Drugs during Lactation

Medication use in lactation: evaluating safety concerns - Motherhood India Hospital

Lactation is the process of milk production in humans. It is a hormonally driven process that demands medications. In cases where the mother isn’t able to produce milk, induced lactation is brought into use. Here’s a short insight into the drugs used during the lactation period.

Navigating Medication Use While Lactating: A Guide for Breastfeeding Mothers

The American Academy of Pediatrics highlights that the drugs used during lactation could have many side effects on the baby, many of which are still not known. Thus, the academy recommends that medications must be taken when needed and one must try to cut the long-term use of drugs during lactation.

Here are a few insights that’ll help you understand how the drug consumed during lactation works.

It has been found that the pH of mother’s milk is slightly higher and thus more acidic than plasma. Thus, the weakly basic drugs can easily be transferred to the mother’s milk through passive diffusion which is the primary pathway through which the drug enters breast milk. Ionization of such drugs could leave them trapped in the milk itself.

Lactation and Drugs: Balancing Your Health and Your Baby’s Needs

The risk of a drug to a breastfed infant is largely dependent on the concentration in the infant’s blood and the effects of the drug on the infant. Feeding immediately before a dose may help minimize infant exposure as concentrations in milk are likely to be lowest towards the end of a dosing interval.

It has been found that premature babies and neonates have a lower capacity to metabolize and excrete drugs while the babies who have been exposed to the same in the uterus before delivery will augment the existing drug concentration on further exposure via breast milk.

Safe Medications to Take During Lactation

It is recommended that drugs must be used in the lowest effective dose. Breastfeeding alternatives can be used in cases when high doses are consumed. Studies have found that drugs with relatively short half-lives minimize drug exposure in the milk while social drugs must be avoided at any cost.

What’s best? Breastfeeding vs formula feeding

Author – Shovna KC (PT)

Consultant – Physiotherapist Motherhood Hospital Hebbal, Bangalore

Are you confused between breastfeeding and formula feeding? Do you want to provide your child the best nutrition? In such a case, the best nutrition considered for a newborn is breast milk which is recommended by doctors as well, provided the benefits it concurs with. Though the final decision rests with the parents, it is important to know about the benefits of breastfeeding so to consider it as an ultimate choice.

Quick fact: Breastfeeding can burn upto 500-600 calories a day, thus helping some mothers lose weight.

Consultation

It is better to go for a lactation counselling when you have a baby with a best lactation specialist or consultant. If that’s what you are eyeing on then Motherhood Hospital is eminent for the best breastfeeding and lactation consultants along with the counseling services that add to its prominent value.

Benefits of breastfeeding over Formula feed

If we look at the advantages from both mediums, breast feeding leads the tally. In terms of nutrition, breastfeeding has a perfect balance of nutrients that are present in high levels like proteins, carbohydrates, fats and calcium, for the better development of the child in their early years. When it comes to formula feeding, it can be devoid of nutritional content as it is manmade. Breastfeeding concurs to easy digestion and absorption by the babies, whereas formula feeding cannot relate with efficient absorption, where some babies can also have some toleration problems regarding certain nutrients in it.

Besides nutritional value, breastfeeding also relates with the changing nutritional requirement as the content varies as per the production of milk from the mother. To add more, breast milk has the best temperature that a baby can consume easily. The amount consumed during formula feeding is decided by the parents or caregiver where it may be difficult to correspond with proper temperature as well. When it comes to providing immunity, mothers milk contains the required immunoglobulins which can provide passive immunity to the baby and protect them from various diseases. Passive immunity which is acquired from the immunoglobulins through breast milk provides temporary immunity to the baby until its immune system becomes functional. Breastfeeding is also beneficial to the mother as it reduces the risk of breast cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc.

While these are content related comparisons, breast milk can also confer with other benefits. The best thing amongst all is that this milk is absolutely free where there is no preparation needed. Formula milk needs preparation and can correspond to average or good amount of expense depending upon the brand that is being used. Having said that, formula feeding has a unique feather to its cap for which it has become needful for some parents. And that is, there is no need for a mother to feed the baby when it comes to formula milk.

