Breast-feeding: Getting Started

What are the benefits of breast-feeding?

There are many good reasons to breast-feed your baby:

• It can help protect your baby from infections (such as ear and respiratory infections) and allergies or conditions related to allergies, such as asthma and eczema.
• It may help prevent SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
• It may reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and dental problems.
• It may enhance your baby's brain development.
• It's easy on your baby's digestive system.
• The skin-to-skin contact helps you bond with your baby.
• It can help you lose weight after pregnancy.
• It lowers your risk of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers, as well as complications related to osteoporosis.
• It's convenient! You have nothing to wash, sterilize, or prepare when you breast-feed.

Both Health Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society recommend breast-feeding exclusively as the best way to nourish your baby during the first 6 months of life.

How often should I breast-feed my baby and how long should each feeding last?

Let your baby be your guide. Shortly after birth, your baby will probably want to feed every 2 to 3 hours. Allow your baby to keep feeding from each breast for as long as they want. To make sure both breasts are making a good milk supply, start each feeding with a different breast.

How can I tell if my baby is feeding well?

During nursing, you should hear swallowing sounds that start off short (a "K" sound) and gradually get longer and deeper as the feeding continues. Your baby's jaw muscles should move evenly during sucking, and the movement should be visible up to their ears. After the feeding, your baby should seem content, and the feeding should not be painful for you.

If your baby is making a lot of lip smacking noises and doesn't seem to be swallowing, if the feeding hurts you, or if your baby does not seem content afterwards, they may not be feeding well.

A baby who is getting enough to eat should produce 6 to 8 wet diapers every 24 hours. During the first month, they should produce several loose stools a day. The stool of breast-fed infants will often be yellowish in colour and have a grainy or "seedy" appearance with the consistency of yogurt. After this, stools may come every 2 to 7 days. Your doctor will check regularly to see if your baby is gaining weight normally. If you have any concerns about whether your baby is feeding well, talk to your doctor.

Does my baby need any supplements or vitamins, or is breast milk enough?

In general, breast milk provides nutritious food that's tailor-made for your baby. But it does not provide enough vitamin D. The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends vitamin D supplements (available as drops) for all exclusively breast-fed babies. The usual dose is 400 IU daily for the first year of life or until the baby's diet includes this amount of vitamin D. Depending on factors such as skin colour and where you live, certain babies may need an additional 400 IU per day. Ask your doctor about how much vitamin D your baby should aim to get.

Some people believe that because breast milk has low levels of iron in it, breast-fed babies should have a daily iron supplement. This is not true! Only give your baby an iron supplement if advised by their doctor. Generally, healthy, full-term babies do not require any more iron than what breast milk can give them before 6 months of age.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Breast-feeding-Getting-Started

When should I express my breast milk, and how do I store it?

You may wish to express your breast milk by hand or with a breast pump if you won't be with your baby at feeding times (e.g., while you are at work). You may also want to express milk if your breasts are very full. This will help relieve your discomfort and make it easier for your baby to latch on. Expressing your milk also gives your partner and other family members a way to get involved in feeding the baby and give you time to rest. The most effective breast pumps are high-powered, double, electric, hospital-grade ones that have the option of adjusting pressure and suction. Some hand pumps are good for occasional pumping.

Store expressed breast milk in the fridge in a sterilized glass or BPA-free plastic container labelled with the date. It will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge (at a temperature colder than 4°C [40°F]), and 6 to 12 months in a separate deep freezer set to temperatures colder than -18°C (0°F). Frozen milk should be thawed in the fridge or using lukewarm water. Avoid using the microwave. Uneven heating may produce hot spots in the milk that can cause harm to your baby. Overheating may also affect the quality of the milk.

Should I make any changes to my lifestyle when I'm breast-feeding?

If you smoke, quit – or at least cut back, which is better than doing nothing at all. Any amount of smoking can harm your health and your baby's health. Smoking cigarettes can decrease your milk production. It can also make your baby irritable or slow to gain weight.

Minimize your alcohol intake, or ideally avoid it completely. The amount of alcohol you consume will affect how long you should wait until you breast-feed again. It takes up to 2 hours for 1 drink to clear from your body, or about 6 hours for 3 drinks. In general, you should have no more than 2 drinks per occasion.

You should be aware that alcohol is thought to reduce the amount of milk produced, resulting in the baby having to feed more often. It may also alter the taste of breast milk, possibly to the point that the baby will dislike it and become irritable and refuse to feed.

In terms of caffeine, limit your caffeine consumption to a maximum of 2 to 3 cups per day. Eat a well-balanced diet, and if you are a vegan, ask your doctor whether you should take nutritional supplements.

Can I breast-feed while I'm on medication?

It depends on the medication. Many medications are fine to take during breast-feeding, but some, such as certain cancer and headache medications, could affect your baby. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any medications, including non-prescription and herbal remedies.

When should I wean my baby?

The Canadian Paediatric Society and Health Canada recommend breast-feeding exclusively for the first 6 months of life. During this time, breast-feeding can be used as the only source of food for your baby (your baby will need a vitamin D supplement).

After 6 months, babies can no longer get everything they need from breast milk, so it's recommended that you start introducing solid foods.

Even after your baby starts solids, you can continue breast-feeding until the age of 2 years and beyond.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Breast-feeding-Getting-Started