Did you know that August 1-7 was World Breastfeeding Week? Well, I knew there was such a week but I didn't realize it was this week. I am proud that Aaron and I continued for 2 years and 7 months and I sincerely hope that new mothers out there will seek out support for starting and maintaining a breastfeeding relationship. Its not always easy. I can go on and on about nursing to anyone who will listen, but, I won't.
Instead, here are 13 Simple Reasons To Nurse For As Long As Possible
1. Breastmilk naturally changes composition as the baby grows and nutritional needs change. You don't need to do anything, except feed, to ensure the best for your baby.
2. It saves money. No need to be running to the store for formula.
3. It saves time. No need for sterilizing bottles, preparing the formula and then cleaning up afterwards.
4. It saves more money. No need for gym or personal trainer fees because the nursing will help shed the pregnancy weight. For some women at least.
5. It saves more time. No need to make sure that you make up a bottle for baby before going out. No need to wake up in the middle of the night to prepare a feed. Mom is a walking milk bar.
6. It cuts down on one possible factor for constipation in young babies. In fact, it might save you time again since a breastfed baby can go days without taking a poop. Think of the time NOT spent cleaning up that mess.
7. Breastmilk can be used to clear stuffy noses and sticky eyes in babies.
8. Nursing fixes all hurts and soothes instantly. It really was a big help for the tantrums too.
9. Nursing may give a new mother a better night's rest if they co-sleep and feed in bed. Just doze and feed at the same time.
10. Breastmilk boosts a baby's immunity.
11. Some studies have shown that breastmilk contributes to higher IQ scores in the child.
12. Nursing minimizes the risk of childhood obesity.
13. OK. Here is my favourite. For those that lose weight with the nursing, you can now eat whatever you want. Guilt free! Imagine eating anything and everything without worrying about when you'll need to work off those calories.
Showing posts with label breastfeeding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breastfeeding. Show all posts
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Its Official - We're Closing This Chapter
After nursing for two years and seven months, we have finally weaned. I expected Aaron to put up a big fight to keep the last feed he had. But, it all ended peacefully. I knew he would never have gone along with me explaining why it was time to stop so I opted to use some strategically dabbed echinacea. He said "Thats not nice! Something is wrong." and accepted my explanation that its what happens when milk runs out.
I am glad that I persevered through the misery of the early weeks. And now, I'm proud that I can say Aaron was exclusively breastfed for the first six months. He also never touched a drop of formula milk until he was nearly two years old when I gave him a bit in the morning. He never liked the taste of it. Now, he just drinks regular milk.
He was a small baby and I received constant comments and advice along the lines of me not being able to provide him with enough nutrition. I ignored it all and now, he has caught up and is comfortably around the 70th percentile for height and weight.
So here are some of the good, the bad and the ugly of breastfeeding:
Good
- Obviously, it is the most nutritious and the ideal baby food.
- I estimate that I have avoided spending approximately USD2800 in formula. I don't even know how to estimate the cost of bottles, teats, sterilizing tablet etc
- Fuss free take offs and landings on around twenty plane trips.
- I could put him to sleep anywhere.
- When I accepted Aaron's wakefulness, I nursed him 4-5 times a night without getting out of bed and without fully waking up.
- Tantrums could be put under control within seconds.
- SUPER metabolic rate. I could eat LOTS of ANYTHING and not gain any weight.
Bad
- I was the only person that could put him to sleep.
Ugly
- Blood blisters
- Nursing bras
When you're a first time mother, it is sometimes hard to maintain the "exclusive breastfeeding" and "extended breastfeeding" because of the pain, perceived inconvenience and frequent advice from health professionals/friends/family to supplement.
My advice is to have confidence in yourself.
I am glad that I persevered through the misery of the early weeks. And now, I'm proud that I can say Aaron was exclusively breastfed for the first six months. He also never touched a drop of formula milk until he was nearly two years old when I gave him a bit in the morning. He never liked the taste of it. Now, he just drinks regular milk.
He was a small baby and I received constant comments and advice along the lines of me not being able to provide him with enough nutrition. I ignored it all and now, he has caught up and is comfortably around the 70th percentile for height and weight.
