Choose you During Pregnancy and Postpartum

How are YOU doing?

Not baby, YOU.

So often during pregnancy and postpartum, the focus is so much on the baby that people forget to ask about the person who gave birth. And that includes ourselves! How often do we put ourselves on the backburner to make sure that baby is ok or our spouse/significant other is ok, or grandma is ok, or etc etc.

Even as a doula, who focuses on postpartum women and tells them to take care of themselves…even I find it hard (as a pregnant woman) to find time for those basic things that are needed for my own selfcare.

When you ignore your body’s needs, whether that be physical, mental, nutritional, spiritual, or otherwise, at some point your body will make you meet those needs and it won’t be on your own terms.

For instance, if you aren’t getting enough sleep and you aren’t eating because you have a newborn and not enough support, and you were the one who always did all the cooking and now its just you on 2 hrs of sleep and a granola bar trying to manage the whole world…..something will break. You will get sick, your mental health will struggle, you may fall asleep in an unsafe way with the baby.

You need to prioritize your needs!

And I know that is easier said than done, but I’m going to give you my top three tips on getting through pregnancy and postpartum while keeping your basic needs met!

1. Bring a Caddy with you

   What do I mean by that? I would have a little basket near you, or one of these .
   
   In it have things like diapers, wipes, snacks for you, a water bottle, a notebook to write things down like pees and poops, the remote, maybe a kindle. Anything that you will need while you are nap trapped with a baby so that you can stay hydrated.

2. Make a freezer meal stash of food

   Having meals in your freezer ready to go instead of having to meal prep each day is so helpful. These days people are even having freezer meal parties where friends and family either bring the ingredients with them to make at your place, or they make a freezer meal for you and you just plop it in your freezer!
   
   Some of my favorite freezer meals were:
   Stuffed Shells
   Shepherds Pie
   Stuffed Cabbage
   

3. Allow others to help!

   Whether you hire help or have friends and families to help, it is so important to allow yourself to receive that help. Now I know sometimes the “help” you receive is less than helpful! So!
   
   What you can do when someone says they want to come over to help is to give them a specific task you need help with and if necessary show them how to do it. So, maybe you need the diapers restocked or you need the dishes done, or you need the oven preheated and the food put in the oven. All of these things are pretty simple tasks to give someone that you otherwise would have to do.
   
   Now one sticking point for me was the laundry. I had a specific way I folded laundry to fit in our dressers and I always was refolding it after others folded it for me. I eventually realized how stupid that was, so I asked my mother in law and mother (and husband) to watch me fold it and showed them how to fold my laundry. They didn’t mind doing it the way I needed it done, but didn’t realize I was refolding it after they were done. It was easy enough to show them vs doing extra work. If you have a task that you like done a certain way, just ask them! If they really want to help and support you they will do it how you ask.
   
   You can also hire folks like cleaners, organizers, nannies, and postpartum doulas to support you in different ways during your pregnancy and postpartum. Ask for gift cards for those services at your baby shower! It really will make a difference to not have to do it all alone.
   
   I hope this was helpful! The bottom line is you have to take care of yourself. You matter so much to so many people, and sometimes its hard for them to know just how to help you, especially when they are blinded by the adorableness of a newborn. Just give some gentle nudges to those who you need help from and remember to keep your basic needs met at minimum! Much love to you all!
   
   If you’d like to connect with our group of parents and providers, check out DigiDoula Village!
   

Skin to Skin in the First Hour

By Marie McCausland, PhD, MPH, CLC

When I was pregnant with my first son I remember hearing about “skin-to-skin” but I didn’t really understand just how great it can be until I recently took a course on lactation/breastfeeding.

This article is going to explain 3 things:

1. What is skin-to-skin?

2. How skin-to-skin can support your breastfeeding journey.

3. How skin-to-skin can help keep baby warm in the Operating room during/after a C-section.

What is Skin-to-Skin?

