Lactation

Lactation is the medical term for the production of breast milk. The decision whether or not to breastfeed is a personal one and one that only you and your family can make. However, there are many benefits for you and your baby to breastfeeding and many ways to be successful at it.

Advantages of Lactation

Lactation is a natural process, and one that can be good for both you and your baby.

• Studies have found that mothers who breastfeed bond better with their babies than mothers who formula feed.
• Breastfed babies have better immunity and get fewer ear, respiratory, gastrointestinal and urinary tract infections than formula fed.
• Breastfed babies are less prone to develop diabetes, allergies, asthma and obesity than formula fed.
• Breastfed babies have less incidence of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
• Babies who are breastfed advance developmentally faster and have higher IQs than their formula fed counterparts.
• Mothers who breastfeed regain their pre-birth weight quicker than mothers who formula feed.
• Mothers who breastfeed have less risk of premenopausal breast cancer, ovarian cancer and postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Disadvantages

• Many partners and family members feel left out in the feeding. This can be minimized by allowing partners and family members to do not only the burping and diapering, but the bathing, playing, singing, reading and going for walks.
• Some women feel resentful, and tied down to their new babies.
• The idea of lactation, although it's a normal part of having a baby, is unsettling or unappealing to some women.

Tips for Success

With proper instruction and encouragement, most women can breastfeed successfully.

• Learn about what a proper latch looks and feels like. In a proper latch, your baby’s lips should be flanged around your nipple. Your baby should have opened her mouth widely, like she is yawning just before taking your nipple into her mouth. Your baby should have most of your areola in her mouth, not just your nipple. Breastfeeding should not hurt; although, in the beginning, it may be uncomfortable.
• Learn and practice all the common positions, including cradle hold, cross-cradle hold, football-hold, and lying down.
• When available, take a class on breastfeeding while you are still pregnant. Once you deliver, your nurse, doctor, counselor or consultant should be able to help you get started.
• Remember to eat nutritiously. Although you’re probably trying to lose the weight from your pregnancy, you still need additional nutrients to be successful at breastfeeding. In general, you should be taking in 2700 calories a day. If you were taking a prenatal vitamin, you should continue it until you’re baby is weaned.
• Drink at least 8 8-oz. glasses of water a day. Avoid alcohol and caffeine; although an occasional indulgence is fine.
• You should try to breastfeed on demand. Feed your baby when she baby is hungry. That does not mean you can’t have a general schedule of feedings, but you should be flexible with it. For example a 2:00 feeding can mean anytime from 1:30-2:30, depending on you and your baby.
• Breastfeed exclusively for the first 6 weeks. You should try not to offer your baby any artificial nipples (bottles or pacifiers) for the first 6 weeks.
• Get immediate help if breastfeeding becomes painful, you develop thrush or experience mastitis.
  • Thrush or Candida is a yeast infection. Yeast can live in the mouth, vagina, diaper area, skin folds and on persistently wet nipples. Symptoms include sore, burning, itching and pinkish nipples. Thrush infections in babies appear as white cottage cheese-like patches on the tongue and sides of mouth and/or diaper rashes.
  • Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast tissues. Symptoms include painful, hot, tender, red and swollen areas of the breast, chills or a fever over 101 degrees. You can prevent mastitis by breastfeeding frequently, taking care of yourself and not missing feedings.
• Be patient with lactation. It can take a while for you and your baby to get the hang of it.

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