Getting Started With Breastfeeding
If your baby has trouble finding or staying on your nipple, you shouldn't panic. Breast feeding is an art that will require a lot of patience and a lot of practice. No one expects you to be an expert when you first start, so you shouldn't hesitate to ask for advice or have a nurse show you what you need to do. Once you start, keep in mind that nursing shouldn't be painful. When your baby latches on, pay attention to how your breasts feel. If the latching on hurts, break the suction then try again. You should nurse quite frequently, as the more you nurse the more quickly your mature milk will come in and the more milk you'll produce. Breastfeeding for 10 - 15 minutes per breast 8 - 10 times every 24 hours is an ideal target. Crying is a sign of hunger, which means you should actually feed your baby before he starts crying. During the first few days, you may have to wake your baby to begin breast feeding, and he may end up falling asleep during feeding. To ensure that your baby is eating often enough, you should wake him up if it has been four hours since the last time he has been fed. Feedings can take 40 minutes or longer, so you'll want to find a cozy spot. You don't want to be sitting somewhere where you will be bothered, as it can make the process very hard.
By stroking the baby's cheek with the nipple, the baby will open its mouth towards the nipple, which should then be pushed in so that the baby will get a mouthful of nipple and areola. This position is known as latching on. A lot of women prefer to wear a nursing bra to allow easier access to the breast than other normal bras. The length of feeding time will vary. Regardless of the duration of feeding time, it's important for mothers to be comfortable. The following are positions you can use: 1. Upright - The sitting position
where the back is straight. Anytime you don't feel comfortable with a feeding position, always stop and switch to a different position. Each position is different, while some mothers prefer one position, other's may like a totally different position. All you need to do is experiment and see which position is best for you. You should always hold your baby in a position that won't leave your arms or back sore. It works the best to support the back of your baby's head with your hand, although which position you choose depends on what's more comfortable to you. When supporting your baby, a nursing pillow can sometimes be a big help. You should never feed until both you and your baby are comfortable. Pay attention to how your breasts feel when your baby latches on, as his mouth should cover most of the areola below the nipple, and the nipple should be far back into your baby's mouth. While some women adjust to breast feeding easily, other moms find it hard to learn. If you feel discouraged, always know that you aren't the only one. Everyone feels different when starting, it all depends on the mother and the situation. Breast feeding will take practice. Therefore, you should give yourself as much time as you need to get it down to second nature. Always take it one feeding at a time. If you are having a bad day, tell yourself that it'll get better. Keep in mind that any problems are temporary, as you'll be nursing like a pro by your six week postpartum checkup. The first six weeks will be both an adventure and training. You can't expect to know everything when you begin, which is where training and practice will really help you excel. The more you breast feed, the more you'll learn. You'll also build a bond with your baby - which is something you'll always have for the rest of your lives. The nutritional requirements for the baby will rely soley on the breast milk, and therefore the mother will need to maintain a healthy diet. If the baby is large and grows fast, the fat stores gained by the mother during pregnancy can be depleted quickly, meaning that she may have trouble eating good enough to maintain and develop sufficient amounts of milk. This type of diet normally involves a high calorie, high nutrition diet which follows on from that in pregnancy. Even though mothers in famine conditions can produce milk with nutritional content, a mother that is malnourished may produce milk with lacking levels of vitamins A, D, B6, and B12.
Heavy drinking is also known to harm the imfant, as well as yourself. If you are breast feeding, you should avoid alcohol or consume very small amounts at a time. The excessive consumption of alcohol by the mother can result in irritability, sleeplessness, and increased feeding in the infant. Moderate use, normally 1 - 2 cups a day normally produces no effect. Therefore, mothers that are breast feeding are advised to avoid caffeine or restrict intake of it. By following a healthy diet and limiting your intake of the above, you'll ensure that your baby gets the right nutrients during your time of breast feeding. This stage of life is very important - as you don't want anything to happen to your baby. Many women find that they can eat pretty much whatever they like during breast feeding. Even though it's true that some stongly favored foods can change the taste of your milk, many babies seem to enjoy the varieties of breast milk flavors. Occasionally, your baby may get cranky at the breast after you eat certain foods. If you notice this happening, simply avoid that particular food. The most common offenders duing breast feeding include chocolate, spices, citrus fruits, garlic, chili, lime, gassy vegetables, and fruits with laxative type effects, such as prunes and cherries. You can have a cup or two of coffee a day, although too much caffeine can interfere with your baby's sleep and even make him or her cranky. Keep in mind, caffeine is found in many soda's, tea, and even over the counter type medicine as well. It's okay to have an alcoholic beverage every now and then, although having more than one drink can increase your blood alcohol level, putting the alcohol into your breast milk. If you are planning to have more than one drink at a time, it's best to wait two hours or more per drink before you resume any type of nursing or breast feeding. There is no need to pump and dump unless your breasts are full and its time to feed your baby. While breast feeding, any type of heavy drinking should be avoided. Before you actually omit any foods from your diet, you should talk to your doctor. If you avoid certain foods and it causes a nutritional imbalance, you may need to see a nutritionist for advice on taking other foods or getting nutritional supplements. Breast milk is actually the only food your baby will need until 4 months of age, although most babies do well on breast milk alone for 6 months or better. There is really no advantage to adding other foods or milks before 4 - 6 months, except under unusual circumstances. Water Breast milk is over 90% water. Even in the hottest days of summer, a baby won't require any extra water. If a baby isn't feeding well, they still don't require any extra water -although they will need the breast feeding problems to be fixed. Vitamin D Although breast milk doesn't contain much vitamin D, it does have a little. The baby will store up vitamin D during pregnancy, and remain healthy without any vitamin D supplementation, unless you yourself had a problem with vitamin D deficiency when pregnant. Exposure to the outside will give your baby vitamin D, even in winter and when the sky is covered. An hour or more exposure during the week will give your baby more than enough vitamin D. Iron Breast milk contains less iron than formulas do, especially those that are iron enriched. Iron will give the baby added protection against infections, as many bacteria need iron in order to multiply. The iron found in breast milk is utilized well by the baby, while not being available to bacteria. The introduction of iron should never be delayed beyond the age of 6 months. Breast milk is the best thing that you can feed your baby, as it provides everything he will need for probably the first 6 months. After the first 6 months, you can introduce solid foods to your baby if he or she is taking an interest to them. More Articles Related To Breastfeeding:Weaning A Baby From Breastfeeding blog comments powered by Disqus |
When you hold your baby for
the first time in the delivery room, you should put his
lips to your breast. Although your mature milk hasn't
developed yet, your breasts are still producing a
substance known as colostrum that helps to protect your
baby from infections.
For
some people, the process of breast feeding seems to come
natural, although there's a level of skill required
for successful feeding and a correct technique to
use. Incorrect positioning is one of the biggest
reasons for unsuccessful feeding and it can even injure
the nipple or breast quite easily.
If they smoke, breast feeding
mothers must use extreme caution. More than 20
cigarettes a day has been shown to reduce the milk supply
and cause vomiting, diarrhoea, rapid heart rate, and
restlessness in the infants. SIDS (Sudden Infant
Death Syndrome) is more common in babies that are exposed
to smoke.
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