Family Birth Center
Caring for Your Baby: A New Mother's Guide
Breastfeeding
Nutritionally, mother's milk is the best food available
for an infant. Breastfeeding offers emotional benefits for
the infant and mother. Although breastfeeding is the natural
way to feed a baby, there is a certain amount of learning
for mother and baby. Given simple advice and much support
most mothers who want to breastfeed will be able to do so.
Beginning Breastfeeding
Lactation Educators and classes are available to assist in
successful breastfeeding. Keep offering your breast whenever
the baby is awake and interested, or at least every two to
four hours during the day. After a day or two, the baby will
have rested and adjusted and be ready to nurse more frequently.
You need to watch your baby's cues, not the clock, to determine
the frequency and length of each nursing period. Babies who
are hungry will suck their fists, tongue and lips, make sucking
motions, and root. Babies who are done feeding will relax
and usually open their hands. Alternating breasts and rotating
nursing positions will help prevent sore nipples and promotes
adequate emptying of the breast. Switching between breasts
helps stimulate milk supply evenly. Try burping baby when
switching breasts. For breast discomfort, use warm packs for
20 minutes or take a warm shower before nursing. Breastfeeding
mothers should wash their breasts once a day with warm water.
Avoid use of soaps on breasts which can wash off natural skin
oils and dry your skin. Before breastfeeding, wash your hands.
There is no need to wash your breast before each feeding.
Different Breastfeeding Positions
There are several different positions you can use during breastfeeding.
- Sitting - Sit in a comfortable chair or comfortable place.
Use a pillow on your lap or under your arm to bring baby
closer to your breasts.
- Side Lying - You may wish to try lying on your side on
the bed, floor or couch. The baby will nurse from the breast
closest to it as it lays next to you. You will need to move
the baby to your other side and roll over to breastfeed
from the opposite breast.
- Football Hold - This is another alternative. Support
the head with one hand and the body of the baby with your
forearm. Support the infant's body against your side. The
infant's head will be next to your breast while its feet
are sticking out behind you.
Breast Milk
Mothers are concerned about maintaining an adequate milk supply
for their baby-it takes six to eight weeks to establish the
supply. Your breasts may seem less full after the first week
of nursing. This is because swelling has gone away, not milk.
You will have plenty of milk if you nurse frequently. Good
indicators of adequate milk supply are:
- Your baby has at least two to four stools and six to
seven wet diapers per 24 hours. Stooling patterns after
the first month vary greatly.
- Your baby is content for at least one and a half hours
between feedings.
- Your baby is gaining weight-about a half to one and a
half ounces per day.
If baby has been nursing well and on demand since delivery,
the milk may come in around the second to fourth day. Initially,
your breast contains a thick, creamy, yellowish milk that
helps protect the newborn against infection. Sometimes, when
the milk comes in, there can be accompanying swelling of the
breast tissue. If it occurs, continue with frequent nursing
every two to three hours which will help regulate your milk
supply to your baby's needs. Use warm packs to the breast
or warm showers followed by gentle massage prior to nursing.
You may have to express some milk before feeding to soften
the nipple area and allow the baby to latch on and attach
to your breasts. If you are having difficulty nursing, Lactation
Educators are available to help you.
Initiating Feedings
Here are some tips you may wish to try to make it easier to
begin the breastfeeding process. Any or all of these techniques
may be required when you are first initiating breastfeeding.
Don't get discouraged:
- Nipple Rolling: By rolling the nipple of your breast between
your thumb and index finger, you can help in preparing your
nipple to be stronger and easier for the baby to latch on.
- Finger Position: By placing one finger above your nipple
during the feeding, you can help your infant breathe easier
as well as assist the baby in finding and keeping the nipple
in its mouth.
- Techniques to Stimulate Sucking: Gently stroke baby's
back or bottom of the feet to help arouse infant and keep
the baby more awake for feedings.
- Express or squeeze a small amount of milk out of the
nipple by gently squeezing the nipple and areola just prior
to nursing.
- Position the nipple over the baby's tongue with the nipple
pointing towards the roof of the mouth.
- Stroking the sides of the baby's mouth will cause the
infant to turn its head towards the side stroked.
- Place a finger under the infant's chin while it's sucking
and apply gentle pressure. This will help the infant suck
better.
To take the infant away from your breast at the end of the
feeding, gently insert your finger inside the infant's mouth
to break the suction before pulling the infant away.
After Nursing
After nursing, let your breasts air dry by leaving the flaps
of the nursing bra down for 15 minutes or at least two hours
each day. For sore nipples, try using a small amount of breast
milk as a moisturizer and rub it over the area. Be sure to
wear a well-fitting support nursing bra 24 hours a day for
as long as you're breastfeeding, and avoid the use of plastic
lined nursing pads. Instead, if you wish to use nursing pads
to line your bra to absorb any leaking which may occur, try
disposable without plastic liners or cloth pads which can
be laundered. Change your bra daily.
Enjoying the Nursing Experience
Most mothers find their nursing experience is enhanced when
they regard it as a time to relax and take it easy. Some mothers
like to be alone to nurse. Many like to listen to music or
watch television. Nursing your baby is a good time to just
look, talk to and get to know your baby. Take care of yourself
by eating a well-balanced diet, drinking plenty of fluids
and getting rest. Learn to sleep when your baby sleeps.
Breast and Bottlefeeding
It is recommended that you do not feed your breastfed baby
with a bottle for four to six weeks to be sure your milk supply
is well established. Many working mothers have continued to
successfully breastfeed, either by pumping at their workplace
or supplementing feedings with formula and breastfeeding when
with their babies. It is important to remember that your milk
is made on a supply and demand basis, so if you substitute
bottlefeeding for breastfeeding too often, you will dramatically
decrease your milk supply.
Expressing Breast Milk
Expressing breast milk-it is best to do this in the early
morning or when your breasts still feel full after the baby
is done nursing. If done manually, begin by stroking the breast
from the outside region inward to the nipple. Express the
milk into a nurser bag or plastic container. There are three
different types of pump devices: hand held breast pump, the
cylinder type which is able to store milk in the same container
and the electric pump.
Storing Breast Milk for Future Use
You can store breast milk in sterile plastic containers-preferably
hard plastic with airtight lids-for 48 hours in the refrigerator.
Be sure to use new containers and date each container each
time you express. Do not store milk in glass containers, plastic
is best. If you do not plan to use the milk within 48 hours,
it should be frozen. Frozen milk can be stored for two to
four weeks in a freezer which keeps ice cream semi-soft and
two to four months in a freezer which keeps ice cream brick-hard.
Thaw frozen milk in warm water to the desired temperature;
do not thaw milk in a microwave or on the stove. Breast milk
oftentimes will separate and form a bluish colored liquid
on the top and a creamy liquid on the bottom. This is normal
and the milk is still safe to use.
Weaning Your Baby from the Breast
This should be a gradual process of reducing the number of
times you nurse each day and increasing the number of bottles
you feed your baby. The feeding most often stopped first is
the midday or early evening feeding. Replace the breast feeding
you skip with a bottle or cup (if child is old enough). Allow
several days to pass before weaning the next feeding. The
last feeding to be weaned should be the one your baby seems
to enjoy the most, usually this is the first feeding in the
morning or the one at bedtime.
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