Mum-to-Mum tips

Breastfeeding

The following practical tips have been collected from several London Mums who have been breastfeeding for a long time and have overcome the initial difficulties only to find that breastfeeding is a wonderful experience. Enjoy it and if you want to share your tips or simply discuss with other mums, please send an email to monica@londonmums.org.uk.

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'BREASTFEEDING IN PUBLIC - A GUIDE FOR NEW OR EXPECTANT MUMS' by Keira O'Mara, creator of Mamascarf (February 2010)

So you are pregnant and you know that you want to breastfeed your baby. Congratulations! Or maybe you have started breastfeeding but not yet ventured out in public. Breastfeeding in public can be a scary thought for any new mum and even not so new mums. These tips will help you on your way.

Practise in front of a mirror. It might help you to know exactly what can be seen when you are breastfeeding your baby, you might be pleasantly surprised!

Wear the right clothes. Ensure that you are wearing something that you are comfortable in and that can give you easy access for feeding. This might be a large top that you can easily lift or open. Layering with a cardigan can offer additional coverage. There are many different styles of breastfeeding clothing available, often with hidden openings across the chest allowing access without having to lift or remove any item of clothing. You might choose to double layer vests and lift one and pull down the other which will provide a similar effect.

Take a friend along for moral support. If you are going to breastfeed in public for the first time, you should take someone supportive along with you whether this be your partner, friend, mum or even some other new mums.

Go to a breastfeeding friendly place. You may want to seek out some breastfeeding friendly places in your local area and choose one for your first outing. Your Midwife or Health Visitor should be able to advise you on breastfeeding friendly places. Often child/baby friendly cafes are breastfeeding friendly.

Find a seat out of the way. If you are still feeling nervous you may want to find a seat out of the way or in the corner.

You could use a breastfeeding scarf or cover such as a Mamascarf. This not only provides privacy for public breastfeeding but allows you to see your baby throughout the feed, can't be pulled off and also provides some additional support.

Plan your route. If you know where you are going to be when it's feeding time, you will be able to make sure that you are somewhere you are going to feel comfortable breastfeeding your baby.

Have confidence in yourself and what you are doing. You are breastfeeding your baby, it is your right! It is the best food you can give your baby and it is good for you too. Good luck and remember it gets easier with time!

Website: www.mamascarf.co.uk.


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'WHY BREAST IS BEST FOR YOUR NEWBORN' by mumpreneur Arabella Sargent, a GP and the creator of the Baby Babette (May 2009) FOR NATIONAL BREASTFEEDING AWARENESS WEEK 10-16 MAY 2009

When you hold your new baby in your arms you want to give them the best possible start to their development into a healthy child. The decision on whether or not to breastfeed should be made with the ultimate wellbeing of your baby in mind and knowledge of all the facts surrounding the issue. It is widely accepted that breastfeeding is the healthiest option for babies but ultimately the decision is yours and you shouldn't be swayed by peer pressure either way.

When I gave birth to my gorgeous baby boy Freddie two years ago my decision was an easy one. As a GP I knew the health and nutritional benefits of breastfeeding for Freddie and also for myself. With this in mind I decided that I would breastfeed for as long as it felt right and wouldn't let other people's attitudes or preconceptions put me off. Since it is National Breastfeeding Awareness Week from May 10th to 16th I think it's important to discuss why many women firmly believe there is no substitute for the real thing and also why some women feel uncomfortable breastfeeding and ultimately decide to stop.

For breastfeeding mums it is important to remember that what you are doing is completely natural and beneficial to your baby. The health benefits of breastfeeding are vast and can help your baby in many ways including providing essential nutrients in adequate amounts. The breast milk changes its composition as your baby develops to provide an overall balance to your baby's diet so you don't have to worry about changing formula or anything like that. As all health professionals know breastfeeding can strengthen your baby's immune system and protect them from infections but it can also lower the risk of breast and ovarian cancer in mums and can also help them lose weight after giving birth. There are also other, less explored reasons as to why breastfeeding is beneficial, and not just to you or your baby.

On a much wider scale, the environment benefits from breastfeeding since there is no wastage from formula packaging, and no consumption of resources needed in the preparation. It is just you and your baby tightening the emotional bond between you - being able to feed your baby at any time or place when they are hungry also helps this process along.

Breastfeeding gives you the freedom to go wherever you want and feed your baby when they need it. This helps you psychologically to cope with how your life has changed without feeling that you are completely alone. You can have lunch with your friends or take a walk in the park without having to prepare bottles and formula beforehand. There were times when I was feeding Freddie in public or with male friends around which made me feel a little bit awkward but I was determined not to let this stop me so I started designing and making my own breastfeeding covers. These turned out to solve the problem straight away for, although people will know what you are doing, it gives feeding time some privacy and makes you feel more comfortable. I called these covers Baby Babettes and they've turned out to be so successful I now make and sell them as a business!

