Health professionals strongly encourage breastfeeding, which provides important benefits for you and your baby. Breast milk contains the correct amounts of proteins, fats and carbohydrates that a baby needs for its development.

Breast milk also contains antibodies, which help to protect against gastroenteritis, coughs and colds, and urinary and ear infections. Constipation is uncommon in breastfed babies, and prolonged breastfeeding protects against eczema, food allergy and asthma.

Breastfed children also have better dental health, better eyesight and a higher IQ. In addition, breastfeeding helps you to regain your figure by using up the extra fat that is laid down in pregnancy.

Starting Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding can take some time to get established and may not be easy at first, but with patience, and help from a health professional or breastfeeding organization, problems can usually be resolved. How your baby latches on to your breast is important. He is correctly positioned if:

1) His mouth is wide open and his bottom lip is curled back and below the base of your nipple.
2) He has a mouth full of breast, all of the nipple and most of the areola.
3) His jaw muscles work rhythmically and the movement extends as far as his ears.

The main cause of sore nipples is an incorrect feeding position; check that your baby latches on properly. To help nipples heal, expose them to air or gently dry them with a hairdryer. Avoid soap, bubble bath, antiseptics and plastic backed breast pads.

The more you feed, the more milk your breasts will make. Don’t worry about timing feeds, but make sure you empty one breast completely before offering your baby the other. You will know he is getting enough milk if he is gaining weight and has six to eight wet nappies a day.

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