Why Should I Breastfeed? American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, followed by continued breastfeeding as complimentary foods are introduced. Babies should continue to breastfeed for a year and for as long as is mutually desired by the mother and baby. FOR YOU: – Respiratory infections – Asthma Breastfeeding provides benefits to mothers in the following ways: – Type 1 and type 2 diabetes • Saves time, and baby’s food is always – Childhood leukemia ready and the right temperature – Necrotizing enterocolitis (a severe • Reduces risk of breast, ovarian, and illness that affects the intestinal track uterine cancers in pre-mature infants) • Less gas and fewer feeding problems • Decreases risk for osteoporosis (brittle bones), diabetes, and anemia • Reduces risk for allergies and food sensitivities • Helps you lose weight after baby is born • Helps baby’s brain development — • Enhances emotional health because studies show higher IQs mothering hormones are calming when breastfeeding • Reduces risk for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) • Lower risk for obesity FOR BABY: Breastfeeding provides benefits to infants in the following ways: FOR YOUR FAMILY: • Creates a special bond between Breastfeeding benefits families in the mother and infants because of the following ways: frequent skin contact • Reduces parent days absent from work • First breast milk helps baby’s digestive because breastfed infants are healthier system grow and work properly • Saves money otherwise spent on • Easy to digest — human milk is the best formula and feeding supplies nutrition for your growing baby • Reduces family health care costs, • Large decrease in risk for certain types including out-of-pocket costs and of infections and illnesses, such as: services not covered by insurance – Ear infections • Improves the effectiveness of – Stomach viruses immunizations – Diarrhea osfstjoseph.org Why Should I Breastfeed? Risks of Formula Feeding: • Incomplete nutrition • Contamination, such as risk of recalls • More sickness in babies • Increased risk of obesity later in life • Significantly more incidents of SIDS • More tooth decay from baby bottle rot • Very expensive • More waste in landfills osfstjoseph.org Prenatal Preparation and Breast Changes In Pregnancy COLOSTRUM: THE FIRST MILK • Cancer and radiation treatment for breast or brain tissue depending on how Your breasts start to make colostrum in much and the location of tissue damage the fourth month of pregnancy. Some from therapy women may begin leaking colostrum as early as the second trimester, but it is more common to leak colostrum in the last Women with any of the above concerns trimester of pregnancy. Some women may may still be able to breastfeed. Talk with not leak at all. Women who have pierced your doctor during pregnancy and follow nipples should remove piercings early in up after delivery with a lactation consultant, the pregnancy because the breast area nurse midwife, or physician to ensure becomes tender due to hormone changes, that breastfeeding is supported and well and leaking can occur from the piercing managed. site. Be sure to wash your hands and keep your breasts clean. You may need to wear PLANNING A NURSING WARDROBE breast pads. • Wear a good supportive cotton bra during your pregnancy with easy-open SPECIAL SITUATIONS fasteners for one-handed use. Get fitted Past medical history related to your breasts for your nursing bra during the end of the needs to be reported to your physician or last trimester for a proper fit. midwife. The presence of incisions or scar • Choose bras with cotton-lined cups. tissue requires further evaluation. Here Avoid underwire bras, which increase are some possible factors that may cause the risk for plugged milk ducts because problems with your milk production: wires place too much pressure on breast tissue, obstructing milk flow from the milk • Breast biopsies, breast implants, breast glands. reductions, lymphectomy, lumpectomy, • Disposable breast pads, if used, must not and laser surgery depending on the have plastic liners. Breast pads are only surgical technique used needed if you are leaking breast milk. • Major injury to a breast, burns, blunt Machine washable breast pads are force trauma, and a car accident available. depending on how much the tissue was damaged and where osfstjoseph.org Prenatal Preparation and Breast Changes In Pregnancy Pregnancy Hormones That Cause Breast Changes • Estrogen makes your milk ducts grow inside the breast • Progesterone causes the milk-making tissue (alveoli) to grow • Prolactin adds to the growth of breasts during pregnancy Normal Changes • Breasts grow larger, the skin appears thinner, and the veins become more noticeable. You can expect breast tenderness in the early weeks of your first trimester. • The size of the areola increases and the pigmentation (color) becomes darker. • Nipples become more erect and may leak colostrum. • Raised bumps of skin around the areola, known as the Montgomery Glands, become more visible. These oil-producing glands produce a lubricating and protective coating that helps keep your skin healthy and the areola elastic. osfstjoseph.org Breastfeeding Resources 1. American Academy of Pediatrics Breastfeeding Policy Statement: www2.aap.org/breastfeeding/ policyonbreastfeedinganduseofhumanmilk. html Information and guidelines for your pediatrician to help support you and your baby when breastfeeding. 