Breastfeeding

July 1, 2008
Page 1 of 3 | Single Page View

Baby

Wherever possible, the Essential Baby site promotes and encourages natural practices, methods and alternatives. Essential Baby recommends that all new mothers aim to breastfeed their babies. To help meet this aim, it is important to gain an understanding of the difficulties that may be experieced, how to overcome them, where to get help when you need it, and if necessary, who you can talk to about alternatives to breastfeeding.

While we strongly recommend and encourage breastfeeding, we are also very conscious that sometimes, mothers who had planned to breastfeed their baby may experience on-going problems that can make this natural alternative either very difficult or near impossible. This can result in feelings of stress, anxiety and inadequacy.

The following information is designed as a basic guide and starting point only. Please be aware there is plenty of support for breastfeeding Mums and we encourage you to seek help from the experts! Breastfeeding is a precious gift and there are many organisations dedicated to helping.

The benefits of breastfeeding
- Breast milk contains all the nutrients your growing baby requires and is easily digested
- Breast milk contains the antibodies your baby needs to guard against common infections such as gastro-- enteritis and respiratory tract infections
- Breast milk is clean, and in most cases, readily available
- Breast milk is always the right temperature and consistency
- Breastfeeding is quick, convenient and inepxensive
- Breastfeeding is a rewarding and enjoyable experience that encourages close contact and results in a loving, bonding relationship between mother and baby
- Breastfeeding helps you to get rid of the fat reserves built up and stored during your pregnancy and will also help speed up the contractions that return your uterus to it's normal size

Tips for breastfeeding
- Eat a healthly, balanced diet while breastfeeding to ensure you get plenty of iron, protein and calcium
- Try to feed frequently, as this will help you to maintain your milk supply
- At each feed, use both breasts, but wait until your baby empties one before changing over. This ensures that your baby gets the nourishing milk that is delivered later in the feed
- If your baby is too tired or disinterested to breastfeed, try to express the milk and save it for when the baby is ready to feed
- You can keep expressed milk in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Alternatively, expressed breast milk can be kept safely in the freezer for up to 6 months
- If your breasts are leaking, try using breast pads to absorb leaking milk
- If your nipples are sore, dry and/or cracked, nipple ceams and lotions are available to relieve discomfort

Potential difficulties and suggestions for overcoming them

Baby refusing to feed or not "latching on"
Initially a baby may resist your encouragement to breastfeed due to tiredness (this is natural in the first 24 hours). If this happens, don't be discouraged. Try to use a breast pump to express the milk, then use it to feed the baby when he/she is ready to feed. Although breastfeeding is natural, it can also be challenging, requiring persistence, patience and confidence. Try not to wait for the baby to cry before offering the breast. Crying is the last sign of hunger and is an indication the baby has been hungry for quite some time. If your baby resists your encouragement to breastfeeding - seek help to assess the situation.

If your baby is having difficulty latching on to your breast, try the following suggestions:
- Hold your baby close to you with the front of your baby facing you.
- Undress your baby down to their nappy and lie them on your chest. They will feel comforted and may start to seek the breast.
- Make sure both you and the baby are comfortable for the duration of the feed, try using a pillow under the baby so that you don't bear the weight.
- If your breasts are too full your baby may have difficulty latching on. Try hand expressing some milk first to relieve your breasts' firmness.
- Your baby should be lying on their side, facing the nipple.

If you need further support, try some of the support groups listed below. Continued...