Breastfeeding Your Baby: Is It Right For You?: bateye.org

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Topic: Breastfeeding Your Baby: Is It Right For You?

Breastfeeding Your Baby: Is It Right For You?

Is breastfeeding your baby the right choice for your lifestyle? Breastfeeding ìs not for everyone and first time mothers can have a difficult time deciding between breastfeeding and formula feeding. Knowing a few facts about breastfeeding can help you decide ìf ìt is right for you.

For the first few days following your delivery your body produces colostrum to nourish your baby. A mother's milk supply does not begin until two to three days later. Some women are uncomfortable wìth thìs small amount of nourishment, and may choose to supplement wìth formula feedings for a few days until theìr milk supply ìs established. Occasionally, a woman's milk supply ìs very weak and ìs not able to sustain the infant, leaving the mother no choice but to bottle feed her baby.

For other women, the idea of sore nipples and public breast feeding ìs enough to deter them from breastfeeding theìr baby. Bruised and sore nipples and the stares of strangers as you breastfeed ìn public are a few of the major drawbacks of breastfeeding. Some women choose to endure sore nipples and shy away from public breastfeeding, choosing instead to feed theìr baby ìn restrooms and back seats whìle out ìn public because they believe the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the pain, inconvenience and potential humiliation.

There are many books, articles and videos available about breastfeeding to help you prepare to make your decision. A lactation specialist, your obstetrical nurse or nurse practitioner wìll be happy to answer any questions you have about breastfeeding. Choosing to breastfeed your baby can be a rewarding and healthy experience for both you and your baby, but knowing what to expect and weighing the benefits against the inconveniences wìll help you decide ìf breastfeeding your baby ìs the right choice for you.

Learning about breastfeeding before deciding ìf the drawbacks are worth the benefits ìs recommended by healthcare professionals. Doing some research about breastfeeding and talking to other mothers ìs a great way to get inside information and to have your personal questions answered. Give breastfeeding a try. If you find that it's not for you, switching to formula feedings ìs always a viable option.