A GREATVINE PARENTING GUIDE

Breastfeeding

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Breastfeeding?
There must be someone who can help...
Many new mums look for help with breastfeeding difficulties in the first few weeks and months after giving birth.
Experts agree that breast really is best, as it gives newborns the nutrients they need for a healthy start. Its also a special and unique way to bond with your baby. But breastfeeding doesnt come easily to most mums. Many want to succeed but find it impossible, painful - or a mixture of the two. We can help. This Greatvine booklet is jampacked with invaluable advice and insider tips on breastfeeding, from the right position to hold your baby; how to avoid sore nipples; to whens the right time to get your partner involved in feeding. These top experts have years of experience helping parents through the particular challenges of breastfeeding. From specialist midwives to lactation consultants and best-selling breastfeeding authors, their gentle and supportive methods can really make the difference to you and your baby. If this booklet helps you, remember that the breastfeeding specialists in the next few pages are just a part of Greatvine. To speak to an expert, go to Greatvine.com and see how we can make a difference to your life. The experts are ready to talk whenever you need.

In this edition
4 6 8 Meet the breastfeeding experts Expert Q&A with Geraldine Miskin Top tips for a happier breastfeed 10 Next steps for more advice

breastfeeding experts
Geraldine Miskin
An independent breastfeeding specialist with over 16 years of experience, by teaching effective techniques Geraldine has helped thousands of mums to enjoy blissful breastfeeds. Through her Lets Breastfeed practice and books Geraldine aims to empower, educate and inspire mums to breastfeed. Geraldine has studied the science of breastfeeding around the world, undertaking courses including the Australasian Lactation course, the UNICEF Baby Friendly course and the Maternity Practitioner course. Geraldines specialist interests include the compression of the babys head during labour and delivery and how this translates into breastfeeding problems. Shes also knowledgeable about the anatomy of both mum and baby, and how this can affect which technique and feeding position produces the most pain-free feeds. Talk with Geraldine on 0906 400 6213 - 1.50/min*. greatvine.com/geraldine-miskin

Meet the

Talk with a top breastfeeding specialist, whenever you need

Katherine Fisher
A breastfeeding expert for Mother and Baby magazine, Katherine has 18 years of experience helping families to breastfeed

successfully and enjoy the experience. She understands the difficulties many mums face, and sees it as entirely natural that getting breastfeeding right takes time, practice and support. Katherine currently works as a lactation consultant at Kings College Hospital, London, and is also an NCT breastfeeding counsellor. She has also run breastfeeding drop-in clinics for Sure Start Childrens Centres. She specialises in areas including: complex feeding problems; making sure that babies gain weight; nipple trauma and sleep difficulties. Talk with Katherine on 0905 675 4622 - 1.20/min*. greatvine.com/katherine-fisher

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Sharon Trotter
As a registered nurse and midwife with over 25 years of experience, Sharon provides easy-tounderstand advice on all aspects of breastfeeding. Her book Breastfeeding: The Essential Guide has stayed in the Top 10 bestselling breastfeeding books since 2004. Shes also written an award-winning leaflet Babycare - Back to Basics, now in its seventh edition, which has helped over 100,000 mums. Sharon gained a BSc in Advanced Studies in Midwifery in 2005. Two years later she launched her TIPS award scheme in which parent volunteers independently test baby and toddler products. Talk with Sharon on 0906 400 6215 - 1.50 per/min*. greatvine.com/sharon-trotter

centre in the UK. Caroline prides herself on being sympathetic and non-judgemental, and in her ability to offer a listening ear and comforting voice in addition to practical and effective solutions. Talk with Caroline on 0906 207 2675 - 1/min*. greatvine.com/caroline-flint

role as supporting new mums to make this possible. Talk with Vicki on 0905 675 4614 - 1.20/min*. greatvine.com/vicki-scott

Nikki Khan
The expert midwife for Prima Baby magazine for the last decade, Nikkis been a practising midwife for over 20 years. She currently works for Epsom & St Helier NHS Trust, and was formerly a midwife for baby charity Tommys where she answered peoples questions about pregnancy and childbirth. Having been a midwife for 17 years before she gave birth to her own child, Nikki has great insights to share. A staunch supporter of breastfeeding for a minimum of six months after birth, she also wants to give mums the power to make their own choices and do whats best for them and their baby. Also a trained clinical negligence lawyer, Nikki has a special interest in maternity rights and benefits and the law when pregnant, as well as birth injuries. Talk with Nikki on 0905 675 4618 - 1.20/min*. greatvine.com/nikki-khan
* from a BT landline. Calls from other networks and mobiles may vary. 18+.

