This document discusses breastfeeding from various perspectives. It defines breastfeeding, outlines its benefits for both baby and mother, and provides tips for getting a good latch, signs that a baby is hungry, and solutions to common breastfeeding problems. The document emphasizes that breastfeeding provides ideal nutrition for babies and lowers health risks for both mother and baby.
This document discusses breastfeeding from various perspectives. It defines breastfeeding, outlines its benefits for both baby and mother, and provides tips for getting a good latch, signs that a baby is hungry, and solutions to common breastfeeding problems. The document emphasizes that breastfeeding provides ideal nutrition for babies and lowers health risks for both mother and baby.
This document discusses breastfeeding from various perspectives. It defines breastfeeding, outlines its benefits for both baby and mother, and provides tips for getting a good latch, signs that a baby is hungry, and solutions to common breastfeeding problems. The document emphasizes that breastfeeding provides ideal nutrition for babies and lowers health risks for both mother and baby.
This document discusses breastfeeding from various perspectives. It defines breastfeeding, outlines its benefits for both baby and mother, and provides tips for getting a good latch, signs that a baby is hungry, and solutions to common breastfeeding problems. The document emphasizes that breastfeeding provides ideal nutrition for babies and lowers health risks for both mother and baby.
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Mike Jobernard F.
Solangon
BSN II
What is Breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding is when you feed your baby breast milk, usually directly from your breast. It’s also called nursing. Making the decision to breastfeed is a personal matter. It's also one that's likely to draw opinions from friends and family.
Many medical experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, strongly recommend breastfeeding exclusively (no formula, juice, or water) for 6 months. After the introduction of other foods, it recommends continuing to breastfeed through the baby’s first year of life.
How often you should breastfeed your baby depends on whether your baby prefers small, frequent meals or longer feedings. This will change as your baby grows. Newborns often want to feed every 2-3 hours. By 2 months, feeding every 3-4 hours is common, and by six months, most babies feed every 4-5 hours. You and your baby are unique, and the decision to breastfeed is up to you.
Breastfeeding is important for you and your baby.
Today most babies are breastfed. And as more Canadians understand how important breastfeeding is for the health of mothers and babies, more people are supporting mothers to breastfeed for longer, up to 2 years and more. Baby will need a variety of healthy foods as well as breast milk. But breast milk continues to be an important source of nutrition and protection for your baby. Breastfeeding is recommended for up to two years or more, or for as long as you and your baby want to. Any amount of breast milk that you can give your baby is good!
Ask for breastfeeding information and support
Learning to breastfeed can take time and patience. It is a skill that mother and baby learn together. Do not give up! There are many people and groups that can help you, including: family members and friends who have breastfed
health care providers (nurse, doctor or midwife)
lactation consultants support groups such as La Leche League Signs Your Baby is Hungry
One of the most common ways your baby will let you know they're hungry is to cry. Other signs your baby is ready to be fed include:
Licking their lips or sticking out their tongue
Rooting, which is moving their jaw, mouth, or head to look for your breast Putting their hand in their mouth Opening their mouth Fussiness Sucking on things
What are the benefits of breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding (chest feeding) has several health benefits for you and your baby. Understanding the benefits of breastfeeding can help you decide if it’s right for your family.
Benefits for baby
Research suggests that breastfeeding lowers your baby’s risk of certain diseases and helps build a strong immune system. Breastfed (chest fed) babies have a lower risk of: Diarrhea, vomiting and preterm necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Respiratory infections like pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)and whooping cough. Ear infections. Bacterial meningitis. Asthma. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and infant mortality. Childhood obesity. Eczema. Type 2 diabetes. Leukemia (in childhood). Cavities and orthodontic problems. Celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Breastfeeding nutrients Breast milk contains everything your baby needs to grow and develop. It provides a unique and specific formula of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Some nutritional benefits of breast milk are:
It’s easy to digest for your baby’s immature tummy and intestines. It contains antibodies that protect against infection and boost immunity. It has the right amount of fat, sugar, water, protein and vitamins for your baby’s development. It promotes healthy weight gain in infants. It changes to meet your baby’s nutritional needs as they grow. It contains substances that naturally soothe your baby.
Benefits for mom or breastfeeding parent
Breastfeeding offers several benefits for you, too. It lowers your risk for several diseases and conditions, like: Breast cancer. Ovarian cancer. Endometrial cancer. Thyroid cancer. Osteoporosis. Type 2 diabetes. Cardiovascular disease including high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Postpartum depression.
