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Breastfeeding Your Baby

Many women find they are needlesly concerned about breastfeeding, and worry about wheather they will be able to do so, and want reassurance they can master the process of breastfeeding their children.

For some mothers, it is a priority to breastfeed their babies, for others, a choice they are happy to have either way.

Some mothers are happier to use formula.

I will do my best to explain the benefits of breastfeeding, and also, have provided resources to link to on the subject.

I have included a link here to Breastfeeding Mom which is a site that gives moms information and tips on breastfeeding, and stories are also shared.

It is easy to read, and not technical.

This site is highly recommended to look at!

Breastmilk contains a wonderful hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK), which induces sleepiness, both in the baby and the mother. It is the easiest method to put your child to sleep.

There are other ways as well, like travelling in the car, but that is not always a practical solution.

For the purposes of breastfeeding, it is also a very effective method.

Click here for more specialised information on breastfeeding

More information is provided further down the page, including links to breastfeeding information pages.

One Breast Feeding link is included here

to help with the best possible information source for you.

The Australian Breastfeeding Association is a large community-based self-help group, recognised as a leading authority on breastfeeding management. The Association provides innovative counselling and support services to the community and health sector throughout Australia.

I have included their logo below, and should you desire more information, please click on the image below.

They provide many articles of interest on breastfeeding, and information to answer many of your questions.

For many women, the choice of how they will feed their baby is an important one.

Naturally, whilst the natural way is to breastfeed, some women choose to bottle feed with formula, and some women choose a combination of the two.

As parents we want to make the best choice we can in everything we do for our children.

And breastfeeding IS the natural choice. The special loving bond between you and your breastfed baby is only the beginning. As you watch your baby grow and develop, fed only on your breast milk, you can be proud of your body's ability to continue nourishing your baby as it did during your pregnancy.

In the past, no decision needed to be made. A mother gave birth and then fed her baby the breast milk nature provided. Last century science became involved and mothers were led to believe they now had an easy choice between two equals – breast milk or infant formula.

At times, mothers were even convinced that infant formula was superior to breastmilk.

Breastfeeding wasn't always encouraged - it wasn't seen to be important. Research shows us that this is not true. In fact, breastfeeding is very important.

BREASTMILK IS AN IRREPLACEABLE GIFT A MOTHER CAN GIVE TO HER BABY. IT IS THE START IN LIFE THAT NATURE INTENDED A BABY TO HAVE.

It is my view that natural breast milk is better than any product manufactured in any laboratory, and is also much cheaper over the long term.

I do realize that some women may have problems with breastfeeding, due to pain, cracked nipples, and so on, but realize that these difficulties can be over come, with care, and help from nurses, and pre birth classes as well.

I am in no way diminishing the fact that for some women, no matter all the effort they put into it, breastfeeding does not always work out, but in the majority of cases, success can arrive.

In the event that breast feeding is not either possible, or suitable for you, (you may need to get back to work very quickly, and not have the capacity to breastfeed your baby), then the other products will work.

It is simply a degree of weighing up all the pros and cons.

May I suggest that another solution is to use a breast pump, not only as a remover of excess milk, but also as a way to store breast milk for your baby when you are not around.

Please click here for examples of breast pumps.

Breastfeeding protects your baby from illness and infection provides the correct food for your growing baby aids the development of your baby's eyesight, speech and intelligence promotes a special loving bond between mother and baby Babies who are not breastfed… have a higher risk of cot death have an increased likelihood of allergy cost more money - you need to buy expensive infant formulas and feeding equipment.

Non-breastfed babies are more likely to fall ill, costing more to the family and the community in medical bills are less environmentally friendly - in terms of fuel, energy and resources needed for artificial feeding It helps to know: Most babies have a strong need to suck when they are first born, so you can start breastfeeding straight away if you are both well.

The more milk your baby takes from the breast, the more milk your breast will make. To establish a good milk supply let your baby feed frequently, whenever he wakes or seems hungry.

Allow him to finish the first breast before offering the second side.

Breastmilk is easily digested.

It is normal for young babies to feed frequently, including night feeds.

This helps your supply too.

Babies breastfeed for comfort and closeness as well as to satisfy their hunger and thirst. There is no need to avoid any specific foods while you are breastfeeding.

There are no magic foods that increase the milk supply - a sensible, well-balanced diet is the key.

Many women successfully combine breastfeeding and work outside the home.

As your baby grows, your breastmilk changes to meet his developing needs - your breastmilk is always the right food for your baby.

Breastfeeding - The Natural Choice for Babies Breastmilk contains all the nutrients your baby needs for at least the first six months of his life and continues to be the most important part of his diet throughout the first year, supplying half or more of his nutrients till his first birthday and up to one third to his second birthday.

The colostrum your baby receives in the first few days, and the breastmilk that follows, contain antibodies that provide resistance to infection.

The unique combination of fatty acids and other components in breastmilk contribute to optimal brain development, so lack of these in artificially-fed babies may result in lower intelligence.

