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The feeding question 68 ‘I didn’t realise that bottle feeding would be so much trouble. It was really hard to find time to sterilise and make up the bottles. My new baby took up all my time.’ ‘I really enjoy the closeness of breastfeeding, and my partner says it makes him feel so proud, watching us together.’ SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Can all women breastfeed? Almost every woman can breastfeed, but it can sometimes take a little while to get it right. Be patient and ask your midwife or health visitor for help if you need it. Does breast size matter? No. All shapes and sizes make milk. Can flat or inverted nipples be a problem? Most women with flat or inverted nipples should be able to breastfeed. However, you may need a little extra help in learning to position your baby (see page 70). Do I need to prepare my breasts for breastfeeding? Your breasts will prepare themselves naturally, although it’s a good idea to try to keep your skin soft and supple, so avoid soaps and sprays that have a drying effect. If my baby is born prematurely, will it have the energy to suck at the breast? Maybe not at first, but small babies will benefit if they get mother’s milk as it is exactly right for them. You can express your milk and it can be fed by tube or cup if your baby can’t take it directly from your breast. How can I make sure my partner feels involved? Feeding is only one way to be close to a baby. Your partner can cuddle, bathe and change the baby. The Health Promotion Agency has produced a leaflet on breastfeeding, especially for fathers. To view this leaflet, visit the Dads section of www.breastfedbabies.org Can I go out without the baby? Yes, you can express some of your milk and leave it for someone else to give your baby (see page 72). Is it worth breastfeeding if I am going back to work soon? Yes, any period of breastfeeding will be good for baby. When you go back to work, you can express your breastmilk or use infant formula milk while you are at work and continue to breastfeed at other times. What about feeding my baby in front of friends or in public? You may be quite happy about feeding in front of others. If you feel uneasy, you could feed the baby discreetly under a loose top, T-shirt or half-unbuttoned blouse. In Northern Ireland, some shops and restaurants welcome breastfeeding mums as part of a scheme known as Breastfeeding Welcome Here. Look out for the window sticker or check the list on www.breastfedbabies.org Should I give my baby any other drinks? Breastfed babies do not need any other drinks, including infant fruit juices, herb teas or boiled water, providing you feed them whenever they ask. You yourself may be more thirsty during breastfeeding, so remember to drink when you are thirsty. How long should I breastfeed for? You can go on as long as you want to. Breastfeeding for at least the first six months gives your baby the best start in life. If you can, continue to breastfeed until your baby’s first birthday and beyond. If you switch to formula feeds, you can still breastfeed your baby once or twice a day. This way your baby will continue to benefit from your breast milk.
The feeding question Support contacts You can get help with breastfeeding from: your midwife or health visitor; • a breastfeeding counsellor or support group (contact your local branch of the National Childbirth Trust, La Lèche League, Breastfeeding Network or the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers. See page 147 – these organisations give help and support through other mothers who have experience of breastfeeding); • a list of support groups is available from the HPA parents’ website www.breastfedbabies.org.uk THE FIRST FEW DAYS In the beginning, it can seem that you are doing nothing but feeding, but gradually your baby will settle into a pattern of feeding. Try to relax into it and take each day as it comes. For the first few days after birth your breasts produce a special food called colostrum, which looks like rich creamy milk and is sometimes quite yellow in colour. This contains all the food your baby needs, as well as antibodies which pass your own resistance to certain infections on to your baby. After about three days your breasts will begin to produce milk which will look quite thin compared with colostrum. The milk now varies according to the needs of your baby. The fore milk, which your baby takes first, is thirst-quenching and means your baby gets a drink at the start of every feed. A breastfed baby doesn’t need any other drinks (including infant teas or juices), even in hot weather, as long as you feed whenever the baby asks. The fore milk is then followed by the richer hind milk. This is the food part of the feed and contains the calories your baby needs. This is why you shouldn’t restrict the length of feeds or swap breasts after too short a time. Your breasts may become very large and heavy for a while and may feel uncomfortable, or even painful, at first. Milk may leak from your nipples and you may feel more comfortable wearing breast pads. Change them frequently. Avoid plastic backs. Or you can use clean cotton hankies, and at night you could put a clean towel under you instead of wearing pads. Gradually the amount of milk you produce will settle down and your breasts will begin to feel normal again. If you are very uncomfortable, ask your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding counsellor for help. HOW BREASTFEEDING WORKS Your milk supply Your breasts produce milk in response to your baby feeding at your breast. The more your baby feeds, the more your body makes milk. If you reduce feeding, you will make less milk. The ‘let-down’ reflex Your baby’s sucking causes milk to gather behind the nipple, ready for feeding. This is called the ‘let-down’ reflex; some mothers feel it as a tingling sensation. You will see quick sucks change to deep swallows once the milk has begun to flow. Babies often pause while they wait for more milk to be ‘delivered’. Anxiety or tiredness can delay the ‘let-down’ reflex, so try to rest and relax as much as you can while you are breastfeeding. If you receive Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Child Tax Credit without Working Tax Credit and have a family income of £14,495 or less (2007/08 figures), you can get cows’ milk, fresh fruit and vegetables, or infant formula worth £2.80 per week (£5.60 for children under 1 year old) from Healthy Start. For further information see page 10, or visit www.healthystart.nhs.uk 69
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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
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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 69: The feeding question B REASTFEEDING
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
Page 119 and 120: 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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