So here are some of the good, the bad and the ugly of breastfeeding:
Good
- Obviously, it is the most nutritious and the ideal baby food.
- I estimate that I have avoided spending approximately USD2800 in formula. I don't even know how to estimate the cost of bottles, teats, sterilizing tablet etc
- Fuss free take offs and landings on around twenty plane trips.
- I could put him to sleep anywhere.
- When I accepted Aaron's wakefulness, I nursed him 4-5 times a night without getting out of bed and without fully waking up.
- Tantrums could be put under control within seconds.
- SUPER metabolic rate. I could eat LOTS of ANYTHING and not gain any weight.
Bad
- I was the only person that could put him to sleep.
Ugly
- Blood blisters
- Nursing bras
When you're a first time mother, it is sometimes hard to maintain the "exclusive breastfeeding" and "extended breastfeeding" because of the pain, perceived inconvenience and frequent advice from health professionals/friends/family to supplement.
My advice is to have confidence in yourself.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
(Breast)feeding Carnival
Sarcastic Mom is having a (Breast)feeding Carnival today and as you may (or may not) know, I am extremely passionate about this topic. Copying a style that Serina Hope has used very effectively and that I always enjoy reading, I'll interview myself. I didn't really want to recount the whole long story of our breastfeeding journey so I've only got a few points.
What made you want to breastfeed?
The simplest answer is because I believed all the literature out there about how this is best for mother and baby. Prior to having Aaron, I had never even seen or heard of anybody I know breastfeeding. I never heard anybody talk about it, good or otherwise. During the pregnancy, I just made notes on all the things that I had to do to ensure a healthy baby. Breastfeeding was just one of many things on the list. I didn't even give it a second thought until my nipples were cracked, blistered and bleeding.
Why did you persist?
Now here's a silly answer: Because I said I would. I was in tears much of the time and dreaded each feed. Then of course, doubts formed in my own mind and also in the minds of those around me. But the overwhelming need not to be proven wrong about this kept me going. Yes, it may have been the 'wrong' reason at that time but it kept me going and I'm grateful for my pride.
So you've been nursing for 19 months now, how long do you plan to go on for?
I have no definite answer for this. It is really a two way relationship that forms between mother and baby. I believe that we'll need to make the decision together. It still works for us now and I'm sure weaning will happen when we're both ready.
Are there any perks? Apart from the nutritional value.
The two that immediately spring to mind: 1)Weight loss while seated. 2) No periods for ages.
What advice to you have for new moms?
1) Believe that you can do it. Question any advice/information that hints that you are not capable of breastfeeding.
2) Stick it out, it is worth it.
3) Reward yourself frequently for the good job you're doing.
4) Join any breastfeeding groups in your neighborhood or online. Support is critical for success.
What made you want to breastfeed?
The simplest answer is because I believed all the literature out there about how this is best for mother and baby. Prior to having Aaron, I had never even seen or heard of anybody I know breastfeeding. I never heard anybody talk about it, good or otherwise. During the pregnancy, I just made notes on all the things that I had to do to ensure a healthy baby. Breastfeeding was just one of many things on the list. I didn't even give it a second thought until my nipples were cracked, blistered and bleeding.
Why did you persist?
Now here's a silly answer: Because I said I would. I was in tears much of the time and dreaded each feed. Then of course, doubts formed in my own mind and also in the minds of those around me. But the overwhelming need not to be proven wrong about this kept me going. Yes, it may have been the 'wrong' reason at that time but it kept me going and I'm grateful for my pride.
So you've been nursing for 19 months now, how long do you plan to go on for?
I have no definite answer for this. It is really a two way relationship that forms between mother and baby. I believe that we'll need to make the decision together. It still works for us now and I'm sure weaning will happen when we're both ready.
Are there any perks? Apart from the nutritional value.
The two that immediately spring to mind: 1)Weight loss while seated. 2) No periods for ages.
What advice to you have for new moms?
1) Believe that you can do it. Question any advice/information that hints that you are not capable of breastfeeding.
2) Stick it out, it is worth it.
