Breastfeeding - A Learned Technique (The Breastfeeding Debate)

Member Name: Snu210

Product:	The Breastfeeding Debate
Date:	20/06/07 (343 review reads)
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Advantages: See Review

Disadvantages: See Review

Breastfeeding was recommended to me by my local district nurse. When I was pregnant, I thought that I would try breastfeeding as it would be a natural way to bond with baby. Little did I know that I was in for a hell of a rollercoaster ride! But I finally figured it out and can pass on some tips for those who need them...

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ADVANTAGES OF BREASTFEEDING
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HEALTHY FOR BABY - Breastmilk is created in an ongoing fashion and is perfectly suited to baby as a food because it contains nutrients based on baby's prior feeding pattern and adapts accordingly. Breastmilk has been clinically shown to improve baby's immunity to disease also.

GOOD BONDING TECHNIQUE - What better way to bond with your baby than to snuggle down and provide sustenance? As you keep looking at your baby during feeds, you can feel closer to them and also notice a lot more about them.

CONVENIENCE - Who wants to hang around a boiling kettle in the kitchen at 1am? Anyone? No, it's much easier to take baby into bed and feed in there - instantly. Also, car journeys without having to get hot water organised are a lot easier.

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DISADVANTAGES OF BREASTFEEDING
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EMBARRASSMENT - I know us ladies pretty much lose all dignity during labour, but it's still a little iffy whether you feel like baring your breasts to non-breastfeeding friends, strangers and other people's husbands. In my experience, only strangers and the odd fellow will look twice, but you have to be past the point of caring to whip them out in public.

LATCHING - Newborns can often have trouble latching on properly. This means they cry and fuss and can't feed properly for up to 3 months before they settle down. A good technique with newborns is to pull your nipple out so it is quite prominent and then (against all professional recommendations) use a scissor-like grip to help squirt and insert at the same time. Also, it's possible to sit in front of the TV for an hour or two and squirt into a bottle to bottle feed the breast. Not a long term solution though and there are also machines to help express breastmilk.

SUPPLY - If you have latching problems, the supply fluctuates wildly and can only be progressed if you express a bit each day. I highly recommend expressing a large feed into a bottle (either for use or just to throw away) so that supply is kept up. An over-abundance of milk is easier to feed the infant than not enough.

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TIPS
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Please note that while I have tried these techniques myself, I will not take any responsibility for issues arising from your use of these techniques. This is NOT medical advice, just some suggestions if you are at your wit's end.

- A few weeks before baby is born, try expressing milk from your breasts in the shower.

- If baby is fussy and not getting enough hind milk, try swapping breasts every few hours, not every feed.

- Have a tin of formula on hand for that evil night or two when baby cries and there is no milk at all.

- Encourage an oversupply of milk, and express the first watery milk out while breastfeeding the good hind milk (the thick & scented one) to baby.

- Eat lots of fatty foods as well as healthy ones to encourage thick hind milk. Chocolate is my favourite, but I noticed results with camembert cheese in particular.

- Cut down on caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.

- Sleep + Water + Fatty Foods = Good Breastmilk

- Try to elevate baby with pillows so you don't end up with hangy nipples or sore arms.

- Make sure if you are expressing that you squeeze as far back as the armpit to capture all the milk.

- Lean forward and "hang" when expressing while sitting to help the flow and get more.

- Always keep a spare facewasher on hand for leakage and sprays.

- Realise it may take up to 5 months to train baby to breastfeed on the side in bed.

- Watching TV helps you to relax while breastfeeding.

- Try to keep keen partners away for the first few weeks of breastfeeding as nipples are tender.

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SUMMARY
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I hope some of these techniques can help someone. I have been through breastfeeding twice and found it an ordeal both times, but much easier after baby was 4 months old. Newborns are hard to breastfeed. Apart from bonding, my other main attraction with breastfeeding was the convenience on long journeys. Using all my techniques, I was able to express a litre per feed in the second week, and slowed this down over the next weeks until I found the right amount for baby and he started latching on better.

Summary: Hard to do, may or may not be worth it, good bonding technique