Breastfeeding works best when it is done "on demand", in other words whenever the baby wants to or shows cues of wishing to nurse. That can even mean up several times an hour in the beginning. First of all, infants have very small tummies and breast milk digests quickly, so the smaller the baby, the quicker she will be hungry again. Also, babies don't nurse for food only but also for comfort and security. Western culture values independence and visible accomplishments, which is seen also in the parenting advice one often sees: mothers are told to have infants sleep in a separate bed, force them to sleep through the night without nursing, or nurse on schedule. Wearing/carrying the baby a lot, and valuing the time spent breastfeeding are not emphasized. But even science has now found evidence that this is not the way to go.
Also, if you nurse on schedule, you may experience milk supply problems after about 3 months of nursing. This seems to stem from the fact that in the early months the milk-producing hormone prolactin plays an important role building the milk supply, but after a few months postpartum a different process, autocrine or local control takes over.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Cue Feeding
Wonders of breastfeeding
Seeing a child nursing makes one so appreciative of how well the human body is designed so that breastfeeding gives the child nourishment while at the same time fostering the loving bond between the mother and the child.
Initially you will see this in the way the baby learns to love the breast. I can remember when my baby first learned to smile. The very first times he smiled, he did so when he saw the beloved breast being dug out of the shirt for him to feed on!
Breast is the central focal point of your baby's life. It is NOT just a food source but a source of comfort and security. It is soft and warm to feel and to baby's mouth, which a bottle certainly isn't. Baby feels safe and secure at Mommy's breast. All nursing mothers can vouch for the fact how well breastfeeding calms down a fussy baby. Breast is baby's natural pacifier and 'security blanket'.
Breastfeeding is a natural way of bonding with your child. Nursing and holding the child close causes the brain to release a hormone-like substance called oxytocin. Its release is especially pronounced with skin-to-skin contact. This hormone has been called the "love hormone" or the "cuddle hormone" or the "bonding hormone". It provides a sense of calm and well being and helps the mother and child to bond together. It is involved in those mothering feelings we experience after giving birth to a child. (Oxytocin does NOT make breastfeeding a sexual experience as some erroneously believe.)
Breastmilk contains a wonderful hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK), which induces sleepiness, both in the baby and the mother. It is the easiest method to put your child to sleep.
Also, while nursing, the child will usually get much more skin-to-skin contact with Mommy - and that can make a difference in how well your baby grows. Studies show how premature infants grow much better if they are massaged and touched a lot by a human hand, and the same surely applies to babies born at term.
Yet one more benefit of breastfeeding is that the suckling motion helps develop babies' lungs. The sheer physical effort involved in nursing may leave babies with better lung function well into childhood, as found by research.
These good points won't cease at 6 months or at one year. To many people in the US, the idea of a 2-year-old toddler climbing into Mommy's lap and asking to nurse is a foreign and uncomfortable concept. But to the mothers who do it, breastfeeding a toddler is a natural and healthy part of raising children. Nursing can help your child during any kind of emotional upsets or family crises, or just simply through teething. And if we are to believe our children, toddlers (who can talk) invariably appreciate breastfeeding.
Why breastfeeding fails
Right after birth the baby is placed on Mommy's bare breast. It knows instinctively to latch on and starts sucking. Mommy's breast feels so good and soft!
During the following weeks, baby feeds very often, even several times during the same hour. Baby sleeps with Mom so it feels secure and Mom is able to watch baby closely and feed the baby easily. Mother and baby get used to breastfeeding and learn the right positions with the help of friends and other supportive people. Other women help the mother with breastfeeding problems if they arise.
Baby and mother grow to love each other a lot and enjoy the closeness of breastfeeding. Breast gives baby comfort as well as food - and thereby baby grows well and is very happy. Baby does not need security blankets or pacifiers - it uses Mommy's soft and cuddly two breasts instead!
Somewhere along the way solid foods are introduced, but baby continues to nurse, too. Even during the toddler years the little child nurses here and there, especially when going to sleep or during times of stress.
Nursings get less and less, being only a few times a week. Finally the child weans itself willingly, without getting any emotional trauma from leaving its 'security blanket' behind.
Sounds ideal... and it is, but in reality breastfeeding is not always this easy! Fortunately breastfeeding rates have slowly been increasing since the 1990s, but only 41.5 percent of US infants are still being breastfed at 6 months, as found by the immunization survey in 2006. And even though experts recommend exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, the same survey found that only 31% of mothers at 3 months and a mere 11% at 6 months were doing so.
