Thank you for all your emails and comments. I have been receiving quite a few emails from moms whose breastfeeding patterns have gone crazy with the onset of the hot weather, so I thought a few more of you may benefit from a little advice about feeding in the heat.

As the temperature rises, your milk will dilute slightly, to ensure that your baby is getting all the fluid he/she needs. You will notice that your milk is more 'watery' when you express. This is not a sign that the quality of your milk is poor, is is just nature's way of looking after you and little one.

The heat may aslo make your baby feel more sleepy while feeding at the breast, so use your breast compression to help push the milk down toward the nipple, so that it is easier for your baby to access. Undress your baby to the nappy. As you both become hot, you will also become sticky, so it may be easier to drape a muslin over your arm before picking baby up to feed. This will make moving him/her easier, a lot more comfortable and less sticky!

If your baby asks for feeds more frequently than his/her usual feeding pattern, this is absolutely fine. Most babies will ask for food and then only feed for 5 minutes before falling asleep. This feed should be considered as a thirst quenching feed, not a full feed. So, don't worry about pushing your baby to feed longer as these feeds, pop them down. They will wake soon enough for their full feed.

This may play havoc with routines, but just go with it. Ensure that your baby is always in a cool part of the house and lightly dressed. During the day, you could even just have him/her in a little short sleeve vest or nappy.

If you are out, don't leave your baby in the stroller unless it is parked in the shade. Most strollers are dark and this will attract heat. Many moms are hanging a blanket over the hood of the stroller to stop the sun from piercing baby's eyes, just remember that this is creating oven conditions in the stroller and will result in a very hot, thirsty and unhappy baby. Use something incredibly light, such as a muslin, if anything at all and remove as quickly as possible once you are out of sunlight.

Crying makes your baby thirsty, so if your little one is crying for whatever reason, you may find that offering the breast will calm and settle him/her well before putting down.

SUNNY SIDE UP!

Let's Breastfeed is dedicated to making your breastfeeding dreams become a reality. If I can't see you in person, you can still have me in your living room with my Let's Breastfeed Program!