Breastfeeding even though is a natural process, doesn’t come natural to everyone. It needs to be taught and learnt to have a successful journey. Here are the answers to  your pressing breastfeeding questions.

Many medical experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), strongly advise exclusively breastfeeding for 6 months. Breastfeeding should be continued after the introduction of other foods for the baby’s first year of life.

Benefits of Breastfeeding for Babies

1. It boosts their immune system.
2. Colostrum is like a baby’s first immunization (it contains antibodies that protect the baby from infections in the early days).
3. It contains DHA in abundance (DHA is a fatty acid needed for brain development as a newborn’s brain is not fully formed yet).
4. It is free and always available! That’s the best benefit. Lol
5. It also reduces the chances of a child becoming diabetes or obese in the nearest future.
6. It contains everything a child needs (food, nutrients and water. It’s a balanced diet. Water, fat, protein)
7. Allergen free
8. Little or no case of Diarrhoea & Constipation because breast milk digests easily. .
9. breastfeeding can build a strong emotional bond between you and your baby
10. Mother’s more mature immune system makes antibodies to the germs to which she and her baby have been exposed. These antibodies enter her milk to help protect her baby from illness.

Good attachment

The baby’s mouth is wide open.

The lower lip is turned out.

The chin is touching the breast (or nearly so).

More areola is visible above the baby’s mouth than below.

Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mums

1. Reduces the chances of having Breast cancer later in life
2. Reduces the chances of having Ovarian cancer
3. Family Planning Method; Lactation Amenorrhea.
4. Reduces the chances of Obesity happening later in life.

Start breastfeeding within the first hour of life. It is the sucking of the baby that allows the milk to be let down. 

Breastfeeding Challenges

Support

The biggest breastfeeding challenge is support. The people who should be encouraging new mums on the journey are at the forefront discouraging it. So ensure to surround yourself with people who have positive approach to breastfeeding.

Poor attachment or latching.

If this issue can be sorted and sorted early (before sore and cracked nipples set in), 98% of breastfeeding issues are already sorted. Proper Attachment/Latching is so important

Breastfeeding should be painless. It’s poor latching that makes breastfeeding painful. The areola (the black part between the nipple and the breast) is where the baby sucks from. So ensure most of the areola is in the baby’s mouth while feeding. To do this, tease the baby by using the nipple to stroke the mouth so they open up and take in the areola and nipple so they can suck on it. If you can see the areola during breastfeeding, you need to adjust to prevent nipple cracks. This is 98% of the breastfeeding problem solved.

Breastfeeding has to be taught, even though it is a natural process, it doesn’t come natural to everyone which is why we have lactation consultants now who help mothers through the process. 

Sore and Cracked Nipples

Cracked nipples is usually due to wrong positioning and latching; bring the baby to breast and not breast to baby. It can also be as a result of using the wrong flange sized breast pump.

Insufficient Milk

When you first start breastfeeding, you may worry that your baby is not getting enough milk. It can take a little while before you feel confident that your baby is getting what they need and breastfeeding is established. Offering your baby both breasts at each feed and alternating which breast you start with will help to stimulate your milk supply. So will keeping your baby close and holding them skin to skin. Eat healthy, drink enough water and get enough rest. It will boost your milk production

Breast engorgement/Mastitis

If your breast is engorged, it means the milk isn’t coming out. Try warm compress to let down the milk. If it gets infected, it becomes mastitis which will require antibiotics. Pus may start coming out. At this point, you’ll need your doctor to recommend what’s idle to use to both relieve the pain and heal the infection. To prevent this, make sure your baby is feeding well, pump if the breast is getting engorged and your baby is not ready for a feed. 

One breast is producing more than the other

The most used breast will always produce more milk and the less used one will gradually produce less and less as the brain signals received is towards the frequently used one. Switch from breast to breast to maximize your milk production.

How to tell if your baby is getting enough milk

• Your baby starts feeds with a few rapid sucks followed by long, rhythmic sucks and swallows with occasional pauses.
• You can hear and see your baby swallowing.
• Your baby’s cheeks stay rounded, not hollow, during sucking.
• They seem calm and relaxed during feeds.
• Your baby comes off the breast on their own at the end of feeds.
• Their mouths look moist after feeding and stomach bloated.
• Your baby appears content and satisfied after most feeds.
• Your breasts feel softer after feeding.
• Your nipple looks more or less the same after feeding – not flattened, pinched or white.
• You may feel sleepy and relaxed after feeding.
• Your baby gains weight steadily after the first 2 weeks – it’s normal for babies to lose some of their birth weight in the first 2 weeks.
• They appear healthy and alert when they’re awake.
• From day 5 onwards, wet nappies should start to become more frequent, with at least 6 heavy, wet nappies every 24 hours. In the first 48 hours, your baby is likely to have only 2 or 3 wet nappies (2-4 tablespoons of water)

Signs your baby is not getting enough milk

1. Few or no wet diapers
2. No weight gain
3. Difficulty to stay awake
4. Crying
5. Consistent weight loss

How to boost your breastmilk supply

• Get help.
• Breastfeed on demand
• If your breasts are full and your baby is full or sleeping. Pump. the more empty your empty the faster it refills. 
• Offer both breasts at each feed while alternating the one to start with each time.
• Stay hydrated, eat well and get enough rest.
• Skin to skin
• Feed the baby at night or pump, when prolactin release in response to suckling is high.