Ensuring your baby has only breastmilk for at least six months may help minimise allergy problems.

Breastfeeding provides optimal development for infants' eyesight, speech, jaw and oral cavity development.

Non-breastfed babies have a lower resistance to disease and are more likely to become sick.

Apart from the health benefits, breastfeeding means fewer doctors' visits and less time in hospital with illness. Lack of breastfeeding is linked with a higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS or 'cot death').

Non-breastfed babies are more likely to develop ear infections. Artificial feeding may increase the risk of a baby developing juvenile diabetes in the future.

It may also increase the risk of heart disease.

Breastfeeding - The Natural Choice for Mothers Breastfeeding helps your body return to its pre-pregnant state more quickly.

Many women also find they lose excess weight while breastfeeding.

Women who have not breastfed their babies have an increased risk of cancer of the breast and ovaries, heart disease and osteoporosis.

Breastfeeding can delay the return of menstruation for many women.

Breastfeeding's contraceptive effect can delay the return of fertility in many women, who exclusively breastfeed their babies of less than six months of age, and have not recommenced their menstrual cycle.

This is known as the Lactational Amenorrhea Method of contraception, and is successful in approximately 98% of women.

Breastfeeding is usually easy and convenient.

Breastfed babies are very portable and you have instant, pre-warmed, ready-to-serve food wherever you go.

Baby Belly Botanicals, Milk Production and Breast Care

Baby Belly Botanicals are able to supply excellant products to help with breast feeding, as well as balms for chapped nipples, and products that can stimulate milk production.

For more information,

Click here for Baby Botanical Products for Milk Production, and Breast Care

Breast Cancer Insurance from InsurePink

How to breastfeed a tongue tied baby
Tongue-tie or ankyloglossia is Greek for “crooked tongue” and it is a condition when a small piece of skin under the tongue is tight and holds the tongue fastened to the bottom of the mouth. This small piece of tongue called lingual frenulum may also reach all the way to the tip of the tongue and restricts tongue movement. This condition tends to run in families and can cause problems throughout life. A normal tongue should be able to extend to lick the lips, lift the front half of the tongue to the roof of the mouth and sweep along the gums. A tongue-tied however, is not able to extend past the lower lip or might be forced downward over the lower lip. The tongue plays a major role in breastfeeding; it massages the breast for a let-down, holds the breast in positions and helps in swallowing. The impact of being tied tongue in babies can be severe because mothers may decide to bottle feed the baby instead of breastfeeding. With a tied tongue, the baby may not open its mouth widely enough to latch properly; the baby may latch onto the nipple causing pain or even nipple damage.
Sometimes, the baby may be able to breastfeed despite being tied tongue and sometimes a tied tongue may need special attention and treatment. The intensity of breastfeeding problems depends on the tightness of the frenulum and shortness of the free tongue. Even if the tongue is completely tied, the baby still might be able to breastfeed if the floor of the mouth is flexible and can be pulled up to allow more movement but still, breastfeeding will be less efficient and more fatiguing for the mom and baby. An untreated tongue-tied baby needs to feed longer and more frequently and is more susceptible to dental and breathing problems.
Infants may naturally try to compensate for a tied tongue, they may use the jaws instead to increase the pressure on the breast; the mother may feel as if the baby is biting or chewing the breast and it may look squashed. When the infant has a shallow latch on the mother’s breast, his tongue is less stable which means the baby will have to exert more pressure to get the milk. Once the milk starts flowing, the baby reduces its suckling and the pain for mother is also reduced. The infant can also compensate for a tied tongue by using the lips instead of the tongue to get the milk. The lips, however, should not move much and must maintain a seal around the breast but if the lips are turned outward, the baby can use them to move the milk from the breast.
Infants with a tongue-tied condition can also be encouraged to breastfeed with special attention to a deeper latch. It may be helpful for the mother to position the lower lip on the areola and roll the baby onto the breast. If the baby seems to be choking, leaning back so that the baby is on the mother’s chest can help the baby to handle the milk flow. The mother is encouraged to be patient with the baby and it is a good idea not to time the feeding session which can cause the failure to thrive. Mothers should check whether or not the baby needs treatment, which depends on how well the tongue functions. If the baby is sucking properly, swallowing properly, and gaining weight well and the mother is in no pain then there is not much concern. If, however, the baby cannot feed properly and is not gaining weight, then it is a good idea to get the tongue of the baby treated.
There are many ways to treat a tied tongue; the simplest treatment for infants is frenotomy. In this simple procedure, the frenulum is cut with a pair of sterile scissors under a local anaesthesia. It is a low risk procedure with minimal bleeding and the baby can start breastfeeding almost right after it. The mother will experience a noticeable change in the breastfeeding pattern of the baby but in some cases, the baby may need a few days to adapt to its new tongue. In the case of a tongue tied baby, mothers can use a good quality breast pump to express milk and fulfil the needs of the baby till its treatment.

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