Guest guest Posted September 27, 2001 Report Share Posted September 27, 2001 It's very good but a few improvements would make it brilliant. However I can't see the full email addresses so if either of you could please email me offlist I can reply to them. Ruthie > Here is a draft text for another NCT information sheet - any comments > gratefully received > > if you want to adjust the text plse add text in CAPS and but bits you want > removed in (brackets) > > plse copy you replies to me and Caroline Deacon ( who wrote it) > carolinedeacon@c... > > Making enough breastmilk > > If you've decided to breastfeed, you've made the healthiest decision for > your baby. However, you're probably feeling a bit worried; perhaps you know > someone who wanted to breastfeed but didn't manage. One of the commonest > reasons women give for stopping breastfeeding is that they didn't believe > they had enough milk. In fact nearly all women are able to make enough milk > to breastfeed their babies, given the right help and support. > > The first milk - colostrum > > From about twenty weeks of pregnancy, and for the first few days after your > baby's birth, you make special milk called colostrum. Straw coloured, it's > low volume but high in protein and antibodies, with a laxative effect to > help your baby clear meconium from his intestines. It is perfectly designed > for a baby who has just emerged from a safe womb into a world which his > immature immune system may find difficult to handle. > > Mature breastmilk > > After a few days of breastfeeding, your breastmilk will come in; the length > of time this takes depends on how often and how much your baby feeds. A big > hungry baby may feed more vigorously, telling your breasts to speed up the > production of mature breastmilk. A small or premature baby, with his weaker > suck and shorter feeds, will be telling your breasts to keep that > wonderfully sustaining colostrum going for longer. Human milk looks thin > and bluish compared to cow's milk, but it is perfect to feed a human baby. > > Once your milk comes in, each feed from each breast will start with fore > milk (milk which comes in before), dilute and thirst quenching, which > gradually thickens into hind milk (milk which follows behind) packed with > calories. So when your baby latches on, first he has a refreshing drink, > then he gets down to a satisfying meal of hind milk, which will help him to > grow. If you limit time at the breast, or swap sides too soon, your baby > may not get enough hindmilk, and will be hungry again very quickly. A baby > who is not positioned well at the breast will also find it difficult to > feed well enough to reach the hindmilk. > > When your breasts start changing from colostrum to mature breastmilk, they > will fill with blood and may feel hot, uncomfortable and perhaps engorged. > You may feel weepy and depressed; the so-called " baby blues " . Don't worry; > these feelings should pass within twenty-four hours. In the meantime the > best thing you can do is to keep feeding your baby to ease the engorgement. > Some women find that Savoy cabbage leaves put onto the breast can bring > relief. > > > Tailor made for all occasions > > Not only does your milk change during each feed, it also varies from day to > day. For instance, in hot weather, breastmilk is more dilute, allowing your > baby to quench his thirst and replace lost fluids without having to resort > to bottles of water. The taste of your milk changes from day to day > depending on what you eat, letting your baby get used to your family's > diet. Antibodies specific to your environment are passed to your baby, > whose immune system will take at least a year to mature. > > Of course unwanted substances may pass through your breastmilk too. So just > as you did in pregnancy, you should think about what you are eating and > drinking carefully, and check that any medicines are compatible with > breastfeeding. Some contraceptives can affect your milk supply. > > Often it is difficult to remember to eat yourself when you are spending so > much time feeding your baby, so try to eat nutritious snacks whenever you > can. It makes sense to take care of yourself by eating well, and by doing > so you'll be taking care of your baby too! > > How do I make enough breastmilk? > > Your breasts have been preparing to feed your baby throughout your > pregnancy, and as soon as he is born, they contain enough milk for his > first feed. What your body is waiting to learn is how much milk your baby > is going to need in the coming months. > It's quite simple to make enough milk, let your baby decide when he needs > to eat, and when he has had enough. Only he is capable of deciding how much > he really needs. The more you feed, the more milk you will produce - you > can't run out. " Saving it up " for later will actually mean you will have > less than you need. > > To get your milk supply going, start by feeding your baby whenever he > wants, using one breast until he falls asleep or lets go. You can then > offer the other breast – he may not always want to take it. > > From the beginning > > If you can put your baby to your breast soon after