Preparation for breastfeeding begins during pregnancy!!!

Looking past the labor itself and thinking through how you will take care of your baby is something which is not taken very seriously during pregnancy. Most of the expecting mothers are so focused on the labor itself, that they ignore and forget to prepare for the actual divine task of caring for a newborn. Breastfeeding is one of the so many tasks in caring for the baby and can be more complicated than ever imagined it could be, and a lot of people give up before they’ve even given it their best shot. As always, I firmly believe that a little extra understanding and mental preparation can make a world of difference in the first place.

Some factors in my opinion which leads a good percentage of women not able to meet their breastfeeding goals are

1. Hospitals aggressively promoting formula-feeding during the hospital stay which includes supplements in the NICU.
2. Lack of lactation experts in the hospitals.
3. Giving undue importance to quick weight gain.
4. Lack of sufficient encouragement and support from family and friends.
5. Ignorance of importance of putting the baby to the breast within few hours of delivery and eventually giving up thinking there is not enough.
6. Hormonal imbalance, existing or newly developed thyroid issues after delivery.
7. Not knowing the exact method of latching and Infrequent feeding.
8. Depression, stress and anxiety.

What should I do to prepare for breastfeeding during pregnancy?

Physically, apart for taking prenatal vitamins and consuming healthy and nutritious food nothing much needs to be done to prepare your body to breastfeed during pregnancy. It starts preparing the minute you are pregnant. Your body is already taking care of the work by developing the ducts and milk secreting cells that are needed for you to breast feed. In addition, the body is also storing extra fat to provide excess energy that will be needed for lactation.

However, expecting mother can prepare herself mentally by being well informed. How?

1. Get lactation counselling by an expert even before the baby arrives.
2. Make sure the hospital you will be delivering has a lactation expert. If not, get in touch with one externally who can come to help you during the first few hours of delivery.
3. Gather as much of right information that is available on breastfeeding.

How to get started?

Yay!!The time has arrived!!
Soon as you are back in the room (be it normal or cesarian-section delivery), your expert will prepare you to start breast feeding as soon as possible. Since you are also well informed by now, you can also ask for it rather than waiting for someone to come and do it for you.
This is a perfect scenario that I am talking about that you might be feeding within 30 to 60 minutes after delivery. Sometimes, it just will not work that way. If you are completely exhausted from delivery, groggy from medication, in pain from cramping, or there were other complications in delivery, it is very much likely that your first breast-feeding session will be delayed a little bit. But not to worry! Start as soon as you feel fine.

The benefits of starting breast feeding early are considerable, such as enhancing your breasts’ lactation and helping your newborn to get used to nursing. There is nothing more calming and pleasant to both mother and baby than a direct skin-to-skin contact. Lot of mothers’ claim that breast feeding makes them more confident about their ability to care for their newborn. Early breast feeding nurtures maternal feelings and feelings of bonding between them and their baby.

The first few days are important

Getting a good latch is of utmost importance in the first weeks which you theoretically know if you have had the lactation counselling.
For the first few days after delivery, the breasts will be soft to touch as the blood supply increases, and milk-producing cells start to function efficiently. Eventually after 3 to 4 days, your breasts will become firmer. When you first start feeding, your breasts won’t actually be producing milk. They will for the first 3 to 4 days produce a substance called colostrum, a rich-yet- thin-appearing, orange-yellow substance that contains protein, salt, disease-fighting antibodies, and other important nutrients. It is also rightly called “liquid gold”. Though the amount produced is not much and you may think it’s not worth, encourage yourself to feed as frequently as possible during these initial days. Do not give up and succumb to top feed feeling or thinking you are not getting enough.
Don’t be surprised if you feel pain while breast feeding. There are two major reasons for feeling the pain: one is that the hormones that stimulate your milk flow also causes uterus contractions, helping your uterus to return to its normal size and position. So you may feel some “after pain” or cramping of the uterus each time you nurse. In addition, your breasts may feel painful because they are engorged or overly full of milk. At that point, you can use your hands or a breast pump to express unused milk from the breasts to relieve this pressure. Don’t lose hope and stop feeding.

How to know whether the baby is Latching?

Some babies “latch on and catch on” immediately, while for some it may take some more time and patience. Don’t panic if breast feeding doesn’t go smoothly at first. For most first timer mothers it doesn’t. It can take several days before your baby latches on and feeds well. These are the days that leave many new mothers feeling frustrated and uncertain of themselves.
The baby should open very wide, and take a huge mouthful, not just suck the nipple like a straw. Brush their nose and cheeks with your breast. This stimulation should help them respond by opening wide. Be patient and wait for that wide mouth. You will know when they have got enough of a mouthful when you see the little muscle by the temple working away, which means they are using their jaw to work milk out and not just sucking on your nipple.
If your baby has not gotten a good latch, break the suction with your little finger and back away, try again. Even if it takes re-latching a number of times a feed, that’s okay, as long as the feeding takes place with the proper latch, otherwise your nipples will get sore. It may take 4 to 6 weeks for a newborn and a mother to learn to breastfeed fluently. It is a learning curve for both of you, so set aside the time and be patient. Suddenly you will find that things are getting easier.

How much and when?

Once your milk comes in, stay on one side for each feed. It’s only around the age of 3-4 weeks that the baby will start showing signs that the baby has finished the breast and should be switched to the other side if required. From now on, even if your child has fallen asleep on the first breast, take the up, burp them and offer them the second. They may or may not take you up on the offer. Next feed, (1.5 hrs. to 2 hrs.) you should always start with the breast that was only 1/2 emptied or not used at all the time before, i.e. the second breast. That one which feels fuller and has a greater percentage of rich hind milk built up.
Be confident. If you feel, get someone who is experienced and positive to come and handle your baby in front of you who can teach you variety of ways you can burp the baby and comfort the baby. Your baby will feel calmer if you hold him/her securely, without nerves, and your milk will be more abundant and flow more freely if you are feeling whole and serene.

Learning to be calm and stress free

If you are getting stressed about breastfeeding, then remind yourself to stay centered. Let others help you do the rest of the household chores. Let someone help you take care of your older child. Put your feet up. Rushing around keeping things clean and orderly will deplete your milk-making reserves.
Have a drink (water or juice) handy because breastfeeding is thirsty work. Eat some apple first! If you wish.

How should I follow all this if my newborn is in the NICU?

Nothing of the above changes except that you can pump the milk and send it to the NICU nurse to feed it to the baby.
There will be some initial challenges but don’t give up. Keep trying.
Some tips to try will be:
• Getting a good nights’ sleep. Sometimes taking rest is more important than constant pumping.
• Drink more fluids—lots of fluids.
• Pump in the NICU where you can see and touch your baby.
• Distract yourself completely while pumping by watching TV, reading a book, or listening to soothing music. You may be pleasantly surprised by how full the containers are.

Some tips that may make those first few days a little easier.

• Give yourself confidence
• Teach yourself to relax and take a break if needed
• Keep patience
• Give yourself and baby some time to adjust
• While breastfeeding listen to good music, read good books or watch good TV programs.

I don’t know why but I am a firm believer that whatever emotions the mother feels during the time of breast feeding, all those emotions and feelings are being absorbed by the baby and baby grows up with all those feelings. Hence calm, happy, loving and serene breast-feeding mother is raising a healthy, sensitive, happy and a calmer baby.

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