Reasons for choosing breast feeding 1. It is the natural physiological way to feed a baby 2. Human breast milk is made for human babies 3. The components - lactose, protein (whey and casein), and fat - are easily digested by a newborn's immature system so breastfed babies have fewer incidences of diarrhea or constipation 4. Breast milk is always fresh and readily available 5. Breast milk is always the right temperature 6. It protect baby against allergies, asthma, diabetes, obesity and SIDS 7. The skin-to-skin contact can enhance the emotional connection between mother and infant thereby increasing the bonding process 8. No need to spend money on bottle feeding equipment and expensive milk formula
Advantages
Antibodies - a nursing mother passes antibodies to her baby to protect or lower the occurrence of many conditions such as ear infections, diarrhea, respiratory infections and meningitis. Breast milk contains new antibodies whenever the mother is exposed to new infections. Antibodies cannot be added to formula milk
Prevent obesity - Recent studies show that breastfeeding might help prevent childhood and adult obesity. According to the National Women's Health Information Center (part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), babies who are breastfed tend to gain less unnecessary weight, which may help them be less overweight later
Higher IQ - Also recent studies suggest that children who were exclusively breastfed for 6 months have IQs 5 to 10 points higher than children who were formula fed.
Reduces cancer risk - In addition, studies show that breastfeeding helps lower the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer and also may help decrease the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer
Natural weight loss - A nursing mother will need extra 500 calories per day to produce breast milk but breastfeeding also burns calories and helps shrink the uterus, so nursing mothers are able to return to their pre-pregnancy shape and weight quicker. Eating a wide variety of well-balanced foods introduces breastfed babies to different tastes through the breast milk which will have different flavors depending on what their mothers have eaten.
Breast feeding is nature's way of providing food for the newborn. For some mothers it is so easy whereas for some it is a struggle. In Malaysia, the struggle is more pronounced amongst the Chinese especially those who are in the higher professional group. Most often the complaint is 'not enough milk'. Some even blame it on breast sizes, which is utter rubbish because the Chinese women's physique has not changed that much over the decades. If our female ancestors can breast feed successfully, why can't modern Chinese mothers do so? I personally think that it is because we have too many choices and most of us want to take the easy way out instead of trying a bit harder to succeed. Remember that once your baby is suckling properly you will truly enjoy the experience and the wonderful feeling that you are nourishing your baby yourself.
How to succeed?
1. Make up your mind that you definitely want to breast feed 2. Do not feel pressurized into breastfeeding if mentally you do not want to do so as you will never succeed and you will see yourself as a 'failure' 3. Do not say that you will try as it definitely will not work 4. Keep telling yourself that you will succeed and be positive about it 5. Make sure your husband will support you 100% 6. Learn to ignore negative remarks and pressures to bottle feed 7. Remember the benefits of breastfeeding for you and your baby outweighs all the negative remarks 8. If you need to hire a confinement lady, make sure that she is pro breast feeding and can give you a lot of support during the early days 9. Try and register with a local breast feeding group as they can give you the support and encouragement needed to establish and continue breastfeeding
Preparations
Apart from preparing yourself mentally, you need to prepare your nipples by toughening them. Once a day when you are bathing, gently pull the nipples forward and roll them between your thumb and forefinger for a couple of minutes. When you are drying yourself give the nipples a slightly vigorous rub with the towel to strengthen them for when your baby starts sucking. Apply a little cream on them to get them supple. Do not stimulate the areola which is the area just behind the nipple as this could stimulate the production of oxytocin leading to premature labour.
Getting started
The baby should be put to the breast immediately after birth in the labour room itself. Discuss with your attending midwife and doctor about this. As a midwife myself, I get very irritated when a lady comes in with a list of demands even though I am normally very pro mothers' request. My advice is to use a soft approach and you will find your birth attendants will bend over backwards to fulfill your request.
Most babies will start rooting for the breast as soon as they are placed on the mother's chest once the umbilical cord is cut. Make sure that your baby is dried properly before being placed naked on your chest and covered with a dry towel. Your body heat will keep your baby warm so there is no need to wrap baby as this could prevent your baby feeling for you and rooting for your nipple. If your baby is a little sleepy because of drugs given to you during labour, do not worry, just wait for the effects to wear off and baby will be able to suckle.
