Breastfeeding
          There are many advantages to breastfeeding.  However, there are just as many myths surrounding it as well.  Among the greatest advantages to breastfeeding aside from the excellent nutrition is the bond it forms between mother and chlid.  In our culture breastfeeding is often seen as sexual, and very rarely is a child past 6 months seen nursing.  There needs to be much more education about the benefits of extended nursing.

          For the mother there are advantages aside from the close bond with her child.  Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancers.  It also reduces risk of osteoporosis and hemorrhage after childbirth.  Another advantage to breastfeeding for the mother is when you breast feed you release harmones that help reduce stress and help families bond.  Plus, weight loss after childbirth is easier for mothers who breastfeed.  Not to mention all the time and money breastfeeding saves; no midnight trips to the corner store for formula or spending a fortune on bottles and formula, with breastmillk all equipment necessary is already there and free.  Breastfed babie's feces are less smelly, fruity almost, then formula fed babies.  Other benefits are that your breasts will be less sore and it will relieve pressure making you more comfortable.

         The mother is not the only one who benefits from breastfeeding, it has long been known breastfeeding provides better nutirtion for the infant than formual.  Breastmilk protects babies from many infections and illnesses.  A few examples of illnesses breast feeding will reduce the risk of are ear infections, allergies, intestinal disorders, respitory aliments, many childhood cancers, strep, staph, colds, e coli, meningitis, salmonella, urniary tract infections, pneumoina, diabetes, and viruses.  For baby girls it can have the added benefits of reducing risk of ovarian and breast cancer later in life.  This protection occurs because antibodies from the mother are found in the milk.  Plus, there is the added benefit that your baby will give you germs while nursing that your immune system will then being making antibodies for, by the next feeding you will give your baby antibodies against those new germs.  When babies are born their immune systems are very immature, as they grow they will mature, in breastfed babies their immune systems mature faster than formula fed babies.  Despite all of this extra immunity, breastfed babies do get sick, however when they do it is generally less sever and shorter than illnesses of formula fed babies.
         Even more advantages for breastfed babies are that you are giving your baby all the nutrients that he needs for a day plus other helpful substances helpful for growing.  Breastfed babies are also leading in speech, facial, teeth, and jaw development.  Also, any sipt-up from a breastfed baby will not stain, why this is we don't know, but it just is.

         Despite all the good breastfeeding does and it's advantages there are some disadvantages.  The first one is that breastfeeding will decrease your sex drive.  Another sexual side effect is that you will not become as wet as normal and the use of a lubricant may be necessary.  Other side effects are it puts your reproductive cycles in a dormant stage, making menstrual cycles lighter or not there at all.  Many people talk about breastfeeding as  contraception however I doubt the legitimacy of this statement.  I know many women who have gotten pregnant whlie breastfeeding, it IS possiable.

         Colostrum is the perfect first food for your baby.  Colostrum is the first milk your breast produces at the start of breastfreeding.  Colostrum is high in carbohydrates, protein, and antibodies but low in fat.  It is extremely easy to digest.  This substance is exteremly high in nutrition but low in volume and very good for your newborn.  Also, colostrum tends to have a laxative effect on the child, making it easier to pass early stools and helping in excretion of too much bilirbin.  That is why colostrum prevents jaundice.
         Your breasts will begin producing mature milk around the thrid or fourth day after birth if you nurse often.  As your milk matures it will start to appear thinner and lighter in colour.  In the first few days it's very important to feed your baby at least 9 to 12 times within 24 hours, the more often the better.  These frequent feedings are to be sure your baby gets all the benefits of your colostrum and will stimulate milk production, ensuring you a plentiful supply of mature milk.  Also, frequent breastfeeding prevents engorgement
         Other advantages of colostrum are it provides a large amount of living cells that defend your baby against harmful agents.  It has a higher concentration of immune factors than those of mature milk.  Colostrum acts as a natural and safe vaccine and contains large amounts of secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA).  IgA is a new substance to newborns and while in your womb recieved the benefits of IgG through the placenta.  Also, it paints the gastrointestinal tract with a barrier which prevents foreign substances from getting in as a newborn's intestings are exteremly permeable. 

