Working With A Baby Who Is Actively Resisting Nursing
Make sure that a physical problem is not causing baby to resist nursing. Could baby have a birth injury or other condition that makes positioning for nursing painful? Is baby having problems with breathing while nursing or coordinating sucking and swallowing? Does baby have an overactive gag reflex that makes nursing uncomfortable? Does baby have severe reflux that makes feeding painful? Does baby have a sore throat from suctioning or other medical interventions? These are just some of the things that might interfere with breastfeeding.
Sometimes a baby will aggressively refuse the breast for no discernable reason this baby will often resist being held, and may also be easily overstimulated. These babies can be transitioned to breastfeeding, but it should be done very gently so that baby becomes comfortable with being at the breast.
La Leche Leagues Breastfeeding Answer Book lists the stages that these babies go through as they transition to breastfeeding:
Some babies will become more resistant the more you press the issue of nursing. If youve been working hard to get baby to latch and baby is resisting nursing, it can be helpful to step back for a bit, take the pressure off both yourself and baby, and not try to latch baby at all for a few days. Then slowly and gently work on moving baby through the above stages.
Look For Early Feeding Cues
It is helpful to practise breastfeeding as soon as a baby shows really early feeding cues such as starting to move in light sleep, moving their head from side-to-side to search with an open mouth, or sucking their fingers or fists. Crying is a late feeding cue and a baby is less able to organise themselves to breastfeed if they are crying and upset.
Between Days 6 And 10 Start Settling Into A More Predictable Breastfeeding Routine
Because your baby is likely receiving more milk than she did before, you may notice a more regular pattern of nursing, sleeping and alert periods after your milk comes in. If your baby likes to suckle for comfort, you may find that she prefers to cluster feed at certain times of day, meaning shell nurse almost continuously for a few hours, rather than nursing only once every two to three hours.
By this time, your baby should be producing four or more yellowish bowel movements and six or more wet diapers every 24 hours. Consult the A.A.P.s breastfeeding guide to help ensure you and your baby are still on the right breastfeeding path. Its also important to continue to find time to rest when your baby is sleeping.
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On Day 3 Keep Monitoring Your Baby And Milk Supply And Prepare For Your First Pediatrician Appointment
Before you leave the hospital, make sure your baby has a follow-up appointment scheduled with his pediatrician for the day after discharge. Days two to five are critical days for normal newborns to be seen by their pediatrician, said Dr. Vicki Roe, M.D., a pediatrician at North Point Pediatrics in Indiana. They are still losing weight and their jaundice levels could be increasing. A healthy baby can become a very sick baby quickly and we must monitor them closely to prevent complications.
According to Dr. Roe, its important for your baby to have a physical exam every day or every other day after youre discharged, until its clear that your baby is feeding well and that their jaundice is improving.
On day three, your breasts will begin to feel fuller and heavier and possibly start leaking as your milk comes in, though it could take six or more days after birth for your full milk production to start, especially if its your first baby or if you delivered via cesarean section. Delayed milk production typically has no bearing on your ability to have a full milk supply, but catching and managing it early and appropriately is important. If your full milk production is delayed, continue nursing every two to three hours and then supplement right after, until your milk comes in. Your pediatrician will advise you on how much banked donor milk or formula is needed and how to wean off it once your milk arrives.
How Often Will My Newborn Poo And Wee
What goes in must come out! Colostrum acts like a laxative that encourages your baby do his first poo, called meconium. This can be a bit startling as its black and sticky like tar.11 But dont worry, his nappies wont always be like this in fact, breastfed babies poo usually has an inoffensive, slightly sweet smell.
Heres how many dirty nappies you can expect and when, and what their contents should look like:
Day one
Day four to one month
- Number: two or more
- Colour: yellow
- Texture: seedy . Loose and watery.
