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8 The feeding question ‘It was so easy. I suppose it took me about a couple of weeks to get used to it, and from then on I just didn’t have to think. It was the one thing that wasn’t any effort at all.’ If you’re HIV positive, you will be advised not to breastfeed because of the risk of passing the virus on to your baby through the milk. It is a good idea to discuss this with your midwife or doctor. Currently there is no proven link between breastfeeding and passing hepatitis C to your baby. So there is no reason why you should not breastfeed your baby if you have hepatitis C as long as there is no obvious bleeding from the nipples. It’s never too early to start thinking about how you’re going to feed your baby. Once your baby is born there will be lots to occupy you! You’ll need to discuss it with other people, the baby’s father, your midwife, health visitor or other mothers. Breastfeeding gives your baby the best possible start in life. Almost all women can breastfeed successfully and find it an easy and enjoyable experience. Breast milk is best for babies as it provides the nutrients, antibodies and enzymes a baby needs for growth and development. Most babies need no other food or drink until they are six months old. Breastfed babies do not need water between feeds as they get a drink when they first start to feed. Even in very hot countries no water is needed. If you are bottle feeding you can offer cooled boiled water if you think your baby is thirsty. If your baby cries sooner than you would expect to feed him or her, but there doesn’t seem to be any other problem, offer another feed. It is important to feed on demand since babies often don’t conform to routine. This is particularly important for breastfed babies because they increase the milk supply by increasing the frequency of feeds. Your baby doesn’t need anything other than breast milk for the first six months. Carry on breastfeeding while giving appropriate weaning foods after six months of age, until your baby is at least a year old. Breastfeeding has lots of benefits for both mother and baby. These are explained in more detail later in this chapter. If you decide not to breastfeed, it’s important to know that it’s very difficult to change from bottle to breastfeeding. If you like, you can breastfeed your baby for a year or more, but you may decide to breastfeed for a shorter time, if for example you are returning to work, and then change to bottle feeding. Whatever method of feeding you choose, your midwife, health visitor, or breastfeeding counsellor can explain how to do it. The following information should help you decide what’s best for you and your baby. 66
The feeding question B REASTFEEDING WHY BREASTFEEDING IS GOOD FOR BABIES • Breast milk is the only food naturally designed for your baby. It contains all the nutrients your baby needs in the right amounts, and they are in a form that is very easily digested. • Breastfeeding helps to protect your baby from infection because antibodies are passed into the milk. Breastfed babies have fewer ear, chest, urinary and gastric (vomiting and diarrhoea) infections. • Breastfed babies are less likely to develop allergies such as eczema and asthma. • Children who were breastfed are less likely to be overweight. • Breastfeeding lowers the risk of childhood diabetes. WHY BREASTFEEDING IS GOOD FOR MOTHERS • Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. • Mothers who breastfeed reduce their risk of osteoporosis (bone thinning) in later life. • Breastfeeding helps your womb return to its normal size more quickly and, because it uses up calories, it will help you to lose some of the weight gained in pregnancy. • It’s so much easier and more practical in the middle of the night. ‘I didn’t want to breastfeed. It was as simple as that. The whole idea of it put me off and I just couldn’t have done it.’ ‘It was feeling close, and being together, that was what I liked.’ NURSING BRAS A nursing bra will give you support so that you feel more comfortable. Ask for a proper fitting when choosing a bra. Choose adjustable bras because the size of your breasts will change (see page 88). Some women feel more comfortable wearing a nursing bra at night as well. 67
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Pre the nancy gbook Your complete g
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Pre the nancy gbook Your complete g
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11 LABOUR AND BIRTH Getting ready f
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Your pregnancy at a glance 16-20 we
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Introduction Every parent is differ
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Your health in pregnancy • Eat pl
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Your health in pregnancy VEGETARIAN
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Your health in pregnancy S MOKING W
Page 17 and 18: Your health in pregnancy P HYSICAL
Page 19 and 20: Your health in pregnancy Foot exerc
Page 21 and 22: obstetrician. If you do catch toxop
Page 23 and 24: 2 Conception To understand about co
Page 25 and 26: Conception T HE WOMAN’ S MONTHLY
Page 27 and 28: Conception T HE BEST TIME TO GET PR
Page 29 and 30: Conception K NOWING THAT YOU’ RE
Page 31 and 32: How the baby develops WEEKS 4-5 Wee
Page 33 and 34: How the baby develops WEEKS 15-22 T
Page 35 and 36: 4 Deciding where to have your baby
Page 37 and 38: Deciding where to have your baby HO
Page 39 and 40: Deciding where to have your baby B
Page 41 and 42: 5 Feelings and relationships From t
Page 43 and 44: Feelings and relationships WORRYING
Page 45 and 46: Feelings and relationships FAMILIES
Page 47 and 48: Feelings and relationships C OPING
Page 49 and 50: 6 Mainly for men Some pregnancies h
Page 51 and 52: Mainly for men PRACTICAL SUPPORT Yo
Page 53 and 54: 7 Antenatal care and antenatal clas
Page 55 and 56: Antenatal care and antenatal classe
Page 67: Antenatal care and antenatal classe
Page 71 and 72: The feeding question Support contac
Page 73 and 74: The feeding question HOW OFTEN AND
Page 75 and 76: The feeding question B OTTLE FEEDIN
Page 77 and 78: The feeding question The temperatur
Page 79 and 80: 9 Problems Your body has a great de
Page 81 and 82: Problems FEELING HOT IN PREGNANCY D
Page 83 and 84: Problems can empty it properly. The
Page 85 and 86: Problems VAGINAL DISCHARGE Almost a
Page 87 and 88: 10 What you need for the baby This
Page 89 and 90: What you need for the baby O UT AND
Page 91 and 92: 11 Labour and birth This chapter de
Page 93 and 94: Labour and birth PAIN RELIEF IN LAB
Page 95 and 96: Labour and birth • your contracti
Page 97 and 98: Labour and birth AT THE HOSPITAL Go
Page 99 and 100: Labour and birth • The heartbeat
Page 101 and 102: Labour and birth You can have your
Page 103 and 104: Labour and birth treatment takes ab
Page 105 and 106: Labour and birth A vaginal breech d
Page 107 and 108: When pregnancy goes wrong been due.
Page 109 and 110: 13 The first days with your new bab
Page 111 and 112: The first days with your new baby c
Page 113 and 114: The first days with your new baby b
Page 115 and 116: Babies who need special care I NCUB
Page 117 and 118: The early weeks: you L OOKING AFTER
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The early weeks: you T HE ‘ BABY
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16 The early weeks: your baby The b
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The early weeks: your baby Sadly, w
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The early weeks: your baby CHANGING
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The early weeks: your baby WASHING
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The early weeks: your baby W HERE T
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as green, leafy vegetables and brea
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Rights and benefits How much is it?
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Who gets it? Pregnant women and new
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Rights and benefits You must have n
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• your baby is born before your M
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Rights and benefits (MAT B1 form),
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Rights and benefits Giving notice f
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Rights and benefits If you return t
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• state that this is an applicati
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USEFUL ORGANISATIONS Some of these
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In Northern Ireland: Northern Irela
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INDEX A abnormalities tests to dete
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The Pregnancy Book “It contains e
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