Tuesday, January 31, 2012

8 Things Every Breastfeeding Mother Should Know Before Giving Birth

I came across this article and this is something that every pregnant woman should know about. Breastfeeding is much healthier for the baby and helps the mother lose weight since she is giving some of her calories to the baby. 

Also science says that breastfeeding reduces your chances of getting breast cancer. For more on this see 7 Most Effective Ways to Prevent Breast Cancer. I bet that you will never guess what number 0 is. Why did I number it 0 (zero). Medical doctors have proven that this is 90% effective in preventing breast cancer.

1. It says that breastfeeding should begin within an hour of birth but does not explain why. I guess this makes it easier for the baby to learn to get its nutrition through its mouth than through the umbilical cord.

2. You should have a couple of nursing bras and nursing tanks in your hospital bag.

3. Allow your body to go into labor naturally to greatly increase your chances for establishing successful breastfeeding.

4. It is normal for the breastfeeding to hurt the first few days but it gets better.

5. The first few days you get a little colostrum that is like pre-milk. It is extremely healthy for the baby. Some companies sell colostrum from cows as a supplement. Note that this is the correct spelling, not the one on the article. Wikipedia says:
Colostrum (also known colloquially as beestings,[1] bisnings[2] or first milk) is a form of milk produced by the mammary glands of mammals in late pregnancy. Most species will generate colostrum just prior to giving birth. Colostrum contains antibodies to protect the newborn against disease, as well as being lower in fat[3] and higher in protein than ordinary milk.

6. Make sure to have a breast pump ready at home.

7. The baby should be breastfed whenever it wants to not on some schedule.

8. Quote from article below: "Bottles or pacifiers should be avoided for as long as possible to avoid nipple confusion. Nipple confusion is a problem that arises when a breastfed baby is given an artificial (rubber or silicon) nipple and must try to learn to nurse both from his mother's breast and the bottle nipple."

8 Things Every Breastfeeding Mom Should Know Before Giving Birth