Here we provide you with an overview of both breastfeeding and bottle feeding so that you can make an informed choice when it comes time to feed your newborn baby.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is completely natural, and gives your baby the very best start in life by providing your baby with antibodies via the colostrum produced in the early days after birth. Although it is an entirely natural process it can be very difficult to get right, this can be a very emotional time for a new mother and having the right support around you is crucial to successful breastfeeding. It can take a few weeks for you and your baby to get the hang of it, but as time goes by it gets a lot easier. If you have problems with breastfeeding, then ask your midwife, early childhood health centre or a breastfeeding counsellor.
What you need to know
Breast milk has all the nutrients your baby needs to grow and develop for the first four to six months. It’s been shown to support vital brain development and to give long-term health benefits.
Breast milk contains antibodies which help protect your baby against infections, including tummy upsets and ear infections.
Breast-fed babies are less likely to develop conditions such as eczema, asthma and diabetes.
Breast milk is always available at the right temperature, and there’s no preparation involved.
Breast milk is free.
A Guide to Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is new to your baby as well as to you, and you may both need lots of practice before you feel you’ve got it right.
Your baby’s first feed can take place straight after birth, if everything’s fine. You both need to be comfortable and remember, getting your baby ‘latched on’ right means you will stay comfortable, and he will get a good feed:
Your baby should be ‘tummy to mummy’.
You may need to support your breast from underneath with your hand, but don’t have your fingers near your nipple or areola as you could prevent your baby getting a good mouthful of breast.
You shouldn’t try to ‘post’ your nipple into your baby’s mouth – it’s ‘baby to breast’ not ‘breast to baby’, so bring him on when his mouth is wide open.
This can all be quite tricky at first, and it can be really helpful to have a midwife with you to guide you into latching on correctly. Even at this early stage, the way the baby actually feeds from your breast is so important. If it’s not right, breast-feeding can make you sore and lead to an unsatisfying feed for your baby.
One or both breasts?
Follow what your baby wants to do. Some babies want both breasts at each feed, and you can offer the second when your baby seems to take a break. If he doesn’t want it, just offer the ‘unused’ breast next time.
Making milk
You already have colostrum, and some time between days two and five, the milk ‘comes in’ under the influence of the hormone prolactin. Women who have had a general anaesthetic may experience a slight delay in their milk “coming in”.
If you decide not to breastfeed, your milk production gradually stops. You only continue producing milk if it is being removed from the breast. In fact your baby determines your milk production. The more he demands the greater your supply will be.
When your baby feeds:
He takes your breast in his open mouth, and draws the nipple to the very back of his mouth. His uses his tongue and jaw to get the milk out.
He gets some foremilk, the lower-calorie milk in the reservoirs behind the nipple.
The hormone oxytocin is released into your blood, and as a result the tiny muscles surrounding the milk-storage cells of the breast push the fattier hind milk into the ducts – this is the let-down reflex or the milk-ejection reflex.
The milk goes down the ducts, and out into the baby’s mouth.
Your baby adopts a suck-swallow rhythm, using his tongue and jaw to have an effective, satisfying feed.
Tips for Breastfeeding Success
Here’s our selection of tips to help you and your baby make a success of breastfeeding right from the very start:
Feed your baby as soon as you can – straight after the birth if you and your baby are well.
Get help with positioning – if it hurts, there’s a problem. Initial tenderness is normal. Soreness that gets worse is not. Midwives in hospital, or community midwives who visit you at home, can help you change things so it is not as painful. Creams and other potions on your nipples won’t help with soreness if the underlying cause is poor positioning.
Keep your baby close to you. When you can, skin to skin contact – with your baby nestled against you – is soothing for your baby, and helps you respond to signs she makes when she wants feeding.
Frequent feeding is normal in the early days – don’t try to make your baby go a set time between feeds.
Offer both breasts at every feed. It doesn’t matter if your baby only takes one.
Remember breastfeeding is something you and your baby have to learn and it can take a little while for it to feel normal and natural. What goes on in the first days and weeks changes as time goes on.
