Babies & Toddler

Archive for the ‘Breastfeed’ Category

Common breastfeeding problems

Moms think they can’t breastfeed. Many moms feel inadequate. So many moms out there think that they are not capable of breastfeeding; most of them assume that they have a low milk supply.

Moms are not educated about breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is natural, but the process of breastfeeding doesn’t always come naturally. You need to educate yourself before you breastfeed…read and read some more! It will really be worth it.

Lack of support. You need to surround yourself with individuals who are like minded and that support breastfeeding. Also it is always nice to have someone around who can help with a few things around the house.

Moms supplement with formula. The first few weeks are crucial for developing a good milk supply. When you supplement with formula you taking away that stimulation on the breast that is needed for milk production since milk supply works on a supply demand basis.

Mom thinks she can pump her breast milk instead of breastfeed. Some moms might think they are producing too little and try pumping to see how much is coming out. A breast pump can never extract milk like your baby and should never be used to estimate how much milk you are producing. Also a breast pump can never stimulate your breast like baby and therefore your milk supply will decrease if you replace normal breastfeeding with pumping.

Moms feel uncomfortable. Breastfeeding is a learnt skill, as time goes by it becomes easier and easier so don’t expect it to be comfy the first few times. Try all the different breastfeeding positions like holding baby on your side (football hold breastfeeding position)  or keep baby in an upright position on your knee (Australian breastfeeding hold)Baby has some sucking breastfeeding problems that go undetected.

Your baby might not be latching on properly and this can cause allot of frustration. You should get your baby checked out for things like tongue tie, tongue thrust etc.

Mom has terrible nipple pain. In the beginning some nipple sensitivity is normal but if it continues it can sometimes cause mom to stop breastfeeding. Nipple pain is usually connected to a bad latch. Mom should try get her nipple and part of her areola into baby’s mouth so that your nipple is against his soft pallet. A shallow latch is when baby has your nipple on he’s hard pallet which will definitely cause pain during breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding has lost and gained popularity and favor over the past century. Like other mammals humans are designed to nurse their young. Human breast milk contains all the nutrients a baby might possibly need and much more.

Breastfeeding and the development and marketing of infant formulas have created many issues over the last 50 years. One company producing infant formulas has been implicated in several scandals involving the unethical marketing of infant formulas in the developing world.

Campaigns to increase awareness regarding the benefits of breastfeeding are a worldwide effort to save children’s lives by ensuring they are breastfed.

Celebs Catch On

Over the last year we’ve seen a boom in Celebville baby making. Stars like Halle Berry, Charlotte Church, Christina Aguilera, Nicole Richie, Naomi Watts and Salma Hayek have spoken openly about breastfeeding their babies Christina Aguilera told Ellen DeGeneres how breastfeeding had helped the 27-year-old regain her pre-pregnancy figure while Helena Bonham Carter, famously known as Bellatrix in the Harry Potter series and mother of two, admitted to breastfeeding her first child until he was four years old. She claims the enhanced cleavage is a great aspect of breastfeeding.

Stars like Julia Roberts and Marcia Cross managed to breastfeed twins and even Britney Spears managed to breastfeed her babies for a few weeks.

Stars who Didn’t Breastfeed

Stars like Katie Price (aka Jordan) and Jennifer Lopez came under fire when they didn’t choose to breastfeed. The outcry regarding their refusal to even try breastfeeding illustrates how much our attitude towards breastfeeding has changed. Moms who don’t breastfeed are almost frowned upon. While it may be true that breast is best, many children are successfully formula fed and at the end of the day it is a decision each mom has to make for themselves.

Is Breast Best?

Certainly scientific research over the last few decades has illustrated benefits associated with breastfeeding we never even imagined existed. Breast milk contains not only minerals, vitamins and energy the baby requires, but also important antibodies – an immune system boost – which formula can never provide. Children who are breastfed are less likely to be obese in later life, they’re smarter, they bond better with their moms and they’re less likely to develop allergies. Children who are breastfed are also less likely to develop infections, juvenile diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and cancer before the age of 15. Moms who breastfeed lose pregnancy weight faster and often find the experience incredibly fulfilling. They are also less likely to develop breast cancer in later life. If that’s not enough motivation, breast milk is cheaper than buying formula.

