ASDA Health Matters

Why is it best to breastfeed?

For the baby there lots of important benefits, such as reducing the risks of:

• Ear infections
• Gastro-intestinal infections
• Chest infections
• Urine infections
• Childhood diabetes
• Eczema
• Obesity
• Asthma

For yourself, breastfeeding your baby can help protect you from diseases such as:

• Ovarian cancer
• Breast cancer
• Weak bones later in life (osteoporosis)

What other benefits are there?

There are actually lots of other benefits over bottle feeding which are worth considering. Breastfeeding can help mums and babies to bond well together. Mums who breastfeed also tend to find they return to their pre-pregnancy figure faster.

Breastfeeding is also a lot cheaper and it's less work because you don't have to wash and sterilise bottles, make the milk correctly or warm it to the right temperature. Breastfed babies' nappies tend not to be so smelly either!

How do I learn to breastfeed?

It's the most natural thing in the world to breastfeed your baby and women have been doing it forever, but you still need to take a little time to learn to breastfeed properly. This will help you to avoid some of the pitfalls you've probably heard about, like sore nipples, unsatisfied babies or lack of milk.

During your pregnancy, try to attend parentcraft classes, which include breastfeeding advice, watch video demonstrations or visit a specialist breastfeeding support person. Ask your midwife for details of these.

How to start

Start by preparing yourself and your baby. It's easy to skip this step if your baby seems hungry but it'll save you time and make your feeding session more comfortable if you start well. Sit somewhere comfortable with your back well supported - put cushions behind your back if necessary. Get yourself a snack if you need one and a drink as breastfeeding can make you thirsty. Get the TV remote or a magazine to relax with.

Make sure your baby's head and body are in a straight line so that your baby is easily able to swallow. If your baby feels heavy in your arms or is growing you might need a pillow on your lap to support her.

Keep the baby's tummy towards you so she doesn't need to turn her head to latch on. She should be able to tilt her head back so it isn't clamped into place but also shouldn't need to reach too far to feed.

Hold your baby close to you so her nose is level with your nipple. This helps your baby to get a big mouthful of breast from underneath the nipple.

Wait until your baby opens her mouth really wide with the tongue down. You can encourage her to do this by gently stroking her top lip.

Quickly bring your baby to your breast.

Your baby will tilt her head back and come to your breast chin first. She should take a large mouthful of breast. Your nipple should go towards the roof of her mouth.

How do I know that the baby is on ok?

• You'll see that your baby has a large mouthful of breast.
• Your baby's chin is touching your breast.
• It shouldn't be too sore after the first few sucks unless you're already sore (the first few sucks can be slightly sore).
• If you can see the dark skin around your nipple, you should see more dark skin above your baby's top lip than below her bottom lip.
• Your baby's cheeks stay rounded while she's sucking.
• Your baby takes long rhythmic sucks and swallows. She also pauses regularly.
• Your baby finishes the feed and comes off the breast on her own.

How often will the baby feed?

Newborn babies have to feed little but often because their stomachs are so tiny. Feeding regularly in the first three days stimulates the breasts to produce milk. You might find your baby starts off by feeding every hour or so but she'll soon find her own pattern of feeding - perhaps every 3-4 hours.

What will help to ensure I can successfully breastfeed?

Be clear about your reasons for breastfeeding. Don't worry if friends or family are negative about breastfeeding and don't be embarrassed about choosing the best for your baby.

If you're worried about breastfeeding in public, practice with muslins before the baby arrives or look at special breastfeeding tops which have hidden flaps or slits which allow for easy breastfeeding.

Write on your birthplan that you're intending to breastfeed and ask for support with the first breastfeed soon after birth.

Try to make sure you always get the baby to latch on properly, even when you're tired or it's 3am. This should prevent you getting too sore and wanting to give up with breastfeeding.

Ask for help early if it's not going to plan. There is great support available from midwives, health visitors, breastfeeding groups and charities.

For more information about breastfeeding, visit www.breastfeeding.nhs.uk.

For pregnancy information, visit Tommy's.