Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is the most natural way to feed your baby.

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It provides all the nutrition your baby needs, satisfies their hunger and thirst, and helps to create a loving bond between you and your baby. While breastfeeding is natural you may need a helping hand along the way to ensure that your breastfeeding journey is a successful and memorable one.

We have put together some brief information to help get you get started!

PREPARE IN ADVANCE

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  • Begin by preparing your mind for breastfeeding. Be positive and tell yourself you want to do it and you can do it!
  • Get in touch with a Lactation Consultant for guidance.
  • Get support from your partner, family, and friends or join a breastfeeding support group

EARLY CONTACT

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  • A baby’s contact with the mother’s skin should begin within the first hour after birth. This is when the rooting and sucking reflexes are strongest and will allow your breastfeeding hormones to kick in.
  • Studies have shown that this skin-to-skin contact helps regulate the newborns’ body temperature and exposes them to beneficial bacteria from their mother’s skin. These good bacteria protect babies from infectious diseases and help their immune systems.
  • Skin-to-skin contact after birth has also shown to increase the chances that babies are breastfed, as well as extends the length of breastfeeding.
  • Put your baby to your breast as often as possible during the first few days. For the first 3 days before your actual breastmilk comes in, your body produces thick yellow, nutrient-rich colostrum.
  • This is very important for your baby, as it boosts your baby’s immune system with your antibodies and at same time, encourages your body to start producing breastmilk.

GETTING COMFORTABLE

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It is important to hold your baby close to your body. Use a pillow for support to achieve a comfortable and relaxed position. Remember, there is no wrong or right position, as long as it works for you and your baby. There are however, four common positions that have been tried and tested:

LATCHING

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Getting your baby to latch correctly is one of the most important steps for successful breastfeeding. How will you know if your baby has latched correctly? It should not hurt but rather be a pulling sensation.

You should be able to hear and see your baby swallow.

Your baby’s entire mouth should cover the whole nipple and most of the areola. The nipple should be far back in baby’s mouth and his lips will be pursed outwards. If it does hurt, you will need to unlatch your baby by gently inserting your little finger between his mouth and your nipple to break the suction and start again.

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

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Your baby’s sucking stimulates the “let down” reflex, which you may feel as a tingling sensation in your breasts.

The first milk or fore-milk that comes out in the first few minutes of feeding is mainly a thirst-quencher. For your baby to reach the calorie-rich hind-milk, you must let him completely empty a breast.

If your baby is still hungry, offer the second breast. Start feeds with alternative breasts to be sure both are emptied well. Start feeds with alternative breasts to be sure that both breasts are emptied well in turn.

The more milk your baby demands, the more your body will produce. When feeding, don’t clock watch. The best feeding is a relaxed experience. Some babies feed quickly, while others take their time.

Your baby will drink until he is full and your breast may feel empty.

A full or satisfied baby will release the breast on his own and be quite sleepy, indicating that he has had enough breast milk.

EXPRESSING

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Express milk off during feeds to build up a supply of your precious breastmilk that can be used to feed your baby when you are not able to breastfeed directly.

  • The Pigeon range of Manual and Electric Breast pumps have all the features you need to comfortably express & store breastmilk for your baby.

STORAGE SOLUTIONS

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Express and store your breastmilk in our conveniently sized Pigeon Breastmilk Storage Bottles with sealing lid as well as the Pigeon Breastmilk Storage Bags.

BREAST PADS

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  • Pigeon’s New ComfyFeel™ Breast Pads are our softest ever, providing all day comfort.
  • Ultra-absorbent. They will keep you Ultra-Dry absorbing 20x its weight, with breathable materials and leak-proof cover.
  • Ultra Soft as they are lined with Aloe Vera extract for added moisturisation and comfort.
  • Double adhesive tapes keep the pad firmly in place and fits comfortably and discreetly under clothing.
  • Individually wrapped for hygiene and convenience.

TROUBLESHOOTING – HANDY TIPS

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You have done everything that is necessary to get you started with your breastfeeding, but now you may find you are faced with a few unexpected challenges to deal with.

Pigeon have a wide range of products to help support you along your breastfeeding journey, and we have included some details of these products below, along with some handy troubleshooting tips:

LOW MILK SUPPLY

  • Power pump – this is pumping every 2 hours and in-between feeds
  • Breastfeed frequently
  • Drink lots of water
  • Eat your veggies
  • Consult a Medical Practitioner

CRACKED/TENDER NIPPLES

When you start to breastfeed your nipples may become sensitive or cracked in the first weeks of breastfeeding. Rub a little breastmilk over them to soften before a feed and after a feed, together with the Pigeon Nipple Care Cream with Lanolin, which is 100% natural, hypoallergenic and safe for baby.

If your baby is not latching correctly, or your nipples are very sore, using the Pigeon Natural Feel Nipple Shield will teach your baby to latch correctly, while at the same time giving your nipples time to heal.

INVERTED NIPPLES

If you have inverted nipples, the Pigeon Nipple Puller will gently draw out your nipple so that your baby can latch on and nurse from the breast.

 

ENGORGED BREASTS

During the early stages of breast feeding, your breasts may become very full and feel painful. Breasts become engorged as your body learns to regulate milk production.

To alleviate this…

  • Place a warm facecloth over your breasts before feeding;
  • Using the Pigeon Milk Saver Pump will assist in relieving the engorgement, as it does not cause stimulation, but just allows some milk to be released when attached to the breast.
  • Cabbage leaves have been known to reduce inflammation and relieve pain through an enzyme action. Placing cold cabbage leaves on your breasts may provide relief.

MASTITIS

If you are presenting with the following symptoms then you may have Mastitis and need to see your GP.

  • A breast that is inflamed, sore, swollen or red.
  • If you have chills or just feel like you have the flu.




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