When we talk about Skin-to-skin, we mean placing baby on you with nothing in between (meaning clothing). This includes the birthing parents, non-birthing parents, moms, dads, siblings. Anyone can do skin-to-skin!

When you are doing skin-to-skin, you want your baby to be wearing nothing but their diaper.

This is my son Jeffrey when he was only a few weeks old wearing one of the many cloth diapers I used with him.

Then place your baby on your chest, without anything between you and baby including a bra.

This will ensure maximal contact between you and baby. This was taken when Jeffrey was only 5 days old, the day before I ended up being diagnosed with Postpartum Pre-Eclampsia. You can see how swollen my eyes and face are in this picture. I remember taking this picture and thinking “Oh wow my lips are so plump! It’s like I have lip filler!” Yeah that was a sign!!!

How can skin-to-skin support your breastfeeding journey?

When it comes to skin-to-skin, the benefits are huge especially if initiated in that first hour after birth. Skin-to-skin at anytime is wonderful, and we recognize that not all births will allow for you to do skin-to-skin in that first hour, especially if there is an emergency for the birthing individual or the baby. If that occurs, just try to do as much as possible in those first few weeks!

If you want a full list of benefits check out this website. These benefits include:

1. Stabilizing baby’s temperature

2. Introducing good bacteria to boost their immune system

3. Helping support a good breastfeeding relationship

I want to talk a little about that last one! In that first hour, your baby will begin to sense its surroundings and explore, including looking for food. Did you know that there are glands on your areola (darker area surrounding your nipple) that secrete an oil with a smell that is similar to that of amniotic fluid? This smell will comfort your baby and draw them towards the nipple. If you have on a shirt and a bra it is harder for them to smell it.

This also allows them the chance to try to begin to latch for the first time. It is much easier to get to your nipple when there isn’t anything between them.

How skin-to-skin can help keep baby warm in the Operating room during/after a C-section.

Did you know you can do skin-to-skin in the operating room?!?

Taken from Evidence Based Birth :

”To summarize, the benefits of early skin-to-skin care included:

For mothers:

• Longer and more effective breastfeeding; more likely to exclusively breastfeed

• Less breast engorgement/pain at three days

• Less anxiety three days after birth

• Higher satisfaction—mothers were six times more likely to want the same care in the future when they held their babies skin-to-skin rather than swaddled.

For babies:

• More effective suckling during the initial breastfeeding session

• Less crying– babies who received skin-to-skin care were 12 times less likely to cry during the observation period

• Heart rate, breathing, and oxygen levels were more likely to remain stable

• A beneficial increase in blood sugar”

With these types of results, many hospitals are instituting skin-to-skin in the OR, but you may have to ask your physician specifically for this to occur. In some instances, where there is an emergency for the baby or the mother this may not be feasible because there needs to be immediate emergency care provided.

Overall, skin-to-skin, especially in that first hour has been shown to really help parents bond with their babies, helps the breastfeeding journey, and helps babies overall. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email us at info@digidoula.com and join our facebook group for more content!

Baby Blues or something more?

Did you know that mood disorders are the #1 complication of pregnancy and postpartum?

Not preeclampsia or hemorrhage…mood disorders.

This includes things like postpartum depression, which you’ve likely heard of, but also postpartum anxiety, PTSD, postpartum OCD, and the most serious of them all postpartum psychosis.

Baby Blues

When you have your baby there is a huge hormone shift that occurs which can lead to feeling happy one minute then sad the next. Symptoms include: Mood Swings and feeling so exhausted you may not eat or drink. The thing that distinguishes the “baby blues” from another mood disorder is typically the timing. You should expect this to last maybe 10 days, which is typically the amount of time it takes for the umbilical cord to fall off. If you are still experiencing symptoms past those ten days, its time to think about one of the other mood disorders.

So I think it’s more than the “Baby Blues,” now what?

Lets look at some of the common types of mood disorders and their symptoms. If you want to learn more about all of these disorders, click here.

