Don't get caught in a Booby Trap...
What is a booby trap? Barriers that sabotage women’s efforts to bond with their babies and to protect their babies and themselves from immediate and lifelong illnesses through breastfeeding.
All baby needs to properly nourish them especially before 6 months of age is breastmilk. Breastfeed as often as you can. If you must give a bottle be sure to pump during those times, if you can. While some women are able to successfully breastfeed and supplement a lot of times supplementing causes the supple to decrease. The more times baby does not eat from the breast the less milk your body will make. It's simple science.
There are many reasons why a mother might think she needs to top the nursing session off with a bottle of formula when in actuality that is the last thing you should do while trying to establish your supply. Best thing to do, especially within the first 6-8 weeks is keep baby latched on boob as often as you can.
The size of a woman's breast does not determine the amount of milk you will make or if you will make milk at all. No matter what the size or shape of your breasts, the ability to produce breast milk lies in the presence of breast tissue.
After birth, it takes a while for the baby's liver to start doing the job. The result: Pigment builds up in the baby's blood and his skin starts to turn yellow. According to Baby Center - Insufficient liquid causes the concentration of bilirubin in the blood to rise. So if your baby is breastfeeding and not yet getting plenty of breast milk, it's more likely that he'll become jaundiced. The APP recommends that you breastfeed your baby at least eight to 12 times a day for the first several days.
According to La Leche League Breastfeeding during pregnancy is perfectly safe. As long as you eat reasonably well, then your unborn baby will not be deprived of nutrients. Even if you suffer from morning sickness and find eating very difficult, your body will naturally go into overdrive to efficiently use all the nutrients it has access to in order to prevent you and the baby from being deficient. Once you are feeling better, then you can make up by eating plenty of nutritious food -- and lots of it!
You may also be concerned that breastfeeding is stimulating uterine contractions. These pose no risk to the unborn baby and in most cases do not increase the risk of having a miscarriage, or of going into premature labor. This is because the amount of oxytocin normally released during breastfeeding (the hormone that also stimulates labor) is not usually enough to cause the cervix to open before it is ready to do so. (LLL)
“Virtually all mothers can breastfeed one or more infants, provided that they have correct information and the support of their family, the health care system, and society at large.”
- Bennington, Linda K. “Breastfeeding Multiples: It Can Be Done.” Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews 11.4 (2011): 194-197.
Please do not hesitate to ask for help when it comes to breastfeeding. There are many people rooting for you and are on your side. Don't fall for a Booby Trap. If you decide not to Breastfeed simply because you're choosing not to then that is okay, but don't ever be trapped into thinking you CAN'T for whatever reason. There are very few legitimate reasons that would physically make you unable to breastfeed. So if you are determined to breastfeed Please exhaust all your options before being Booby Trapped into quitting.
