We know that breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition you can give to your baby. A complete food source specially formulated for your baby, breast milk contains all the nutrients (at least 400 of them), hormones and antibodies your baby needs for optimal development. Despite many attempts to mimic breast milk, no formula has ever succeeded in replicating all the benefits that breast milk provides.
As your baby grows, your breast milk will change to suit the stage of development your baby is at. Your breast milk is tailored for your baby and your baby alone no formula can boast such a claim. Aside from the brain building, infection fighting benefits of breast milk, breastfeeding also helps to nurture a special bond between you and your baby. The skin-to-skin contact, cuddling and holding involved during breastfeeding is an important part of a baby's development that is not only beneficial to baby but to you as well.
Unfortunately, being aware of the many benefits of breastfeeding does not necessarily make it easier. Learning to breastfeed, especially if you're a first time mother trying to nurse her newborn, it can be be quite a challenge. Here are some tips which can help make the learning process a little smoother:
1. Before delivery, read as much as you can about breastfeeding. Although technical knowledge can never replace physical experience, being knowledgeable about breastfeeding can help you if you run into trouble.
2. Let your doctor know that you intend to breastfeed your child so that every opportunity will be made available for you to do so as soon as possible after delivery. This is especially important because a baby's root reflex (the urge to suckle) is strongest right at birth and begins to diminish the longer you wait.
3. In the first few days of breastfeeding, your breasts are producing a substance known as colostrum that contains important antibodies that help protect your baby from infections and to line your baby's intestines to prepare them to receive full milk. Colostrum will continue to be produced for the first 3-5 days after delivery before the breast begins to produce mature milk. Unlike matured milk, the quantity of colostrum is a lot less and it may be difficult to "see". Some mothers (possibly on the advice of misguided but well-intended friends and relatives) mistakenly assume they don't have milk or that they don't have enough milk. This is not true. Which leads us to the next point...
4. Breast milk is produced on demand so during the first few days, you should nurse frequently. The more often you nurse, the more quickly your mature milk will come in and the more milk you will produce. A good practice to adopt is to breastfeed for 10-15 minutes per breast at least 8 10 times a day. If, for any reason, you are not able to nurse your baby, you can help encourage your breasts to produce more milk by applying a breast pump to it. One recommendation is to use an electric pump on the lowest setting for as long as you would otherwise nurse your baby.
5. Ignore advice to "give the baby formula until your matured milk comes in" or "until you have more milk". Remember, breast milk is produced on demand and that means only a baby on the breast can encourage your body to make more milk. If your baby is full on formula, he or she won't be suckling at the breast. Without the suckling action, the body won't know it needs to make more milk. Therefore, offering formula as an interim measure is not only pointless was potentially damaging to your milk supply.
6. Breastfeeding for the first time can be quite a challenge and it is important to get as much support as possible. If you have any questions or problems, make sure you get help from the hospital's lactation consultant, or a good friend or family member who has breastfed a baby before. Having the right support can sometimes make the different between mothers who persist with breastfeeding and those that eventually give up. Remember that breastfeeding is an art that will require a lot of patience and practice.
7. If your baby has trouble finding or staying on your nipple, don't panic. Remember that there are two inexperienced individuals in the picture you and your baby and you both need time to adjust to one another and develop a nursing relationship. Breastfeeding might come easily for some mothers, but this isn't necessarily the norm so don't worry if you find it difficult. The important thing is that you learn how to get a correct latch, position yourself comfortably and to break the suction when you need to before you leave the hospital.
8. A proper latch at the start should not be painful. However, nursing during the early days can cause your nipples to feel raw. This sensitivity will eventually subside but be prepared for it to last a couple of weeks. Applying a barrier cream like Bepanthen after each nursing can help to lessen the sensitivity. Because of this initial tenderness, it can be difficult to tell if the pain is from an improper latch. If you aren't sure, check with the lactation consultant. With a proper latch, the baby's mouth should cover most of the areola (the darkened skin of your nipple).
9. If your baby hasn't gotten a proper latch, break the suction and start again. It is important to ensure that your baby learns how to latch properly and not to continue nursing if your baby has latched on poorly. If allowed to continue, your baby will develop a bad habit of latching on poorly which is not only painful for you in the long run but makes feeding time more inefficient for your baby.
10. Crying during the early days is often a sign of hunger and it is important to feed your baby before he or she starts crying. If a calm baby has trouble latching on, you can bet that a distressed baby will have even more trouble. To avoid baby crying from hunger, this may mean you have to wake your baby to begin breastfeeding. Babies in the early days, especially jaundiced babies, can be very lethargic and often don't wake up for feeds. Waking your baby for a feed is even more important in a jaundiced baby because breast milk helps your baby excrete the excess bilirubin that causes jaundice. A good guide to follow is to wake your baby up if it has been four hours since the last feed.
Breastfeeding can be a challenge, especially at the start. Don't despair if you find it difficult. Just remember that it takes time and practice to get better at it. Take it one day at a time and before you know it, you and your baby will be professionals at the nursing game.