Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding

1. Mother's Milk

   • The perfect, specially made food for your child
   • Easy to digest and absorb
   • Helps build immunity against diseases
   • Enhances mother-child bonding

2. Infants Breastfed

   • Reduces problems related to allergies and obesity
   • Less likely to have digestive problems such as diarrhea, constipation, and bloating
   • Better overall physical and mental health

3. When to Start Breastfeeding

   • First milk is yellow and highly beneficial in preventing infections
   • Breastfeed frequently to stimulate milk production to meet the baby's needs
   • Breastfeed from both breasts during each feeding
   • Proper positioning and latch are vital
   • Let the child breastfeed as long as needed
   • Always start with the breast that is left over
   • Don't worry about nipple pain in the first 2-3 days; it will soon go away
   • Always burp the baby during and after each feeding

4. Positions for Breastfeeding

   • Hold the baby facing the breast
   • Gently touch the nipple to the baby's lower lip, letting the baby latch onto all of the nipple and areola
   • Support the baby's head close to your chest
   • Draw the baby's bottom close, with the nose tilted up for easy breathing
   • Stop the baby before removing the nipple from the mouth
   • Insert a little finger into the corner of the baby's mouth to break the suction gently to avoid nipple damage

5. Diet

   • Include all five food groups

Foods to Avoid

• Avoid fermented, pickled foods, alcoholic beverages, and certain fishy odors
• Avoid strong-smelling vegetables such as pickled garlic, bamboo shoots, acacia, and various chili sauces

6. Benefits to the Mother
   • Reduces the risk of hemorrhage
   • Helps the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy state
   • Helps the mother return to her pre-pregnancy shape faster
   • Reduces the risk of breast cancer

Benefits for the Child:

• Complete nutrition
• Helps in growth and physical development
• Easy to digest and absorb
• Immunity against diseases, reduces problems related to allergies
• Obesity
• How to have enough breast milk?

Mother is ready and willing to breastfeed immediately:

• Breastfeed frequently. If the child sleeps for more than 3 hours, wake them up to suckle on both sides and do it correctly.
• Should breastfeed directly from the mother’s breast.
• Give only breast milk, not formula, until 4-6 months.
• The mother should have sufficient sleep and rest.
• Drink plenty of warm water.
• Eat from all 5 food groups.

Drink lots of water and eat all 5 food groups, not less than during pregnancy:

• Breastfeed frequently, every 2-3 hours in the beginning, the more the child suckles, the more milk will be produced.
• Allow the child to suckle from both sides each time.
• Give formula to the child only as needed, as it will reduce breastfeeding.
• Remember, if you change the diaper 6-8 times a day, it means the child has enough breast milk.

    7. Hand Expressing Milk:    - Position fingers and thumb as shown.    - Place fingers behind the brown part of the nipple.    - Press gently onto the breast, squeeze forward, then release, repeating several times until milk flows.    - Express milk into a clean container.    - Move around the breast area, going around the nipple.    - Store the milk in a clean bottle, refrigerate for 24 hours, or freeze for 2 weeks.

    8. Should the child be bottle-fed when going out?    In the beginning, avoid giving formula. If necessary, wait until the child knows how to breastfeed first, which may take 2-3 weeks. If you need to be away, express the milk for the child. This method allows the child to have milk to eat. Spoon or bowl feeding is better than a bottle as the child may confuse between the mother’s breast and a rubber nipple and refuse to breastfeed again.

Key to Stimulating Milk Production:

• Suckle quickly
• Suckle often
• Suckle correctly

Reasons for Unsuccessful Breastfeeding:

• Confusion between breastfeeding and bottle feeding
• Too much formula feeding (fearing the child is not full)
• Misunderstanding the nature of the child and milk production

With best wishes from Vibhavadi Hospital.