Understanding Breastfeeding
Feeding your baby directly from your breasts is breastfeeding. Lactation is the process of producing human milk in women after being pregnant. According to medical experts, breastfeeding is strongly recommended for at-least 6 months. Even after introducing new food to your baby, you should continue with breastfeeding for almost the first year of the baby’s life. However, breastfeeding is a personal decision. You may have to stop breastfeeding if you have some medical conditions.
How to know when your baby is hungry?
Every new born needs around eight to ten feeds a day. This means you must feed the baby after every two to three hours. The most basic way to know when your baby is hungry is when they cry. Other signs your baby gives when he/she is hungry are:
- Opening their mouth
- Fussiness
- Sucking on different things
- Putting their hand in their mouth
- Licking their lips
- Sticking out their tongue
- Rooting- which means moving their mouth, or head to look for mother’s breast.
How to know if your breast milk is enough for your baby?
Most mothers produce enough milk for their babies. However, check for your baby’s soiled diapers. A baby will use at least five to six diapers in a day if it is getting proper nutrient. Also, the pediatrician will monitor its weight every month to ensure it is getting proper nutrition.
What to do if you are producing excess milk?
If you are producing more milk that your new born needs, you can try these tips. Extract only a small amount, don’t not pump out the entire milk. This will make your breast produce more milk. Stop taking eatables that stimulates more milk production. Use breast pads for leaking milk.
Benefits of Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding gives benefits for both mother and the baby. Breastfeeding gives you a time to relax quietly and make a bond with your new-born. Other benefits are:
- Provide important nutrients to infants
- It contains antibodies that help your baby fight off bacteria and viruses.
- It lowers the risk of allergies and asthma in infants.
- Decreases the risk of ear infections, respiratory illness and bouts of diarrhea.
- Infants on breastfeeding have fewer doctor visits and hospitalizations.
- Breastfeeding in the early stages also results in higher IQ scores.
- Breast milk also prevents SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
- Breastfeeding lowers the risk of diabetes, obesity and cancer.
- Breastfeeding helps mother reduce weight faster
- It also reduces uterine bleeding after birth.
- It reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
- Reduces the risk of osteoporosis, it makes your bones weak and brittle.
Diet for lactating Mothers
Lactating mothers need about 330 to 400 more calories a day. This provides them with more nutrition and energy for producing milk. You should eat more healthy food, for a healthy milk production for your baby. Drinking fluids during breastfeeding is also very important.
Try drinking a glass full of water or any other beverage every time before breastfeeding. To get more nutrients in your diet try having the following:
- Protein rich foods: eggs, beans, lentils, lean meat, seafood low in mercury.
- Slice of wholegrain bread with peanut butter
- Medium apple or banana
- Yogurt
- Fruits and vegetables
- Required vitamins, multivitamin and mineral supplements.
While you are breastfeeding, you should not consume alcohol, caffeine or seafood. This may result in certain health issues in your baby and issues with Lactating.
Breastfeeding Do’s and Don’ts
Do’s
- Start breastfeeding immediately after giving birth.
- 2-3 post-delivery, Colostrum is the breastmilk produced which is highly nutritious, sufficient and protective for your baby.
- Keep your baby in the same bed as yours, known as “bedding-in”
- Breastfeed in every 2 hours. Keep trying even if the Lactating flow is slow or blocked.
- Always keep yourself clean. Wash your hands and breast region with damp cloth before breastfeeding.
- Change your baby’s diaper before feeding them, this way they feed better and are more comfortable.
- Take care of your diet and drink plenty of fluids
- Breastfeed more if your have a premature baby.
Don’ts
- Don’t give up on it, no matter how hard it can be.
- Don’t eat painkillers or other medications before consulting with your doctor.
- Don’t ignore breast or nipple pain. Consult your doctor for the right ointments.
- Do not eat spicy food as it can affect the breast milk.
- Do not give sugar, honey, jaggery, glucose or plain water before the first breastfeeding.
- Do not give glucose water, tonics or gripe water to your baby for teething.
- Do not make a milk bottle as backup. Avoid bottle feeding as much as possible. Especially during the first year of you baby’s life.
Things to keep handy while breastfeeding
While you are breastfeeding, you must have a few things handy. A breast pump, nursing pads, nursing tanks and bras, nipple cream, nursing pillows and nursing covers are some products that you need while lactating.
Follow OvenYr.com for more information on breastfeeding. Book a tele-appointment to speak to the doctor directly. Visit our shop for breastfeeding accessories.