1. Benefits of Breastfeeding
2. Breastfeeding Tips
3. Is It Enough Milk?
4. Storing Breast Milk
5. Links to Info on Breastfeeding
Benefits of Breastfeeding
BENEFITS FOR BABY:
*Breast milk is the most complete form of nutrition for infants. A mother's milk has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water, and protein that is needed for a baby's growth and development. Most babies find it easier to digest breast milk than they do formula.
*As a result, breastfed infants grow exactly the way they should. They tend to gain less unnecessary weight and to be leaner. This may result in being less overweight later in life.
*Premature babies do better when breastfed compared to premature babies who are fed formula.
*Breastfed babies score slightly higher on IQ tests, especially babies who were born pre-maturely.
BENEFITS FOR MOM:
*Nursing uses up extra calories, making it easier to lose the pounds of pregnancy. It also helps the uterus to get back to its original size and lessens any bleeding a woman may have after giving birth.
*Breastfeeding, especially exclusive breastfeeding (no supplementing with formula), delays the return of normal ovulation and menstrual cycles. (However, you should still talk with your doctor or nurse about birth control choices.)
*Breastfeeding lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, and possibly the risk of hip fractures and osteoporosis after menopause.
*Breastfeeding makes your life easier. It saves time and money. You do not have to purchase, measure, and mix formula. There are no bottles to warm in the middle of the night!
*A mother can give her baby immediate satisfaction by providing her breast milk when her baby is hungry.
*Breastfeeding requires a mother to take some quiet relaxed time for herself and her baby.
*Breastfeeding can help a mother to bond with her baby. Physical contact is important to newborns and can help them feel more secure, warm and comforted.
*Breastfeeding mothers may have increased self-confidence and feelings of closeness and bonding with their infants.
BENEFITS FOR SOCIETY:
*Breastfeeding saves on health care costs. Total medical care costs for the nation are lower for fully breastfed infants than never-breastfed infants since breastfed infants typically need fewer sick care visits, prescriptions, and hospitalizations.
*Breastfeeding contributes to a more productive workforce. Breastfeeding mothers miss less work, as their infants are sick less often. Employer medical costs also are lower and employee productivity is higher.
*Breastfeeding is better for our environment because there is less trash and plastic waste compared to that produced by formula cans and bottle supplies.
Current as of October 2005
Directly from womenshealth.gov
Breastfeeding Tips
*One of the most important things to remember is that breastfeeding truly is the best method for feeding your baby for many reasons. Some mothers are unable or choose not the breastfeed their babies and of course that is their decision. What I do what you to know is that any amount of breastfeeding you do is beneficial. The first few days your milk will be thick, and yellow or golden. This is called colostrum and is made to be gentle for your babies stomach and greatly helps prevent against diseases. Even if you choose not to breastfeed, giving your baby the colostrum for the first few days will be a great benefit.
*If you do decide to breastfeed, the sooner the better. If you can do it within an hour or two of delivery it helps because the baby is attentive and the sucking reflex is strong. My son latched almost immediately after he was born and we never had problems after that. Also, if you start at the hospital and see you are having problems or need some help, you can speak to a lactation consultant while you're still there (a lot of hospitals have consultants right on the labor/delivery & baby areas).
*Breastfeed your newborn on demand. Feed them every 2 hours or when they are showing signs of hunger such as being more alert, sucking on their hands, or rooting (turning their heads in search of a nipple.) Crying is a late sign of hunger.
*Alternate breasts each time. Each feeding you could start on one breast and continue to the next. Your baby may get full midway through the second breast, so next time start with the breast you finished with the previous time. If your breast get too full in between feedings you can squeeze some milk out (works best during a warm shower). Soon your breast should make just the right amount for you baby.
*Feed your baby only breast milk. You will not (for the most part - your baby's doctor will tell you if you need to otherwise) need to feed your baby anything but breast milk. Water, sugar water, or formula will fill up your baby and reduce his intake of vitamins from the breast milk. Also, the more you breastfeed, the more milk you'll have. Your baby's sucking will trigger the milk production. As long as he's sucking, you should have enough milk.
*You may want to wait before introducing bottle nipples or pacifiers until your baby is comfortable sucking on your nipple. Bottle nipples and pacifiers may confuse a newborn who is just learning how to breastfeed.
*Your nipples may crack (and even bleed) until they get used to the breastfeeding. A good way to try to prevent this is to air dry your nipples after each feeding, to use lanolin cream, and not to wash your nipples with soap since it can wash away natural oils. Remember that the cracked nipples will not last long, so stick to it! (If you think your nipples have gotten infected because of the cracking, see a doctor right away. Signs of breast infection include fever, irritation, and painful lumps and redness in the breast.)
*You may be thirstier and hungrier when breastfeeding. You will also need more rest. This is normal. Stay hydrated with plenty of water (not caffeinated drinks) and remember that producing milk uses 500 more calories/day. Eat healthy foods and get as much rest as possible (when the baby naps, try to nap too - there are also some breastfeeding positions that allow you to lay down).
Is It Enough Milk?
Your baby may lose some weight right after birth and this is normal. Breastfeeding is not the reason for this. Your baby's doctor will be seeing him quite a few times during the first month (you should visit your pediatrician between three to five days after your baby's birth and then again at two weeks of age) and he/she will let you know how well your baby is growing. Soon, babies who are breastfed will begin to gain the weight and look overall healthy. You can tell your baby is getting enough milk by keeping track of the number of wet and dirty diapers. In the first few days, you milk will be low in volume and high in nutrients. During this time your baby will have 1 to 2 wet diapers per day. When your milk comes in your baby should have 5 to 6 wet diapers and 3 to 4 dirty diapers when your milk is low in volume and high in nutrients, your baby will have only 1 or 2 wet diapers a day. After your milk supply has increased, your baby should have 5 to 6 wet diapers and 3 to 4 dirty diapers every day.