3) Reward yourself frequently for the good job you're doing.
4) Join any breastfeeding groups in your neighborhood or online. Support is critical for success.
Monday, March 10, 2008
March 11 - Breastfeeding Carnival at Sarcastic Mom
Today was my first time on Sarcastic Mom's blog and this button caught my eye.
I'll be participating and am putting this cute button up for any other mothers (OR FATHERS) who would like to share breastfeeding stories. And, I do think that many dads out there would have stories to share from their perspective. Just click here to find out more.
p/s I've forgotten how to make buttons clickable so please use the click here. And, could somebody out there please tell me again how to hyperlink buttons?
I'll be participating and am putting this cute button up for any other mothers (OR FATHERS) who would like to share breastfeeding stories. And, I do think that many dads out there would have stories to share from their perspective. Just click here to find out more.
p/s I've forgotten how to make buttons clickable so please use the click here. And, could somebody out there please tell me again how to hyperlink buttons?
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Would you want somebody else to breastfeed your baby?
Jean-Luc Picard left a comment on one of my previous posts saying that wet nurses were making a come back. I just googled this out of curiosity and it really is happening. Well, not a major 'come back' but it is happening. I won't summarise the TIME magazine article because it is already written so concisely so check it out here.
The crux is that people are becoming more aware of all the benefits a breastfed baby receives but at the same time, women are joining and staying in the work force more than ever so.....this is the way to have their cake and eat it too.
I think I might be OK to feed another baby if it were to help a family member out. I'd really have second thoughts about doing it for other people. And, I don't think I would want to have Aaron attached to anybody else's body. The relationship that develops between the baby and breastfeeder is incredibly intense and I guess I'm just too selfish to share him with somebody else. There's no way that I could convince myself that the other person was just a vending machine.
The crux is that people are becoming more aware of all the benefits a breastfed baby receives but at the same time, women are joining and staying in the work force more than ever so.....this is the way to have their cake and eat it too.
I think I might be OK to feed another baby if it were to help a family member out. I'd really have second thoughts about doing it for other people. And, I don't think I would want to have Aaron attached to anybody else's body. The relationship that develops between the baby and breastfeeder is incredibly intense and I guess I'm just too selfish to share him with somebody else. There's no way that I could convince myself that the other person was just a vending machine.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Blokes Babies Breastfeeding
As I have blogged before, dads plays a huge role in breastfeeding success. At the ABA workshop, there was a session on this and they highlighted a new DVD (Blokes, Babies, Breastfeeding) with "men only content" to help new dads with the challenges of breastfeeding. It is written and produced by men for men and covers the importance of breastfeeding, tips on supporting the mom and bonding with the new baby. Presented with humour and with just 5 main points for men to remember, supposedly, the only thing missing is a cold beer!
Anyway, there is a preview of the dvd at Blokes, Babies, Breastfeeding. I have nothing to do with the DVD and I'm not getting paid to blog about it here. Just thought it was interesting and there might be some people out there who could benefit from this. Check it out or forward to any new dads/dads-to-be that you know.
Anyway, there is a preview of the dvd at Blokes, Babies, Breastfeeding. I have nothing to do with the DVD and I'm not getting paid to blog about it here. Just thought it was interesting and there might be some people out there who could benefit from this. Check it out or forward to any new dads/dads-to-be that you know.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
The Role of Breastfeeding Dads
No. I don't mean dads that do the actual breastfeeding. I'm talking about the dads of breastfed babies. Few people realise it but breastfeeding is really a team sport. Or at least a doubles game. Staying away from Richard always reminds me of what a big help he is.
Anyhow, here's what a breastfeeding dad can do:
In the early days:
1) Read up on breastfeeding (or even become an expert if you feel like it) so that both the new mom and dad are on the same page. It also helps to have another person 'defend' the new family's ideas on feeding the baby when well meaning people dampen the breastfeeding mood.
2) Go get the baby up and hand him to the new (and probably healing) mother. Saves her walking around.
3) Help to burp the baby and put the baby back to sleep after a feed.
4) Share a drink or snacks with the mom during feeds. Some young babies, like Aaron, can feed for up to 45 mins!
