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Learning to Breastfeed Breastfeeding, unfortunately
doesn't come with an instruction leaflet, so for it to fit into your
life it needs to be approached in a totally different way
to bottle feeding. There are means and ways of making it work for
you, and approaching breast feeding with confidence will go a long
way in ensuring you find the most successful way of attending to one
of your baby's most vital needs.
Soon after birth, a healthy baby will start searching for a nipple
and some may even feed a little, this first feed can help in getting
breastfeeding off to a good start. Don't worry if you are separated
from your baby straight after the birth, there will be plenty of
time to master the act. Try and keep your baby near to you in these
early days, so the two of you can use every available opportunity to
learn about feeding, offering him the breast each time he cries or
seems restless.
Perseverance is the key to success, so if you are battling in any
way, ask the nurses for some advice.
 During
the first two to three days before your milk comes in, your baby
will be fully satisfied on the small but valuable quantity of
colostrum present in your breasts, so these first feeds are inclined
to be very short. But this will change, and by the end of the first
week, or when a routine has been formed, it is quite normal for
there to be as many as 10 to 12 irregularly spaced feeds in a 24
hour period.
The first step is probably comfort as this will ensure correct
positioning of the baby on the breast. Placing a pillow under the
arm that is supporting your baby, may help in relieving some of the
weight and also prevent your baby from 'pulling' on your nipple if
she is at the right height. Experiment with different positions,
until you find one suitable to you, some mothers find it helps to
alter positions at different feeds, sometimes sitting and other
times lying down.
Begin by 'teasing' her with your breast, perhaps by expressing a
little of your milk so that she will respond to the smell and taste.
She will probable suckle strongly at first, satisfying her thirst
with the foremilk, but as the feed progresses she may suckle more
slowly as the rich hindmilk lets down. During the feed she will have
constant rests and may even fall asleep at the breast, this is quite
normal, and is her way of deciding that she has had sufficient. You
may find that she will not want to drink from both breasts at each
feed, and whether she suckles from one or both breasts at each feed,
always remember to start with the alternate breast for the next
feed, so that they each receive an equal amount of stimulation.
Once she has decided that she has had enough, gently insert your
little finger between her mouth and your breast, to break the
suction. This is a far less painful method than just 'pulling' her
away when removing her from your breast.
Breast feeding mothers, need plenty of rest, and during these early
weeks you should try and concentrate on a balanced diet with an
adequate intake of fluids, thus establishing an abundant milk supply
for your baby. Eating regularly will also ensure that you have the
energy to cope with the demands of the three to four feeds your baby
is likely to have during the night. Expressing breast milk into a
bottle for night time feeds, is one way of getting 'daddy' totally
involved, but this does seem to create a problem in the long run, as
it is far easier for your baby to suckle from a bottle than it is
from a breast, and this could cause her to become lazy during the
following feeds.
A small baby has a real need for food, love and security, and will
never understand why he has to wait until the clock says it's the
'right time', for those needs to be met. His babyhood dependence on
you is a precious and fleeting moment, when compared to the
remaining years of childhood, so don't ever think that by giving in
to his demands you will be spoiling him.
Feeding on demand is the best way to achieve a successful pattern,
and as time passes, your baby will settle into a routine, so it is
pointless in forcing him to feed every four hours, which normally
results in an unhappy baby and a worried mother. Very soon, he'll be
eating three meals a day with the family, and you'll be calling the
shots!
Common problems associated with breast feeding
Engorged Breasts
Some mothers find that in the early days, when the colostrum changes
to milk, their breasts become hard, lumpy, swollen and painful. This
cause the nipples to lie flat, and feeding is difficult because the
milk flow is restricted. Your breasts may even be too tender to
touch, so it is better to try and remedy the problem before
attempting to feed. Encourage the milk flow by expressing small
amounts into a bowl in between feeding, this will help in 'draining'
off the milk and make your breasts softer and easier to feed from.
Massaging the breasts with warm olive oil then padding them with
ice-cold cabbage leaves with a bandage used to keep them in
position, will also relieve some of the pain.
Because of the extreme discomfort, this is a time when most mothers
give-in to bottle feeding, but by gritting your teeth and
remembering the nutritional value of your milk, encourage yourself
to keep going - it's not forever!
Blocked Ducts
Engorgement or inadequate drainage may result in a duct becoming
blocked. This is more painful than primary engorgement and care
should be taken in clearing it. You may notice a tender, lumpy area
in your breast, that is not relieved by feeding or expressing your
milk, your temperature might also be raised. This must be treated as
early as possible to prevent it from developing into mastitis.
Proper drainage of the breast is very important when treating a
blocked duct, and if necessary you may have to express after a feed.
Hot and cold compresses with frequent massaging will help in
breaking up the blockage.
Mastitis
Mastitis has all the signs of a blocked duct, but the breast is
possibly more inflamed with a shiny look to it. There are two kinds
of mastitis that a breast feeding mother can suffer from, namely
infective mastitis, which is the less common of the two, but is
usually a result of bacteria entering a cracked nipple, thus causing
an infection. Until the infection has cleared, it is recommended to
express your milk into a bottle
Abscess
Suffering with an abscess of the breast is usually quite uncommon,
and may be the result of untreated mastitis. The pain experienced
with mastitis, is usually not present, and the only visible signs of
this ailment will be that the breast skin looks somewhat puckered.
You may also notice that your breastmilk contains small amounts of
pus or blood. This will not harm your baby, and breastfeeding may
carry on as usual. Treating an abscess involves, a doctor draining
off the pus with a hypodermic syringe.
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