Breastfeeding Baby Help » baby http://breastfeedingbabyhelp.com Expert help for breastfeeding moms Wed, 26 May 2010 08:54:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 How Do You Build An Attachment With A Baby? http://breastfeedingbabyhelp.com/how-do-you-build-an-attachment-with-a-baby http://breastfeedingbabyhelp.com/how-do-you-build-an-attachment-with-a-baby#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:22:31 +0000 admin http://breastfeedingbabyhelp.com/?p=152 For some parents, building attachment with their babies comes naturally. They instinctively know what to do and how to bond with their babies from birth. For other parents, the process of building an attachment with a baby is a learning experience. Not surprisingly, since for many individuals these days, their baby is very likely one of the first or few babies they have ever had to deal with in their lives – unlike the past when having many children was common, many people had the benefit of experience from helping to look after younger siblings.


If you are a new parent feeling at a loss regarding how to build attachment with your baby, we will examine some effective ways to help you get started. Many of these can begin from as early as birth and most involve physical touch and spending time in close proximity to your baby. If you want to build a bond with another individual, you need to get to know them. One way of getting to know them is to spend lots of time with them. Likewise, if you want to form an attachment with you baby, it follows naturally that spending as much time as possible with your baby will help. Any activity you can do with your baby that fosters closeness will assist in building attachment.

1. Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding, especially in the early days, offers mothers plenty of opportunity to be close to their babies and to build up a relationship of trust. More than simply providing nourishment to the baby, breastfeeding helps to build a bond due to the frequent close proximity and skin contact between mother and baby. Nursing babies derive more than physical nourishment from breastfeeding as nursing also offers babies emotional comfort.

Through breastfeeding, a mother can learn to read her baby’s cues and non-verbal attempts to communicate his (or her) need for food or comfort. Additionally, the act of breastfeeding triggers the release of hormones which affect mothers on an emotional level. The strong emotional connection between mother and baby involved in breastfeeding can be observed when a mother nurses her baby versus when a mother attempts to express milk with a breast pump. The letdown reflex (the process by which matured milk moves from the back of the breast to the front) often comes quite easily when the baby is suckling but can be quite difficult to achieve when expressing milk with a breast pump.

2. Feeding

For Dads and mothers who have opted to bottle feed their babies, it is still possible to build attachment with a baby, although the benefits of the hormonal reaction and the natural bond that forms between a nursing couple (the mother and baby in a breastfeeding relationship) are missed. Here are some practices that can help:

Cuddle baby during feeds. There is a tendency with bottle feeding to prop baby up with a cushion or pillow and offer the bottle from a distance. To build an attachment, touch and closeness is required. To help foster that requirement, hold the baby as if you were intending to breastfeed.
Increase skin to skin contact. Bottle feeding without a shirt on can help to mimic the skin to skin contact between parent and baby similar to the nursing situation.

3. Co-sleeping

It is a natural survival instinct for a baby to seek the close proximity of a parent. In the wild, infants who are separated from parents become prey to predators and the risk of death is very high. Babies aren’t born with the awareness that the environment around them is safe and naturally seek the closeness of their parents, even at night. Co-sleeping offers babies the comfort and feeling of security of being near a parent.

Sleep studies have also shown that co-sleeping mothers respond to the movements of their babies even while sleep. It is evident that co-sleeping not only allows mothers to provide comfort and security to their babies, but at the same time mothers are also unconsciously developing an attachment to their babies.

4. Baby wearing

Babies also need to be near parents during the day as a baby makes no distinction between day or night. One way to keep your baby close to you during the day without physically immobilising yourself is to “wear” your baby in a baby sling or carrier. Baby carriers and slings allow parents to cuddle their babies while leaving their hands free.

Having your baby’s face close to yours fosters communication (from parent to baby and baby to parent). Parents can share observations and keep baby updated about what is happening. This is more likely to occur when your baby is being carried than when your baby is lying in a pram. Imagine trying to talk to your baby through the noise and commotion in a shopping mall – it would definitely be easier for your baby to listen to you when being carried rather than when lying in a pram.

