September 27th, 2023
Kim Smith Doula & Lactation Consultant
by
6M ago
​Understanding Tongue Tie: More Than Meets the Eye On my intake form I often receive a comment such as:"My midwife said my baby has a slight tongue tie” or “the pediatrician said there is small tongue tie but it nothing to worry about.”  Let's dive into this topic and explore why tongue tie is more than just a visual examination of the tongue and why it requires proper attention. What do we even mean when we say Tongue Tie? This is where the tissue connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth (lingual frenulum) is shorter or tighter than usual. This can restrict the movement of the t ..read more
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September 26th, 2023
Kim Smith Doula & Lactation Consultant
by
6M ago
The Beauty and Challenges of Breastfeeding: ​A Compassionate Perspective  Something I hear often is: Breastfeeding is natural. I don’t understand why people struggle so much. If it was hard, the human race would have failed to exist”.   ​It's a natural process that has been practiced for thousands of years, and yet, it can be incredibly challenging for many new moms. Let's explore why this is the case and why it's important to approach this topic with compassion and understanding. Breastfeeding is undoubtedly a beautiful and intimate way to nourish and bond with our little ones. It ..read more
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Growth Charts - Do they mean anything or a waste of time?
Kim Smith Doula & Lactation Consultant
by
2y ago
​Growth charts! They are a huge topic, partly because of many opinions on them.  There are good reasons why there are so many opinions on them. One thing to keep in mind, believe it or not, is that they are not all the same. The growth chart I use vs the one some doctors use vs public health vs all the apps is that some use older versions that were made and provided by formula companies, some use the CDC, some use the WHO, and some maybe even have their own.  Once upon a time, I was trained to not really consider what growth charts said because the ones we had were made in the 1970s ..read more
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Donating breastmilk in Saskatchewan
Kim Smith Doula & Lactation Consultant
by
2y ago
“Hey Kim! Is there a place in Regina that I can donate frozen breast milk. I have so much more than I need and don’t know what to do with it.” This is a common text or email that I receive. The short answer is “Yes”.  There is a formal route and an informal route.  ​ Northern Star Mothers Milk Bank in Calgary is the closest milk bank that we have to donate to in a formal manner. In Saskatchewan, we do have several depot drop points for approved donors. Approved donors; what are those?  Mothers have to be screened and approved before they can donate to the mil ..read more
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Tips to getting breastfeeding off to a good start
Kim Smith Doula & Lactation Consultant
by
2y ago
Learn about how birth impacts breastfeeding. Breastfeeding complications can be linked to the birth experience, birth choices, interventions and care providers. If you can avoid unnecessary interventions, it is recommended, so you reduce the risk of complications associated with interventions. If you cannot (because birth is unpredictable) then it is good to have an understanding of the interventions and how they impact breastfeeding so you can take necessary precautions or measures to help protect breast ..read more
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Summary of RGH Labour & Birth Unit and Mother Baby Unit due to COVID-19 Policies
Kim Smith Doula & Lactation Consultant
by
2y ago
​We are trying to provide as much information as possible in a timely fashion. Please note all of this is SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANYTIME. This is the most recent as of April 30, 2021.  ​ Screening questions: 1. Have you or anyone in your home been out of the country and returned to Canada?  2. Have you or anyone in your home been out of the country and returned to Canada?  3. Are you, or someone in your home feeling sick? If yes, what are your symptoms? 4. Have you or anyone in your home been directed to self-isolate? If yes, by who? What date ..read more
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Baby not pooping? 3 days? 10 days? Is this normal?
Kim Smith Doula & Lactation Consultant
by
2y ago
I get asked about infants stooling patterns quite a lot, typically from worried mothers who have an infant who has slowed down on stooling, maybe 1-2 days, sometimes 7-10 days. The baby might also be gassy, not sleeping or fussy. Moms often will ask various sources if this is normal or expected. I was certainly taught to believe this with a variety of reasons as to why. As an IBCLC  I don’t consider this to be normal, anymore, and I will list some of the reasons as to why later. In my opinion, the information I had been provided over a decade ago is still how health professionals and peer ..read more
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Is pumping being used as a new "magic fix" for breastfeeding concerns?
Kim Smith Doula & Lactation Consultant
by
2y ago
If I asked myself if pumping was being used as a magic fix for common, yet easily managed, breastfeeding concerns I would have to say "yes, it is". The idea to pump instead of, or in conjunction with, breastfeeding is often suggested to mothers by their support people. These support people include other new mothers and experienced mothers at places like Mommy and Baby Yoga, Mommy and Me time, Kinder Music, Baby Signs, the museum, StarBucks, online support groups, mommy chats, any place mom's and babies hang out together; you all know where mommy's go. Other support people are their mothe ..read more
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Why a breastfeeding class could be more helpful than you know
Kim Smith Doula & Lactation Consultant
by
2y ago
So many families plan on breastfeeding before baby is even born. Initiation rates are 90%+ in hospitals but our stats show this drops off very quickly...less than 60% of mothers are meeting their own goals. A lot of people figure breastfeeding won't  be too difficult or that they will just try and see how it goes.  Many learn quickly that breastfeeding comes with lots of unexpected questions, confusion and lack of knowing what possible solutions are. When mothers find out they could have taken a class, they state how beneficial it would have been to receive s ..read more
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Foremilk! Hindmilk! Baby MUST feed for 20 minutes a side.
Kim Smith Doula & Lactation Consultant
by
2y ago
“You need to nurse for 20 minutes on the first side and then move baby to the other side for twenty minutes.” or "You have to empty the first breast before going to the second breast".  Did anyone ever tell you these things? What if your baby only nursed for ten minutes? Did you ask what would happen? I suspect you may have been told that is not long enough for your baby to get the hindmilk (higher fat milk). Is 20 minutes that magic “long enough” time frame? What if baby wanted to be there for 25 minutes? What happens then? Do you have no more milk?   ..read more
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