Introduction to breastfeeding

Department of Health guidance says that breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed your baby. Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first 6 months of your baby’s life.

Breast milk:

• Is always available at the right temperature and is sterile.
• Can be used to comfort your baby and relieve pain.
• Is free.
• Has no carbon footprint.
• Is the most natural food for babies.

Colostrum:

• Concentrated milk produced in the first few days, tailored to baby in small amounts.
• Gives your baby immunity. It is protective and coats the intestines/gut to keep  germs out so they cannot be absorbed into your baby’s system. This barrier seals your baby’s insides, preparing your baby for a healthy life.
• Kills harmful microorganisms and provides protection from inflammation.
• Is a laxative and will help clear your baby’s system of the meconium and therefore help to reduce jaundice.
• ‘Mature’ milk production increases after the first few days.
• Your baby’s stomach capacity is quite small, and breastmilk is easily digestible, meaning that your baby will probably feed frequently in the early weeks of breastfeeding.

Hormonal Influence:

There are three key factors that work together in breastfeeding:

Prolactin

• Following delivery, your levels of pregnancy hormones decline. This causes levels of the milk producing hormone, prolactin, to rise.
• Prolactin levels peak every time your baby sucks or nuzzles at the breast.
• Lots of peaks in prolactin levels in the early days “switch on” milk producing cells – one of the reasons why newborn babies feed frequently/cluster feed –they are “putting the order in”!
• Overnight, your prolactin levels – the hormone designed to support milk production – are at their highest. So, when your baby feeds frequently at night, the message to your body to boost milk supply is even stronger.

Oxytocin

• Oxytocin is also known as the love hormone – it helps you to fall in love with your baby and want to hold, stroke and protect them.
• It causes the lobules in the breasts to contract, letting down the milk to the baby (the letdown).
• It can be delayed by stress – this can be overcome by relaxed, skin-to-skin time at the breast.
• Additionally, oxytocin increases circulation to the breast, helping to release stored nutrients into the milk, and warm baby.

Feedback Inhibitor of Lactation (FIL)

• This is a protein within the milk that alerts the milk producing cells to stop producing milk.
• It helps control and regulate the supply.
• As milk is removed, levels of FIL fall.
• Milk removal drives milk production.

Formula feeding increases the risk of:

For children:

• Raised blood pressure.
• Obesity.
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
• Raised cholesterol levels.
• Childhood leukaemia.
• Type 1 and 2 diabetes.
• Urinary tract infections.
• Necrotising enterocolitis & late onset sepsis in preterm babies.
• Gastrointestinal infections.
• Ear infections.
• Respiratory infections.

For parents:

• Breast cancer.
• Ovarian cancer.
• Osteoporosis.
• Postnatal depression.
• Hip fractures and reduced bone density.
• Maternal type 2 diabetes.