Breast milk is the most complete food for a newborn baby. Breastfeeding favours the baby’s development and strengthens the affective bond between mother and child . Few moments are as wonderful and intimate as breastfeeding your baby. Benefits of breastfeeding When a mother breastfeeds her baby, she is developing a deep bond, providing safety and giving and receiving love. The baby feels safe and loved. The warmth, voice, smell and contact with the mother’s skin and breast give babies pleasure and a sense of calm, which are very important for their emotional development. Children who were breastfed are normally calmer and more easily socialised during childhood. Benefits of breastfeeding for the mother Breastfeeding the baby also has benefits for the mother : It helps protect her health; It helps the contraction and recovery of the uterus and reduces the risk of post-delivery bleeding; It reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer; It contributes to family planning. Practical guide to breastfeeding The first weeks of the baby’s life are a time to learn about breastfeeding for both mother and baby. Patience and practice can contribute to successful breastfeeding. When should I start breastfeeding? A normal newborn can start breastfeeding soon after birth . The baby is placed on the mother’s chest when still in the delivery room to encourage it to seek the breast and feed as early as possible. Most babies are able to breastfeed for the first time 30 to 120 minutes after birth . The importance of this first feed is associated with the baby’s state of alertness, which is more favourable and helps it learn to suckle. In their first days of life, babies wake up or signal that they are hungry at variable intervals until they fall into their feeding pattern . Breastfeeding is easier for the mother and baby when the baby is not yet very hungry but is already interested in feeding. It is better to start breastfeeding before the baby starts to cry to show it is hungry. The mother should learn her baby’s expressions indicating that it is hungry, such as eye contact, open mouth and hand and tongue movements, among others. How long should a breastfeed last? The baby’s feeds should last at least 10 and no more than 30 minutes . Both breasts should be used and any breaks the baby takes do not count. The baby dictates the feeding rate . There are babies that feed without stopping for 10 to 15 minutes, while others stay on the same breast for 20 to 35 minutes as they take a break during the feed. The baby usually feeds for less time on the second breast. If the baby does not want to feed on the second breast, give this breast to it first in the next feed. World Health Organisation recommendations: Infants should be breastfed exclusively up to the age of six months . In other words, up to this age the baby should only feed on breast milk and no other foods or liquids except water; From six months onwards children should be given complementary foods (soup, porridge, etc) and continue to breastfeed; Children should continue to breastfeed at least until the age of two . Breast milk: important questions The duration of lactation and the amount of milk produced by the mother are influenced by hormones . Nonetheless, the baby’s presence, the act of feeding, the amount of milk the baby takes and the mother’s wellbeing are also decisive. Breastfeeding is an important stimulus to the mother’s milk production. When babies are breastfed immediately after birth, the amount of milk produced increases substantially on the third or fourth day . The mother’s breasts feel full, heavy or hot when the time comes to remove the milk. It is also around now, on the fifth or sixth day after birth, that babies begin to gain weight . They will recover their birth weight around the end of the second week. When the milk rises it must be removed from the breast by the baby or with expressing techniques. The engorgement of the breasts caused by an increase in the amount of milk may cause some discomfort. The baby may also have trouble feeding if the breast, areola and nipple are stretched and flat due to the distension caused by the milk. How to help the baby latch onto the nipple: Make the nipple and areola softer: take some milk from the breast by hand or with a pump and then let the baby feed; Breastfeed or express the milk: repeat the procedure every one or two hours until your breast becomes softer; Put cold packs on the breast: do this for 20 to 30 minutes after breastfeeding or expressing milk. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
