When I see new mothers as a lactation consultant, these are the questions they ask me:
“Am I doing it right?’
‘Do I have enough milk?’
‘Why does my baby feed so often?’
‘Can you move in with me?’
BREASTFEEDING CENTRAL
When I’m working with new mothers one-on-one, the immediate breastfeeding problem is often fixed quickly. But the support and encouragement that over time builds a new mother’s confidence—the key to sustaining breastfeeding—isn’t always available. Technology is amazing but when I searched for an app that provided support and encouragement, I found none; so I decided to create one myself and Breastfeeding Central was born.
Breastfeeding Central is the next best thing to having a breastfeeding helper move in. It’s a step-by-step breastfeeding companion, filled with the wisdom, practical hints and encouragement that I’ve been giving to mothers for 25 years, advice such as:
‘If you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember that it’s often not the breastfeeding so much as all the ‘other stuff’ and especially the lack of sleep, that makes nursing seem so daunting’.
‘Coax yourself along from one feeding to the next and see how things are in 24 hours’.
‘Stick with it and know that it won’t be long before the reward period begins (baby smiles, pats your breast, looks adoringly at you). This is not to be missed’.
Breastfeeding Central’s content can be bookmarked for easy reference and is arranged chronologically, from Preparation for Breastfeeding to Getting Started in the Hospital, Early Days at Home, The First Six Months and Returning to Work. For second time moms, there’s invaluable hints on managing a toddler while nursing the new baby. A section on Common Difficulties provides concise and helpful suggestions plus guidance on when to seek professional assistance. Breastfeeding Central’s handy Help Locator provides quick access to board certified lactation consultants (IBCLCs) and breastfeeding support groups worldwide.
OTHER APPS FOR BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS
For the early, sleep-deprived days, trackers and timers can be helpful. Here are two at the top of the list:
- Baby Tracker- Newborn Log (if you want to track everything)
- Baby Feed Timer, breastfeeding (simple, basic and breastfeeding friendly)
White noise apps get high marks—especially White Noise Baby—for helping to soothe fussy or colicky infants. For questions about medications and breastfeeding, the go-to apps are LactMed and MommyMeds, for their user-friendly databases of drugs and dietary supplements. Moms love Mamava pump & nursing finder to locate and unlock pumping-friendly places on the go.
Beverley Rae, MSW, IBCLC is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Clinical Social Worker, and mother of five breastfed children. She is a past president of the International Lactation Consultant Association.. Beverley helps mothers to breastfeed successfully at Breastfeeding Resources in Manhasset, NY. Her app Breastfeeding Central for iPhone and iPad is available in the App Store.
I recommend this app to my lactation clients. It is easy to use and so very helpful.
Well done Jude. a great go-to gift for lactating mums!