There is new evidence suggesting that if there is a family history of allergies, breastfeeding is important because breast milk very rarely passes on an allergy. It is suggested that by postponing the introduction of allergens from other milk products, the risk of your child developing an allergy is greatly reduced. It is also believed that breastfeeding can help the development of your baby's jaw more than sucking on an unnatural teat if the baby is being bottle fed.

Best of all breastfeeding is completely free, which is important to everybody in the current economic climate! It allows you quality time with each other during feeding and if you eat varied foods your baby will also pick up on the tastes through your breast milk which is believed to make them less of a fussy eater later on.

It is important that women learn about the benefits of breastfeeding as the UK has one of the lowest rates in Europe with just 75% of new mums breastfeeding for the first four months, but this drops drastically to 26% by six months. This is in stark contrast to Norway where 99% of mothers breastfeed, in Italy where it is 90% and in Spain where it's over 80%.

Three quarters of the mothers questioned in the UK said that they would have liked to have carried on breastfeeding longer as they were aware of the benefits, but social pressures and society's attitudes to breastfeeding discouraged them. If this is the case more needs to be done about creating awareness within society that breastfeeding is a normal and healthy act. I also hope that the Baby Babette will encourage more mothers to continue to breastfeed.

With all of the benefits to everyone involved I really believe that mums should be encouraged to feed naturally for as long as they want to since it will give the baby the best possible start. Obviously it is not for everyone, and if baby doesn't want to breastfeed then you can't force it to happen but everyone should at least feel informed and comfortable enough to make that decision for themselves.

THE AUTHOR: Arabella Sargent is a GP, a mum and the creator of the Baby Babette. She began the Baby Babette business after giving birth to her son Freddie and is loving having another string to her bow. Arabella is a firm believer in the benefits of breastfeeding and hopes the Baby Babettes will encourage more women to feel comfortable enough to breastfeed with freedom. Website: www.babybabette.co.uk.


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LONDON MUMS' PRACTICAL TIPS AND TESTIMONIALS ON BREASTFEEDING

"Breastfeeding has been an emotional issue for me and for many other mums I know and whilst I am keen to support it wherever possible, during the awareness week I think it is important to be aware of the challenges as well as the all the good points!"

"Breastfeeding is a wonderful thing and I have enjoyed the last few months (once he learnt to suck!) with my baby as a result – more so I believe than if I had bottle fed from the start. I also feel very virtuous!"

"I found breastfeeding very difficult to start with and when I had to stop I felt terrible emotionally. Nobody tells you how difficult it can be. You are lead to believe that it is the most natural thing in the world and both you and baby will do it automatically. It can be very stressful and draining. I think that in the pre natal classes it should be explained that breastfeeding is not for everyone and there should be no pressure from the mid wives. It is a personal choice and a lot of mums start motherhood under a lot of pressure at an already emotional time."

"I had assumed breastfeeding was easy as it is so heavily promoted. I have found it easy relative to other mums but still it is not that easy! The inconsistency of advice can make it very confusing at the start (eg one midwife says one thing, another one the complete opposite). I think there should be more about breastfeeding in antenatal classes (eg how to do it, where to get help in the first few days home from hospital if not working (eg NCT helpline, local breastfeeding advisors etc), how to express/store milk, possible problems (eg mastitis, thrush). I do think it is a shame that health visitors focus so much on breastfeeding and do not necessarily give bottle feeding mums the same support."

"Equal pressure to stop breastfeeding at six months, almost as to start in the first place!"

Mums' opinions on how to get started

"I think there is probably too much pressure to breastfeed. For mothers who find it just impossible, or choose not to breastfeed, they can often be made to feel guilty, and that is not right. There needs to be a balance between actively encouraging mums to breastfeed because it is best for the baby, but supporting everyone and not making them feel guilty if they cannot / choose not to breastfeed."

"Babies go through phases with feeding - it may get tough sometimes, but that phase always passes and it gets easier again. Once breastfeeding is established, it is far easier and less hassle than bottle feeding, although I think a combination of both gives maximum flexibility. Lansinoh nipple cream in the early days is the best! Use it after every feed whether it is sore or not, and it will protect you."

"Just continue on breastfeeding as long as you can. I do find that the more stress you are the less you produce."

"MY OVERRIDING THOUGHT IS THAT THE ADVICE PREGNANT MOTHERS ARE RECEIVING FROM THE NHS ON BF SHOULD BE CONSISTENT - EG ONE BREAST OR TWO, HOW OFTEN TO FEED,HOW TO DEAL WITH SORE NIPPLES ETC... I ALSO THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE ADVICE EARLY ON ON EXPRESSING AND HOW OFTEN A NEWBORN NEEDS TO BE FED. THE ADVICE I WAS GIVEN WAS TOTALLY MIXED AND LEFT ME WITH A JAUNDICED BABY - HAD I KNOWN I SHOULD WAKE TO FEED A NEWBORN EVERY 4 HOURS OR SO THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED!"

