Breastmilk - Baby's First Food

All of us know that breastmilk is the best milk for babies up to two years. Please see http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;100/6/1035

Breastmilk is practically baby's first food. We know it's importance. But up to now, I know many mothers who wanted to breastfeed but were not able to. The reason they told me is because no milk would come out! Sadly, they turned to formula milk.
While I was pregnant with my first baby I was fortunate to have colleagues who were very helpful. They lent me books about pregnancy. I think one is sort of a 'day by day guide to pregnancy'. The other book that I read cover to cover was "What to Expect When You're Expecting". Yvee, my colleague then, was the one who introduced me to this series of books that are really quite helpful. Thanks a lot Yvee!

"What to Expect the First Year" is the 2nd in the series that every mother or expecting mother should have especially first-time mothers. Without it I may have not been able to raise healthy children. My first-born child benefited much from it. I have lent it to other moms too.

That is the book where I learned how to breastfeed. Other more important things to successfully breastfeed are determination, perseverance, patience, and belief that this is one of the best things I can give to my baby.

It's not that easy. In my experience, at first, no milk would come out too. I tried to breastfeed my baby during our second day in the hospital. (I gave birth late in the afternoon the previous day and was quite exhausted and felt so much pain from the episiotomy that's why I wasn't able to do it on baby's first day.) I didn't even know how to hold a baby then. She's so tiny and fragile. I thought I might hurt her. When I saw how the nurse holds my baby and the other babies in the hospital, I was quite convinced I can do it even better than how they do it ... because I hold my baby with affection.

During the first day of breastfeeding, I think no milk came out but my baby continually suck my breast. On the second day, we already went home. The baby was crying. I nursed her. She was still crying. Some people in the house already said you should give her formula milk already, she must be hungry. I continued breastfeeding because I know (I read), that at first no milk would come out. But if the baby continually suck the breast, eventually milk will come out. I hold on to that belief. True enough, in the afternoon, my baby is quite satisfied already. She was already getting milk. It's the baby's sucking that stimulates milk production in the breast. No other person or gadget (like breastpump) is comparable to a baby's sucking motion.

It's quite hard at first. Baby is crying and other people are also worried on how to make the baby stop crying. Keeping in mind what's best for your baby will keep you going. Had I given up on the second day, I could have not exclusively breastfed all my three children for more than a year each.

Another problem I encountered while breastfeeding my first baby was sore and cracked nipples. My nipples were so painful it made me cry. I read my book again and saw what I could be doing wrong. I still breastfed even if my nipples were cracking. (Your nipples will normally shed old skin in the breastfeeding process but it doesn't have to be painful.) It happened because I didn't breastfeed properly. When breastfeeding, baby should put the whole nipple in her mouth no matter how big it is. A newborn's mouth is so tiny, your nipple might look so big for it. In the same way that a woman's body is designed to be ready for childbirth, a woman's nipple is also designed to fit her infant's mouth. I didn't know that at first. It became painful because my baby did not fully suck the whole nipple. For my second and third babies, I knew better. Thanks!