Breastfeeding

Baby and breast are the perfect feeding team!

For the best nutrition, breastmilk is the best food to feed a baby. It is made specifically to meet the nutritional needs of babies. Human breastmilk changes as the baby grows to offer the best nutrients for the baby. It has over 1000 components - many of these have not been duplicated in infant formula.

Over the past 25 years, research has continued to show that breastmilk is better than infant formula. In fact, more studies are released each year showing that there are health risks to the baby and the mother when they do not breastfeed.

Infant formula should be seen as a `safety net` for babies who cannot breastfeed and not as an equal replacement.

Many common illnesses, such as colds, flu, skin infections or diarrhea, cannot be passed through breast milk. In fact, if a mother has an illness, her breast milk will contain antibodies to it that will help protect her baby from those same illnesses.

Baby and Breast- A Perfect Feeding Team

Knowing what to expect and how to deal with setbacks in breastfeeding can help ease the adjustment that you and your newborn will go through as you take on breastfeeding. Nursing comes naturally but it does take a while for the mom and baby to get in sync with one another.

How to breastfeed:

Get into a comfortable position. Whatever position is comfortable for you and for the baby is a good position to use.

Position your baby facing your nipple.

Support your breast with your free hand. Keep your fingers off your areola, which the baby needs to grasp.

Gently tickle the baby's lips with your nipple until the mouth is opened wide. Then, move your breast closer.

Don't stuff the nipple into an unwilling mouth. Let the baby take the initiative.

Make sure the baby latches on to the nipple and areola. Sucking on just the nipple will not compress the milk glands. It will also cause soreness and cracking.

If your breast is blocking your baby's nose, lightly depress the breast with your finger. Be careful not to loosen your baby's grasp of the areola.

If the baby has a strong steady rhythmic motion that is visible in the cheek, then most likely the baby is attached and sucking well.

When finished or repositioning the breast, don't yank your breast out of the baby's mouth. This will cause injury to the nipple.

Don't be tempted to skip or skimp on feedings because of pain. The less the baby eats, the worse the pain will be.

Brochure downloads:

Ten Steps to Support Parents` Choice to Breastfeed Their Baby (pdf)
101 reasons to Breastfeed Your Child (pdf)

Breastfeeding Basics

* Start as soon as possible after birth
* Be patient and calm
* Don't try to feed a screaming baby
* Ask for help when you need it

Breastfeeding is a learned skill that becomes easier over time. You are more likely to succeed with long-term breastfeeding by having a plan, becoming familiar with basic techniques, learning how to handle minor physical problems and getting help quickly when you need it.

How the Baby is Preparing for Breastfeeding

Before they are born, babies begin learning important skills that will help them breastfeed. Teaching mothers about these skills can increase their confidence in the baby`s ability to nurse at birth.

By the time a mother is 11 weeks (almost 3 months) pregnant, her baby has learned to swallow. Babies swallow amniotic fluid in the uterus.
By the time a mother is 24 weeks (6 months) pregnant, her baby has learned to suck. Babies spend a lot of time with their hands close to their mouth before birth. Babies are often seen sucking on their thumb, fingers or hands during an ultrasound exam.
By the time a mother is 32 weeks (8 months) pregnant, her baby has learned to root for the breast. The baby will turn its head if touched on the cheek and open its mouth if the bottom lip is tickled. By this time the baby can also suck and swallow in a coordinated way.
By the time a mother is 37 weeks (9 months) pregnant, her baby has learned to coordinate sucking, swallowing and breathing so it can do all three when breastfeeding after birth. Babies practice shallow breathing before birth using amniotic fluid.

Breastfeeding Tips

Breastfeed your baby on demand rather than setting a strict schedule, especially in the first few months.
Taking care of yourself will also help you to establish your milk supply. Eat right and get rest when you are able.
Avoid bottle-feeding your baby breast milk until breastfeeding and milk supply are well-established, which is usually about 4 to 6 weeks. This helps build your milk supply. Not using bottles also helps prevent your baby from developing nipple confusion, which is a preference for an artificial nipple over the breast.
Look for signs that your baby is getting enough milk, such as eagerness to eat and feeding sessions that last at least 15 to 25 minutes. By 6 days of age, your baby should need about 6 to 8 diaper changes, settle well after feeding and usually awaken on his or her own to feed every 1 to 3 hours. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.
Help clear blocked milk ducts by using warm compresses and massaging your breasts before and during feedings. Also, breastfeed more frequently and in different positions. Offer your baby the affected breast first at each feeding.
You can help relieve the pain from sore or cracked nipples with drops of expressed breast milk or lanolin creams.