"All I can say about breastfeeding, is that it is been one of the most magical, rewarding experiences of my life. I cannot believe that my body has sustained a life for nearly 6 months and nothing beats the feeling of a sleepy, warm baby snuggled up against me at night (the 10pm feed, not the 4am one when I am not so keen!!)"

"Giving the baby a bottle quite early is really useful, either with formula or breast milk to have a break and getting them use to it.drinking lots of water helped my milk supply. electris breast pump was a god send when I had mastitis!"

"Breastfeeding is a joy once it is established and supply is established too. Rest/drink lots of water/and increase demand in 1st week of baby arrival would have helped me more."

"I think it is a good idea to introduce a bottle when the babies are very young even if you are breastfeeding. I introduced one in the first week and continued doing a bottle feed once a day until I was ready to stop breastfeeding, then I increased the bottles gradually as I dropped feeds. I know a lot of people who are struggling to get their babies to take a bottle now after 6 months of purely breastfeeding and they are wishing they introduced a bottle earlier."

"Just because your friend can do it and finds it easy, lucky them, do not compare yourself. find out what works for you - for me giving my baby one or two bottles a day of either expressed or formula was brilliant and you should not feel guilty about that."

"I have loved breastfeeding my baby. Actually, stopping breastfeeding her is taking me longer since I love that moment we have together. It is hard the thought of not being so essential in her life. My tips... well, I am very "pro feeding on demand". I could feed anywhere, in any position, with people, on my own. I just felt confident about it and my baby noticed it. It is very reassuring for me knowing that I am giving her the best. No need of extra vitamins, or medicines. Breast milk has everything your baby needs. By the way, I hardly recommend not using any strong shower gel different to the one you would normally use. My baby rejected me twice after using some lovely products on my skin. She would not feed for hours and would cry every time she approached me. So I had to have another shower with my normal shower gel ... and everything went back to normal!"

"I would advise the introduction of a bottle of expressed milk or fomula from very early on to avoid the battles of babies refusing the bottle."

"Friends i know struggled so badly but felt terrible giving up. I think if a mum struggles they should be able to give up without feeling all the pressure to continue, and they too shld be supported, as what is bad for mum is going to be bad for baby anyway."

"I WAS REALLY WORRIED THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BREASTFEED BUT AM SO GLAD THAT WE HAVE MANAGED IT. I INITIALLY INTENDED TO DO 3 MONTHS BUT WILL NOW CARRY ON AS LATE AS POSSIBLE UNTIL I RETURN TO WORK (5 MONTHS). I REALLY RECOMMEND THE NCT BREASTFEEDING SESSION AS I THINK THAT REALLY HELPED ME KNOW WHAT TO DO AS I DID NOT GET MUCH HELP IN HOSPITAL."

"Breastfeeding is HARD - it is really sore sometimes and tiring and not always easy. No one told me this and it would have helped if I had been prepared for this. NCT told us breastfeeding was easy and that everyone could do it. Women who cannot breastfeed need just as much support, if not more. Even at nearly 6 months old my Health Visitor made me feel guilty for introducing top up formula to my baby..which I REALLY resent."

"Tips on feeding - I always found a corner and used a large scarf or muslin to ensure I did not feel exposed. This was not as easy as my little girl got older and she just removed the muslin! Coffee shops seem to be the most popular place! And remember to think about feeding when you are choosing your outfits for special occasions!"

"When you are first getting used to it - use pillows to get the height and support right. You will be in that position for a very long time so it is important to get a nice "nest" where you can be totally comfortable and focus on the process. Have water and telephone to hand!"

"One major advantage of breastfeeding for me was the practicality of it. No bottles, no sterilizing equipment, no hassle when preparing to go out as you just need nappies and wipes for 6 months."

"I am not very good waking up during the nights and breastfeeding allowed to put your baby on the breast in 5 sec in our bed. No need to go downstairs, prepare bottle with a starving baby. Most of the time, my daughter and I would fall back asleep happily together. - The bond is unique and breastfeeding is a very special time between you and your baby - The pain can be really sharp at the start but it usually goes away after one month and you forget about it. - Once breastfeeding is established, try introducing a bottle (expressed or formula) in order to get some external help in feeding your baby. - In the beginning, it is hard to know if your baby is getting enough. The only indicator is the weight gain. - Opt for feeding on demand, your milk supply will adapt itself to the needs of your baby. Ignore the "every 3 hours rule" or even "babies should not feed at night" as feeding routines do not work with a new born before 3 months. It will take loads of stress away and make you and your baby satisfied. Trust your instincts, follow your heart and RELAX, you are the only one who knows what is best for your child. Books about strict feeding routines makes some mums feel inadequate, too soft and give a sense of failure. A contended infant happens when you answer its needs not when you try to follow a timed strict schedule. I will advise new breastfeeding mums to throw away those books and to go with the flow for at least 4 months. There are enough worries and there is no need to add some by timing everything you do. Your baby will adjust to any routine you set after 6 months if you are consistent. At this age, she will be able to get the message. - Stick with breastfeeding if you are enjoying it. There is no point if you are miserable. A happy mum often means a happy baby."