2. Illinois State Breastfeeding Laws, including laws for the workplace: www.Illinoisbreastfeeding.org 3. United States Lactation Consultant Association: Find a local lactation consultant at www.USLCA.org 4. The Center for Disease Control (CDC): www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding 5. The United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC): A coalition of more than 40 organizations that support the mission to improve the nation’s health by working collaboratively to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. www.usbreastfeeding.org 6. Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine: www.abm.org Protocols for evidence based practice found here. Breast Pumps 7. Baby friendly website: The Birthing Center staff is able to facilitate www.babyfriendlyusa.org personal breast pumps that are covered by private insurance and for patients served by Illinois Department of Public Health. OSF MarketPlace provides Medela breastfeeding supplies for retail purchase. Items include: retail breast pumps, bra pads, nipple shields, storage bags, soft shells, replacement pieces for Medela pumps, and nursing bras. Please call (309) 665-4704 for more information. osfstjoseph.org Good Nutrition for You and Baby Tips on Eating Healthy While Breastfeeding • Your body burns extra calories making milk, bodies. Protein is found in meat, eggs, so you should try to eat at least 500 extra dairy products, soy products, beans, nuts, calories a day. Focus on eating a well- and seeds. balanced diet by eating a variety of all the • Another important piece to a healthy diet food groups, including lean meats, whole is omega-3 fatty acids. Foods that have grains, fruits, and vegetables, along with omega-3s are fish, especially fatty fish low fat or fat free dairy products. (examples are salmon, sardines, lake trout, • If you are a vegetarian, make sure to tuna and anchovies); walnuts or walnut oil; consume adequate amounts of protein, ground flaxseed or flaxseed oil; and olive, including soy products, beans, peas, nuts, canola, and soybean oil. Omega-3 fats and seeds, and to talk with your doctor play a role in decreasing inflammation in about whether you need additional the body, preventing certain diseases, and vitamin and/or mineral supplements. You helping with brain and eye development may need to speak with a registered in infants. Avoid fish high in mercury, such licensed dietitian to make sure you are as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and getting adequate nutrition for you and tilefish, because the mercury can get your baby. passed to the baby through your milk. • Continue to take prenatal vitamins while • Drinking plenty of fluids is important when breastfeeding. breastfeeding. Water is best, but other • Iron is an important mineral that helps acceptable drinks include low fat or fat carry oxygen throughout the body to give free milk, 100 percent fruit juice, tea, or you energy. If you are not getting enough coffee. Keep your caffeine intake to no iron in your diet, you may feel tired and more than 300 milligrams a day, which is run down. Some foods that are high in iron about two eight-ounce cups of brewed include beef, pork, beans, peas, soybeans, coffee. Caffeine can dehydrate you and shrimp, pumpkin seeds, spinach, and stimulates wakefulness in the baby at night fortified cereals. if you drink too much. • Folic acid helps the body make healthy • Breastfeeding moms need adequate new cells and is especially important if you calcium for healthy bones and teeth. You are planning to become pregnant in the can get calcium from dairy products such future. Some good sources of folic acid as milk, cheese, and yogurt. You can also are fortified grains, green leafy vegetables, get calcium from soy products such as oranges, beans, and eggs. tofu and soy milk, green leafy vegetables, canned salmon, beans, calcium-fortified • Breastfeeding moms need adequate orange juice, and calcium-fortified cereals. protein, which is the building block of our osfstjoseph.org Good Nutrition for You and Baby Tips on Eating Healthy While Breastfeeding Are there foods to avoid Losing weight after when breastfeeding? your baby is born There are no specific foods to avoid when Many women are concerned about losing breastfeeding except for high mercury fish. weight after their babies are born. Your All types of foods can fit into a healthy diet body needs time to heal after delivery, so as long as you are eating a well-balanced do not restrict your calories until after you diet. are no longer breastfeeding. While you are breastfeeding, you need a total of about 500 extra calories each day to stay If you have a strong family history of food healthy and to produce nutritious breast allergies or suspect your baby is having milk.