5. Talking and Singing

Babies respond most eagerly to the sound of a real person’s voice, and even more so if that voice belongs to a parent. Babies can recognise their parents’ voices having heard them while in the womb. Sometimes the sound of a mother or father’s voice can be enough to calm a stirring baby. Studies have also shown that babies can be soothed more easily with songs that they heard their mothers sing to them during the pregnancy.

Some first time parents find it awkward to ramble to a baby who doesn’t appear to understand them, but don’t underestimate your baby who is absorbing a lot more that you think. Babies who have been spoken to a lot during the early months often learn to speak earlier than their peers. Learning to talk and sing to you baby takes time. While uncomfortable at first, remember that practice makes perfect.

6. Playing

Babies love to play. Play is one of the ways that help them learn about the world around them. Play is a special interaction between parent and baby that involves touch, physical closeness, and laughter – all ingredients for fostering a strong attachment.
Games that parents can play with babies might be bouncing games on the lap, rolling on the bed, tickling, learning about hands and feet and features of the face. As your baby grows older, you can play games such as rolling a ball, shaking noise-makers, or exploring cloth books.

7. Primary Care Giver

Don’t underestimate the bond that is being built as you bathe your baby, change his (or her) diapers, and respond to his (or her) other physical or emotional needs. By being the primary care giver to your baby, you will inevitably build an attachment with your baby as you learn to read his (or her) cues, body language, and attempts to communicate with you. This is evident with babies who express closeness to nannies or carers who look after them while their parents go to work.

Summary

Building an attachment with your baby is like making friends with a person who only speaks a foreign language. At first you may find it difficult to understand what your baby needs but as you spend more time with him (or her) you will begin not only to understand him (or her) but to build an attachment. While you do not necessarily have to follow each and every suggestion above, all of them will assist you in forming an attachment with your baby. The most fundamental part of bonding, however, is time spent together. It takes time to build an attachment with another person, likewise, with a baby, the more time you can spend, the better.

Shen-Li is a stay-at-home-mum dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in parenting. She has a formal educational background and former work experience in healthcare. If you enjoyed this article, visit her blog Babylicious at http://figur8.net/baby and follow her as she learns how to raise a happy, confident and successful person.

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]]> http://breastfeedingbabyhelp.com/how-do-you-build-an-attachment-with-a-baby/feed 0 Breastfeeding with Insufficient Glandular Tissue http://breastfeedingbabyhelp.com/breastfeeding-with-insufficient-glandular-tissue http://breastfeedingbabyhelp.com/breastfeeding-with-insufficient-glandular-tissue#comments Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:26:43 +0000 admin http://breastfeedingbabyhelp.com/?p=71 It can be disappointing to some, and devastating to others, when breastfeeding doesn’t go as planned. In the quest to provide better support and education to new mothers, many breastfeeding advocates understandibly focus on the goal of success, especially with a healthy baby that seems to be nursing well. After all, most breastfeeding obstacles are temporary and brief. For a small minority of women, however, there are obstacles that no amount of time or effort can overcome.

Insufficient glandular tissue, or IGT, is a rarely-discussed condition in which a mother has underdeveloped glands that are thus less capable of producing milk. While many women with this condition also have small breasts, it is important to note that breast size in and of itself is not an indication of IGT, and that most women with small breasts produce sufficient milk. Rather, IGT is most noted by breast hypoplasia (asymmetry or underdevlopment that can be evaluated by a physician), and many women diagnosed with IGT later report little or no breast change during pregnancy and lactation. Photographic record documenting breast hypoplasia often displays visually obvious underdevelopment in one or both breasts, but variations in breast shape can vary dramatically from woman to woman, and the condition is not always visually obvious.

The good news is most women with IGT can successfully nurse, though in most cases, supplementation is required. Some women experience only delayed lactation, and with sufficient stimulation and temporary supplementation can later go on to exclusively breastfeed. In a few extremely rare cases, a mother with must use formula exclusively.

