Medical opinion on breast feeding your new born baby has changed dramatically over the years. There used to be a time when it was just not possible to buy powdered milk or prepared milk, now it is a huge business with enormous shelf space dedicated to different brands with different benefits.
If you have yet to make your mind up whether you should breast feed or not, it is worth having a chat with your mid wife. These days, most pregnancy support teams will strongly advocate breast feeding as the better choice, this is because it helps with mother and baby bonding and provides all of the goodness and nourishment required by a small baby.
Yet, breast feeding is not an option for all mothers. In some cases, the baby will not take to the nipple, in others the practicality of breast feeding compared to bottle feeding may differ. We've decided to provide you with a list of the advantages of breast feeding. If you think we have missed anything, please do not hesitate to write into us.
The medical benefits of breast feeding have been widely studied. This is why it is common for a midwife to encourage breast feeding over bottle feeding. Health benefits for breastfed babies include better respiratory development, less allergic reactions and better skin development.
It is also recognized that mothers who have breastfed their babies are at less risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer in later life.
Breast feeding helps mother and baby to bond. When we're feeding our infant on the breast, our baby is looking into our eyes. They are developing a level of trust and understanding about where their food comes from. The flip side to this is that it is possible the father misses out on some of this early bonding; however this can be made up quickly in later months.
Breast feeding is cheaper than buying powdered or prepared milk, it is more convenient and requires less time to prepare and sterilize utensils.
Many mothers will use a breast pump to extract milk from their breasts and place in a bottle should they be travelling or prefer their partner to help at feeding time.
If you hate the sight of dirty nappies you'll be pleased to know that breast fed babies do not suffer as much from constipation and have more regular movements.
Some studies have suggested that babies fed with a bottle are more likely to go onto require dental work and braces.
Breast feeding mothers may choose not to use contraception and instead rely on the LAM method.
The Challenges of Breastfeeding
Although babies get the best nutritional source through breastfeeding, this comes with concerns that new mothers share. Breastfeeding is the easiest, convenient and most economical way of feeding babies but it is also challenging. Both the mother and her baby need enormous amount of patience before getting used to it. But all these efforts pay off in the long run.
The challenges of breastfeeding include:
Comfort
Mothers may feel uncomfortable with breastfeeding at first but they should be able to overcome through adequate support, information and practice. She should not feel pain during breastfeeding. Latch on pain should not last more than a minute. If ever pain is felt during the entire nursing, she should seek the advice of a lactation consultant.
Schedule
Time and frequency of feedings may be a concern. This is because breastfeeding requires commitment of new mothers especially that breastfed babies eat more often than formula-fed babies. Breast milk is easier to digest. In the first few weeks after delivery, a mother should be able to breastfeed her baby every 2 to 3 hours. This is tiring, but once she gets used to it and feeding schedule is well established, family members or relatives can help out by giving the baby pumped breast milk especially when the mother needs to work or take a break.
Diet
Women who are breastfeeding should be careful in what they eat aside from making sure they eat a well-balanced diet. Things that they eat can be passed on to the baby thru breast milk.
Chronic Medical conditions and Breast Surgery
The presence of maternal medical conditions such as cancer that require chemotherapy treatment, HIV or AIDS can make breastfeeding unsafe for the baby. You should always consult your doctor or lactation consultant about the safety of medical interventions and medications while breastfeeding.
Your First Try at Nursing
Your first attempt at nursing should be done right after the baby is born, when your bundle of joy is quiet and alert.
After your baby is born, find time to hold and bond with him. If your perineum needs repair because of tearing, you can wait until after an episiotomy is done. But if there’s a great deal of repair necessary, you can ask your doctor if you can begin breastfeeding during the procedure.
Helpful Tips for Your First Breastfeeding Session
As much as possible, try to breastfeed an hour after the delivery or less than this is preferable.
Choose the best position for breastfeeding. Ask help from a nurse, midwife or doula to position your body and your baby in a way that is comfortable for both of you.
Touch the lower lip of your baby with your nipple until he opens his mouth.
Instead of letting your baby chew your nipple, let him latch on the whole areola.
Try to relax, breastfeeding can be uncomfortable in the beginning but you should not feel any pain. Your first nursing session is not meant for feeding but for learning how to breastfeed.
Breastfeed on both of your breasts if possible.
If your baby finds it difficult to latch on, express a few drops of milk from your nipple and let your baby lick it off.
If possible you should breastfeed skin to skin. You can use a blanket to cover both you and your baby while doing this.