Things that can affect your breast milk’

• • Poor attachment and latching
  • Not feeding on demand
  • Illness
  • Not waiting to establish breastfeeding before offering the bottle.
  • Anxiety, stress and depression.
  • Tongue tie. If it’s the upper lip attached, it can be fine. If it’s the lower lip, it may require surgery.

What to do if breastfeeding becomes painful

• Unlatch the baby and try again
• Ensure proper latching
• Bring the baby to the breast
• Use a nipple shield

What to do when pumping becomes painful

• Check the flange size to be sure it’s ideal for your nipple size
• Adjust the pumping speed
• Check for cuts and bruises

Breastfeeding myths

1. Waiting for the milk to flow- there is no milk flowing. It is the sucking of the breast that allows the milk to be let down.

2. Colostrum is not sour milk just because it is not white. That is liquid gold. It contains so many antibodies for your baby.
3. Crying doesn’t always mean hunger. The only language a baby speaks is cry. Before the smile and coos come in, crying comes first. It doesn’t mean your baby isn’t getting enough. If your baby is gaining weight, your baby is fine.

• Urine diapers  and dirty diaper
• Weight gain

4. Breast milk is poisonous: That’s not true. Go to the hospital if your baby is having diarrhoea

Situations under which a mum may not be able to breastfeed

1. If the mom passes on (milk bank but be careful cos HIV can  be passed on through breast milk), formula is best in this case. For mums with HIV, anti-retroviral drugs are given to protect the baby.
2.  If the mum has cancer. Ovarian or breast cancer.  Cancer drugs are too strong.
3.  If the enzymes needed to breakdown the milk isn’t present, then Predigested formulas 
4. Take extra precaution if you have HIV and Hepatitis B, or Tuberculosis (close contact)

Breast milk storage

Following recommended storage and preparation techniques can maintain the safety and quality of expressed breast milk for the baby’s health. How you store your breastmilk depends on how soon you intend to use it. These are general recommendations for storing human milk at various temperatures. Several factors influence how long human milk can be safely stored. Milk volume, room temperature when milk is expressed, temperature fluctuations in the refrigerator and freezer, and environmental cleanliness are all factors to consider.

• 4-6 hours room temperature
• 3-5 days fridge
• Freezer: 3 months
• Deep Freezer: 1 year as long as it hasn’t thawed

Each portion should be one meal. Label with time and date. FIFO. Once breast milk is thawed, don’t refreeze. Discard. 

Don’t microwave. It can scar a baby.

Do you need to wake a sleeping baby up to feed?

For a child with a very healthy and good appetite during the day, you can leave such a child to sleep in. He or she will wake up to feed when hungry. But for a child not eating as much as needed, such a child can be fed even while still drowsy.

How Long should a baby breastfeed for?

Feed for as long as your baby wants. But once you feed for 10 minutes on one breast, switch to the other breast for another 10 minutes so your baby gets the best of both breasts. After feeding. You should pump for about 5-10 minutes on each breast to fully empty it so your brain can be triggered for a refill.

Reflux in Babies

When a baby spits up, it is caused by food moving back up from the baby’s stomach. Reflux occurs multiple times per day in healthy infants. Reflux is not a cause for concern as long as your baby is healthy, happy, and growing normally.

See your baby’s doctor if your baby:

• Isn’t gaining weight
• Consistently spits up forcefully, causing stomach contents to shoot out of his or her mouth (projectile vomiting)
• Spits up green or yellow fluid
• Spits up blood or a material that looks like coffee grounds
• Refuses food
• Has blood in his or her stool

What can you do to reduce spitting up?

Shocking thing about breast milk

It doesn’t remain the same in its component throughout the day. In the night, the milk you pump or produce is more likely to make your baby sleepy and drowsy while the one pumped or produced during the day, will make the child alert and active. This is why when you pump, if you must mix your milk, do ensure you mix milk pumped around the same time so they contain similar components.

Alternative uses for breastmilk

• Cradle cap
• Diaper rash
• Clearing stuffy nose (it works as well as saline solution)
• Ice popsicles to ease teething pains
• Treating baby acne

How can Dads help Breastfeeding Mums?