Here are a few tips if you suspect you might have IGT:

• If you are still pregnant, prepare yourself emotionally, and inform your doctor of your concerns. One of the biggest difficulties for women with IGT is the disappointment experienced during the postpartum rush of emotions. Many women experience feelings of anger, guilt, or inadequacy, especially with the lack of information about IGT. The more you can prepare yourself, the better off you are.

• If your baby is already born – don’t panic. Remember that most problems with breastfeeding, even those related to poor weight gain, can be resolved and are not, in fact, IGT. Contact a lactation consultant to evaluate the possibilities and get advice as to how to maximize your potential for milk production.

• Keep a detailed feeding and diaper log. This information will be valuable to you and your child’s caregivers in order to evaluate when and if supplementation is needed.

• Always remain in contact with your child’s pediatrician.

• Discuss your concerns about possibly having IGT with your OB-GYN and/or lactation consultant. Many women who are diagnosed with IGT report that no one discussed the issue with them prenatally.

• If you advised to supplement with formula, do so with confidence. While formula is second-best to breastmilk, it is a nutritious alternative that babies not only survive on, but thrive on.

• Most babies can adapt to feeding at both the breast and the bottle, especially after the first few weeks. If you are concerned about nipple confusion in a newborn, there are many ways to supplement besides the bottle, including a dropper or SNS (supplemental nursing system.)

• If you wish to continue breastfeeding, remember to always nurse first and thoroughly before providing your baby with a supplemental bottle. Some physicians may also advise using a hospital grade electric pump to pump following each feeding, to assure the breasts have been thoroughly drained. As long as nursing sessions are as frequent and thorough as a woman without IGT, you will maximize your milk production.

Finally, if you do have IGT, stay calm and move forward. Whatever you decide, it is important for a mother to feel confident and positive about her circumstances and her feeding choices. Many mothers with IGT go on to have successful and fulfilling breastfeeding relationships. Breastfeeding with IGT does have its own challenges, however, as you cannot enjoy the full advantages of either breastfeeding or bottlefeeding, and there may be a range of physical and emotional burdens that only you can assess. If you find supplementing is too impractical for your circumstances and choose to bottlefeed exclusively, do so liberated from any feelings of inadequacy or guilt. As a whole woman and a whole family with diverse circumstances and needs, only you can decide on a practical feeding plan for your baby that not only nourishes your child, but creates a family situation that is calm, balanced, and content. Your baby’s greatest need isn’t just breastmilk, it’s you.

Jennifer Johnson is a mother with IGT. She has gone on to successfully breastfeed two children, each for nearly a year with the help of formula supplementation. A diaper and feeding log similar to the one she used during her first breastfeeding weeks is available free for download at her web site, http://www.kideas.com

References:

Markers of Lactation Insufficiency: A Study of 34 Mothers – Kathleen E. Huggins, RN, MS, CLC, Ellen S. Petok, BS, IBCLC and Olga Mireles, RNC, CLC

Lactation failure due to insufficient glandular development of the breast by – MR Neifert, JM Seacat and WE Jobe in Pediatrics Volume 76, Issue 5, pp. 823-828, 11/01/1985

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]]> http://breastfeedingbabyhelp.com/breastfeeding-with-insufficient-glandular-tissue/feed 0 10 Fun Things Mothers Can Do While Breastfeeding http://breastfeedingbabyhelp.com/10-fun-things-mothers-can-do-while-breastfeeding http://breastfeedingbabyhelp.com/10-fun-things-mothers-can-do-while-breastfeeding#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:24:48 +0000 admin http://breastfeedingbabyhelp.com/?p=69 Those mothers who make the commitment to breastfeed their babies quickly discover that it is indeed quite a commitment. We’re talking breastfeeding sessions of at least thirty minutes, at least eight times a day, in the early months. And don’t underestimate those “at leasts”. They can stretch into feeling like forever. Without a doubt, your decision to breastfeed has amazing benefits for both you and your baby. Yet no matter how motivated you are at the start, breastfeeding can take a lot out of a you, both literally and figuratively. As the mother of a new baby, tiredness becomes your constant companion, and time for your own needs disappears as quickly as your baby wets a diaper.