However, a careful study of statistics shows that 9,000 lives could be saved yearly in the USA by exclusive/extended breastfeeding! That is because breastfeeding infants have only 1/5th the rate of SIDS, and half the rate of the overall infant deaths.
Reasons why women fail to breastfeed or wean too early
(These are not in any particular order of importance.)
Bottle-feeding is perceived as the norm. People in the USA and many western cultures simply live in a bottle-feeding culture. It is very unusual to see a breastfeeding mother, and even more unusual to see a mother nursing a toddler or an older child - yet even World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for at least two years. Television, books, and media usually show a baby with a bottle, not a baby at its mother's breast. Little girls grow up perceiving formula-feeding as the norm.
Mother thinks breastfeeding is yucky or indecent, or has 'hangups' about her own breasts. Breasts are to feed babies - if that was not so, why do breasts start making after mother gives birth (or tiny amounts even before)? There is nothing indecent about feeding your baby. Think about a cat mother feeding her kitties, or a dog feeding her puppies. Everybody just thinks that is cute and natural - the same is true for humans feeding their babies.
Mother's past sexual abuse. One out of every five American women has been sexually abused during childhood, and it is estimated about 20% of those show significant symptoms as adults. There are wide reactions to past sexual abuse: some women who have been sexually abused cannot tolerate the thought of breastfeeding while others find breastfeeding as a healing experience. Especially difficult situations include: the early postpartum period with its high demands; night-time feedings since the night remind the mother of earlier abuse; and feeding an older infant who plays with the breast and smiles at it. These mothers may benefit from extra support of those around her or from mental health professionals, from partial pumping/bottlefeeding, and from extra reassurance to know what is normal behavior by the baby and how to redirect baby's behavior. On the other hand, breastfeeding can actually reduce child abuse and abandonment by mothers.
Husband or partner's negative opinions. Unfortunately many men think woman's breasts are sexual organs, so they can become jealous over the nursing mom's breasts, or start thinking that the baby is doing something indecent and pervert when it feeds. Breastfeeding is NOT a sexual act but simply a feeding act. It can be pleasurable to the mother (though also painful!), but it is not sensual pleasure, just a good feeling of being close to your baby.
Unsupportive friends or family members. Since bottle feeding was the norm in the near past, often a new mom's own mother and other relatives know very little about breastfeeding or even have negative experiences, and cannot support her. In fact, she might hear all kinds of undermining comments from ignorant people who don't understand the breastfeeding process. If that happens, you can try to explain to them in a nice way what the facts are.
Lack of knowledge of medical care personnel. Some doctors know very little about breastfeeding or know nothing about the dangers of infant formula, so won't really encourage the woman to breastfeed, or simply won't influence the mother in any direction.
While there are many pediatricians and obstetricians who do strongly support and speak for breastfeeding, you cannot count your doctor being that way unless you choose who is going to be your doctor.
A majority of pediatricians believe that breastfeeding and formula-feeding are equally acceptable methods for feeding infants.
Physicians and nurses in the U.S. routinely receive gifts, office supplies, meals, a year's supply of free infant formula for themselves or a relative and even pricey vacations from the infant-formula marketing representatives who haunt their offices.
A doctor may even forcibly talk about weaning a toddler.
Problems in breastfeeding. These include sore nipples, milk supply problems, thrush, infections, etc. By far most of the breastfeeding problems are solvable with adequate information and support. One of the usual initial problems is sore nipples, or simply pain while nursing. That is very common, and usually subsides after about one month. Just hang in there, make sure the positioning is right and baby has a good latch, and find support from someone or from internet message boards. It will get easier later and you'll be glad for your decision.
Mismanagement of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding works best when baby is put to the breast very soon after birth, and is allowed to feed as frequently as she wants - which is called 'cue feeding' or 'demand feeding'. Mother's milk supply is built up by the frequent feeding (which may mean every 30 minutes to every two hours), and this is important especially in the beginning. But wrong ideas about 'nursing schedules' still persist, based on bottle-fed babies' needs. Not feeding frequently can lead to low milk supply.
Another pitfall is that many women don't understand the danger of supplemental formula in regards to the "demand=supply" principle of milk production. The more formula you give to your baby in addition to breast milk, the less milk your breasts produce. Formula companies know this, and that is why they are so eager to give you free samples from every direction.
Difficulties with public breastfeeding. Even though breastfeeding in public is perfectly legal in the US in any place where the mother and baby would otherwise be allowed, women have had to leave swimming pools, supermarkets, restaurants, malls etc., or they have been told to nurse in the bathroom. Since breasts are perceived as 'sexual', it is often hard for women to be brave enough to breastfeed in public because they fear other people's attitudes about exposing their breasts.
