subject: General Info In Relation To Breast Feeding [print this page] Breast feeding is the natural way for infants to eat. A woman's Breast milk contains large amounts of antioxidants and disease fighting cells called antibodies, these help to protect babies from germs and illness. Breast feeding is not only the healthy choice for babies but also the least likely the upset their digestive system. Baby formula cannot exactly match the chemical makeup of human breast milk, it does not contain the hormones and antibodies that infants may need. Breast milk changes over time to give the baby what it needs. During pregnancy and right after birth the breast milk is usually thick and yellow, this type of breast milk is called colostrum, it contains all the nutrients that newborns need. Around about day three or day five it thins out and begins to look white and contains all the things your baby needs at that time including sugars and fats. Part of understanding how to breast feed properly comes from knowing how breast milk is created to begin with. A woman's breast is essentially a large gland. Cells inside a woman's breast called aveoli create milk in response to the hormone prolactin, then a hormone called oxytocin makes small muscles around the cells constrict and move milk through the tubes that lead to the milk ducts in the nipple itself and around the areola. The size of a woman's breast have nothing to do with how much milk they will produce and will not affect the ability or effectiveness of her breastfeeding. Latching can sometimes be an issue for new mothers. If the latch is painful then it is best for the woman to break the latch by placing a clean finger in the corner of the babies mouth and then help the baby relatch by pointing the nipple toward the back of the babies mouth as well as placing the base of the nipple as far from the bottom lip as possible. After feeding the nipple should not be flattened or compressed in any way, the nipple should either be the same as before feeding or long and rounded. Breast feeding shouldn't hurt if it does then you should help your baby re latch by placing a clean finger in the corner of your babies mouth to break the latch. The infant may be only sucking on the nipple which could cause pain. The nipple should not look flat or compressed when it comes out of the infant's mouth it should look long and round or the same as it did before it fed. Breast feeding should not be a painful experience. If a latch hurts then it is best to help your baby relatch and follow the steps previously mentioned. The mother should know that a baby knows how to latch and how to find a breast on its own. It is also useful to keep the infant in the same room at night so that the mother can see the first signs it being hungry. Babies show hunger by acting more alert and active they may put their fists to their mouth or make sucking motions, crying is a late sign of hunger. Let your baby decide when to stop nursing, if the baby still seems hungry after the first breast, offer the other.
