Breastfeeding the First Few Hours

Written by Demetria Zinga


Your infant has just enteredrepparttar world a few hours ago. He’s opening his eyes, rooting about, pushing his fists to his mouth, and seekingrepparttar 147915 comfort ofrepparttar 147916 breast. It’s only natural that your baby would haverepparttar 147917 immediate instinct of wanting to nurse. Inrepparttar 147918 beginning, it may be difficult for Baby to learn to latch on, but his instincts are there. The first few hours after birth are a window of opportunity for Mom to bring Baby close to her skin and give her baby a chance to try nursing. It is withinrepparttar 147919 first two hours after birth that an infant is most eager to suck.

Why is nursingrepparttar 147920 first few hours so important? Well, one important reason nursingrepparttar 147921 first few hours is so important, is Mom’s production of colostrum, which isrepparttar 147922 first foods your baby will receive from you (as opposed to mature breastmilk). Colostrum is a clear, yellowish substance that is often termed “liquid gold”, which has many antibiotic and beneficial features for your baby. This colostrum seals your baby’s intestines to protect him from harmful bacteria. The high protein colostrum diet stimulates your baby’s first bowel movement (the meconium) as well and decreasesrepparttar 147923 incidence of jaundice.

Besides receiving a beneficial high protein, low fat meal straight from Mom, Baby will also learn to latch ontorepparttar 147924 breast correctly within a few days of giving birth, especially if Mom is persistent and available to feed regularly.

About supplements No doubt if you give birth in a hospital, your baby may very well be offered sugar water or a pacifier. The hospital staff mean well, but if you plan to nurse your baby regularly, getting your baby off to a good startrepparttar 147925 first few days are crucial. You can ask your nurses not to offer a pacifier to your baby, and explain that you will be happy to nurse whenever your baby gets fussy. Pacifiers have been associated with problems such as ear infections and early weaning. In addition, using pacifiers interferes with Mom’s milk supply. Forrepparttar 147926 first few weeks, especially, it is important to keep Baby in practice with learning to nurse. Sugar water, onrepparttar 147927 other hand, may be given for necessary and medical reasons, such as for a baby who has low sugar levels, or one who has undergone much stress during labor and delivery. But if there are no medical reasons for offering sugar water, askrepparttar 147928 nurses to bring your baby to you for feedings regularly.

Correct Positioning Here are a few steps that may be helpful when beginning a breastfeeding session:

Be The Parent

Written by Demetria Zinga


“No! No! It’s MINE!” my two year old screamed as I chased around her aroundrepparttar room forrepparttar 147914 remote control. A few minutes later I was negotiating with her for a bottle of ketchup atrepparttar 147915 dinner table. And before bedtime, we watched a series of three Veggie Tales videos over and over again until both of us were exhausted forrepparttar 147916 night. After my daughter fell asleep, I began to mull over in my mindrepparttar 147917 events ofrepparttar 147918 day. Was my two year old controlling my life? Ha! She sure was. But WHY? Wasn’t Irepparttar 147919 parent? That’s when I really began to do some soul-searching. I’d seen way too many parents of young children running themselves ragged to appease their children in every way. Giving in to each request was not something I’d planned on, but had just becomerepparttar 147920 easy way out. I knew what I’d have to do. I’d have to set rules and limits and follow through with them, and get this…ALLrepparttar 147921 time! Not having had much practice at this, I knew I was going to be in for a treat once I began to implement it. Sorepparttar 147922 next morning, my little one stumbled out of bed and demanded a small bag of fruit juice snacks for breakfast. I rolled my eyes. Notrepparttar 147923 snacks for breakfast again! I was going to have to make a wise choice and serve her something nutritious instead…eggs and oatmeal maybe? “No! No! No eggs! CHEWIES!” my daughter screamed. Byrepparttar 147924 time I had adamantly refusedrepparttar 147925 second time around, she was onrepparttar 147926 floor pouncing and flinging herself all overrepparttar 147927 place. “Just be calm” I told myself. “She’ll figure out soon enough that you aren’t going to budge.” And she did. And she stood up, sat atrepparttar 147928 table, and ate eggs and oatmeal.

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