BREAST FEEDING - TIPS

TEN TIPS FOR BREASTFEEDING

• You should begin breastfeeding your baby an hour after delivery

• Colostrum, the yellowish milk produced by the mother in the first three days is very healthy for the child

• The baby does not need anything other than breast milk for the first 4-6 months of life. Breast milk provides adequate nutrition and immunity to the baby

• A baby has only breast milk (no additional water) and urinates a minimum of six times in 24 hours is getting enough breast milk

• Your baby should be free to breastfeed whenever and for as long as it chooses. More suckling means more breast milk. Demand feeding alleviates breast engorgement and breast infection

• It is important that the baby not only gets foremilk (rich in carbhohydrates, vitamins and proteins, that also helps quench the baby's thirst), but also get hind milk (rich in fat and calories). Therefore, you should allow the baby to keep suckling from one side until he/she leaves the breast on his/her own, so that he gets enough hind milk

• Try to avoid bottle-feeding entirely. It is not necessary at all.

• Bottle-feeding may be a direct cause for breastfeeding failure

• If the baby cannot tolerate bottle-feeding or artificial feeding, it can lead to a serious illness

Basics of BreastFeeding:

Positioning:

The baby should be unwrapped before being put to the breast. This will allow it the freedom to feel its mother's body, especially her warm breasts. It must be positioned such that, it is in a semi-upright position with its stomach touching your stomach, its lower shoulder touching you, and its upper shoulder close to your breast.

Latching on:

She must take the entire nipple (the dark areola) in its mouth, it is more important that its lips cover the lower part of the areola than the upper part of the areola. It is its lower jaw that will do the entire suckling.

Timing and Frequency of Feeds:

The baby must be allowed to feed as often and as long as it wants (including during the night). This will ensure that it gets enough hind milk and also a feeling of security

Ban on Feeding Bottles:

Although you may have got many feeding bottles as gifts, it is important that you never use them. The use of feeding bottles could cause nipple confusion and result in breastfeeding failure.

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Azhagiri.R