Cons of breastfeeding

While we have gone through the pros, there are some cons that are adhered to both of these methods. The mother must be available for feeding the baby whereupon her absence, milk should be pumped beforehand. Besides, a mother may get uncomfortable during the early days of breastfeeding. There are also some medications that can interrupt with breastfeeding as well. On the other hand, formula milk may be somehow intolerable for the baby where it can lead to diarrhea. Moreover, there is always a need to carry bottles, and formula items with you which can be inconvenient.

It is important to note that formula making can never create the contents that are present in original breast milk as there are still some contents that are unknown to us when it comes to breastfeeding. Besides, the bonding cohered with the mother-baby relationship comes into play with breastfeeding, which cannot be replaced with any formula. That is why health experts agree that the healthiest option for both mother and baby is breastfeeding.

At Motherhood Hospitals, we have a team of experienced super specialists backed by the latest in infrastructure and facilities. We are experts in handling complex deliveries, gynaecological, and other surgeries including a range of laparoscopic surgeries.

Do take an appointment with the best maternity hospital in Hebbal, Bangalore at a centre closest to you. Meet with our doctors who will carry out the required investigations, diagnose the issue and recommend the most appropriate treatment, enabling you to lead an active life.

If you wish to get in touch with Dr. Shovna KC, please book your appointment here.

Baby Care and breastfeeding when you have COVID-19

Breastfeeding in a pandemic: An overview:

COVID-19 is disrupting various routines worldwide. Every front of human life is under dispute and disharmony. The pandemic warrants quick actions under clinical observations. When a breakthrough becomes available, it may require subsequent guidelines to establish proper care. Breastfeeding is essential to optimize neonatal health. The health and growth benefits of breastmilk are undisputed and demonstrated. To establish secure breastfeeding in a pandemic like COVID-19, we should thoroughly understand the effects of the pandemic on maternal and neonatal health.

First of all, we should understand how the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 apply to breastfeeding. We should even understand the protective properties of breastfeeding. The tenets of neonatal healthcare may even include the importance of skin-to-skin care. The evidence available till today suggests that the risk of transmission of COVID-19 via breastmilk is very low. Breastfeeding is known for its irreplaceable health benefits both for the mother and the baby. Infection control strategies should be in place with stiff adherence to them.

How to uphold care and caution while breastfeeding during the pandemics like COVID-19?

World Health Organization (WHO) rules that mothers with COVID-19 or suspected to carry the virus may opt to breastfeed their babies provided they follow every safety protocol. Breastfeeding is likened to promote anti-inflammatory responses along with antimicrobial properties and healthy immune responses. The components in breastmilk may also help prevent the incidence of respiratory tract infections. Breastmilk is loaded with an irreplaceable nutritional value contributing to the healthy growth of infants.

Even breastfeeding from women with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection can benefit the infants. Breastmilk constitutes a primordial form of health and development in infants. Breastfeeding establishes itself as the ideal food for kids during the first 6 months. With an irreplaceable nutritive value, it betters the immune response of kids strengthening the defense mechanisms against common and opportunistic infections. Regular and frequent breastfeeding also associates itself with a decrease in neonatal morbidity and mortality.

How does the risk of COVID-19 endanger pregnancy and breastfeeding?

Current evidence is unclear about the vertical transmission of COVID-19 from the mother to her foetus through the placenta in pregnancy. Studies found no traces of the virus in amniotic fluid, placental tissue or umbilical cord blood. As stated above, the traces of novel coronavirus weren’t found in the breastmilk. Precautions are necessary to ensure a low risk of COVID-19 in babies and mothers who are breastfeeding. Mother-infant proximity is a healthy practice even amid the pandemics provided every safety protocol is in place. Healthcare professionals may extend their support to mothers who are unable to breastfeed in the wake of serious complications of COVID-19.

The women who are unable to breastfeed their baby may avail themselves of alternative methods. They may seek help from certified donor milk bank services or other centres dedicated to uplifting breastmilk supply. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the babies during the first 6 months of life. Even after including solid food in the diet of a child, mothers may continue breastfeeding their kids for 6 additional months. They may uphold this practice till the child reaches the age of 2. Mothers with COVID-19 must realize the importance of breastfeeding and opt for the same under stiff obstetric supervision.

