Breastfeeding is best-feeding!
In 2018, I was blessed with the arrival of my little boy and I knew I wanted to breastfeed having done lots of research into the benefits of it during my pregnancy. The top thing that sold me on breastfeeding was a picture I saw of a mum who had pumped her milk a few days apart and had taken a picture of the pouches. They were two slightly different colours: the reason being, the breast milk is formulated and tailor made for your baby so when that baby had gotten a little ill the mother’s milk had changed to have antibodies in it to reflect that and to help baby get better. Subhan Allah — how amazing is that? Breastfeeding is one of the most natural, age old practices in the world since the beginning of time and it is so beautiful to see it being practiced.
During those first 6 weeks, there were many times I wanted to give it up. I never imagined that it was going to be a long uphill struggle and I would trip many times.
Sometimes my new-born would want to cluster feed so as soon as I’d put him down he would be crying again rooting around for the breast. I’d pick him up and the whole 20 minute cycle would begin again. Falling asleep whilst nursing was another common occurrence so he wouldn’t be satiated and wouldn’t nap for very long before screaming once more. I found myself constantly having my baby attached to me as all I seemed to be doing was nursing him with little time for anything else. Having had an emergency section, I found it even more difficult to feed him whilst sitting up for longer periods of time. So when my husband’s cousin (who had 5 children Subhan Allah!) advised me to nurse him in the ‘side-lying’ position, it helped immensely.
I can tell you that it is the most content feeling I have ever felt. Nursing my baby whilst lying down was the perfect position for me as it didn’t interfere with my (section) wound in anyway. Baby seemed more relaxed too with less fidgeting going on!
With my second child, I do this too the only downside is that sometimes I have to fight to keep my eyes open even in the daytime as I am so relaxed that I could just fall into a blissful sleep!
From day one at the hospital, My baby had been given formula milk when I was in recovery after the operation and I had kept up with that so thankfully he would take a couple of bottles through the day. Combination feeding worked for me as I found he would stay fuller for a little longer. Another benefit was that his dad could also feed him and it was fine to leave baby for a few hours if I had errands to run.
There were many times I questioned whether baby was actually getting anything from me. Did I have enough milk ? When the Midwife explained ‘supply and demand’ to me it all made sense. Simply, the more baby nursed, the more milk my body would make for him. I was advised to nurse him at night-time too as this would also increase the milk supply. One of the things I realised then and now is that after I breastfeed I become ravenous again. I still find myself having a second dinner sometimes or snacks throughout the day.
I realised eating certain foods, such as spinach and porridge increased my milk supply and eating regularly was very important as well as drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Now I keep a big bottle of water nearby whenever I’m feeding baby. Whilst I’m on this subject of food, I think it’s worth mentioning that although I was eager to get back to my original size and fit in my old clothes, I noticed that if I missed a meal or didn’t eat properly then this would impact on my milk supply and leave baby feeling distraught. When I breast fed this time round, particularly in those first few weeks, I found my stomach hurt during or after nursing. Speaking to my midwife about this, I learnt that it was normal as my uterus was contracting whilst I nursed baby so actually breastfeeding was amazingly helping my body get back in shape!
With my second child, I find that when I give him a bottle sometimes he doesn’t want it instead preferring the breast. Apparently babies have a keen sense of smell, they are clever little things. Another benefit which I’ve found is when my new-born is becoming hysterical or is very unsettled and I nurse him, this calms him down instantly. Maybe it’s the feeling of being held close which reminds him of being back in my stomach. Maybe it’s the feeling of being loved as I cradle him gently and the Science behind it; as the love hormone oxytocin is released which increases the milk supply and pleases baby. The brilliant thing is I don’t need to worry about over-feeding him as this is unheard of with breastmilk. There is no way of knowing exactly how much milk baby is getting but there are clues such as the gulping sound your little one will make whilst swallowing, they may fall asleep on you, burping after their feed and becoming content after feeding. It can take time for baby to latch on correctly and you may experience slight discomfort at the start when baby initially latches on but again this is another sign that baby is ready to feed. I remember the midwife advising me to manoeuvre the whole nipple in baby’s mouth and if they had a full looking cheek then you were halfway there. Here is a helpful page which shows ‘how to get a good latch’.
The first time around, I had seen many women storing their milk in the fridge or freezer in pouches and was amazed. I remember sitting for about half hour to get only 2 ounces of milk. This was frustrating and off putting to say the least. Pumping out milk didn’t work for me so I left it.
Second time round and four months in, I’m thankful that breastfeeding is firmly established with my little one. I will always offer him the breast first and if he is still wanting more, I might top him off with a bottle within an hour or two. I’m glad I persevered with my first born as the second time wasn’t so much a struggle as the first time. If you are expecting and thinking of breastfeeding then I do hope you will give it a go.
Top tips:
¬Give yourself time, as with most things ‘little and often’ is best.
¬The first few weeks will be difficult but worth it in the long run.
¬When you look at your baby with love, the milk juices will be a-flowing!
¬Look after yourself first by eating plentiful, nourishing meals and drinking lots of water which will help your milk supply.
¬Start by offering your baby the breast first if you are combination feeding. If you are exclusively planning to breastfeed then ‘go you!’
¬Breastfeeding at night-time will help grow your milk supply. Remember ‘supply and demand’.
¬It is normal for breastfed babies to feel hungrier more frequently than bottle-fed babies.
¬You can never over-feed your baby on breastmilk and burping a baby (by patting them on their backs) is not necessary as breastmilk is digested quickly.
¬Expect dirty nappies more often!
If you have any thoughts please do comment on this blog. Are you a breastfeeding mum? How has your journey been?
Thanks for reading!