Vicki Scott
After 20 years working with mums, babies and families, Vicki has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. Shes a registered midwife, nursery nurse and teacher. Her consultancy service was launched in 2002 to provide new mums with professional, friendly, up-to-date support and advice through the early weeks and months with a new baby. Vickis practical, flexible approach means that clients come to her for breastfeeding advice, help with starting and maintaining a routine, solving sleep difficulties and starting solid foods. Shes passionate about breastfeeding but realises that the recommendation of at least six months of exclusive breastfeeding can be daunting to many women. She sees her

Caroline Flint
A recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Journal of Midwifery, Caroline has over 33 years experience as a midwife and 41 years of experience teaching antenatal classes for the NCT. She was the first elected President of the Royal College of Midwives, and has also advised the government on maternity services. Caroline is the author of several books on birth, including Sensitive Midwifery and is the founder and director of The Birth Centre, the first private birth

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A GREATVINE PARENTING GUIDE BREASTFEEDING

Expert Q & A
How do I know when my breast is empty, and when to offer my baby the other breast?
It would be wonderful if our bodies flashed a red light as the breast was emptying. But there is a way to gauge how full your breast is you need to look at your babys suck and swallow pattern. Knowing when your baby is swallowing rather than just sucking is important. While your babys breastfeeding, look at their lower jaw. When theyre sucking, it bounces up and down pretty quickly. When they swallow, it will drop slightly lower and will pause for a split second longer. You may also hear a bubble sound from your babys nose. If your baby is just sucking, your baby is calling the milk. Place a flat hand on the outer edge of your breast and push inwards to flatten. This creates a manual let down and you should be able to see your

Thousands of new mums with breastfeeding problems turn to Geraldine Miskin for help. Here, she tackles your most frequently asked questions.

with Geraldine
baby swallowing. If not, move to another area and try the same. If youve compressed the entire breast and your babys still not swallowing, theyre asleep or the breast is empty. So either wake them up, or offer them the other breast. Yellow poos mean that your baby is getting to the hindmilk (the most nutritious milk at the end of a feed, which has a higher fat content), whereas poos that are a spinach green colour mean theyre not. So let your baby stay on the first breast a little longer before offering the second side.

My partner would like to be involved with our babys feeding ASAP. When can I start expressing so that he can offer our son a bottle at the last feed?
Its lovely for dads to be involved with baby as early as possible, but its probably best to leave

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expressing and bottlefeeding for two to three weeks. This will give you time to establish a good milk supply, and your baby a chance to learn how to breastfeed well without causing you discomfort. Before you offer a bottle, make sure theyre: Older than 10 days. Not leaving your nipples feeling sore and tender at the end of feeds. Draining the breast so youre not at risk of developing mastitis. Gaining weight, roughly 20-30g a day. The best time to express is in the morning after the first two feeds, such as the 7am feed and the 10am feed. Offer this milk to your baby at the 10pm feed. As youll be substituting a bottle for a breastfeed, youll need to express both breasts around 9pm before going to bed. You can freeze this milk to create a milk bank for emergencies. Encourage your partner to be as hands on as possible until you can introduce a bottle feed. Try holding your baby skin-to-skin in a sling or a baby massage after a bath.

Nobody likes the thought of pain, but sore nipples can be avoided nine times out of 10 by following the simple steps below. Dont put too much pressure on yourself and remember that you and your baby are learning a new skill. - Hold your baby with the opposite arm to the breast youre feeding with. - Pop their bottom into the crook of your arm and support their cheek with your fingers. You should have the heel of your hand on your babys upper back. - Dont move your breast to line up with your babys nose, but instead line them up nose to nipple when your breast is at rest. - When they do a big wide mouth, bring them onto the breast really quickly, applying pressure to their upper back with the heel of your hand. - Their lower lip should be away from the nipple at the edge of the areola (the coloured circle around the nipple) so that the nipple goes to the roof of their mouth. - Make sure that both cheeks are touching your breast during the feed. This means they can drain both the top and lower half of your breast. - If theyre not doing a big wide mouth, use your areola close to their lower lip to drag their lower lip down and open before popping them onto the breast. - If your latch is correct, your nipple should be round like a jelly tot. If your babys lower lip was too close to the nipple when latching on, your nipple will be pinched like a new lipstick.

