"I LOVE donating milk, especially since I have far too much of it, and love knowing I can give other babies a nutritious start in life"
Dena F. (breastmilk donor) - Noordhoek
Terri (breastmilk donor) Green Point
"I never knew the babies I donated to, but I am very happy in the knowledge that my body was able to provide for sickly newborns whose mothers were unable to breastfeed."
Nwabisa (breastmilk donor) - Pinelands
"It cost me nothing and took just a bit of my time. More importantly, I was saving a life, a little baby's life."
Helen P (breastmilk donor) - Cape Town
General Breastfeeding Tips
Preparing for your Baby's Birth
Your Newborn Baby
Potential Breastfeeding Problems
Where to go for support
General Breastfeeding Tips
- Latching and Positioning
- Colostrum
- The Sleepy Newborn
- Frequent, Demand Feeding or Baby Led Feeding
- Your Newborn Baby's Cues
- Establishing a good Milk Supply
- Indications that you baby is feeding well in the first few days
- Winding or Burping you Baby
- Including Dads
Latching
Most important is a good latch and position.
A good latch will ensure:
- That the your nipples do not become sore or cracked
- Your baby gets is as much breastmilk as he wants at each feed
- Your breastmilk supply builds up and is maintained
- Do not be concerned if you find latching and positioning difficult to master. If after following the tips given below, your positioning and latching is still not satisfactory, then do not delay in getting expert help from someone such as a lactation consultant. (See Useful Contacts page)
Positioning
Whether lying down or sitting, get comfortable with your back well supported.
- All positions require you to support your baby's neck and shoulders.
- Keep his body close to yours and
- His knees, hips, tummy and nose facing you.
- Position him so that his lower lip or nose is in line with your nipple
- NB The baby goes to the breast not the breast to the baby
- It is far easier to achieve when your baby is not wrapped in a blanket or even better, held skin to skin.
Below, the correct and incorrect way to position your baby
Here are some breastfeeding positions that may assist you:
- Mother lying on her side, supporting baby's neck & shoulders.
- Cross-hold, useful for learning to latch
- Baby's head resting on mother's for-arm.
- Tucked under mother's arms, feet facing towards the back. Ideal for twins and premature babies
A Good Latch
Mature healthy babies know instinctively how to find the breast and to breastfeed when left skin to skin with their mothers. Most often we tend to hurry the process along.
- You and your baby need to be warm and comfortable.
- Some may need a little coaxing: Hold your baby on his side facing your breast while you support his neck and shoulders.
- Touching your mouth with the nipple will encourage him to turn his head towards your breast and open his mouth wide to take the breast i.e. latch.
- For correct latching, the nipple, together with a good part of the areola (dark skin around the nipple), should be drawn into your baby's mouth. Pain is an indication of an incorrect latch.
- Lips turned outwards, a strong jaw action and movement of the muscles above your baby's ear would indicate that your baby is latched and suckling well.
- When baby has had enough, he will fall asleep or release the nipple.
- However if you need to stop the feed sooner it is very important that the suction should be broken first: Insert a clean finger into the corner of his mouth between the gums and hold it there while releasing the nipple.
Don't allow your fingers to be in the way of where you want your baby to latch.
Note that the nipple is in line with the baby's upper lip rather than the middle of his mouth
Colostrum
Colostrum is the perfect food for any newborn baby, premature or full term. Even when moms are not planning on breastfeeding, it is highly recommended that they offer their babies colostrum in the first few days.
Colostrum contains all the nutrients in perfect proportion for your baby as well as many protective immune factors otherwise lacking in newborn babies.
The nutrients in colostrum are so concentrated that your baby needs only around 5 ml every 2 hours, in the first 24 hours.
The Sleepy Newborn
Should your baby be very sleepy in the first few hours after birth, you could express a little of your colostrum onto a clean teaspoon and give it to your baby. All the while keeping your baby skin to skin.
Continue doing this often, every hour or two, depending on how much colostrum you are able to express, until your baby breastfeeds well.
Frequent, Demand or Baby Led Feeding
How often is frequent?
- Your baby's breastfeeding pattern or lack thereof, in the first few days, is no indication of his long term pattern or lack thereof.
- It is normal for babies to feed around 10 to 12 times, in 24 hours during the first few days.
- Should your baby still be feeding often and not settling between feeds after the first few days, have a lactation consultant or breastfeeding expert check your baby's latch.