The color of your breastmilk

The first milk is called `colostrum.' Colostrum is a clear, yellowish fluid. It is rich in protein, nutrients and antibodies, which protect the baby from infection. By starting to nurse the baby right after birth, the baby will benefit from the colostrum and the `mature milk` will come in sooner. Colostrum changes to `mature milk` sometime in the first 1 to 7 days.

`Mature` breastmilk may look blue in color. The milk that comes out first during a feeding (foremilk) is thinner and watery. The milk toward the end of a feeding (hindmilk) looks thicker. It is richer and higher in fat. If a woman pumps her milk, the fat (or `cream`) will separate easily and rise to the top.

Comments: Breastfeeding

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gladek - 33 days ago.
As for breastpumps, I invested in the Medela Pump in Style. On some websites, you can get it for only $50 more than the lanisnoh or others, yet it comes with many accessories, and is built into a very convenient travel bag. Also, extra parts are readily available cheaply at Target and online. Its a work horse. I also have the Medela Freestyle. It was more expensive, but as we travel alot, it have been a life saver. Its easy to bring on planes, in suitcases, etc. Its also rechargable, which is nice! If you can swing it, and have to work, and are going to bf for the long haul, if you can have two pumps (one to keep at work, one to have a home if you need it) its a big help. All you have to haul back and forth every day would be a cooler and your pump parts.

gladek - 33 days ago.
As for the walking and nursing, I didn't really master that until about two months, but I can still do it now at eleven months if he is tired enough :-) It takes both hands these days, though, and is tough!

gladek - 33 days ago.
nikkiandfred-the feeling in your stomach is most likely gas bubbles! I have had that happen to me, and it freaked me out at first, until I realized what it was :-)

nikkiandfred - 33 days ago.
hey everyone. this is weird i know but, i gave birth 2 months ago and me and my husband have had sex a couple times since. i haven't had my period yet but i'm feeling like small kicking sometimes in my stomach. does that sound weird? also i saw some kind of discharge a week ago or so. i know this completly weird but has anyone else gone through this?

jeniwalker - 33 days ago.
I love my Medela Swing pump. Its perfect for me as a stay at home mom, who only needs to pump every so often. plus it runs on batteries too, so it came in handy for the roadtrip I was on while my daughter was sleeping I could pump. its great because it has that 2 phase expression thing that mimics letdown so you can pump quite a bit.

esyogurl - 33 days ago.
I agree with 1byfaith, BUT if you are on a budget, try the lansinoh double electric pump which is the exact replica of the Ameda PY, just marketed under a different name Talking about 18 and counting being a pro at bf'ing...I had to laugh because she has had PLENTY of practice!!!

1Byfaith - 33 days ago.
dlbailey-I have an Ameda Purely Yours double electric pump and I LOVE IT!!! After doing research, I learned that this pump received the highest ratings and reviews of all the electric pumps on the market. The pump that I had with our last son was an Evenflow and it SUCKED!!! My coworker had the same pump too and hated it. Checkout www.breastpumpsdirec.com and you can compare breastpumps and see the reviews from moms that used them. As far as bottles I am using Avent and platex nursers with no problems going back and forth from bottle to breast.

dlbailey - 33 days ago.
Curious what breast pumps brands you ladies are finding you like/dislike? Also, any preference in bottle brands that aren't interfering in BF?

PGFirstTimer - 33 days ago.
I love your wording, Bri. 'they'll hang out in the sling and hold the boob themselves' That one of my (many) favourite things about BFing, when she uses her hands to cup my boob and hang on. So sweet.

Bri - 33 days ago.
Slings are great for breastfeeding on the go. HAHA! Because they are adjustable you can position them to where they need to go. It cuddles baby and they are able to feed plus those who need to keep their modesty it allows for that. It's a bit difficult when they are really young because many babies need help staying latched but as they get older they'll hang out in the sling and hold the boob themselves.

clange - 33 days ago.
Have you seen that pillow thing that straps around your waist for the baby to lay on while you bf? I don't have one but, the mom on 18kids and counting uses one. She does everything will bfing..She is for sure a pro at bfing.

