Welcome to Breastfeed Benefits
Breastfeeding Questions Article
Mommy & Baby: Facts On Feeding
Kirsten Hawkins
How you choose to feed your baby, bottle or breast, is a decision you alone get to make. Do not listen to pressure from outside sources that tell you that you "must" choose one way or another in order to be a "good mom," or that you are "doing harm to your baby" if you opt against what they tell you. The fact is, your baby needs food. If you give your baby the nutrition she needs, you are a good mom. Period! Whatever form of feeding you choose, the most important thing to consider is the gentle, tender cuddling you provide for your baby during the feeding.
Mother's milk is the complete and perfect food, and is nothing short of miraculous. But if you choose to feed formula, you're not a bad mother, and you're not doing irreparable harm to your precious bundle of joy. While breastfeeding is preferred by most pediatricians, there are women who are unable to successfully nurse their babies, and then there are moms who are unable to sustain the feeding patterns they are told are "necessary" to breastfeed.
With parent-directed feeding (PDF), parents will feed their babies on a 2-3 flexible routine based on the baby's cues. Crying is a late hunger cue, so don't assume that your baby doesn't need food until she cries. Some newborns can go 5-6 hours between feedings, which is entirely inadequate for their nutritional needs. This is why solely following baby's cues may lead to a sickly, undernourished baby who has failure to thrive. Under-fed babies often lack the strength to cry and thus don't get fed at the appropriate intervals.
So how do you nurse successfully with PDF? You establish the routine--most newborns can go between 2.5-3 hours between feedings. This time is counted from the beginning of feeding to the beginning of feeding. Latch the baby on to your breast appropriately and allow the baby to nurse. Your child will receive foremilk first--a watery thin milk with little nutritive value.
As your baby drinks the foremilk, you will experience letdown in which your glands will release the rest of the milk stored in them--sometimes this is tingly or painful, other times moms have no sensation. The milk your baby now gets is the hindmilk, it is rich, fatty, and full of nutrients. The best indication that you've achieved letdown is the consistent and rhythmic swallowing as your baby nurses. Once your milk comes in, most mommies have success nursing for 15 minutes per side, which permits baby to receive the hindmilk she needs to grow strong and healthy.
About the Author
Kirsten Hawkins is a baby and parenting expert specializing new mothers and single parent issues. Visit http://www.babyhelp411.com/>http://www.babyhelp411.com/ for more information on how to raising healthy, happy children.
Breastfeeding Questions Best products
Breastfeeding Questions News
Lessons from a Pregnant Fighter Pilot - New York Times
![]() New York Times | Lessons from a Pregnant Fighter Pilot New York Times “All she knew,” Bard writes, “was that flying fighters while pregnant, and while breastfeeding, was impossible, due to the G-force that the flying would ... |
Breastfeeding resource group schedules meetings - Sioux Falls Argus Leader
Breastfeeding resource group schedules meetings Sioux Falls Argus Leader New and expectant mothers with questions about breastfeeding can find answers at the first meeting of a new breastfeeding resource group next week. ... La Leche League to meet Tuesday |
How can we protect against the H1N1 flu virus? - Gozo News
How can we protect against the H1N1 flu virus? Gozo News What about breastfeeding? Should I stop if I am ill? No, not unless your health care provider advises it. Studies on other influenza infections show that ... |
Oak Leaves and Forest Leaves Community Calendar - River Forest Leaves
Oak Leaves and Forest Leaves Community Calendar River Forest Leaves Babies and children always welcome, regardless of whether or not they are currently breastfed. Come with your breastfeeding questions or concerns, ... |
Feeding isn't always easy - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Feeding isn't always easy Atlanta Journal Constitution The sight of a breastfeeding woman should be an image of a Botticelli portrait —- a moment of pure bonding. But some people complain that the maternal act ... |
Moms around the world: Bangalore, India - Examiner.com
![]() Examiner.com | Moms around the world: Bangalore, India Examiner.com Q: Is it common to see mothers breastfeeding their babies in public in India? What advice do you have for nursing mothers who will be visiting Bangalore? ... |
Modern Guide to Raising Childrens