- Should your baby be feeding more often during the night than during the day, you could wake him up for an extra 1 or 2 feeds during the day time, to encourage longer stretches at night.
How long is long enough?
- As a rough guideline, if your baby initially breastfeeds for less than 5 min or longer than an hour, the latch needs to be checked.
- In general the length of feeds may vary from feed to feed; allow your baby to drink for as long as he wants to at one breast before offering the other.
- Should your baby's feeds consistently last for an extended time and he not settle well afterwards, have a lactation consultant or breastfeeding expert check your baby's latch.
NB It is not possible for your milk to be to thin or too weak. Even woman who are undernourished produce nutritious milk for their babies.
Good reasons for Frequent, Demand Feeding or Baby Led Feeding
- Frequent feeding encourages a better milk production and ensures a more contented baby.
- A good latch with the nipple and areola in your baby's mouth is always important.
- The subsequent stimulation of the breast results in the release of hormones into the blood stream. One of the hormones oxytocin causes the muscle cells around the milk producing glands to contract, squeezing milk into the milk ducts. It may be felt as a tingling sensation and is known as the let-down reflex.
- Breastmilk is easily digested and moves rapidly from the stomach into the intestinal tract, necessitating frequent feeds.
- Initially your baby's stomach capacity is small - 5 to 10 ml, gradually increasing to 20 ml by the third day.
- Frequent feeding will also prevent your breasts becoming engorged or hard and uncomfortable.
- Allow your baby to finish feeding at the first breast before offering the second side. At times he may not want more from the second breast; offer that side first at the next feed.
- Provided your baby is positioned and suckling well, he may feed for as long and as often as he needs. During the first few days babies may need around 10 or more feeds in 24 hours.
- To encourage your baby to sleep for longer stretches at night feed him more frequently during the day.
- Given time, you and your baby will adjust to your own pattern. Most babies will demand less frequent feeds as the weeks go by.
Your Newborn Baby's Cues
Learning to understand your newborn babys' cues allows you to respond to her needs, to feed her at an optimal time and not wait until she is crying before feeding her. Below is an example of how a newborn baby may behave on wakening.
- She tends to stretch then wriggle and squirm.
- If left alone she will become more restless then turn her head from side to side and put her fingers or fists into her mouth.
- If left alone for longer she begins to make little noises, which if ignored become louder and louder and develop into a full bellowed cry.
The best time to feed your baby
- Is when she indicates to you that she is hungry by turning her head from side to side and putting her fingers or fists into her mouth.
- Leaving her to cry loudly may be too late, as she would need to be settled before you could feed her.
The quiet alert time
- The so called quiet alert time, when your baby has just woken or, after her feed when she is still awake but very calm, is a good time to massage, bath or just spend time communicating with your baby.
Establishing A Good Milk Supply
- It is perfectly normal to have a only little milk or colostrum, as it is called, in the first few days.
- Your baby's tummy is only as big as a marble - 5 to 10 ml. For this reason your baby needs frequent feeds, around 10 or more, in the first day or two.
- This frequent stimulation results in an increased milk supply.
- By day 3 or 4 your breasts are likely to feel full and heavy.
- This settles down within a day or two and by 6 weeks the breasts feel quite soft again. You will always have enough if you allow your baby to feed as often as he wants and for as long as he wants.
- A good latch is always vitally important.
Indications That You Baby Is Feeding Well In The First Few Days
- She feeds well 8 to 12 times in 24 hours.
- She sleeps well between feeds.
- You do not have painful nipples.
- She has at least 6 wet nappies a day.
- The urine is pale in colour and has a mild odour.
- She must have at least 4 dirty nappies a day.
- She comes off the breast in her own time when satisfied.
Winding or Burping you Baby
Burping or the lack thereof is of great concern to parents. The truth is that not all babies need to burp all the time. Why not spend no more that 5 minutes burping, if nothing happens, continue the feed or continue as though he has burped. You may get a lot more sleep that way.
Including Dads
- Dads may not be able to breastfeed but they can play a enormous role in supporting breastfeeding moms.
- Besides Kangarooing, dads are particularly good at winding babies and getting them to sleep.
- When your baby is around 6 weeks or more Dad could offer him a feed of expressed breastmilk once in a while so that you can catch a little extra sleep.
- Mothers are able to form close bonds with their babies and fathers often feel left out. Work hard at including him when it comes to caring for your baby. Remember he is trying his best, don't correct him when he tries to help. He will be far more willing to help next time if he were encouraged rather than discouraged.
