BREAST OR BOTTLE?
It’s all about making the right choice for youFeeding
your baby should be a healthy and happy experience, so
it’s best to choose the method you feel most comfortable
with. One thing to consider before deciding is that you
can start breastfeeding and change to bottle, but it’s
not quite so easy the other way round.
Breastfeeding benefits
The
perfect baby food available on demand, in the right
quantity and at the right temperature, breast milk
provides so many natural health benefits for you and
your baby. Reasons to breastfeed include:
- Breast milk provides all essential nutrients, is
easily digested and prevents constipation
- It has antibodies to boost your baby’s immune
system
- It also lowers the risk of eczema and diabetes
- Longer term breastfeeding may help women to lose
excess weight gained during pregnancy
- Some research suggests that breastfeeding may
actually reduce the risk of breast cancer
Starting out on breast milk
By putting your baby to your breast as soon as
possible after delivery, the sucking will start to send
signals to your body, encouraging milk production.
Colostrum is produced before the breast milk comes and
is your baby’s food for 3 or 4 days – great news, as
it’s packed with protein, contains a natural immunity
and protection against infection – just what your
newborn needs! This is then replaced by breast milk
around days 4 to 5.
Positioning your baby on the breast
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it is important to position your
baby correctly on the breast. Make sure that your
back is well supported and you are sitting
comfortably before |
you begin. Make sure your baby's
head and shoulders face towards the breast with
his or her tummy against your tummy. Draw your
baby |
towards you or you might put a
strain on your back and neck. (For ease of reading
we have used she during the copy below). |
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Your baby's bottom lip is curled
down and her tongue is coming out ready to draw as
much areola as possible into her mouth. Your
nipple is near to her top lip and point towards
the roof of her mouth. When you see a wide open
mouth draw your baby that little bit closer to the
breast. |
When your baby is properly latched
on she will draw much of your areola into her
mouth with her tongue as this does most of the
work, sucking milk from your breast. You should
feel comfortable. Your's baby chin will be
touching your breast. |
Your baby's whole body is in a
straight line so she does not have to turn to
drink. Once your baby has had enough she will
probably let the nipple fall out and may well be
sleepy. If you have to take the baby off the
breast to reposition, place your little finger in
the corner of your baby's mouth to break the
sucking. |
COMFORT NOTE: Once your breasts start to
produce milk rather than colostrum, you may experience a
little tenderness and discomfort. Don’t worry, it will
pass after a few days, but to help minimise the effect,
wear a well-fitted nursing bra and gently express a
little milk before feeding to relieve any fullness.
Useful products for breastfeeding
- Nursing bras (2 to 3)
- Sleep bra (2)
- Breast pads
- Muslin square
How often and how much?
The old days of strictly regimented “discipline”
have gone, and most people now accept that breastfeeding
“on demand” is the best way to ensure that babies are
getting what they need, when they need it, so that they
don’t either go hungry or overfeed. Don’t assume that
being “on demand” makes life more difficult for you – it
can actually make things easier and less stressful if
you, literally, “go with the flow”. By sucking, your
baby makes its own contact directly with your body, so
don’t be surprised or worried if your feeding patterns
are quite a bit different from those of fellow-mums. You
will know your baby is getting enough if she is gaining
weight and is contented after most feeds.
Don’t forget your own needs. A diet containing a wide
variety of foods will help your body cope with the new
demand put on it – your midwife and health visitor can
advise you. You may find you’re thirstier than usual.
Drink as much as you want to.
Night moves
Everyone knows someone who knows someone whose baby
“slept right through the night from the very beginning”.
But, unless you get one of these mythical babies
yourself, you’ll have to accept that you’ll be drowsily
feeding your little one in the wee small hours for some
time to come. Breastfeeding is obviously the most
convenient way to do this. Make sure baby is secure and
will not fall if you nod off. Try lying on one side to
feed, with baby away from the edge of the bed. Dad can
play his part by winding, changing and settling baby
back to sleep when breastfeeding has finished.
The art of self-expressing
If you are going back to work or plan to spend time away
from your baby, expressing is a way of ensuring that
your baby still receives breast milk.
- If expressing doesn’t work for you at first, do
persist. It gets easier with time.
- You can do it by hand or by using an
electric/battery pump or a hand-held pump.
It is not advisable to express in the first few weeks,
because none of these methods are as effective as baby
sucking.
- If your baby is still tiny, you are unlikely to
get much milk out at each expressing session. More
than one session may be needed to obtain enough milk
to freeze.
- After expressing. Place breast milk in the fridge
or freezer immediately. Breast milk can be kept in the
fridge for 48 hours (24 hours if it has been
defrosted). You can freeze it in any sterile container
for three months – remember to label it with the date.
Store milk in the body of the fridge, not in the door
where temperatures can fluctuate when fridge is
opened. Bottles should be capped, with teats stored in
a sterilized container.
If
you are going to express you may need the following:
- Breast pump
- Expressed milk storage bottles or bags
- Sterilising equipment
Tips to help you
If you experience difficulty, encourage milk flow
by:
- Taking a hot bath or shower
- Sitting quietly and relaxing
- Having baby nearby (or a photo of your baby)
- Expressing straight after a feed – early morning
is
often a good time, as your breasts are full
All about the bottle feed
Feeding your baby can be immensely gratifying, be it by
breast or bottle, as it’s a special time when you can
cuddle and get really close to your little one, who’ll
be soothed by your undivided attention. And although
formula milk cannot supply the breast milk antibodies,
it does contain essential ingredients for growth. One
benefit of feeding by bottle is that dad and other
relatives can be more involved. If you do choose to
bottle feed, please remember:
- Only use formula milk or breast milk
- Do not use cows milk as it is unsuitable for
babies under the age of 12 months,
as it can cause an allergic reaction and is very hard
to digest
- When using powdered formula milk always follow the
manufacturer’s instructions
- Sterilise all your equipment to reduce risk of
infection
- If a youngster is keen to try to bottle feed your
baby, there must be adult supervision at all times