When it comes to your babys wee, it should be pale yellow. An average newborn has one wee for each day of his life until about day three, when he should have about three wet nappies daily, and from day five, five or more wet nappies daily. You should also notice these nappies getting heavier over the first few days.11
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Let Somebody Else Bottle Feed The Baby
Babies are naturally talented at recognizing people by their smell. If your baby can smell you, they’ll expect to be breastfed rather than bottle fed. This can make them reluctant to take a bottle. Instead, have another loved one bottle feed the baby and keep some distance while they eat. In addition to making feeding easier, this can strengthen the baby’s bond with the person who is feeding them.
What If I Dont Have Enough Milk
If youre still struggling to express any milk after the first few days your milk supply may be delayed or occasionally a medical condition can cause low milk supply. Contact your breastfeeding specialist and see No Breast Milk After Delivery and Reasons for Low Milk Supply. Sometimes a baby may need some donor milk or commercial infant milk until your milk supply increases, your health professional will normally advise you when this is needed. See Supplementing With Formula and How to Make More Breast Milk.
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How Does A Baby Know How To Breastfeed
Babies are born with incredible, innate instincts.
One of these instincts is the knowledge and ability to breastfeed.
In the first few days after birth, most mothers and babies need a bit of practice with breastfeeding. They might need to learn positions and attachment as they start their breastfeeding journey.
Despite this, the ability of newborns to find their mothers breast and attach to the nipple is present from the time theyre born.
So how do babies know how to breastfeed?
They just do. Its part of their natural reflexes to find milk after being born.
If you give them the time to do so after birth, your baby will show you exactly how.
When Your Baby Won’t Breastfeed
Brian Levine, MD, MS, is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.
Breastfeeding is a wonderful and rewarding experience, but it is not without its difficulties. Newborns can have problems latching on and learning to breastfeed, and older babies who have been breastfeeding well for weeks or months can suddenly stop.
Both of these situations are upsetting, but be patient and ask for help if you need it. Talk to your pediatrician or lactation consultant for assistance and support. Most of the time you can find a solution and still breastfeed.
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Tips For Getting Baby Latched On To The Breast
Breastfeeding will be more relaxed for both you and your baby when he has a good latch from the get-go. We can help you make that happen.
In breastfeeding, the latch is the moment everything comes together: Your baby takes a big mouthful of your nipple and areola , begins to suck, and draws out your milk. When your baby has established a good latch, your nipple soreness is minimized and your little one gets the nourishment he needs. How do you pull all that off? First and most important, have faith in yourself and your baby. “Babies are designed to breastfeed,” says Emily Pease, R.N., international board certified lactation consultant , of Swedish Hospital’s Breastfeeding Center in Seattle. “They are born with instincts that help them find Mom’s breast and latch on often with very little assistance. And if problems do come up, there are lots of ways to troubleshoot.” Here are more steps to get a good latch right from the start.
Step one: Do your homework. Before your baby arrives, take a breastfeeding class — many hospitals and birthing centers offer them — or go to a La Leche League International meeting. At prenatal breastfeeding classes, instructors demonstrate latching with videos or with dolls, so you can get more comfortable with the process. Connecting with other moms and new moms-to-be can be an invaluable source of support should you have questions or problems when your turn arrives.
Path To Improved Health
Breastfeeding promotes wellbeing for you and your baby. Although it is a natural part of the birthing process, its not always easy. Many women need help learning how to breastfeed. The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that all doctors provide assistance to women during pregnancy and after birth to support breastfeeding. Your doctor may recommend breastfeeding for at least the first 6 months of your babys life.
Below are helpful tips to help you get off to a good start.
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Allow Your Baby To Feed As Long As Theyd Like From Each Breast
While it can feel funny to end a feed feeling lopsided with one breast fuller than the other, letting your baby empty your breast fully helps your body regulate supply.
Youll know that their feed is complete when you no longer hear them gulping and swallowing. While they may continue to suck, this is known as comfort nursing.
Medicines Drugs And Breastfeeding
Most medicines are safe to take while breastfeeding but please let your doctor or pharmacist know you are breastfeeding to make sure the one being prescribed for you is okay.
can be a problem with breastfeeding. Tell your health care provider what you are taking, even over the counter or herbal medications.