the birth, it may help > you get off to a good start, as most babies are tuned to breastfeed at this > time. If he is not in the mood, perhaps after a long delivery or pethedine, > then hold him so the skin on his body is touching your skin. This will > start to stimulate your milk supply. > > Feeding your newborn baby will feel very different to how it will be in a > few weeks time. A newborn's tummy is tiny; only the size of a walnut, and > he needs to feed little and often. As he hasn't got used to day and night, > he will feed off and on through twenty-four hours, perhaps ten times or > more in that time. > > Mild jaundice is common for new babies, and breastfeeding as often as > possible will help this pass. Research shows that extra fluids such as > water are not helpful to the jaundiced baby, in fact they may make it worse > by filling up his tummy so there's less room for breastmilk. You will need > to wake him to feed often, however, as jaundice makes babies sleepy. > > Avoiding problems > > In the early days, while your body is finding out how much your baby is > going to need, it is quite easy to disrupt your milk supply. For this > reason, it is best to avoid giving baby other drinks, and to keep feeding > him as often as possible. Trying to introduce routines too early may give > your body the wrong message about how much milk to produce. It has been > found that babies who were given dummies in the early days are less likely > to be breastfeeding later on; perhaps because babies' need to suck is > fulfilled with a dummy, reducing time spent stimulating mothers' supply. > > Growth charts > > Whenever your baby is weighed, your health visitor will plot his gains on a > centile chart. Although these are being updated, many of those in use still > represent average weight gains for formula-fed babies. Breastfed babies > gain weight at different rates, although length and head circumference > should develop at the same rate, and it is equally, if not more, important > to plot these. If your baby does not seem to follow the pattern expected > from his weight centile chart, but is still making satisfactory gains in > length and head circumference, be assured that he is developing well. > > Gains on weight charts are quite small – an ounce or two here or there, and > it is easy to get such minute amounts wrong – variations could be caused by > a wet or dry nappy, a large bowel movement before weighing, different > clothing, or different scales. It is also important to take into account > how much weight your baby lost initially. However, if your baby is > consistently slower than expected overall, or you are feeling worried, talk > to your health visitor, breastfeeding counsellor or family doctor and if > you are still not sure, ask to be referred to a paediatrician. > > How can I tell if he's getting enough? > > Think about whether he: > · Settles contentedly after a feed > · Seems content and alert and interacts with you. > · Has several really wet nappies a day (five disposables, six to eight > washables) > · Has frequent, yellow and sweet smelling, bowel moments. > · His skin is soft and moist, and if pinched or pressed returns to normal > immediately. > · His eyes are bright and clear > · His cry is generally strong and insistent which stops when you attend to > him. These are all good signs. You need to worry if: > · His fontanelle is sunken > · Wet nappies are few and far between, or smell strongly of urine which may > be dark > · Bowel movements are green or explosive > · Your baby seems very placid, and rarely cries. > In the past, mothers were often told to introduce solids early to encourage > their babies to put on weight. We now know that this isn't healthy, and > that all babies thrive on just milk for the first six months. Milk should > continue to be the main source of nutrition for the first year. Introducing > solids earlier than four months can lead to long-term health problems. > Recent evidence suggests that it may be beneficial waiting until your baby > is six months old before giving any solid food. > > Increasing your supply > > There are lots of ways to increase your milk supply: > Feed more often > Express between feeds > Have a " babymoon " – rest with your baby for twenty-four hours, feeding as > often as possible during this time > > A baby who feeds a lot > > If your baby feeds little and often, it doesn't necessarily mean that you > don't have enough milk. It is more likely that he is not reaching your > hindmilk: > Adjusting positioning may help in case he is not able to drain your breast > well > Try staying on one breast for the entire feed, or returning to the same > breast if feeding off and on. > If your baby is fretful or colicky– consider other options apart from > feeding. Perhaps he is tired or over-stimulated and just needs to rest. > > > If you are at all concerned about your milk supply, talk things over with a > breastfeeding counsellor. > > National Childbirth Trust Breastfeeding line 0 > Breastfeeding Network Supporters Line 0 > La Leche League 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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