Breastfeeding mums make it look so easy. Without skipping a beat, they open a button and latch on a baby.
While the source may be natural, nursing know-how – especially for newbie mothers and their newborns – often doesn’t come naturally at all.
Sumayyah (not her real name) found it confusing after giving birth to her first child as she received conflicting advice, and was also subjected to superstitious beliefs and rituals from well-meaning relatives and friends.
She found breastfeeding to be a struggle, but the more she learnt about the proper technique to position her baby, how to know when her child was getting enough milk, and when a meal was over, the more confident and empowered she felt.
Once she got past the initial trial-and-error days of finding the best system for her baby, nursing became one of motherhood’s most rewarding responsibilities.
She is sharing her knowledge as breastfeeding offers many benefits for both new mothers and their infants, giving both a headstart on a healthy future.
Know your breast milk
Breast milk comes in three stages, each designed according to the baby’s age, making it the perfect food from day one.
When mothers first deliver, there is no milk. The thick, yellowy substance produced is colostrum, the same stuff that leaks out of their breasts during pregnancy.
This vital blend of protein, vitamins and minerals can help defend against harmful bacteria and viruses, and possibly stimulate the baby to produce antibodies.
It also coats the inside of the baby’s intestines, protecting the child’s immune system and protecting them against allergies and digestive upsets.
It stimulates Baby’s first bowel movement and reduces the risk of jaundice. Mothers will likely make very little, but the baby probably won’t need more than a few teaspoons of this “liquid gold” per feeding early on.
Regular suckling from the start will help stimulate the mother’s body to produce the next stage of milk within a few days.
Next is transitional milk, a cross of colostrum and mature milk, usually produced around the third or fourth day. It resembles milk mixed with orange juice but tastes a lot better to the baby, and is produced when the milk first “comes in”.
It contains lower levels of immunoglobulins and protein than colostrum but has more lactose, fat and calories. Don’t worry if it doesn’t seem like Mum is producing a lot of milk – at day three, the baby’s stomach is only the size of a walnut.
Produced between day 10 and two weeks postpartum, mature milk is thin and white, though sometimes slightly bluish. While it looks like watery skim milk, it is packed with all the fat and other nutrients that growing babies need.
Latching on
In the beginning, latching the baby onto the mother’s breast might take a few tries.
It’s essential to know a good latch, since improper latching is the most common cause of breast discomfort. The baby’s mouth should cover the mother’s nipple and areola, so that the mouth, tongue and lips massage milk out of her glands.
Simply sucking on the nipple will leave the infant hungry since the glands won’t be compressed, and will also make Mum’s nipples sore and cracked.
To get a proper latch going, hold the baby facing the mother’s breasts, tummy to tummy. The baby’s head should be in line with his or her own body, not turned, to make swallowing easier.
Tickle the baby’s lip with the mother’s nipple to encourage the child to open wide, like a yawn. If the baby isn’t opening up, try squeezing some colostrum onto the infant’s lips.
Bring the baby forward towards the breast once the mouth is open wide. Don’t lean over and push the breast into the baby’s mouth; let the little one take the initiative. Keep a hold of the breast until the baby has a firm grasp and is suckling well.
Sumayyah says a mother will know when her baby has got a proper latch as the baby’s chin and the tip of the nose will be touching her breast. The baby’s lips will flare outward, like fish lips, rather than tuck in.
Finally, check that the little one isn’t sucking on his or her own lower lip or tongue as newborns will suckle anything while nursing.
TELEME Healing Life Stories is a collection of inspirational stories of how ordinary people triumph over their health conditions and recover to lead a healthier life after that. Feel free to email [email protected] to share your story.
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