Breast FeedingBreastfeeding is a natural way for a mother to feed her baby and helps a her to bond with her child. Putting baby to nipple for the first 6 months of a babies life is said to benefit baby along with solids for months after. Each time you put your little one to the breast it makes a big difference to your child's health. A baby being fed with mothers milk helps maintain a more emotional and physical bond between you and your baby, which makes a healthy happy infant and a happy mother.
Lots of new moms find Breast feeding a real struggle to begin with because the baby may not latch on to mothers nipple or cannot grasp the suckling motion for long enough to release milk from the breast. So lots of women give up very quickly and revert to a bottle because it is much simpler. But as soon as you and baby get the knack of it, you will never want to change that closeness you will feel with baby after this, the bond will be as strong as it can be.
Whilst feeding baby, you as a mother are looking after the health and well being off your child, not just because breast is best, or because of all the natural nutrients in breast milk, but you save your baby from illnesses such as
And who can say better than that to give your child the best start in life you could possibly give, when feeding you have to watch what you eat and drink, you need to try and eat larger portions and frequent snacks to help meet demands of breast feeding baby also avoiding alcohol.
Your breast produces milk in response to baby being put to breast, the more you feed with the milk from the boob the more your breasts produce, basically feed on demand. When you first breast feed your baby you may feel like a milking machine because they like to feed often, around every two hours. Once they feed better each time the less frequent it will become.
Breast milk contains antibodies which gives your child protection from picking up any virus from mother and from fighting any illness or infection they may get themselves. This milk is easily digestible in a baby than formula milk, and less likely to cause stomach upsets and nobody wants a baby with diarrhea you've got enough to do at the best of times.
Tiny premature babies who are fed on breast milk are more likely to do well than being formula fed, and is also said to be good for babies teeth and eyesight. Also baby's that have been breastfed are easier to wean due to already having traces of what the mother eats and drinks in their bodies whilst being breast feeding.
For the first few days after giving birth your breasts produce a food called ‘colostrums’ which looks like creamy milk and is yellow in colour. This contains the food your baby needs and the antibodies to protect your child, after a few days your breasts begin to produce breast milk which will look thin compared to the colostrum.
How your baby feeds on your breast is different to a bottle, the breasts are never empty, but the milk has to be let down so it can gather behind your nipple. To make milk flow from the breast, baby needs to be in a good position. Make sure your also comfortable when feeding baby, hold baby close to the breast this may take time to get used to but you will do it eventually it just takes practise, make sure your back is supported which ever position you and baby find easiest and most comfortable that will be normally be best. |