Can You Harm your Baby by Breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding is not ideal for all moms. Certain diseases like HIV and Hepatitis B can be passed through nursing the baby. Other active infections like chicken pox, herpes and Hepatitis A could also be cause for concern while breastfeeding. Moms on certain medications may also not be able to nurse their babies. Many over-the-counter and prescription medications can also find their way through the breast milk into the sucking child.

Alcohol can also find its way into the breast milk and moms who are nursing should refrain from drinking more than two units of alcohol a day. Smoking is not a good idea while breastfeeding as your child will be exposed to nicotine – an addictive substance.

You should make a point of asking your doctor and pharmacist which medications are safe to take while breastfeeding. Certain antidepressants, aspirin, tranquilizers, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics and contraceptives are not be taken while breastfeeding. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you find an effective alternative. Don’t use any illicit drugs while breastfeeding. Cocaine, marijuana, tik and most other drugs pass into the breast milk.

It is very often a frustrating situation for the mother if her new born baby is in deep slumber for hours which results in insufficient breast feeding. This is not at all desirable as the baby may not gain the sufficient weight and remain under nourished. New born babies are notorious for their long spells of sleep as if they are enjoying the comfort of being in mother’s womb.

Generally a baby must feed 8-10 times a day with frequent spells in the day time and short spells at night. Assuming the baby is satisfied if he sleeps for longer hours does not always prove that the baby is properly nourished. If there are long gaps in nursing, the milk supply of mother will be inadequate, as the mother’s milk supply is dependent on the demands of the new born. This problem of breast feeding the sleepy new born is faced in the initial weeks post delivery and this goes off as the baby develops the reflex to demand the nourishment when he is hungry. Then the feeding-on-demand strategy can be applied.

Reasons for the new born being sleepy

1. In case the delivery and the labor is difficult and long and the mother is given special medication to relieve pains.

2. If the baby suffered from jaundice or any other infection or circumcision he may be weak and tend to be sleepy.

3. Too much intake of milk can also make a baby sleepy.

4. Inadequate supply of milk can lower the blood sugar levels of the baby making him weak.

Useful tips to nurse the sleepy new born

It is often very difficult to wake up the new born from deep slumber and breast feed him, but some postures and strategies work to nurse the sleepy baby:

1. By observing the sleep cycle of the baby by his rapid eye movements and facial expressions it is easy to wake him up and start nursing. In light sleep cycle the baby starts showing the above expressions and some body movements.

2. By removing the diapers and undressing the swaddling clothes the baby can be made alert and it becomes easy to wake him up and start breast feeding.

3. Switching off the bright lights and putting the dim lights on helps the baby to open their eyes as they are sensitive to bright lights and tend to shut their eyes and go off to sleep.

4. Position of the body is important to avoid his sleepiness during feeding. Talking to the baby, rubbing the feet, arms, spine gently helps to keep him awake aiding in proper feeding.

This feeding must be monitored in the initial weeks and the output of urine and stool must be observed which is indicative of the proper nutrition of the baby.

Is your baby approaching his or her first birthday and you’re considering weaning?

The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that “breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired.”

If you and your baby are still enjoying the nursing experience, why not take a look at some of the advantages of nursing beyond that first year?

1) Immunological Benefits

Contrary to popular belief, mother’s milk does not have an expiration date!

Your baby continues to receive all the benefits of human milk for as long as he is nursing. In fact, your milk changes to meet your baby’s changing needs. For instance, did you know that the milk of a Mom whose baby delivers prematurely is different from that of one whose baby is full term? The milk of a Mom whose baby is older has more protein, fat and more lysozyme (which destroys E. coli and salmonella bacteria) than it did when her baby was younger.

