Ask Anne… Question : I’m nursing my six month old baby, and we’re traveling to visit my husband’s family in Florida. Every year before we go on vacation I go to the tanning bed for about a month or so to get my “base tan”. Can  get a sun tan while I’m breastfeeding? Answer: Tanning won’t have any effect on …

Ask Anne… Question: Since you’re skipping the whole labor process, how does your body produce milk after a c-section? Answer:  Milk production is triggered by natural hormonal changes that begin to occur during your pregnancy. Most moms will start to produce colostrum about halfway through pregnancy, but the milk doesn’t ‘come in’ until a day or two after birth. During your pregnancy, …

Ask Anne… Question: Does caffeine  get into breast milk? If it affects the baby, how long would it take for it to get into my milk? My  9 week old baby nurses often,  and is happy and gaining weight well. Answer: I think that you can have a cup of coffee or a coke without thinking twice about it. Studies …

Ask Anne… Question: I breastfed my little boy for 18 months. I weaned two months ago ago, and now my  breasts are sagging. They feel smaller, and are soft and droopy. Will the firmness return, and how long will it take? Answer:  Pregnancy is what changes the shape of your breasts, and these changes occur  whether you nurse or not. …

Ask Anne… Question:  How long does it take for food I eat to get into my breast milk? If I have chicken, rice and a salad for dinner, then when would I expect to have that show up in my milk? Answer:  I can’t tell you exactly how long it takes for the food you eat to affect your breast milk, because there are so many variables involved, including how often you nurse, the type of food you eat, and your individual body chemistry and metabolism. An average (and this is only an …

Ask Anne… Question:  One of my breasts has always been a bit larger than the other, but since I started breastfeeding, the difference is really pronounced. Other than the way it looks, my main concern is that my left side is overflowing, while  my right makes barely anything.Why is one breast bigger than the other, and is there anything I …

Ask Anne… Question: I plan to breastfeed exclusively for six weeks. However, I plan to go back to work after my six weeks are up, so I want to pump and put my breast milk into a bottle only. I’m not sure how to introduce the bottle to my infant, and don’t know how long I should wait before I …

Ask Anne… Question: My five month old sleeps through the night- about a ten hour  stretch – and I wake up engorged every morning. This has been happening for quite a while. Will my milk ever adjust to this or could this be just normal for me? Answer: Most moms would love to have your problem! Having a whole ten hour sleep …