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 Directions for Breast Feeding |
| Different positions of Breast Feeding |
| How to find out whether the baby is getting enough milk ? |
| Why mother's milk ? |
| What should Breast Feeding mothers eat ? |
| Medication while Breast Feeding |
| Problems faced during Breast Feeding |
| Prevention of sore nipples |
| Engorged Breasts |
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| Directions for Breast Feeding |
Most of the babies come into the world knowing how to be breast-fed. If you get them anywhere close, they nuzzle, get attached, and suck away. Some need a little assistance.
 To breast feed properly, your baby needs to open its mouth wide enough to take in the nipple and about a centimeter or two of the breast beyond it.
Your free hand should be used to support your breast, keep it in the baby's mouth, and keep it out of the baby's nose. Use your fingers under the breast with your thumb on the top.
Hold the baby at your breast by positioning it on its side or tummy-to-your tummy with its mouth at nipple level. During the first breast feedings, it is often helpful to remove the upper clothing from both mother and baby to be skin-to-skin.
To help the baby get started, express the milk into its mouth. This encourages the baby to open wide, suck, and swallow.
As a general rule, you'll breast feed your newborn eight to twelve times per day. Breast-feed your baby on demand, not by the clock. You don't want to let your baby get overtly hungry, as it does not feed well if you do so.
Sucking does not equal eating. Check to see if your baby, who is sucking away furiously, is actually swallowing. Babies usually do some sucking to swallow the saliva.
Newborns usually suck one to three times, and then swallow. Thus a new born who is sucking 15 minutes per breast, but not swallowing, is not receiving enough feeds and may need to breast feed 20 to 25 minutes per breast to get enough milk. The more the baby breast-feeds, the more milk your body will produce. Newborn babies breast feed about every two hours. However, they often breast feed for many reasons other than hunger. Therefore, allow the newborn to breast-feed as often as he or she wishes. Make sure the baby is sucking effectively. Offer both breasts at each feeding. Your baby's nose may be touching your breast during nursing. Babies' noses are designed to allow air to get in and out in such a case. But if you're concerned that your baby can't breathe easily, you can gently press down on your breast near your baby's nose to give him or her enough room to breathe. |
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| Different positions of Breast Feeding |
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Breast-feeding is a very
natural process. The mother's and baby's bodies are naturally
suited for each other's needs. But, to identify and help the
mothers to feed their babies properly, certain positions are
explained here: |
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Cradle position : Place baby's
head in the crook of your arm. Support your baby's back and
bottom with your arm and hand. Your baby will be lying
sideways facing you. Your breast should be right in front of
your baby's face. |
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Football position : Tuck your baby
under your arm like a football with his or her head resting on
your hand. Support your baby's body with your forearm. This
may be a good position if you're recovering from a cesarean
section. |
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Lying down position : In this position lie
on your side with your baby facing you. You can use
pillows to prop up your head and shoulders. This is
also a good position if you're recovering from a cesarean section
or episiotomies. |
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| Why mother's milk ? |
Research spanning many decades and experience of many mothers and babies over the years, have established that breast milk is perfectly suited to nourish infants and protect them from illness. The primary benefit of breast milk is nutritional.
Breast milk contains about 100 components not found in formula milk. It contains just the right amount of fatty acids, lactose, water, and amino acids required for human digestion, development of the brain, and for growth. The mother's natural antibodies against a number of diseases are transferred to the child through breast milk. About 80 per cent of the cells in breast milk are macrophages, cells that kill bacteria, fungi and viruses. A breast-fed baby's digestive tract contains large amounts of a good bacteria Lactobacillus bifidus, that prevent the growth of harmful organisms in the body.
No baby is allergic to their mother's milk, although they may have a reaction to something the mother eats. If she avoids it from her diet, the problem will be solved. Also, milk straight from the breast is always sterile, never contaminated by polluted water or dirty bottles, which can cause diarrhoea in the infant. Breast-fed babies are protected from a number of illnesses, including pneumonia, botulism, bronchitis, staphylococcal infections, influenza, ear infections, and German measles often suffered by bottle-fed babies.
Cow's milk contains a different type of protein when compared to breast milk with which infants can have difficulty digesting it. Bottle-fed infants tend to be fatter than breast-fed infants, but not necessarily healthier.
And finally, sucking at the breast helps good jaw development. It's hard work to get milk out of a breast than a bottle, and the exercise strengthens the jaws and encourages the growth of straight, healthy teeth. The baby at the breast also can control the flow of milk by sucking and stopping. With a bottle, the infant must constantly suck or react to the pressure of the nipple placed in the mouth.
Strong, early bonding of mother and child is another benefit of breast-feeding.
Studies have shown that breast-feeding facilitates the mother's postpartum recovery and lessens the risk of breast cancer. It helps uterus to contract back to normal size after having been stretched during pregnancy. It delays the return of the mother periods. And it helps the mother to develop an emotional and physical bonding with the baby. |
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| What should Breast Feeding mothers eat ? |
Nursing affects a woman's entire lifestyle. A nursing mother with baby-in-tow should eat a balanced diet with plenty of calcium. This means eating fruits and vegetables, whole-grain cereals and bread, eggs, meats or beans, milk and dairy foods like cheese. The mother needs to get enough calories--about 500 more per day than usual-and she need to drink plenty of fluids. A balanced diet that includes 5 servings of milk or dairy products each day will give you enough Calcium.
Certain food products are best avoided as these can appear in the milk. Before taking any tablets clarify with your doctor. Smoking should be avoided. Smoking during breast feeding is harmful for the baby and also decreases the milk secretion. |
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Medication while Breast Feeding |
Usually, the medicines consumed by a breast-feeding mother do not cause any problem to her baby. Likewise, if a breastfed baby is given any vaccine or medicines, it will not interfere with feeding. Vaccines such as OPV or BCG will not cause any side effects to breast fed babies.
Even mothers who breast-feed their babies can take medicines for diseases such as epilepsy, diabetes, or high blood pressure. Taking the drug after feeding will always reduce baby's exposure to the medicines taken by her mother.
However, there are a few medicines, which have to be totally avoided by a breast-feeding mother. The medicines for Parkinson's disease with Bromocriptine component can reduce the milk production in the mother, drugs used for chemotherapy in cancer which destroy the cells in mother's body can harm the feeding baby, medicines with Ergotamine, used to treat a breast feeding mother for her migraine headaches may cause vomiting, loose motions or fits in babies. Other medicines with severe side effects are Lithium containing medicines given for manic-depressive illness.
If you are on any medication take it after breast-feeding the baby.
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