Because of the general attitudes American society has about breastfeeding and of breasts, many women won't feel totally free and at ease when nursing in public, but in reality most mothers, when they get over the initial fears, find that the general public doesn't pay that much attention to the act, for the most part. People can almost seem to avoid watching the nursing mother in order to not make her feel uncomfortable. In fact, if someone appears to be watching, it may very well be that the person is just plain curious to see this precious moment of mother nurturing her child.
Why are breast taboo?
In North America and in many other westernized countries woman's breasts are a taboo: they are supposed to be hidden. Exposing woman's breasts in public is considered shameful and inappropriate ("indecent exposure") even on beaches or while breastfeeding. In other words, breasts - or at least the nipple - are supposed to be covered at all times.
Parents tend to teach their children the same way, and many times children don't see a single naturally nude breast (apart from their own) while growing up. It is totally possible that a child grows up in North America and never sees a baby breastfeeding!
However, while exposing breasts in public is a 'no-no', children often see breasts (although never the nipples) displayed in a sexually provocative fashion on television, in print media and at magazines. Breasts are emphasized big time in the media and advertisements, who signal to our young people that breasts are a sexual object, and only beautiful when big and protruding.
But we know big breasts is a fallacy since women in ads and movies use push-up bras and breast enlargement to artificially 'enhance' the way their breasts look like. Just think: if young girls continually see this propaganda without a balancing view of natural naked breasts, it is no wonder they also start seriously worrying about the size and shape of their breasts even to the point of suicide!
Breast obsession and men
While women are obsessed about their breast size and shape to the extent of surgery, some men have definite obsessions with female breasts are a source of sexual fantasy / turn-on.
For these men, it is not just a general appreciation of the female figure or the various body parts of a woman, but a fetish, an extreme fixation or obsession. They get sexually inspired by looking at pictures with cleavage, where breasts are enticingly almost visible, yet hidden.
While these men probably realize that this is happening, and feel they enjoy it, they are nevertheless "bound" by this behavior.
The general breast taboo and the provocative media advertisements simply encourage this. Men are being culturally conditioned to see breasts as sexual objects - as almost like inanimate objects that automatically 'click men's brains' to the 'turn on' mode.
Other cultures
European women commonly go topless on beaches, and many European countries also have nudist beaches where people sunbath naked, yet the atmosphere is decent and non-sexual and people are at ease. The sauna culture in some European countries makes people used to seeing nude bodies, and they don't view breasts as any special thing or taboo. Primitive tribes in hot climates wear very little clothing and it's no big deal to them.
Naturists from all over the world always emphasize how sexuality does not equal nudity; nudity is not sexually stimulating if the atmosphere and attitudes are non-sexual. In fact, seeing bare breasts on a topless beach is able to de-sensitize men's minds and take away the "breasts -> sexual stimulation" connection.Clellan Ford and Frank Beach's Patterns of Sexual Behavior came to the conclusion that the most universally admired feminine trait is plumpness -- not perfect breasts. It seems that North American culture (and those influenced by it) are unique in erotizicing the breasts to such an extreme.
Of course breasts are a female body part, and there's nothing wrong in considering them beautiful as part of a woman's body. But let's let breasts be like legs and hips and neck and face etc. and all the other body parts - not some almost like inanimate objects that automatically 'click men's brains' to the 'turn on' mode.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Breastfeeding twins or more
When your babies arrive:
It would be ideal for you to begin breastfeeding as soon as possible after the birth. When a mother is expecting more than one baby, sometimes a surgical birth becomes necessary. In this case, some hours may go by before you can start to breastfeed. However, it is important that you nurse your babies as soon as you are able. Some multiple births also take place prematurely. If this happens and you are unable to initiate breastfeeding soon after the birth, you can still pump your breasts to initiate lactation. From the moment of birth, your body will begin the process of producing milk for both your babies and its important to express the milk that is beginning to be produced to establish a good milk supply. For this you can use a high quality breast pump or manual expression.
Milk from mothers of premature babies is quite different from that of mothers of term babies. If your babies are early, they will especially need your milk.
If both babies are born healthy, talk to the pediatrician about breastfeeding them on demand. The ideal setup is rooming in with your babies.
If it should become necessary that the babies receive a supplement, you may want to look into other methods of feeding such as cup feeding, finger feeding, or using a spoon, medicine dropper or syringe.
