This week I am discussing Breastfeeding

One of the things I decided at the outset of my pregnancy is that I was going to breastfeed. To me it seemed like the most convenient and healthy option for my baby. One thing I had heard though is that the so called “most natural thing in the world” is not so natural. And in fact 95% of women who attempt breastfeeding have some level of difficulty doing it. I my fellow readers fell into the 95%.

My first feed, where the baby gets its colostrum (the yellow highly nutritious substance that comes in before your milk) was fed to my baby with no problems whatsoever. I had been leaking since my 28^th week of pregnancy so when he fed shortly after birth it was an easy feed. In the first 24 hours the baby is tired and adjusting to life outside the womb, so if they feed once during the first 24 hours most child care professionals are content. I thought I had done my job within the first hour. However the medical nurses at my hospital insisted I feed my baby every three hours. This was so that they could check my latch and ensure we would form a habit right off the get go. However this constant feeding only created a problem for me because my little guy is a very strong sucker and it left me bruised and chapped and grimacing in pain. Remember I gave birth au nautral and as such have a high pain threshold so when I was crying during feedings on the second day of feeding my child my husband was the  one who voiced concern. He knew I was in pain and that we were having a problem... Our temporary solution was to go buy a breast pump and bottle feed our little one while I took a 24 hour booby break. At first I felt really guilty and cried, but my hubby and mom reminded me I was still feeding our little one breast milk it was just coming out of a bottle and that I needed to take care of myself in order to take care of him. That helped and so did the rest period. During this time we set up an appointment with a nurse who specialized in breastfeeding and from her got some tips. Today I am feeding normally, there is the initial discomfort when the little guy latches on but it gets easier as soon as he starts to feed. As for the pump I do use it to relieve engorgement or when I start to leak but the little one does not want to feed. Also it is convenient to store some breastmilk for when daddy or grandma wants to feed the little guy.

Tips for breastfeeding:

·         Don’t expect that the first latch will be perfect and that the whole process is trouble free. There will be hiccups and discomfort and low moments, but you can get through it, and eventually come to enjoy it.

·         Two great resources are the video “Follow me Mum” by Rebecca Glover it is a video that breaks down breastfeeding into chapters, it shows great clips and easy tips. Secondly the book “Guide to Breastfeeding” by Dr. Jack Newman has chapters for all the hiccups you can encounter and offers solutions to all kinds of breastfeeding problems.

·         Make sure that your baby has a wide yawn prior to latching.

o   Next hold your breast like you are going to squeeze toothpaste above the areola this forces it to be squeezed and fits better into the baby’s mouth. If your baby starts dozing off during the feeding you can squeeze your breast and it will get more milk into them and make them more alert.

o   Support your breast and your little one’s head during the whole feeding.

o   Put the nipple way back into his mouth ensure that the latch is good. It should reach the area between the soft and hard palate on the top of his mouth. If your latch is not comfortable or if he is just sucking on your nipple use your CLEAN pinky finger put it in the corner of his mouth (like a fish-hook) and release your breast.

o   When there is a successful latch the baby’s mouth should be on your ariola not just your nipple for sucking and should be fairly comfortable. His face looks buried in your breast. Don’t worry he can breathe J

o   If you can keep him on for a feeding on one breast he gets the hind milk which is highly nutritious and high in calories. Think of it as the equivalent of cream.  If you switch breasts after only a few minutes it is like the baby getting two servings of skim milk.

·         Milk comes in around the third day of breastfeeding prior to that it is colostrum.

·         Engorgement happens a few days after your milk comes in, it is your body’s way of boosting supply of milk. It is a supply and demand cycle, so the more you feed the more milk comes in. Engorgement makes your breasts very full and can be uncomfortable, feed your little one and if you feel comfortable with it use a pump. Engorgement goes away after a couple of days. If you are really uncomfortable use a leaf of cabbage for a MAXIMUM of 20 minutes, it has properties that combat swelling. Using cabbage for any more than 20 minutes can compromise your milk supply.

·          Seek help from a nurse, lactation consultant or La Leche league if you continue to find it difficult. http://www.llli.org/

CAREER ADVICE

 Saving up:

When going on maternity leave your income is reduced. There is an optimal ratio for your income and it is outlined below. If you have the opportunity to plan your pregnancy and maternity leave, save up to live comfortably and still keep to the percentages below. Make sure to pay down debts prior to going on maternity leave and boost your savings as you will likely dip into them for baby expenses. There are the expenses of diapers, clothing that everyone thinks of. However there are additional expenses people forget about like birth certificates, passport applications, baby photographs, for some families with boys circumcisions. These expenses really add up too.

Housing 35%

Transportation 15%

Life 25%

Debt Repayment 15%

Savings 10%

Housing: When it comes to rent or mortgage payment you can only afford 35% of your take home income. Any more than that will stretch you out and is not sustainable in the long run. This is what one calls house poor because it will cause you to skimp out on other life's necessities.

Transportation: This includes your car payments, gas and insurance and thus should not eat up more than 15% of your income.

Life: This includes your groceries, pet food, clothing and entertainment as well as other expenses in life. This should make up no more than 25%.

Debt Repayment: Whether consumer debt to your credit cards, consolidation loans, or student loans 15% of your income should go to debt repayment.

Savings: your parents told you about this one but most of us ignore it. It is important to save up part of your pay check for emergencies, retirement or investments. So save up that 10%

 Here is how it breaks down for your take home income

Income	$1000	$2000	$3000	$4000
Housing	$350	$600	$1,050	$1,400
Transportation	$150	$300	$450	$600
Life	$250	$500	$750	$1000
Debt Repayment	$150	$300	$450	$1,400
Savings	$100	$200	$300	$400