Parenting Club

9 - 18 Months: Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding gives your baby the best start in life - and it’s good for you, too. It encourages your womb to contract, burns off fat and helps you get back into shape. Getting to grips with it isn’t always easy, though - so here’s our step-by-step advice and the answers to your questions.

The first few days
Starting and finishing a feed
Why breast is best
A beginner's guide to breastfeeding

The first few days

For the first few days after the birth your breasts produce colostrum – a protein-rich milk that can look quite yellow. Colostrum contains all the food your baby needs, together with valuable antibodies that help her to fight infections. A small amount of colostrum contains all the calories she needs, too; so don’t worry if you don’t seem to be producing very much. Your baby will probably sleep a lot in the first few days and cry for a feed anything from every half hour to every six hours (feeding patterns vary enormously from child to child). Three or four days after giving birth your ‘proper’ milk will start to come in (it looks thinner than colostrum) and your breasts will feel very heavy and uncomfortable for a few days.

Starting and finishing a feed

Breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world, but that doesn’t mean it always comes naturally. For many women, the key to success lies in persevering and plenty of support, especially if they encounter common difficulties such as sore nipples. Once they’ve got the hang of ‘latching on’, though, and the discomfort goes, it often falls into place. The first milk your baby drinks is the watery, thirst-quenching ‘foremilk’. After a few minutes, this changes to the creamier ‘hindmilk’ that satisfies her hunger. That’s why it’s important to let her empty one breast before moving to the other (if necessary). She’ll show you she’s had enough by letting go and losing interest. Pat her gently on the back to bring up any wind and then offer the other breast. If she’s full after one breast, feed her from the other breast first next time.

Why breast is best

Boots fully supports breastfeeding. Your milk is the best food for your baby because it contains the perfect balance of nutrients, while the proven health benefits include a lower risk of coughs, colds and chest infections. Your own risk of cancer is reduced the longer you keep it up, and it will also help your bones stay stronger in the future. Don’t forget, too, that breast milk is free, portable and always ‘on tap’ at the perfect temperature. You don’t have to bother with bottles. However, not every woman can – or chooses to – breastfeed. Ultimately, it’s your decision and it’s important not to feel guilty or a failure. What matters is that you and your baby are thriving. If you’re unsure what to do, it’s better to try breastfeeding first. If you start with bottlefeeding and then change your mind, it’s difficult to restart breastfeeding. Bear in mind, too, that partial bottlefeeding – giving your baby a bottle at night, for example – will reduce your milk supply, especially if breastfeeding hasn’t been fully established.

A beginner's guide to breastfeeding
  1. Get comfortable before you start. Try sitting in an upright chair and resting one leg on a footstool or thick book to help support the arm cradling your baby’s head. Put a cushion behind your back (good back support is vital) and lay a pillow on your lap to help raise your baby to nipple height. You shouldn’t have to lean forward or support your baby’s weight.
  2. Support your baby’s head with your hand, or rest her body in the crook of your arm – whichever you prefer. Her tummy should be facing you, with her nose pointing towards your nipple. She shouldn’t have to twist to reach you.
  3. Tickle her top lip with your nipple. When her mouth opens, bring her smoothly and firmly to your breast. If she’s latched on properly, she’ll have a big mouthful of breast – including a good portion of the areola (the area around the nipple). If she’s just sucking on your nipple or making slurping noises, slip your little finger into the corner of her mouth to break the vacuum and start again.
  4. If your baby’s mouth is wide open while she’s feeding, and you can see her jaw muscle working and hear soft swallowing, she’s feeding well.

For more information on breastfeeding, visit www.breastfeeding.nhs.uk