The holidays are coming!

We're one week out from Thanksgiving, which I still think of as the official start of the Holiday Season, no matter that Christmas stuff has already been out at the stores for weeks! With travel, conflicting information about what you should and shouldn't eat or drink when you're nursing, negotiating who gets to hold the baby for how long, navigating advice from multiple generations of family, and everything else that comes along with the holidays...well I'm stressed from just writing that! Here are some tips and tricks to help you enjoy your holidays with a nursing baby! 1. Eat! Most babies benefit from your varied diet, as it can result in them being less picky as toddlers. Unless you have already determined that your baby is sensitive to certain foods, enjoy your thanksgiving meal! Yes, sage and peppermint can reduce milk supply, but most nursing moms have to eat a lot of sage-seasoned stuffing and peppermint candies to see a difference.

2. Drink! Sometimes when we're out of our normal routine and busy with other things, we forget to drink water. Keep a glass of water or a water bottle handy, have your partner remind you to drink water, or maybe even try out an app to remind you to drink enough water. (I'm the worst about drinking water and love the Water Drink Reminder app.

3. Be Merry!...in moderation. The other kind of drink. The general guideline for alcohol consumption and breastfeeding is as long as you feel sober, you can breastfeed. Since your blood alcohol content spikes 30-60 minutes after consumption, and your milk's alcohol content is related to your blood alcohol, the best time to nurse may be while you enjoy a single glass of wine or beer, then the next feeding will likely be after the alcohol has been metabolized (broken down and removed from your blood). Alcohol is not stored in milk, but instead moves into the milk when blood levels are high but leaves the milk when blood levels are low. This means that you do not need to pump and dump in order to get the "alcoholic milk" out.

Do pump to comfort if you are very full, and dump if you are intoxicated (meaning that milk is not safe to feed).

4. Make sure Baby gets to eat, drink, and be merry! This may sound like a no-brainer, but it's surprisingly easy to get caught up in the tasks of the holidays and catching up with family and miss feedings. Especially with babies under 6 months who are not eating any solids, keep your baby close so you can watch for cues of two kinds: hunger, and over-stimulation. For babies four months and up, the two may go hand-in-hand, as these curious and distractable kiddos often need to be in a dark, quiet, boring place to nurse well. And make sure you bring water with you when you retreat to your nursing den!

5. A rested baby is (more likely to be) a happy baby. Just about every new parent knows about "nap jail" and the temptation to break free in the middle of nap time. That temptation is even greater during the holidays, but insisting on your baby's regularly scheduled naps - and even planning around them - can make the holiday more enjoyable for everyone!

#holidays #diet #alcohol