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How Often To Feed
Your baby needs a minimum of seven to eight feeds in 24 hours, especially in the early weeks after birth.You know your baby is feeding well when they:
- are settled after most feeds
- are alert, active and content when awake
- have at least six soaked cloth nappies in 24 hours after your milk ‘comes in’ disposable nappies should be heavy and spongy
- have at least one yellow, loose bowel action every day after initial meconium is passed.
Your baby should be back to birth weight by two weeks of age. Normal weight gain is between 20 and 30 grams per day, or between 150 and 210 grams per week.You know your baby is feeding correctly when:
- after some initial short frequent sucks to stimulate milk flow, your baby begins to swallow. Sucking becomes slower, deeper and more rhythmic with rest periods between each sucking burst. As the feed progresses the sucking bursts become shorter and the rest periods longer
- you can hear or see your baby swallowing.
You may develop problems breastfeeding if you:
- restrict suckling time at the breast
- give infant formula to your baby without medical advice
- use dummies in the early weeks.
Related information
The Golden Hour After Birth
Its recommended by health experts such as The American Academy of Pediatrics and members of the IBCLC that all healthy babies have immediate skin-to-skin contact with their mothers after birth. Babies should remain skin to skin with their mothers until they have their first breastfeed.
This important first cuddle is often referred to as the golden hour and is a wonderful moment for the mother.
There are many important benefits of an undisturbed first hour after birth, and getting breastfeeding off to a good start is just one of them.
This hour is the start of you, the mother, and your baby getting to know each other.
The contact increases oxytocin levels for mothers. This oxytocin surge directly influences your recovery, your breastfeeding journey, bonding, and even your milk supply.
Just as this first contact is your part of your babys instinct and reflexes, the same applies to you. This is the life youve carried with you, and you as the mother will naturally react in kind, whether you had any anticipation about this in the first place or not.
You can read more about oxytocin in Oxytocin 15 Fascinating Facts About The Love Hormone.
Its a good idea for routine procedures such as suctioning, weighing and measuring, administering the vitamin K shot, cleaning, dressing and swaddling to wait until after this important hour has passed.
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Returning To Work While Nursing
Ease in.“Consider starting back on a Thursday rather than a Monday, so you have only two days away from your baby at first.” Claire
Understand how much milk babies actually drink. “Unlike those on formula, breast milk-fed babies need the same amount of milk per day when they’re 6 months old as they did when they were 1 month old. Really! By about 1 month, a baby has established how much breast milk she’ll need and you don’t have to keep increasing how much she eats as she grows. But a lot of moms are still applying formula rules to breast milk-fed babies. So remember: If you’ll be pumping for the next day’s feedings when you go back to work, all you really have to do is maintain your current supply.” Dr. Jones
Feed the baby, not the freezer.“You don’t need to pump like a maniac on your maternity leave. You may end up with clogged ducts, mastitis, letdown that’s too fast, and exhaustion. You need only a small reserve.” Dr. Jones
What To Do About A Painful Latch
In simple terms: A painful breastfeeding latch means theres a problem. For new moms, there may be some discomfort in the beginning, upon latching Crowe says. But the pain should not continue throughout the feeding. If youre feeling pain after the first few minutes of breastfeeding, thats a signal that something isnt right.
So what could the problem be? Sometimes baby understands how to breastfeed properly right off the bat, but the wear and tear of nursing can cause nipple and breast tissue issues that cause mom pain. Here, some common problems and how to deal:
Cracked nipples. If the injury to the nipples is superficial, sometimes expressing a bit of breast milkwhich has antimicrobial factors in itcan help, Crowe says. Letting that breast milk dry onto the nipple can help promote healing.
Inverted nipples. If youre running into a problem because of inverted or flat nipples, its important to get familiar with your anatomy. My first step is to have mom simply roll the nipple to see if the nipple will revert, Hawkins says. If the inversion continues, using a nipple shield to protect the breast can make nursing easier, but may also cause a reduction in milk supply.
Mastitis.Mastitis is a condition in which breast tissue becomes tender and inflamed, causing pain and irritation, flu-like symptoms and fever. It should be addressed by a doctor.
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