Why do people worry about the effects of COVID-19 on pregnancy and breastfeeding women?

Pregnant women aren’t more likely to fall prey to the COVID-19 infection than the nonpregnant counterparts. However, pregnancy itself involves many physiological changes including changes in the immune system and its response to the virulent microorganisms including COVID-19. Therefore, the incidence of COVID-19 in pregnancy may often relate to more severe symptoms of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pneumonia cases reported to date include mild to moderate symptoms and carry fair rates of recovery.

Pregnant women with other conditions such as hypertension, diabetes or high body mass index may develop complications following exposure to COVID-19. The pandemic itself may raise the risk of prenatal depression and anxiety in women. It may be important to extend proper obstetric care to pregnant and breastfeeding women.

How to regularize breastfeeding and postnatal care in the pandemics like COVID-19?

More studies are needed to confirm whether the high-risk newborn babies are at a raised risk of complications or not. Infection of COVID-19 following any contact with virulent respiratory secretion may be a cause of concern. The healthcare staff and facilities may consider temporary separation in the event of maternal COVID-19 infection.

Please follow the guidelines below if you find that temporary separation is mandatory:

The healthcare team should assess the risks and benefits of temporary separation and communicate the same to the mother.
The infants should be availed of a separate isolation room.
In the event of the clinical obligations for colocation (rooming-in), of the baby and his/her sick mother in the same facility, facilities should consider every important aspect to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 from mother to child.
The staff at the healthcare facility might consider using physical barriers to maintain safe distances between the mother and her child.?
If there’s nobody to look after the new-born baby except the mother (COVID-19 infected or suspected) herself, the mother should maintain hygiene and practice hand sanitization under obstetric guidance. These standards should continue as long as the mother is under observation for the possibility of vertical transmission.

Breastfeeding:

Mothers willing to breastfeed their babies even under temporary separation should consider expressing their milk.
Expressing milk offers various health benefits both to the mother and her baby including establishment and maintenance of the proper milk supply.
Mothers can use dedicated breast pumps for seamless milk extraction.
Mothers should accustom themselves to safety protocols and hand hygiene as they start expressing breastmilk.
After each session of milk extraction, every part of the pump should be sanitized and disinfected as directed by the manufacturer/medical official.
Healthcare teams should include a healthy caregiver to ensure proper distribution and consumption of the expressed breastmilk.
The mother and baby in colocation should be under proper clinical observation.
The mother willing to feed the baby at the breast should always wear the facemask alongside the appropriate standards of hand hygiene before and after each feed.

Breastfeeding Story by Mrs. Afreen

Breastfeeding can turn around to be a nightmare if your wife is not guided properly or if a child does not latch on correctly or lactating.

With basic general knowledge like the baby needs to be fed for two years everything felt normal.

However, it was not meant to be.

The next three months in my wife’s life defined what a mother is all about. Every man needs to respect and support his wife for all the pain, compromise and sacrifice which we sometimes conveniently forget.

It is very important that our wives get the deserved rest at home and whenever possible handle guests yourself. Be with your wife when she is feeding especially during the night sessions to divert her mind and help her carry on as it is not easy to feed every two hours.

My wife had probably one of the worst experiences of breastfeeding. What seemed to her like a perfect latch led to extremely painful feeding sessions with cracked, bleeding and sore nipples. I hid my tears to give her strength as I could not imagine someone feeding in such a state.

However, her courage to feed her hungry baby is way beyond words. During this phase, Dr Aruna (our lactation consultant) was very helpful and handled my wife very patiently. Due to over lactation my wife was able to donate milk as well and we heard it was very beneficial to a lot of babies. Would like to conclude by urging all husbands to accompany their wives in every hospital visit and consult a lactation expert to learn the right techniques. ?

