If you're expecting, you've probably already heard how breastfeeding is the best way to nourish your baby for at least the first year of its life. No matter what formula companies claim, a mother's milk is unmatched as the most complete nutrition possible for your child.
Breastfeeding is somewhat of an art, however, and getting skilled in this art can sometimes be a challenge. So below I've compiled some tips, resources and a recommended reading list to help you through the rough spots right into breastfeeding bliss (because once you get the hang of it, it is a rather heavenly practice). I promise!
Breastfeeding is somewhat of an art, however, and getting skilled in this art can sometimes be a challenge. So below I've compiled some tips, resources and a recommended reading list to help you through the rough spots right into breastfeeding bliss (because once you get the hang of it, it is a rather heavenly practice). I promise!
1) Be patient and confident. Like learning any new skill, breastfeeding does take time to get good at. For most women, there is a period of soreness (from mild to extreme) and thoughts of frustration that "I'll never get this right. I can't do it." But part of being committed to giving your baby the best nutrition possible is to stay patient, even when you want to throw in the towel. Remember, baby is learning how to breastfeed as well, and can certainly sense frustration and tenseness if you lose your cool. It is very seldom that a baby "won't take to the breast" or "milk won't come in" -- these are usually really latch-on problems, too little nursing or other solvable issues.
So when you feel like you may never get the hang of breastfeeding, baby isn't latching on right, or your nipples are throbbing in those first few days, take a break. Let the baby nap, get some Lansinoh lotion to relieve nipple soreness and start anew with a sense of calm. Mothers have exclusively breastfed babies for thousands of years -- with a little perseverance, you can, too.
2) Try a babymoon. A concept talked about in the books "Nursing Mother, Working Mother" and "Breastfeeding Success for Working Mothers," the babymoon is an at-home honeymoon of sorts for you and your newborn. Experts recommend taking your first babymoon when you get home from the hospital. This involves doing nothing but concentrating on you and the baby -- not housework, not cooking, not pets, not hubby (he'll worry about running the house during this time). This is the best time to perfect your breastfeeding relationship with your baby, too, spending most of the babymoon days in bed with breasts easily accessible (or exposed), or leisurely relaxing with baby around the house. During this time, nurse your baby as much as possible when he or she will take the breast. Get acquainted with each other and your baby's patterns of sleeping and eating and waking.
2) Try a babymoon. A concept talked about in the books "Nursing Mother, Working Mother" and "Breastfeeding Success for Working Mothers," the babymoon is an at-home honeymoon of sorts for you and your newborn. Experts recommend taking your first babymoon when you get home from the hospital. This involves doing nothing but concentrating on you and the baby -- not housework, not cooking, not pets, not hubby (he'll worry about running the house during this time). This is the best time to perfect your breastfeeding relationship with your baby, too, spending most of the babymoon days in bed with breasts easily accessible (or exposed), or leisurely relaxing with baby around the house. During this time, nurse your baby as much as possible when he or she will take the breast. Get acquainted with each other and your baby's patterns of sleeping and eating and waking.
Once you start getting back into everyday house and work duties again doesn't mean you have to abandon the babymoon. On days off or weekends you can still reconnect with baby and nurse freely to nurture your special breastfeeding bond. Even mini-babymoons of an hour or two each day resting together in bed and nursing freely will be a big help to keep breastfeeding going smoothly with your child.
3) Avoid nipple confusion. The time will come when you'll want to have your husband or a caregiver give the baby a bottle of expressed breastmilk so you can go out for a few hours to run errands, get some "me" time, or just take a much-needed nap. Most doctors say to wait until the baby is at least four weeks old to introduce a bottle of breastmilk. Many experts also recommend that a mother should never be the one to give a bottle of breastmilk to a baby as it could be too confusing and cause a preference to the bottle.
3) Avoid nipple confusion. The time will come when you'll want to have your husband or a caregiver give the baby a bottle of expressed breastmilk so you can go out for a few hours to run errands, get some "me" time, or just take a much-needed nap. Most doctors say to wait until the baby is at least four weeks old to introduce a bottle of breastmilk. Many experts also recommend that a mother should never be the one to give a bottle of breastmilk to a baby as it could be too confusing and cause a preference to the bottle.
But even when daddy is the bottle giver, nipple preference can occur if parents aren't careful. La Leche League recommends using slow-flow nipples if you give a bottle to the baby, and disposable nurser bottle nipples are also a good choice because of their closeness in shape to a real nipple.
