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Breast Feeding Information

In the world today, a new pregnant mom either hears all horror stories about breast feeding, or that it's all wonderful and beautiful.

Here is some "real world" breast feeding information those first time moms with real fears. I will not "sugar coat it", but rather tell it like it is, and give you hope that it really CAN become beautiful, even if it does not start out that way!

Breast feeding can be very confusing for the first time mother who first attempts it. Although it is one of the most natural things in the world and many mothers feel like they should be born knowing how to effectively nurse a child, it can be hard to know exactly what to do or how to do it. (This was me, with my first child. I was just "sure" I could nurse her. My thoughts were, "She is a baby, I have a breast, it just works - Right?" Though this can be the way it works, it is not the "norm".)

Here are some essential breast feeding information along with some tips and tricks to make breast feeding work for every new mom!

First you want to put the baby to your breast as soon as possible after birth. - It is "best" to have your first breast feeding session within an hour after giving birth, if possible. The first hour after your baby is born you will notice she or he is very alert after the activity and work of being born. At this time the sucking instinct is strong. At first you will be releasing colostrum until your milk comes in. Colostrum is a thin milky fluid that contains important antibodies to disease. Colostrum is often referred to as "liquid gold" because it is; it is the perfect food for your new little bundle.

After the first hour you will want to gently encourage frequent feeds. - It is a good idea to "try" nursing your baby every two to three hours. (I say "try" here because the hours following are spent with a sleepy infant. Most babies pass-out for hours after there initial wakeful period, this is normal and will pass.) Breast feeding frequently can help keep your breasts soft and aid in the prevention of engorgement. Be sure to pay close attention to your baby for signs of hunger. These signs can be - changes in facial expressions, sucking sounds and/or lip movements (these are typically called "lip smacks") also rooting is another good clue! By keeping a close eye out for these signs you will learn quickly the cues, your baby gives, to help aid you in anticipating your baby's hungry.

It is best to avoid an extremely hungry baby if possible; a hungry baby can be too impatient to latch on correctly. Also if your breasts are engorged from waiting too long between feedings you may be VERY sensitive to his touch. (I was this way with my son, but not from not nursing enough but because no matter what some woman do they do become engorged.) Breast feeding on "demand" (I use this word VERY lightly, as your new bundle is a baby, and can't "demand" anything! They cry because that is the only way they have to communicate with you) will actually help stimulate your breasts to produce milk - the breasts make milk based on the stimulation received while breast feeding. Carrying your baby in a baby carrier or sling can also help foster more frequent and convenient feeding as well as give a wonderful closeness for both mom and baby.

Always be sure you're comfortable when you sit down to nurse, practice good positioning. - Having the right positioning for breast feeding is one of the *most* important aspects in avoiding nipple soreness, as well as back pain, arm soreness and in the end stress on both you and your new bundle. You will want to use your hand or arm to support your baby's neck. His mouth should be open wide with the lips puckered out, not folded in. Your nipple should go back as far into his or her mouth as possible. (In most books you read they will say to be sure that you get all of your areola into your baby's mouth. Well if you're like me, and have a big areola/nipple, you will NOT be able to get the whole thing in there. I tried; matter of fact I acted like a mad woman trying to "stuff it in." It is ok, just get as much in as you can, and is comfortable.) Many hospitals also provide lactation consultants to mothers who choose to breast feed. (This really IS something you should try to take advantage of in the hospital.) If you do not take advantage of this in the hospital, or you need a refresher once you get home, you can get help finding proper positioning by asking a nurse, midwife, lactation consultant or other experienced mother for some help breast feeding. La Leche League is also a great resource. They are a nationwide network for breastfeeding support and are in many communities. They offer support groups and their leaders are wonderful. (With my son a leader actually came to my house, sat with me, and helped with every feeding for about 8 hours one day; it was actually one of the main reasons that breast feeding "worked" for us.)

Avoid Nipple pain and get some relief. - Some women get sore nipples when they first begin breast feeding and others have no problems at all. Most of the time the discomfort can be remedied by better positioning. If your nipples start to become very sore try this - first, seek help to be sure that your latch is correct, the more you nurse with an incorrect latch, the more it will hurt you (and correct positioning is much more comfy anyway!). Next, after each time you nurse, rub a small amount of your breast milk on and around each nipple and allow it to air dry. (Breast milk has a lot of healing properties within it to help cure a lot of ailments.) Doing this, even when there is no pain can help prevent cracking (which can lead to infection). In cases where your nipples do crack, coat them with breast milk, vitamin E oil, or lanolin to help them heal. Note - The lanolin's sold for breastfeeding are fine to leave on with no concerns for the baby at the next feeding - however some babies don't like the taste/texture of these agents on your nipples so you may need to wash them off before offering the breast.

Please Note: If your nipples do crack, it is not uncommon for them to bleed, it is perfectly safe for your baby to continue to nurse off of this breast, and in fact it is essential that you do nurse off this breast. Nursing on this breast will be painful, and you will probably find that nursing on the non-cracked side first, is the way to go. The reason for this is because your baby will be very hungry when they first latch on, which is not good for a hurting nipple. So always offer the breast not hurting first, if the other becomes engorged, you can hand express to ease the pain. Also why you're nursing on that side, removing your bra and letting the painful side have air is a good way to help as well. Another thing which can help - which might sound a little weird - is, if you can manage it, sit in front of a sunny window, or go outside, exposing your nipple to the sun is very beneficial, and can help heal it! If it gets to bad, if it's just not going away or if your baby has white "patches" with in his mouth, please seek medical help, more than likely you have thrush and need medical treatment to get rid of it.