         Many women have trouble breastfeeding, mainly this is due to our current culture.  In the past women have seen their mothers, aunts, sisters, cousins, and friends breastfeed and by the time they had children of their own they knew how to do it.  However in today's culture many women do not breastfeed and it is entirely possiable that some women have never seen a mother nurse.  Other issues arise from the fact that some women may have moved away from their family and do not have an opportunity to watch them nurse.  To deal with these issues and help women breastfeed the La Leche League is an organisation that provides informations, support, encouragement, and help for breastfeeding mothers worldwide.
      Other problems arise from many myths that discourage breastfeeding.  Some of these myths scare new mothers off from breastfeeding.  A few of these things are tales of "leaking," nipple pain or soreness, cracking, peeling, or bleeding nipples, not having enough milk, and sagging breasts to name a few.  First of all, breastfeeding your baby will not cause your breasts to sag.  Pregnancy itself will cause your breasts to increase in size and breastfeeding will keep your breasts at their fullest.  To prevent sagging wear a good, properly fitting bra and do exercises like push-ups that strengthen the pectoral area.
          In the first few weeks positioning of your baby is of the uptmost importance.  If you and your baby are well positioned your nipples will stay healthy and your baby can feed most efficiently.  Most cases of sore nipples can be cured with proper positioning.  First be sure you are comfortable and your baby is close to you.  You want your baby's head to not have to turn to reach your breast, the mouth and nose should be facing your nipple.  Be sure you support your breast so it does not press your baby's chin, this can be very umcomfortable.  Latch the baby onto your breast; encourage your baby to open his mouth wide and pull him close by supporting his back, not the back of his head.  If you feel any pain, detach your baby and try to get in position again
      Remember breastfeeding isn't meant to hurt, it is supposed to be an enjoyable experince for both mother and child!  Sore nipples are ususally caused by improper positioning of the baby while nursing.  However other causes do exist.  One such cause is flat or inverted nipples, however many mothers with such nipples have successfully fed their babies without pain.  If you have flat nipples, they do not become erect when stimulated or cold.  In cases of invereted nipples the nipples retract rather than protude when the area aroiund the nipple is compressed.  If you have inverted nipples wearing breast shells while pregnant may help draw out your nipples and you may beed to use a breast pump to pull our your nipple immediately before latching your baby onto your breast before a feeding.  Another cause of sore nipples is engorgement, or when the breasts become full and hard.  Occasionally engorgement can result in flat nipples making it difficult for your baby to latch onto your breast.  This condition usually occurs in the early weeks of pregnancy but it can be avoided by removing milk frequently from your brests.  This can be done by hand-expressing milk or using a breast pump if your baby is not nursing around every two hours. 
          Breast pumps shouldn't be painful either.  Experiment with many different kinds of breast pumps to find which is most comfortable for you.  As a general rule, if your nipple is centered in the flange's walls and the suction is gentle, it will not hurt.
         Removing your baby from your breast can also cause nipple soreness if done improperly.  The best advice is to do so VERY gently.  Most mothers find that once a baby is satisfied he or she will release the breast, however if a baby must be moved before he or she is finished try inserting a finger into the corner of your baby's mouth, pulling down on your baby's chin, or pressing down on your breast near the baby's mouth in order to bread that seal.
          Many people are misinformed about a condition called Nipple Confusion.  When a baby recienves a nipple other than that of their mother, be it a pacifier (dummie) or a bottle then the result can be nipple confusion.  This condition is caused by the fact that it is totally different sucking on an artificial nipple than a breast.  Nipple confusion can cause your baby to feed improperly and cause soreness.  Should this occur babies can be taught to nurse properly.
         If the child is not a newborn and sore nipples or deep breast pain suddenly occurs thrush may be causing this.  Thrush is a yeast infection of the nipples and other symptoms of thrush are deep breast pain, itchy or burning nipples that appear red or pink, shiny, flaky, and/or have a rash with tiny blisters, cracked nipples, shooting pains in the breast during or after feedings, and intense nipple or breast pain not improved with better latch-on and positioning.  You could possiably be at a greater risk for thrush if you or your baby has had a recent course of antibiotics, you are taking oral contraceptives or seroids, or your nipples are cracked or damamged.  At times thrush can be difficult to treast, however it is important for both you and your baby to be treated for thrust because it is easily spread and thrives in warm moist envitonments like your baby's mouth and your nipples.  Nystatin (nipple cream for the mother and oral suspension for the baby) is often used to treat thrush, but there are other treatment options like gentian violet and oral medications.  Treatment should continues for two weeks after the end of the symptoms and may be give four times a day or after every feeding.  After treatment beings the sympotms could appear to get worse for a few days before they improve.  While you are still having the pain, offer your baby short, frequent feedings beginning on the least painful side.  Be sure to rinse your nipples and let them dry after each feeding.  If your baby sucks on pacifiers or bottle nipples boil them for 20 minutes a day and replace them every week.  Boil all breast pump parts that come in cntact with milk if you use a pump; milk you pump during a thrush outbreak may be fed to your baby, however you cannot freeze it as freezing does not kill the yeast. Don't forget to wash any toys that go into the baby's mouth with hot soapy water and should your baby suck his tumb or fingers put Nystatin on them as well.  Other steps are to wash all bras, bra pads, nightgowns, anything that comes in contact with your nipples in very hot water with bleach and dry on hot in the dryer or in the sun, rinse your nipples with a vinegar water solution (1 tablespoon vinegar to 1 cup water) after every feeding and use a fresh cotton ball for every application and mix a new solution every day, adding acidophilus supplements (40 billion units per day) to your diet, and reducing yeast and sugar in your diet may help.
          Leaking is a problem for some mothers.  Some mothers may find they leak in the early months while their milk production is stabilizing.  For some women they leak on one side while nursing on the other, making it helpful to put a towel or cotton diaper over the over side to catch the flow.  There are disposable nursing pads and reuseable cotton pads available to wear in your bra and help catch leaks that occur between nursings.  It is a good idea to stay away from pads with plastic backs that trap moisture against the skin which can cause nipples to become sore.  Also, be sure to change the pads often.  It's possiable to minimise leaking by not missing feedings and being sure not to go longer than normal between feedings.  If you can feel the ejection reflix, also called the "let-down", then feed the baby immediately or a slight pressure against the breast may stop the "let-down" and leaking.  You can do this and avoid attention by crossing your arms over your chest and applying a little pressure.  Many motheres find wearing patterned tops helpful because spots will not show so badly.  It is common to see that as time goes on you will not leak at all or leak less.  This signals that your body is regulating milk production.

