By Sr Teresa Hayward (RN, RM, Lactation consultant, Infant & Paediatric Nutritionist, Baby Sleep consultant)
New moms are so overwhelmed with information, and family and friends all want to help with their own advise and then the nurses and doctors in hospital are giving their advise too. My first top tip, is when it comes to Breastfeeding only listen to your Lactation consultant, no one else. A lactation consultant is the only professional that is trained professionally in Breastfeeding, and every new mom should have a lactation consultant Breastfeeding tips for New moms
· Acknowledge that expectations around sleep need to be realistic, not based on society created ideas of what is normal Breastfed babies do wake frequently for feeds at night. In a young baby, this is not a baby with a sleep problem. Waking frequently helps to increase and maintain your milk supply. And it also meets their emotional and physical needs, but also helps to reduce the risk of SIDS (cot death)
· The only schedule you should think about is the one your baby puts you on, not the other way around The feed, play, sleep routine makes no sense for a breastfed baby. Breastfed babies feed for many different reasons. Hunger is only one of them. Breastmilk also contains components that actually help your baby to fall asleep. Your milk is literally designed to put your baby to sleep and help them to fall back to sleep in the night. The biggest mistake moms make is offering formula to make baby sleep at night. Instead of following the clock, follow your baby. Your baby will not fit in with your schedule, you need to fit in with theirs.
· Don’t worry about how your latch looks or if your areola is all the way in your baby’s mouth. It does not matter Often moms spend so much time concentrating on what their latch looks like, because everyone is telling them to do that, that they end latching baby badly. It is about how your latch feels. Your lactation consultant will guide you on how to latch baby properly and she will explain it is more about position of mom and baby than whole much nipple goes into the mouth. Breastfeeding should never be painful, so if you have any pain or discomfort, your baby is unsettled when feeding or your baby is not draining the breast well, then the latch is NOT GOOD!
· Babies are designed to fall asleep at the breast, so don’t try to get them to sleep any other way
We often find that moms are told that it is a bad habit to allow a baby to feed to fall asleep. However, this goes against the biological norm of what babies, and even toddlers need to do. They are designed to relax and fall asleep while feeding. If someone does tell you to stop doing this, they don’t understand to biologically normal and expected behaviours of babies and toddlers. It is not only okay to breastfeed your baby to sleep, but it often something moms and babies enjoy doing.
· Trust your they instinct and you body! Often moms are told by family, friends and even doctors that their baby shouldn’t be feeding so much. They are told they shouldn’t be feeding their baby to sleep. They are also told they are going to spoil their baby because they hold them so much. Always remember to trust what your baby is telling you. Make sure you do what feels right for both of you. Your baby will tell you if what you're doing is working for them or not. It not about whether your baby conforms to societal norms, its about what your baby needs. They have enough time in their life to conform to societal norms, and now is not the time. Their needs include breastfeeding and cuddles for many months, but especially in the first 3months.
· If you have questions or concerns about breastfeeding, seek help from a Lactation consultant as soon as possible With breastfeeding related concerns and challenges, the quicker you seek help, the better, and the less likely you will have an ongoing issue. It is well documented that many moms feel a lack of support with breastfeeding from their health professionals after birth. The reason this is they are not trained in breastfeeding and do not have the knowledge and experience a Lactation consultant has. Moms are so often given the wrong advise and it makes the problem worse, or even cause the mom to stop breastfeeding. The sooner you get help, the better and we will have a happy baby and mom!
As a lactation consultant, who has also specialized in Infant and paediatric nutrition, I am extremely passionate about Breastfeeding. My aim is assist very mom to breastfeed for as long as they want to, but at the same time respect their decision to not breastfeed. Please feel free to contact me for assistance with all your infant feeding needs. A lactation consult is 1hr and is R400. I do submit directly to some medical aids for moms else moms can claim back from their Medical aid. Contact me at 0824009501
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