Off the bat, I knew I wanted to breastfeed rather than formula-feed, at least for the first 6 months or so. Better if I could do it longer. The benefits of breastmilk far outweigh those of formula, for one. By simply nursing your newborn for the first couple of days, where he or she gets colostrum (don't mistake this for the usual white breastmilk you're familiar with), you are giving your baby his or her first vaccine. Colostrum protects your newborn from infection by coating his or her intestinal tract and preventing harmful bacteria. Colostrum also acts as a laxative to clean out meconium, your baby's first poop (it's black and tar-like, made up of the substance that lines the baby's intestines).
But... my primary reasons for breastfeeding are #1 it's free and #2 it's convenient.
A 900-gram can of formula milk ranges from Php400-1000. And a baby consumes a 900-gram can every two weeks or so.
Formula-feeding also requires using baby bottles and sterilization, and a lot of other minor tasks that you don't need with breastfeeding.
Benefits of and Interesting Information about Breastfeeding/Breastmilk
1. Breastmilk builds the newborn's immune system. Newborns on their own do not yet have a mature immune system to protect them from illness. The antibodies in the mother's breastmilk are actually transferred to the baby, giving them immunity from the illness that the mother is also immune to, and protects the baby from infectious agents he or she is most likely to encounter in his or her first few weeks of life.
What's interesting is that a mother's milk is custom-designed to protect her baby. When your baby is exposed to a new germ, this is passed on to the mother during feeding, and the mother manufactures antibodies to that germ which she then transfers to the baby during the next feeding!
2. Breastmilk is your baby's complete food. Your breastmilk already contains all and has the perfect balance of the vitamins and nutrients he or she needs in the first 6 months. Breastmilk is 90% water, and provides all your baby's necessary hydration. You do not need to supplement breastmilk with water or any other liquid/food.
Do you know that the composition or components of breastmilk changes every day according to your baby's needs? This means that your milk now will not have the same composition as your milk a month from now.
3. Breastmilk will always be the right temperature for your baby. There is no need to warm or cool your breastmilk before the baby can ingest it. It is always the perfect temperature. If your baby is feeling warm or feverish, your breastmilk with be cooler than normal!
4. Breastmilk is easily digestible. Newborns do not yet have a mature digestive system. The composition of breastmilk makes it easier to digest than formula, because breastmilk contains enzymes that actually aid digestion. This is why breastmilk is digested in 1.5 hours or so, while formula takes 3-4 hours to digest. All of the protein in breastmilk is digested and absorbed by the baby's system, while only about half of the protein in formula are so absorbed. The remaining half is passed by the baby as waste product, which is why formula-fed babies have larger, firmer stools than breastfed babies.
Because breastmilk is easily digestible and there is less waste product, breastfed babies rarely become constipated.
5. Breastfed babies report to have higher IQ and better jaw alignment. Unlike bottle feeding, where babies "suck" rather than "suckle", breastfeeding requires a coordinated tongue and jaw movement and the exertion of more effort than if the babies were sucking milk out of a bottle nipple. This exercise strengthens the baby's jaw.
More importantly, breastmilk has been shown to be richer in the long-chain saturated fatty acids that are essential for brain development.
6. Breastfeeding is great for weight loss. Producing milk burns an average of 500 calories a day, which is about a one-pound weight loss per week! Breastfeeding is therefore a great way to help you shed the weight you've gained during pregnancy, without having to do any exercise yet.
7. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis. According to studies, a woman's risk of developing breast cancer decreases every year she breastfeeds. The benefits are significantly less, however, for women who only breastfeeds for less than a year. In addition, while mothers lose calcium while lactating, their bone density not only returns but actually increases after weaning, resulting in stronger bones and reduced risk of osteoporosis.
8. Breastfeeding delays the return of your menstrual period. Exclusively breastfeeding mommies for 6 months do not get their period during this time, and rarely ovulate (and therefore is a natural birth control).
9. Nursing for at least 6 months already protects your baby against several illnesses and childhood cancers, while nursing for more than a year gives your baby health benefits lasting a lifetime (against diabetes, asthma, obesity, high cholesterol).
10. Breastfeeding fosters a bond between the mother and baby, resulting in few feelings of anxiety and stronger sense of connection.
The Proper Latch
While pregnant, I not only read a lot on breastfeeding and the proper way to do it, I also joined seminars and talks on the matter. Even more, I set up a meeting with Kristy Luy who heads the Cebu Breastfeeding Club. A staunch advocate of breastfeeding, Kristy talked me through proper latch and positioning, frequency of feeds, etc.
They say that while breastfeeding is a natural process, it doesn't necessarily come naturally. I agree. Had I not met with Kristy or sat in on the breastfeeding talks or seminars, I would have been at a complete loss and would not have been able to effectively breastfeed Maddy.
Both Kristy and the seminars emphasized the importance of a proper latch, which is the key to the baby's happy and easy feeding, and mommy's pain-free nursing. Without proper latching by the baby to the mother's breasts, nursing can be excruciatingly painful.
