Breastfeeding: A Comprehensive Guide for New Mothers

All About Postnal/Postpartum Exercise & Why You Should Try It

Breastfeeding A Comprehensive Guide for New Mothers

For new parents, the decision to breastfeed or formula feed their child is crucial and often challenging. While many mothers choose to breastfeed their babies, some choose to formula feed, depending on their comfort level, medical situation, mental health, and overall well-being. At the end of the day, every parent wants the best for their little one. Baby Dove celebrates mothers and their diverse choices, so no matter what you choose for your baby, we are here to support you on this beautiful journey.

Breastfeeding is an incredible experience for new mothers, but it takes a while to get used to. The appropriate information about breastfeeding can help simplify it. Suddenly, it won’t seem as complicated as you had imagined.

We understand that reading through the vast amount of information on the internet can be a hassle. Thus, we have compiled a comprehensive guide to answer the most pressing questions you may have on breastfeeding.

What are the Benefits of Breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding is a unique experience that allows mothers to bond with their precious ones. The physical contact, intimacy, and ability to nourish your baby is truly a life-changing experience. When you breastfeed your newborn, you not only provide them with essential nutrients but also develop a deep emotional connection, constituting the foundation of your relationship. This connection helps you soothe your baby when they need comforting. Besides this, there are several other benefits of breastfeeding your baby. Let’s look at them

Highly nutritious for your baby
Breast milk contains water, proteins (whey and casein), carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients. It has a high nutritional value that is beneficial for a growing baby. It essentially contains all the proteins and nutrients required for a baby’s adequate growth and development. If you are breastfeeding your baby, you do not need any supplementary food since breast milk is a balanced diet. Pro tip: If your baby is premature, breast milk is highly recommended for adequate nutrition

Provides protection against various medical conditions
As a new parent, it is common to be worried about your child’s health and safety. Since newborns have weak immunity, it is easy for them to contract infections or other common diseases. Do not worry because breast milk is the baby’s natural immunity booster. When you are breastfeeding, you automatically transmit antibodies to your baby that protect them against various infections, including ear infections, respiratory infections, meningitis, and more. Additionally, newborns can easily digest breast milk, which reduces their chances of getting diarrhea or colic.

Offers several psychological and physical benefits to new mothers
As a new mom, you will experience a roller coaster of emotions. Being able to nourish your child and nurse them is a grounding experience that will be emotionally fulfilling. It can heighten your confidence in your ability to care for your child, which is a huge boost for new mothers who are battling self-doubt. Breastfeeding is also proven to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, breast cancer, and high blood pressure in mothers. Additionally, it contributes to burning calories and shrinking the uterus, which can help you quickly get back to your pre-pregnancy weight and body shape. Therefore, breastfeeding can benefit you in numerous ways.

Enjoy the Intimate Moment With Your Baby
Breastfeeding is a truly special experience for mothers across cultures. Looking into your little one’s tiny, sparkling eyes as you cradle and nurse them forms the foundation of an indescribable, deeply emotional bond. We hope this guide helped you understand breastfeeding more intimately and that you feel more informed about your options. So, good luck to mummies and mums-to-be! Happy feeding to you!

How Often Should You Breastfeed Your Baby?

As newborns can easily digest breast milk, they need to be fed about 8 to 12 times per day. This means that breastfeeding moms need to make a major time commitment to either breastfeeding their baby or pumping breast milk each day. We recommend considering this time commitment to decide between breastfeeding and formula feeding for your child. The more you feed your baby, the better the stimulation for your breast milk production in those first few weeks. When your baby grows older, after about a couple of months, you can reduce the frequency of nursing to about 7 to 9 times a day.

Tips and Tricks to Increase Milk Supply

If you have chosen to breastfeed your child, your milk supply needs to be adequate for your baby. After nursing, you can power pump for 10 to 20 minutes to empty your breasts. This indicates to your body that it needs to make more milk. Another effective way to ensure your body is producing enough milk is to eat and drink properly. Remember that the mother’s body needs nutrition to be able to sustain another life. So, ensure you are not neglecting your diet and drink enough water every day. We understand that the first few months after giving birth are extremely hectic but try to get enough rest. This will replenish your body and do wonders for your milk supply. Remember, do not stress about your ability to nourish your baby. Always remind yourself that you are enough because you are!

Enjoy the Intimate Moment With Your Baby

Breastfeeding is a truly special experience for mothers across cultures. Looking into your little one’s tiny, sparkling eyes as you cradle and nurse them forms the foundation of an indescribable, deeply emotional bond. We hope this guide helped you understand breastfeeding more intimately and that you feel more informed about your options. So, good luck to mummies and mums-to-be! Happy feeding to you!