Is Breast Feeding Best?
Breastfeeding
We are told “breast is best” and encouraged to exclusively breastfeed our infants, have you ever wondered why?
Breast milk is truly amazing, it is liquid gold and will nourish your baby, this is due to the complex properties in your breast milk. It is full of all the marco and micronutrients needed for healthy infant development and to give your baby energy to grow. It consists of 87% water, 3.8% fat, 1.0% protein, 7% lactose and multiple vitamins and minerals.
Breastfeeding benefits to babies
Due to the high levels of antibodies found in your breast milk it has been proven to help lower the following risks in infants.
- Asthma
- Obesity
- Type 1 diabetes
- Ear and respiratory infections
- Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
- Gastrointestinal infections (diarrhea/vomiting)
- Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract in preterm infants
- Promotes ear and eye stimulation
- Promotes baby mother bonding
Breastfeeding benefits for mothers
- Promotes faster weight loss after birth, burning about 500 extra calories a day
- Build and maintain milk supply
- Stimulates the uterus to contract and return to normal size
- Less postpartum bleeding
- Fewer urinary tract infections
- Less chance of anaemia
- Lowers risk of ovarian and breast cancer
- Promotes oxytocin production
- Promotes mother baby bonding
Hunger Cues
We should try and feed our babies before they get too hungry, this means paying attention to their hunger cues. These are some common cues, bobbing head, tight fists, rooting for breast, sucking on hands, smacking lips, tongue thrusting.
Newborn babies need to feed often as they have very small stomachs that fill and empty quickly. It is normal for your newborn to want to “snack” this means they may be wanting to suckle as often as every 45mins, other babies may want to feed every 2-3 hours. Remember all babies are different and we should never deny a baby time at the breast. Increased suckling will also help to increase your milk supply.
Lactation Consultants
Breastfeeding is a natural and normal process however this doesn’t necessarily mean that all mums and babies will find it easy to establish breastfeeding. It often takes time for both mum and baby to learn this behaviour, be patient with yourself and your newborn, seek additional support if you feel you need it. Lactation consultants are professionals trained in breastfeeding and lactation support. I highly recommend seeing a lactation consultant early in your breastfeeding journey. If you would like me to refer and recommend a consultant, please get in touch.
Rest & Recovery
It is so important that during the postpartum period you nourish your body, after all not only did you just give birth but you also went through 9 months of pregnancy. This can take a huge toll on our bodies, now that your little one has arrived I am guessing you are probably not getting as much quality sleep as you were before which is to be expected. However there are still many ways we can take care of ourselves. Making sure we are eating enough, breast feeding is hard work on our metabolism so we need to keep those calories up! (Umm YAY!) Don’t forget to stay hydrated too, have a nice warm tea and some lemon water by your side while you feed your bubba.
Getting rest when you can and making sure to take time each day to breath and destress, the postpartum period can be such a beautiful time we want to do our best to not feel overwhelmed. Find your village, set boundaries and ask for help. You are doing such a fab job mamma!
