Some of the Questions that was asked by site visitors

When should breastfeeding start?

After delivery, a baby is usually alert and will spontaneously seek the breast. Research suggests that, ideally, a mother should allow her baby to feed before they are weighed, bathed and dressed. When this is not possible, skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby that allows a ‘getting-to-know-you’ time can occur later, prior to breastfeeds.

Breastfeeding within the first hour
Breastfeeding within the first hour or so after birth is important because:

• It makes you as the mother more confident that you can breastfeed.
• The baby starts to receive the immunological effects of colostrum (the first breast milk, which provides protection against infection and disease).
• The baby’s digestion and bowels are stimulated.
• Sucking difficulties may be avoided if the baby feeds properly at this stage.
• The bond between you and your baby is enhanced.

Breastfeeding after a caesarean section
If you have delivered your baby by caesarean section:

• The first breastfeed may occur in the operating room with the baby passed under the sterile drapes while you are being stitched up. When this is not possible, it will commonly occur in the recovery room, as soon as possible after delivery, or as soon as you return to your room.
• The feeding behaviour of your baby may be affected if you have had general or epidural anaesthesia.
• The midwife should stay with you during breastfeeding if you are on intravenous drugs to relieve pain.

 Is it alright to breastfeed the baby from the  milk that appears the first few days before the (normal) milk appears?

Yes, breast milk is a living substance, it is much superior to formula milk.

Your breast milk is specific to your baby’s requirements.

In the first few days of breastfeeding, colostrum, is produced. A creamy, yellowish formula, rich in antibodies, it protects your baby from illness whilst his own immune system develops.

Mature breast milk replaces colostrums within a few days. This milk has two distinct qualities. At the beginning of a feed the baby receives light thirst-quenching fore-milk. Shortly afterwards hind-milk is produced. Hind-milk is thick, creamy and nourishing and satisfies the baby’s hunger.

• Breast milk changes consistency according to such things as hot weather - when it will be more thirst-quenching. Breastfed babies do not require water between feeds.

• Breast milk prepares the baby for the variety of tastes he will come across in later life. Constantly changing flavor it is sometimes sweet, spicy, nutty and so on. Therefore, it is a gentle introduction to the outside world.

• Breast milk is nutritionally superior to cow’s milk; and easier to digest. So it allows the baby’s digestive system a chance to develop - making intolerances and allergies less likely. UNICEF states that breast milk:

‘contains all the nutrients, antibodies, hormones, antioxidants and other factors an infant needs to thrive.'

Can all mothers breast-feed their children?

Most women can breastfeed, but they just need to know that they can, and that there are a lot of myths. Many women lack the confidence to even attempt breastfeeding for fear of failure. A good recommendation is that all pregnant mothers find resources, organizations, and people with similar concerns and a history of success. Although breastfeeding is natural, it is not necessarily instinctive to every first-time mother. The very best way to be prepared for the challenges and joys of breastfeeding is to “be prepared.” Learn to trust your body.

What the accurate position to breastfeed a baby?

There is no perfect way to breastfeed. Every mother will find her own way of making herself and her baby comfortable. The key to successful breastfeeding is to be persistent and keep trying. You get your baby in the right spot and not only will he eat and grow, you will also develop a lifelong bond with your child.

Breastfeeding, one of the most natural acts in the world, takes practice. Learning how to hold and support your baby in a comfortable position for you calls for coordination — and patience. Yet finding a nursing hold that works for you and your infant is well worth the effort. After all, the two of you will spend hours breastfeeding every day. Here are some time-tested positions to try, plus tips to make nursing go smoothly.

Tips for Every Nursing Position

Support your body.
Choose a comfortable chair with armrests, and use pillows — lots of them — to lend extra support your back and arms. (Most couches aren't supportive enough to sit on while breastfeeding.) Stick a few under your feet, too, to avoid bending toward your baby. A footstool, coffee table, or stack of books works just as well. A pillow or folded receiving blanket on your lap can also keep you from hunching over. Whichever nursing position you use, be sure to bring your baby to your breast, rather than the other way around.

Support your breasts.
Your breasts get bigger and heavier during lactation. As you nurse, use your free hand to support your breast with a C-hold (four fingers underneath the breast at 9 o'clock with your thumb on top at 3 o'clock) or a V-hold (support your breast between your splayed index and middle fingers). Note: It's important to keep your fingers at least 2 inches behind the nipple and areola so that your baby doesn't suck on them instead.

Support your baby.
Feeling comfortable and secure will help your baby nurse happily and efficiently. Use your arm and hand, plus pillows or a folded receiving blanket, to support your baby's head, neck, back, and hips and keep them in a straight line. You can wrap baby or gently hold her arms by her side to make nursing easier.

Vary your routine.
Experiment to find a nursing position that you find most comfortable. Many women find that the best way to avoid getting clogged milk ducts is to regularly alternate breastfeeding holds. Because each hold puts pressure on a different part of your nipple, you may avoid getting sore nipples too. Another tip: If you alternate which breast you nurse from first at every feeding, you'll boost milk production.

Relax, then nurse.
Take a few deep breaths, close your eyes, and think peaceful, calming thoughts. Keep a tall, cool glass of water, milk, or juice on hand to drink while you breastfeed — staying hydrated will help.

Time to stop?
Ideally, your baby will decide she's had enough and let go when she's drained one or both breasts. If you need to change your baby's position, switch her to the other breast, or end her feeding for any reason, gently insert your finger into the corner of her mouth. A quiet "pop" means you've broken the suction and you can pull her away.

How many times per day should a mother nurse her baby?

Newborns should have frequent and unrestricted access to the breast. Here are some of the many benefits...

