THE LOW-DOWN ON BREASTFEEDING LINGO

CONFUSED WITH ALL THE ADVICE YOU’RE GETTING? HERE’S AN EXPERT GUIDE TO SOME OF THE COMMON BREASTFEEDING CONUNDRUMS

DEMAND FEEDING A newborn needs between eight and 15 times in 24 hours. Sometimes your baby will want to feed every half hour or every hour, which is completely normal in the early weeks. “Feeding your baby frequently, rather than sticking to a strict four-hour schedule, can benefit your milk production in the early days, because efficient milk removal is key to a good supply,” says lactation consultant Leana Habeck. Your storage capacity is also a factor to consider. “Your breasts may hold less milk than another breastfeeding mother’s breasts, so if you put baby on a schedule, he may not get the milk he needs in a 24-hour cycle,” she says.

SUPPLEMENTING YOUR MILK If your baby is full term and healthy, and you are eating a balanced diet, your body will provide your baby with all the nutrients he needs through your breastmilk for the first six months of his life. This means you should not ever thicken your breastmilk with formula or porridge. “A healthy baby also doesn’t need additional water if he is fully breastfed and has free access to the breast,” says Leana. COPING WITH GROWTH SPURTS Your baby probably will go through several two- to four-day growth spurt periods when he seems to want to eat almost around the clock. These occur between 10 days to two weeks, at three to four weeks, at six weeks, and again at about three months, four months and six months. “At these times you will notice that your baby has emptied the breast, but is still not satisfied. It is important to let a baby feed more often during these spurts,” says Leana. “You don’t need to supplement with additional bottle feeds. Instead put your baby to the breast every two hours, or more often if he needs it, round the clock for a day or two and your body will increase the amount of milk the breasts produces.” This may require you take it easy and lounge in bed with your baby. Call in the troops for support!

CRACKED/SORE NIPPLES “Sore, cracked and bleeding nipples are not a normal part of breastfeeding,” stresses Louise Goosen, a Cape Townbased midwife, lactation

TREATMENT Correct your latch and/or holding position and be sure to break baby’s suction before removing her from your breast.

While your sore nipple is healing, try to feed your baby on the other breast only to help things along. But be sure to keep pumping from the “sore side” to maintain milk flow, says Louise. “Also leave off your bra and let your nipples air out as much as possible.”

To ease the pain, Esme recommends moist wound healing, such as hydrogel pads and a good nipple cream that does not need to be washed off before feeds.

Keep your breasts well drained, expressing by hand or with a breastpump if you need to. “Putting a hot facecloth over your breast and then changing baby’s position and giving her a good feed can clear the blocked duct,” says Louise.

Massaging your breasts after applying a hot facecloth or soaking your breasts in warm water can help too.

Although there’s no scientific research proving cabbage leaves help, many women swear by this age-old remedy. As Louise points out, “It can’t hurt.”

If none of these home remedies works, Louise recommends visiting a physiotherapist who will use ultrasound treatment.

and you can’t get the milk to flow at all. Normal full breasts can also be uncomfortable and even a bit sore, but the difference is you can get them to empty,” she explains.

The most common causes of engorgement, according to Louise, are a poor latch not allowing baby to empty the breast properly, and feeding your baby on a schedule instead of the recommended demand feeding.

“Research has shown that mothers who feed soon after birth and roughly every one and a half to two hours in the early weeks suffer less from engorgement,” notes Esme.

TREATMENT: Esme suggests that you have both chest and breast massages, combined with warm compresses before feeds and cold compresses between feeds.

For the chest massage, work from the outer area of your breast towards the lymph nodes in your armpits. For the breast massage, work towards the nipple, spending more time on any hard areas or lumps.

MASTITIS Mastitis is an infection of the breast tissue, which causes painful inflammation and other flu-like symptoms. It’s often referred to as milk fever. “If your breasts are sore and you feel absolutely awful, then it’s probably mastitis,” says Louise.

There are two types of mastitis you can get. Noninfectious mastitis is usually caused by other breastfeeding problems (such as blocked ducts and engorgement) not being treated properly or not being treated at all. Infectious mastitis is caused by a bacterial infection in the breast tissue, which may also start from untreated cracked or bleeding nipples. “Any history of breast surgery, breast lumps or injury to the breast can increase risk of infection,” notes Esme. remember that if you you’re on antibiotics for mastitis, you can and should continue breastfeeding. It won’t harm your baby at all.”