Most new moms soon toss their idealistic pre-baby visions of contented homemaking while their newborn slumbers peacefully for hours. Reality strikes. The baby keeps waking, crying to be fed yet again, and when the baby is sleeping, mom’s too exhausted to tackle even the barest necessities of existence.

Many nursing moms feel like they’re working full-time, because they are. So what if they’re sitting down holding an adorable baby? They’re glued to their job more than if they were working in an office. No sick days here!

Life can begin to stretch bleakly if you don’t keep some perspective. If you find yourself becoming insanely bored as you nurse your baby, don’t think you’re a bad mother; you’re only human. Staring lovingly at your bundle of joy never gets old, but realistically it is not very entertaining after an hour or two. What too many new mothers don’t realize is that you don’t have to just sit and gaze adoringly at you baby while breastfeeding. It’s good for a mother’s sanity to have some time for herself. This just doesn’t always equate to time by yourself. Yes, you may have your arms full, but your mind, eyes, ears, and feet are free. Use them! This time is yours to enjoy as you wish. Once you consider the possibilities of all you can do while breastfeeding, you’ll start to anticipating this time!

1. LISTEN TO MUSIC
Whether you long for a soothing song or an upbeat tune, you can listen to it while nursing your baby. You know what you like. Now turn on the radio, stereo, CD player, or IPod. Your baby may like the music, too. If not, simply use headphones.

2. READ
There is no limit to the possibilities. Fiction or nonfiction, romance, suspense, mystery, history–you name it. You can browse the library or bookstore and definitely find something that is more interesting than staring into space. You may learn a thing or to as well. Read about a hobby that interests you, or become lost in an imaginative story that takes you worlds away.

3. LISTEN TO AN AUDIO BOOK
Not the book reading type? How about listening? You’ll find a large selection of audio books available at the library or online. Your hands are completely free, and you don’t even have to turn the pages or keep your eyes open.

4. SOAK YOUR FEET
Don’t deny it; you’ve been on your feet too much lately–what new mother hasn’t? Wouldn’t a hot foot bath feel amazing? Prepare it yourself, or, ideally, convince someone else to do it for you. It won’t take long, but the soaking will, thank goodness!

5. WATCH TV
Who doesn’t like to watch TV or a movie? Take advantage of the time to do this now, because once your child becomes a bit older, he or she will find the TV fascinating, and will likely be too distracted by it to nurse when it’s on.

6. LIE DOWN
Yes, you can lie down while breastfeeding. And what a blissful discovery this is! You may even be able to catch some much-needed shut eye. Just be sure to have your baby in a safe, supported position where he or she will not be able to fall off the couch or bed.

7. TALK ON THE PHONE
It’s no secret that most women love to talk on the phone. Take advantage of this chance to indulge in it while doing something else worth while. Catch up on the latest goings-on in the outside world. You won’t feel so isolated. And plan an evening out while you’re at it!

8. EAT
You’re baby’s not the only one who needs to eat frequently. You need to nourish yourself so you can keep producing milk for your baby. Choose smart snacks such as whole grain bagels and fruits and vegetables. It’s easy to perch a bowl or plate near you and snack while you breastfeed. Be sure that the food isn’t hot, in case it should fall on your baby.

9. PLAY A GAME
You can play a game by yourself or with some other willing person who doesn’t care that you are breastfeeding. By yourself, take advantage of hand-held games that you can play with one hand. If playing a board game such as checkers, you’ll likely need to enlist the other person’s help in moving your pieces for you. So be sure they aren’t cheaters!

10. GO FOR A WALK
Really, who says because you are breastfeeding, you have to sit still? Maybe a little exercise is just what you need. If your nursing baby doesn’t mind, take a stroll as you hold him or her. A change of scenery will do you good. But please watch where you are going so you don’t trip! The walking movement will feel like rocking, and may put your baby to sleep. Then it’s finally time for you to take a nap. Now that’s fun!

Written by Therese Heckenkamp, a freelancer who has published a book and various articles. She also writes articles for http://www.NewbornBib.com.

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