• The more often you nurse your baby, the sooner your milk will "come in."
• Feeding whenever baby wants can help alleviate or prevent engorgement.
• The baby who nurses early and frequently will be less likely to display high levels of jaundice because frequent feeding causes the meconium (the stool present in the baby's intestine at the time of birth and rich in bilirubin) to be excreted quickly and lessens the amount of bilirubin necessary for the baby to process."
• If a baby nurses often, his mother's milk will be higher in fat content.
• Milk is made on a supply and demand basis... the more your baby nurses, the more milk there will be.
• Babies who are getting sick may nurse more often... the antibodies in his mother's milk help him fight the sickness.
• Babies go through growth spurts and will increase the frequency of nursing accordingly in order to increase the milk supply.
• It's good to watch for pre-cry cues because crying can cause your baby to have an uncoordinated suck, making it more difficult to initiate feeding.
• Sucking stimulates the hormone prolactin. The frequency of sucking has a greater effect on prolactin levels than the intensity of sucking, so frequent nursing builds up your prolactin. Prolactin, often called "mothering hormone," relaxes you and increases your milk supply

How long should the baby be fed every time?

Mothers should allow their babies to nurse as long as they desire.

Mothers shouldn’t stop the baby from nursing before he/she finishes. This may

cause him to feel frustrated and unhappy.

Should the mother breastfeed her child at night or not?

New babies wake at night from hunger and need to be fed. This also helps your milk supply. Some babies sleep through the night quite early - others take much longer. Breastfeeding is the quickest and easiest way to soothe and settle your

How long should a mother continue breastfeeding?

Babies should be exclusively for the first six months of life and continue breastfeeding along with the addition of appropriate complementary feeds for

up into the second year of life. Mothers should nurse their babies as long as possible.

How do you know if the baby is getting enough milk?

If your baby is feeding frequently, has plenty of pale, wet nappies (at least 6-8 in 24 hours), on breastmilk alone, is gaining weight and seems reasonably alert, active and happy, then relax... Babies will enjoy being nursed and cuddled - lots of loving attention will not 'spoil' them.

How to wean my child?

Weaning should be a slow gentle process that gradually replaces complementary

foods with the need for breast milk. It starts at six months with the addition of foods

and gradually takes place until during the second year of life or later the child not longer asks or needs mother’s milk. 

Should the mother stop breastfeeding if she is pregnant? 

No, it is not necessary to stop feeding the first child. During the fourth month of the

pregnancy the baby may stop on their own since hormonal changes may cause the milk to change taste. At the time of delivery the mothers body will automatically produce milk with additional nutrition (colostum) for the new baby.

What does the working mother have to do to breastfeed her child?

When you're preparing to return to work, it's hard to predict how often you'll need to pump your breasts to provide milk for your baby. Ideally, you will pump at work as often as you would have breastfed your baby at home. Realistically though, mothers often find that in an eight-hour workday they are able to pump during morning, lunch and afternoon breaks. Since time is in such short supply, using a pump that allows access to both breasts at the same time is a real help. By double pumping, mothers keep their prolactin (an important lactation hormone) level up, and they may be able to pump in 10-15 minutes rather than 20 to 30 minutes. Many mothers find that double pumping, three times a day during the first few months, gives them enough milk to leave for their caregiver for the next day. As the baby gets older and begins eating solids they may not need to pump as frequently.

Pumping can be avoided or reduced if your baby is being cared for at your work place, enabling you to breastfeed during your workday. Some babies begin sleeping more while they are away from you and breastfeeding more when you are together. Gale Pryor, author of Nursing Mother, Working Mother, calls this "reverse cycle breastfeeding". If your baby adopts this pattern, you may be able to eventually pump less when you are away from your baby. Keeping your baby close at night allows your baby unrestricted access to your breasts while you get as much sleep as possible.

Since you will be separated from your baby while you are at work, be sure to breastfeed your baby when you are home-- mornings, evenings, and weekends. It's a great way to keep tuned in and bonded to your baby. Frequent breastfeedings will also help you to maintain your supply.

Going back to work with a new baby, and having to leave that baby, regardless of the feeding method used, is hard. Breastfeeding mothers who are able to pump for their babies have the special satisfaction of knowing that they are providing their priceless milk for their new baby even when they are separated. Pumping or not, at the end of the day it is wonderfully reassuring to reconnect with your baby as you snuggle together and breastfeed.

Is it alright if the baby uses a bottle for few times?

If your baby is given bottles too early, before he learns to breastfeed well, he may be at risk for nipple confusion which may in turn put your milk supply at risk for never becoming fully established and result in your baby's frustration at and perhaps rejection of the breast.

During breastfeeding a baby's tongue, jaw, and mouth work together in a coordinated rhythm. This unique sucking action is one reason why breastfed babies overall have better oral development than bottle fed babies. Once the baby latches on, the tongue comes down and out as it cups the breast. The lips must be flanged out resembling a rose petal or a fish's lips. Letdown can sometimes takes several seconds to perhaps more than a minute to occur. The baby learns that he does not get an instant reward; he must "work" for mother's milk.

With bottlefeeding, the baby is instantly met with a flood of milk as a bottle will allow milk flow without active sucking. This sudden gush forces the baby to flip his tongue upward to help regulate the flow and prevent him from choking. His lips are pursed tightly around the firmer artificial nipple and no work is required of his jaws.

One study found that 95% of babies will become confused if given a bottle during the first 3-4 weeks of life. For some babies it may take many bottles before they show any nipple confusion; for others it can take only one or two. For this reason it is best to avoid offering your baby a bottle before he is 4 weeks of age.

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