My breastfeeding story – Mrs. Ramya

This is my breastfeeding story

Like any other new mother, I thought breastfeeding my newborn would be one of the easiest and natural things to do and no extra work was needed to be put in, especially mentally or emotionally. But was I so wrong! I found out the very second day after my baby was born that she wasn’t latching onto my breasts the right way and was losing weight because she isn’t taking in enough milk.

To me I didn’t know there was a right or a wrong and you could say I was very naive about it. I was in tears most times from the very beginning of my journey, whether be it cracked nipples, blocked ducts, milk blisters, engorgement, sore nipples etc. you name it I had it. Initially I even taught it may be because I did not have enough milk and that’s why my baby wasn’t putting weight which was not the case. I was producing enough or rather more than needed. It was at the hospital where I began expressing milk through a breast pump and I fed my baby. I had to resort to pumping because she needed it even after her direct feeds. I was producing so much milk that was way more than required.

In a way I would say I was lucky that I produced that much because even though she had a bad latch there was some milk entering her and she slowly started to gain weight. Initially she refused feeding from a feeding bottle and would drink very little through direct feeds. So, you can see I was challenged in in all sorts of ways. Then, after the third week she somehow latched onto the bottle and drank the required amount and gained so much weight that she was back on track but then she refused to get back on my breasts and that??s when my exclusively pumping journey began.

It was not easy to exclusively pump, the tears continued to roll down and it felt I couldn’t catch a break at all. There were times when I just felt defeated and decided to give her powder formula because excessive pumping was taking a toll on my mental and emotional stability. I was on the verge of getting into serious postpartum depression.

I didn’t give up though. I somehow found my strength to bounce back from these challenges just so that I could continue feeding my baby girl the best food I can give her which is a mother’s milk. From giving up in the first month I slowly pushed my giving up time to three months and then six months and now my baby is seven months old and I continue to exclusively pump.

It is because I had to make the hard choice of going against the stereotypical breast feeding. My baby has gained weight and her immune system has improved so much better. I will continue pumping till I can and until I feel it’s necessary.

Also, I am happy and proud to do this all myself and for all the milk I donated for those mommies with less milk and newborns who needed breast milk!

PS: No mommy should be obliged to forcefully go through this path. This is just my story of strength. I have found the courage to find happiness in feeding my baby girl through pumping.

Tips for Breastfeeding Newborn: Motherhood Hospital by Dr. Sonali Santhanam

Expert breastfeeding tips for newborns by Dr. Sonali Santhanam - Motherhood Hospital India

Breastfeeding is instinctive for both mother and baby. A newborn when left undisturbed on a mother??s belly is able to crawl up to the breast, find the nipple and self-attach. However, despite being instinctive and natural, breastfeeding is not always easy.

New mothers have ample support at the hospital but they can feel overwhelmed with the new baby at home especially in the first few weeks. If breastfeeding is going well, it is easier for moms to start enjoying their newborn while they recover. However, breastfeeding can be challenging in the early days. Some roadblocks with breastfeeding include nipple soreness, painful latch, low milk supply or oversupply, poor weight gain in babies and lack of sleep.

Understanding newborn behavior and adjusting your expectations in the first few weeks can ease your transition to parenthood. Here are some pointers to get breastfeeding off to a pain-free and stress-free start.

1. Attend a breastfeeding class before your baby arrives. Understanding frequency and duration of breastfeeding, newborn sleep and wake cycles, and recognizing hunger cues will help you get into a rhythm sooner. Being able to practice nursing positions and latching techniques on model babies in class should help you gain confidence and troubleshoot with ease in the early days.

2. Feed within the first hour of birth. Babies are generally alert and demonstrate instinctive feeding behaviors in the first hour of birth. When a baby is allowed to crawl up to the breast and self-attach the latch is deeper and transfer of Colostrum is better. Studies have shown that early initiation of breastfeeding and skin-skin contact with baby improves outcomes by bringing milk in sooner, stimulating baby??s feeding instincts and is associated with increased likelihood of exclusive breastfeeding for first 4 months[1, 2].

