Let's review what was covered in Ready-Set-Baby. https://www.readysetbabyonline.com/
Let’s review: Why do these practices?
Stay healthy during pregnancy
• Helps baby grow and develop • Protects baby from birth defects • Helps you feel good Skin-to-skin • Keeps your baby warm and secure • Helps to keep baby's blood sugar up and breathing steady • Easier to bond and breastfeed • Helps to calm your baby Room-in 24/7 at the birthing facility • Easier to learn your baby’s feeding cues • Easier to bond and get to know each other • Helps you to learn to care for your baby • Encourages milk production
Feed on cue • Helps bring in a good milk supply • Prevents under- or overfeeding • Helps baby feel safe and cared for • Helps baby feel content and satisfied Breastfeed • Provides antibodies to fight infections • Provides the perfect nutrition • Protects mothers from diseases • Helps to slow postpartum bleeding
• Easy for baby to digest
Give only breastmilk • Keeps your milk supply up • Protects baby from sickness and disease
Get a good latch • Prevents nipple pain or damage • Helps baby get more milk • Improves milk supply
Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute; Ready Set Baby
Preparing for your birthing facility stay
Your labor and delivery Pain relief
Did you know? A doula is someone who offers continuous support during
Talk to your healthcare provider about your options for pain relief during labor. Knowing the benefits and concerns for each option ahead of time will help you make well-informed decisions during your labor and delivery.
There are many ways to help cope with the pain of labor that do not involve medicines. To lower the discomforts of early labor, try: • Deep breathing, focusing on pleasant things • Movement and walking • Massage and relaxation • Heating pads or cold compresses • Continuous support from someone you trust
Many find it easier to cope with early labor at home. Follow the guidance
labor, delivery, and after delivery. Many communities have doula services at free or lower costs. Ask about local resources or see page 22.
of your provider about when to come into the birthing facility.
Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute; Ready Set Baby
Skin-to-skin contact Keep your baby warm and secure Your baby should be placed skin-to-skin with you right at the time of birth. Some birthing facilities practice skin-to-skin after C-sections in the operating room.
Benefits of skin-to-skin Keeps your baby warm Easier to bond and breastfeed Helps calm your baby Easier adjustment to life outside the womb for your baby Keeps your baby’s blood sugar levels high Helps steady baby’s breathing
The cream (vernix) on newborns’ skin is good for them - it protects their skin from infection and helps keep them warm. It is completely normal to place the baby skin- to-skin with the cream visible. Most babies are ready to breastfeed within the first hour. Continue to hold your baby skin-to-skin often during the first weeks. It’s great for partners to be skin-to-skin, too. Make sure you can always see your baby’s face to look for good color and normal breathing.
Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute; Ready Set Baby
Rooming-in It’s good for you and your baby to stay in the same room, day and night, for your entire birthing facility stay, unless you must separate due to a medical reason. Think about a trusted adult who can stay with you in your room at all times to help support you. You may feel fatigued and drowsy during your postpartum healing due to the effort of birth or from the pain medicines. Breastfeeding can also make you sleepy due to the hormones released when feeding your baby. When you feel drowsy or sleepy, ask the staff or your support person to help you care for your infant while you rest. Baby’s first bath The bath can be done right in your room. It is good to delay it until your baby is used to their new life outside the womb.
Benefits of rooming-in
Did you know? Your baby takes
Easier to learn your baby’s feeding cues Easier to feed any time your baby is hungry Easier to bond and get to know each other Helps you learn to care for your baby Encourages milk production More rest and sleep for you Less crying for your baby
comfort when you are close by. Your smell and voice are calming to your baby.
Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute ; Ready Set Baby
Feeding “on cue” Follow your new baby’s lead
Responding to your baby’s cues helps them feel safe and cared for, as well as satisfied and content. Babies know what they need. Listening to them helps prevent under- or overfeeding.
“I’m hungry!” Example of a baby bringing their hand to their mouth.
Watch your baby, not the clock!
Hunger cues Signs that your baby is ready to eat • Fluttering eyes / waking from sleep • Nuzzling into the breast • Rooting (opens mouth and turns head) • Bringing hand to mouth • Sucking on tongue or hand • Tight fists held at center of chest • Crying - If you wait until your baby cries to feed, they may be too upset to eat. If this is the case, calm your baby first by gently rocking them side to side, or try skin-to-skin contact.
Fullness cues Signs that your baby is full
• Eating slows down • Turns face away • Relaxed arms, falling
Pacifiers Pacifiers can hide cues that your newborn baby is ready to eat. Try not to use pacifiers until breastfeeding is going well for you and your baby.
away from body • Stops sucking • Falls asleep
Newborn tummies are very small In the beginning, there may be times when your baby eats a little bit nearly all the time. This is normal, especially on day 2 of life and during growth spurts. The continuous feeding helps bring in a good milk supply for you. Newborns need to eat at least 8 times in 24 hours.
Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute ; Ready Set Baby
Breastfeeding information and tips
Early and exclusive breastfeeding: your milk and nothing else Early breastfeeding starting within an hour of your baby’s birth: • Helps contract the uterus and slow bleeding (important for your recovery) • Offers nutrition for your baby and antibodies to fight infections Exclusive breastfeeding means your baby gets all their food and drink from breastfeeding. It is recommended that your baby gets only your milk for the first 6
months. Talk with your healthcare team about your individual needs and goals. No other liquids or solids until 6 months: • Builds a healthy milk supply and keeps it up • Protects your baby from sickness and disease
Did you know? Babies do not need water when it is hot outside. Human milk gives all the hydration your baby needs.
Your milk has everything your baby needs to grow strong and healthy. And it changes according to what your baby needs!
Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute ; Ready Set Baby
Benefits of breastfeeding
For you • Convenient—always warm and ready • Smart—nothing to buy or prepare • Protection—lactation is linked with a lower risk of disease for breast and ovarian cancers, and type 2 diabetes • Helps your body heal after delivery by contracting the uterus and slowing bleeding • Increases time before next pregnancy
For your baby • Early milk (colostrum) is the perfect first food • Offers antibodies to help fight off diseases • Easy to digest = less cramping and gas
Did you know? Babies who are breastfed have a lower chance of death from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Liquid gold Breastmilk is even more important for premature, sick or low-birthweight babies. It boosts immunity and is the best medicine for gut health and protection from infections. Ask the staff for help with expressing your milk so your baby gets your milk even if they can't directly breastfeed right away. See page 13 for more.
These health problems are less common in babies who are breastfed • Ear infections •Diarrhea • Pneumonia •Diabetes • Sudden infant death syndrome • Stomach infections • Overweight and obesity • Childhood cancers • Heart disease
Continued breastfeeding Begin offering other foods to your baby after a full breastfeed when your baby is 6 months old. All leading health organizations across the globe recommend continued breastfeeding for 2 years and beyond, as long as you and your baby wish. Continued breastfeeding is helpful for your baby’s growth and development, and for protection from diseases for both of you.
Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute ; Ready Set Baby
Position and latch Finding your fit Practice makes perfect!
Find the positions that work for you. A good latch helps prevent nipple pain and helps your baby remove milk. Be sure you’re comfortable.
Getting started: Leaning Back Laying belly-to-belly with your baby is the most natural thing to do right after birth. When your baby shows signs of trying to find the breast, support this search. They will nuzzle up and attach to the breast.
Breastfeeding while leaning back comfortably goes along with your baby’s natural instincts.
Leaning Back
Other positions
Cross-Cradle Hold
Football Hold
Cradle Hold* (commonly used after the first few weeks)
Side-Lying
Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute ; Ready Set Baby
Helpful tips
Tips for latching your baby in any position • Support baby’s neck • Allow baby's head to move around as needed
• Baby’s ear, shoulder, and hips should be in a straight line • When your baby opens wide, help them onto your nipple • Lean back and relax if you are hunched over • Baby’s chin should hit breast first • Make sure the nipple is deep in your baby’s mouth • Baby’s nose may touch the breast during a deep latch Tips for getting off to a great start • Breastfeed as soon as possible after birth • Nurse often—as often as you see signs of hunger (this should be at least 8 times in 24 hours) • Try not to give pacifiers or bottles until breastfeeding is going well • Ask for support from your nurse or a lactation consultant • Watch your baby—not the clock—to know when to feed • Massaging and gently compressing all over the breast while feeding helps the milk to flow and keeps the baby feeding
Learn hand expression - ask for help • Hand expression is a technique to express milk from your breasts to feed to your baby or store for later • The amount will be just drops in the beginning and increase as you have more milk supply • You can also express a drop onto your nipple for your baby to smell and taste before feeding • Hand expression can increase your milk supply and encourage your mature milk to come in faster
Online hand expression resources may be helpful: http://bit.ly/ExpressionVideo http://bit.ly/ExpressionVideo2
Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute ; Ready Set Baby
Making and keeping up your milk supply
Did you know? Introducing commercial milk formula can decrease your milk supply because you are skipping a nursing session each time you use these products.
Your first milk (colostrum) is thick and golden. Early milk comes in very small amounts—yet is full of nutrients and proteins that boost your baby’s immune system.
Your milk will change over the first 3–5 days into larger amounts of mature milk, which has more water to satisfy your baby’s thirst.
When the amount of milk increases, it is often called your milk “coming in.” This is misleading because you do have milk for your baby before that, it is just smaller amounts of colostrum.
Move it or lose it
• You must remove milk from your body very often to make a full supply of milk • If milk is not removed from your body, your brain doesn't get the message to make more milk • You can use gentle massage with hand expression and/or pumping to remove milk (and keep making milk) if you are separated from your baby
Tonya’s Story At first, Tonya didn’t want to breastfeed because she had heard it could hurt. But with all the health benefits for her baby and herself, she decided to try. After her baby was born, she did try, and just as she expected, it did hurt her nipples a bit. Her lactation consultant and peer counselor helped to find the source of the pain and make changes to lower the discomfort. This helped, but then a few days postpartum she felt pain in both breasts. Again, she got help from a skilled support person and was able to stick with it. In a couple of weeks all the discomforts were gone and never came back. Tonya is still breastfeeding at a year out and is very happy she continued – the discomfort in the beginning was worth it!
Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute ; Ready Set Baby
Signs your baby is getting enough milk
• Your baby is deeply attached, and you are comfortable while feeding • Your baby breastfeeds with steady sucking and swallowing • Your breasts soften during a feeding • Your baby is content after a feeding • Your baby’s pees and poops are consistent with the information given to you at the birthing facility • Your baby’s stools change from greenish-black to pale yellow, soft, and seedy looking over the first week (when you are feeding only human milk) • Your baby’s weight is normal and healthy when they are weighed by a health professional
It is common for babies to lose weight in the first week of life. They should regain their birth weight by 10–14 days of life.
When to call your baby's provider
• Your baby eats less than 8 times in 24 hours • Your baby is too sleepy to wake for feeds • Feeding your baby is painful • Your baby never seems satisfied • Feedings last longer than one hour • Your chest area is hard, tight, and painful (engorged) • Your baby has problems latching or staying attached
• Your baby has not regained their birth weight by 2 weeks of age • You are not confident your baby is feeding well
Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute ; Ready Set Baby
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