By, about, and for breastfeeding mums
Getting Your Baby To Breast
It will probably require time, patience, and kangaroo-style frequency to getting your baby to breast. The two primary rules that helpful when you have a baby who is having problems nursing are:
1. Feed the baby.
2. Maintain milk supply.
Coaxing baby to the breast
Your goal is to coax baby to the breast. Do not attempt to force your baby to breastfeed. As baby gets better at nursing and is able to get more milk via nursing, he will grow to trust that breastfeeding works and will have more patience when latching.
"Instant Reward" techniques
For a newborn who is not latching or an older baby who does not want to wait for letdown, try hand express or pump until let-down, just before trying to latch baby, so that baby gets an instant "reward" for latching on. If baby starts breastfeeding but stops sucking as soon as the milk flow slows, breast compressions can speed the flow of milk.Working with a baby who is actively resisting nursing
Make sure that a physical problem is not causing baby to resist nursing. Is baby having problems with breathing while nursing or coordinating sucking and swallowing? Does baby have severe reflux that makes feeding painful?
La Leche League's Breastfeeding Answer Book lists the stages that these babies go through as they transition to breastfeeding:
· The baby aggressively fights the breast.
· The baby cries more while being held than when he's put down.
· The baby is willing to be held in some positions, even if not in a cradle hold.
· The baby tolerates being held in the cradle hold.
· The baby will attempt to root.
· The baby will lick at the milk on the nipple.
· The baby will attempt to suck, using and in-and-out movement.
· The baby will take milk at the breast.
· The baby nurses well, even before the let-down occurs.
If you've 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.· Start out by bottle feeding (or using whatever form of alternative feeding you prefer) in the feeding position you usually use, without trying to nurse. If baby resists being held in the beginning, it might be helpful to feed baby in an infant carrier or perhaps while holding baby so he is facing away from you.
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Work with baby until he becomes comfortable being held in any position, then being held in a nursing position.·
Once baby is comfortable being held in a nursing position, start trying more skin-to-skin contact. Don't actively try to get baby to latch before he is comfortable with skin-to-skin. You want baby to be able to trust being at the breast and cuddling at the breast without the stress of trying to latch.· When baby is comfortable cuddling at the breast, try feeding (bottle, etc.) at the breast. You're working to get him comfortable with feeding in a breastfeeding position, skin-to-skin.
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Next step, start offering the breast for comfort when he's really relaxed and sleepy, or even asleep. Nursing in the side lying position might be helpful, as this positioning allows for less body contact. Some babies will take the breast after bottle-feeding or partway through a bottle-feeding.· Once baby is willing to take the breast for comfort, begin to work toward full breastfeeding.
If baby is not latching on at all, you do need to balance this with your baby's need to suck and comfort level. Stroke baby's lips from nose to chin with the bottle nipple, and wait until baby opens wide like a yawn will helpful.
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