Bottle feeding sometimes can interfere with lactation due to the fact that some babies develop a preference for the artificial nipple, making it harder to reestablish breastfeeding.
Once you and your babies are home, you will need to take care of yourself as well as the babies. Eat healthy food, and enjoy frequent snacks (such as low-fat cheese and crackers, vegetables, yogurt and fruit). This is your chance to be able to eat a lot without gaining weight. Be sure to drink water, juices, or milk to thirst.
Try to sleep when the babies are asleep.
Develop a plan for getting the housework and other home management tasks done. Enlist any and all available help, and carefully consider what tasks are most important to you and your family. Assign priorities along with your mate. People's needs come first, especially babies' needs, then comes food and clothing.
Limit your visitors during the first weeks. Family members and friends who come to see the babies can help you in many ways-- they can bring you meals, change diapers, give you a massage, watch the babies while you take a 15 minute walk or a shower, listen to you, etc. Don't be shy about asking for the help you need.
Be aware that many mothers of twins receive criticism from those around them who do not share their enthusiasm for breastfeeding. They may pressure you to use formula or other foods before they are needed or to wean before you feel ready. Sometimes, questions such as "Are you sure you have enough milk?" or "Isn't this too hard for you?" are enough to lower a mother's confidence. Your belief in your ability to produce enough milk for your babies is one of the most important factors in maintaining a great milk supply. Remember always that milk is produced on the principle of supply and demand. The more your babies breastfeed, the more milk your body will produce for them.
Tips for life with breastfeeding twins:
Breastfeed them together to save precious time. This works well during the first weeks. After this you may have to breastfeed them one at a time depending on their particular hunger patterns.
There are several different ways that you can position the babies in order to nurse them at the same time. One way is to place the babies in front of you with their legs overlapping, making an X across your lap. The other position is to place both babies in the clutch hold. You will need pillows at your side (and maybe one on your lap) and you will place the babies on the pillows with their legs going toward the back of the chair. Remember that if you are placing the babies in front of you, you must try to keep their whole bodies turned toward you, their chests against your chest. Their bodies must not be facing up. This is very important to avoid soreness and also to make sure that the babies are receiving enough milk.
Use lots of pillows. There are special pillows available that help in positioning twins, or you can make a nursing pillow yourself.
Alternate feeding each baby from both breasts. This evens out their particular needs and also gives them extra visual exercise.
Learn different positions to breastfeed. Learning to nurse while lying down may be a little tricky to learn the first few weeks, but is worth it for the added rest you will get.
Prepare "changing areas" in several different places in your home. Don't give babies a daily bath. Just make sure the diaper area and their faces are cleaned every day.
Recommended Reading
"Tips For Breastfeeding Twins" -- This informational sheet, available from the LLLI Store or from your local LLL Leader, provides tips for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers of twins.
Breastfeeding in Public
The idea of breastfeeding in public makes many people feel uneasy Unfortunately, as Katie Granju writes in her book, Attachment Parenting, "Surveys have revealed that far too many women are uncomfortable at the thought of nursing their baby in public and that this discomfort is a common cause for disruption of the breastfeeding relationship." Mothers may feel uncomfortable even when the "public" they are breastfeeding in front of is family members in their own home. The key point is not the place, but the presence of other people with the mother, whether those people are strangers or people she knows. Sometimes we don't think very clearly about the source of those feelings, but examining them can help mothers feel more confident about their choices, no matter what they choose to do.
Breastfeeding in public matters because hungry babies aren't very patient and it's hard to be a parent without leaving home. Once the early weeks have passed and a mother has resumed activities outside her home, finding a truly private place to breastfeed her baby can be difficult, if not impossible. Beyond practical considerations, many women make a philosophical choice about breastfeeding in public because they feel it is the most effective and natural way to meet their babies' needs. Breastfeeding doesn't stop being best for babies and mothers just because other people are present, and mothers want to continue to give their babies (and themselves) the best.
Cultural Attitudes
It can take a while to get comfortable with breastfeeding in public. The main reason for that initial discomfort is probably the taboo against revealing one's breasts around other people. Ironically, most breastfeeding women reveal much less skin while breastfeeding than the average jeans commercial reveals. Yet many people find one inappropriate and the other tolerable. Their concerns seem to stem less from actual skin exposure and more from cultural beliefs.
