Breastfeeding Your Baby

Everything You Need to Know

Breastfeeding, chestfeeding, nursing. These are terms to describe the feeding of a child at the teat of a lactating individual. Breastfeeding is a beautiful way to forge a bond with your baby, and provide them with essential nourishment. When successful it can leave the parent feeling fulfilled and confident. 

But breastfeeding is certainly not always easy, and it is not for everyone. Let’s look at some of the benefits to breastfeeding, some of the complications and challenges that can arise, and ways to find support on your breastfeeding journey.

The first few days following the birth of your baby, your body will produce a thicker yellowish liquid called colostrum. This liquid is richer in calories and antibodies to help keep baby healthy. 

Breast milk will come in a few days after giving birth. This can be a dramatic and painful experience until you and your baby get into a rhythm with feeding, or pumping. I remember I woke up on the third day after having my daughter and my breasts were twice their normal size, leaky, painful and hard as rocks. Not everyone’s experience is the same. Every body is different. 

How Long to Breastfeed

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Breastfeeding should extend for the first six months of life, and be supplemented with food after the first six months.

Benefits of Breastfeeding

There are many benefits to breastfeeding, for both parent and child. 

Benefits for lactating parent

• Helps the uterus contract after birth.
• Produces Oxytocin.
• Can prevent certain diseases and cancers.
• Fights postpartum depression.
• Free.

Benefits for baby

• Specially formulated for your baby.
• High in calories.
• Produces antibodies to prevent illness.
• Less gastrointestinal issues.
• Reduces risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

Breastfeeding Positions and Latching

Finding a way to get your baby to latch can be challenging, exasperating and can cause some breastfeeding parents to lose heart. Some parents and babies will find a comfortable system right away, and it may look effortless. Others may struggle for a while before finding what works for them. A strong latch should be, for the most part, comfortable for parent and baby. You should be able to see or hear your baby swallowing, and sometimes feel a gradual relief of pressure in your breast. Your baby should end a feed contented.

Position Possibilities

• Across the chest – lying down, you can essentially drape your baby across your chest.
• Cradling – most common position, provides a hugging sensation for parent and baby, allows baby to have a good view of parent’s face.
• Football hold – Put your baby under your arm with their belly in your armpit. This is a convenient position for multiples, as you can tandem feed.
• Side-lying – good position for a sleepy parent, or individual recovering from a c-section as it does not put pressure on your wound.
• Seated on lap – for older babies with stronger neck muscles.
• Dangle feeding – this position has been rumored to resolve clogged milk ducts.
• Carrier sling feeding – allows you to feed hands free.

Using a pillow or blanket to support your baby during a feed can free up your hands and prevent neck ache. 

Latching

If it is a struggle to get your baby to latch there are some strategies that you can try:

• Set the scene, create a calm environment with few distractions
• Try skin to skin
• Bring your baby to your nipple with their bottom lip open.
• Allow your baby to find the nipple on their own with a little guidance.

There are many different positions in which you can breastfeed your baby. Some work better for newborns, and some are for babies with more neck control. My daughter and I tried many different positions before falling into a position that worked for both of us and allowed us to feed comfortably. 

Support for Breastfeeding

The commitment to breastfeeding is deep and extends into many aspects of the lactating person’s life. Their body is not done supplying nutrients when the umbilical cord is cut. Their body uses a lot of energy to convert the food they consume into nutritious milk for their baby. Exclusively breastfeeding means that this aspect of baby care cannot be shared in the way that diapering or bathing can be shared. The responsibility belongs to the lactating person alone. 

This means that they will need a lot of support, especially if breastfeeding has been a challenging journey. This support is essential. So how can a person who chooses to breastfeed, or exclusively breastfeed find support? 

Partner / Spouse

Support from your partner is invaluable whether your breastfeeding experience comes easy or presents many challenges. But how can one provide support if they are unable to produce milk? 