If you find that you have any of these worrying symptoms, its best to talk with your OB, mental health provider, and in some cases, like if you have thoughts of hurting yourself or others, its best to check in to an ER to get some acute care.

In an emergency

National Crisis Text Line:
Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the USA, anytime, about any type of crisis.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline
Call 988

Today there is also a hotline which you can call that specifically can help new parents. Remember you are not alone, and these symptoms are treatable with proper help. This is a 24/7, Free, Confidential Hotline for Pregnant and new moms.

Call or Text 1-833-943-5746
In English and Spanish

Interpreter Services are available in 60 languages.

TTY users can use a preferred relay service or dial 711 and then 1-833-943-5746.

Additionally, Postpartum Support International also has a helpline where you can leave a message and volunteers will return your call.

Postpartum Support Interational HelpLine: 1.800.944.4773

Text in English: 800-944-4773 | Text en Español: 971-203-7773

Are there any support groups available?

Peer support and support groups are an invaluable resource.

Nationally, I recommend PSI’s support groups. They have specific support groups for each type of mood disorder, as well as ones specifically for black moms, NICU moms, infant loss, and more. I would definitely check out their online support groups to see if anything there could help.

I’m in Ohio, is there anything specific for us?

Yes!

There is an organization called Mental Health America of Ohio, with a program called POEM, which is designed to help mothers struggling in Ohio.

From their website, their services include:

• Peer-to-Peer Support Line (614-315-8989): The certified peer staff at POEM listens and understands like only peers can. Receive a caring and understanding voice, access to specialized counseling, and/or referrals to support services for pregnancy and infant loss. Learn more about certified peers.

• Mentoring Program: Mentors are moms who’ve been there. They can talk through the challenges of motherhood and offer guidance, emotional support, and helpful information when you need it.

• Support Groups: Peer support groups meet regularly and offer the opportunity to get support from moms with similar experiences.

• Rise Support for Black and African American Moms: Rise provides all POEM services exclusively by and for Black mothers, including a providers of color network. We Rise for Black moms because we know that Black women are at a higher risk for maternal depression/anxiety and are less likely to have their symptoms addressed with quality care.

If you want to have more support and info from local providers, join our facebook group DigiDoula Village!

Pregnancy/Postpartum Warning Signs

Marie McCausland, PhD, MPH

If you told me in 2016 that I would be writing a blog 6 years later about pregnancy and postpartum warning signs as a business owner and maternal health advocate I’d be SO CONFUSED.

In 2016 I had just finished my PhD, I was going to conferences talking about my HIV research and living it up! I thought I was going to be a research scientist for the rest of my life. Then I had my son and everything changed.

I had postpartum preeclampsia (Preeclampsia 5 days after I gave birth…yes it can happen after!) and had gone to the emergency room and they told me I was fine. My blood pressure peaked at 200/115 while I was there, without any treatments for preeclampsia. After 10 hours they finally got ahold of an on call OB who had me immediately transferred an treated. I would have died if I hadn’t refused to be sent home.

I first shared my story publicly only months after I nearly died. If I’m being honest, that interview a week after my near miss was too soon but I’d do it again. It was a blur that first year. Everyone wanted to hear my story, and I shared it with everyone who would listen.

I would go on to share my story in a TedX talk that shares the same name as my non profit Mom Effect.

Today I am an advocate for all birthing individuals to know the signs and symptoms that scream “go to the ER”.

This is personally one of my favorites because it tells you what the sign/symptom could be a sign for. For example it says that pain in chest or trouble breathing could be a sign of a blood clot or heart problem.

This website has another good graphic as well, but just lists the symptoms.

My recommendation is to take a screen shot of the above graphic and keep it on your phone. Print it out and keep it on your fridge. Share it with your family and those who will take care of you postpartum. Some of these won’t show up until after you have the baby, when the attention is all on baby and less on mom. Lets remind everyone that the focus needs to remain on BOTH OF YOU, so that you stay safe and healthy. I know it is easy to put yourself last, especially once baby is here, but these symptoms are not something to ignore and could be life threatening.