Now that your toddler is, well… toddling about, he’s exposing himself to more germs. He’s mouthing everything in sight and it’s getting harder to keep his toys clean. And what about those bits of carpet fluff and who-knows-what he always seems to find and quickly consume?

The immunological benefits of breastmilk may be even more important now. When your toddler does get sick and refuses food, he may even revert to almost totally nursing again. If this happens temporarily, you can rest assured that he’s getting his nutritional needs met. If he’s vomiting or has diarrhea, breastmilk is far superior to keep him hydrated than the popular rehydration drinks.

In addition, breastfed children tolerate vaccination better and are less likely to have adverse reactions.

In the Journal of Human Lactation, September 1995, several studies are cited which show that exclusive breastfeeding may continue well into the second half of the first year with no detrimental effects, and many positive effects. If you have a picky toddler or one with food allergies, your breastmilk serves as “nutritional insurance” for him and peace of mind for you!

2) Nursing makes discipline easier

A toddler’s life is full of frustrations. Having to hear the word “No”, wanting to do things that your uncoordinated body can’t do, learning to communicate with Mom and Dad and learning to accept limits is hard on a little person!

Nursing is a way of quickly calming a toddler, and it makes every boo-boo better. At our house we refer to nursing as “Baby Prozac”. It’s also a way to ease the suffering of a child cutting molars.

Nursing is an effortless way to calm a toddler to sleep, making naptime and bedtime easier for everyone.

3) Extended nursing and Mom’s health

Breastfeeding helps lower Mom’s risk of certain cancers for several reasons. Firstly, the fewer times in a woman’s life she ovulates, the less her risk. For some women, their fertility doesn’t return until the end of breastfeeding. I’ve known Moms who went 2 years without a period because their tot was still nursing.

Secondly, breastfeeding lowers a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer, and the longer she nurses, the higher the benefit.

Breastfeeding showers a woman’s body with hormones that help make her a calmer, less stressed out, and more relaxed Mommy. I’ve talked with women who had to wean suddenly and they report that they were shocked at the change in their attitudes compared to when they were nursing!

The numerous benefits of breastfeeding to baby and mother are well documented.

But amid all the alarm over skyrocketing rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes in British children, one crucial factor is never mentioned.
And that’s the impact of bottle-feeding and the benefits of breastfeeding.

Studies have shown that baby’s feed on formula food have a 4 x greater risk of obesity in later life than those that are breastfed.

Although the fat content of breast milk and cow’s milk are similar that is as far as the similarity goes.

Breastmilk has much smaller droplets that are more readily digested by babies. The fats that it contains are virtually self-digesting because breastmilk also contains the enzyme lipase, which breaks down the fat.

The fats in breastmilk include important fatty acids such as omega-3 which is critical for proper development of brain and eye function.

The composition of cow’s milk is not appropriate for human babies it can be harmful in subtle or unexpected ways to the health of children and adults. It is designed for cows and the hormones it carries are designed to build big, strong bodies fast.

Babies breast fed on demand will drink as much as they need. Indeed, their intake is not controlled by how full their stomach is but by the brain, dependent on a baby’s nutritional need. The feed of bottle fed babies is measured by the carer and can be at the mercy of a loving carer trying to get baby to drink as much as possible and sometimes even increasing the ratio of formula milk to water.

By its very nature, the milk produced by cows is meant to grow a creature to the size of a young calf. And a young calf is a lot bigger than a young child. In every possible way, human infants do better when fed on human breast milk.

Here are just some of the advantages that breastfeeding has:

The composition of breast milk changes depending on baby’s particular need e.g. if it’s premature (recently published figures showing substantial increase in premature births) or if it is ill or if it is an older baby etc.

