Baby 'n Me ~ Breastfeeding

If you ask any medical professional whether or not you should nurse your baby, chances are they will tell
you ‘absolutley!’. They will inform you of all the bonding, the nourishment benefits, etc. But the one thing
that they don’t really tell you is the fact that it’s not always easy to do, and that there is a form of science
behind it. Many new mothers do not research the subject before they begin breastfeeding which often
leads to confusion, frustration and ultimately switching to formula. The fact that these new Moms do not
research it isn't because they don’t care, it’s simply because they are misled into thinking that nursing your
child is the most natural thing you could do - and it is natural! But natural doesn’t always mean easy...

Misconception #1: Every Woman Must Breastfeed

Don’t get me wrong…we all know that breastfeeding is nutritionally the best thing you can do for your newborn baby.
Mother-Infant bonding is another huge benefit. However, there are reasons why it might do more harm than good
when a mother nurses.

One major reason is emotional. If a mother is strongly opposed to nursing and feels as though she is being
forced into it, she could hold resentments toward her baby. Breastfeeding is meant to be a beautiful way for
Mother and baby to bond. If a woman does not view it this way, the results could be negative.

Medical reasons could be another reason. Some women have trouble producing milk. However many women think they
have this problem when really they don’t. They are just not informed enough and are assuming that it’s not
happening as easily for them because there is something wrong. Again, breastfeeding can be a huge uphill battle and
many women are misled into thinking it should be easy when that often is not the case. Consult your physician before
you make a self diagnosis.

Some mothers must work outside the home and are not able to stay at home and exclusively breastfeed. Perhaps
they have to return to work soon after they give birth. However, that’s no reason to not nurse at all. Even a couple
months of breast milk is extremely beneficial to your precious child. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

Alternative: If you have decided not to breastfeed for this reason, consider pumping. That way you are still passing
on all the nutritional benefits of breast milk to your baby (and saving a tonne of $$!).

Misconception #2: Natural Means Easy

Many women think that because breastfeeding is all natural form of feeding your baby, that it must be easy! I was one
of them. And it can be for some Moms; some babies will actually find their Mother's nipple minutes after being born,
latch on and that's that. But, that's not how it often happens. Many women have to introduce their nipple to their
newborn and get their little one to latch on with a technique they've learned. I strongly recommend taking a class on
breastfeeding your baby. My husband and I went to a Lactation Specialist for an afternoon to educate ourselves on
how to breastfeed. It's recommended that your husband be included so he can understand the work that can be
behind this task, and can try to assist you in getting started. It's also a way he can be involved with such a beautiful
bonding experience. Lactation Specialists are a wonderful resource in more ways than just this. She gaves us notes to
go over and to refer to once we had our precious baby and even told us to call her (free of charge) if we had any
troubles and she would walk us through it. They have this job because they truly want to help!

Misconception #3: Proper Latch

Never underestimate the power of a proper latch. This can mean the difference between having cracked nipples and
not. I never had to worry about this problem because I learned the proper techinque - it took many tries to master it,
but I eventually did! And it made the entire experience that much more beautiful.

Misconception #4: Newborns Need to Eat Immediately After Birth

One of the valuable things I learned was that newborns do not need to eat immediately after giving birth. In fact, they
have enough nourishment in their little bodies (from the Amniotic Fluid) to last them for 24 or even 48 hours!

However, new scientific evidence points to the fact that if all mothers began breastfeeding within one hour of giving
birth, it could drastically reduce global under-five mortality rates. One study has demonstrated that initiation of
breastfeeding within the first hour of birth can reduce infants’ risk of death by 22%. Early initiation of
breastfeeding within the first hour of birth is the first and most vital step towards reducing infant and under-five
mortality.

The milk produced by mothers in the first days after birth, called colostrum, is the perfect food for newborn babies.
Besides being very high in nutritional content, it also contains a complex array of immunological constituents such as
antibodies and leukocytes which help stave off infections and diseases to which newborns are highly vulnerable. It
coats a baby’s stomach to prevent gastrointestinal infections such as diarrhoea, the major killer of babies in the world’
s poor nations. Colostrum, a living fluid, cannot be reproduced artificially, and its life-giving properties are part of what
makes initiating breastfeeding within one hour of birth so critical.^

So, if you're planning to exclusively breastfeed, you don't need to supplement with formula should your newborn not
be nursing. The important element is the colostrum. Try to pump so you can finger/bottle feed the colostrum later.

Misconception #5: Your Baby Needs to Nurse for a Long Time in the Beginning

After you have a baby, your body goes into Mommy mode. The biggest area that changes is your breasts. They will
do all the work for you if you let them! Your breastmilk automatically adjusts to the needs of your baby. A perfect
example of this is colostrum. This is the type of milk your baby first drinks when they are born. It is packed with the
nutrients your baby needs in a very concentrated amount so they do not need to nurse for long to get what they
need in the first few tries. So, if you pump in the first couple of days after giving birth, don't expect a lot of milk and
don't expect it to look like milk. Colostrum is more of a yellow pigment than white.

Misconception #6: There is No benefit or Nursing After 6 Weeks

Any amount of breastmilk you can give your baby is beneficial. One of the biggest benefits your breastmilk has are the
antibodies. These are something your body creates to start to build your baby's immune system. Antibodies cannot
be man made. They are exclusively found in breastmilk.

Breastmilk is also easier on your baby because the milk is all natural and there are no foreign substances going into
your babies system. Therefore, their little system knows how to break everything down and there is little waste. This
is why breastfed babies seem to eat more often than formula fed (hence waking through the night more often) but
it's for a good reason.

Misconception #7: Breastfeeding as Birth Control

It used to be thought that breastfeeding could be used as a form of birth control since your hormones are in a
different state than a woman who doesn't nurse. When you breastfeed regularly, many women also don't get their
period for the same hormonal reason. And for many women it is harder to reproduce during this time. Your body
does this purposely so it can use all its' resources on your little one and not have to 'share' with another tiny person
developing in your body. However, harder doesn't mean impossible. That has been proven time and time again as
women have become pregnant during this time. So, your best bet is to stick to conventional methods of birth control.

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