If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are not being taken seriously, you can do a few things.
1) Ask for them to record that they are not doing the tests you are asking them to do. This may change their plans and get you the care you need.

2) Ask to physically SEE an OB. Sometimes that’s all it takes.

3) Call your doula. If you don’t have a doula, get one! Or join our facebook group DigiDoula Village to get support.
4) Go to a different hospital, or go to your labor and delivery ward. I’ve found that you will get much better care in the Labor and Deliver ward triage than at a the ER, where they aren’t used to dealing with pregnant/postpartum people.

In the end, YOU KNOW YOUR BODY BEST. One of the biggest symptoms I’ve heard from other near miss survivors is that they just felt “off”. That’s not something you can describe to a physician without getting an eye roll, but it really is true. We know when something is wrong with our bodies, and unfortunately we have to figure out a way to convince others to take us seriously.

If you are someone who has experienced a near miss and needs extra support, I recommend joining the Maternal Near Miss Survivors Support Group on Facebook. It has helped me process a lot of things over the years. You are not alone.

Sending you love and light.

-Marie

Top 5 Breastfeeding Tips

By Marie McCausland, PhD, MPH

It is World Doula week and I think it’s time to talk about THE #1 topic I get asked most about as a Postpartum Doula….Breastfeeding!

Today I am going to share with you my top five breastfeeding tips and also share a bit of my own breastfeeding journey with you!

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Tip 1: Don’t expect your baby to eat every 2-3 hours

You may have heard you will “feed your baby every 2-3 hours”. That’s not really what happens in reality.

Your baby is going to be hungry and want to eat a larger amount sometimes, a smaller amount other times, and especially when they are young may cluster feed-meaning they seem to be at the boob constantly for a few hours. All totally normal.

Tip 2: Know the hunger cues and latch early

I’ve found that the best time to try to feed a baby is before they have started actually crying. By the time they start crying they have already been showing you some signs they are hungry, as shown in the video below, but now they are saying “Heyyyyyyy I’m really hungry over hereeeeeee!!!”. You may find when they get to the crying stage it’s harder to get them to latch. That’s ok! Just try to notice some of those more subtle signs and try to get them to latch a bit earlier next time.

Tip 3: See a Lactation Consultant

I know this one seems pretty obvious, but seriously having the support of someone who is trained to help breastfeeding parents goes a long way!

If you are in Northeast Ohio you can check out Breastfeeding Medicine of Northeast Ohio, Love and Wellness Lactation, and of course Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, and Metro Health all have wonderful lactation consultants as well.

The gold standard and “Boob Doctor” is an IBCLC, as they have had the most hands on clinical training and have had to pass an exam (you can read more here about what they do and how they are different from other lactation consultants). They can assess your baby for a tounge tie or lip tie and generally have had the most experience, though having anyone trained in lactation help assess you will be helpful.

I personally had three lactation consultants help me throughout my journey. Two in the hospital and one after I came home. In the hospital they helped me with my sons latch and positioning and gave me advice on how to hand express to help my milk come in. I distinctly remember the moment my milk really came in while hand expressing in the hospital and having it spray everywhere and just bursting out laughing with excitement…like “Oh! That was my milk coming in! That’s what they have been looking for!”.

Tip 4: Go to a Breastfeeding Support Group

Another tip I have is to join a breastfeeding support group either in person or virtually. With the pandemic, many in person breastfeeding support groups went virtual to keep everyone safe, since babies can’t receive the vaccine.

HIP Cuyahoga has a great resource list for local support groups, and also great virtual resources! Just call ahead to any of these support groups because with COVID things change so rapidly, and you don’t want to drive all the way out there only to find out their in person meeting was cancelled that week. One of my clients had that happen to them, and it was very discouraging and frustrating, so definitely call ahead!