Here are a few tips and pieces of advice I gathered on proper latching, positioning, and breastfeeding in general:
(a) Start breastfeeding your baby when she is alert and shows cues of hunger. Don't wait until the baby is wailing. Hunger cues are when your baby starts sucking his or her fists or fingers, or moving his or her side to side looking for your breast. In Maddy's case, her hunger cues are when she starts sucking on my shoulder or arm while I'm holding her, or when makes a rooting complex and follows my finger when I touch the corner of her mouth or cheek.
(b) Tickle her lower lip with your nipple. This makes the baby open his or her mouth at its widest, which enables you to insert your breast tissue and areola, rather than just your nipple, into the baby's mouth.
(c) When the baby's mouth is wide open, bring your baby to your breasts - do not move your breast towards your baby. There is poor latching if you are hunched over your baby.
Your baby's lips have to be turned out and puckered like a fish's; otherwise, unlatch and try again.
(d) Make sure that the baby latches on to both the nipple and areola. Sucking on the nipple will not compress the milk ducts and will cause soreness and cracking to the nipple, and lead to a very painful nursing. For my sore and sometimes cracked nipples, I found Mustela's Nursing Comfort Balm to be extremely effective. What's great is that it's hypoallergenic, can be used right after a feed, and there's no need to rinse it out for the next feed.
However, more often than not it was easier and as effective for me to just express a little breastmilk and apply the milk around the sore and cracked nipples. Yes - freshly expressed breastmilk has antibacterial properties and can soothe and heal your cracked and sore nipples! Just don't forget to air dry after you apply the milk.
Actually, in general, don't forget to air dry your nipples after feeding.
(e) Make sure that your breasts are not blocking the baby's nose. Lightly depress your breast with your finger. If you are cradle holding your baby, try to lower or drop her bum. This will slightly lift your baby's head up.
(f) Once your baby has finished nursing, but is still latched on, do not pull out your nipple. Break the suction by depressing your breast or inserting your pinkie or finger into the corner of the baby's mouth to let in air.
(g) Nurse on demand. Kristy was firm that you should not feed on a schedule; rather, feed on demand. If the demand is not yet there and your newborn is sleeping for more than 3-4 hours, wake him or her up by tickling his or her feet or prodding their cheeks. Frequent nursing increases your milk supply. While a baby usually feeds 5-15 minutes on each breast or a total of 30-40 minutes, there is no need to limit your sessions if the baby still wants to feed. Remember, overfeeding is not very likely in breastfed babies (unless they are frequently spitting up or regurgitating the milk), but is more common with formula-fed babies.
Oftentimes during the baby's first few weeks and months, they will cluster feed and will want to be latched on to your breast endlessly for 2-3 hours (4 hours on occasion, in my case!). This is normal. While this usually occurs before the baby's evening sleep time, cluster feeding can strike early or late in the afternoon, or even past midnight. For Maddy, she has cluster fed from 10pm-1am and even 11pm-2am O_o Talk about sleepless nights.
And don't expect your weeks-old baby to give you 2-3 hour intervals between sleeping and feeding. While others are lucky this way, Maddy on the other hand has been feeding hourly. It's only when she hit the 1-month mark that she has started sleeping for half an hour to an hour longer than usual.
(h) Aim to empty a breast. Ideally you'd want to empty out one breast before offering the other. What I do is alternate these exercises. Most times I offer the first breast for feeding 10-15 minutes, burp her, then offer the other. Once in a while I'll offer only one breast exclusively for that feeding session, and the other for the next, just to really empty out the breasts in that day.
Why? So that your body can produce more milk (which it does more if your breasts empty out), and there is less chance of plugged milk ducts and engorgement. Also, so your baby can get the hindmilk. Foremilk is the milk that comes out at the start of feeding, and is watery, to satiate your baby's thirst. Hindmilk, which comes out a bit later, has higher fat content than foremilk, is creamier, and stimulates the baby's growth.
Breastfeeding Positions
Among the several positions for breastfeeding, I just regularly do the cradle hold.
Sometimes if I'm really tired at night and am too exhausted to lift up Maddy, I'll bring her to the bed, level her head with my breast, and feed her side-lying. We both end up falling asleep on our sides, facing each other.
(side-lying for an exhausted mommy)
An important thing to note during cradle or cross-cradle, and clearly during side-lying, is that the baby's tummy should be facing you. The baby's entire body should be in a straight line, with the knees, hips, stomach, chest and head facing towards the mommy. It can just be the baby's face or head turned at the neck to suck.
I usually put a small pillow under my arm to help prop Maddy's head and keep it level with my breast. A lot of people swear by Boppy Pillow, and I actually have one ordered off Amazon.
However, sometimes I found the Boppy cumbersome to use. It takes a while to wedge myself inside the curve, which is difficult to do when I'm already holding on to Maddy. It's a bit too thick and heavy to pick up with one hand, so it's necessary that you're already wedged in the Boppy before you can pick up your baby for nursing. It t kind of only works when you're sitting straight in a chair, and not so much when you're in bed or a low couch.
Kristy mentioned that a rolled up towel will do fine to prop up under your arm. Personally, I've been more inclined to use a travel neck pillow. It's firm but cushiony, small enough to easily adjust with one free hand and big enough to support Maddy's head.
Happy breastfeeding!
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