The key to success is making sure that the baby is LATCHED ON PROPERLY.
This will: 1. Prevent sore nipples 2. Enable baby to suckle properly and get the milk 3. Stimulate the 'let down' process
The first step to a proper latch on is getting baby to open his mouth WIDE! Brush baby's lower lips with your nipple to encourage him to open his mouth.
Once baby's mouth is open wide, quickly pull him onto the breast by pulling the baby toward you with the arm that is holding him. Make sure you move the baby towards you, and not move yourself towards the baby
The baby's gums should completely bypass the nipple and cover approximately one inch of the areola behind the nipple. Make sure the baby's lips are everted. Some baby's will tighten or purse their lips, especially the lower one. If the lower lip is inverted (turned in), gently press down on baby's chin to evert the inwardly turned lip.
Remember to make sure that you are sitting comfortably before you start and that baby is correctly positioned by using pillows to raise him to the level of your breasts. There are several "nursing" pillows on the market that help raise baby to a comfortable height and position. If you are not comfortable and relaxed, your milk will not flow properly. Your baby will feel your tension and start to 'fight' with you or start crying which will increase your tension.
If your baby is latched on and sucking correctly, you should not feel any pain. Sometimes the baby's initial suck may cause a slight stinging pain which quickly subsides as baby continues sucking. If the pain continues or your baby is not sucking correctly, stop and start over again. Break the suction by putting your finger in the side of the baby's mouth between the gums. DO NOT let the baby continue to feed incorrectly, as you can develop painful and damaged nipples, and baby will not be able to get enough milk
Causes of sore nipples
1. Baby is not positioned and latched properly 2. Baby is not suckling properly 3. Both the above causes combined together 4. Fungal infection due to Candida albicans. The pain goes on throughout the feed and may continue even after feeding. This infection may also cause cracked nipples. You need to consult a doctor who will prescribe a fungal cream to apply.
Nipple shields are not recommended for sore nipples, because, although they may help temporarily, they usually do not. They may also cut down the milk supply dramatically, and the baby may become fussy and not gain weight well. Once the baby is used to them, it may be impossible to get the baby back onto the breast. In fact, many women who have tried nipple shields find that they do not help with soreness. Use as a last resort only,
Breast shields may be useful to protect your nipples rubbing on your clothes when you are not feeding and it also collects the milk drips so you do not have to go around with 2 wet patches on your clothes.
Remember to keep telling yourself and your baby that you will succeed and be patient as it may take a couple of days to get started properly.
From the first moment the infant is applied to the breast, it must be nursed upon a certain plan. This is necessary to the well-doing of the child, and will contribute essentially to preserve the health of the parent, who will thus be rendered a good nurse, and her duty at the same time will become a pleasure.
This implies, however, a careful attention on the part of the mother to her own health; for that of her child is essentially dependent upon it. Healthy, nourishing, and digestible milk can be procured only from a healthy parent; and it is against common sense to expect that, if a mother impairs her health and digestion by improper diet, neglect of exercise, and impure air, she can, nevertheless, provide as wholesome and uncontaminated a fluid for her child, as if she were diligently attentive to these important points. Every instance of indisposition in the nurse is liable to affect the infant.
And this leads me to observe, that it is a common mistake to suppose that, because a woman is nursing, she ought therefore to live very fully, and to add an allowance of wine, porter, or other fermented liquor, to her usual diet. The only result of this plan is, to cause an unnatural degree of fulness in the system, which places the nurse on the brink of disease, and which of itself frequently puts a stop to the secretion of the milk, instead of increasing it.
The right plan of proceeding is plain enough; only let attention be paid to the ordinary laws of health, and the mother, if she have a sound constitution, will make a better nurse than by any foolish deviation founded on ignorance and caprice.
The following case proves the correctness of this statement:
A young lady, confined with her first child, left the lying-in room at the expiration of the third week, a good nurse, and in perfect health. She had had some slight trouble with her nipples, but this was soon overcome.
