Breastfeeding

What is Breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding is when you feed your baby breast milk, usually directly from your breast. It’s also called
nursing. Making the decision to breastfeed is a personal matter. It's also one that's likely to draw opinions from
friends and family.

Many medical experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists, strongly recommend breastfeeding exclusively (no formula, juice, or water)
for 6 months. After the introduction of other foods, it recommends continuing to breastfeed through the baby’s
first year of life.

How often you should breastfeed your baby depends on whether your baby prefers small, frequent meals or
longer feedings. This will change as your baby grows. Newborns often want to feed every 2-3 hours. By 2
months, feeding every 3-4 hours is common, and by six months, most babies feed every 4-5 hours.

You and your baby are unique, and the decision to breastfeed is up to you. 

Signs Your Baby is Hungry

One of the most common ways your baby will let you know they're hungry is to cry. Other signs your baby is ready
to be fed include:

 Licking their lips or sticking out their tongue

 Rooting, which is moving their jaw, mouth, or head to look for your breast
 Putting their hand in their mouth
 Opening their mouth
 Fussiness
 Sucking on things

Benefits of Breastfeeding for the Baby

Breast milk provides the ideal nutrition for infants. It has a nearly perfect mix of vitamins, protein, and fat --
everything your baby needs to grow. And it's all provided in a form more easily digested
than infant formula. 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 diarrhea.
They also have fewer hospitalizations and trips to the doctor.

Breastfeeding has been linked to higher IQ scores in later childhood in some studies. What's more, the physical
closeness, skin-to-skin touching, and eye contact all help your baby bond with you and feel secure. Breastfed infants
are more likely to gain the right amount of weight as they grow rather than become overweight children. The AAP
says breastfeeding also plays a role in the prevention of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). It's been thought to
lower the risk of diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers as well, but more research is needed.

Will You Make Enough Milk to Breastfeed?

The first few days after birth, your breasts make an ideal "first milk." It's called colostrum. Colostrum is thick,
yellowish, and there’s not a lot of it, but there's plenty to meet your baby's nutritional needs. Colostrum helps a
newborn's digestive tract develop and prepare itself to digest breast milk.

Colostrum is the first phase of breast milk, which changes over time to give your baby the nutrition they need as they
grow. The second phase is called transitional milk. You make this as your colostrum is gradually replaced with the
third phase of breast milk, called mature milk. 

You’ll start to make transitional milk a few days after birth. By 10 to 15 days after birth, you’ll make mature milk,
which gives your baby all the nutrition they need.
Most babies lose a small amount of weight in the first 3 to 5 days after birth. This is unrelated to breastfeeding.

As your baby needs more milk and nurses more, your breasts respond by making more milk. Experts recommend
trying to breastfeed exclusively (no formula, juice, or water) for 6 months. If you supplement with formula, your
breasts might make less milk.

Even if you breastfeed less than the recommended 6 months, it's better to breastfeed for a short time than no time at
all. You can add solid food at 6 months but also continue to breastfeed if you want to keep producing milk.

Is your baby getting enough milk?

Many breastfeeding moms wonder whether their babies get enough milk for good nutrition. If your baby is getting
enough breastmilk they should:

 Not lose more than 7% of their birth weight in the first few days after delivery
 Seem content for about 1-3 hours between feedings
 Have at least 6 diapers a day wet with very pale or clear pee by the time they are 7-10 days old

What's the Best Position for Breastfeeding?

The best position for you is the one where you and your baby are both comfortable and relaxed, and you don't have
to strain to hold the position or keep nursing. Here are some common positions for breastfeeding your baby:

  Cradle position. Rest the side of your baby's head in the crook of your elbow with their whole body facing
you. Position your baby's belly against your body so they feel fully supported. Your other, "free" arm can
wrap around to support your baby's head and neck -- or reach through your baby's legs to support the lower
back.
  Football position. Line your baby's back along your forearm to hold your baby like a football, supporting
the head and neck in your palm. This works best with newborns and small babies. It's also a good position if
you're recovering from a cesarean birth and need to protect your belly from the pressure or weight of your
baby.
  Side-lying position. This position is great for night feedings in bed. Side-lying also works well if you're
recovering from an episiotomy, an incision to widen the vaginal opening during delivery. Use pillows under
your head to get comfortable. Then snuggle close to your baby and use your free hand to lift your breast and
nipple into your baby's mouth. Once your baby is correctly "latched on," support the head and neck with
your free hand so there's no twisting or straining to keep nursing.
  Cross-cradle hold.  Sit straight in a comfortable chair that has armrests. Hold your baby in the crook of
your arm that's opposite the breast you will use to feed them. Support their head with your hand. Bring your
baby across your body so your tummies face each other. Use your other hand to cup your breast in a U-
shaped hold. Bring your baby's mouth to your breast and cradle them close, and don't lean forward.
  Laid-back position.  This position, also called biological nurturing, is a lot like it sounds. It's meant to tap
into the natural breastfeeding instincts you and your baby have. Lean back, but not flat, on a couch or bed.
Have good support for your head and shoulders. Hold your baby so your entire fronts touch. Let your baby
take any position they're comfortable in as long as their cheek rests near your breast. Help your baby latch on
if they need it.