Any time:
4) Provide encouragement and moral support, especially in the middle of the night. Night time support is especially helpful because it means a lot to the the mom when you would give up sleep to help her. Just staying up to chat really helps. Yes, dads probaby have to go to work the next day but so does the mom!
5) Neck and shoulder massages :)
6) Change the baby's diaper during a feed. Tricky but can be done. This avoids fully waking the baby and creating more work by having to put it to sleep again.
So those are my few pointers based on the experience that we had. For further reading on the role of dads, check out this article.
Anyhow, here's what a breastfeeding dad can do:
In the early days:
1) Read up on breastfeeding (or even become an expert if you feel like it) so that both the new mom and dad are on the same page. It also helps to have another person 'defend' the new family's ideas on feeding the baby when well meaning people dampen the breastfeeding mood.
2) Go get the baby up and hand him to the new (and probably healing) mother. Saves her walking around.
3) Help to burp the baby and put the baby back to sleep after a feed.
4) Share a drink or snacks with the mom during feeds. Some young babies, like Aaron, can feed for up to 45 mins!
Any time:
4) Provide encouragement and moral support, especially in the middle of the night. Night time support is especially helpful because it means a lot to the the mom when you would give up sleep to help her. Just staying up to chat really helps. Yes, dads probaby have to go to work the next day but so does the mom!
5) Neck and shoulder massages :)
6) Change the baby's diaper during a feed. Tricky but can be done. This avoids fully waking the baby and creating more work by having to put it to sleep again.
So those are my few pointers based on the experience that we had. For further reading on the role of dads, check out this article.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
My first ABA meeting
ABA stands for the Australian Breastfeeding Association and is the equivalent of La Leche League in other parts of the world. There are local groups, scattered all across Australia, who meet once a fortnight and it has been one of the things that I have been looking forward to.
I have been active on the ABA forums online but today was my first 'live' meeting. The people were definitely friendly and Aaron had a fabulous time socialising! Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The only thing I had on my mind was 'Possum Droppings'.
I think they usually hold the meetings indoors but it was a beautiful day and there were a few too many moms and babies so they moved the meeting to the courtyard. It was great for all the moms with non-mobile babies but what about the those with toddlers and crawlers? Some of the other toddler moms were content to stand over and watch that their babies did not topple over but I was much more worried about the possum droppings. They were everywhere! Didn't the moms see them? The babies were squishing them with their hands, knees and feet. And some of them were chewing the toys that were dragged along the same paths that the possums used. I couldn't understand it but I didn't say anything because the mothers were obviously quite comfortable with it. I spent half the time helping Aaron walk so that he didn't need to have his hands on the ground and the remainder of the time carrying him around. Luckily he did fall asleep for the last 30 mins.
Anyway, here are 5 things that I do remember from the meeting (apart from the possum droppings).
- Breastfeeding for 2 years halves a woman's risk of developing breast cancer.
- It is true that calcium levels are reduced during lactation. However, after weaning, the body will rebuild these levels to higher than what the woman had originally.
- Breastfed babies have higher bone densities.
- Breastfeeding reduces a woman's chances of breaking her hip.
- Breastfed babies generally have a more effective response to childhood immunisations.
I have been active on the ABA forums online but today was my first 'live' meeting. The people were definitely friendly and Aaron had a fabulous time socialising! Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The only thing I had on my mind was 'Possum Droppings'.
I think they usually hold the meetings indoors but it was a beautiful day and there were a few too many moms and babies so they moved the meeting to the courtyard. It was great for all the moms with non-mobile babies but what about the those with toddlers and crawlers? Some of the other toddler moms were content to stand over and watch that their babies did not topple over but I was much more worried about the possum droppings. They were everywhere! Didn't the moms see them? The babies were squishing them with their hands, knees and feet. And some of them were chewing the toys that were dragged along the same paths that the possums used. I couldn't understand it but I didn't say anything because the mothers were obviously quite comfortable with it. I spent half the time helping Aaron walk so that he didn't need to have his hands on the ground and the remainder of the time carrying him around. Luckily he did fall asleep for the last 30 mins.
