Many women think about how they will feed their baby long before they become pregnant. It’s important for every woman to have the opportunity to make an informed decision and know all the facts. Much research and experience has been collected recently about the tremendous value of breastfeeding for both the mother and infant. While these thoughts are not new, the new documentation has become very substantial.
Breastfeeding
How Breastfeeding Benefits Mothers
- Short-term Benefits When one breastfeeds, the uterus responds and contracts which contributes to a reduced loss of blood and a more prompt return to the pre-pregnancy state• Women who breastfeed lose the additional weight they gain during pregnancy more quickly• Breastfeeding mothers are also at lower risk for postpartum obesity than women who bottle feed
- Long-range Benefits Women who breastfeed have a decreased incidence of osteoporosis, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer• Many women describe a tremendous feeling of well-being while they are breastfeeding• Women with diabetes are often in much better control of their disease during the period of lactation
How Breastfeeding Benefits Babies
Advantages to the infant include bonding between mother and baby through the physiologic manner in which the baby nurses at the breast, which is quite different from sucking on a bottle. The infant has been sucking in-utero from about 14 to 16 weeks gestation and knows the proper action of the tongue and the swallowing mechanism very well. Other advantages for the infant include the fact that it is perfect nutrition for growth and development and specifically for ideal brain growth.Exclusively breast-fed infants have been shown to score better on intelligence tests and developmental tests. In addition to nutrition, breastfeeding provides protection against infection. Breast-fed infants have a low incidence of otitis media, pneumonia, diarrhea and other infections. The immunologic protective components in human milk provide ongoing protection until the baby is weaned and beyond – no matter how old the infant is at the time of weaning. Human milk contains many protective properties including the apparent reduced incidence of childhood onset cancer, diabetes and Crohn’s Disease. Don’t underestimate the short-term and longterm breastfeeding benefits for mothers as well.
Be Patient with Yourself
Many mothers worry that they won’t know how to breastfeed.Breastfeeding is not a reflex for the mother but a learned procedure, but the baby (who is born to breastfeed) knows exactly what to do. Read about breastfeeding before delivery to gain familiarly on the subject like The Nursing Mother’s Companion by Kathleen Huggins.Women should also consider attending local breastfeeding group meetings before delivery.La Leche League International has local groups all over the world. Four groups meet in the Rochester area – North, Southeast, South and West – call Lifeline at 275-5151 to locate your nearest group.Breastfeeding mothers, mothers- to-be and babies are welcome to attend. Your obstetrician’s office can also provide breastfeeding information and your hospital of delivery usually has a session on breastfeeding in their preparation for child birth series.Some mothers worry about breastfeeding because they need to go back to work. This does not mean you can’t breastfeed.Any time spent breastfeeding (one week, two, three, or a few months) is a very good investment in the infant’s well-being.There is plenty of help for working mothers. In some circumstances, women can return to work and arrange to feed their baby at daycare while they work, or pump at work and save the milk for the baby the next day.
Focus on the First Few Days
The first few days of breastfeeding in the hospital are very important. The first opportunity to breastfeed is right after birth. The World Health Organization and UNICEF “Baby Friendly” guidelines suggest that every mother have the opportunity to put her baby to breast within the first hour following delivery. The baby is ready and eager and it is the perfect opportunity to interact with the infant for the first time. The bedside nurses in the birth center or the delivery room will help mother position herself and the baby so the feeding will go smoothly. Actually, babies placed on mother’s abdomen and left to their own resources will find their way to the breast and latch on if not interfered with.Babies are born to breastfeed.Following this initial experience at the time of delivery, mothers should be ready to breastfeed the infant whenever the infant demonstrates interest in feeding. Interest in feeding is manifested by the baby bringing his own hands to his mouth or getting more active and rooting around. Crying is a late sign of hunger. Babies latch on and feed much more effectively if they are fed before they get frantic. While in the hospital, ask for help. It should not hurt to breastfeed. If it does hurt, it’s because the baby has not latched on correctly so ask for help in getting the baby adjusted comfortably.When discharged from the hospital, plans for follow-up should be made with the pediatrician and the lactation support person in the pediatrician’s office. They will want to see the baby within a few days and see how things are going.
Knowing How Much is Enough
Some mothers are uncomfortable not knowing exactly how much milk the baby received when breastfeeding. The way to tell how much the baby receives is listening for the swallowing sounds and seeing a little milk drip from the breast during a feeding. In addition, the baby’s weight and output should be monitored. A wellfed, breastfed baby in the first month of life should have at least three seedy yellow stools per day. The baby also should wet at least six or seven diapers a day. With disposal diapers, it is often hard to be sure they have wet, although the weight of the diaper will change.Breastfeeding is a wonderful opportunity to provide a lifetime of good health and the most precious gift a mother can give her infant. If there is illness, it may be a life-saving gift, and, if there is poverty, it may be the only gift.Dr.
Ruth Lawrence is the Medical Director of the Breastfeeding and Human Lactation Study Center and a Professor of Pediatrics, Obstetrics/Gynecology at Golisano’s Children’s Hospital at Strong in Rochester.