Breast milk is free, always the right temperature, always the right mix and never contaminated

Breast milk contains at least 100 ingredients not found in formula food

Babies are never allergic to mothers milk but can have adverse reactions to other food sources

Breast milk is high in polyunsaturates and low in cholesterol and is more digestible than formula food. Cow’s milk is designed for calves and in comparison with breast milk it has much higher levels of casein. This has a negative effect on the bio-availability of iron and zinc.

The sodium level in cow’s milk is three times higher than breast milk. This can be problematic because the immature kidneys of a newborn baby are unable to deal with high levels of sodium.

Cow’s milk is an intestinal irritant. Some children cannot tolerate cow’s milk either because of the proteins in it or because of a lactose intolerance. Symptoms include: vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and rashes.

Obviously, there are many factors that lead to childhood obesity, and just because a child is bottle-fed it does not mean that he or she will end up unhealthy and overweight. But one of the many minor miracles of breastfeeding is that the mother’s milk supply adjusts automatically over time so that her body produces exactly as much milk as the baby actually needs. When the baby is no longer hungry, it stops sucking.

This highly sensitive, self-regulating mechanism simply can’t operate when a child is given a bottle full of formula.

There is a window in life where having a baby is your focus. This involves commitment. Post birth it involves an incredible amount of dedication; can compromise your social life, means you don’t drink, smoke, do drugs or diet.

BUT children don’t ask to be born and we owe it to our children as mothers and fathers to give them the best possible start in life. A start that ensures major health benefits THROUGHOUT their lives, particularly in terms of obesity, general health, intelligence and contentment.

With all this said it is unfortunate that some women are not capable of breastfeeding but if we can encourage some of the others that can we would see these ‘unseen’ benefits unfold into a much healthier world.

Breast really is best.

When you get back to work, you can carry on with breast feeding. If you are close to the work place or if there is a daycare on the site, you might be able to feed during breaks. If that is not possible, then you have only 2 choices:

1. Preserve your supply of milk by applying a superior automatic electric breast milking pump to extract milk during daytime. Save the milk that you accumulate for the baby sitter.

2. If you do not prefer to or can not pump during work, you can slowly substitute day feedings with formula when you’re at house but make sure you nurse the baby at night and also in the mornings. The milk which your body develops might not be adequate to satisfy your baby, though you need milk just for two feedings.

Benefits of pumping during Work

Pumping at time of work will help increase your yield of milk, so that you will have enough in stock when it is feeding time. You will also be able to collect the milk that you pump, so the infant will acquire the healthy and nutritious benefits even in your absence. Besides, pumping is a perfect method to experience a bonding towards your child during work.

Though it may appear to be a little trouble, many moms Feel that the welfares of breast pumping distant outweigh the trouble. To handle pumping at work, you will need the following:

1. A Breast pump, favorably a fully Automatic electrical pump with a dual collecting kit and so that you will be able to pump both breasts at the same time.

2. Bags or Bottles to collect and to store the milk.

3. A refrigerator or ice chest to maintain the milk at a cold temperature until you get back home.

4. Breast pads help you protect your clothes in case a leak occurs.

Ensure that you are used to pumping before you get back to work, so that you’ll know what you have to expect and what it will feel like. You will be a lot more capable of pumping at work time if you know that you are able to produce sufficient milk. At work, you would prefer to have some place that’s away from everybody else while you pump. For instance, an empty office room will give you enough peace and tranquility to pump. Pumping once every 4 hours will be sufficient. Once you have completed pumping, store the pumped milk in bottles or bags, clean up, and then get back to work. And When you go back home, you will be able to feed your growing infant.

Breastfeeding your new baby is a choice and all mother’s have to decide one way or the other. It is a way to be sure your new baby best the best start in life that he or she can get.  As you know, there are many factors that may go into breastfeeding.  The following are just six reasons why you should consider breastfeeding.  I am sure there are many others, but these are some of the most important ones.

1. God’s Designed Food

Breastmilk provides babies with the the most perfect nutrition.  The unique combination of carbohydrates, antibodies, proteins, as well as the minerals and fats, will provide your baby the very things they need to grow strong during these first months of their life.

