Golden rules to feed on

This World Breastfeeding Week, Ruth Patterson emphasises on the benefits of breastfeeding that actually last a lifetime

Becoming a mother is one of the greatest experiences of a woman’s life. The moment a child enters one’s life, it brings an eternal feeling of bliss, happiness, and lots of responsibilities which mothers love to bear — breastfeeding being foremost in this. In addition to the emotional benefits it confers, breastfeeding has a range of benefits on offer for the overall well-being and proper development of the baby.

Breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world, but make no mistake as nursing is a learned art for moms and babies. Women often experience breastfeeding problems such as latching difficulties, painful nursing, and low milk production.

Here are some tips to avoid breastfeeding mistakes:

Mistake #1: Mismanagement during the first week: An average of 30% of babies may not be successful in effective suckling between 72 and 96 hrs of their first feed. The mothers tend to provide artificial milk because of mismanagement of breastfeeding during the first week that leads them to ‘lactation failure’. The recommendation to prevent lactation failure is for mothers to express milk every 3 hours till the baby is able to effectively suckle.

Mistake #2: Feeding baby at the mother’s convenience: Feed on demand any time of the day or night.

Mistake #3: Providing pacifier to the baby: This can lead to ‘breastfeeding failure’. It’s best to avoid pacifiers. Pay attention to your food and drink.

A new mother should have as much nutritious food as possible to nourish her body, and subsequently her baby.

Stay hydrated and drink enough liquids. A normal adult must drink an average of three litres of water per day. And now that your body is working hard to produce precious milk for your baby, drink even more.

The right way

Being a parent is a daunting task in itself, and being a mother surely intensifies the panicked anticipations by tenfold. While you conjure possible itineraries to make sure your baby gets the best care, knowing everything about your changing body should feature on the top of that list. Nursing a newborn also demands certain skills and techniques to provide comfort and satisfaction for both the mother and the child.

Early skin-to-skin contact: Soon after the delivery, the baby should be handed over to the mother for skin-to-skin contact. This will help the baby to suckle effectively within the first hour of birth. Early nursing improves bonding and attachment between mother and child. This will also reduce hypoglycaemia (low sugar level) and hypothermia (less than the normal temperature) for the baby. The skin-to-skin touch will increase the oxytocin hormone level, which will help the mother to get her pulse and blood pressure to normal levels. It helps the mother to calm down and feel comforted. This will cause an increase in milk production also.

Golden hour feed: Breastfeeding needs to be initiated within an hour of birth. This is known as the ‘golden hour feed’. If babies are not allowed to suckle at the breast due to medical issues, at least colostrums painting should happen. Taking a few drops of first milk of the mother and applying it on the lips of the newborn is known as colostrums painting. The golden hour moment of breastfeeding is achieved though the infant is not permitted to suck due to unfortunate medical condition. This colostrum provides needed immunological factors.

Correct positioning and correct latching: A lack of knowledge to position and latch the baby to the nipple will lead to painful feeding. This will also lead to cracked nipples and these cracks will lead to mastitis or breast infection.

Front milk: Every mother should know that one breast has to be emptied at a time. This will help in good weight gain for the child. Emptying the breast will avoid the baby drinking only front milk which is also called ‘foremilk’ that contains very less fat and protein. The hindmilk content is high in fat. This hindmilk helps the baby to gain weight.

Switching breasts: Lactose intolerance may occur in infants when the mother switches breast due to the non-feeding breast that leaks often. Lactose intolerance arises when a baby only feeds ‘foremilk’.

Breastfeeding helps prevent postpartum haemorrhage. Research has shown that skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding after birth has such an effect on postpartum bleeding that women who did not have skin-to-skin breastfeeding immediately postpartum were almost twice as likely to experience postpartum haemorrhage.

Being a parent is a daunting task in itself, and being a mother surely intensifies the panicked anticipations by tenfold. While you conjure possible itineraries to make sure your baby gets the best care, knowing everything about your changing body should feature on the top of that list. Nursing a newborn also demands certain skills and techniques to provide comfort and satisfaction for both the mother and the child.

Early skin-to-skin contact: Soon after the delivery, the baby should be handed over to the mother for skin-to-skin contact. This will help the baby to suckle effectively within the first hour of birth. Early nursing improves bonding and attachment between mother and child. This will also reduce hypoglycaemia (low sugar level) and hypothermia (less than the normal temperature) for the baby. The skin-to-skin touch will increase the oxytocin hormone level, which will help the mother to get her pulse and blood pressure to normal levels. It helps the mother to calm down and feel comforted. This will cause an increase in milk production also.

Golden hour feed: Breastfeeding needs to be initiated within an hour of birth. This is known as the ‘golden hour feed’. If babies are not allowed to suckle at the breast due to medical issues, at least colostrums painting should happen. Taking a few drops of first milk of the mother and applying it on the lips of the newborn is known as colostrums painting. The golden hour moment of breastfeeding is achieved though the infant is not permitted to suck due to unfortunate medical condition. This colostrum provides needed immunological factors.

Correct positioning and correct latching: A lack of knowledge to position and latch the baby to the nipple will lead to painful feeding. This will also lead to cracked nipples and these cracks will lead to mastitis or breast infection.

Front milk: Every mother should know that one breast has to be emptied at a time. This will help in good weight gain for the child. Emptying the breast will avoid the baby drinking only front milk which is also called ‘foremilk’ that contains very less fat and protein. The hindmilk content is high in fat. This hindmilk helps the baby to gain weight.

Switching breasts: Lactose intolerance may occur in infants when the mother switches breast due to the non-feeding breast that leaks often. Lactose intolerance arises when a baby only feeds ‘foremilk’.

Breastfeeding helps prevent postpartum haemorrhage. Research has shown that skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding after birth has such an effect on postpartum bleeding that women who did not have skin-to-skin breastfeeding immediately postpartum were almost twice as likely to experience postpartum haemorrhage.

Benefits of breastfeeding

Breast milk contains antibodies that help your baby fight off viruses and bacteria.

Breastfeeding lowers your baby’s risk of having asthma or allergies. Plus, babies who are breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months, without any formula, have fewer ear infections, respiratory illnesses, and bouts of diarrhoea.

Early and frequent breastfeeding benefits the mother in many ways, such as uterine contractions, the expulsion of the placenta and modulated blood loss.

Early removal of milk through nursing diminishes maternal breast engorgement and stimulates breast milk synthesis.

Early breastfeeding also helps the neonate to a powerful suckling reflex. It provokes peristalsis (movement in the intestine) in the newborn’s digestive tract. This is important for the removal of haemoglobin by-products and to reduce the risk of jaundice.

A lifesaver

Week 1: Baby should be breastfed within 2 hours and on-demand. This will help to reduce ‘newborn’ jaundice and will increase lost weights. This frequent feeding helps the mother to reduce from engorged breast and also increase lactation.

Week 2 – 6 weeks: Baby is fed only on demand and sleeping pattern can run from 4 to 5 hours at a stretch. At the end of week 1, milk will be ‘mature’.

After 6 weeks to 6 months: The feeding time and suckling time of babies will reduce gradually. Expected weight gain should be 700 gms to 1 kg per month during this period.

(The author is a lactation consultant)