Feeding

“What are the benefits of breast feeding?”

Breast is best – for mum and baby. As well as being natural and providing you and your baby with your own special, intimate time, breast milk:

Provides your baby with added protection against infections
Is easy for your baby to digest
Is tailor-made to fulfil his individual needs
Reduces your baby’s risk of allergies such as eczema
Is available on demand, fuss-free

For mums, breast feeding helps your womb return to its previous size and burns up calories, which should help you get back into your pre-pregnancy shape quicker.

And, once you and your baby have settled in to breast feeding, you’ll find it’s quick, easy, convenient - and free!

"How do I breast feed my baby?"

At the very beginning, you and your baby’s natural instincts should ensure that, when he starts to suckle, your breast milk starts to flow. You might need help from your midwife or public health nurse to begin with but, all being well, your baby should soon be latching onto your breast easily.

Here’s our step-by-step guide on how to breast feed your baby:

Make sure you’re comfortable – support your back and arm with pillows and have a glass of water, juice or milk within easy reach.
Turn your baby’s whole body towards you – ‘tummy to mummy’ is the golden rule.
Bring his nose in line with your nipple.
Bring your baby around towards your breast.
Encourage him to ‘latch on’ by gently brushing his mouth against your nipple.
Let your baby feed for as long as he wants to.

If you or your baby don’t take to breast feeding immediately, your midwife or public health nurse will give you lots of help and support until you both know exactly what to do.

Breast feeding can take a lot of patience and a lot of practice - from both of you - but it’s worth it!

"How often should I breast feed my baby?"

During the first few weeks, most babies feed frequently and irregularly, but babies know when they are hungry and when they have had enough, so all you can do is “go with the flow” and feed on demand!

As your baby gets older, he will gradually settle into a feeding routine. But there will be days when he just wants to feed all day, and there will be other days when he wants to feed much less often – but for longer. And there will be times when your baby seems to be much hungrier than normal, which will usually coincide with a growth spurt.

In fact, just when you think you’ve worked it all out, he will come up with a way of confusing you! But no matter when your baby wants to be fed, or for how long, your breast milk will be there, ready and waiting.

"How can I breast feed and have a social life?"

It is possible! You can take your baby with you, as many places have comfortable baby feeding facilities. Or you can express milk so someone else can feed your baby, either when you’re out, or if and when you decide to go back to work. Expressing milk is also a good way to involve your partner, as he can feed your baby your breast milk – and treat you to an unbroken night’s sleep!

You should only express milk once breast feeding is well-established, unless your baby is in special care and it’s the only way he can be given your breast milk. It’s best not to express breast milk in the early weeks of breast feeding as babies get milk from the breast using a squeezing motion, while they get milk from a bottle, by sucking, so if you try combining the two methods too early, your baby might get confused.

Your milk producing hormone levels are the highest at night, and this helps you keep up your supply during the day. So a good time to express milk is first thing in the morning, perhaps while you are feeding your little one.

Breast milk must be expressed into a clean, sterilised container, which can be kept in the coolest part of the fridge (definitely not the fridge door) for up to 24 hours. Expressed breast milk can also be frozen, which must be done within 24 hours of expressing, and will keep in the freezer for up to three months (specially-designed breast milk freezer containers are available). Frozen breast milk must be thawed before use, must be used within an hour of preparation and should not be refrozen.

"I’m breast feeding my baby but I’d also like to give my baby a bottle so he’s accustomed to infant milk when I go back to work and he goes to nursery. Is this possible?"

Yes - but only if breast feeding is well established. To move your baby onto combination feeding, as this method of baby feeding is known, gradually introduce your baby to the bottle, feeding him with a whey-based infant milk such as SMA Gold*. But bear in mind that introducing partial bottle feeding may have a negative effect on breast feeding and reversing a decision not to breast feed is difficult. If you choose to combine the two methods, it is best to breast feed and bottle feed at roughly the same time every day so that your body adjusts to producing more milk when you breast feed, perhaps in the morning and at baby’s bedtime.

For more information about combination feeding, ask your healthcare professional or call the SMA Careline* on 0845 776 2900 or ROI on 1800 931 832.

“Do I have to change my diet if I’m breast feeding?”

As long as your diet is healthy, balanced and varied, and you eat regularly, your body will be able to produce top quality, nourishing breast milk for your baby.