           Many new mothers are concerned about their baby getting enough milk.  Most of the time this is unncessary, but there are times when a mother may need to increase her supply.  Around the time a baby reaches six weeks to two months in age the mother's body has learned how much milk to make and she may no longer feel "full."  Or the child may only be nursing for five minutes at time.  Neither of these are signs of a decreased milk supply, they are signs that mother and baby are becoming more used to breastfeeding.  Other concrerns arise when the child begins to have fewer bowel movements.  Around six weeks the colostrum is no longer in a mother's milk and this may decrease a baby's bowel movements to one every day or even a few times a week.  All of these occurances are normal. 
          It is possiable to tell if babies are getting enough milk.  Usually, during the first few days when the baby is getting colostrum the baby will only wet one or two diapers a day.  Once the mother's milk matures then that baby should begin to have around six to eight wet cloth diapers, or five to six disposable diapers, a day.  Plus, most young babies will have around two to five bowel movements every 24 hours for the first several months, however some babies will switch to less frequent but large bowel movements around six weeks of age.  A baby that sleeps rather than feeding very two to three hours or is lethargic may need to be assessed by a health care provider to be sure the baby is getting adequate hydration.  Other important signs that a baby is getting enough milk are that baby is nursing frequently at an average of at least eight to twelve feedings per 24-hour peroid, the baby is allowed to deteremine the length to feedings which could be ten to twenty minutes per breast or longer, the baby has audible swallowing sounds while feeding, the baby gains at least four to seven ounces per week after the fourth day of life, and the baby is active and alert, appears healthy, has good colour, firm skin, and will be growing in length and head circumference. 
       If it is discovered that an increase in the milk supply is needed, then there are many things that can be done.  First encourage your baby to nurse often and for as long as the baby will.  Offer both breasts at each feeding, allowing the baby to stay at the first breast as long as active sucking and swalloing and then offer the second breast when the baby slows down or stops.  A good rule of thumb is "finish the first breast first" as this allows that baby to get a lot of the fatty "hindmilk."  Next, let the baby end the feeding not the mother.  A child may end a feeding by falling asleep and detaching from the breast after around ten to thirty minutes of active sucking and swallowing.  Also, be sure that the baby is latched on and postition correctly.  The lips should be on the areola (the darker skin area), behind the nipple.  For sleepy babies "switch nursing" can be helpful. Switch nursing is when breasts are switched two to three times during each feeding.  Being sure all a baby's sucking is done at the breast also helps, limit or stop pacifier use and encourage the baby to nurse more effectively.  Blessed Thistle tea is an old folk remedy for increasing breast milk that has been proven very effective, drink three or more cups a day for results. 

