Breastfeeding Tips for New Mums

New Zealand Breastfeeding

The maxim ‘breast is best’ is one that most mums-to-be are familiar with. For many mothers, breast-feeding is the way they end up feeding their babies for the first few months - despite sometimes facing unexpected challenges in doing what ‘comes naturally’.

• Women's Health
• Child Health

Benefits of breast feeding
Health professionals in New Zealand strongly advocate breastfeeding for a number of reasons:

• Breast milk is a natural babies' food containing all the right proportions and the appropriate amount of kilojoules for the first months of life, namely: protein, fats, carbohydrates and fluid. It also contains the important vitamins and minerals that babies need.
• It is always available at the right temperature.
• It is free!
• Breast milk is easy for a baby to digest, so the baby is less likely to suffer from stomach upsets and constipation.
• Breast milk contains antibodies, which will help protect your baby against some infections.
• Breast fed babies are less likely to develop allergies and breastfeeding can protect your baby from conditions such as asthma, eczema, ear infections, diabetes, gastro-enteritis and heart disease.
• Breastfeeding will help you to get your pre-pregnancy figure back more quickly.
• Breastfeeding helps the bond between mother and baby grow and become established.
• Breastfeeding can help protect you from pre-menopausal breast cancer, osteoporosis and cancer of the ovary.

However, if you decide to bottle-feed your baby rather than breastfeed, it is important to remember that it is your decision to do so and that you are not failing as a mother because of it.

Preparing for breastfeeding
Some mothers find that breastfeeding comes easily to them and their babies, but it is a learned technique and some mothers and babies need time to get it right. Knowing what to expect in advance can help you get prepared and more information about breastfeeding can be retrieved via:

• Antenatal breastfeeding classes

• Breast feeding classes
• Talking to your midwife, GP, Plunket Nurse and lactation consultants
• La Leche League
• Books and videos
• Internet
• Talking to other mums, friends and family

Nipping urban myths in the bud!
There are a few urban myths about what mums-to-be can do to prepare their nipples for breastfeeding, anything from scrubbing your nipples with a scouring pad to wearing a rough, hessian shirt without a bra - all with the aim of toughening your nipples up! The good news is that nature has this covered, and it is actually better to avoid soaping your breasts and nipples during your pregnancy and to let your body's natural oils prepare your nipples for you.

Tips for successful breastfeeding
Whilst your midwife and Plunket Nurse can help you with breastfeeding, here are a few things to consider:

• Timing - Ideally you should put your baby to your breast within the first few hours of birth. The sucking will start a reaction that leads to the release of the hormones that cause the milk to be manufactured in the breast, and the ‘let-down' reflex which allows the milk to pass through the breast to the nipple.
• Equipment - A good supportive chair, cushions, pillows, a glass of water to hand and a footstool may all help to make you feel more comfortable whilst breastfeeding.

You will also need at least two supportive nursing bras and a supply of washable or disposable breast pads to absorb any milk leaks.

You may also need to get nipple shields to protect your sore nipples, a breast pump, bottles, teats and sterilising equipment if you intend to express breast milk.

• Position - Getting the baby into the right position to ‘latch' onto your breast is extremely important to happy and successful breastfeeding. Your midwife will be able to help you with this.

• Practise - Breastfeeding may hurt in the first few weeks because your milk supply has to become established and your nipples are not yet used to your baby's sucking. If the discomfort continues, however, you should check the position of your baby on the breast and check the baby's ‘latch'. You may have to experiment, practise and get some advice on getting it right.
• Getting help - Plenty of help is available if you are struggling with breastfeeding or are experiencing sore, cracked nipples, or mastitis (a relatively common breast infection) - talk to your midwife, your Plunkett Nurse, your GP or a lactation consultant.

For more information about breastfeeding and breastfeeding support groups, visit the NZS.com directory.

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Family images from Flickr: Breast Feeding, Kids Classroom and Hands.