{"id":9724,"date":"2015-11-25T22:14:27","date_gmt":"2015-11-25T20:14:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/responsive.jozikids.co.za\/zaparents\/?p=9724"},"modified":"2022-06-09T19:04:11","modified_gmt":"2022-06-09T17:04:11","slug":"what-you-need-to-know-about-breastfeeding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jozikids.co.za\/blog\/baby-to-teens\/baby-health\/what-you-need-to-know-about-breastfeeding\/","title":{"rendered":"What you need to know about breastfeeding"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was fortunate enough to get \u2018The Baby Lady\u2019 Samantha Crompton on episode 7 of The Easy Baby Podcast to talk about the big myths surrounding breastfeeding.<\/p>\n

And the biggest secret to Breastfeeding\u2026 According to Sam its: \u201cManage your expectations and do it one step at a time.\u201d Finding out that the World Health Organization says babies should be breastfed for 2 years can be pretty overwhelming in week 1. Take it day by day, say: \u201cI want to breastfeed my baby for 2 weeks\u201d when you\u2019ve reached that goal aim for 6 then 12 and once you hit 6 months you\u2019ll more than likely do a year at least.<\/p>\n

Myth 1<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe first milk is not enough, I need to top up until my milk comes in\u201d<\/p>\n

The initial milk of breastfeeding mothers is called Colostrum, (also known as nature\u2019s first vaccine) it is measurable in teaspoons (5mls) and it is the only food a healthy full term baby needs. On day 1 your baby\u2019s stomach is approximately the size of a marble so the minimal looking amount of colostrum you provide is exactly the right amount and doesn\u2019t stretch baby\u2019s stomach walls. It is easily digestible and helps baby pass early stools. As your baby\u2019s tummy gets bigger, your mature milk supply increases accordingly. Colostrum also creates a protective lining on baby\u2019s intestine which is sloughed away by using formula.<\/p>\n

Myth 2<\/h2>\n

\u201cIt is normal for Breastfeeding to hurt\u201d<\/p>\n

Breastfeeding may cause some nipple discomfort but it shouldn\u2019t be painful. The discomfort usually peaks around 3 days and is gone at 2 weeks. It shouldn\u2019t last for longer than 30 seconds after latching and there should be no skin damage (no cracks, blisters or bleeding). Your nipple should look the same after feeding, not flattened, creased, pinched or blanched. Going through pain that has you backing away from your baby during feeds is not normal, don\u2019t try to \u2018power through\u2019, you need to get help to continue with a positive breastfeeding relationship.<\/p>\n

Myth 3<\/h2>\n

\u201cMy baby feeds all the time, I have too little milk or it\u2019s not good enough\u201d<\/p>\n

Most newborns nurse 8 to 12 times a day because they have small stomachs and breastmilk is easily and quickly digested. Look out for growth spurts (frequency days) which generally last for 2 to 3 days during which your baby will feed more frequently than usual. This doesn\u2019t mean your milk isn\u2019t cutting it, it means your baby is creating more milk supply by creating more demand. Watch out for these around 2, 3, 6, 12 and 16 weeks. Many moms fall into the trap of supplementing with formula at these times to satiate baby but this takes away your baby\u2019s ability to increase your supply<\/p>\n

Myth 4:<\/h2>\n

Pumping is a good way to see how much milk I have\u201d<\/p>\n

Pumping is a good way to see how much milk you can pump! A baby that breastfeeds well can get more milk out of a breast than any pump. This is why it is not unusual to have to pump 2 or 3 times to have enough milk for only 1 feed. It doesn\u2019t necessarily mean your supply is low. If you are using a pump make sure you\u2019ve got the right one for your stage of nursing and note that it is almost impossible to pump colostrum with a plastic pump because there is so little of it. Make sure the flange on the pump is the right size.<\/p>\n

Myth 5<\/h2>\n

\u201cFormula fed babies sleep better\u201d<\/p>\n

Formula is harder to digest than breastmilk, so babies tend do to go for longer between feeds. The thought is then that babies are sleeping better<\/em> this is not necessarily the case, what we want is quality versus quantity. Research shows that after 4 weeks there is no difference between breastfed and formula fed babies when it comes to quality and quantity of sleep. Physiologically speaking breastfed moms sleep tends to be better.<\/p>\n

For more myths, listen to the full episode in the link above.<\/p>\n

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