One of the differences between drinking from a bottle and nursing from the breast is that the breastfeeding mother and child are in direct, intimate contact with each other. The breastfeeding mother and baby respond to each other physically and emotionally. A mother who bottlefeeds her baby with either her own milk or formula is more physically distant. In some people's minds, the physical and emotional intimacy of the breastfeeding mother and baby is sometimes connected with sexual activity. So, when people see a woman using her breasts for their most basic function, in an intimate relationship with her infant, they may consciously or unconsciously confuse it with something that's sexual and should be done in privacy.
Current cultural attitudes toward breastfeeding mimic past attitudes toward pregnancy. At one time, it wasn't acceptable to discuss pregnancy openly and women who were "in a family way" were not supposed to be out in public. They were expected to quit work immediately. Although that has changed over the years, mainstream media and private conversations alike still tend to focus on the external aspects of pregnancy rather than the emotional - preventing stretch marks, maternity clothes that disguise the growing belly, pain prevention in labor, and article after article on losing all that "fat."
The breastfeeding mother and her baby continue the physical bond begun in pregnancy. Mainstream publications sometimes gloss over the unique relationship a mother shares with her baby while she is breastfeeding. Health writers are quick to assure mothers they will have a perfectly wonderful relationship with their child if they bottle-feed. Where is the discussion of the intimacy involved in giving and then sustaining life? A very popular pregnancy and child care book lists, under information on the decision to breastfeed, that the mother take into consideration not being able to fit back into pre-maternity clothing because of larger breasts. In any other context, most women would see the possibility of having larger breasts as positive, not negative. But when connected with their biological function, breasts seem no more than a nuisance and breastfeeding just another baby care gadget to consider while you are pregnant.
The availability of clothing for breastfeeding mothers may also reflect cultural taboos. Sexy lingerie is available in plentiful supply in major department stores and specialty stores alike. But shopping for a nursing bra can be a daunting task. The nursing bras are often behind the counter, if they exist at all. Some sizes may have to be special-ordered. Unless the mother asks, she may assume they are not available. The unspoken message is that breastfeeding should be kept behind closed doors and is inappropriate for public display, while displaying images of women's bodies to help attract customers is just fine.
Images of breastfeeding infants also reflect the taboo. A brand new infant nursing in his mother's arms is often seen in a soft-lit, lullaby-laden, nostalgic atmosphere. In a talk at the 1999 La Leche League International Conference, Dr. Jack Newman gave an overview of images of breastfeeding in the media. He pointed out that advertisements depicting breastfeeding rarely show women in public lives. They often show breastfeeding mothers dressed in darker hues or in nightgowns, and rarely looking at her infant. Yet images of feeding a baby with a bottle are portrayed with active, smiling, well-dressed women who are out in public and/or back to work. Once again, the unspoken message is that breastfeeding mothers should stay in the nursery and that once they return to "real life," they will leave breastfeeding as part of their private lives, not bring it out into public view.
"Just Give Him a Bottle"
Offering breast milk in a bottle is often suggested when the debate on breastfeeding in public hits television or radio talk shows. But that option offers problems for the mother and baby that may be overlooked by the general public. First, it takes extra time and care to pump, store, and transport milk - time that may be precious, particularly in the early weeks and months. Babies receive fewer of the benefits of breastfeeding when they receive human milk that is not fresh from the source. They also run the risk of developing nipple confusion - having trouble switching back and forth between breast and bottle. Mothers run a higher risk of developing a plugged duct or breast infection because of the delay between feedings at the breast, particularly in the early months. A mother who skips feedings will probably be very uncomfortable from full breasts. If she is unable to pump her breasts, her supply will probably decrease slightly. So she'll still be experiencing the consequences the next day, when her baby nurses more frequently to replenish her supply. She also loses the convenience of being able to soothe her baby quickly and easily while she is out. She may even run out of milk in bottles before she finishes her errands.
All of the challenges of offering human milk in a bottle while in a public place can be overcome. But the bottom line is that many women find it easier, healthier, more economical, more ecologically sound, and more relaxing to fit breastfeeding in with all their daily activities than it is to fit occasional bottle-feeding in with their breastfeeding.
Other Options
Another often suggested strategy for breastfeeding your baby when you are out is to take him to the restroom or toilet facility to feed him. However, no one would suggest that an adult eat his or her lunch in a public toilet. When a mother has older children, spending twenty minutes or longer feeding the baby in a toilet facility with a bored two-year-old does not seem like a viable option. In smaller stores, toilets may not be open to the public. At least in the restaurant, the mother can feed herself and her older children, too. And babies invariably get hungry when everyone else is eating.
