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Happy Breastfeeding Week

Last week, we all celebrated breastfeeding week, while reading the stories I felt that they are so many new mother just suffered as they had no one for correct guidance.

Breastfeeding can be overwhelming for a new mother, as it takes lots of patience and effort. As a new mother usually we are confused and don’t have a complete knowledge plus there is no expert to guide, this make the whole breastfeeding process exhausting and this leads to postpartum depression.

As per WHO, mother should exclusively breastfeed the child for six months and thereafter she should continue breastfeeding with solid foods till the age of two but nowadays, I can see due to lack of knowledge about breastfeeding lot of mothers are unable to feed and they start Formula milk.

In this article, I will share few things which helped me to breastfeed my baby, who is 18 months old now and still breastfeeding. Read on..

1) Don’t Worry About the Supply:

Initial days are very important for breastfeeding and this are exhausting too. Keep your baby near you, as the baby finds comfort near mother. Feeding on demand is very important to keep up the supply. Do not start top up feed early as this will reduce your milk supply.

Night feeding are very helpful to keep up the supply, so even if you are tired do not give formula, try and breastfeed only.

If for any reason the baby can’t latch or you can feed, pump your milk and feed through spoon. This will not only help to build your supply but also baby will get the goodness of your milk.

2) Latching: –

Breastfeeding should not be painful, so if you are feeling pain while the baby sucks that means the latch is not proper.

It is important that baby just don’t suck on the nipple, they should suck the areola (black part) around the nipple too. For this, just hold the areola with finger like in a pinch and give in baby’s mouth. This way you will not feel pain and also the nipple won’t crack plus baby will be able to suck it easily.

3) Breastfeeding Position: –

Find a position which can be comfortable for you and your baby, take pillow for support. Make sure you are not closing the nose of your baby while feeding. Also, do not sleep and feed the baby in initial months, as baby can’t roll on side it is uncomfortable for the baby. After 4-5 month you can do that till then sit and feed. Your baby head should always be a little elevated from his body, so that if there is a let down from your breast he won’t choke himself.

4) Feeding Time: –

Initially, baby takes longer feed as they sleep. Feed round 15-20 minutes from one side at a time then slowly as they grow older, the feeding time reduces. Always offer one side and let them feed till you feel soft and less heavier because initially the breast releases fore-milk and then the hind milk, the hind milk is important for baby’s growth as it have higher content of fats.

If your baby feeds for 10 minutes and doze off, after few minutes she is again awake, that means she did not had proper feed.

If baby sleep while taking feed, just tickle on toes or behind ear and wake them up to complete. This will help the baby to nap longer which is again good for you, as you can sleep as well.

5) Burp: –

Burping the baby is very important and most of the time we avoid it specially at night. You need to burp your baby so that his milk can be digested well or else he will keep waking up due to indigestion. Plus, burping will help to keep him away from frequent spit up.

This is the perfect time for your husband to help, at night you feed and handover the baby to his daddy to burp a great way of father-child bonding. Just hold the baby upright on your chest and massage his back till he burp.

6) Don’t keep feeding the baby all the time: –

I have seen mother as soon as the baby cry, they will breastfeed. Baby can cry due to lot of reason, might he is cold/hot, gas, sleepy. If you just fed the baby and he cries again just see if there is any other reason. Sometimes, my baby cry due to gas, I just massage his tummy and he smiles.

Baby can cry due to colic issues as well (will discuss in separate article), so if he cries every night take him to pediatrician.

7) Do no assume that your milk is not enough: –

I have seen so many mothers who just start formula as they are worried that their baby are not getting enough milk through breastfeeding. So, just ask below three questions to yourself.

Baby pee more than 7-8 times a day?

Baby is active, relaxed after having feed?

Baby is gaining weight?

Does baby feel satisfied and sleep after the feed?

If your answer is YES to all these questions, that means your baby is getting enough milk, so do not worry.

And If the answer is NO, then consult a Lactation Expert, yes there is a special expert for breastfeeding issues, so consult them as early as possible.

Do not rush to start formula milk, as you feel the baby don’t get enough milk, always listen your doctors or consult a lactation expert.

I hope, this article will helps you to go through this beautiful journey of breastfeeding with your baby.

If you have any questions or suggestions, do comment.

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