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Get a pdf copy of this book instantly for $1 and make as many copies as you wish! |Ch.1 |Ch.2 |Ch.3 |Ch.4 |Ch.5 |Ch.6 |Ch.7| THE BABY'S HERE, NOW WHAT? Chapter 4 If you are still with me, you have really made the right choice! Good for you! Unfortunately, now comes the hard part. I said hard, not impossible. The best thing to do is have your baby in a hospital that encourages breastfeeding (Baby friendly hospital) has nurses who are lactation literate, and lactation consultant support. (I am not debating whether to have your baby at home. A hospital environment is the one I know). As soon as you baby is born, he/she needs to be placed skin to skin with you. This will comfort and condition your baby. You need to understand that your baby has just been ripped out of its comfort zone. He/She has been warm and comfortable in your womb. Now baby is breathing air and is outside your body for the first time. Think how your baby must feel! Holding your baby will soothe, comfort, show it love, and help it to adjust, and at your breast will also find nourishment. This is actually a large part of breastfeeding. Would you believe most babies seek out the breast and begin to suckle on their own? Breastfeeding is as natural for your baby as it is for you! (Reads drugs given during labor how they can affect breastfeeding)Your baby has spent nine months attached to you. It still wants and needs that attachment. Never let anyone tell you that you can spoil a baby by holding it. Contrary to a lot of people, holding, cuddling, and touching your baby is exactly what he/she needs. A baby cries for many reasons. One is that it needs to feel your love and support. Have you ever brought a new puppy home? Shut it up for the night? Then listen as to how it cries? Why would you do that to your baby? Again, it is a popular myth that a baby gets spoiled if he/she gets to much holding. But, “That's what baby needs”! How soon should I breastfeed? You may be surprised at the answer; RIGHT AWAY! Follow the baby’s cues. Baby’s suckling reflex is stronger during the first 15 to 30 minutes after delivery. Your baby should be quite alert and ready for action. The earliest you start the better. Your baby needs to get up close and personal to your breasts as soon as possible. This is where your preparation will come in to play. You should already know that your baby can smell your breast, and if left alone can find them without your help. But do not be afraid to help and guide him/her in attempting to position and latch to your breast. If the baby nurses well soon after delivery he/she imprints at the breast and breastfeeding is usually easier for you and baby. For many different reasons your baby may not go to the breast as easy as it should; This is why you need to be in a facility that has knowledgeable nurses (and pediatricians). If you have problems, you need a person available to help you. Trust me when I say this is MOST important. At this point, whether you continue breastfeeding or give up is dependant on two things: Your resolve to breastfeed and people ready, willing, and able to help you. It has been my experience that woman who have a resolve to breastfeed can be done in by do-gooders who have no knowledge of breastfeeding. They will give you formula at the drop of a hat. How does the average woman cope? You have just been through hours of labor, and now you are expected to breastfeed? Sure, I would like to breastfeed, I know it is best, but...it is oh so much trouble; so easy to give a bottle. Especially when nobody can help me! Why would a nurse want to help me? They have so much other work and other patients...here....a bottle works just fine! Sadly, my dear mothers-to-be, that happens way too often. While in the hospital, do not hesitate to ask for help. Demand it. It is your nurse's duty to educate you. Do not be afraid or hesitant to ask. Problems can be solved easier if attended to quickly. If you are reading this, you are probably inexperienced. You need to realize that what you think is proper might not be correct. When your nurse asks if you are doing fine, do not say yes and brush her aside. Let them evaluate how you are doing. Until you are shown, you may not be aware if your baby is actually getting milk properly. I did not mention determination before. If you ask any pregnant woman, they will always say they want the best for their baby. Even breastfeeding! Saying I am determined BEFORE delivery is easy. It is what happens next that can make or break you as a successful breastfeeding mother! The following is a list of 6 things to keep in mind before you breastfeed. Knowledge is power. 