Some shopping malls and larger stores are starting to offer a separate room that can allow privacy for nursing mothers. Sometimes they have a small lounge with a chair or a couch, which can be more comfortable for some mothers and babies, particularly when the baby has older siblings. When such rooms are not available, try a fitting room in a women's clothing store, or check to see if there is a rocking chair in the baby department or the furniture department. Many maternity stores welcome nursing mothers to feed their babies in a comfortable area. Or ask at an LLL meeting about where to find the most comfortable places to breastfeed in public places in your area. Any place to sit, even the floor, can work if it is out of the way. You can often face away from onlookers while you get baby started. Once your baby is latched on and nursing contentedly, most people won't give you a second glance.
Using Cover-Ups
A small blanket can be used to cover your baby while he nurses. There are also special capes and other cover-ups made just for this purpose. This can be a good compromise if it worries you to be too exposed. In some situations, a blanket or coverup acts like a flag that says, "I am breastfeeding my baby now." In addition, some babies don't like having their faces covered while they breastfeed. A blanket may provide a little extra privacy while you're getting your baby started, though. Once he is breastfeeding, there really isn't much for anyone else to see unless they look so closely that they are intruding rudely on your personal space.
During mild weather, the car can be a quiet, familiar place for both you and your baby to settle down for a nursing. Breastfeeding just before you go into a store helps fill your baby's tank emotionally and nutritionally and may encourage a nap, particularly if you put your baby in a sling. Overall, it's easier to find a comfortable place when you plan ahead and pay attention to your baby's hunger cues so he doesn't get too hungry to begin with.
Many women prefer to find a place that is "private enough" to breastfeed rather than searching for absolute privacy. You may have initial doubts, but faced with the obvious needs of your baby, you may find that your priorities will change.
Other People's Reactions
Ironically, women who choose to feed their babies at the breast in public situations, especially in social gatherings, often find themselves in the middle of the "why breastfeeding didn't work for me" discussion. This can be uncomfortable for everyone. The breastfeeding mother may feel that her breastfeeding brings up pain for other women present. Those women have a need to discuss their experiences and often the discussion is about regrets. This need to talk about their experiences hints at an underlying truth. Being unable to breastfeed, whether the cause was societal pressures or lack of information and support, may leave women with nagging regrets and a feeling of failure. The mother who is nurturing her child at the breast may be surprised when such things happen and feel ill equipped to handle the strong feelings coming from those around her. Probably the most helpful thing to do is just to listen to their story, empathize, and gently move the topic along to something else.
In a recent issue of NEW BEGINNINGS a question was asked about how to handle the decision to nurse in front of co-workers in an academic setting. While each woman's life is different, this situation brings up the issue of the woman's comfort level with mixing her personal life and her professional life. While some may argue that a mother who feeds her baby with a bottle wouldn't face the dilemma of whether or not to feed her baby in front of her colleagues, she may well be faced with another dilemma. Instead of, "Why is she doing that in public?" the question may become, "Why didn't she leave that baby at home?" In both cases, the real issue is not about the feeding method; it's about what society expects of babies and their parents. Mothers who keep their babies and toddlers close as much as possible are frequently cautioned that their children will never learn to be independent. Healthy attachments between mothers and children are seen as too intimate in some circles.
Bottle Vs. Breast?
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding your baby is by far the most natural; doctor recommended, ideal and best food for your baby. Breast milk is perfectly designed to meet every need of your baby and it has very unique properties that cannot be copied in a formula. Breast milk contains all of the essential nutrients and antibodies that are perfectly matched to what your baby needs. Its composition is so perfect that your baby will experience less diarrhea, constipation and digestive upsets. With the antibodies that are in the breast milk your baby will be better prepared to fight off viruses and bacteria, while building his or her immune system. Another advantage of breast milk is that it changes and adapts to your baby’s needs, while the act of breastfeeding itself helps form a close, emotional bond between mom and baby.
Bottle-feeding (Formula)
While it is always strongly recommended that mothers breastfeed their baby’s, there are many reasons that some mothers may be unable to or choose not to breastfeed. When breastfeeding in not an option due to a mothers illness, prescription medicines, heart or kidney disease, HIV/ AIDS or a number of other reasons, the three other doctor recommended alternatives are expressed milk from other, human milk from a donor or milk bank and the 4th alternative is infant formula. When nursing at the mother's breast is not possible, the use of a nursing supplementer, such as the one offered by Lact-Aid (www.lact-aid.com) is a good option to try next with either expressed milk or milk from a donor or milk bank. As the final alternative, infant formula is designed to imitate the content and activities of human milk as much as scientifically possible. While there is no formula that can duplicate the perfection of breast milk, it is the only alternative when breast milk is not an option. Formulas contains all the vitamins, minerals and iron your baby needs, but since there are so many brands and variations of formula, be sure and have your doctor tell you which one to use.