This chart shows the minimum number of diapers for most babies.
It is fine if your baby has more.
Baby’s Age Wet Diapers Dirty Diapers Color and Texture
Day 1 (birth) 1 Thick, tarry and black
Day 2 2 Thick, tarry and black
Day 3 3 Greenish yellow
Day 4 5 - 6 Greenish yellow
Day 5 5 - 6 Seedy, watery mustard color
Day 6 5 - 6 Seedy, watery mustard color
Day 7 5 - 6 Seedy, watery mustard color
Chart from http://www.womenshealth.gov
After getting home from the hospital make sure you are still feeding your newborn every 1-2 hours. Also, for the first couple months the baby will be sleeping a lot. You should wake up your newborn if it has been 4 hours after you started your previous feeding. This is also a great way to get your baby on a schedule. My son was on a 4 hour feeding schedule by 6 weeks. He was growing very rapidly and the doctor was impressed at how healthy he was. Soon, I would give him a nice big feeding right before bed, and he would sleep through the night. Of course all babies are different and have different needs, so make sure you speak to your pediatrician about your child's feeding habits.
Here are some other signs that may tell you if your baby is eating enough:
*Steady weight gain, after the first week of age. From birth to three months, typical weight gain is four to eight ounces per week.
*Pale yellow urine, not deep yellow or orange.
*You baby sleeps well and is alert when awake (and of course is generally healthy looking)
Storing Breast Milk
Breastfeeding is very beneficial to the mommy and to the baby. Moms returning to work or to school may choose to continue breastfeeding by pumping their milk and having a caretaker feed their baby with it. It's important to know how to keep your milk fresh for your baby. Remember to always mark on the storage bag the date you expressed your milk and to use the oldest ones first. Never fill the storage bag/container all the way since the mill will expand when you freeze it. Colostrum, or the first milk expressed in the first few days after delivery, can be stored at room temperature for up to 12 hours. Mature milk, or breast milk that comes in six days after the birth of your baby can be stored in the following ways:
At Room Temperature:
*At 60 degrees F for 24 hours
*At 66-72 degrees F for 10 hours
*At 79 degrees F for 4-6 hours
*At 86-100 degrees F for 4 hours
In the Refrigerator:
*At 32-39 degrees for up to 8 days
In the Freezer*:
*In a freezer compartment contained within the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks
*In a self-contained freezer, either on top of or on the side of the refrigerator for 3 - 4 months
*In a deep freezer with a constant 0 degrees F for 6 months or longer
*It is helpful to freeze the milk in small amounts, such as 2 to 4 ounce servings, so there is less waste and you can choose the amount of milk depending on the baby's hunger.
Bottles and Containers
You can store breast milk in bottles that fit directly onto your breast pump. After pumping, simply remove the pumping tubing, cover with the bottle lid, label the milk, and put it in the refrigerator. Many breast pump carrying cases also come with built-in, cooler-type compartments for storing ice pack and/or the freshly pumped bottles of milk. If used correctly, these do stay cold enough to leave your pumped milk in until you can get home to store the milk in the refrigerator or freezer.
Research is conflicting about the advantages and disadvantages of storing milk in glass versus plastic. However, glass bottles or containers are best for freezing breast milk because it offers the most protection from contamination. The second choice is clear, hard plastic, and the last choice is the cloudy hard plastic containers. Wait to tighten the caps or lids until the milk is completely frozen.
Storage Bags
If you want to freeze your breast milk in bags, you can purchase storage bags that fit directly onto your breast pump and that are made for freezing milk. They are pre-sterilized, thick, have an area for labeling, and seal easily. After pumping, simply remove the pumping tubing, fold the bag over, making sure all air is out of the bag, and seal it. Make sure to label the bag with the date before freezing. When you want to use the milk, you can cut the storage bag with sterile scissors. If the storage bag has a built-in pouring spout, it is easy to pour the milk into a bottle. Other storage bags can be used in the kind of bottle that uses disposable liners, so there is no need to transfer the milk.
Thawing and Handling Stored Breast Milk
It is normal for stored breast milk to separate in its container into two parts, what looks like cream and then a lighter colored milk. Some human milk also varies in color and can be blueish, yellowish, or brownish. Just gently shake the milk before feeding to mix it back together.
Breast milk doesn't take long to thaw or warm up. Never place a bottle or bag of breast milk in the microwave. Milk doesn't heat uniformly in the microwave, so you won't have control over the temperature and could burn your baby. All you have to do is hold the bottle or frozen bag of milk under cool and then warm water for a few minutes. If warm running water is not available, you can heat up a pan of water on the stove. Remove the pan from the heat and place the container into the warm water. Never warm the container directly on the stove. Shake the milk, then test it on your wrist to see if it's warm enough for your baby.
Once frozen milk is thawed, it can be refrigerated, but not re-frozen.
Current as of August 2005
Information obtained from: womenshealth.gov
Links to Info on Breastfeeding
Preparing My Breasts to Breastfeed
An Easy Guide to Breastfeeding
Breast Feeding: Hints to Help You Get Off to a Good Start
Breast-feeding and Bottle-feeding
How Often Should I Nurse My Baby?
How Can I Increase My Milk Supply?
How Can I Tell if My Baby is Getting Enough Milk?
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