Infant formula can never duplicate the perfect combinations in breast milk.  Many of the antibodies that are passed through to your baby through breast milk are very specialized to your genetic background and environment.  Of course , babies are able to digest breast milk much easier than infant formulas, no matter what all the big formula companies say.  Many times infant formula is based on Cow’s milk and this can irritate a newborn’s intestinal tract.

2.  Protect’s Baby from Disease

Breast milk will provide your newborn with immunities that he or she can’t get elsewhere.  Many infant and childhood illnesses are reduced or eliminated through the immunities from breast milk. Some of the common ones are diabetes, allergies, asthma, Crohn’s disease and  even sudden infant death syndrome.

3.  Bonds Mom and Baby

Breastfeeding causes a close bond to form between mom and baby. This is more than just the time spent close together, this is actally a horomonal change in mom while she is nursing. A horomone called ‘prolactin’ is released as a mother breast feeds and this has been known to cause a relaxing effect on the mom.  This whole experience is what develops this bond between the baby and mom that lasts a lifetime.

4.  Helps the New Mother get Her Body Back

When a new mom decides to breast feed, her body will go into milk production mode.  It requires a lot of calories to make breast milk, some say up to 500 calories a day.  This help the mom lose some of the weight she gained during pregnancy.  Breastfeeding also causes the body to produce a different hormone that actually “shrinks” the uterus back to it’s normal position a size.

5.  Reduce Baby Costs – Save Money!

Breast milk is free.  Infant formula is expensive!  You can use all the money you save on the  new baby. You can save so much money just by buying a breast pump and storing your extra milk to use when you can’t breast feed directly. Be sure to buy a good Breast Pump.  You can find them at great prices on the internet.

6.  Breast Feeding is Highly Recommended

Many organizations strongly encourage and promote breast feeding as the ‘gold standard’ for a healthy baby. Some of the big named organizations are the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the American Dietetic Association.

Remember, breastfeeding doesn’t have to mean only the mom holding the baby to her breast.  There are many times that it won’t be possible.  That is where a good quality breastpump comes in.  Many of the benefits of breastfeeding are included when you feed your baby breast milk that was expressed from the mother with a breastpump.

Breast milk has some of the best antibodies and nutrients a person can give their child. You just can’t replicate the benefits of breast milk, no matter the vitamins you put in baby formula. If you breast feed your child, you can reduce the risk of allergies and health conditions like eczema and asthma. And of course, breast milk is free: you don’t have to spend a lot of money feeding your child if you can breast feed them. Breastfeeding your new baby is a choice and all mothers have to decide one way or the other. It is a way to be sure your new baby best the best start in life that he or she can get.  As you know, there are many factors that may go into breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding and returning to work are widely accepted by most employers. They understand the value of doing both. Talk to your employer before you return so that you know what to expect there. You should be able to express your milk on your breaks and on your lunch break. If you know when those are scheduled you should get into the habit of expressing your milk at those times when you are still on maternity leave.

There are other ways to determine if your baby is consuming enough breast milk each day. Keep track of how many wet diapers they go through. You should have at least six. If the baby is with different people throughout the day have each person tally them so you get a total at the end of the day. Your baby can have any number of stools while breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor if chronic constipation seems to occur.

Breastfeeding causes a close bond to form between mom and baby. This is more than just the time spent close together; this is actally a hormonal change in mom while she is nursing. A hormone called ‘prolactin’ is released as a mother breast feeds and this has been known to cause a relaxing effect on the mom.  This whole experience is what develops this bond between the baby and mom that lasts a lifetime.

Breast milk is sterile and contains perfectly balanced nutrients. Within a few days after your birth, a bluish and watery fluid is secreted from your breasts. This is called colostrum and is high on protein, vitamins, and minerals. For some mothers, the onset of colostrum varies – others have it before they even give birth and some take a few more days. Colostrum is the “human vaccine” against illnesses and can only be found in breast milk.