Baby Care: First Year

Lesson 5: Feeding: Breast and Bottle

Breastfeeding Concerns

Breastfeeding is a skill that takes practice to master. The following are common concerns during the learning process.

Foods and Medications: Be mindful of what you eat as you did during pregnancy. Eat quality, high-nutrition foods and drink plenty of water. (See pages 147 to 150 in The Baby Book for more information on eating during lactation and foods that can bother your baby.) Avoid drugs and herbs that may be dangerous to your baby. (See page 155 in The Baby Book for a list of medications that are safe to use while breastfeeding.)

Colic: Colic is often caused by foods that you eat. Foods that commonly upset your baby's stomach are dairy products, caffeine, grains and nuts, spicy foods, and foods that give you gas. When your baby experiences a colicky episode, think about what you ate and try avoiding it for a while to see if your baby gets better. (See pages 148 to 150 and Chapter 16 for more information on colic.)

Nipple Care: Use only water to cleanse your nipples. Soap will dry them out. If you experience soreness, make sure that your position and latch-on are correct. Dry your nipples after each feeding. You can apply a lanolin product, such as Lansinoh, to soothe and heal sore or cracked nipples.

Sagging Breasts: Breastfeeding does not cause your breasts to sag, pregnancy does. Your bigger, softer breasts are comforting to your baby.

Engorgement: Hard, swelled breasts can be painful for you and can make it difficult for your baby to latch on to empty your breasts. Express or pump out just enough milk so your baby can latch on. Relieve the pain and swelling in your breasts by applying cold compresses. Don't use warm compresses because heat can increase tissue swelling.

Leaking Milk: Unexpected leaking is usually only a problem during the early weeks. After your milk supply has stabilized, you may still leak a small amount from the opposite nipple while breastfeeding. You can wear disposable or washable breastpads in your bra to absorb leaking milk. Avoid using pads with plastic backing because they prevent air circulation and encourage bacterial growth.

Artificial Nipples: Avoid giving your baby artificial nipples or pacifiers until breastfeeding is well established. Artificial nipples can interfere with his sucking technique and make breastfeeding more difficult. (See pages 92 to 93 in The Baby Book for information on the use of pacifiers.)

Supplemental Fluids: Avoid giving your baby supplemental water or formula. This will interfere with your milk supply. Breast milk production is a supply and demand system. If your baby misses a feeding, you won't produce as much milk next time. The more he drinks, the more you produce.

Giving formula to a breastfed baby may upset the balance of enzymes and nutrients in his digestive system and may interfere with the protective qualities your milk provides.

Pumping and Storing Milk: Your baby can still receive your milk when you go back to work. (See pages 162 to 170 in The Baby Book for information on expressing, pumping, and storing milk.)

Biting: If you feel your baby's teeth closing down to bite, pull him in close so his nose is covered and he will automatically let go in order to open his mouth and uncover his nose to breathe. Avoid shouting or pulling him away because he may be so alarmed that he stops breastfeeding for a few days.

Breastfeeding as Birth Control: In order for breastfeeding to work as a contraceptive:

• Feed your baby frequently according to his cues day and night.
• Avoid supplemental bottles and pacifiers.
• Delay solid foods until at least four to six months when your baby is developmentally ready.

Most mothers who follow these practices are infertile for thirteen to sixteen months.

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