Before deciding that it is more convenient to use formula, take a moment to really examine the pros of breast feeding. Besides the fact that the breast is the most natural choice, you may want to give breast feeding a second chance for these reasons.
Let’s talk about convenience. In the middle of the night when you don’t want to be up let alone conscious,breast feeding is by far the most convenient thing there is going. Instead of being up for half an hour or more mixing and heating your baby’s meal, all you have to do is position yourself well in a chair and relax as your baby eats. Along the same line of convenience, is the issue of travel.
We were traveling a bit this summer and when my baby wanted to eat, she wanted to eat right away. She certainly wasn’t about to wait patiently while we found a good stop to pull over and get a bottle prepared. I was so thankful we were breast feeding and all I had to worry about was getting comfortable.
It is true that some people are uncomfortable breast feeding in public but if this is a real issue for you, there are some very nice covers such as “Udder Covers” that hold the fabric of the cover away from the baby’s face and give you a better view. You can also pump ahead of time and bottle feed when you are out. Even if you are pumping for feeding when you are out, the convenience of the rest of the nursing schedule still outweighs the inconvenience of periodic pumping.
Breast feeding gives your baby a head start in the health department. All of a mother’s immunities are passed on through her milk. A baby’s digestive system is such that very little actually gets broken down in the stomach and their intestines are porous allowing the nutrients of the milk to pass through and fortify the body. If you are feeding formula to your baby, his digestive system is in trouble. Mothers milk is extremely easy to digest and a baby’s body is not developed enough to handle anything else. They end up slipping whole past the porous walls of the intestines and wreaking havoc on the body causing problems such as allergies, sickness and other unpleasant side effects. Cow’s milk proteins after they have been pasteurized are particularly hard to break down. Unfortunately most formulas are based either on cow’s milk or soy.
Nursing takes a lot of work and some women encounter obstacles. . I am not going to even attempt to say that nursing is easy because its not. It is however, not impossible and with the right support is enjoyable. The learning stage of breast feeding is hard and somewhat painful but technique is everything! Find a good lactation consultant that can show you tricks and ways of latching that don’t hurt. Learning to breast feed is a huge change that takes a little while to get the hang of but once you do, the bond you experience with your baby is almost impossible to replicate with bottle feeding.
If are in the middle of breast feeding and are struggling or are looking for tips on latching, check out my other posts on latching. Happy feeding!
Are you looking for the best method of feeding your baby? Visit this article Brest Feeding To see a list of pros, cons and the convenience of breast feeding. Visit my Blog Natural Baby Latching www.naturalbabytalk.com
Tags: (baby, breast feeding, formula, Natural baby latching, nursing
During my pregnancy, when my friends would moan about how hard nursing was, I remember proudly thinking, “I am sure they are over exaggerating. I can’t imagine it is really that hard!” HA! Upon leaving the hospital I was coddling cracked and very sore nipples. I didn’t anticipate that she would not want to co-operate and that there was more than one person learning how to do this! And how on earth do you support the body, position the head, hold the nipple just right and bring it all together without about a dozen hands?! Yes, I have been humbled by a 7 lb 3 oz bundle of joy that did not seem to notice my discomfort.
I am sharing this with you before my Mommy brain kicks in and I forget it all. A newborn’s body is about the floppiest thing I have ever encountered. Their arms go this way their legs go that way and lets not get started on the rest of them. When I swaddled her it was easier. It gave her more stability and eliminated the need for about 3 of the dozen hands I was sure were critical to the operation.
If you look at their mouths (when they aren’t crying) they are longer in one direction. I always seemed to form my nipple and areola opposite to the line of her mouth which was not so great. Not only does it not work, it hurts when they try to latch on to just the nipple, which is all they get when the areola is not being squished in the proper direction.
I found it very awkward to support her head and neck as well as shape my nipple and get it into her mouth. Standing up allowed me to properly support her while putting her at just the right height for sucking. If I was feeding on my right side, I held her with my right arm and supported her head in the crook of my elbow. This left my left hand free to align and squish the nipple in the proper direction. In this position, everything was lined up properly and it was much easier.
Now you are looking down at your baby that is desperately searching for your nipple and sucking anything in sight, then you look at your nipple that is completely flattened out (if this is your first) and you think how on earth is this massive amount of tissue supposed to fit into such a tiny little mouth! First of all, don’t try to make it work! It is all about physics. You cannot fit a surface area the size of an orange into an orifice the size of a kumquat. If you pull from the deep recesses of your memory however, you will find that your nipples are not always this size. Two examples that come to mind are coldness and arousal. When that happens, the size of your nipple is significantly reduced and is much more manageable for your baby. I am certainly not suggesting that you keep an ice cube around and I can almost guarantee that sex is going to be the last thing on your mind at this point. The same effect can be achieved however, by rolling your nipple in your fingers . . . gently . . . for a few seconds. You will still need to shape your breast into an oval in the same direction as the baby’s mouth but now the baby will be able to get enough of it in there that you will not grind your teeth in pain.
Its ok to squash your little ones head into your breast. I was quite taken aback the first time the midwife did that to my baby but it definitely worked and she didn’t even care! Whats more, she was able to get a much better less painful latch. In a proper latch, the baby has a significant amount (half) of the areola and the nipple is not pointed down in the mouth. If the nipple is pointed down, the baby’s tongue has the tendency to flip up over top of it and make for a very painful and unsuccessful feeding. The chin should also be well buried in the breast as should the nose. A baby’s nose is designed to push back the breast tissue and create a pocket and pathway for air flow. It is possible to smother your baby if you hold him too close for too long so pay attention. Most healthy babies will jerk their heads back and unlatch if their breathing is cut off but pay attention anyway, better safe than sorry.