How to Get Your Baby to 'Latch on' During Breastfeeding

Position your baby facing you, so your baby is comfortable and doesn't have to twist their neck to feed. With one
hand, cup your breast and gently stroke your baby's lower lip with your nipple. Your baby's instinctive reflex will be
to open the mouth wide. With your hand supporting your baby's neck, bring the mouth closer around your nipple,
trying to center your nipple in the mouth above the tongue.

You'll know your baby is "latched on" correctly when both lips are pursed outward around your nipple.
Your infant should have all of your nipple and most of the areola, which is the darker skin around your nipple, in
their mouth. While you may feel a slight tingling or tugging, breastfeeding should not be painful. If your baby isn't
latched on correctly and nursing with a smooth, comfortable rhythm, gently nudge your pinky between your baby's
gums to break the suction, remove your nipple, and try again. Good "latching on" helps prevent sore nipples.

Tips for New Breastfeeding Moms

Some things help you prepare for breastfeeding: 

 Get regular prenatal care to help you avoid preterm birth.

 Tell your doctor you plan to breastfeed and ask what support the facility you plan to deliver in offers to help
you breastfeed after birth.
 Take a breastfeeding class.
 Ask your doctor to connect you with a lactation consultant, who can teach you breastfeeding basics and help
you if have issues.
 Talk to your doctor about any health conditions you have or medications you take that could interfere with
breastfeeding.
 Tell your doctor and hospital health care providers that you want to breastfeed as soon as possible after
delivery.
 Talk to friends who breastfeed or join a support group for breastfeeding.
 Stock up on the supplies you need for breastfeeding, such as nursing bras and other items.

These tips, called the ABCs of breastfeeding, will help you and your baby get comfortable with the process:

A. Awareness. Watch for your baby's signs of hunger, and breastfeed whenever your baby is hungry. This is
called "on demand" feeding. The first few weeks, you may be nursing eight to 12 times every 24
hours. Hungry infants move their hands toward their mouths, make sucking noises or mouth movements, or
move toward your breast. Don't wait for your baby to cry. That's a sign their too hungry.
B. Be patient. Breastfeed as long as your baby wants to nurse each time. Don't hurry your infant through
feedings. Infants typically breastfeed for 10 to 20 minutes on each breast.
C. Comfort. This is key. Relax while breastfeeding, and your milk is more likely to "let down" and flow. Get
yourself comfortable with pillows as needed to support your arms, head, and neck, and a footrest to support
your feet and legs before you begin to breastfeed.

Are There Medical Considerations With Breastfeeding?

In a few situations, breastfeeding could cause a baby harm. Here are some reasons you should not breastfeed:

 You are HIV positive. You can pass the HIV virus to your infant through breast milk.
 You have active, untreated tuberculosis.
 You're receiving chemotherapy for cancer.
 You're using an illegal drug, such as cocaine or marijuana.
 Your baby has a rare condition called galactosemia and cannot tolerate the natural sugar, called galactose, in
breast milk.
 You're taking certain prescription medications, such as some drugs for migraine headaches, Parkinson's
disease, or arthritis.

https://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/nursing-basics
Breastfed babies have:

 Stronger immune systems

 Less diarrhea, constipation, gastroenteritis, gastroesophageal reflux, and preterm necrotizing
enterocolitis (NEC)
 Fewer colds and respiratory illnesses like pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and whooping
cough
 Fewer ear infections, especially those that damage hearing
 Fewer case of bacterial meningitis
 Better vision and less retinopathy of prematurity
 Lower rates of infant mortality
 Lower rates of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
 Less illness overall and less hospitalization
 Parents have up to six times less absenteeism from work

Breast milk provides abundant and easily absorbed nutritional components, antioxidants, enzymes, immune
properties, and live antibodies from mother. Mother’s more mature immune system makes antibodies to the
germs to which she and her baby have been exposed. These antibodies enter her milk to help protect her baby
from illness. Immunoglobulin A coats the lining of the baby’s immature intestines helping germs and allergens
from leaking through. Breast milk also contains substances that naturally soothe infants.

