Breast Feeding

Overview

In the first few moments, weeks, and months after birth the most important thing to your baby will be food, food, food! Babies grow incredibly fast in the early months of their lives and they need a huge amount of nutrients to do it successfully.

Most doctors today recommend that all mothers attempt to breastfeed their babies if possible, giving them:

The nutritional benefit of natural breast milk, which formulas still can not exactly replicate.
The social and emotional benefit of the feeding experience; bonding between the mother and infant.
The protective benefits provided by the enzymes, growth factors, live white cells, antibodies and other anti-infective properties in human milk.

Successful Breastfeeding

Here are some tips for initiating successful breastfeeding:

Timing

Begin offering the breast immediately and frequently after birth. Committing to breastfeeding during the first post partum day greatly improves the chance of successfully continuing breastfeeding.

Make Yourself Comfortable

Find the best physical position to breastfeed in and make yourself comfortable with pillows for support. Undress yourself and the baby and allow as much skin-to-skin contact as possible. Hold the baby close and facing you, and have the baby "embrace" your breast. Try to determine if you and your baby can agree on a particular physical arrangement that you both find satisfying.

Avoid Interruptions and Distractions

Create a quite space where you and your baby will not be interrupted. If possible return to or recreate the atmosphere of that space during feedings.

Tune In to Your Baby's Needs

Pay close attention to the rhythms of feeding displayed by the baby and try to follow them even as they vary, (increasing significantly during growth spurts, for example).

Learn the Signs of Hunger

Learn to recognize cues of hunger and readiness to breastfeed. Always try to begin breastfeeding before the infant has reached a frantic point of hunger. Crying is a late hunger cue and may interfere with a successful latch.

Don't Give Up

Troubleshoot when infants seem unable or unwilling to latch on correctly. Don’t hesitate to ask for help, advice and encouragement from people who are knowledgeable regarding breastfeeding and how to overcome hurdles.

Formula: When and How

Even mothers who struggle for a long time to successfully breastfeed may not be able to be the sole nutritional providers for their babies. If this occurs, a supplemental formula that agrees with the baby's digestive system may be added as needed for adequate growth. This does not represent a failure either on the part of the mother or the baby, nor does it suggest that either mother or baby will suffer in any way as a result of alternative bottle feeding.

Many different types of formulas now exist that provide adequate nutrition to newborn and growing babies. Bottle feeding can also be performed in a loving way and in a context similar to breastfeeding.

To create a good bottle feeding environment:

Remove distractions and sources of disturbance.
Be alone with your baby. Tell others to avoid entering your bottle feeding space until the feeding session is over.
Try to relax and make both you and your baby comfortable. If the baby senses that you are calm and quiet he/she will be more likely to follow suit.

Following these steps will foster a bonding situation between mothers and infants that is similar to that forged during breastfeeding.

To Learn More

Please read these helpful breastfeeding tips:

For more information:

Go to the Breast Feeding health topic, where you can:

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This article is a NetWellness exclusive. NetWellness Article

Last Reviewed: May 24, 2007

Jeanne L. Ballard, MD, FAAP, FABM
Professor Emeritus
Department of Pediatrics
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
University of Cincinnati