1) A baby does not need to get milk immediately. If you know this, you can cut your frustration down by being patient the first day. Let things happen naturally, keep baby close to you skin to skin, allowing him/her to breastfeed on cue, and baby will receive what he/she needs. Baby can loose up to 7 % of birth weight during the first 5 days of life. After this he/she should be gaining about 1 oz or more per day during the first month or two. 2) Even if you feel you are not producing enough milk, The baby suckling at your breast will stimulate milk production. The contact with your baby skin to skin will stimulate milk production. The first few days you do not feel that you have milk. Your breast are not full, this sometimes discourages moms. Learn how to manually extract your milk; you can see that there is milk. Fight the urge to send the baby to the nursery separation will break the lactation cycle. On a related note, many health professionals mislead some women into thinking they have a "low supply" of breast-milk. The amount of milk a mother produces is directly related to the amount of stimulation, suckling given by the baby; especially during the first two weeks. 3) Nobody is doing you or your baby a favor When someone offers to give your baby a bottle with good intentions so you can rest. The more you work on breastfeeding, the more successful you will be. Babies learn to breastfeed at the breast. A bottle takes away the stimulation your breasts need to know how much milk to produce. Remember, your breasts are in tune with the baby’s needs, and will only know to produce more milk if your baby is suckling at the breast. A bottle is a step backward. I need to reiterate #1 and #2. 4) Formula can be used in conjunction with breastfeeding. A few moms that for X reasons are not producing enough breast-milk can continue breastfeeding and supplementing at the breast with formula; or just breastfeed and then supplement with a bottle. For whatever reason, you do not what to miss out in the experience of breastfeeding! There are ways to use formula and breastfeed! A lactation expert can set you up properly. Remember the title of the website: Breast Milk Is Best. Any breast-milk your baby gets the better! Don't panic if you are only getting a little the first few days. Baby will make up by suckling longer and frequent during the first few days. Keep in mind that your baby's stomach is much smaller than a golf ball at birth. What may seem like a trickle to you is actually quite a bit in relation to your baby! Few women may need to supplement with formula if the volume of milk production is delayed, the baby is loosing too much weight (more than 10% of birth weight) However, you need to keep putting your baby to the breast! Give yourself extra stimulation by pumping a few min after the baby finishes. Your milk volume on an average comes in around the 3rd to 4th day after you give birth. In a few moms it may be delayed up to 8 to 9 days. So do not give up, keep breastfeeding and if need to supplement temporarily, eventually you will be fully breastfeeding. After about 10 days, your baby's stomach will grow to about the same size as a golf-ball. 5) Don't beat yourself up if you cannot fully breastfeed. Do your best. Don't give up easily. Get expert help. If you do these things, you will only increase your chances of breastfeeding. None the less there may be some women, no matter how hard they work, just cannot be successful. You may need to give formula. If you simply cannot breastfeed you need to realize that yes, it is now best to use formula! You gave it your best try. Even if you need to use formula, you have provided your baby with a little of your breast-milk. Even a little breast-milk is beneficial! Discuss all options with your pediatrician and lactation expert. Some women do both. Pump a little breast-milk, give a little formula. 6) First choices of formula when you need to supplement or decided to use formula: 1. Supplementing with your pumped breast-milk is best. 2. Banked breast-milk (Not readily available, needs Dr. prescription, expensive) 3. Hydrolyzed, or hypoallergenic formula (Nutramigen by Enfamil, or Alimentum by Similac) 4. Partially hydrolyzed formula (Good Start by Nestle) 5. Regular formula (Similac, Enfamil) Contain the cow’s milk whole protein that is allergenic and irritating to baby’s stomach; rendering baby more susceptible to infections. 6. Soy formulas (Prosobe, Isomil) not the best, contain chemicals and natural estrogens that accumulate in baby’s system and may have health problems in the future. 7. Powder formulas not recommended (these products are not sterile and can harbor disease.) Chapter 5 explains 3 common concerns. Click here Chapter 5 Copyright 2007 by Martha Loredo. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reprinted without written permission from the author. You can purchase a pdf copy of this book for only $1.00. You can make as many copies as you like! Click here to pay $1 and get the book instantly! |
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*Disclaimer: Nothing on this website is considered to be medical advice. It is only a guide. Please see your doctor regarding any information you read. *The informaiton on this website is not diagnosing or treating any medical or health condition. *Any information you read on this website is not a substitute for your doctor's advice. *Only your doctor can decide what are the best measures for you to take. |
| © 2005-2007 by Martha Loredo |