Anyway, here are 5 things that I do remember from the meeting (apart from the possum droppings).
- Breastfeeding for 2 years halves a woman's risk of developing breast cancer.
- It is true that calcium levels are reduced during lactation. However, after weaning, the body will rebuild these levels to higher than what the woman had originally.
- Breastfed babies have higher bone densities.
- Breastfeeding reduces a woman's chances of breaking her hip.
- Breastfed babies generally have a more effective response to childhood immunisations.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
World Breastfeeding Week
Today is the last day of World Breastfeeding Week (Aug 1-7) so I'm just in time to get this post in. I love breastfeeding and while I know it doesn't work out for everyone....you must at least try to make it work. I stuck it out for close to 3 months with searing pain at every feed and blocked ducts every couple of days before finally 'enjoying' it. Today is also Aaron's birthday and I estimate that he would have had his 4000th feed some time today (or maybe yesterday/tomorrow).
Anyway, there was an interesting article published over the weekend regarding breastfeeding and babies in the developing world. The thing is that you would think the developing world would still be breastfeeding the old fashioned way since it is free and convenient, but sadly, they are not. The formula people are good marketers!
The key to breastfeeding is really to start within the first hour after birth. I had always thought of this from the standpoint of a 'successfull breastfeeding career' but now there is evidence that the first hour has the potential to save lives.
Here are some of the points I've picked out of the article I mentioned:
Breastfeeding within the first hour after birth could save 1 million babies under the age of 28 days.
Waiting longer than 1 hr, but still within the first 24 hrs, will save 720,000 babies.
Exclusive breastfeeding (ie no solids or other milks) reduced the chances of death by 4 times.
So there you have it. Researched, documented and statistically proven facts about breastfeeding. It is not that I need convincing. The points are here as easy reference for any other mothers who need the facts to arm themselves against the people who are not yet informed. Although...these are but 3 of many good reasons to breastfeed. Here is another interesting article.
And remember, don't let anyone tell you that there is nothing coming out!
Anyway, there was an interesting article published over the weekend regarding breastfeeding and babies in the developing world. The thing is that you would think the developing world would still be breastfeeding the old fashioned way since it is free and convenient, but sadly, they are not. The formula people are good marketers!
The key to breastfeeding is really to start within the first hour after birth. I had always thought of this from the standpoint of a 'successfull breastfeeding career' but now there is evidence that the first hour has the potential to save lives.
Here are some of the points I've picked out of the article I mentioned:
Breastfeeding within the first hour after birth could save 1 million babies under the age of 28 days.
Waiting longer than 1 hr, but still within the first 24 hrs, will save 720,000 babies.
Exclusive breastfeeding (ie no solids or other milks) reduced the chances of death by 4 times.
So there you have it. Researched, documented and statistically proven facts about breastfeeding. It is not that I need convincing. The points are here as easy reference for any other mothers who need the facts to arm themselves against the people who are not yet informed. Although...these are but 3 of many good reasons to breastfeed. Here is another interesting article.
And remember, don't let anyone tell you that there is nothing coming out!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
What does it take to embarras you?
We're all self conscious to a certain extent. Most of us are fairly easily embarrassed too. However, once you've been pregnant and endured multiple visits to the gynae and finally popped the baby out with the whole 'world' watching....it takes much less to make you embarrassed. So here's an example of how I didn't feel anything when normally I would probably have squirmed.
A standard conversation with an Indonesian mother goes like this:
Indo Mom with baby on hip: "How many months?"
Me with Aaron hanging upside down: "11, nearly 12."
Indo Mom with baby still on hip: "How heavy?"
Me with Aaron over one shoulder: "About 10kgs."
Indo Mom with baby STILL on same hip: "What formula do you have him on?"
Me with Aaron in a Superman pose: "Oh, my own milk."
Then this morning....one Indo Mom went further:
Indo Mom: "Really? How much milk do you have?"
Me with Aaron finally on hip but touching his toes: "Enough"
Indo Mom now leans over, sort of pokes at my upper chest and says: "Not very big"
She meant no harm though...and people here don't know what personal space is so....