When I had my son I went every week to a local breastfeeding support group. There was a lactation consultant available for specific recommendations, a scale to weigh your baby before and after a feeding (so you know how many ounces you fed them!), and lots of moms with babies! It was so wonderful to know I wasn’t alone and to get an idea of how much I was actually feeding my son. When you are bottle feeding, you know how much they eat, but when you breastfeed you can’t be certain of how much they eat unless you weigh them before and after. For me it was a great way to ease my anxiety.

Tip 5: Call the Breastfeeding Support Hotline

Did you know we had a 24 hour breastfeeding support line in Ohio?!?

Call 888-588-3423 or text BFHOTLINE to 839863 to speak with one of their lactation professionals!

This 24 hour hotline will get you to a trained person no matter the time of day and they have an IBCLC on-call if you need more support than they can offer. This is an AMAZING resource I wish I had known about when I was breastfeeding.

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Experiment of the Week-Hunger and your Babies Stomach

Did you know a newborn stomach when first born can only hold about 1/3 of an ounce of liquid or the size of a grape? Meanwhile, an adult stomach (on average) can expand to the size of a quarter of a gallon or 32 ounces.

I know mine expands more than that give the amount of Chips, Guac, Tacos and Sangria I can consume at a Mexican Restaurant….

To understand a bit more about the expectations we can have for our babies, lets try an experiment!

You will need:
A bag of grapes

A Quart of Strawberries

A bag of Mandarin Oranges

Notebook or note app

Experiment (Make sure you are hungry when you do this! It’s a good breakfast activity!!)

1. Take a grape, a strawberry, and three Mandarin Oranges and line them up like the image below.

2. Take the grape and hold it in your hand. That’s the size of your baby’s stomach when they are born. Ask yourself: Do you think it’s a lot? Would that satisfy your hunger?

3. Eat the grape. Feel satisfied? I’m guessing not! That’s because your stomach is bigger than a grape!

4. Do the same thing with the strawberry. Hold it in your hand and then eat it. Feel satisfied? Maybe a little more than before but you are probably still hungry right?

5. Now put the Mandarin Orange in your left hand and a grape in the right. Feel the weight of the orange in your hand compared to the weight of the grape. Your baby has had their stomach grow from the size of a grape to the size of a mandarin orange in a week! Isn’t that crazy!?!?

6. Pick up another Mandarin Orange with your left hand (so now you have 2 in your left hand) and keep the grape in the right. Feel the difference in weight again. This is how big their stomach is at one month.

7. Now the most fun part….eat some fruit until you feel full! Count the number of grapes, fruit, and mandarin oranges you eat. When I did this I had 31 grapes, 7 strawberries, and a Mandarin Orange. That’s a lot of fruit! Certainly a lot more than it takes to make a baby feel full!

8. Bonus! An hour later, have some fruit as a snack! I bet you ate less this time but you still feel full right? That’s what is happening when your baby is cluster feeding. They are feeling hungry and eating small amounts to feel full versus having a large meal.

If you enjoyed this content join our the DigiDoula Village Facebook Group for more support and daily content!

Remember you are loved! I love you! Have a great day! <3

Self-Care Postpartum: In Defense of the Kid-Free Target Run

By Marie McCausland PhD, MPH

Last week I made a post in our DigiDoula Village Facebook Group and asked for everyone to share if they had any hobbies.

There were people who talked about crocheting, plant caretaking, taking walks, and just going on shopping trips.

It got me thinking about a question I have asked myself continually since becoming a mom:

What am I doing for self care?

Before I had my son I was a research scientist. I’d spend long hours in the lab from late nights to early mornings. I remember one time even sleeping in the lab because if I’d get five hours of sleep if I slept in the lab and only probably 3 if I went home because I would have to take the bus. My husband and I could just sleep in whenever. We could go wherever we wanted whenever we wanted. I had almost too many hobbies, from needle-felting to yoga. Self-care for me was chilling on the couch with my husband or sweating with my old lady friends at the Gym.

