August: World Breastfeeding Awareness Month
August marks World Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Every year this month, the campaign highlights the significant benefits that breastfeeding brings to the health and wellbeing of babies. It also focuses on spreading awareness regarding maternal health, emphasizing good nutrition, poverty reduction and food security.
Breastfeeding provides essential nutrients to infants in a cost-effective way. Breast milk includes hormones and cells that fight germs, protecting babies from many health issues like ear infections, respiratory illness, gastrointestinal diseases, asthma and allergies. As an added advantage for mothers, breastfeeding is also associated with lower rates of breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and other illnesses. Moreover, it aids in post-pregnancy weight loss.
In recognition of World Breastfeeding Awareness Month, we have put together some helpful breastfeeding tips to raise awareness and empower new mothers to help them achieve their maternal goals.
Breastfeeding tips for new mothers:
1) Anticipate your infant’s needs
Rather than waiting for your infant to cry, try to anticipate their needs and desires by determining a few tell-tale signs.
Often, when your baby is hungry, they may do the following:
- Repeatedly raise or turn their head
- Open and close their mouth
- Stick their tongue out
- Suck on whatever is near
If you see your baby making these movements, offer to feed them right away. It will save them from struggling to get your attention.
2) Let your baby determine how often to nurse
Some infants are fast eaters, while others like to take their time. To understand better what your baby needs, let them determine how often and long to nurse. If you set predetermined intervals between feedings, you may end up denying your baby food just because not enough time has gone by. On the other hand, you must avoid waking your sleeping baby to feed them simply because long hours have passed.
3) Get comfortable while nursing
Feeding your baby can be a time-consuming process. If you do this in an unsupported sitting position, it can get uncomfortable quickly. Maintaining an uncomfortable position for a prolonged period can also cause severe back, shoulder and neck pain. Moreover, the constant moving and adjusting on your part can disrupt your baby’s feeding and result in irritability and increased hunger. As such, it is important for you to be comfortable throughout the process. We recommend lying on your side with your baby facing towards you or sitting in a reclined position with your baby lying in your arms.
4) Ask for help
Reading or taking a class about breastfeeding well in advance can be a good idea before you actually start breastfeeding. Staying well informed will make the process easier for you. Moreover, for any doubts you may have throughout the process, you can seek guidance and advice from a lactation consultant.
In our attempt to support new moms in their postnatal journey, FCBS Dubai offers tailor-made physiotherapy and weight loss treatments for women in Dubai. To know more about our services, call us on +971 4 3255481 or email us at info@fcbsglobal.com.