A standard conversation with an Indonesian mother goes like this:
Indo Mom with baby on hip: "How many months?"
Me with Aaron hanging upside down: "11, nearly 12."
Indo Mom with baby still on hip: "How heavy?"
Me with Aaron over one shoulder: "About 10kgs."
Indo Mom with baby STILL on same hip: "What formula do you have him on?"
Me with Aaron in a Superman pose: "Oh, my own milk."
Then this morning....one Indo Mom went further:
Indo Mom: "Really? How much milk do you have?"
Me with Aaron finally on hip but touching his toes: "Enough"
Indo Mom now leans over, sort of pokes at my upper chest and says: "Not very big"
She meant no harm though...and people here don't know what personal space is so....
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Breastfeeding? Maybe there is nothing coming out
Since the start of my breastfeeding career, I have heard too much of the words 'Maybe there is nothing coming out'. It is extremely frustrating and demoralising to hear these words but at the same time, understandable that other people may think that way. Babies should not be fed to a schedule and I have stuck to this rule from Day 1. So, when Aaron asks for a feed just 30 mins after he's had one, its only logical that people think he didn't get enough the first time.
What they don't realise is that breastfeeding is not only for a baby's nutritional needs. Its also very much for a baby's emotional needs. Thats why the act of breastfeeding is also called NURSING. A baby may feed for comfort, to calm him/herself, just to be close to mom, to deal with frustrating situations, to soothe teething gums, to go to sleep, to deal with developmental milestones etc etc etc
So you see, it really is a multi purpose tool that a mother can use to nurture her child. I'm deaf to all comments saying that I'm spoiling him by feeding on demand.
What they don't realise is that breastfeeding is not only for a baby's nutritional needs. Its also very much for a baby's emotional needs. Thats why the act of breastfeeding is also called NURSING. A baby may feed for comfort, to calm him/herself, just to be close to mom, to deal with frustrating situations, to soothe teething gums, to go to sleep, to deal with developmental milestones etc etc etc
So you see, it really is a multi purpose tool that a mother can use to nurture her child. I'm deaf to all comments saying that I'm spoiling him by feeding on demand.
Saturday, June 2, 2007
How does your baby greet you?
Aaron is still not talking yet so he doesn't yell out 'Mama'. Instead, he licks his lips, waves his arms around and then sticks two fingers in his mouth. I'm really starting to think that latching on is his way of saying 'Hi'. He's not really feeding, and is only on for maybe 30 seconds to a minute and he's off again. It seems to happen after his morning walk, evening walk, when I get out of the gym, when he comes out of his room and sees me....the list goes on. Strange...yet adorable.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Fill 'em up
"Congratulations on the new baby! Will you be breastfeeding?"
"Yes, I want to. I'm just waiting for the milk to fill up. Waiting for it to get hard"
This was the conversation between my father and somebody who just gave birth. Since I started breastfeeding, I have become a strong BF advocate. Not just because I do it, but because so many people can't/don't BF purely because of the lack of information. I'm speaking from a Malaysian point of view.
Take that conversation for example. This lady has already failed to BF her first child and was keen to try on this second one.
BUT:
1) Milk doesn't need to fill up, its already there. Colostrum has been produced in the mothers body from the last few months of pregnancy.
2) If she waited until 'it got hard', she would have engorgement. A very painful condition caused when milk is not drained from the breast. It will also make it harder for the baby to latch on when she finally puts the baby to the breast.
Here are a few pointers that I have. They are based on my own experience and also my reading. I am not a health care provider and it is not my intention to provide medical advice.
Feed as soon as possible after birth
Breastfeed your baby with the first hour after birth. The baby has a natural instinct to suckle at this time and it supposedly will help you get off to a good start in terms of BF.
Ensure correct latch
Ensure that your baby is latched on correctly with the lower lip pursed out. Baby's nose should be within a credit card's thickness to the mom's breast. Baby's noses are specially designed to BF and they will not suffocate. If there is any pain at all, unlatch the bub and start again. To unlatch the baby, don't just pull off. Stick your little finger into the baby's mouth to break suction before pulling away.
