Nurse Baby Early and Often

Your baby should be fed, on cue, at least every two to three hours. Nursing your baby early and often helps to keep your breasts soft and helps to lessen or even prevent engorgement. Watch your little one for signs of hunger, such as sucking sounds and/or lip movements, rapid eye movement during the light sleep cycle and changes in facial expression. Try to anticipate your baby´s hunger by watching for these signs. Nursing on cue stimulates your breasts to produce plenty of milk. The more your baby nurses, the more milk you will make.

MYTH-My breasts don´t feel full, so I can´t breastfeed.

Breasts do not have to feel full to produce plenty of milk. It is normal that a breastfeeding woman´s breasts feel less full as her body adjusts to her baby´s milk intake. This can happen suddenly and may occur as early as two weeks after birth or even earlier. The breast is never "empty" and also produces milk as the baby nurses.

MYTH-A breastfeeding baby needs extra water in hot weather

Breastmilk contains all the water a baby needs and doesn´t need extra water in hot weather.

Regular Suck-Swallow Pattern

Do you hear a regular suck-swallow pattern, with occasional pauses once your baby is well attached? A good let-down can be recognized by this pattern of sucking and is a good indication that your baby is getting plenty of your milk.

Getting comfortable

When breastfeeding a newborn, find a comfortable position either seated or lying. Have some pillows handy for comfort and support as needed. Place your feet on a low footstool (you can also use a large telephone book) to raise your knees a bit above hip level.

Nurse In An Upright Position

If you are breastfeeding and your baby is congested, it can help to allow him/her to nurse in an upright position...such as sitting on your lap facing you. This allows for better sinus drainage, easier breathing, and the baby can obtain milk easier.

What Causes tooth decay?

Dental decay (caries) is caused by bacteria that live in plaque on the teeth. A tooth is essentially a hollow piece of bone with an enamel cap. Enamel is just like glass, so when acid meets glass, the glass is etched. The same process occurs in the mouth. Bacteria eats sugar that pass through the mouth and makes acid. Acid then etches the tooth surface a little at a time until the enamel is penetrated. Thus, a cavity is formed.

Immunity

The immunities in breast milk have been shown to increase in concentration as the baby gets older and nurses less, so older babies still receive lots of immune factors.

MYTH-It is normal for breastfeeding to hurt

Although some tenderness during the first few days of breastfeeding is relatively common, this should be a temporary situation which lasts only a few days and should never be so bad that the mother dreads nursing. Any pain that is more than mild is abnormal and is almost always due to the baby latching on poorly. Any nipple pain that is not getting better by day 3 or 4 or lasts beyond 5 or 6 days should not be ignored. A new onset of pain when things have been going well for a while may be due to a yeast infection of the nipples. Limiting feeding time does not prevent soreness.

What is a nursing strike?

Nursing strikes occur most often in babies older than 3 months of age. Typically the baby has been nursing well and then suddenly will refuse to nurse for no apparent reason.A nursing strike usually lasts just a few days but may persist for a week or two. Even though a lot of mothers do choose to wean during a strike, most babies can be coaxed back to the breast with some patience and determination. The following may result in a strike: teething, illness, sores in the baby´s mouth, a change in the taste of the milk, prolonged separation between mother and baby, the frequent use of bottles or the pacifier, low milk supply, etc.

Ovarian Cancer

Breastfeeding reduces the risk of ovarian cancer.

Is breastfeeding during pregnancy possible?

Nursing while pregnant is very possible and not that uncommon, especially in other, less "developed" countries.

Comfort

Nursing past infancy helps babies & toddlers make a gradual transition to childhood. Breastfeeding is a warm and loving way to meet the needs of toddlers and young children. It helps to soothe the frustrations, bumps, and daily stresses of early childhood.

MYTH-Breastfeeding ties the mother down

A baby can be nursed anywhere, anytime, and thus breastfeeding is liberating for the mother. There is no need to drag around bottles or formula, worry about where to warm up the milk,nor to worry about sterility. You will not worry about how your baby is, because he/she is with you.

Fertility

Extended nursing delays the return of fertility in some women by suppressing ovulation.

Help around the House

Arrange for family and friends to help around the house during the first few weeks after birth. Newborns need to feed alot and you will not have the energy to be worrying about housework. If someone asks you what can they do to help, don´t be afraid to answer them honestly.

Quiet Nursing

When breastfeeding your baby, it is best to nurse in a quiet, darkened place to eliminate distractions. Any distraction can often disrupt the feeding process.