It’s recommended by most doctors that babies are breastfed until they are at least 9 to 12 months of age. But due to different reasons you may only be able to go a few months or maybe use a combination of breast and formula to feed your baby the full twelve months. Discuss the subject with your doctor and you both can decide on what is best for you and your baby.
As a final note, with the increase of babies being adopted and arriving by surrogate, these surrogate and adopting parents-to-be may also consider breastfeeding a positive way to nourish their babies. Thanks to a nursing supplementer, such as the one offered by Lact-Aid (www.lact-aid.com), babies can receive all the ancillary benefits of breastfeeding regardless of how much milk is produced.
Breastfeeding a Toddler.
Because more and more women are now breastfeeding their babies, more and more are also finding that they enjoy breastfeeding enough to want to continue longer than the usual few months they initially thought they would. UNICEF has long encouraged breastfeeding for two years and longer, and the American Academy of Pediatrics is now on record as encouraging mothers to nurse at least one year and as long after as both mother and baby desire. Even the Canadian Paediatric Society, in its latest feeding statement acknowledges that women may want to breastfeed for two years or longer. Breastfeeding to 3 and 4 years of age has been common in much of the world until recently, and it is still common in many societies for toddlers to breastfeed.
Why should breastfeeding continue past six months?
Because mothers and babies often enjoy breastfeeding a lot. Why stop an enjoyable relationship?
But it is said that breastmilk has no value after six months.
Perhaps this is said, but it is wrong. That anyone can say such a thing only shows how ignorant so many people in our society are about breastfeeding. Breastmilk is, after all, milk. Even after six months, it still contains protein, fat, and other nutritionally important and appropriate elements which babies and children need. Breastmilk still contains immunologic factors that help protect the baby. In fact, some immune factors in breastmilk that protect the baby against infection are present in greater amounts in the second year of life than in the first. This is, of course as it should be, since children older than a year are generally exposed to more infection. Breastmilk still contains factors that help the immune system to mature, and which help the brain, gut, and other organs to develop and mature.It has been well shown that children in daycare who are still breastfeeding have far fewer and less severe infections than the children who are not breastfeeding. The mother thus loses less work time if she continues nursing her baby once she is back at her paid work.It is interesting that formula company marketing pushes the use of formula (a rather imperfect copy of the real thing) for a year, yet implies that breastmilk (from which the imperfect copy is copied) is only worthwhile for 6 months or even less (“the best nutrition for newborns”). Too many health professionals have taken up the refrain.
I have heard that the immunologic factors in breastmilk prevent the baby from developing his own immunity if I breastfeed past six months.
This is untrue; in fact, this is absurd. It is unbelievable how so many people in our society twist around the advantages of breastfeeding and turn them into disadvantages. We give babies immunizations so that they are able to defend themselves against the real infection. Breastmilk also allows the baby to be fight off infections. When the baby fights off these infections, he becomes immune. Naturally.
But I want my baby to become independent.
And breastfeeding makes the toddler dependent? Don’t believe it. The child who breastfeeds until he weans himself (usually from 2 to 4 years), is generally more independent, and, perhaps more importantly, more secure in his independence. He has received comfort and security from the breast, until he is ready to make the step himself to stop. And when he makes that step himself, he knows he has achieved something, he knows he has moved ahead. It is a milestone in his life.Often we push children to become "independent" too quickly. To sleep alone too soon, to wean from the breast too soon, to do without their parents too soon, to do everything too soon. Don’t push and the child will become independent soon enough. What’s the rush? Soon they will be leaving home. You want them to leave home at 14?Of course, breastfeeding can, in some situations, be used to foster an over dependent relationship. But so can food and toilet training. The problem is not the breastfeeding. This is another issue.
What else?