Have at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables (fresh, dried, frozen, tinned or juiced) a day.
Drink lots of fluids – at least 6 - 8 glasses a day.
Boost your energy levels with starchy foods such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes.
Make sure there’s plenty of fibre in your diet, such as wholegrain bread and cereals, as some women experience bowel problems after having a baby.
Drink at least one pint of pasteurised milk a day (or use in puddings, custards, sauces and/or on cereals).
If you don’t like milk, increase your intake of dairy products: one carton of yoghurt or an ounce of hard cheese provides a similar amount of calcium to a third of a pint of pasteurised milk.
Eat at least two portions of lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs (well-cooked), beans or pulses a day.
Take a supplement containing 10 μg of vitamin D every day – your healthcare professional will be able to give your more information about this.
Peanuts, if you or the baby’s father, or either of your families, have a history of allergy you may wish to avoid eating food containing peanuts while breast feeding.
Fish is a great addition to a healthy diet but limit oil-rich fish (such as salmon, mackerel, herring, fresh tuna or sardines) to two servings a week and avoid eating more than one portion a week of shark, swordfish and marlin.
Limit your intake of coffee, tea and cola as caffeine can pass into breast milk and upset your baby.
Keep alcohol intake to a minimum.
Don’t smoke.

Mum’s The Word

A few of our best breast feeding tips…

To avoid sore nipples, when your baby has finished feeding, slide your little finger into the side of his mouth to gently break the suction.
Breast feeding can be quite tiring so, when your baby falls asleep, resist the temptation to use this time to tidy up, make dinner or phone your friends. You should have a nap, too.
Accept all offers of help. Have a list of things that you need help with – such as the ironing – and when visitors asks if there’s anything they can do to help, ask them to choose a chore from the list!
Always make sure there’s a glass of water beside you before you start breastfeeding.
Don’t skip meals – you’ll end up hungry, tired and grumpy.
Wear a supportive, front opening bra – you may also find that bras with breast pads are useful.
Always return your baby to his Moses basket or cot after a night-time feed – don’t be tempted to let him sleep with you.
This is not the time to go on a diet. If you’re worried about your weight, have a chat with your midwife or health visitor.

Feeding problems

Sore, swollen breasts
Some mums experience an unusual sensation when feeding for the first time – this is normal. About three days after the birth, your breasts will become fuller and will produce lots and lots of milk. After about a week or so, milk production will settle down to meet the demands of your baby’s feeding and any uncomfortable feelings of fullness will improve.

If your breasts continue to produce more milk than your baby needs, your breasts may become tender, full and heavy, which is known as ‘engorgement’. If this happens, expressing milk will provide temporary relief. It’s best to let the milk production settle down to meet your baby’s demands. Ask your healthcare professional for more advice.

You should also check your bra is the right size – an ill-fitting bra can cause problems when breast feeding.

Painful Nipples
Look after your nipples.

When showering, let clear, soap-free water run over your nipples.
After feeding, dry your nipples carefully.
Place a breast pad in your bra to absorb any excess moisture and replace when it gets damp from leaking milk.
Contact your healthcare professional if soreness persists or your nipples become cracked.

Hard, painful breast lumps
This is usually the result of a blocked milk duct – check your bra isn’t too tight and try massaging the lump when you’re breast feeding or when you’re in the bath or shower. If the lump persists, mention it to your healthcare professional.

Hot, painful breasts
If hot, painful breasts are also accompanied by feeling ill, you may have mastitis. Contact your healthcare professional who will be able to suggest ways you can relieve the pain, prevent it from happening again and, if you have an infection, arrange for you to be given antibiotics that are appropriate to take during breast feeding.

Top Tip

The secret of successful breast feeding? Plenty of practice, determination, perseverance and help from your healthcare professional.

It’s also possible to successfully combine breast and bottle feeding – ask your healthcare professional for advice or, for more information, contact the SMA Careline* on 0845 776 2900 or 1800 931 832 in ROI.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Breast feeding is best for babies. Infant milks are intended to replace breast milk when mothers do not breast feed. Good maternal nutrition is important for the preparation and maintenance of breast feeding. Introducing partial bottle feeding may have a negative effect on breast feeding and reversing a decision not to breast feed is difficult. You should always seek the advice of a doctor, midwife, health visitor, public health nurse, dietitian or pharmacist on the need for and proper method of use of infant milks and on all matters of infant feeding. Infant milk should always be prepared and used as directed. Unnecessary or improper use of infant milk may present a health hazard. Social and financial implications should be considered when selecting a method of infant feeding.

*Trade Mark