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 Breastfeeding Resources
 How to Prepare for Breastfeeding
Tips
for breastfeeding success
Breastfeeding and You
Twelve Days of
Breastfeeding Song
Working moms and breastfeeding
 How
to Prepare for Breastfeeding:
Go
to a La Leche League or other Mother's group meeting. The importance
of being around other breastfeeding moms when you are beginning
breastfeeding cannot be overstated.
Read
a book about breastfeeding. There are many to choose from, and our
Books
for You
page will help you to pick an interesting title.
Plan
on listening to your baby. Your baby will be able to let you know what
she needs and wants, more than you know now. You are giving birth to
another competent person! You'll need to hold her a lot--some babies
like a sling or carrier, some just like to be thrown up on your shoulder!
(and like to throw up on your shoulder...). Know that you'll probably
be nursing a lot and that its generally a positive thing when the baby is
nursing more. Arrange to let your housework slide and open your (and
your partner's) mind to sleeping very near your baby. Sage advice:
"Wear" your baby, so that her heartbeat, skin temperature and breathing are
instantly known to you.
Plan
on listening to yourself. You have excellent instincts, just like your
baby. If something doesn't feel right, try doing what feels good to
you, even if your friend or your sister or your mother didn't do it
precisely that way. Trust yourself.
Plan
on getting help when you need it. We are human and need contact with
other folk. Don't be afraid or ashamed of needing to ask for help with
breastfeeding. It's much better to ask than to allow yourself to get
discouraged and possibly wean too early. Remember, you'll make
someone's day by asking their advice, and you'll very likely make a friend!
Of course, you're always welcome to call our lactation consultants.
Tips for breastfeeding success!
1. Get an early start:
Begin within
an hour of delivery if at all possible. The breast will be producing
colostrums which is full of the mother's antibodies to disease.
2. Latching on:
Find the most comfortable position for the baby's mouth on the nipple.
The best position, which minimizes mother's soreness, is with the baby's
mouth wide open and the nipple as far back in the mouth as possible. A
nurse midwife or lactation consultant is invaluable to help with
positioning.
3. Nurse on demand:
Because breast milk is so easy to digest and
use, breast-fed babies empty their stomach more often--with much greater
efficiency--than formula-fed babies. A newborn may need to nurse every
2 hours or more at first. This will change and the baby will get on
less frequent schedule, but will most always nurse more often than
bottle-fed babies.
4. No supplements:
The baby only needs breast milk at first, and care should be taken not to
feed sugar water or formula. The more the baby nurses, the more milk
the mother's breast will make.
5. Delay or avoid pacifiers/artificial
nipples: Its best to delay the use of
pacifiers for at least two weeks from birth, so the baby doesn't get "nipple
confusion" which will reduce breastfeeding success. Many breast-fed
babies don't need them, and they are introduced out of habit, although some
babies seem to need to suck more than others. Use your best
instincts...
6. Air dry your nipples at first: This
will avoid cracking nipples and infections. If your nipples do chafe
and crack, use breast milk, lanolin, or vitamin E to keep them moisturized.
(Be sure to watch for any allergic reactions in the baby to these
moisturizers...)
7. Monitor your breasts for signs of
infection:
Symptoms are fever, redness, soreness, lumps or hardness. If you see
these, consult a health care professional immediately.
8. Expect engorgement at first:
Your body is getting used to how much milk to produce and when, according to
your baby's demands. Initially, there may be engorgement of breast
tissue. Mothers can apply warm, wet compresses to the breast and/or
use hand expression of milk.
9. Eat and drink enough, and get plenty
of rest:
This cannot be over-emphasized! Eat at least 500 extra calories each
day, and drink AT LEAST 6-8 glasses of water. A rule of thumb is that
every time you sit to nurse, have someone bring you a big glass of water to
drink. Rest as much as possible...and then some.
10. If you
have a twiddly toddler who still likes to nurse, make or buy a special
safe "nursing necklace" for you to wear and for them to hold and twiddle,
rather than using your skin or bra strap! You know!
 Breastfeeding
& You
Your
body: By the time
you're several months pregnant, your body is perfectly capable of making
milk, and your breasts contain colostrum or pre-milk, which is so
important for your baby and her immune system to receive just after birth.