While you’re still establishing breastfeeding, don’t give your baby anything in a bottle. Even if you are considering it for later on, while your baby’s still learning, the use of the bottle and the teat can affect her ‘skill’ at breastfeeding.
After a period of pain-free feeding, are you experiencing soreness? This could be the result of thrush on your nipples. Both you and your baby need treatment. Please consult your doctor.
Forget the clock when you’re breastfeeding. The length of time your baby is on the breast is irrelevant to success and doesn’t reflect the amount of milk she’s getting, some babies get what they need in a few minutes, while others take a lot longer. Most babies have natural pauses in their feeds which are variable in length, too….
...but long feeds (say, regularly over an hour) which fail to keep your baby happy and leave him hard to settle, are a sign that something is not right. Check positioning, to ensure your baby is able to take a more satisfying feed.
Regularly change your breast pads. Damp breast pads quickly develop bacteria.
Gently remove your baby from the nipple by breaking the suction seal they have created. Gently slide your finger into the corner of your baby’s mouth and pull baby off.
Squeeze a little milk onto your nipple and massage this in to aid with healing. If possible leave your nipples to dry in the open air.
Expressing and Storing Breastmilk
Women express and store breast milk for many reasons, preparing for a night out, returning to work and illness, to a name a few. During the early days of breastfeeding your body is producing excess quantities of milk and many women take the opportunity of expressing and storing at this time. Here are some tips.
Expressing
Wash your hands before expressing.
Find a quiet place to sit and relax before starting.
Have a glass of water on hand.
Some women suggest having a picture of their baby to look at as it helps to allow the let down reflex happen.
Ensure all your equipment is thoroughly cleaned and sterilised.
Storing Your Milk
Ensure you write a date on each container before storage.
Plastic storage bags are ideal for freezing. Speak to your local pharmacy about products available.
Your milk will last in the fridge for 24 hours, after this time it should be frozen.
Your milk will last in the freezer for a maximum of 3 months.
Thawing and Re-heating Your Milk
It is recommended that you defrost your frozen breast milk in the fridge.
You can then reheat this by placing the bottle in a jug of hot water or in a bottle warmer.
NOTE: It is recommended that you do NOT use a microwave for heating breast milk as it affects the fats and proteins.
Mastitis
Mastitis is an extremely painful infection of the breast that should be treated urgently to prevent an abscess from forming. The initial symptoms of mastitis include swelling, redness, tenderness and pain in the breast. You may be able to treat these symptoms by yourself if this is not an infection of the breast.
Your first course of action is to:
Continue to breastfeed and start the feed from the breast that has the tenderness.
Try to position your baby’s chin over the area of redness as this will assist with draining the blocked duct.
Massage gently, towards the nipple while you are feeding.
Fully drain your breasts after the feed by expressing to ensure that no milk has been left behind.
If you develop the following symptoms you should seek medical advice as soon as possible. Prompt treatment is essential. These symptoms can develop very quickly and should not be ignored.
Initially you may feel a hard lump or tenderness in the breast, this is usually accompanied by redness and the breast is hot to touch.
Fever.
Tiredness and weakness.
Muscular aches and pains.
Flu like symptoms.
Tearfulness.
The most likely treatment for mastitis will include:
Antibiotics prescribed by your doctor. If you do take antibiotics be aware of the possibility of thrush developing on your nipples. The symptoms are similar to needles piercing your nipple especially during and after breastfeeding. Contact your doctor if this occurs.
Use of painkillers is recommended. Paracetamol and ibuprofen are suggested treatments.
Heat your breast by placing a hot wash cloth over it before feeding. Start by feeding your baby from the infected side and try to position their chin over the area that is inflamed.
After the feed cool your breast down by using an ice pack wrapped in a cloth.
Ensure you fully drain your breasts.
Drink plenty of fluids and REST, REST, REST.
Tips for the prevention of mastitis:
Avoid placing pressure on your breast while feeding.
Ensure your baby has the correct attachment.
Avoid sudden changes to the length between each feed, especially in the early days of feeding.
Ensure that the leading breast is drained properly.
