General Info About Breast Feeding

by: Andy Guides Jr

Breast feeding is becoming known more popularly as the healthy choice for woman and their infants, the question is why. Breast milk for one thing is easier for the baby's stomach to digest opposed to formula. Breast milk contains nutrients, cells and hormones that newborns need. Baby formula cannot match the chemical make up of breast milk.

Breast milk the first three to five days after birth is yellow and thick, this is called colostrum. This type of milk has all the nutrients, hormones, and antibodies that newborns require to be healthy. After this period of time the milk becomes thin and white and tailors to the babies nutrition needs.

The first three to five days after birth a woman makes a thick yellow hued milk called colostrum, this milk contains a large amount of nutrients and antibodies that are very helpful to newborns. After a woman is finished creating colostrum the milk begins to thin out and become whiter to better suit the babies needs. A mother's milk always offers the exact amount of nutrients, fats and sugars that her newborn needs.

Some new mothers have difficulties getting their babies to latch. Its important to remember that infants are born with the knowledge of how to latch as well as how to find the breast, but if it seems to just not be happening there are ways to help your baby. To make sure it gets a good latch you point the nipple directly toward the back of the babies mouth and keep the base of the nipple as far from the babies lower lip as possible.

Breast feeding shouldn't hurt if it does then you should help your baby re latch by placing a clean finger in the corner of your babies mouth to break the latch. The infant may be only sucking on the nipple which could cause pain. The nipple should not look flat or compressed when it comes out of the infant's mouth it should look long and round or the same as it did before it fed.

Breast feeding shouldn't hurt it should be a comfortable experience that brings a woman her child closer to one another. It is best to breast feed as soon after the baby is born as possible. If the woman gives a natural birth then it is best for the woman to breast feed immediately after and delay any procedures that don't need to take place immediately, this will help the infant to know who its mother is.

A mother should learn her child's signs of hunger as early on as possible by keeping the baby in the room with her while she is in the hospital. Babies will become more alert and active when they are hungry they will put their fists to their mouths or move their head around searching for a breast, crying is a critical sign of hunger.