A Complete Guide of Breastfeeding For You

When you have stepped into motherhood and welcome your little bundle of joy, you embrace a lot of responsibilities. Surely being a mother gives you good hope, great enjoyment, and makes you excited. However, amidst such feelings, you must never overlook your priorities. You get connected to your baby first your infant feeds through your breasts. And, you can never compromise on providing the best motherly care, and well being to the new-born.

Why is Breastfeeding Essential?

• Good Health: Breast milk is the best food for your child. It contains natural antibodies, which cannot be engineered. Milk from your breasts provide the essential nutrients, boosts immunity, and promote good physical and mental development of your child.

• Prevents Diseases: Breastfeeding keeps allergies, sickness, and ear infections at bay. It also protects your kid, against critical diseases like cancer, diabetes, constipation, eczema, stomach upset, and diarrhea. Thus, it restricts the chances of any ailment.

• Promotes IQ: Studies confirm that babies who have been through proper breastfeeding sessions have higher IQ and intelligence. They are mentally stronger, and have good physical and mental development, in their growing age.

• Good for Environment: Breast milk is always available for your kid. It is clean, and varies in composition and volume, depending on the hour and frequency of feeding, and the age of your child. It is available at the right temperature, and there’s no waste. Thus, it’s best for the environment.

• Kangaroo Care: Kangaroo care is beneficial for mother and baby because it promotes attachment and bonding, improves mother confidence, and helps to promote increased milk production and breastfeeding success. When a mother gives kangaroo care to her infant then the supply of milk increases in her breast. This is also the best thing to give winter care to your babies.

How Frequently & Till What Age Should You Breastfeed Your Child?

• In a 24-hour period, you must breastfeed 8 to 12 times. Soon after birth, you must start feeding milk, from your breasts, and it’s the first thing to be given to your child.
• While breastfeeding, hold your kid close to your breasts, give warmth, and maintain skin contact.
• For the first six months, your child must only consume breast milk, not even solid food or fluids.
• After the first six months, you can give solid food, along with your milk.
• Ideally, you must feed your newborn baby, for two years. However, in the meanwhile, if you and your kid get ready for a feeding bottle, which is not before a year; you can gradually stop breastfeeding.

How Much of Breastfeeding Is Enough For Your Child?

• Doctors recommend that breastfeeding baby should start from birth, and stop at the latest by two.
• Mothers feeding their kids, even after that, take no extra mile in providing good care and ensuring good health. Instead, they make their kid more dependable on them, and prevent them, from gelling up with others.
• Kids are more sexually aware and develop an st in body parts. As they attain two, they can physically move around, run, and play. Feeding your milk at this age can send confusing signals to your child, and this can further harm his/her behavior, growth, and development.

What are the most comfortable breastfeeding positions?

Kids can only breastfeed properly when you hold them in the right position, and you too are comfortable with it. Here are the most recommended breastfeeding positions, which help you and your child, to enjoy such priceless moments.

• Cross-Cradle Hold: Your baby rests in your arms, in the opposite direction of the breast, being suckled. It the most popular, of all positions, and with the help of a pillow, you can easily lift your kid up, and rest your arm.

• Cradle Hold: When your babies begin to exert control on their neck muscles, you feed in this style. Your kid cribs on the arm, on the same side of the breast, he/she is feeding. While sucking, the head and shoulder of your kid lean against your arm, and the mouth is at level with your nipples.

• Side-Lying: A good tricky way to give your head, a little rest, while feeding your child; in this position, you and baby lie on each other’s side, and your child feeds your breasts.

• Tandem: A unique style of feeding twins, where both the new-born feed on breasts, together. Don’t forget to give a burp to your baby.

Diet of a Breastfeeding Mom

• As a breastfeeding mother, you need a good amount of calcium. Include a higher quantity of milk, and calcium-rich food into your daily diet.
• Drink plenty of water, and hydrate your body. Consume vitamin-rich food, to stimulate the supply of essential nutrients, in your body.
• It’s better to avoid junk and fast food. Street food should also be struck-off from your list. However, making your favorite cuisines, at home, and having them, is not restricted.
• Consume more calorie rich food, which gives you the energy to frequently feed your baby, all throughout the day.