Feed on demand
Do not be surprised if the baby feed VERY frequently. Their stomachs are only the size of a golf ball so of course they get hungry quickly. Feed on demand by watching for hunger cues (such as putting fists to mouth) including through the night. Those mothers with confinement ladies often do not look after the baby during nights but it is essential to keep feeding to build milk supply.
Wait 6 weeks to give a bottle
Make sure that the baby does not get milk from a bottle for at least 6 weeks. Inform hospital staff of this and also the confinement lady.
Be confident that you are providing enough
Measure baby's intake by the number of wet nappies and not by how much you get out with a pump or the duration of your feeds. Expect one wet diaper on day one, increasing to 5-6 by one week. Many new mothers are concerned that their new babies are not getting enough. This is rarely the case if a baby is fed on demand.
Enjoy it
Finally, be relaxed and confident. It does wonders for milk supply and for getting through feeds.
"Yes, I want to. I'm just waiting for the milk to fill up. Waiting for it to get hard"
This was the conversation between my father and somebody who just gave birth. Since I started breastfeeding, I have become a strong BF advocate. Not just because I do it, but because so many people can't/don't BF purely because of the lack of information. I'm speaking from a Malaysian point of view.
Take that conversation for example. This lady has already failed to BF her first child and was keen to try on this second one.
BUT:
1) Milk doesn't need to fill up, its already there. Colostrum has been produced in the mothers body from the last few months of pregnancy.
2) If she waited until 'it got hard', she would have engorgement. A very painful condition caused when milk is not drained from the breast. It will also make it harder for the baby to latch on when she finally puts the baby to the breast.
Here are a few pointers that I have. They are based on my own experience and also my reading. I am not a health care provider and it is not my intention to provide medical advice.
Feed as soon as possible after birth
Breastfeed your baby with the first hour after birth. The baby has a natural instinct to suckle at this time and it supposedly will help you get off to a good start in terms of BF.
Ensure correct latch
Ensure that your baby is latched on correctly with the lower lip pursed out. Baby's nose should be within a credit card's thickness to the mom's breast. Baby's noses are specially designed to BF and they will not suffocate. If there is any pain at all, unlatch the bub and start again. To unlatch the baby, don't just pull off. Stick your little finger into the baby's mouth to break suction before pulling away.
Feed on demand
Do not be surprised if the baby feed VERY frequently. Their stomachs are only the size of a golf ball so of course they get hungry quickly. Feed on demand by watching for hunger cues (such as putting fists to mouth) including through the night. Those mothers with confinement ladies often do not look after the baby during nights but it is essential to keep feeding to build milk supply.
Wait 6 weeks to give a bottle
Make sure that the baby does not get milk from a bottle for at least 6 weeks. Inform hospital staff of this and also the confinement lady.
Be confident that you are providing enough
Measure baby's intake by the number of wet nappies and not by how much you get out with a pump or the duration of your feeds. Expect one wet diaper on day one, increasing to 5-6 by one week. Many new mothers are concerned that their new babies are not getting enough. This is rarely the case if a baby is fed on demand.
Enjoy it
Finally, be relaxed and confident. It does wonders for milk supply and for getting through feeds.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Booby Babies
Yes, it sounds like a long time but it doesn't mean that I've forgotten those painful, stressful, tiring, not at all magical first few weeks. Why don't people tell you that breastfeeding isn't as natural as people think it is? BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW.
If it weren't for a wonderful lactation consultant in Kuala Lumpur, I'm sure I would have given up by week 3. One can only take so much pain from blocked ducts and cracked nipples! But thats all in the past and now, Aaron and I have a wonderful BF relationship.
I love it now. I don't really want to think about when to wean. The WHO recommends BF for 2 years so.....I'll just use that as a faraway marker. If he wants to stop earlier, thats ok. It just means he's ready.
When I get the time, I'm going to come up with little document that will help new mothers get started with BF. Something that is practical so that new mothers will have the confidence to continue in the face of criticism from the older generations. The grandmothers all mean well but that 60s and 70s were so pro formula that they have little knowledge of BF, its benefits and its mechanics.
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