The Breast is Best - Tips for learning mommy and baby
When Natalie was born I did not have milk yet, but the nurses assured me that she would be fine with colostrum.
What is colostrum?
Colostrums is the precursor to milk supply. I first started noticing the colostrums when I was 8 months pregnant and it was a yellow film. It would leak from time to time during my pregnancy but by the time Natalie arrived it was almost clear. This colostrums is full of antibodies that your baby will need to help develop it’s immune system. It differs from milk because it is low in fat and protein. Colostrums also has a mild laxative effect in order to help your baby pass his first stool, which is referred to as me conium. Bilirubin, which is a waste-product of dead red blood cells, is produced in large quantities at birth due to blood volume reduction. Colostrums helps to clear any excess bilirubin from baby, as well as help to prevent jaundice.
Colostrums is extremely beneficial to baby and can sustain baby until your milk “comes in”! You actually start producing milk throughout your entire pregnancy, but when I say “comes in” I mean it can be felt in your breast and is being delivered to baby. Now be ready for your baby to lose weight initially. Most breast fed babies will lose significantly more weight than their formula fed counter parts, so it is important that you let your pediatrician know you are breast feeding at your first check up. If you are serious about breastfeeding you should not give your baby formula until breastfeeding has been well established, if at all. The best piece of advice I can give is to nurse early and often, nursing releases a hormone called prolactin which encourages milk supply. However, until the milk comes in you need to trust that the colostrums is doing it’s job and relax. Your milk supply is directly related to your stress level, but more on that later You should notice the amount and consistency of fluids changing in 4-5 days for new moms or 2-3 days for 2nd time moms!
These times may vary since every woman is different. When did you first realize you had milk? How long did it take? What was your little one’s reaction? I can’t wait to hear about your experience!
I get it, I had the same thoughts….. ” I feel comfortable with our position but is my baby latched correctly?” A proper latch is vital to your future breastfeeding success. Some newborns latch naturally and have few problems, other may need a little more patience and assistance. I strongly urge you to make sure that you and baby have a proper latching technique in place before going home. If you or baby are still struggling, make sure that you ask for contact resources for help after you leave the hospital. We have already gone over the best ways to position your baby, now let’s focus on the latch! If you need help with positioning check out The Best Breastfeeding Positions! Make sure you and baby are comfortable before you start. I know it is hard to get comfortable in a hospital but I recommend investing in a good nursing pillow. Boppy is a very popular pillow that I have tried but my personal favorite is the Leachco cuddle U nursing pillow. For more information on this pillow see my picks! I also suggest getting some pajamas that have a button or snap front of investing in a nursing tank. These allow easier access and you won’t have to get completely unclothed if you have visitors in your room. These two suggestions also carry over to going home with your newborn. You guys need to get comfortable before you start nursing. A nursing session can last 5 minutes or half an hour so get ready mom!
Encouraging Your Baby to Latch
Newborns love to sleep so sometimes they need to be coaxed to nurse. You will always guide the baby to your breast and not the other way around. Babies have a reflex at birth known as “rooting”. This is the most obvious sign of hunger, and the easiest time to get baby to latch. If you watch your baby while he/she is rooting you will notice that they are essentially looking for a boob! Once you and baby are comfortable and ready to nurse you can rub your finger or hand right along his/her cheek and mouth to encourage the “root” reflex. The best time to offer your breast is when baby’s mouth is wide open with the tongue pressed down. You will need to aim the nipple at the top portion of their mouth so that you can get as much of the bottom half of the areola inside as possible! Once baby is latched, his/her lips should be “flanged” or, look like fish lips. If the latch is comfortable and your baby does not have flanged lips it is ok to use your finger to help adjust them.
Signs of Possible Latch Problems
Tongue is not visible when bottom lip is pulled down
Baby’s ears don’t wiggle while nursing
Rapid chin movement as opposed to circular jaw motion
Cheeks are not rounded
You hear clicking or smacking noises
Baby’s chin is pressing again his/her chest instead of breast.
Your nipple is flattened or misshapen when baby is finished
Discomfort does not go away until baby is finished nursing
Baby is not being satisfied during feedings.
In the end, as long as you and baby are comfortable and there is a good milk transfer then don’t get too caught up in the details. Try not to over think it!
Visit site: http://neobabycenter.com
Natalie’s First Latch
I did not have a hard time getting Natalie to latch at first, she took to my breast naturally. Unfortunately I messed that all up the first night. My labor(24hrs) and delivery(4 hours of pushing) were pretty intense so I opted for Natalie to stay in the nursery the night before we took her home. The nurse brought her to me every two hours for feedings. I began to notice that later on in the night she was having problems latching and I didn’t understand what was happening, until that morning when the nurse informed me that she had given Natalie a pace to calm her in between feedings! OMG talk about an angry mama! Whatever you do moms, DO NOT GIVE BABY A PACI OR BOTTLE UNTIL YOU ARE PROS AT LATCHING! I would also advise, to prevent my mistake, make sure the nurse staff knows that you would rather your child not have a pacifier, and if the baby cannot be comforted without it to bring him/her to your room.