For immediate assistance and advice phone your local Australian Breastfeeding Association helpline:
The term formula feeding means giving your baby formula milk in a bottle. Formula milk is based on cow’s milk that’s been processed to make it more easily digested by a new baby. It’s for babies who don’t get breast milk, or in addition to breast milk. No matter how persistent some women are with attempting to fully breastfeed their baby, they find for one reason or another, that it is better for themselves and their baby to change to bottle feeding. This can be a difficult decision for some mothers to make, especially if they had their heart set on breastfeeding their new baby. Seek some guidance from your local Health Nurse. If you are trying to establish breastfeeding, it has been suggested that the early use of bottles and dummies can interfere with the establishment. It can reduce both the infants sucking capacity and stimulation of the breasts. This may result in delayed and poor establishment of lactation.
What you need to know
Babies who aren’t breast-fed must only have formula milk – ordinary cow’s milk is not suitable.
It’s important to keep all feeding equipment clean by sterilising between uses. This is because formula fed babies don’t get the same protection from infection as breast-fed babies.
Bottle feeding with formula milk, or with expressed breast milk, provides mums with flexibility when they go back to work.
However you decide to feed your baby, you and your baby will love spending the time together. Hold your baby close when you’re bottle feeding, and enjoy it.
A Guide to Bottle Feeding
You may bottle feed from the start, or you may decide to make the change from breast feeding later on.
What you need
If you plan to fully bottle-feed you’ll need:
Sterilising equipment
At least six bottles and teats
Mixing jug.
Bottle warmer (optional).
For an occasional bottle feeding, one or two bottles and teats will be fine. You may not need to buy all the sterilising equipment.
When you bottle-feed:
Hold your baby close, and make sure the teat is always filled (this reduces the amount of air-swallowing).
Every so often, you’ll need to take the teat out of your baby’s mouth as the sides stick together and prevent a good flow.
Wriggling, crying and pushing the teat out with the tongue may mean your baby needs sitting up to get rid of wind.
If your baby’s fully or mostly bottle-fed, you may find it easier to make up all the infant formula you’ll need for the next 24 hours, and keep it in bottles in the fridge. Some babies take a bottle straight from the fridge, but most mums will warm it by standing the bottle in a jug of hot water first, or using an electric bottle warmer.
Note: test the temperature of the formula by shaking a drop or two on to your wrist or the back of your hand. It should feel more or less like the same temperature as your skin.
Important: heating bottles of formula in a microwave oven is NOT recommended. The heat can be uneven, leading to scalding hot spots in the bottle.
Make up your baby’s feeds according to the instructions on the pack. The main points you need to remember are:
Always put the amount of boiled water in the mixing jug or bottle first, before the powder.
Always add the correct amount of scoops, making the feed either too weak or too concentrated can be potentially dangerous.
You can buy pre-measured sachets of dried milk which ensure you have the proportions right. Ready-to-feed formula is even easier, though it does cost more.
If you need to switch to bottle feeding, do it gradually unless you’re changing over in the first few days. A sudden changeover can mean an uncomfortable build-up of milk in the breasts, which could lead to problems like mastitis. If you think you are developing mastitis contact your doctor immediately. Early treatment is essential.
Further Information
Your local Early Childhood centre (NSW), Children’s Health Clinic.
when going on an outing remember to have a box of healthy snacks and something to drink on hand as it is always cheaper and the kids are usually greatful for a munch.
Here’s our selection of tips to help you and your baby make a success of breastfeeding right from the very start:
The term formula feeding means giving your baby formula milk in a bottle. Formula milk is based on cow’s milk that’s been processed to make it more easily digested by a new baby. It’s for babies who don’t get breast milk, or in addition to breast milk. No matter how persistent some women are with attempting to fully breastfeed their baby, they find for one reason or another, that it is better for themselves and their baby to change to bottle feeding. This can be a difficult decision for some mothers to make, especially if they had their heart set on breastfeeding their new baby. Seek some guidance from your local Health Nurse. If you are trying to establish breastfeeding, it has been suggested that the early use of bottles and dummies can interfere with the establishment. It can reduce both the infants sucking capacity and stimulation of the breasts. This may result in delayed and poor establishment of lactation.