MiamiMom2b - 33 days ago.
I can BF while walking lol my LO only weighs about 12 pounds. I did it in Disney World this weekend for the first time. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be!

esyogurl - 33 days ago.
Ellasmommy- I can only do it if she is on the L breast. I hold her in cradle position with my L hand supporting her bottom. Im beginning to think I will only be able to do it for a couple more weeks because she is so long :)

SydneeMay2009 - 33 days ago.
ellasmommy-Hahaha-yeah I wonder too. I read this little story form a BF mom the other day who said she BF while grocery shopping!? Not just in the store, but actually pushing a cart around! She must be a lot more coordinated than me!

lilli1317 - 33 days ago.
You must have to have a really light baby to do that. I would have dislocated my shoulder and lost a boob if I tried that with my chunker.

EllasMommy23 - 33 days ago.
How do you laides bf and walk??

lilli1317 - 33 days ago.
As for weaning from a bottle... We stopped the bottle at almost exactly a year old, after he was decent with the sippy cup. When he had to use only the sippy cup he very quickly became a pro at it. We stopped the bottle young enough so he never even missed it. I waited until I knew he was ok with no bottle before I weaned from the breast. Didnt want to do too many transitions at once. I think we were both on the same page when it came to weaning because he never looked back. He never once cried to nurse after we stopped. I think we had a long enough transition though. He cut out most feedings himself and the only time we nursed was in the morning (I pumped the rest of the day). I just replaced that session with rocking and singing and he could care less!

bellajenna - 34 days ago.
i use to live in naples fl, now i live in ohio but i have never seen anyone else but me BF crazy right.

Bri - 34 days ago.
MiamiMom2b - That's wonderful! Keep it up. Here in Seattle you'll find moms breastfeeding at every bench practically. HAHA! I let my son self wean. He did at 21months which I was happy about since I was/ still am pregnant with my next. I only have a couple months left and I'll be right back at it again. Exposure is the best way for people to learn that breastfeeding is natural and how a baby should be fed. I'm glad your friends are now considering it. Great story!mandabelle22 - What about a sippy. My son went to school so he had a bottle while I was away. But, he started refusing it around 7months. We found that he would only take the breast or his cup. At 10 months your baby doesn't need a bottle if she can drink from a cup. Keep at the breast but while you are having meals give her her cup to drink from. It actually makes weaning later on easier if they are a pro at a cup. No need for the actual bottle.

mandabelle22 - 34 days ago.
Just thought I would pop in here and let all of the new mothers know that if you plan on bottle feeding at all later on.. whether that be w/ formula or your own milk. Get your baby used to it early and keep giving them that bottle. Atleast once a day or whatever. My daughter is almost 10 months now and hasn't had a bottle since she was just a few weeks old. She won't take it for anything. We didn't stick with it. She's All boob! And, baby food. Just saying, it's good to have that option if you so choose! I haven't went out or done anything since before I was pregnant. I love her beyond words, but having the bottle option would have been nice. :)

MiamiMom2b - 34 days ago.
Jessica Austen - I did not see one person BF in Disney World - actually can you believe this MY LO IS 11 WEEKS AND I STILL HAVEN'T SEEN ANYONE BF IN PUBLIC BESIDES MYSELF ;( I live in Miami and everyone here is all about their image and they do not sacrifice much. Most have nannies that wake up with the baby at night even. I also consider myself a pretty young mom - I am 24 and none of my friends have children and if they do they did not BF. So i am pretty alone however that would never stop me! I LOVE bf! My girlfriends have watched me BF so often they are all now saying they will BF their own children. I hope so!

phatbaby57 - 34 days ago.
At the same time I've also seen babies walking around with juice in the bottle dangling from their teeth. Which by the way kills me.

angelag3girls - 34 days ago.
phatbaby careful with that question LOL Some are weaning from a bottle as early as 6 months these days and just putting formula in a sippy cup. I would hope that most are still waiting the year but I have heard more and more weaning earlier and earlier.

phatbaby57 - 34 days ago.
I'm 4.5 months pp and no period yet. I hope it stays away for a long time. As far as extended bfing I plan on asking when they weaned from a bottle. I figure that should queit a few up anyways.

angelag3girls - 34 days ago.
Gladek- I have been weaning off of domperidone myself and I take one pill in the am and one in the evening. I have read that you should decrease one every week or 2 until you see a change and if it is too drastic then to add one tab. back and take it alittle slower. With the pumping at work I would just start deducting minutes of the time you pump each week. Like you said you have been pumping for 10 min. try going down to 7 min. and then the next week maybe keep one at 7 and drop the second one to 5 for a few day and see if you can drop the other to 5 min. as well. If by chance you feel a clogged duct coming just go home, put a hot compress on it and pump until you feel fully empty.