Breast Feeding

Category Archives: Breast Feeding

Breast Feeding Toddlers

Because more and more women are choosing to breast feed their babies, more and more are also finding that they enjoy it enough to continue longer than the first few months they planned on. Breast feeding to 3 – 4 years of age is common in much of the world recently, and is still common in many societies for toddlers to be breast fed.

Because mothers and babies often enjoy to breast feed, you shouldn’t stop it. After six months, many think that breast milk loses it’s value – which isn’t true. Even after six months, it still contains protein, fat, and other important nutrients which babies and children need.

Health And Diet

The nutritional requirements for the baby will rely soley on the breast milk, and therefore the mother will need to maintain a healthy diet. If the baby is large and grows fast, the fat stores gained by the mother during pregnancy can be depleted quickly, meaning that she may have trouble eating good enough to maintain and develop sufficient amounts of milk.

This type of diet normally involves a high calorie, high nutrition diet which follows on from that in pregnancy. Even though mothers in famine conditions can produce milk with nutritional content, a mother that is malnourished may produce milk with lacking levels of vitamins A, D, B6, and B12.

How Breast Milk Is Made

If you’ve every been pregnant or if you are pregnant now, you’ve probably noticed a metamorphisis in your bra cups. The physical changes (tender, swollen breasts) may be one of the earliest clues that you have conceived. Many experts believe that the color change in the areola may also be helpful when it comes to breast feeding.

What’s going on

Perhaps what’s even more remarkable than visible changes is the extensive changes that are taking place inside of your breasts. The developing placenta stimulates the release of estrogen and progesterone, which will in turn stimulate the complex biological system that helps to make lactation possible.

How To Choose A Breast Pump

The milk production in the breasts, much like so many other things, work on the shear principal of supply and demand. The more breast milk your baby consumes, the more your body will need to make.

Breast pumps are generally used to insure continued production of breast milk when you cannot feed your baby – whether you are back to work, traveling, taking medication, or just out of town.

Basic types of pumps

Breast pumps can either be battery operated, hand operated, semi automatic electric, or even self cycling electric.

Hand pumps

Manual hand pumps are designed to use the strength of your hand or arm muscles for pumping one breast at a time. You can also get pumps that will use the leg and foot muscles for pumping both breasts at one time. Mothers that with carpal tunnel syndrome may want to consider using a pump designed for the arm or leg muscles or even an automatic model.

How To Use A Breast Pump

Just like breast feeding, pumping is a skill that you learn. When first trying a breast pump, most mothers are only able to express a few drops of milk. With the proper practice and knowledge, the mother will be more efficient at pumping.

Preparing the breast pump

1. Read all the instructions in the kit very carefully. 2. Every part of the breast pump will need to be sterilized before you begin using it. 3. After use, all the parts of the pump will need to be washed in warm, soapy water, then rinsed with hot water and drained on a clean towel. The plastic tubing doesn’t need to be cleaned unless you get milk into it. If you do wash it, it should be hung to allow time to dry and drain thoroughly. 4. If your doctor feels the need, the entire kit can be sterilized every day. 5. When you first start with an electric pump, the suction level should be on the lowest possible setting.

Other Foods While Breast Feeding

Breast milk is actually the only food your baby will need until 4 months of age, although most babies do well on breast milk alone for 6 months or better. There is really no advantage to adding other foods or milks before 4 – 6 months, except under unusual circumstances.

Water

Breast milk is over 90% water. Even in the hottest days of summer, a baby won’t require any extra water. If a baby isn’t feeding well, they still don’t require any extra water – although they will need the breast feeding problems to be fixed.

Vitamin D

Although breast milk doesn’t contain much vitamin D, it does have a little. The baby will store up vitamin D during pregnancy, and remain healthy without any vitamin D supplementation, unless you yourself had a problem with vitamin D deficiency when pregnant.

Refusal To Breast Feed

Sometimes, a baby that is breast fed may suddenly decide to refuse breast feeding. The baby will pull away from the breast, then toss his head from side to side. This can happen at anytime, so there really is no way to predict it happening.

Reasons why

Refusal to feed from the breast could occur when the baby is in pain. Normally, this can be due to an ear infection, sore head from vacuum delivery, thrush in the baby’s mouth, or teething.

The use of dummies, teats or nipple shields may also contribute to refusal. Some babies actually find it difficult to feed from the breast and bottle as the sucking action is very different. Some become confused, therefore it’s always best to avoid using any type of teats or dummies.

The First Six Weeks

Breast milk is the best food you can give to your baby. Breast milk is a complete food source, containing all the nutrients your baby need – at least 400 of them to be exact, including hormones and disease fighting compounds that aren’t found in formula.

The nutritional makeup in breast milk will adjust to your baby’s needs as he or she grows and develops. Aside from the brain building, infection fighting benefits of breast milk, which no formula can match, nursing will also help to build a special bond between you and your baby. When nursing, your child thrives on the contact, cuddling, and holding – which you will as well.

Your Nursing Area

Once you’ve reached the third trimester, you’ll probably start stocking up on nursing bras, breast pads, and loose button down shirts for the coming months ahead. While getting ready to breast feed, you can also create your personal area, a custom designed breast feeding area for yourself.

Your nursing area should reflect your personality.

If you like a loud, yet friendly surrounding, you should consider setting in a corner of the living room or family room. Keep an extra chair or two near you so family members or even friends can keep you company.

If you prefer peace and quiet, a cozy study or empty guest room would be ideal. You can close the door, dim the lights down, then take a few deep, calming breaths while you breast feed.