3. Stay close to baby: Babies like to be held and you cannot spoil a newborn with too many cuddles. Dr. Nils Bergman, one of the founders of Kangaroo Mother Care, describes the mother??s breast as the newborn’s natural habitat. As with any mammal, separation from its natural habitat triggers a protest-despair response. The protest in the newborn involves crying to be reunited with mother and the despair response is the withdrawal, fluctuation in heart rate and a rise in body temperature that follows. Rooming in with the baby and holding baby skin-to-skin contact will help baby feel secure where she can hear your heartbeat and stay warm. This also means your baby will cry less and will be easier to handle.

4. Nurse with a SOFT touch

Bonding with a SOFT touch helps release oxytocin and facilitates milk production. Oxytocin is called the ??love hormone?? as it is responsible for the falling in love experience the mother and baby have as they bond.

SOFT touch is:
Skin-to-Skin Contact
Open Eye Contact
Fingertips Touching
Time Together

Oxytocin levels can drop with bright lights and if mom is conscious and surrounded by too many people. Uninterrupted quiet time with your baby is a must. Ask visitors to delay their first visit until you have established a rhythm with your baby.

5. Pay attention to hunger cues. Your baby may pucker and smack her lips turn her face from side to side, bring her hands to her mouth and even dive into your breast in search of the nipple. It is important to feed your baby at these first signs of hunger. Crying is a late sign and it is generally harder to get a crying baby to latch.

6. Feed on Demand in the first 3 months. Feed your baby at the first sign of hunger and as often as they want to. In the first 2 weeks, however, babies are very sleepy and may need to be woken up to feed every 2.5 hours. Frequent feeding in the first 2 weeks will help your milk come in sooner, regulate the milk production, and help baby maintain blood sugar levels steady. Once your baby has regained its birth weight (babies loose weight in the first week until the milk comes in) you can relax on this rule and start feeding on cue. Allow you baby to empty one side completely till breast feels soft to ensure baby get the rich fatty hind milk then burp and offer the other side.

Sleep training and schedule feeding if initiated sooner than 4 months of age can compromise milk supply. Breastfeeding is a demand and supply process and in the early days baby??s have frequent growth spurts. During a growth spurt, the baby??s appetite increases and it can be challenging to keep up with this increased need. You may feel discouraged and be tempted to supplement with formula, but you can be assured that your milk supply will catch up if you demand feed. A lactation consultant can help you quantify milk supply objectively if you suspect pathologically low milk production, which can happen in case of hormonal imbalances.

7. Get comfortable; Babies feed often in the first few months and poor positioning could cause your back and shoulders to hurt. Nurse baby-sitting in a comfortable chair using a feeding pillow that reaches up to the breast. Place your feet up on a low stool to bring baby closer. When the baby is latched on your shoulders should be comfortably relaxed and lower back supported.

Alternatively, you can use a laid back position to breastfeed in the early days where you are reclined to about 45 degrees and the baby is supported on your chest. This position also helps prevent traction on the nipple by the weight of the baby hanging under the breast. If you are unable to find a comfortable nursing position seek out a lactation specialist to help you as soon as possible.

8. Babies Breastfeed not Nipple fed. The latch is everything when it comes to breastfeeding. If your baby gets a large mouthful of the breast the nipples reach a comfortable spot in the babies mouth, so milk transfer is better and there is no pain. Conversely, if your baby is latched only on to the nipple it can get pinched between the baby??s tongue and the hard roof of the mouth leading to painful cracked nipples and poor milk transfer. Breastfeeding should not hurt and if pain persists throughout the feed consult a lactation specialist. Sometimes a consult might reveal a structural issue such as a high palate, tight frenulum or inverted nipples that require special intervention.

Signs that baby is latched well include:

1. Lips are flanged out
2. More of the areola is visible on the top and less below
3. Chin is in contact with the breast
4. Nose is free
5. No clicking sounds or dimpling of cheeks

Usually, a well-attached baby suckles a few times and then pauses to swallow. If your baby falls asleep at the breast a few breast compressions can get the milk flowing and keeps baby interested through the feed. This is preferred to the usual advice of tickling the baby??s ears and toes.

