Breastfeeding is the natural way of feeding your newborn or infant. However, just because it is natural doesn’t mean that you don’t have a thousand and one questions about the process.
For a young mum, it is important to mentally and physically prepare for breastfeeding. By knowing what to expect, you can better prepare for this special time in your baby’s life. Amongst other positives, breastfeeding will help bring you even closer to your bub.
How do You Prepare for Breastfeeding?
Despite what you may have been led to believe, not much actual in the way of active preparation is required. Your body will prepare for the breastfeeding process on its own.
It was previously believed that you had to ‘prepare’ your nipples for breastfeeding by toughening them up using various methods.
The good news is that there is definitely no need to ‘toughen’ your nipples in any way. Nature will take care of everything for you.
It was previously believed that you had to ‘prepare’ your nipples for breastfeeding by toughening them up using various methods.
The good news is that there is definitely no need to ‘toughen’ your nipples in any way. Nature will take care of everything for you.
What Not to Do
When preparing for breastfeeding, it’s best to not apply any ointments, oils or creams to the nipples – including washing them with soap – as this may lead to dryness of skin.
Changes that occur with your breasts during this period will be individual as no two mothers are the same. If you have any questions or concerns, talk to a lactation consultant or a La Leche League representative.
Changes that occur with your breasts during this period will be individual as no two mothers are the same. If you have any questions or concerns, talk to a lactation consultant or a La Leche League representative.
Expressing Your Milk
Want to bottle feed but not sure which of the many formulas on the market would suit your little one best? Our guide will provide a high level overview of the different formula types.
Sometimes, it may not be possible for you to feed your baby at the breast. This may happen for a number of reasons:
- Your baby is reluctant to nurse or doesn’t suck well;
- For one reason or another, you are separated from your child at feeding time;
- You feel discomfort because your breasts are too full.
In this case, you will need to express your milk. Expressing milk involves taking breastmilk when your baby isn’t suckling.
Expressing can be done either by hand or with the use of a pump, either manual or electric. Expressing so by hand is the cheapest and easiest way to express milk.
Expressing can be done either by hand or with the use of a pump, either manual or electric. Expressing so by hand is the cheapest and easiest way to express milk.
How To Express by Hand
Here’s the easiest way to express by hand:
- Thoroughly wash your hands
- Have a sterilised bowl or jug ready
- Start to massage your breast gently, including the area around the nipple and the nipple itself
- Position your thumb and index finger directly across the nipple from one another. The key to getting it right is finger positioning so try placing your fingers differently to see what works
- Using your fingers, gently squeeze at the base of the nipple (around the edge of the areola) and press your fingers back in the direction of the breast wall
- Create a rolling motion with your thumb and fingers to squeeze the milk out
- Make sure to not slide your fingers as this will irritate the skin and leave your breast feeling sore
- Don’t panic if you don’t start expressing straight away. The process may take a few minutes and as soon as the milk starts squirting, you can rest assured that you’re doing it right.
Breast Pumps
Expressing by hand will take some practice (and patience). It usually takes several weeks for a new mum to get comfortable with breastfeeding. Even if breastfeeding is going well, not all mums will have the same success with expressing.
If you are not comfortable with expressing by hand, it may be worth trying a breast pump. These come in models for one breast and two breasts. They can also be either manual, where you need to squeeze a handle, or electric, which are battery-operated and do the work for you.
As always, it’s best to consult your midwife or lactation nurse about which option may suit you best. They will also tell where you will be able to purchase a breast pump.
If you are not comfortable with expressing by hand, it may be worth trying a breast pump. These come in models for one breast and two breasts. They can also be either manual, where you need to squeeze a handle, or electric, which are battery-operated and do the work for you.
As always, it’s best to consult your midwife or lactation nurse about which option may suit you best. They will also tell where you will be able to purchase a breast pump.
Storing Expressed Milk
Once you have expressed milk into a receptacle of some sort, you can store it in the fridge in a chilled state. However, it is important to get it into the fridge straight away.
Chilled breastmilk can be stored in the fridge for no more than 48 hours. It is preferable to use a plastic feeding bottle to make sure that your milk is properly sealed. You should also label the bottle, making a note of when the milk was expressed.
You can freeze expressed milk in order to store it for longer, however its nutritious value will be lost. This includes the loss of certain antibodies that assist your baby in fighting various infections.
Chilled breastmilk can be stored in the fridge for no more than 48 hours. It is preferable to use a plastic feeding bottle to make sure that your milk is properly sealed. You should also label the bottle, making a note of when the milk was expressed.
You can freeze expressed milk in order to store it for longer, however its nutritious value will be lost. This includes the loss of certain antibodies that assist your baby in fighting various infections.
Warning Signs to Pay Attention To
As a new mum, as well as looking out for your child, you need to take care of yourself. See your doctor or nurse if you notice any of the following:
- Inflammation (mastitis) or any puss that forms in the breast.
- Hard breasts and areola, which could be a sign of engorgement.
- Any nipple pain, whether it’s a sharp, shooting pain or ‘burning’ of nipples either during or after feeding your baby.
- Red or bright pink nipples, as well as a red areola.
- A burning sensation on the nipple during or after a feeding session.
This is not an exhaustive list and you need to pay close attention to the state of your body as well as that of your baby.
If there is anything that you think seems out of the ordinary then get in touch with a doctor without delay.
If there is anything that you think seems out of the ordinary then get in touch with a doctor without delay.
Planning to Supplement Breastfeeding with Bottle Feeding?
If you plan to supplement breastfeeding now or in future with formula feeding then we’ve prepared a quick guide on how to do this correctly.