• Provide snacks/meals – breastfeeding consumes a lot of energy. Snacks are required in order to keep up production. Same goes for water / hydration
• Offer a massage – certain breastfeeding positions can cause neck pain or pain in the arms. A back or neck massage will relieve this.
• Wake with the baby – if your lactating partner has been up every couple hours of the night to feed the baby while you slept, take the morning shift with the baby to allow them to catch up on a little sleep
• Encourage them – Tell them they are doing a great job, and that you appreciate the sacrifice they are making to feed your child
• Just ask! – ask your partner what they need. Ask them how they are feeling about breastfeeding. Sometimes they may just need someone to talk to

IBCLC

Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultants are a wonderful resource for breastfeeding parents. Consultants have to pre-qualify to be eligible to take the examination and become certified. To qualify they need a specific amount of clinical experience and/or formal education about lactation. Recertification is required every five years to keep their credentials. Their function is to provide guidance, knowledge and support to lactating parents.

La Leche League

La Leche League is a volunteer run organization full of individuals who have experienced the demands and joys of breastfeeding. To be a La Leche League Leader you need to have at least one continuous year of breast/chest feeding experience (with some exceptions). The function of this group is to offer support and knowledge to breastfeeding parents, provide scaffolding and encouragement to their peers and promote the relationship and bond forged through breastfeeding.

When I was nursing my daughter I attended a few La Leche League meetings. I enjoyed the openness of the atmosphere and the support and encouragement of the Leaders.

Pumping Your Breastmilk

Exclusively breastfeeding may not be the right path for everyone. But that does not mean that your child has to go without your milk. Pumping your breast milk to store may be the right choice for you. This is a good option for those who are:

• Returning to work after having their baby.
• Sending their baby to childcare.
• Parents of multiples.
• Those wishing to strengthen their supply.
• Those who want to share the responsibility of feeding their baby. 
• Parents who have a solid supply, but their baby has trouble latching / suckling.

Choosing a Breastpump

There are a wide array of manual and electric breast pumps available. When choosing the right pump for you there may be some trial and error involved. Some variations to consider are:

• Manual vs. Electric
• Fit
• Suction
• Price
• Hands-free

Electric pumps are efficient, but can be bulky and tie you down to one space. They can get expensive, but some are covered by health insurance. Manual breast pumps are quiet and portable. But they express milk more slowly. The fit of your breast pump is important. The wrong size could hurt your nipple or produce less milk. Do you need your breast pump to be hands free or portable? You could also get different types to use under different circumstances.

Storing Your Breastmilk

According to the CDC breastmilk can be stored in the freezer for up to a year, but is best for up to six months. Freshly expressed milk can be stored at room temperature for up to four hours. And stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. Make sure that you are labeling your breastmilk supply thoroughly and accurately.

Bottle Feeding

Choosing to bottle feed allows for the shared responsibility of feeding. If you are parenting with a partner this opens the door for alternating which parent wakes in the night with the baby, allowing for the lactating parent to achieve more sleep. It also provides space for other family members or care providers to be involved in feeding, which can give a break for the lactating parent to take some space.

There are many different types of bottles on the market. Whichever bottle you choose, always make sure that it is properly cleaned and sanitized before filling it to feed baby. 

Nipples come in different shapes, sizes and materials. Some have a fast flow while others are slow. Make sure that the one you choose does not flow so quickly that baby gags, or flows so slowly that they are swallowing more air than they should (creating gas in their stomach). Change nipple size as your child grows.

Bottles can be made of plastic (choose BPA free), silicone, glass and stainless steel. When choosing a bottle keep in mind the weight, durability, washability and comfort of you and your baby.

To find what is right for your baby try some different variations in nipple and bottle material, shape, and size.

Donating Your Milk

If you have an excess of breastmilk you might consider selling it or giving it away to people who really need it. Babies in the NICU are often fed donated breast milk to speed their recovery. Adoptive parents who wish to breastfeed their baby, breastfeeding parents who are recovering from an illness or on medication, or parents with low to no supply who wish to feed their baby breastmilk are grateful to have such a gift. 