Breastfeeding can also help you recover quicker from childbirth. Breastfeeding produces the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin helps your uterus contract after delivery. This helps it return to its normal size and reduces the amount of vaginal bleeding after delivery. Breastfeeding is also a special and unique way to feel connected to your baby. It increases both physical and emotional bonding. Many people feel that the bonding from breastfeeding may help reduce social and behavioral problems in both children and adults. How to Get Your Baby to ‘Latch on’ During Breastfeeding Position your baby facing you, so your baby is comfortable and doesn’t have to twist their neck to feed. With one hand, cup your breast and gently stroke your baby’s lower lip with your nipple. Your baby’s instinctive reflex will be to open the mouth wide. With your hand supporting your baby’s neck, bring the mouth closer around your nipple, trying to center your nipple in the mouth above the tongue. You’ll know your baby is “latched on” correctly when both lips are pursed outward around your nipple. Your infant should have all of your nipple and most of the areola, which is the darker skin around your nipple, in their mouth. While you may feel a slight tingling or tugging, breastfeeding should not be painful. If your baby isn’t latched on correctly and nursing with a smooth, comfortable rhythm, gently nudge your pinky between your baby’s gums to break the suction, remove your nipple, and try again. Good “latching on” helps
prevent sore nipples.
Top 10 Breastfeeding Problems Solved
No matter if you’ve got a clogged duct, a cracked nipple or an overflow of liquid gold, we’ve got the solutions to all of your nursing issues.
Breastfeeding may be natural, but it’s not always easy. The truth is, there are several things that can pop up along your nursing journey, throwing up roadblocks on what might already be a pretty bumpy road. What is easy? Getting great advice from the experts that know breasts and babies best. We asked them for their best tips for how to handle the most common breastfeeding problems new moms face. Here’s what they said. Problem #1: Latching Pain Real talk: It’s 100 percent normal for your nipples to feel a little (or a lot) sore when you first start breastfeeding, especially if you’re a first-timer. But if the pain lasts longer than a few seconds into your feeding session, there may be an issue with baby’s latch. Remember, both you and baby are learning the ropes here, so an improper latch is one of the most common breastfeeding problems to surface.
Problem #2: Cracked Nipples
This is one of those breastfeeding problems that can be the result of many different things: a shallow latch, pumping improperly, thrush and sometimes even dry skin. During your first week of breastfeeding, when baby is just learning to latch, you may even experience some bloody discharge, says Jane Morton, MD, a clinical professor of pediatrics emerita at Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto, California, and founder of Droplet, an online resource for breastfeeding moms. Cracked nipples might be a little frightening (and uncomfortable), but this breastfeeding problem is nothing to worry about.
Problem #3: Engorgement
Engorged breasts (aka breasts bulging with a whole lot of milk) are very full, firm and taut, making it hard for baby to latch—and yes, like so many breastfeeding problems, engorged breasts can be pretty uncomfortable for mom. Your breasts may become engorged at the beginning of your breastfeeding journey when your milk first comes in and your body is still figuring out how to regulate milk production. Engorgement can also happen if you go too long between feedings or if baby isn’t properly draining your breasts of milk.
Problem #4: Clogged Ducts
When your breasts are overly full or you’ve gone longer than usual between feeds, milk can back up into your ducts, clogging them up. You’ll know you’ve got a plugged duct if there’s a hard lump on your breast, if your breast is sore to the touch, and/or there’s some redness. If you’ve got a fever too, that’s a sign of mastitis (see blow). Other causes of clogged ducts include: Compressing your breasts while sleeping; using wrong-sized pumping parts or an inefficient pump or having something hit your breast in the same spot, like the underwire of your bra. “But some women are simply more prone to plugged ducts and there may not actually be an underlying cause,” says Nguyen. Problem #5: Mastitis Mastitis is a bacterial infection in your breasts marked by flu-like symptoms such as fever and pain in your breasts, Morton says. It’s common within the first few weeks after birth (though it can also happen anytime during breastfeeding) and may be caused by other breastfeeding problems, such as clogged milk ducts, engorgement or even cracked nipples, which can allow bacteria to enter the breast, causing the infection.
Problem #6: Thrush
Thrush is a yeast infection in baby’s mouth, which can spread to your breasts. You’ll notice red, shiny and sometimes flaky nipples. You may also experience an itching sensation or deep, shooting breast pain.
Problem #7: Low Milk Supply
In theory, breastfeeding is a supply-and-demand system. The more you nurse or pump, the more milk your body should make. That said, there can be many reasons for a low milk supply, so it’s always best to consult a lactation consultant to see what’s going on.
Problem #8: Baby Sleeping at the Breast
Newborns can be especially sleepy in the first few weeks after birth, so nodding off while nursing is common—and even expected. However, snoozing at the breast can also occur if baby isn’t getting enough breast milk. “Milk flowing throughout the feeding will keep baby awake and engaged,” says Nguyen.
Problem #9: Inverted Nipples
Unsure about the state of your nipples? Gently pinch your areola with your thumb and index finger. If your nipple retracts rather than protrudes, you may have inverted nipples. But take heart: Having flat or inverted nipples doesn’t mean you won’t be able to breastfeed. However, “it does mean that you’d likely benefit from some latching assistance with a lactation consultant,” says Nguyen. Problem #10: Painful Let-Down The milk let-down sensation (aka “milk ejection reflex”) is often experienced as a tingling or a prickly pins-and-needles kind of feeling. But for some, the sensation is felt deep in the breasts and can hurt or be achy, especially when milk production is in overdr The Ten steps for succes sful Breast feedin g
