Saturday, 5 May 2012

Breastfeeding Tips from Another Mummy!

This post is dedicated to breastfeeding, if you aren't breastfeeding please don't worry there are lots of other great tips on New Mummy Tips From Another Mummy!

Breastfeeding
Image via Dr Momma

I thought I'd share with you this info I gathered when our son was a baby. I have passed it on to friends, family and clients over the past 6 years and have had lots of positive feedback. It seems to becoming a family heirloom of sorts!

Breast feeding painting 1950 East Indian
Image via Breast Feeding Art

I am a great believer in breastfeeding - IF and I mean IF it's right for you and your baby. When my son was born there was so much pressure to breast feed amongst a hundred and one other 'right things to do'. Looking back, I wish I'd been easier on myself, just relaxed a bit and enjoyed those precious days more. Believe me they are gone so fast - it may not seem it sleepless nights after night, but they will be at school and talking Moshi Monsters before you know it! Oh and 'Bugger the housework' I say - it can wait, rest when your baby rests!

Image via  Eysigns

This is advice is intended to be simply passed on from one mum to another, to make the journey even more enjoyable and a bit more relaxed! It's great to just dip into when you need help.

Your Magic Milk 
Anything wrong with baby or yourself skin wise - use your breast milk! It has antibacterial  and other amazing healing powers. It contains antibodies which kill infection without the side effects of antibiotics. Extremely effective for conditions such as conjunctivitis, any rashes including nappy rash and eczema, ear infections, insect bites, cuts and scratches and sore nipples you or your baby! I and many clients and friends have had great success with this.

Baby's bottom
Image via Herbal Granny

Breastfeeding Timings Guide - remember this is a guide, every baby is different! 
This guide was given to me by my sister who is a Doula, it really did help as I panicked when his times decreased from over an hour right down to 5 minutes - oh my goodness he isn't eating enough!!

By 6 weeks approx 20 minutes.
Eventually they do it in around 5-10 minutes once they become efficient.

Try not to have more than 5 hours between baby's day time feeds - breast or bottle, remember their tummies are tiny and they need to grow!

Expressing Milk 
I highly recommend the Ameda Lactaline Personal Dual Electric Breastpump from the National Childbirth Trust (NCT). It is so easy to use, light and quick. If you want to go for comedy value like I did, why not try Easy Expression Halterneck - used with your breast pump, to enable you to pump hands free! Attractive and effective!

Easy Expression Halterneck
Hee hee brings back memories - not the working while pumping bit! Via Mommy News

Early evening is a good time to give expressed milk. As your milk levels are naturally low at this time - it's much easier to satisfy a hungry, angry baby and gives you a break! Our son was much happier on his 7pm (ish) feed when my husband started giving him expressed milk. The first few times he did it, I stayed out of the room so he couldn't smell me!

Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags are amazing to store your expressed milk. They are pre-sterilised, easy to pour, super easy to store and carry around and hardly take up any space. The milk lasts much longer (10 days I think - it's been a while!) Just pour in your milk, zip it up, write the date on and pop them in coldest part of fridge (bottom). You can buy them from NCTMothercare, Hello Baby Direct and Kiddiecare.

Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage BagsLansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags
Images via Hello Baby Direct and Buzzillions

Freezing Expressed Milk
I was advised by my NCT breastfeeding councillor not to freeze the milk, unless your going use within a week or so. The reason being; if you store it for example a month, it wouldn't necessarily be at the same stage as your baby i.e. you're milk develops with your child. Hence why I used the bags, they have longer life than the pots.

Express when on your own if they don't like the sound of the expresser - like my son - the difficult little tinker!

Warming up your breasts with hot bath/shower or heat pad/hot water bottle before expressing really helps the milk flow come along quicker. Boots do a great plug in heat pad (like a mini electric blanket) Dreamland Thermo Therapy heat pad. I still use now when my back is sore or when I have period pains.

Relaxing bath

Foods and Breastfeeding
Cabbage, onion, garlic, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and turnip can cause wind and restlessness in some babies.

Need to Increase or Stop or Reduce Breastfeeding?
Fennel tea can help increase you flow (also great for babies with sore tummies). Mint or sage tea can help decrease your milk flow, great if going back to work or stopping feeding.

Baby in pain
Image via Health.com

Winding
Our son was in lots of pain with wind poor lamb, so we ended up winding after every feed and giving Woodwards Gripe Water which is made from Dill weed. Weak fennel tea is very effective too. Some say a breastfed baby doesn't get much wind - not for our precious one! Sometimes it could take 30 mins - 1 hour! Life got much easier when he could burp himself (probably about 4 months).

Mum Having an Illness 
Don't panic, you will actually pass your immunity onto your baby, so it is actually a good thing (not for you though!) The milk is protected and it carries the antibodies you are producing to fight the illness. Our son was rarely ill when breastfeeding and if he was I am convinced it was less severe!


Links to Some of My Other Parenting Posts
Looking After Our Precious Teeth
Chicken Pox - Natural Remedies

I really hope this helps you as much it has me, my friends, family and clients. I am not a professional in these matters, I just received lots of advice and as I had famous gaga baby brain, I used to write it all down. I just think it's nice to pass on to others.

I would love to hear any other tips you may have.

1 comment:

  1. Great advice, definately helped me especially when Tiana went through the growth spurt around three weeks old and was attached non stop for a good 4 days! Was worth battling through that. Tiana never had bad wind, never reguritated and has been really healthy since birth.

    ReplyDelete

I am always happy to receive comments so don't be shy

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...