Possibly the most important aspect of nursing a toddler is not the nutritional or immunologic benefits, important as they are. I believe the most important aspect of nursing a toddler is the special relationship between child and mother. Breastfeeding is a life affirming act of love. This continues when the baby becomes a toddler. Anyone without prejudices, who has ever observed an older baby or toddler nursing can testify that there is something almost magical, something special, something far beyond food going on. A toddler will sometimes spontaneously, for no obvious reason, break into laughter while he is nursing. His delight in the breast goes far beyond a source of food. And if the mother allows herself, breastfeeding becomes a source of delight for her as well, far beyond the pleasure of providing food. Of course, it’s not always great, but what is? But when it is, it makes it all so worthwhile.And if the child does become ill or does get hurt (and they do as they meet other children and become more daring), what easier way to comfort the child than breastfeeding? I remember nights in the emergency department when mothers would walk their ill, non nursing babies or toddlers up and down the halls trying, often unsuccessfully, to console them, while the nursing mothers were sitting quietly with their comforted, if not necessarily happy, babies at the breast. The mother comforts the sick child with breastfeeding, and the child comforts the mother by breastfeeding.
Advantages of Breastfeeding
· Breast milk is personalized for your baby – Your breast milk contains the perfect amount of everything your baby needs. With your breast milk continually changing to meet your baby’s needs, it’s always just right.
· Protection from allergy – Your baby will be less likely to get allergies, which the strong proteins in cow’s milk can cause.
· Can protect against respiratory problems like asthma.
· Less chance of obesity – Since breast fed babies are able to follow the demands of their appetite, breastfeeding may help reduce the chance of becoming over-weight.
· Nursing for at least one year has been shown to reduce stomach infections.
· Easier to digest – Your breast milk is designed for your baby’s new sensitive digestive system. The amount of proteins and fats in your breast milk is individually tailored to your baby’s needs.
· No constipation – Since breast milk has a natural laxative effect, infants who breastfeed will rarely become constipated.
· Convenience – With breastfeeding there is no worry about keeping bottles and nipples clean, carrying bottled milk and keeping it at the proper temperature. Breast milk is always ready to use and at the perfect temperature.
· Money saving – Breast milk is free, where bottle-feeding can get expensive for the formula, bottles and nipples.
· Good for the mother – Breastfeeding creates a surge of the hormones in your body, which helps your uterus to contract and shrink to its pre-pregnant size. Breastfeeding can also delay the return of your periods providing you from a reprieve from that “time of the month”. Take note that this is not always the case; so don’t count on it.
· Strong emotional mother-baby benefits – The skin to skin contact and cuddling during breastfeeding creates a wonderful bond between mother and baby. There is nothing better than the eye-to-eye contact, skin-to-skin contact, cuddling and talking time that takes place during breastfeeding.
· According to the American Academy of Pediatrics - "Human milk is the preferred feeding for all infants, including premature and sick newborns.""Epidemiologic research shows that human milk and breastfeeding of infants provide advantages with regard to general health, growth, and development, while significantly decreasing risk for a large number of acute and chronic diseases. Research in the United States, Canada, Europe, and other developed countries, among predominantly middle-class populations, provides strong evidence that human milk feeding decreases the incidence and/or severity of diarrhea, lower respiratory infection, otitis media, bacteremia, bacterial meningitis, botulism, urinary tract infection, and necrotizing enterocolitis. There are a number of studies that show a possible protective effect of human milk feeding against sudden infant death syndrome, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, lymphoma, allergic diseases and other chronic digestive diseases. Breastfeeding has also been related to possible enhancement of cognitive development.""There are also a number of studies that indicate possible health benefits for mothers. It has long been acknowledged that breastfeeding increases levels of oxytocin, resulting in less postpartum bleeding and more rapid uterine involution. Lactational amenorrhea causes less menstrual blood loss over the months after delivery. Recent research demonstrates that lactating women have an earlier return to prepregnant weight, delayed resumption of ovulation with increased child spacing, improved bone remineralization postpartum with reduction in hip fractures in the postmenopausal period and reduced risk of ovarian cancer and premenopausal breast cancer." Read the complete American Academy of Pediatrics statement here or visit the AAP site for more information.
Breastfeeding sometimes is a taboo to others who don't know much about it, or never did it. But we know better! You know who they are, the ones who ask/say "Are you still breastfeeding", "You need to stop", "he/She is too big to be breastfeeding still", "That's weird" and soooooo many other things. I've heard it all!
Then there are the people who actually encourage you and are happy that you are still nursing. I've encounterd quite a few of them myself. I must say i like these people better than the other!
Breastfeeding is a natural, and beautiful thing. It isn't supposed to be hidden like it is something wrong or disgusting.
I created this blog for moms who already are breastfeeding, moms to be who want to breastfeed and need more info or have questions and even for people who just are curious and want to know more.
Breastfeeding is one of my passions and i want to help those who need help so that they just don't give up. I've personally seen the importance of it and want to help and share!!
Enjoy!
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