Breastfeeding Your Baby
GENERAL INFORMATION:
How is breast milk good for my baby?
- Gives the best nutrition: Breast milk is the best food for your baby, especially if he is born premature (too early) or is very small at birth. Human milk is especially made for your baby and has the right combination of nutrients for your baby. Nutrients are the protein, fat, sugar, vitamins, and minerals your baby needs for his body and brain to grow. Colostrum (KO-lah-strum) is the perfect starter food for your newborn baby. It is the substance made by the breasts before they start making milk, and contains protein, vitamins, minerals, and sugar. This yellow, creamy fluid may be in your milk for up to two weeks after your baby is born. Mature breast milk starts to replace colostrum 2 to 4 days after your baby's birth. Ask your caregiver for more information about how breasts make milk.
- Easy for him to digest: Breast milk is an easy food for your baby to digest (break down) and absorb (move nutrients into his body). Babies fed with breast milk have lower rates of stomach upset, diarrhea, and vomiting.
- Protects him against allergies: Breastfed babies may have a lower risk for getting allergy problems such as eczema (itching, weeping skin disorder). Babies are usually not allergic to breast milk.
- Protects him against infections: Colostrum helps keep your baby from getting sick from bacteria, viruses, and other germs that can cause illness. It contains antibodies and other substances that protect him from infections as his body's own defenses against them are weak. Breast milk contains white blood cells also protect against infections. Breastfed babies have lower rates of infectious illness and symptoms that are less bad. Common such infections include ear infections, diarrhea, and respiratory tract infections.
- Decreases his risk for other diseases: Breastfed babies may have a lower risk of getting sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). They may also have a lower risk of getting asthma. Breast milk has lactose (milk sugar) in it that helps keep the level of sugar in your baby's blood normal. This may decrease your baby's risk for getting childhood diabetes (high amount of blood sugar). Breastfed babies have normal levels of cholesterol (fat the body makes) in their blood. This may decrease their risk for childhood obesity, and for having high blood pressure and heart disease later in life.
- Safe, easy food for your baby: Your breast milk is available at no cost and requires no preparation. Breast milk is always fresh, clean, and at the right temperature.
- Other good effects for your baby: Breastfed babies are less likely to be overfed and gain more weight than they should. This may reduce their risk for being obese later in life. Breastfeeding also helps your child's jaws and teeth develop, helping him learn how to talk as he grows. Breast milk also helps your baby's brain develop, and improves his intelligence and ability to think.
How is breastfeeding good for my health?
- After delivery recovery: Breastfeeding immediately after the delivery of your baby helps stop bleeding from your uterus (womb). It also helps shrink your uterus back to the size as it was before your pregnancy during the weeks after delivery.
- Delays and reduces your monthly period: If you are breastfeeding without giving your baby any formula, the return of your monthly period should be delayed. When it does return, your monthly period will come less often and you will bleed less. This helps you save nutrients, such as iron, found in your blood. Your chances of getting pregnant again are reduced while you are breastfeeding. You will still need to use some form of birth control to make sure that you do not get pregnant. Ask your caregiver for more information about birth control methods you can use while breastfeeding.
- Healthy weight loss effect: Your body uses up to 500 extra calories a day to support breastfeeding. Breastfeeding can lead to loss of the extra weight and fat you gained during pregnancy. It may also reduce your risk for obesity. You will need to eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of liquids, such as milk and water. This will help make sure that your body has enough nutrients and water to make all the breast milk your baby needs. Ask your caregiver for more information about breastfeeding and your diet.
- Helps prevent diseases later in life: Breastfeeding can help decrease your risk of getting certain cancers. These include breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers. Breastfeeding can make your bones stronger. This can help prevent you from getting osteoporosis and fractures (bone breaks) later in life.
- Improves blood sugar control: Breastfeeding helps lower the level of sugar in your blood. This is important if you have diabetes or are at risk for getting diabetes.
In what other ways is breastfeeding good for me and my baby? Breastfeeding offers emotional and other good effects for you and your baby. Breastfeeding can help strengthen the bond you and your baby have with one another. Breastfeeding is an intimate, special experience the two of you share. Breastfeeding your baby can help increase your confidence in caring for your baby, especially if you are a first-time mother. Breastfeeding can also give you a physical sense of well being. A hormone (special substance) called prolactin is made when you breastfeed. This hormone helps you relax and feel good.
How do I breastfeed my baby?