When I had my son, if I even wanted to get up to pee I had to figure out where I was going to set down a baby and if it wasn’t in someone else’s arms, I’d have to listen to him cry the whole time. I’d hear phantom cries when I showered and run out to realize no one was crying it was all just in my head. I didn’t do yoga anymore…heck my stomach looked and felt like a deflated beach ball and when I laid on my stomach I felt like I was literally putting my intestines on the carpet because I could feel everything. What are abs postpartum?

I didn’t want to work those long hours anymore. I felt guilty when I was at work because I wasn’t with my son, and when I was with my son I felt guilty I wasn’t working.

But OHHH those Target runs postpartum without a baby felt like I had won the lottery.

And I get it. I’ve read the articles about how going to Target shouldn’t be seen as self care. Blah Blah Blah.

They have coffee. They have seasonal trinkets I can buy that I don’t need. They have cute baby clothes that make my son look like a dinosaur. I can buy at least one grocery item off my list and feel accomplished while having gotten away for a little bit. Yeah I get it, that doing basic chores “shouldn’t be seen as self care” because we should want more than that. And I agree, to some extent. Truth is, you could probably put back your $100 worth of impulse buys and book yourself a massage (if you are in the Cleveland area, I definitely recommend The Womb Wellness Center) and feel more relaxed with your “me time” vs going to Target.

However, I must also say I’ve never left Target feeling unhappy, so I’m going to keep counting that alone time as self care, THANK YOU!

Do what makes you feel good. Whether it’s going to Walmart or Target and being away for a bit, getting a massage or doing some crafting. Do what makes you feel good and don’t let other’s police what you consider self-care. Newborn life is HARD and sometimes when you are in the thick of things….going to Target is the best you can get and that’s OK. Get your coffee. Get your dollar bin items. Get your snacks and forget the haters!

My son is four now and I recently took a 4 day/3 night trip to Michigan to do some work on my business and to also get my hair cut and dyed by an AMAZING hair stylist Ashley M. I went out to eat, I slept ALONE for the ENTIRE NIGHT in a hotel room, and you know what else I did?

I went to Target.

#Selfcare #Treatyourself

Top 5 Tips for Formula Feeding your Newborn

By Marie McCausland PhD, MPH

When the FDA recalled multiple brands of baby formula (Similac, Alimentum, or EleCare powdered infant formulas produced at Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, MI facility) due to contamination I received a frantic message from a local father worried about their newborn. If one parent is worried enough to reach out, that means there are dozens more with the same questions, so lets explain what’s going on!

In this blog we are going to provide the top 5 things to do to if you are formula feeding your newborn.

TIP 1: DON’T PANIC!

Check the lot number. The lot number is a way to track when and where the formula was made. Think of it like your phone number. Not only does no one else have the same phone number as you, but your phone number tells someone a little about where you live (area codes). The lot number can tell not only what factory the formula was made but when, and so if your lot number is not one of the recalled lot numbers, you can feel safe to use it.

If you have been using affected formula, it’s still not time to panic! Stop using the formula, and monitor your newborn for the following symptoms:

1. Poor feeding (not eating as much)

2. Irritability (fussier than usual with more crying)

3. Fever

4. Jaundice (yellow skin and whites of the eyes)

5. Grunting breaths

6. Low energy

If your newborn develops any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.

Tip 2: Use Liquid Formula or Boil your Water

Why???

Pre-mixed Liquid Formula is sterilized, which means that any germs that might have been in the formula have been killed. Liquid formula is most recommended if your baby is less than 3 months old or was born premature, because they are the more likely to get sick. It is, however, the most expensive so may not be in the budget for all parents.

If you don’t use liquid formula and are mixing your own from powder, the recommendation is to use boiled water which has been cooled to room temperature. When boiling water, make sure to fill the pot with COLD water, because it is less likely to have LEAD and other impurities than HOT water. If you can’t boil water, the next best thing is distilled water or nursery water.