1. Bring her healthy meals
2. Feed the baby with pumped milk while she rests
3. Change diapers
4. Burp
5. Run errands

Breastfeeding and weight loss

Breastfeeding offers many benefits for mothers — including the potential to lose weight more quickly after having a baby. However, many mums either notice no effect or even gain weight while breastfeeding. Research shows that exclusively breastfeeding mothers tend to burn on average 500 additional calories daily — the equivalent of cutting out a small meal, large snack, or performing 45–60 minutes of medium-intensity physical exercise. breastfeeding tends to increase hunger. Studies show that some women eat more and move less while nursing — compensating for the extra calorie burn of breastfeeding.

New mothers also tend to have irregular and interrupted periods of sleep. Sleep deprivation is another known factor for increased hunger and appetite — both of which may make it harder to lose weight.

How much milk does a baby need at each feed?

Day 1: from a few drops to 5ml (5ml is approximately 1 teaspoon)

Day 2: from 5ml to 15ml

Day 3: from 15ml to 30ml

Breastmilk Pumping

Your umping output isn’t your supply. There are other external factors that can influence your pumping output like the Breast pump. Quality breast pump will give better results. Good breast pumps have good suction power and flange options for nipple sizes. How to know if your flange size is too small; pumping will be painful and the nipple will be bruised. If it’s too wide, the suction power won’t be effective.

How long are you pumping for? Also try hand expression (pressing on the Areola).

How to boost your milk supply

• Baby feeding well
• Drain your breast by pumping for at least 10 minutes on each breast.
• Drink enough water
• Stay pressure and stress free

How to know if your supply is dropping

• Your output drops 
• Your nutrition

When to switch breasts while breastfeeding

Once you notice your baby slows down on feeding even though he or she doesn’t seem full, it’s possible that baby is not full. After feeding for 10 minutes, switch to the other breasts so that your baby drains both breasts (this will also help your milk production), it also ensures your baby gets enough milk and also to avoid having different sized breasts.

Foremilk is the first bit of milk produced by each breast. It’s a lighter substance with a lower fat content. See it as a child drinking apple juice, who may quench his thirst but does not feel like he has had a meal after drinking.

The golden liquid, hindmilk, is the last bit of milk that comes after the foremilk. Because this thicker milk contains a little more fat, it is more likely to keep baby satisfied. So to keep your baby fuller, make sure your baby gets the hind milk not just the foremilk. That’s why, if your baby always seems hungry even after you’ve offered BOTH breasts, it could be because you moved on to the next breast too quickly and didn’t give him enough time to drink the filling hindmilk!

Managing Nipple Cracks

• Use nipple cream or ointment like coconut oil
• Saline water also aids healing. It will heal with 2 weeks
• Explore the nipple shield
• Air dry your breasts. Moisture and dirt can get it infected
• Ensure proper latching while breastfeeding
• Get the correct nipple flange size.
• Antibiotics (prescribed if infected)

When Baby refuses the bottle

• Let someone else do the feeding
• Try different bottles. Teats are different and some are closer to the nipple than others.
• Introduce a bottle early (but wait till breastfeeding is established)
• Introduce breastfeeding with a shield so the baby is already used to the bottle teat feel.
• Try to spoon feed or cup feed

If One Breast Is Bigger

• Focus on feeding more with that breast
• Pump more from that breast
• Remember to switch from side to side while breastfeeding.

Can you drink Alcohol while breastfeeding

Ideally, no. But if you must and if it’s a little quantity and the product isn’t high in the level of alcohol, it might be okay to feed. However, just get safe by waiting to wear out the alcohol before feeding as it can get into your breast milk and through to your baby.

How long should I breastfeed for

It’s advised you do exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months after which you’ll need to introduce semi-solids to complement the breastfeeding as the milk may no longer be sufficient for the baby. You can breastfeed for as long as you want up to 2 years or even longer if you want.

Why Should you wait 6 months before introduce solids?

1. The baby’s digestive system is still developing so it may not be able to breakdown other food components before the 6 months mark
2. It reduces choking hazards from occurring
3. It gives time for your baby to have good head control which is needed for eating and swallowing
4. Milk is sufficient to meet your baby’s food needs for that age.

Cluster Feeding & Spurt Growth

When babies reach a certain age, they may want to breastfeed more frequently than usual. The length of the feedings frequently decreases as the frequency increases. While this is normal, new parents may find it concerning or confusing. Babies can cluster feed for different reasons which includes;

• Comfort from colic
• Growth spurt

Can you get pregnant while breastfeeding?

You may have heard from a friend that nursing can be used as a form of birth control — and while this is not entirely false, it is also not the entire story.

Can Breastfeeding make your breast sag or ruin your nipple?

Breastfeeding VS Pumping

Advice for Breastfeeding Mums

Always remind your doctor that you are breastfeeding. Drugs can be passed through breastfeeding.

Don’t self-medicate. If you ever have to, read the leaflet to see the conditions for pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Give it time.