's environment and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help to build and maintain bone mass. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases also notes that pregnancy may be good for a woman's overall bone health and may actually result in greater bone density and a lower risk of fractures. According to AskDrSears.com, women who have never breastfed are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than breastfeeding women.