Benefits of Breastfeeding
Breast milk contains everything baby’s need. This starts with nutrition for growth, but it also contains a lot of other things which help baby’s to grow and develop.
Breast milk also contains things like hormones, growth factors, and antibodies. These extra special ingredients boost baby’s immune system, protects against infections and help baby’s growth and development.
Breast milk helps the gut to mature, and is absorbed more easily than formula milk. It also has a mild laxative effect, which helps to clear the gut of meconium (the first dark, sticky stool), this can help to prevent Jaundice.
Premature and sick babies are very vulnerable. Even if you did not plan to breastfeed your baby, giving expressed breast milk to your baby whilst they are in the hospital is one of the most important things that you can do. This is because breast milk reduces the risk of illness, necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) and death.
There is lots of information here about breastfeeding, but it should not replace talking to your nursing and medical team. Please ask for support with expressing and with any questions you may have.
https://www.emnodn.nhs.uk/breastfeeding
Breastfeeding benefits to mum
Breastfeeding mothers have been shown to have:
· lower risk of breast cancer
· lower risk of ovarian cancer
· less diabetes
· less hypertension (high blood pressure)
· lower risk of heart disease
· lower risk of osteoporosis
· lower risk of postnatal depression
Benefits for the baby
Breastfed babies have been shown to have:
· Tailored and improved nutrition
· Fewer infections
· Less gastrointestinal infections (diarrhoea and vomiting)
· Less respiratory infections
· Fewer ear infections
· Lower risk of heart disease in adulthood
· Fewer instances of allergies, eczema and asthma
· Lower risk of childhood cancers, including leukaemia and lymphomas
· Lower risk of type 1 and type 2 diabetes
· Lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
· Improved bone health
· Improved brain development
· Lower blood pressure and cholesterol
· Increase IQ
· Fewer mental health concerns in childhood and adolescence
· Fewer dental concerns in childhood and adolescence
· effecting method of pain relief
· Improved bonding
Is my baby ready to breastfeed, or feed by mouth?
There are a few things we need to think about before your baby can feed orally.
They need to be breathing for themselves. This means they are able to breath in air or with oxygen through the nose only. So they are not attached to any machines which help breathing.
Your baby needs to have times when they are awake and settled. So if your baby is always sleeping, they are not yet ready to feed orally.
Your baby needs to be able to hold themselves in the midline position. This means that they can keep their arms and legs tucked in. If your baby is not able to do this because their arms and / or legs are too floppy or stiff, then we will ask our physiotherapist and occupational therapist to advise on how we can safely feed your baby. Breast feeding position and attachment.
If your baby is very unwell and needs extra medical support, or is placed nil by mouth, we may need to stop oral feeds.
From 32-34 weeks, your may notice your baby starts to suckle and this is when they may be able to feed orally.
Your baby will also start to show signs that they are hungry, see feeding cues section.
Bottle feeding
If you are not able to breast feed or have decided to bottle feed your baby with either expressed breast milk or formula.
If your baby was born early, they will need some extra support when they first start bottle feeding.
Your baby will need to learn how to suck, swallow and breath during a feed. We usually call this feeding coordination.
Elevated side lying mimics the breastfeeding position and is the best way to hold your premature baby whilst they are feeding from a bottle.
Your babies heart rate and breathing will be more stable in this position. It also allows your baby to be more in control of the pace they drink, and is safer for preterm babies as it helps the milk to go down the right way without choking, and it may reduce reflux.
If your baby was born at term, they will usually learn how to coordinate feeding and breathing quickly because they are more developed. Term babies can be fed feed whilst being held when cradled in your arms, in a semi-upright position.
Paced feeding
Paced feeding is way of giving your baby more control over feeds.
Babies usually take small amounts of milk and stop for a rest, and then take more. You can help them to “pace” their feeds so that it mimics the way they would breastfeed.
To do this:
- Start by touching the teat on your baby’s top lip, inviting your baby to draw the teat into their mouth.
- Keep the bottle almost horizontal – just very slightly tipped to prevent the milk flowing too fast.
- Watch your baby for signs that they are finished or need a break, as this gives them time to feel full and avoid overfeeding.
- Your baby might become upset when you take the teat away from their mouth. If this happens, try tilting the bottle down with the teat still in their mouth – this will slow down the milk flow, but still feel comforting to your baby.
Never force your baby to finish a feed as this will be distressing and can mean your baby is overfed.
Pacing feeds
You may need to externally pace your babies feed if they are not pausing by themselves to breathe, in between sucks and swallows.
The Speech and Language Therapist may recommend that the bottle is lowered or removed after every few sucks, as identified during assessment, to allow your baby to pause to breathe in between sucking bursts.
Responsive feeding
Offering the bottle in response to feeding cues, gently inviting the baby to take the teat, pacing the feeds and avoiding forcing the baby to finish the feed can all help to make the experience as acceptable and stress-free for the baby as possible, as well as reducing the risk of overfeeding. Supporting you as parents to give most of the feeds yourselves (particularly in the early days and weeks), will help you to build a close and loving relationship with your baby and help your baby to feel safe and secure.
Equipment
You will need a pillow and footstool we can provide these for you during your neonatal stay.