Wednesday, October 26, 2011

ABC's of Nursing

I will develop this further at a later date. I have been thinking of ways to streamline the teaching of breastfeeding into 3-7 major pieces. According to brain research in teaching and learning, the brain only can take in so many pieces of information at a time, 3-7 pieces for adolescents through adults. So, this is what I came up at first brush:

The A B Cs of Nursing:

  • A - Allow
    Allow baby to nurse when s/he is hungry. This is called Nursing on Demand. Research shows it is best to follow baby's cues and allow them to nurse when they are hungry, for as long or as short as they need. Let them detach from the breast on their own.
  • B - Breast
    Nurse baby at the breast when possible. There are a variety of reasons why sometimes it is necessary for a mother to pump milk and have it fed through a bottle or feeding tube. Latch issues, at first, are a common reason. Other reasons may include cleft palate or premature birth. However, a baby will be infinitely better at draining the breast and stimulating milk production than any pump will ever be. Some women do not let down easily for a pump. It takes longer to drain a breast from a pump, even when letdown is happening. On average, pumping needs to take place more often than a 'normal' nursing schedule to keep up with a baby's needs. For this reason, baby should be nursed at the breast whenever possible. If latch issues are occurring, they should be resolved quickly, as milk supply usually diminishes with prolonged use of a pump for exclusive draining of the breast.
  • C - Continue following Cues
    Follow baby's cues in continuing of nursing. Nursing patterns will change with the age and development of the baby. It is best to follow his/her hunger cues (rooting, smacking of lips, fussiness). According to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization, the 'ideal' length of the nursing relationship is as follows:
     - to exclusively breastfeed with no other supplements or other food sources for 6 months
     - after the 6 month mark, to supplement breastfeeding with the gradual introduction of solid foods
     - to continue to supplement the introduction of solid foods with breast milk for at least the 1st
          year of life
     - beyond the 1 year mark, breastfeeding continues to provide benefits for both mother and child
         it can and should continue for as long as mother and child are comfortable doing so.