9. Stay away from bottles and pacifiers. If you need to supplement baby in the early days with formula or expressed milk it is best to use a syringe or a feeding cup. Introducing a bottle in the first 12 weeks can cause the baby to develop a preference for the faster flow the bottle offers. This might result in a nursing strike where the baby refuses to latch on directly. Coaxing the baby back to the breast will take patience and perseverance.

10. Enlist dad. Dads can feel left out during this phase that revolves around the mother-baby dyad. Dad??s positive and supportive attitude towards breastfeeding can really boost mother??s confidence and encourage her to keep going on difficult days. Dads can take turns with nappy changes, help with burping and swaddling, also do skin-to-skin contact and help moms relax. Dads can ensure moms get adequate rest, eat well at regular intervals and keep stress levels low.

Breastfeeding isn??t meant to be difficult or painful but it is definitely no mean feat! It is, however, an extremely rewarding experience when all goes well.

By Dr. Sonali Santhanam

Source:

1. Imdad, A., M.Y. Yakoob, and Z.A. Bhutto, Effect of breastfeeding promotion interventions on breastfeeding rates, with the special focus on developing countries. BMC Public Health, 2011. 11 Suppl 3: p. S24.

2. Sharma, A., Efficacy of early skin-to-skin contact on the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in term neonates: a randomized controlled trial. Afr Health Sci, 2016. 16(3): p. 790-797.

Complementary Feeding by Archana Reddy

Expert advice on complementary feeding for infants, offering valuable insights - Motherhood Hospital India

What is complementary feeding?

The transition from exclusive breastfeeding to family foods referred to as complementary feeding. From 6 months of age your baby needs breast milk and solid foods to promote health, support growth and enhance development.

When to start/what is the right age?

As per WHO baby has to be exclusively breastfed for first 6 months (if breast milk is not sufficient then formula milk can be given). So complementary feeding should be started when the baby reaches 6 months of age.

Introduction of solid food to be led by infants developmental signs like

Baby can sit with or without support.
Showing interest towards food when others are eating
Likes to put things in their mouths

At this age frequent breastfeeding should continue despite foods being introduced. During the next few months the variety and amount of foods can be increased, while breastfeeding still continues.

How to start?

Solid foods to be started gradually after 6 months of age. At 6^th month solid can be given once/twice. One feed /month needs to be increased.

So by 9th or10th month baby should be taking 3 meals + one or two snacks along with Breast milk/formula milk.

What type of foods to be given?

Good choices for complementary foods are those rich in energy, protein, essential fatty acids and micronutrients (particularly iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C and folate). These will be supplied when breast milk and a variety of suitable complementary foods are given to a baby.

Gradually increase food consistency and variety as the child ages, adapting the diet to the infant’s requirements and abilities

At 6 months: Feed mashed and semi-solid foods, softened foods

Feed energy-dense combinations of soft foods.

At 8^th month:Introduce “finger foods” (snacks that can be eaten by children alone),textured foods

At about 12 months of age: Most children can eat what rest of the family eats (Family Foods).

Principles of Complementary Feeding

No Sugar,No Salt, No Honey till one year of age
No other liquid form of food to baby other that water,Breast Milk/Formula milk.
Always make baby sit in upright position and feed.
Water 30-40ml/day till 12 months.
No cow milk to be given to baby as a drink till 12months,but it can be used as a cooking ingredient.

Practice responsive feeding

Feed infants directly and assist older children when they feed themselves.
Offer favorite foods and encourage children to eat when they lose interest or have low appetites.
If children refuse many foods, experiment with different food combinations, tastes, textures, and methods for encouragement.
Talk to children during feeding.
Feed slowly and patiently and minimize distractions during meals.
Do not force children to eat.

Archana Reddy,Nutritionist, Sahakara Nagar

Breastfeeding Postures

Breastfeeding is not just about milk, it is all about mother’s love & care for her little one. Breastfeeding sometimes requires moms to be in one position for quite a long-time due to which many moms may be predisposed to developing pain on their neck, shoulders, forearms, wrist and low back. New mums sometimes find breastfeeding uncomfortable due to wrong feeding positions, or lack of support. This can lead to breast and nipple discomfort. Physiotherapy plays an important role here to help overcome the discomfort and swelling of breast engorgement ad make the process comfortable and happy for both the mom and baby.