Be on the lookout for breast infections. - If you experience a fever or painful lumps and redness on your breasts, you should seek medical attention immediately. Abscesses can develop quickly and need medical treatment. While mastitis does need medical treatment there are things you can do, to help ease the pain. The first: HOT showers, and compresses on the area that is sore, or has a lump. Light massage can help as well, circular motions right over where the lump is, will help to break it up and help let your body release it. Another vital thing is breast feeding, ALOT, on this side. Doing this, will help draw out the "lump" as well. Some people find that hot compresses or a hot shower right before breast feeding helps the most. The last helpful thing (and perhaps most important) is to place your babies jaw in the same direction as the lump. In other words, you will want to have their chin point to the same direction as the lump. (Depending on where it is, this can lead to some interesting feeding positions.)

You will want to postpone the use of artificial nipples. - It is recommended that if you are going to be breast feeding your baby you should avoid introducing pacifiers or other artificial nipples too early. Artificial nipples require the baby to use a different sucking action than that of your nipple and will (if started to early) hinder breast feeding efforts. This is often referred to as "nipple confusion." It is usually best to wait at least four to six weeks, usually by then you have created a good foundation for your breast feeding relationship. However, you will need to be sure that everything is running smoothly before introducing any pacifier or bottles. (When I started nursing Zachary it took a good 6 weeks before our nursing relationship was established enough to NOT cause him confusion.)

Formula or water supplements are not needed. - There is usually no need to supplement while breast feeding with sugar water or formula. Breast milk is made especially for babies and is a perfect source of nutrition - it is also full of helpful antibodies. While there have been many advances in recent years in formulas, they do not have nearly the same nutritional complexity of your breast milk and may interfere with your baby's appetite for breastfeeding and lead to a diminished milk supply.

If you are worried that you are not making enough milk, one way to increase your supply is breast feeding your baby more often that will cause you to produce more milk. (You can also wear your baby; it helps to have them "right there" where they can have access at all times. Another good "test" to see if your baby is getting enough, is to place a tissue with in a disposable diaper (or use cloth diapers). Doing this you can really tell how many diapers your baby is wetting. As long as your baby is having 6-8 wet diapers a day, she or he is fine. (Also, breast feed babies can go days between bowel movements, so don't be worried if you don't see one of those every day!) If you think your baby is not getting enough to eat or is losing weight, consult your doctor for advice on whether supplementation is necessary and to ensure that there are no other problems.

Please Note: If your baby has jaundice, they still do not need supplements. Breast milk is the fastest processed food for a baby, and will push though the Billy Rubin with in their systems faster than formula or sugar water. Breast feed ALOT, and expose your baby to as much sun light as possible! (Zachary had jaundice - and I can attest to the fact that a baby can nurse though it! With breast feeding and play in front of a window full of sunshine, Zachary was jaundice free in a week!)

You will want to try to avoid engorgement. - When your milk first comes in you will be producing a lot of milk. This can make your breasts large, swollen, hard and painful. You can help to ease this engorgement by breast feeding frequently or expressing some milk with a hand pump or electric pump until your body adjusts to produce only as much as your baby needs. (Only pump as much as you need to, to become comfortable, remember your body produces milk because it thinks your baby is eating ALL that it's producing, so even if your pumping, your body will not know the difference between the pump and your baby. Though this is a great method to help relieve pain, only "top off" and take as much as you need to be comfortable.) You can also help relieve the pain by applying warm, wet compresses or taking warm baths or showers. Also, some over-the-counter pain relievers may help, but consult your doctor before taking any sort of drug, since it may be passed through your milk to the baby.

Please Note: If you're very engorged (as I was) cabbage leafs will also help, take a leaf off and place it right over your breast/nipple area. It helps to release pain and to decrease milk, be careful when doing this because it can stop milk production all together, only do it for short stretches of time.

It's important to stay healthy and drink LOTS of water. - A breast feeding mom needs to eat a healthy diet, exercise and drink at a lot of water in order to produce nutritional milk. Ask your doctor about how much to increase your calorie intake to ensure that both you and baby get all of the nutrition you need. Most likely you will need an extra 500 calories a day. PLEASE do not diet right after having your baby; you will actually burn WAY more calories and loose weigh faster by eating healthy! It is also very important to drink enough water and clear fluids while your breast feeding as well so you do not get dehydrated. You will want to try to avoid drugs, alcohol, caffeine and smoke while your breast feeding (and for your babies sake).

Please note: Most Lactation Consultants will tell you to "prepare" your breast feeding area, with a healthy snack and a full 8 OZ glass of water! You should be drinking something every time you nurse to avoid dehydration!

With a good support network, persistence and knowledge, breast feeding can be an extremely simple and VERY pleasurable way to feed your baby and your child. Do not be afraid to ask for assistance from your doctor, nurse, lactation consultant, midwife or the La Leche League - successful breast feeding depends heavily on education, persistence, support and practice.

So grab a glass of water, a comfy pillow, a yummy snack, and your baby. Sit down, get comfy and breast feed away! They grow up way to fast, I have learned to my sorrow...so treasure every moment, and relax!

Visit our Gallery of Nursing Mother's other women just like you...who are breast feeding!

Other Useful Breast Feeding Articles

• Nursing Picture Sparks Outrage Nursing mother and baby on the cover of "Baby Talk" Magazine, how do you feel?

• Real Moms, tips, tricks, and stories on breastfeeding - Real moms give great tips and tricks on how to make breastfeeding a wonderful experience.

• Sick of white nursing bra's? Here's a trick for you!

  Breastfeeding Pictures Offensive? Breastfeeding pictures MORE offensive than OTHER boob pictures on newsstands today?

• Are you strong enough to be "that woman?" - The very first time I walked into a La Leche League meeting, "that woman" was there, you know the one who is STILL breast feeding her 3 year old...I thought that could never be me, but look at me now. The joys and benefits of extended breast feeding.