Tongue Ties

A tongue tie is a phenomenon when the web underneath the baby’s tongue extends further than necessary. This can complicate breastfeeding by interfering with their ability to latch and/or suckle at the nipple. This condition can be diagnosed by your clinical care provider, and they can discuss with you the proper course of action. Some clinicians choose to correct the tie, and some decide that it can be left alone. 

Clogged Milk Ducts

What is a clogged milk duct, and how can I avoid it?

A clogged milk duct can be very painful for a lactating person. It can present as redness, a lump in the breast, and pain when touched. There are a few easy ways you can try to unclog your milk duct:

• Apply a warm washcloth to the affected area.
• Massage gently around the tissue working your way toward the nipple.
• Express milk by hand.
• Make sure your baby is emptying the breast at every feeding.
• Feed as often as possible.
• Pump after feeding if necessary.

If left unresolved, your clogged milk duct can become infected. If you do not see any improvement and/or you develop a fever it is time to call your clinician 

To avoid a clogged duct make sure to wear loose fitting tops and/or bras. Make sure that your baby is draining your breast at every feeding and before switching breasts. If you are feeding when sleepy or distracted make sure that you can remember which breast your baby fed from last. Sometimes a baby will only feed from one breast and be full, so you can pump the other to make sure it is empty. When nursing my daughter, if it was a short feed I would put a hair tie around the wrist of the side she last fed on, and start her on the other breast at the next feeding to make sure that they drained equally.

When to Stop Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding should extend for the first year of your baby’s life, according to the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics). But some parents choose to extend breastfeeding beyond this 12 month mark. Others stop breastfeeding before then, and feed their baby formula instead.

Some may decide that breastfeeding is not the path for them. They should be supported in this decision. Breastfeeding is a big commitment, and it takes a lot of time and energy. Sometimes, even when you have tried all the different positions, and dietary changes and strategies, breastfeeding may not go according to plan. This can be very upsetting for a parent who had their heart set on breastfeeding their baby. There can be tears and heartbreak and a feeling like they let themselves down, didn’t live up to an expectation, disappointed their partner and possibly failed their baby. None of these things are truly the case. 

Fed is best. Some common reasons to stop breastfeeding are:

• You’re able to feed your baby with formula, and they are getting the nutrition they need.
• Your child isn’t getting enough from your breastmilk and you were advised to supplement with formula.
• Breastfeeding was a challenge that left you feeling drained and stressed and you came to the decision that it isn’t right for you or your baby.

Making the decision to stop breastfeeding is highly personal. If it was not working for you or your baby then stop. When breastfeeding is causing terrible distress or pain, stop. If you have tried everything and it never got easier stop. It is okay to switch to formula.

Supplementing With Formula

Supplementing breast milk with formula is a good way to keep baby’s weight up. If your milk supply is low, supplementing is a good way to make sure that baby gets what they need to grow and stay healthy. This is also a good way to transition your baby from breastfeeding to formula feeding, and slow your milk supply. 

Summary

While breastfeeding your baby may be the most cost effective and convenient way to feed your child, it certainly comes at a price. And it is not the right choice for everyone (and that is okay). There is ample evidence that breastfeeding can be very beneficial for both parent and baby. For this reason there are many resources and ways to get support as a breastfeeding parent. There are also many ways to provide breastmilk to your baby. Whether at the breast, by the bottle, or as a donation, breastfeeding is a possibility for many.

Before I was adopted as a baby, my foster mother nursed me at her breast for the first three months of my life. She also had a newborn baby, and a flourishing milk supply which she was able to offer to me, and for this I am so grateful. As a mother, my breastfeeding journey with my daughter is something that I am so proud of. I exclusively breastfed for 13 months, and while it was taxing and exhausting it was also one of the greatest experiences of my life.