Treat your breasts the way you treat the backs of your knees, but without
the soap--the little bumps on the darker skin around your nipples
produce a cleanser and moisturizer--bet you didn't know that! Try a
very pure lanolin for very dry skin.
Your
mind:
Your mind just needs to learn
what's going on--breastfeeding is a learned activity, and needs role
models, positive social reinforcement and practice! Read books and
watch videos, take childbirth and lactation classes, but most importantly,
surround yourself with breastfeeding friends and/or relatives.
Your
childbirth preparation classes:
You can nurse no matter what
kind of start you or your baby have. But its so much easier when the
baby is born without drugs in her system, and when you have unbroken
bodily contact with her until after she's nursed the first time.
Most alert babies nurse within the hour after birth and the first nursing
may be a long and happy one. Take your time!
Your
wardrobe:
Not a problem! It already exists. Regular two piece wardrobe
works fine, as does a t-shirt pulled up--the baby's body covers everything
you need her to cover. A button-front nightgown is good at night.
A bra is optional at all times in your life, and contrary to rumor, does
not prevent sagging. If you want to wear one, make sure its loose
with easy-fit straps. Folded diaper pieces or diaper liners folded
around layers of toilet paper make inexpensive and easy to use breast pads
for the first few weeks until you get the hang of the let down response,
but most women don't need them for very long, or at all.
For helpful breastfeeding
links,
see our
Parenting &
Breastfeeding Links Page
Twelve Days of
Breastfeeding (Sung any time of the year, and sung to the tune of...)
by Kelliann Mendez (breastfeeding peer counselor)
On the
1st day of breastfeeding my mommy gave to me:
Colostrum to increase my immunity!
On the 2nd day of breastfeeding my mommy gave to me: two full breasts,
and colostrum to increase my immunity!
On the 3rd day of breastfeeding my mommy gave to me: minimized jaundice,
two full breasts and colostrum to increase my immunity!
On the 4th day of breastfeeding my mommy gave to me: fewer doctor.
visits, minimized jaundice, two full breasts and colostrum to increase my
immunity!
On the 5th day of breastfeeding my mommy gave to me: LESS ALLERGIES!,
fewer doctor. visits, minimized jaundice, two full breasts and colostrum to
increase my immunity!
On the 6th day of breastfeeding my mommy gave to me: Zero constipation;
LESS ALLERGIES!... fewer doctor visits, minimized jaundice, two full breasts
and colostrum to increase my immunity!
On the 7th day of breastfeeding my mommy gave to me: teeth and jaw
development, zero constipation, LESS ALLERGIES!... fewer doctor visits,
minimized jaundice, two full breasts and colostrum to increase my immunity!
On the 8th
day of breastfeeding my mommy gave to me: reduced risk of
breast cancer, teeth and jaw development, zero constipation, LESS
ALLERGIES!... fewer Dr. visits, minimized jaundice, two full breasts and colostrum to increase my immunity!
On the 9th day of breastfeeding my mommy gave to me: skin to skin comfort,
reduced risk of breast cancer, teeth and jaw development, zero constipation,
LESS ALLERGIES!... fewer doctor visits, minimized jaundice, two full
breasts and colostrum to increase my immunity!
On the 10th day of breastfeeding my mommy gave to me: decreased chance of
diabetes, skin to skin comfort, reduced risk of breast cancer, teeth and jaw
development, zero constipation, LESS ALLERGIES!... fewer doctor visits,
minimized jaundice, two full breasts and colostrum to increase my immunity!
On the 11th
day of breastfeeding my mommy gave to me: bonding and
loving, decreased chance of diabetes, skin to skin comfort, reduced risk of
breast cancer, teeth and jaw development, zero constipation, LESS
ALLERGIES!... fewer doctor visits, minimized jaundice, two full
breasts and colostrum to increase my immunity!
On the 12th
day of breastfeeding my mommy gave to me: Higher IQ, bonding
and loving, decreased chance of diabetes, skin to skin comfort, reduced risk
of breast cancer, teeth and jaw development, zero constipation, LESS
ALLERGIES!... fewer doctor visits, minimized jaundice, two full breasts and
colostrum to increase my immunity!
Back
to Services Go
to next page
Go
to Parenting & Breastfeeding Links
Go
to Lactation Counseling
Go to Baby-Friendly Initiative
Go
to Working Moms & Breastfeeding
For the adventurous:
What else can
you do with breast milk?
thank you for the graphics, Maya! |