How to Breast Feed

 

Breast-feeding is the best way to feed your child, and to promote mother-child bonding. The nutrients in the breast milk are the best and mothers should breast-feed the infant as much as possible.

 

The infant drinks milk in two processes:

 

1. Sucking the nipple. When breast-feeding, the area surrounding the nipple will get sucked on as well. Hence, there would be suction marks surrounding the nipple and the shape of the breast would change a little.
2. The feeding child would then use the help of his/her tongue to transfer the milk down to the throat.

 

Common breast-feeding problems

 

1. The feeding child only sucks on the nipple.

If he/she only sucks on the nipple and not also on the surrounding area, then the friction of the child's mouth on the breast skin tissue might cause skin injury or chafing for the mother.

 

2. The feeding child is unable to suck milk out successfully.

Maybe the child's tongue is not in the right position to extract the milk out from the mother's breast. Therefore, the infant may be irritated and cry and might even refuse to be breastfed.

 

3. Other problems:

 

• The sucking motion of the child is not coordinated or the child is not mature enough to suck properly.
• he mother's nipples may be inverted, resulting in difficulty for the child.
• The mother may not have enough breast-feeding experience and pushes the breast into the infant's mouth, resulting in improper breast-feeding.

 

Correct posture during breast feeding

 

1. Sitting

With one hand supporting the child's back and the other supporting the head, bring the child's face close to the breast. Do not hold the child too low or too tightly; this is to prevent him from having difficulty in sucking milk and breathing. Regardless of sitting on a chair or a bed, the mother should have a pillow to support the back to prevent back pains.

 

2. Lying down

For mothers that lie on the bed to breast feed, the child should lie down with the face facing the breast. Mothers can put a pillow on the back to lie on for comfort. This position is suitable for mothers who went through childbirth by C-section. This can also be a resting position for the mother.

 

The right way to breast feed

 

• Bring the nipple to the child's upper lip to stimulate his/her sucking reflex
• Support the breast and place the nipple into the child's mouth.
• The tongue needs to be placed at the bottom of the nipple.
• Ensure that the child is breathing properly.

 

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