- You may breastfeed while sitting on a chair with a straight back or lying down. If you are sitting, you may hold your baby in a cradle or clutch (football) position. If seated, make sure you are comfortable with good back and arm support. Use a footstool to support your feet and raise your lap. If lying down, you and your baby will be facing each other. Ask your caregiver for more information about how to hold and breastfeed your baby.
- Position your baby such that his arms are lying at his sides, not across his body. Place your baby on a pillow to bring him closer to your breast. Make sure your baby's mouth is in line with your nipple.
- Bring your baby close to your breast. Hold your baby such that his head, shoulders, back, and hips are in line. Turn his head and body to face your chest. Hold your breast if needed with your four fingers under and the thumb above. Your fingers should not be on your areola (dark circle around your nipple).
- Move your baby against your breast until his mouth touches your nipple. Lightly stroke his top lip in the midline to make him open his mouth wide and put out his tongue. Aim your nipple at your baby's upper lip or nostril. His bottom lip should be as far away as possible from the base of your nipple. This will help him be able to get in as much breast as possible. You know your baby is latched-on well if:
- Your breast or nipple does not hurt while feeding.
- Your baby is able to suck milk right away after he latches-on. Suckling should change from quick short sucks to slow deep sucks. You should be able to hear him swallowing and see his jaw move downward with each suck.
- Your nipple is the same shape as it was before the feed started when your baby comes off your breast.
- Your breast or nipple does not hurt while feeding.
- Ask your caregiver for more information about how to hold and breastfeed your baby. Ask your caregiver for more information about how to tell if your baby is getting breast milk.
How long should I breastfeed my baby? Breast milk alone (without formula) is the best food for your baby until he is six months old. At six months, you should begin to feed your baby infant foods, as well as continuing to breastfeed him. You can breastfeed your baby for as long as the two of you wish, while adding other foods into his diet. Breastfeeding until your baby is at least one year old, and preferably two years old, will give him a great start on having a healthy life. Ask you caregiver for more information about how to add other foods into your baby's diet as he grows.
Can I breastfeed if I had breast surgery in the past? Breast surgery may affect how your breasts make milk. Tell your caregiver if you have had breast surgery. The following are some of the breast surgeries that your caregiver needs to know about:
- Breast biopsy.
- Breast augmentation (surgery to make your breasts larger).
- Breast reduction (surgery to make your breasts smaller).
- Mastectomy (removal of breast tissue).
- Mastopexy (surgery to lift your breasts).
Can I breastfeed if I have a nipple piercing? You can still breastfeed your baby if you have pierced nipples. For some, the channel through the breast created by the piercing may cause problems with milk drainage. This may lead to an increased risk of getting breast infections. There is also a very small risk that your baby could swallow or choke on the jewelry, or that it could injure his mouth. The many good effects of breastfeeding outweigh the risk of any of these happening.
- Nipple jewelry precautions: You may do any of the following:
- Remove the jewelry during breastfeeding. This may cause milk to squirt from the holes.
- Replace metal jewelry with small plastic barbells. These will serve as place holders during the time you are breastfeeding. This may only be done if your nipple piercings have completely healed.
- If you want to leave the jewelry in place, make sure to tighten each part before each feeding.
- Remove the jewelry during breastfeeding. This may cause milk to squirt from the holes.
Can I breastfeed my baby if I get sick? You should be able to continue to breastfeed during minor illnesses:
- Breast infection: If you get mastitis (breast infection), it is very important to keep breastfeeding. Your breast milk will not make your baby sick. The milk may have a salty taste which your baby may not like. Frequent pumping will help bring back the normal quality of your breast milk. You may need to take medicines called antibiotics.
- Breast swelling: Breast engorgement and plugged ducts are common conditions during breastfeeding. These conditions may be caused by the incomplete emptying of milk from your breasts. Do not stop breastfeeding. Breastfeeding 8 to 12 times in a day will help treat your breast problem. You may also massage your breast gently to help the milk flow. You may also place a cold compress to decrease swelling and discomfort. Ask your caregiver for more information about breast fullness versus breast engorgement. Ask your caregiver for more information about breastfeeding and plugged ducts.
- Cough and colds: Your baby may have come into contact with the same germs you have before you became sick. Your body makes antibodies that are needed to fight an infection, such as with a cough or cold. These antibodies pass into your breast milk. Your baby is also protected by these antibodies. Your baby cannot get a cold or the flu from your breast milk.
When can I not breastfeed my baby? You should not breastfeed your baby in any of the following conditions:
- You are infected with HIV, or have AIDS or another disease that weaken your immune system.