Tip 3: Sterilize your Bottles

Sterilizing your bottles is more than just cleaning them with soap and water. While cleaning your bottles with soap and water is important and gets rid of the majority of harm causing bacteria and viruses, sterilizing kills everything left over. The CDC recommends sterilizing baby bottles once per day, especially if your baby was born premature or is less than 3 months. What’s awesome is that there are so many options out there to choose from! Here I’m highlighting just a few:

Boiled water

1. Add disassembled baby items to a pot of water.

2. Bring items to a boil.

3. Boil for 5 minutes

4. Remove items with a tong and air dry. DO NOT USE A PAPER TOWEL OR CLOTH TO DRY BECAUSE IT COULD INTRODUCE BACTERIA BACK TO THE ITEMS.

   This is the least expensive option but has the highest burn risk. It also takes FOREVER.

Microwave Sterilizing Bags

1. Follow the instructions on the bag which usually includes adding water, adding the items and microwaving!!!

2. Most have instructions on how long to microwave based on the wattage of your microwave. You can find this information somewhere on your microwave, usually on the back or the side.

For example, this microwave has an output of 1050-1100 W.

If using the Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Sanitizing Bags where you microwave for

1.5 minutes for 1100 W+

3 minutes for 800-1100 W

5 minutes for 500-750 W

That would mean we would want to microwave for 3 minutes because the microwave power output is between 800 and 1100 W.

Microwave Steam Sterilizer

This is my favorite option because you can just put it in the microwave and sterilize once it’s full (4-8 bottles) which is about a days worth of bottles. Follow the instructions for your specific version, but usually it just involves adding water and putting in the microwave, just like the sterilizer bags! This way you always have sterile bottles on hand!

Tip 4: Always make a new bottle

Sometimes it happens, you make 6 oz of formula and they only eat 3 oz before they fall asleep.

While it is tempting to put that half used bottle in the refrigerator and give it to them when they wake up, you should toss that 3 oz of formula. When your baby eats, some of the bacteria in their mouth will get into that formula which will spoil the leftover formula.

If you make a bulk pitcher of formula or premake your bottles, they can be used for up to 24 hours if refrigerated.

Tip 5: Wash your hands

This one is so simple. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds (ABC song or Happy Birthday).

Before you make a bottle….wash your hands.

After you change a diaper….wash your hands.

Coming in from outside…wash your hands.

Washing your hands means that you wont transfer anything straight to your newborns mouth.

SCIENCE EXPERIMENT TIME!

We are going to see where contamination can occur when making a bottle! Fun to do with your older kid

You need:
1-2 packets of Grape KoolAid

Baby Bottles

Baby Doll (optional)

Powder formula or flour

Formula scoop or 1 TBSP measuring spoon

Water

1. Buy some Grape KoolAid powder (You can use any flavor, but we chose Grape).

2. Sprinkle the powder over your countertop, hands, inside of a bottle (to represent not having sanitized the bottle), and maybe some around the mouth of a baby doll, just like your newborn will have germs in their mouth which can contaminate the bottle.

3. Next make a pretend bottle! You can either use some expired formula and its formula scoop or use flour and a 1 TBSP measuring spoon. If you are using formula, follow the instructions on the can. If using the flour go to step 4.

4. Add 6 ounces of water and 3 tablespoons of flour to the bottle.

5. A few things to try or notice:

   Try splashing some water on your counter to see what happens!

   Notice what happens if you set the measuring spoon on the table.

   Feed the baby doll (with grape powder on their face)

   If you put grape powder in the bottle, how purple did the formula get? How purple does it get compared to just having a little from the babies mouth get into the bottle?
   If you didn’t know that there was grape powder in the bottle, would you have even noticed? How does that relate to how small germs are…which is why we can’t see when they get into the baby formula.

6. When you are done playing with the grape formula, clean up your bottles and see how good of a job you do!

I hope this has been informative! If you want more tips and experiments like this join our Facebook Group below!