Getting Started With Breast Feeding

When you hold your baby for the first time in the
delivery room, you should put his lips to your
breast.  Although your mature milk hasn't developed
yet, your breasts are still producing a substance
known as colostrum that helps to protect your baby
from infections.

If your baby has trouble finding or staying on
your nipple, you shouldn't panic.  Breast feeding is
an art that will require a lot of patience and a
lot of practice.  No one expects you to be an
expert when you first start, so you shouldn't
hesitate to ask for advice or have a nurse show you
what you need to do.

Once you start, keep in mind that nursing shouldn't
be painful.  When your baby latches on, pay attention
to how your breasts feel.  If the latching on
hurts, break the suction then try again.

You should nurse quite frequently, as the more
you nurse the more quickly your mature milk will
come in and the more milk you'll produce.  Breast
feeding for 10 - 15 minutes per breast 8 - 10 times
every 24 hours is an ideal target.  Crying is a
sign of hunger, which means you should actually
feed your baby before he starts crying.

During the first few days, you may have to wake
your baby to begin breast feeding, and he may end
up falling asleep during feeding.  To ensure that
your baby is eating often enough, you should wake
him up if it has been four hours since the last
time he has been fed.

Getting comfortable
Feedings can take 40 minutes or longer, therefore
you'll want a cozy spot.  You don't want to be
sitting somewhere where you will be bothered, as it
can make the process very hard.

Breast Feeding And Jaundice

Jaundice is a result of buildup in the blood of the
bilirubin, a yellow pigment that comes from the
breakdown of older red blood cells.  It's normal
for the red blood cells to break down, although
the bilirubin formed doesn't normally cause jaundice
because the liver will metabolize it and then get
rid of it in the gut.

However, the newborn baby will often become
jaundiced during the first few days due to the
liver enzyme that metabolizes the bilirubin becoming
relatively immature.  Therefore, newborn babies
will have more red blood cells than adults, and
thus more will break down at any given time.

Breast milk jaundice
There is a condition that's commonly referred to
as breast milk jaundice, although no one knows
what actually causes it.  In order to diagnose it,
the baby should be at least a week old.  The baby
should also be gaining well with breast feeding
alone, having lots of bowel movements with the
passing of clean urine.

In this type of setting, the baby has what is
referred to as breast milk jaundice.  On occasion,
infections of the urine or an under functioning
of the baby's thyroid gland, as well as other
rare illnesses that may cause the same types of
problems.

Breast milk jaundice will peak at 10 - 21 days,
although it can last for 2 - 3 months.  Contrary
to what you may think, breast milk jaundice is
normal.  Rarely, if at all ever, does breast
feeding need to be stopped for even a brief
period of time.

If the baby is doing well on breast milk, there
is no reason at all to stop or supplement with
a lactation aid.

Breast Compression

The sole purpose of breast compression is to continue
the flow of milk to the baby once the baby no longer
drinks on his own.  Compression will also stimulate
a let down reflex and often causes a natural let
down reflex to occur.  This technique may also be
useful for the following:
    1.  Poor weight gain in the baby.
    2.  Colic in the breast fed baby.
    3.  Frequent feedings or long feedings.
    4.  Sore nipples for the mother.
    5.  Recurrent blocked ducts
    6.  Feeding the baby who falls asleep quick.

If everything is going well, breast compression may
not be necessary.  When all is well, the mother should
allow the baby to finish feeding on the first side,
then if the baby wants more - offer the other side.

How to use breast compression
    1.  Hold the baby with one arm.
    2.  Hold the breast with the other arm, thumb
on one side of your breast, your finger on the other
far back from the nipple
    3.  Keep an eye out for the baby's drinking,
although there is no need to be obsessive about
catching every suck.  The baby will get more milk when
drinking with an open pause type of suck.
    4.  When the baby is nibbling or no longer
drinking, compress the breast, not so hard that it
hurts though.  With the breast compression, the baby
should begin drinking again.
    5.  Keep up the pressure until the baby no
longer drinks with the compression, then release the
pressure.  If the baby doesn't stop sucking with the
release of compression, wait a bit before compressing
again.
    6.  The reason for releasing pressure is to
allow your hand to rest, and allow the milk to begin
flowing to the baby again.  If the baby stops sucking
when you release the pressure, he'll start again
once he tastes milk.
    7.  When the baby starts to suck again, he
may drink.  If not, simply compress again.
    8.  Continue feeding on the first side until
the baby no longer drinks with compression.  You
should allow him time to stay on that side until he
starts drinking again, on his own.
    9.  If the baby is no longer drinking, allow
to come off the breast or take him off.
    10.  If the baby still wants more, offer the
other side and repeat the process as above.
    11.  Unless you have sore nipples, you may
want to switch sides like this several times.
    12.  Always work to improve the baby's latch.