Even taking all these precautions, however, will make no difference to some babies. Many mothers have found their babies to be strictly breast, while other babies, after the bottle was introduced, weaned off the breast for the bottle. One such mom, Julie, warns about nipple preference, since her son weaned at six months when given a bottle, after "not one little iota of a problem the entire nursing relationship -- no latching problems, no sore nipples, nothing."
"I never thought we would have issues with bottles and nursing since we had done one bottle a day from early on," Julie said. "Plus, so many women do it ... but nipple preference exists and my son is a pretty stubborn personality. He was displaying this early on, I just didn't notice it."
Never using a bottle is not an option for all mothers, of course. But if you're concerned about possible nipple confusion, using bottles sparingly is recommended. Other ways to avoid nipple preference include feeding baby breastmilk from an infant spoon or a sip cup instead of the conventional baby bottle.
4) Use reverse cycle feeding for working moms. Another concept discussed in "Nursing Mother, Working Mother" and "Breastfeeding Success for Working Mothers" is reverse cycle feeding. Plainly stated, your baby eats regularly and frequently when you are home, thus needing less to eat while you're away. Often times, this may mean a change in baby's sleeping schedule as well, with a longer nap during your working hours, for instance, and an added nursing session or two when you're home.
4) Use reverse cycle feeding for working moms. Another concept discussed in "Nursing Mother, Working Mother" and "Breastfeeding Success for Working Mothers" is reverse cycle feeding. Plainly stated, your baby eats regularly and frequently when you are home, thus needing less to eat while you're away. Often times, this may mean a change in baby's sleeping schedule as well, with a longer nap during your working hours, for instance, and an added nursing session or two when you're home.
Some babies will "hold out" for dinner from the breast while mommy's away at work, while others may still need a bottle or two to tide them over. By all means, if baby is hungry when you're gone, your husband or caregiver should freely feed the little one still. Reverse cycle feeding, however, should lessen the number of feedings baby will need while you're away if done properly.
5) Enlist support for what you're doing and be proud. Successful breastfeeding seems to come easier when mothers have the support of friends, family and breastfeeding buddies. Get your husband and family to be supporters by introducing them to the multitude of benefits for your baby from breastfeeding. Practice, at home at first and then in public, with these close family members at your side until you feel confident in your ability to breastfeed anytime, anywhere. And never feel like you have to hide away in a dirty bathroom stall to feed your baby while you're out -- be proud you're a breastfeeding mom. Publicly nursing your child can be done discreetly anywhere with a little practice, and is certainly something to hold your head high about -- giving your baby the best nutrition and nurturing possible.
5) Enlist support for what you're doing and be proud. Successful breastfeeding seems to come easier when mothers have the support of friends, family and breastfeeding buddies. Get your husband and family to be supporters by introducing them to the multitude of benefits for your baby from breastfeeding. Practice, at home at first and then in public, with these close family members at your side until you feel confident in your ability to breastfeed anytime, anywhere. And never feel like you have to hide away in a dirty bathroom stall to feed your baby while you're out -- be proud you're a breastfeeding mom. Publicly nursing your child can be done discreetly anywhere with a little practice, and is certainly something to hold your head high about -- giving your baby the best nutrition and nurturing possible.
If you feel like support for your decision to breastfeed your baby is lacking from family and friends, don't lose hope. Organizations like La Leche League and free support groups and classes through local hospitals will connect you with the right crowd to keep your confidence up and assure you you've made the right decision. Call your local hospital or La Leche League chapter for more information.
6) Troubleshoot with different positions/stimuli. A good portion of being a success at breastfeeding is trial and error. If baby doesn't like the football position, try lying down to feed your child. If the TV keeps distracting baby from the breast, try a quiet or dark room, perhaps with some soothing music, to get the little one in the mood. An often recommended stimuli by lactation consultants is stripping baby down to his or her diaper while nursing. Pediatricians the world over herald skin-to-skin contact with your child as a key to development, and there's no better time than while breastfeeding your baby to both enjoy such contact.
6) Troubleshoot with different positions/stimuli. A good portion of being a success at breastfeeding is trial and error. If baby doesn't like the football position, try lying down to feed your child. If the TV keeps distracting baby from the breast, try a quiet or dark room, perhaps with some soothing music, to get the little one in the mood. An often recommended stimuli by lactation consultants is stripping baby down to his or her diaper while nursing. Pediatricians the world over herald skin-to-skin contact with your child as a key to development, and there's no better time than while breastfeeding your baby to both enjoy such contact.
No comments:
Post a Comment