With World Breastfeeding Week beginning this Thursday1st-7th August, motherhood platform For The Creators and their in-house lactation expert & senior midwife Clare Charman IBCLC have collated their top tips for 2024, to help new mothers navigate the first few weeks of parenthood.
Clare has also provided a breastfeeding basics guide on FTC’s blog, The Delivery, answering questions from when a mother’s milk will come in, how much to feed, how to hold the baby correctly, and most importantly, what to do if it’s just not working.
BREASTFEED IS MORE THAN NUTRITION
Try to see breastfeeding as meeting a positive need, rather than fixing the problem of a hungry baby – the one thing that will cause immediate panic in any new mother.
At birth, most babies are born with enough brown fat stores and extra fluid to manage those first few days, taking small volumes of colostrum until your milk comes in. Yet they are very keen to breastfeed and be as close to you as possible.
When babies breastfeed both mother and baby experience a boost in oxytocin, the ‘love hormone’. In a world which is incredibly overstimulating to a newborn, with bright lights, loud noises and lots of physical stimulants, the calming nature of a breastfeed can make a baby feel safer and more settled.
Breastmilk has many beneficial properties, some which support your babies’ immune system, help to develop a healthy gut microbiome, and can even reduce the risk of cot death.
BE KIND TO YOURSELF
Recognise that breastfeeding is a skill which takes time for both mother and baby to learn. Just like an infant learning to walk, it can take time, patience and quite a bit of practice for them to take those first unaided steps. Similarly with breastfeeding the challenges most mothers face can be overcome with good support and a bit of time.
If breastfeeding came easy to most mothers and babies then the roles of lactation consultants, peer supporters and counsellors would not exist, yet they do in vast numbers.
RECOGNISE WHEN YOU NEED SUPPORT & WHEN BREASTFEEDING ISN’T FOR YOU
Sometimes despite the best intentions, a lot of support and an awful lot of tears, breastfeeding doesn’t go as planned.
Historically mothers would be supported by a family member or friend to provide breastmilk, a practice which would be referred to as ‘wet nursing’. With the introduction of artificial milk and other baby feeding equipment, such as breast pumps, this practice has faded out as mothers have had other options.
Our modern-day living is not always supportive of the mother and newborn and some mothers find that exclusively breastfeeding their baby is not possible or desirable. It is important to access support as soon as challenges present themselves, as a problem left will usually worsen with time. Reaching out to a qualified professional (your Midwife/Health visitor or lactation consultant) who can give you personalised advice is essential, as breastfeeding and infant feeding is a very individualised journey. Accessing a baby cafe or using a helpline such as Le Leche League or National Breastfeeding Helpline can provide great peer support.
Never make big decisions about your feeding journey at 3am and prepare for every 24hrs to be different. Ultimately the priority is to have a healthy mother and baby and focus on bonding with your newborn, whatever method they are fed.
LET GO OF THE APPS
The temptation to download an app to reassure you that feeding is going well is incredibly strong. Especially in those early days when everything is blurred into one and you can’t even remember the last time you ate yourself.
However, in truth these apps cause anxiety and concern, making parents question normal fluctuations in baby behaviour and feeding patterns and taking away your confidence in watching your own body and baby for these positive signs that breastfeeding is going well.
If a baby is passing plenty of wet and dirty nappies, latching to the breast comfortably whenever they show signs, and gaining weigh well, then more often than not your feeding is going well and your baby will be thriving.
PICK YOUR BREASTFEEDING WARDROBE WISELY
FTC has curated an amazing range of breastfeeding/breast pumping friendly outfits, which are available to hire for day to day use or wear for that special occasion. I recommend these to all of my patients.
All of FTC’s items have been chosen as they allow full access to the breasts without causing restriction or discomfort during feeding. At a time when your body may be changing why not have a wardrobe which changes with it.
