Test your Breastfeeding IQ
Mur Anne Lawson, owner of Special Addition, a maternity and nursing boutique is ready to test you. How much do you really know about breastfeeding?
Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE?
1. A mother who adopts a baby can breastfeed.
2. A breastfed baby must be given water when the weather is really hot.
3. A woman with very small breasts may not be able to breastfeed.
4. If you don't have enough milk, you should always supplement.
5. Only breastmilk provides antibodies for your baby that fight infection.
6. When your baby develops teeth and starts biting, it's time to stop breastfeeding.
7. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that babies should be breastfed until they are at least twelve months old.
8. Your milk will be good for your baby as long as you breastfeed.
9. Offering a pacifier the first week of a baby's life will strengthen the baby's suck and help to make him a good breastfeeder.
10. Every breastfeeding mom needs a breastpump.
11. There is no way to determine if the baby is getting enough breastmilk except to pump the milk, measure it, and offer it in a bottle.
12. The best way for dads to bond with the new baby in the first weeks is by feeding the baby with a bottle.
How did you do? Here are the answers:
1. True. With the use of a hospital grade breastpump for stimulation, a woman planning to adopt a newborn may be able to produce breastmilk in small to adequate quantities. Because there are more benefits to mother and infant in breastfeeding than providing basic nutrition, more adoptive parents are considering breastfeeding their adopted infants for its bonding and nurturing impact on the newborn.
2. False. Water constitutes 87.5% of human breastmilk. When a newborn is given water supplements, his tummy is being filled with a calorie-empty feed. As a result, he becomes less interested in breastfeeding that gives him the needed calories and other nutrients.
3. False. The size of a woman's breast does not determine her ability to breastfeed. Women with small breasts will produce as much or more than women with very large breasts.
4. False. Nursing every 1 1/2 to 3 hours and at least 15 to 20 minutes per breast in the first weeks are very important for nutrition to the baby but also for adequate stimulation to the breasts to prepare the breasts for long-term milk production. In some cases, it may be necessary to supplement a breastfeeding with formula while working toward increasing milk production. Always seek the guidance of a qualified lactation professional who will assist you in this interim.
5. True. Formula is NOT equal to breastmilk. The live cells found in breastmilk provide immunities, and the immunities provided continue to change according to the infant's age and changing needs. Formula is made of "dead" materials and in no way can duplicate the immunities provided through breastmilk.
6. False. According to Kathrine Dettwyler, Professor of Anthropology and Nutrition at Texas A&M University, the international age for human weaning is 4.5 years. Teething or the eruption of the first tooth is not a signal to begin weaning! There are ways to prevent breastfeeding infants from biting.
7. True. According to the AAP, breastmilk should be the primary food for infants through the first year. After six months, it is frequently recommended that solids appropriate to the infant's age be introduced as a supplement to breastmilk. It is further recommended that breastfeeding continue well into the second year and for as long as it is desired by mother and child.
8. True. Babies continue to benefit by the unique components in breastmilk for as long as they breastfeed. These components change to meet the changing needs of the child.
9. False. Artificial nipples, whether pacifiers or bottle nipples, cause babies to use different parts of the mouth and tongue than those used for suckling at the breast. Because babies are imprinting many things in those early weeks, a baby may become very confused about the different shapes going into his mouth and how he must work with them. It is advised that all artificial nipples (or dummies) be avoided for the first 3-4 weeks so that breastfeeding and learning to suckle are well established. If breastfeeding has been going smoothly for the first 3-4 weeks, the window of opportunity for introducing bottles is usually at this time.
10. False. Breastfeeding does not dictate the need for a breastpump! Many women choose to hand express or to nurse their babies at each feeding. A mother who works outside the home or is separated from her baby for long periods may require a professional-grade breastpump in order to prevent engorgement and to maintain high levels of milk-producing hormones. A mother who is with her baby most of the time and needs only an occasional bottle will find an efficient manual or battery-powered pump could meet her needs. Suggestion: Buy from a resource that will advise you on the breastpump that will best meet your needs. Only hospital grade breastpumps designed to be rented should be used by more than one mother. Sharing of personal-care breastpumps other than hostpital-grade may pose a health risk to your baby.
11. False. You can determine the amount of breastmilk INTAKE by the newborn's OUTPUT! A newborn should have a wet and soiled diaper for each day of age until the onset of mature milk production. When the mature milk is in, a mother should watch for 2 to 5 soiled diapers and 6 to 8 wet diapers daily. Highly accurate baby scales can be rented to determine the weight and intake of baby without introducing bottles at a time that is too early and possibly compromising breastfeeding.
12. False. Bonding with the newborn can occur in many ways. Babies gain security and trust from breastfeeding and mother's interaction as well as from the gentleness of dad's voice and his touch. Snuggling the baby to the chest where baby can hear the dad's heartbeat and the skin to skin contact he provides is a wonderful way to bond with baby and give mom some needed rest.
Thanks for your expertise, Mur Anne!