Once you have a good latch on, you will hardly feel anything. It took me about 2 1/2 months to accomplish this consistently but now sometimes I have to look to make sure she really is suckling. Yay! All our hard work is finally paying off!
Are you unsure of how to breast feed successfully? If you are looking for answers about getting a good latch, visit my information page at Natural Baby Latching to see some of the tips and get some information that will enable you to feel confident and enjoy the beauty of breast feeding or check out my blog All things Baby
Tags: (baby, breast feeding, Natural baby latching, Nurshing
These are a collection of tips from breastfeeding gurus, moms, health care practitioners, and others who care about breastfeeding moms and babies.
1) An uncomplicated birth makes breastfeeding less complicated because mom and baby are more alert and awake, getting breastfeeding off to the best start. If at all possible plan for a natural birth.
2) Insist on no unnatural nipples. Alert hospice staff in writing and verbally that you are going to be breastfeeding and let them know you don’t want your infant to receive any kind of artificial nipple.
3) Find a Pediatrician and OB or Midwife who supports breastfeeding. Some give lip service to the “breast is best” mantra, but counsel weaning to formula at the 1st sign of difficulty. Find a real breastfeeding advocate who will help you overcome challenges if they come up.
4) listen to the baby. Babies nurse for a wide selection of reasons, some of which have nada to do with hunger. Nursing frequently ensures you will bring in a healthy milk supply to meet your infant’s wants. It is also relaxing to him and eases his transition into the world .
5) Wear your baby. Wearing baby in a sling makes nursing simpler because baby is close to you. Wearing him helps to organize his movements and help him concentrate on nursing. It also makes nursing in public much more at ease. Dr. William sears announced about this : “Probably one of the most fantastic aspects of a sling or carrier is that it permits breastfeeding on the go. Busy mothers can nurture their babies with the best nourishment, yet still continue their active lifestyles.”
6) Talk to your baby’s dad and your family. Be sure to communicate to your family how strongly you’re feeling about nursing. Sell them on the advantages so they’ll support you.
7) Learn to nurse in public. Breastfeeding author Amy Spangler announces : “I inspire younger girls, if theyhave a comfort level doing so to delight breastfeed their babies wherever they are because until we get that critical mass of ladies doing just that, weare not going to modify the attitudes of the general public.” Practice latching baby on in front of a mirror so you can learn to do so discreetly.
8) Don’t compare your baby with others. Healthy, well fed breastfed babies come in all shapes and sizes. Your baby will grow in a particular pattern mostly due to genetics.
9) Get your latch right. Learning to latch your baby onto the breast is one of the most, if not the most important thing you can do to avoid pain and guarantee adequate draining of the breast ( which leads to an abounding milk supply ). Fetch help if you and your baby are having trouble.
10) Try cosleeping. Sharing sleep with baby makes breastfeeding simpler. Babies who sleep with their mothers take in more milk and excite mom’s breastfeeding hormones. And everyone usually gets more sleep.
Find out how to easily get Free Baby Diapers for a Full Year at http://babydiapersgifts.com/
Tags: breast feeding, breastfeeding, breastfeeding tips, how to breastfeed
These are a collection of tips from breastfeeding professionals, moms, health care practitioners, and others who care about breastfeeding moms and babies.
1) An uncomplicated birth makes breastfeeding simpler because mom and baby are way more alert and awake, getting breastfeeding off to the best start. If at all possible plan for a natural birth.
2) Insist on no unnatural nipples. Alert hospital staff in writing and verbally that you’re going to be breastfeeding and let them know you donot need your infant to get any kind of artificial nipple.
3) Find a Pediatrician and OB or Midwife who supports breastfeeding. Some give lip service to the “breast is best” mantra, but recommend weaning to formula at the first sign of difficulty. Find a true breastfeeding advocate who will help you overcome challenges if they come up.
4) hear the baby. Babies nurse for a wide variety of reasons, some of which have nothing to do with hunger. Nursing frequently ensures you’ll bring in a healthy milk supply to meet your infant’s wishes. It is also calming to him and eases his transition into the globe.
5) Wear your baby. Wearing baby in a sling makes nursing simpler because baby is close to you. Wearing him helps to organize his movements and help him focus on nursing. It also makes nursing in public much more content. Dr. William seals said about this : “Probably one of the most wonderful aspects of a sling or carrier is that it permits breastfeeding on the go. Busy mums can nurture their babies with the best nourishment, yet still continue their active lifestyles.”
6) Talk to your infant’s father and your family. Be certain to communicate to your family how strongly youfeel about nursing. Sell them on the benefits so theywill support you.
7) Learn to nurse in public. Breastfeeding author Amy Spangler announces : “I inspire young women, if theyhave a comfort level doing so to delight breastfeed their babies wherever they’re because until we get that critical mass of girls doing just that, weare not going to modify the perspectives of the general public.” Practice latching baby on in front of a mirror so you can learn how to do so discreetly.
8) Don’t compare your baby with others. Healthy, well fed breastfed babies come in all styles and sizes. Your baby will grow in a particular pattern typically because of genetics.
9) Get your latch right. Learning how to latch your baby onto the breast is one of the most, if not the most vital thing you can do to avoid agony and ensure satisfactory draining of the breast ( that will lead to an abundant milk supply ). Fetch help if you and your baby are having difficulty.
10) Try cosleeping. Sharing sleep with baby makes breastfeeding simpler. Babies who sleep with their mothers take in more milk and excite mom’s breastfeeding hormones. And everybody usually gets more sleep.
Uncover how to easily get Free Baby Diapers for a Full Year at http://babydiapersgifts.com/
Tags: breast feeding, breastfeeding, breastfeeding tips, how to breastfeed