Talk with Geraldine

www.greatvine.com/geraldine-miskin

0906 400 6213

1.50/min from a BT landline. Calls from other networks and mobiles may vary. 18+.

Im dreading getting sore nipples. Can you give me some practical tips to avoid developing cracks and soreness?

A GREATVINE PARENTING GUIDE BREASTFEEDING

happier breastfeed

Top tips for a

1 2

Breastfeeding is so good for your baby

because breast milk is tailor-made with your own child in mind. It provides exactly the right nutrients, in an easy-to-digest package at the right temperature whenever your baby wants it. -Sharon Totter

normal for babies to fall asleep after 15 minutes of feeding, so doing a nappy change here will wake your baby before continuing the feed. If, after the second part, your baby allows you to take the breast out of their mouth without going into meltdown, theyve had enough. -Geraldine Miskin

To find out if your baby has had enough

milk, give a two-part feed, separated with a winding/burping session and nappy change. Its

Your baby needs

to have a wide-open mouth to latch onto the breast correctly. They should take lots of breast tissue into their mouth,

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not just the nipple. This helps them to feed well and efficiently and shouldnt be painful for you. -Vicki Scott

4 5 6

Breastfeeding a newborn can be time-consuming

7 8 9

If you exclusively breastfeed your

as your baby will need more frequent feeds. So try to stock up on essentials before the birth. Fill up your freezer and encourage family and friends to agree to help with housework and shopping after the babys born. -Katherine Fisher

baby, your periods might not return for up to a year. Its natures way of making the natural, and therefore safer, gap between children longer. But remember not to rely on breastfeeding as a method of contraception. -Katherine Fisher

youre spending all your time feeding, but this is normal. Soon, feeds should space out a little and youll be sleeping longer at night if your baby feeds well during the day. -Vicki Scott

If your babys poos

10

Breastfeeding really is the best for you

To keep your baby awake during a feed,

compress the outer edge, or rim, of the breast. By flattening the breast tissue furthest away from the nipple, youll create a flush of milk. Your baby will have to start swallowing again or come off the breast. -Geraldine Miskin

are green or your nipples are sore, your baby may not be getting enough food, and may be asking to be fed more frequently. Youll need help with your positioning and attachment so that your baby latches well and drains the breast to increase your supply. - Geraldine Miskin

and your baby, so try to stay positive about it. Although its natural, that definitely doesnt mean its easy for everyone. Many new mums have mastitis, sore nipples and thrush at some stage in their breastfeeding, so be prepared. Most of all, try to enjoy this very special time. -Katherine Fisher

On average, a breastfed baby will

If you offer regular feeds when your

baby is hungry, your milk supply will grow to match their needs. Your newborn needs to feed frequently, little and often sometimes after just an hour or two. These early, frequent feeds will ensure you build up a milk supply for your baby in the coming months. -Vicki Scott

want to feed every two to four hours. Every mum and baby are unique, and will have their own pattern of feeds. But feeds can last from 10 minutes to over an hour. At first, you might feel like

11

One way to know if youre producing enough milk

and if your baby is feeding well is if your babys gaining between 20-30g each day. -Katherine Fisher

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A GREATVINE PARENTING GUIDE BREASTFEEDING

Next steps for

When youre learning a new skill like breastfeeding, its good to know where you can get one-to-one help and support you can trust.
Greatvine lets you talk on the phone with the countrys best experts, whenever you need. Choose from leading specialists in over 80 topics covering all aspects of pregnancy, childbirth and parenting from breastfeeding and baby sleep to postnatal depression and child nutrition.

more advice
The team includes midwives, breastfeeding specialists, paediatricians, practice nurses, parenting coaches, child nutritionists, child psychologists, counsellors and more. With an average of five qualifications each the experts offer advice you can trust. Friendly and understanding, theyre here to help. Many also contribute to TV, radio and to leading magazines & newspapers. Simply browse the experts profiles, choose a specialist and talk whenever you need.

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