What mom and dad can do
Be informed.
 Sign up for prenatal classes, read up on breastfeeding techniques and seek help early from lactation consultants to address possible difficulties. Speak to moms who have breastfed successfully.
Understand how milk is produced.
Mothers often think they are producing insufficient milk or have none, especially in the first few days after childbirth, when the breasts produce small amounts of a liquid called colostrum. Colostrum is, in fact, a special kind of milk which delivers nutrients in a very concentrated form before the normal milk “comes in”.
Also, newborns have small digestive systems so they drink small amounts but frequently – usually nursing for about 15 minutes, 10 to 12 times a day.
Reduce stress.
Get adequate rest and eat a balanced diet. Leave chores such as changing diapers to others, if possible.
Husbands should support their wives’ decision to breastfeed.
Do not suggest feeding the baby formula just because you think it will alleviate your wife’s stress. Encourage mothers who are determined to breastfeed.
Mediate or deflect.
When well-meaning relatives make comments such as, “Your baby is feeding so much, he or she must not be getting enough milk” or “Your milk looks diluted”, husbands can mediate or deflect their remarks to keep the pressure off their wives.
Sources: Mrs Angeline Wee-Yew, president of Breastfeeding Mothers’ Support Group (Singapore); Mrs Wong Boh Boi, assistant director of clinical services at the Thomson ParentCraft Centre at Thomson Medical Centre; Dr Yong Tze Tein, obstetrics & gynaecology consultant at Singapore General Hospital and president of the Association for Breastfeeding Advocacy (Singapore)
Ref: V10 |