- You are taking certain medicines that may be passed to your baby through your breast milk. These include lithium, radioactive isotopes, and cancer treatment medicines, such as antimetabolites and chemotherapy agents.
- You have active tuberculosis that has not yet been treated for at least two weeks.
- You have lesions on your breast from chickenpox or an active herpes infection.
- Your baby has galactosemia. Galactosemia is a condition where your baby's body cannot break down galactose. Galactose is a form of sugar that is found in breast milk. This is a rare condition that is usually looked for in the newborn screening blood test.
- You use illegal drugs or are drinking alcohol in frequent or large amounts.
How can I make sure that breastfeeding is safe for my baby? Keeping your breast milk safe means that you need to decrease or avoid being exposed to certain chemicals:
- Alcohol: Decrease the amount of alcohol you drink. Alcohol is found in beer, wine, liquor such as vodka and whiskey, and other adult drinks. Do not drink alcohol for at least two hours before you breastfeed. Little amounts of alcohol can mix with breast milk. Drinking alcohol close to a feeding can change the taste of milk and be passed on to your baby. Drinking alcohol can reduce let-down and decrease the amount of breast milk you make.
- Harmful chemicals: Avoid being exposed to gardening and farming chemicals. These include pesticides used to kill insects and herbicides used to kill weeds.
- Harmful medicines: Most medicine passes through breast milk. Very few kinds of medicines cannot be taken during breastfeeding. Make sure your caregiver knows about every medicine that you take, including over-the-counter (OTC) and herbal medicines.
- Heavy metals: Decrease your exposure to heavy metal chemicals, such as mercury and lead. Mercury is found in large bottom-dwelling fish, such as shark, swordfish, mackerel, and tilefish. You can eat up to 12 oz of other kinds of fish every week. That includes a maximum of 6 oz of albacore (white) tuna per week. Always check for advisories about eating locally-caught fish. Lead may be present in old house paint and in paint on items made in Asian countries. Contact your local health department for more information about lead and these items.
- Nicotine: Nicotine from cigarettes passes into breast milk. It is best not to smoke at all if you are going to breastfeed your baby. If you are going to smoke cigarettes, breastfeed your baby first before smoking. Do not smoke another cigarette until after the next feeding. Never smoke near your baby. Talk to your baby's caregiver about the safety of using nicotine gum or nicotine patches while breastfeeding.
- Street drugs: Do not use illegal or street drugs, such as marijuana or cocaine, if you are breastfeeding.
When should I call my caregiver? Call your caregiver if:
- You or your baby has a fever.
- Your baby is very sleepy or very irritable.
- Your baby refuses to breastfeed for more than 8 hours.
- You feel you are not making enough breast milk for your baby.
- You feel a lump or a hard area in your breast.
- Your breasts become hard, painful, or swollen, or you cannot get your milk to flow.
- Your breasts do not feel full before feedings and softer after breastfeeding.
When should I seek immediate help? Seek care immediately or call 911 if:
- Your baby will not breastfeed or feeds poorly, and he acts sleepy and has floppy muscle tone.
- Your baby has not had a wet diaper in the past 6 to 8 hours.
- Your baby's hands and feet are cold to the touch, he is breathing fast, and does not interact with you.
- Your baby's soft spot on the top of his head is sunken in or his eyes appear sunken.
- Your baby cries but has no tears, is irritable, and has a dry mouth and lips.
Where can I find more information about breastfeeding? Ask for information about breastfeeding and make sure caregivers know that breastfeeding is important to you. Ask your caregiver for the name of a Lactation Consultant. This person is specially trained to help women breastfeed their babies. Ask caregivers to help you find a breastfeeding class before your baby is born. Join a breastfeeding support group. Contact the following for more information:
- La Leche League International
1400 N. Meacham Rd
Schaumburg, IL 60173-4808
Phone: 1-847-519-7730
Web Address: http://www.lalecheleague.org
- The National Women's Health Information Center
Phone: 1-800-994-9662
Web Address: http://www.4woman.gov
- Women, Infants and Children Program
Food and Nutrition Services
WIC Program
Supplemental Food Programs Division
Alexandria, VA 22302
Phone: 1-703-305-2196
Web Address: http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic
CARE AGREEMENT:
You have the right to help plan how you are going to feed your baby. To help with this plan, you must learn as much as you can about breastfeeding. Ask your caregiver questions about breastfeeding. You can talk with your caregiver about the best way for you to feed your baby.
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