What Is Breastfeeding?
Benefits of Breastfeeding to The Mother and The
Breast feeding also called as nursing, is the process Infant
of feeding a mother's breast milk to her infant,
either directly from the breast or by expressing TO THE INFANT
(pumping out) the milk from the breast and bottle- Breast milk contains optimal and complete
feeding it to the infant. source of nutrition for the growth and
development of the baby.
Why is breastfeeding important? Boosts immunity to infections and other
Breastfeeding has health benefits for both babies diseases.
and mothers. It helps build your baby’s immune Promotes bonding with the mother
system and offers the perfect nutrition. Breast milk Promotes better tooth and jaw
provides a baby with ideal nutrition and supports development
growth and development. Breastfeeding can also Prevents excessive weight gain in infants
help protect baby and mom against certain Less chance of overfeeding
illnesses and diseases. Some of the health benefits
to the mother includes a lower risk of breast and TO THE MOTHER
ovarian cancer, and a lower risk of cardiovascular No additional expense
disease. Emotional fulfillment and bonding
Readily available, no need for mixing.
Phases of Breast Milk Lowers risk of breast cancer.
COLOSTRUM (0 - 4th day) Promotes uterine contractions, decrease
This golden liquid strengthens your baby's immune incidence of postpartum hemorrhage and
system, it is high in protein, fat-soluble vitamins, facilitates return to prepregnant-size
minerals and antibodies that protect the baby from
bacterial and viral illnesses. This thick, yellowish According to the American Academy of Pediatrics
will last for 2 to 4 days after childbirth. The (AAP) Policy Statement on Breastfeeding, women
colostrum is very low in volume, so your baby may who don't have health problems should exclusively
nurse very often. breastfeed their infants for at least the first 6
months after birth. The World Health Organization
TRANSITION (4th - 14th day) also recommend that infants be exclusively
Transitional milk contains high levels of fat, lactose, breastfed for about the first 6 months, and then
vitamins and more calories it is more energy-dense continuing breastfeeding while introducing
than colostrum, it supports the nutritional and appropriate complementary foods until 12 months
developmental needs of the rapidly growing infant. old or older.
This stage lasts about 2 weeks and you may notice
that your breasts will become firmer, larger and Medical Considerations with Breast Feeding
maybe a little uncomfortable. In a few situations, breastfeeding could cause a
baby harm. Here are some reasons you should not
MATURE (14th day and beyond) breastfeed:
Mature milk is thinner and contains more water You are HIV positive
than transitional milk. It is actually consisting of You have active, untreated tuberculosis.
90% water, an 8% mix of carbohydrates, proteins You're receiving chemotherapy for cancer.
and fats and 2% of minerals and vitamins. There are You're using an illegal drug, such as cocaine
also two types of mature milk, first, the foremilk or marijuana.
occurs at the beginning of the feeding and contains
Your baby has a rare condition called
water, vitamins and protein, second is hindmilk
galactosemia
comes at the end of the feeding and contains
You're taking certain prescription
higher levels of fat.
medications, such as some drugs for
migraine headaches, Parkinson's disease,
or arthritis.
Hunger Cues and Fullness Cues of the Infant
Hunger Cues:
Crying
Licking their lips or sticking out their tongue
Rooting, which is moving their jaw, mouth,
or head to look for your breast
Putting their hand in their mouth
Opening their mouth
Fussiness
Sucking on things
Fullness Cues:
Closing lips when bottle gets close
Turning away from the food source
Decrease or stop sucking
Spitting out the nipple
Shows an interest in surroundings rather
than eating
Common Breastfeeding Positions
1. Cradle Position
The cradle hold is the classic breastfeeding
position. In this position, the baby feeds with its
stomach against the woman’s body.
2. Cross-Cradle Positions
The cross-cradle is usually the best latch for
newborns. The hold is similar to the cradle hold,
but the woman supports the baby with the arm
opposite to the breast the baby is feeding from.
3. Football Hold
The football or clutch hold. This position might be a
good choice if you're recovering from a C-section or
have large breasts.
4. Laid Back Positions
This position is sometimes called biological nursing
because it stimulates a baby’s instinctive feeding
reflexes, and allows the woman to feed from a
comfortable, supported position.
5. Side Lying
Side-lying is an ideal breastfeeding position for
women recovering from surgery, and for exhausted
women feeding at night. Women who co-sleep with
the baby tend to use this position.
