Breastfeeding, bottle feeding or donor milk? Today we want to make you a bit wiser when it comes to breastfeeding. All the above options are possible, but what is most attractive to you and where are the differences really. Let's dive into the world of (baby) milk together. This week we'll tell you all about breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding is the most obvious for most women. It is the most natural process. As a woman you always have breastfeeding with you and it is ready immediately and at room temperature. In addition, it never runs out, so you never have to run to the store. Ideal! You and your baby do have to learn it and this can be quite difficult at first. You will also have to go out at night to feed your little one, because only you can do this when you are breastfeeding. Your partner may feel left out when he cannot contribute to feeding his child. Once your child gets used to your warm nipple, he may not want to drink from a bottle of expressed milk. Babies can also be choosy. An advantage of breastfeeding is that when you are sleepy you do not have to walk downstairs to warm up the milk. Every bit helps. In addition, it is important to keep in mind that you must always be near your child when breastfeeding. Are you going back to work or do you want a day out? Then you will, for example, have to pump at work and this is immediately the reason why we focus on the breast pump. Right, to make it a bit easier for all of you.
A fun fact for you in between! Did you know that breastfeeding speeds up the contraction of your uterus after delivery? This means that you will not bleed for as long. The placenta causes a wound in the uterus that needs to heal. Blood loss will be most severe in the first 24 hours after delivery. When your uterus contracts properly, the blood loss will decrease. Over the days, the blood loss will diminish. The moment you start exercising again, for example when you go for a walk for the first time, the blood loss will increase again. The blood loss will persist for up to six weeks after delivery. This is related to your period, breastfeeding keeps your period longer, so you do not get pregnant so quickly. Ladies, please note that this does not guarantee a contraceptive.
Then a piece that we find very interesting ourselves. Breastfeeding also has an impact on health, there is a smaller risk of breast cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer and bone loss (osteoporosis). [1] Who would have thought that? The longer you breastfeed, the less likely it will be. But breastfeeding not only has an impact on your health, but also that of the little one! Breastfeeding is packed with antibodies and this in turn ensures that your little one has less chance of diseases, infections and allergies.
When you are breastfeeding you have to be careful about what you eat and drink. For example, it is better not to drink alcohol. Your baby can also suffer from sharp herbs or types of cabbage, this also applies to the medicines you use. To add to that, breastfeeding is easier to digest and your little one will on average suffer less from intestinal problems and vomiting. Also saves you clean clothes. There is one more small but added ... when breastfeeding your milk production is partly dependent on your physical and mental condition. Are you tired or do you suffer from stress? Then you make less milk. When things are not going well, you can suffer from pain or other physical complaints such as cracked nipples or breast infection. Cracked nipples are common in women. Cracks in the nipple can be caused by the baby not grasping the nipple properly. A baby has a good grip on the breast when he has the entire nipple in the mouth and the lower lip is curled outwards. Cracked nipples can also occur if you have sensitive skin or an allergic reaction to cream, detergent or nursing pads. If you have cracked nipples, you can still breastfeed, even if some blood comes out. Pay close attention to the latch on and try out different postures.
In general, we women all think our figure is important, who wouldn't want to be back on the weight you had before the pregnancy? Bonus! By breastfeeding you will get back to your old weight faster and it is also free. It is true that as a woman you should not mind having to breastfeed in public, but of course our breast pump is a good option for that too. How beautiful it is that your body produces its own nutrition, we women are still special! Our body ensures that the composition of breastfeeding adapts to your growing baby. Oh yes, do not forget that if you want to stop breastfeeding this is not possible immediately, but that you will have to reduce this step by step. We at NurtureGoods will share another breastfeeding tapering schedule with you.
Finally, we would like to give you a tip. How Much Milk Does Your Baby Actually Need? This depends on the age and weight of the little one. Babies need between 100 and 150 ml of breast milk per day for every kilogram of body weight. The older your child gets, the less milk per kilogram of body weight your little one needs.
In summary breastfeeding can put a lot of pressure on you: you feel totally responsible for the success of breastfeeding and the health of your child. If it doesn't work out, you may feel like you've failed. But overall, breastfeeding has many advantages and when it goes well, you can be very proud of yourself; you have a healthy child thanks to your own milk, super! Are you curious about the next blog? The topic is bottle feeding. Want to read more about breast pumps? You can Here.
NurtureGoods
[1] https://borstkanker.nl/nl/risicofactoren-bij-borstkanker