How Physiotherapy is helpful for a lactating mother?

One of the first things physio can help is in educating a good posture when mom is feeding. The mom should be able to sit comfortably and relaxed during the feeding time.
It is important to sit with good posture, so that the strain to the body, neck and shoulders is less. Good posture will help the baby to latch well. A good latch can help minimise the amount of damage and irritation to the nipples
It will also help ensure that the breast drains well during feeds, and therefore decrease risk of developing blocked ducts and mastitis.
Physiotherapy can help reduce breast engorgement, inflammation and swelling, and instruction in gentle lymphatic massage to help reduce swelling.

PRINCIPLES OF ERGONOMICS WHILE BREASTFEEDING

Support your arms and baby while feeding

Positioning yourself and supporting your little one with pillows throughout the feeding will also help to avoid overuse of your arms and shoulders.

Be cautious of your positioning

Be conscious of your position throughout the feeding process. Try not to slide down into a slouched position, especially if feeding in bed or on the couch. It will put stress on your back and neck.

Try feeding

your baby while sitting upright with your back supported and your little one at the height of your breast.

Relax your muscles

You can get sore muscles caused by too much tension in your body. Unless necessary, always try to sit or lay down while breastfeeding. It will allow for extra support for your arms, neck, and back and will help to limit tension that you??d get from poor support while breastfeeding.

COMMON BREASTFEEDING POSITIONS

FAMILIAR PHYSICAL CHALLENGES OF BREASTFEEDING

Breast pain
Neck strain
Upper back & shoulder pain
Hunched posture of shoulder
Hand and wrist pain
Low back pain & Tail bone pain

TIPS FOR NURSING MUMS

Milk flow can be restricted by a poorly fitted bra, poor positioning of you and the baby or due to compression from your fingers holding the breast, if too firm.
Positioning yourself and your baby correctly to avoid back and neck pain as well as avoiding compression of the ducts is very important.
Breastfeeding helps your uterus to shrink to return to its pre-pregnancy size more quickly at about six weeks postpartum.

Breast Feeding

Breast feeding is nature’s very own way to nurture a new born under the warm protection of a mother and no other joy could be compared to the bliss a mother feels when she breastfeeds her baby for the very first time. No amount of artificial supplements comes close to meeting the nutrients required for a new born than breast milk. It contains everything that your baby needs in all the right quantities and is in a form that is easy to digest.

Medically, doctors everywhere recommend breastfeeding as the best nutrient for a child. Breast milk has been proven to be beneficial in more than one way. Listed below are some of the reasons why breast milk is the ideal nutrition for your child.

How is breast feeding beneficial?

For a child

Breast milk is a perfect mixture of vitamins and nutrients for a healthy child.

Breast milk contains anti-bodies that help develop a strong immune system for a child and helps fight viruses and bacteria.
Reduces the risk of asthma, allergies and ear infections.
Improves brain development and increases IQ during later stages of childhood.
Children who are breast fed also gain the right amount of weight as they grow.
Certain studies show that breast milk also prevents SID (Sudden Death Syndrome) among infants.
In some studies, breast milk has also shown a reduction to diseases like diabetes, obesity and certain cancers however, more research is required on these subjects.

For a mother

Breastfeeding burns calories which help new mothers lose pregnancy weight faster.
It also helps lower the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. While breast feeding, a hormone called oxytocin is released that helps the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size.
Helps to save time and money rather than buying supplements and using other expensive alternatives.
Creates a strong bond between a mother and her child.

Overall, breast feeding is the ultimate bonding factor between a mother and her child. While breast feeding, a child to be carried in the arms of a mother, the eye contact, are all important aspects to create and build that strong emotional connect. It is natural, effective and efficient. Unless recommended otherwise by a doctor, we at Motherhood TM believe and promote breast feeding. After all, our child’s first meal is a big deal.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this issue is not a substitute for medical advice. All content including text, graphics and images are for general information purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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