       Nursing your baby is a unique experince and all your children will be different.  Some babies need to nurse constantly and others go for longer times between feedings.  Follow your baby's lead in how often to nurse, but be sure the child is nursing enough.  Breastfed babies will regulate themseleves taking what is needed from each breast at a feeding.  Not to mention many breastfeeding problems are resolved with more frequent nursings.  As long as a child is nursing at least 8 to 12 times in a 24 hour lenght of time let the child decide when to nurse.  If your baby is not nursing that much in early weeks, it may be necessary to wake your baby to nurse more often.  Many babies want to nurse more frequently than every two hours, and babies who nure frequently tend to get enough milk and it will boast the mother's milk supply.

         There are women who feel they are to modest to breastfeed their babies and are shy about nursing their babies in public.  There are many ways to nurse modestly and without being noticed without hiding at home and in restrooms until the child is weaned.  Wearing the right clothes has a lot to do with nursing discreetly.  Loose-fitting tops that lift or can be unbuttoned from the waist will allow you to feed your baby and not expose your breast to the whole world as the baby will cover the nipple and lower breast.  There are special nursing blouses, dresses, and shirts that have hidden slits and panels.  For mothers wearing nursing bras it's easiest when the bra can be pulled up or unfastened and re-fastened with one hand.  Bringing a shawl or small blanket can also be helpful as you can cover the baby and any exposed midriff.  Walls and corners provide the most privacy.  In restaurants booths are wonderful for privacy, ecspecially when other adults sit on the aisle, however somtiems the table will be too close for you to nurse. 

          Another common breastfeeding problem is that of biting, ecspecially in extended breastfeeding.  Rarely are biting babies wanting to be weaned.  Among the many reasons for biting the most common is teething.  Occasionally babies will bite before their first teeth come in, but usually this happens ahve the frong teeth are in and the others are coming in.  Another common reason is a cold or ear infection.  Other biting causes are stress and sometimes it's an attention getting tactic.
          There are some way to get a baby to stop biting, however they take persistence.  In most cases the child won't stop biting immediately.  When the child is latched on properly it is physically impossible to bite while sucking.  In order to bite a baby has to adjust his tounge and allow your nipple to slide forward towards it's teeth, as a clue of when a child is about to bite try and watch for a minute, usually after the initial hunger has been satisfied, when your nipple slides forward in the baby's mouth.  Changes in the tension in the baby's jaw will occur at the moment.  As soon as you notice this change slip your finger into the corner of the baby's mouth, between the teeth, and let the nipple come out while keeping your finger in your baby's mouth to protect your nipple.  An automatic response is pulling your baby straight off, however this may cause soreness on your nipple.  Position also plays a role in this, if your baby is very close then it makes it difficult to pull off.  Should a child have to strain to latch on, coming off and chewing the nipple is easy.  Some mothers have trained themsleves to watch when their chld beings to position away from their nipple and are alert for a bite.  If your baby has a cold a more upright position will help.  Other suggestions are telling your baby not to bite, offereing them a teething ring to chew on, use positive reinforcment when the child feeds without biting, and letting your baby to chose when to be breastfeed.

         There is no "proper" lenght of time for breastfeeding your baby, a mother and baby should breastfeed for as long as they like.  The AAP's current recommendation is that "breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months, and thereafer for as long as mutually desired."  As you introduce soilds, usually around the middle of the first year, then your baby will shift primary source of nutrition from your milk to soild foods.  The benefits of breast milk continue for as long as your baby recieves milk. 

         One of the most difficult questions in breastfeeding is when and how to wean.  Be sure you are totally ready to wean, sometimes merely cutting back on the amount of times you breastfeed will make you feel better.  If you resent nursing most times you sit down your chld will notice.  If the child is a year or older then you can substitue a bottle feeding for a missed breastfeeding.  Older babies may accept a drink from a cup, a snack, or a disratioction.  The first step of weaning is the first supplemental feed from a bottle or solid food.  Most women agree with it is best to wean gradually.  Completely stopping breastfeeding will leave your breasts painfully engorged and possiable development of breast infection.  Also, with the cold turkey method babies may fight the switch from their mother's breast to a plastic substitute.  When weaning a baby under a year substitue his least favourite feeding first.  Sometimes the child will not accept the first bottle from the mother, in these cases the father or grandmother can give it a try.  If possiable give the baby a few days or weeks between each time you substitue a breastfeeding session with a bottle.  Express a little of your milk from your breasts if you become engorged.  Do not express a whole feeding's worth of milk, only enough to relieve the pressure.  Over time your body will make less milk.  If the child being weaned is a year or older bottles may not be necessary at all.  It may just be necessary to stop offering the breast.