Achieving Successful
Breastfeeding
... the 5 "C's"
Modified from the article By Janet
Lye
Extract from "Keeping Abreast" Jul-Sep
1997 Vol 6 No. 3 Issue
Breastmilk, is nutritionally
the BEST starter food for your baby, and especially
so, the Colostrum. It lowers the risk of illness
in infants with a family history of allergies
and food intolerance. Breastmilk is readily
available, requiring no preparation, sterilization
or refrigeration, thus reducing the baby's
frustration of having to wait for milk.
On the emotional level, breastfeeding provides
the babies the chance to touch, smell, hear,
see and taste - an excellent opportunity for
them to quickly get acquainted with the most
important person in his/her life, from the
first moment of birth. The familiar sound
of the mother's breathing, heartbeat and voice
is enough to subside the anxiety and tension
of a crying baby.
An early start to breastfeeding is advantageous
to the mother too. She will have less vaginal
bleeding and, less risk of hemorrhage after
birth. Breastfeeding causes the release of
the hormone oxytocin, which makes the uterus
contract and return to its pre-pregnant size
sooner. It reduces the risk of breast cancer.
Breastfeeding requires no mixing, measuring,
and no cleaning up - hence making night feeds
quick, and easy (just lie down and put the
baby to the breast).
Breastmilk is inexpensive and always available
at the right temperature. Breast and babies
are portable, making travelling easy and simple,
and with little practice and skill, mothers
can breastfeed their babies anywhere and anytime.
Breastfeeding creates a special bond between
mother and child that comes with touch and
time, a bond that lasts forever.
Understanding
the law of supply and demand:
Milk production works on the principle of
supply and demand, i.e. the more your baby
breastfeeds, the more milk you will produce,
thus satisfying the total equation of supply
and demand.
Frequent feeding causes frequent emptying
of the breasts, which in turn stimulates milk
production. New mothers often have the fear
that they do not have enough to nurse their
baby, therefore, they start supplemental feeds
by bottle. This causes the mother to breastfeed
less frequently. As a result, there is a significant
drop in the milk supply.
Unless medically indicated,
supplementary feeds should be avoided altogether
until your supply is well established and
baby has latched on the breast without difficulty.
 As
a rough guide, to maintain sufficient supply
throughout, you will need to breastfeed at
least 8 to 12 times in 24 hours (including
compulsory night feeds) for the 1st 2-4 weeks,
or even longer, until your baby has achieved
well above birth weight.
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The
5 "C's" to successful breastfeeding:
Following are the five Cs of successful breastfeeding.
CONFIDENCE:
In the past, many mothers felt that bottle-feeding
allowed parents more control over exactly how
much milk their baby was getting. Moreover,
weight gain from bottle-feeding was seen as
one of the major indicators of a satisfied baby.
Getting them into a routine of a 3 or 4 hourly
feed was further seen as a preferred choice
for having a "disciplined" baby.
However, with mothers being more educated and
well informed today, more of them opt for breastfeeding,
and see breastmilk as the perfect choice, best
suited to the needs of a fast growing baby.
It has exactly the right balance of proteins,
fats, and carbohydrates that can be fully absorbed
by the baby.
Your breastmilk is ALL the baby needs, and regardless
of the size or shape of your breasts, you CAN
produce milk in sufficient quantity. Lack of
confidence in your breastfeeding ability could
lead to a stressful breastfeeding experience,
which in turn could cause your milk not to "let
down" completely. So mothers, relax and
have confidence!
COMFORT:
Breastfeeding builds a special bond between
mother and baby. Many mothers are aware of this
aspect and want to develop that special bond.
Breastfeeding is wonderfully relaxing and pleasurable
in its own right and, most mothers who have
successfully breastfed for more than 6 weeks
are so comfortable that they are reluctant to
give it up. Your partner can play an important
role in parenting the breastfed baby by providing
the support and encouragement to make breastfeeding
as comfortable as possible.
CONVENIENCE:
Breastmilk
is ready at anytime and, needs no preparation.
It never goes sour or bad, even if the mother
does not feed on some days.
It is FREE, and always a great savings for the
entire household. Breastfeeding is very easy
when you are on the move. There is no need to
lug big bags to store bottles or hot water flasks.
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CONSISTENCY:
Your baby begins to learn and practice the correct
breastfeeding suck with the first nursing experience.
To settle into an early and successful start
to breastfeeding, it is important to be consistent
in putting the baby to the breast each time
she requires a feed. When both breast and bottle
are offered at the same time, the baby may get
confused and start refusing the breast. It is
best to avoid using any rubber teats during
the first weeks.
So, be consistent and offer only the breast
during the time you are initiating breastfeeding.
COUNSELLING:
For a new mother to gain confidence in breastfeeding,
she needs support and guidance from an experienced
person. In days gone by, she would have got
this support from her mother, mother-in-law
or other elder relatives living with her. However,
in today's nuclear families, new mothers may
not have access to time tested advice on breastfeeding.
Hence, the next best thing to do would be to
seek professional help and advice when you run
into difficulties during the early stages of
breastfeeding.
Trained counselors would give you consistent
and up-to-date advice. For information
and assistance, call the Breastfeeding Mothers'
Support Group of BPNI Maharashtra State Branch
So, make
the right choice and BREASTFEED!
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