Any mother would say that the most fulfilling experience would be feeding baby right from her breasts. It’s about knowing the nutritional benefits of the breast milk suckled by the little one from her, as well as the deepest bonding right at such young stage of the baby’s growth.
Babies fed right from the breasts or from milk stored and later fed through bottles grow much healthier. Also, they get a stronger immune system from the breast milk. No matter what attempts formula manufacturers do, the breast milk contents could never be replicated, making it the healthiest and cheapest way of feeding baby at the first months, and even up to two years old and beyond. So as the baby gains age, they still get the apt nutrients from the breast milk according to their needs.
For new mothers, they would notice that the milk looks watery at first, and then turn into creamy liquids which contains the fat content needed by the baby’s growing body. If it is noticed that the milk volume has lessened, it is advised that feeding baby more often for two days will help increase breast milk volume. Of course, it would help if the mother ate nutritious foods and consume plenty of healthy liquids such as milk and fruit juices as it will help the increase of breast milk production.
Though it would feel and look awkward at first, breastfeeding is as natural as any functions of a woman. Some are scared and feel inadequate but that’s mostly because of lack of knowledge on how to breastfeed properly.
For starters, new mothers should relax and find a comfortable sitting position with good back support. The baby should be cradled in the arms, with mouth positioned close to the breasts and the rest of the delicate body of the babe in a relaxed position alongside the arm of the mother. Using a pillow to support the baby and ease the baby’s weight on the mother’s arm is a good idea. This way, feeding baby is most comfortable for both the mother as well as the hungry little one.
It’s instinctive for the baby to open their mouths once they touch the nipple or any area of the breasts, so it should not be difficult to let them start suckling and feeding. Make sure that their little mouth covers the entire nipple, including the areola, so that the suckling does not hurt you. Also, this way helps their sucking motion to make more milk to come out. Read is breastfeeding the best choice for more information about breastfeeding.
After 10-15 minutes, rouse the baby from sucking and then let him or her burp, then shift to the other breast for more feeding. If the baby appears to had enough, then just pump milk from the other breast and store the breast milk properly in sterilized bottles.
It may sound quite strange as most new things do, but feeding baby with breast milk is probably the best gift a mother can give the little one for his growth and health.