The porter system was now commenced, and from a pint to a pint and a half of this beverage was taken in the four and twenty hours. This was resorted to, not because there was any deficiency in the supply of milk, for it was ample, and the infant thriving upon it; but because, having become a nurse, she was told that it was usual and necessary, and that without it her milk and strength would ere long fail.
After this plan had been followed for a few days, the mother became drowsy and disposed to sleep in the daytime; and headach, thirst, a hot skin, in fact, fever supervened; the milk diminished in quantity, and, for the first time, the stomach and bowels of the infant became disordered. The porter was ordered to be left off; remedial measures were prescribed; and all symptoms, both in parent and child, were after a while removed, and health restored.
Having been accustomed, prior to becoming a mother, to take a glass or two of wine, and occasionally a tumbler of table beer, she was advised to follow precisely her former dietetic plan, but with the addition of half a pint of barley-milk morning and night. Both parent and child continued in excellent health during the remaining period of suckling, and the latter did not taste artificial food until the ninth month, the parent's milk being all-sufficient for its wants.
No one can doubt that the porter was in this case the source of the mischief. The patient had gone into the lying-in-room in full health, had had a good time, and came out from her chamber (comparatively) as strong as she entered it. Her constitution had not been previously worn down by repeated child-bearing and nursing, she had an ample supply of milk, and was fully capable, therefore, of performing the duties which now devolved upon her, without resorting to any unusual stimulant or support.
Her previous habits were totally at variance with the plan which was adopted; her system became too full, disease was produced, and the result experienced was nothing more than what might be expected.
The plan to be followed for the first six months. Until the breast- milk is fully established, which may not be until the second or third day subsequent to delivery (almost invariably so in a first confinement), the infant must be fed upon a little thin gruel, or upon one third water and two thirds milk, sweetened with loaf sugar.
After this time it must obtain its nourishment from the breast alone, and for a week or ten days the appetite of the infant must be the mother's guide, as to the frequency in offering the breast. The stomach at birth is feeble, and as yet unaccustomed to food; its wants, therefore, are easily satisfied, but they are frequently renewed. An interval, however, sufficient for digesting the little swallowed, is obtained before the appetite again revives, and a fresh supply is demanded.
At the expiration of a week or so it is essentially necessary, and with some children this may be done with safety from the first day of suckling, to nurse the infant at regular intervals of three or four hours, day and night. This allows sufficient time for each meal to be digested, and tends to keep the bowels of the child in order. Such regularity, moreover, will do much to obviate fretfulness, and that constant cry, which seems as if it could be allayed only by constantly putting the child to the breast.
A young mother very frequently runs into a serious error in this particular, considering every expression of uneasiness as an indication of appetite, and whenever the infant cries offering it the breast, although ten minutes may not have elapsed since its last meal. This is an injurious and even dangerous practice, for, by overloading the stomach, the food remains undigested, the child's bowels are always out of order, it soon becomes restless and feverish, and is, perhaps, eventually lost; when, by simply attending to the above rules of nursing, the infant might have become healthy and vigorous.
For the same reason, the infant that sleeps with its parent must not be allowed to have the nipple remaining in its mouth all night. If nursed as suggested, it will be found to awaken, as the hour for its meal approaches, with great regularity. In reference to night-nursing, I would suggest suckling the babe as late as ten o'clock p. m., and not putting it to the breast again until five o'clock the next morning.
Many mothers have adopted this hint, with great advantage to their own health, and without the slightest detriment to that of the child. With the latter it soon becomes a habit; to induce it, however, it must be taught early.
The foregoing plan, and without variation, must be pursued to the sixth month.
After the sixth month to the time of weaning, if the parent has a large supply of good and nourishing milk, and her child is healthy and evidently flourishing upon it, no change in its diet ought to be made. If otherwise, however, (and this will but too frequently be the case, even before the sixth month) the child may be fed twice in the course of the day, and that kind of food chosen which, after a little trial, is found to agree best.
Both Cecilia Koh & Neil Parnham are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Cecilia Koh has sinced written about articles on various topics from Family, Breastfeeding and Parenting. Cecilia Koh is a British trained nurse/midwife with over 30 years working experience. If you want to know more baby care topics go to