
What To Expect While You Are Breastfeeding
Deciding whether to breastfeed is a personal matter that might be affected by several factors. Even though it’s highly recommended, it could be a challenging choice. Read on to discover what to expect while you are breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding 101
In most cases, breast milk will come soon after delivery even though your body starts preparing for breastfeeding during your pregnancy. Some expecting mothers might start expressing milk a few weeks before childbirth. Research suggests that there are many benefits associated with breast milk for your baby even at a later stage in their life.
For instance, breastfed babies are linked with having higher IQ scores, gaining the ideal amount of weight, prevention of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and a lowered risk of developing chronic illnesses such as diabetes, specific cancers and obesity. There are things to consider if you decide to strictly rely on breast milk to nourish your baby, from maintaining a healthy diet to finding ways to improve your milk supply. Speaking to your doctor can help you get a better understanding of steps to take to ensure a healthy and less stressful breastfeeding journey.
Changes in Breast Milk Colour
Breast milk is an ideal choice to help your infant to develop healthily. However, in the first few weeks, you will notice significant changes in milk flow, colour and consistency.
The typical changes in breast milk that occur from childbirth until you decide to move to solids can be attributed to:
Colostrum
During pregnancy, your breasts produce highly concentrated milk with essential antibodies and nutrients to provide unique immunity for the first few days of breastfeeding. It’s characterised by a slow flow to help your baby practice suckling and feeding without facing the challenges of breathing and swallowing while learning how to feed. Colostrum can appear white and creamy or deep yellowish like an egg yolk.
In most cases, pregnant women produce this type of milk from the second trimester and can be expressed from 37 weeks. After childbirth, the volume slowly increases until it turns to transitional milk. Moreover, your baby’s nutritional needs will most likely affect your colostrum supply within the first few days after delivery.
Transitional Milk
Once your body has adjusted to your baby’s need for breast milk, it will begin producing transitional milk. This typically occurs between 5 and 14 days after giving birth, marking an important transition in your breastfeeding journey. Hormonal changes, such as lowered progesterone levels, play a significant role in ensuring a standard milk composition after colostrum.
While transitional milk is not yet mature, it undergoes a significant increase in quantity to meet your baby’s daily supply requirements. Importantly, it contains higher fat, lactose, and protein levels than colostrum. These nutritional components are crucial for delivering essential nutrients to your baby, supporting the healthy function of their organs, and ensuring adequate growth.
Mature Milk
After two weeks of producing breast milk, it becomes more stable and is also known as mature milk. Under normal feeding circumstances, it won’t change. However, if your baby’s immune system is compromised, like when they are ill, it may need extra protection, leading to changes in the milk’s composition. This mature milk is rich in nutrients that protect your baby against infections.
If you or your baby fall ill at this stage, the amount of white blood cells in the milk will increase significantly to ensure speedy recovery. Mature milk contains fats, proteins, and sugars that enhance brain, gut, and immune functions. These are not just important building blocks but powerful components that you, as a parent, can use to support your baby’s growth, repair, and other reactions necessary for their development and well-being.
How to Improve Your Breast Milk Supply
- Ensure that your baby is latching correctly without experiencing discomfort or pain while they’re feeding.
- Don’t rely on a strict feeding schedule, but breastfeed when your baby shows you they’re hungry.
- Try to get enough rest to avoid fatigue during feedings.
- Drink plenty of water, hydrate with tea and organic fruit juices.
- Maintain a healthy, nutrient-rich diet that balances fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Factors Lowering Your Breast Milk Supply
Different factors can affect the quality of your breastfeeding experience. Improper latching is one of the main concerns that most first-time mothers deal with. Common factors that might be lowering your breast milk supply include:
- Increased anxiety and stress levels while adapting to your new role.
- Lack of adequate care and support from friends and family.
- Supplementing your baby’s feedings with formula.
- Not eating enough and staying adequately hydrated.
- Consuming alcohol and smoking cigarettes.
Choosing to breastfeed can help give your baby a head start. Most importantly, it’s an excellent way to help develop healthy habits to ensure they grow with a robust immune system. An Affinity Health Day-to-Day plan offers a Maternity Management Programme to provide medical advice and monitoring from the start of your pregnancy up to six weeks after delivery.
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