Breastfeeding benefits

Breastfeeding benefits for mum

For Mum, breastfeeding stimulates the uterus to contract back to its pre-pregnancy size, and helps you burn off stored fat reserves and burn up calories, so you can get back in shape. Studies also show that breastfeeding offers you protection against breast cancer and ovarian cancer, as well as osteoporosis - the brittle bone condition that many women suffer as they get older. The most convincing reason of all has to be that breastfeeding helps with the vital mum and baby bonding that lasts a lifetime.

Many mums give up breastfeeding their babies early on, for various reasons - they might have to return to work fairly soon after the birth, have a health problem that makes breastfeeding difficult, or feel that it's just not for them, and they'd rather bottlefeed. Don't feel guilty if breastfeeding doesn't work for you - not doing it certainly doesn't mean that you love your baby any less. However, if you're thinking about giving up breastfeeding because you find it uncomfortable or painful, this is a problem that can often be sorted out.

Doing it right

There's no doubt that there is a knack to breastfeeding and that it takes practice to get it right. Latching your baby on correctly is the key - you need to wait until her mouth opens as wide as a yawn and move her onto the breast. She needs to take a good mouthful so that when she feeds, her tongue massages the areola (the area immediately surrounding the nipple) and not the nipple itself. If it feels painful, then your baby isn't latched on properly - ease the tip of your little finger into the corner of her mouth to break the suction before taking her off the breast and trying again.

You'll know if she's feeding properly - her jaw will move rhythmically and you'll hear swallowing sounds. Let her feed for as long as she wants to, so she can take in as much of the calorie-rich hindmilk as she needs. If you take her off the breast too soon, she will only have taken the low-fat foremilk, which is designed to quench her thirst.