Breastfed babies may become healthier children with:

 Fewer instances of allergies, eczema, and asthma

 Fewer childhood cancers, including leukemia and lymphomas
 Lower risk of type I and II diabetes
 Fewer instances of Crohn’s disease and colitis
 Lower rates of respiratory illness
 Fewer speech and orthodontic problems
 Fewer cavities
 Less likelihood of becoming obese later in childhood
 Improved brain maturation
 Greater immunity to infection

Teens and adults will find benefits for life:

 Less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis and lupus

 Less likely to develop heart disease in adulthood
 Lower risk of multiple sclerosis
 Lower rates of pre- and postmenopausal breast cancers

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15274-the-benefits-of-breastfeeding-for-baby--for-mom
You may have heard that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends breastfeeding for six months at
the very least, but what’s the reasoning behind this? Well, breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to
ensure child health, and if it was scaled up to near-universal levels, about 820,000 children’s lives would be
saved every year1 – a pretty compelling argument.

The health benefits of breastfeeding

As well as nourishing him, breast milk protects your baby. Breast milk is full of live ingredients, including
stem cells, white blood cells and beneficial bacteria, as well as other bioactive components, such as antibodies,
enzymes and hormones, which all help fight infection, prevent disease, and contribute to normal healthy
development.

Babies who are breastfed exclusively for their first six months are less likely to suffer from diarrhoea and
sickness, gastroenteritis, colds and flu, ear and chest infections and thrush. And compared to formula-fed
infants, exclusively breastfed babies are half as likely to be victims of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS or
cot death)

Of course, breastfed babies do get poorly sometimes but breastfeeding when your baby is sick has even more
benefits: “If a baby gets an illness, or his mother does, the protective components in her milk tend
to increase,” explains Professor Peter Hartmann of the University of Western Australia, an internationally
renowned expert on lactation and breastfeeding. “A breastfed baby is likely to recover faster than a formula-
fed baby because the mother’s body will produce specific antibodies against whatever infection he’s picked
up.”

And it’s not only about nutrition and immunity – breastfeeding when your baby is sick or upset comforts and
soothes him, which is not to be underestimated as an important benefit. In fact, studies have shown that
breastfeeding reduces crying and provides relief when babies are having vaccinations.

Breast milk benefits for premature babies

Feeding your preemie your milk offers the best protection against potentially fatal conditions including sepsis,
chronic lung disease and necrotising enterocolitis (NEC). Premature babies who are fed breast milk are also
more likely to come home from hospital earlier.

“Feeding your premature baby breast milk is the most beneficial thing you can do for him,” Professor
Hartmann points out. “Every drop counts.” In fact, healthcare professionals view breast milk not just as
nutrition, but as a medical intervention. Read more on how important breast milk is for premature babies .

 
How breastfeeding benefits your baby’s sleep

You might have heard that formula-fed babies sleep longer, but it seems that’s a myth. Research shows
breastfed and formula-fed babies are just as likely to wake for milk during the night.10 But the difference is
breastfed babies get back to sleep sooner. The oxytocin produced in your baby’s body when he breastfeeds
makes him feel sleepy afterwards. And other hormones and nucleotides in your milk help your baby develop
healthy circadian rhythms (sleep-wake patterns).

Breastfeeding and baby brain development

Your baby’s first six months are a busy time for his rapidly growing brain – its mass almost doubles during
this crucial period. A US study showed that toddlers and preschoolers who’d been exclusively breastfed for at
least three months had brains with 20 to 30% more white matter – which connects different regions of the
brain and transmits signals between them – than those who’d had no breast milk.

The importance of breastfeeding for baby brain development is reflected in research across the globe. In a
UK study, 16-year-olds who’d been breastfed for six months or more as babies were more likely to get higher
grades in their school exams. And Brazilian researchers found people who’d been breastfed for at least a year
tended to earn more money by the time they were 30.

Even when results are adjusted to take factors such as household income and mother’s education into account,
it seems infants who are breastfed exclusively are more likely to have higher IQs than formula-
fed babies.16 “There are a few ideas about why this is,” says Professor Hartmann. “One relates to the long-
chain fatty acids that are present in breast milk, such as DHA, which has a positive effect on the brain and
brain development.”

And the latest research suggests breastfeeding has behavioural benefits too. In a study of 10,000 children,
those who were breastfed for more than four months were 30% less likely to show problem behaviour at the
age of five.

The lifelong benefits of breastfeeding for your baby

Breastfeeding doesn’t just benefit your baby for the first six months. The longer he continues to have breast
milk, the more advantages there are – especially for his health.

Every nursing session raises the level of oxytocin – the ‘love hormone’ – in both your bodies,
encouraging bonding This can form a firm foundation for future relationships, and may even help your little
one cope with stress in later life.

Research also shows children who were breastfed as babies are less likely to suffer from cancers such as
leukaemia and lymphoma and tend to have better eyesight, and straighter teeth than those who had formula
milk. Breastfeeding also helps to lower your baby’s risk of becoming obese or developing type 1 or type
2 diabetes as an adult.

So if you’re wondering when do the benefits of breastfeeding end, the answer is they last a lifetime. And the
longer you continue to breastfeed, the more health benefits there are for you too.
https://www.medela.com/breastfeeding/mums-journey/breastfeeding-benefits-baby