"I found it hard to know about quantities and how often was enough etc. All the information I got was to just go with what your baby wants, but comparing this with all the advice for bottle feeding mothers, it seemed that the bottle fed babies were drinking a truck load in quantity perhaps than the others. Also, when it comes to weaning, hard to know how much is enough etc. I have read that babies can be fine on 3 feeds in 24 hours. Not much I think, but hey, not much information around either……."

"The midwives in the hospital bizarrely told me that breastfed babies do not get winds! Well, I discovered that they very much do get winds (though to be fair they only really started in the second week) and good winding is the only way to get a baby to sleep. I also found it quite useful to breastfeed in a slightly unconventional manner, whereby my baby was as upright / vertical as possible while feeding, as this seemed to reduce her winds. The classic, virtually horizontal position tended to leave her a little more windy."

Mums'opinions on milk supply and what to eat during breastfeeding

"Top tips - eat avocados - great for your milk. If your baby bis colicky look at your diet - try cutting out gassy veggies/dairy etc. Huggababy was the best thing for getting out of the house and for discreet breastfeeding along with the breastfeeding tops. Expect it to take up all of your time in the first few weeks and avoid supplementing - the baby needs to suck to create enough milk."

"At the very start it will be difficult to find time to make proper meals so make sure you have lots of "instant" savoury foods to pick up. I used to make myself almost a packed lunch where I would put a selection of things in a plastic tub in the fridge so at feeding time I could just go to the fridge and pick out the tub. The types of food I had were: - Cocktail sausage rolls - Packed lunch cheese portions - Ryvita or crispbreads - Packs of sliced meat - Cartons of Juice - Yoghurt - Small boxes of raisins - Sachet of instant miso soup"

"You should go with your gut feeling and not be pressured into going the route of bottle feeding which was in my case by health visitors. Rather read up on how to increase your milk supply first which is what I only really learnt about afterwards after reading up loads."

Secrets to succeed

"PATIENCE AND PRESISTENCE. REMEMBER YOUR MILK IS THE BEST FOR YOUR BABY"

"One word - persevere! I had so many different phases with breastfeeding and hated it at times because it was so frustrating. But I persevered and both me and my baby are very happy now that breastfeeding is totally established. It is so handy - for example when my baby is poorly (after injections/ colds) I can give her a quick comfort feed in the night to settle her. No need to make up bottles! Also I just think the health benefits are enormous I feel very lucky that I can feed her."

"Relax and take your time and do not worry about anyone else!"

"It seemed to work for me to regularly express milk so I could always stay ahead of the demand."

"Especially in the beginning I tried different positions for breastfeeding (lying down and the best: the rugby). Every time I felt that my boob hurt in some place I got babys chin to "massage" the area while feeding. Like this I never had any problems with mastitis or anything similar. I feel, at the moment, that I will definitely miss breatsfeeding my baby as it makes me feel so close to her and very special. And I am a bit afraid that I will loose my strongest power in case of "emergencies" (like feeding to calm the baby or using breastmilk for stuffy noses and pussy eyes instead of prescribed medicine)."

"Buy an electric pump so you can have the flexibility advantages while not compromising on what you feed your baby – electric makes it so much easier. If you are going to want to do this, start pumping very early on (I did within 2 weeks) and offer a bottle within 4-6 weeks at latest so they do not reject."

"Nipple shields if you do not have good nipples. also teaches a baby to latch on well."

"The way I remembered which breast was next was by inverting my wedding and engagement rings, engagement on top meant right boob, on bottom meant left. Saved wearing bracelets and pins!"

"Main top tip, is to relax and not get upset by things if it does not happen straight away. If the baby is being difficult, ask some one else to take the baby and soothe them and then try again. My baby was a very sucky baby and would suckle for ages which got my milk up at the beginning and then I gave her a dummy to stop her from taking too much and being sick a lot. My health visitor has been very helpful and I have called her for advise on a couple of occasions and she has helped to sort out a few problems."

"Hospital advice was very very poor (basically due to staff shortage) I couldnt have breastfed without support of health visitors and other mums ladies met at the breastfeeding cafe. My suggestion is to persevere, it does get easier!"

If you seek professional advice please check onto LA LECHE LEAGUE website.