Bottle Babies - A New Zealand guide to guilt-free bottle feeding, by Adelia Fergusson
What to expect when you're breast-feeding...and what if you can't?, by Clare Byam-Cook
Naked Motherhood, Preventing the Pain, Healing the Wounds, by Dr Wendy LeBlanc
The Natural Way to Better Breastfeeding, by Francesca Naish and Janette Roberts.
Oh Baby...birth, babies and motherhood uncensored, by Kathy Fray
How to recognise thrush
Thrush in the mouth is shown by cottage cheese-like white lumps on the insides of the cheeks and is not easily scraped away. It should not be confused with simple white "stains" on the tongue from feeding which is normal. Further signs on the breast are red dots around the nipples, which will spread depending on the severity. To get rid of it completely both the mouth and the nipples must be treated with drops and cream accordingly, otherwise it will keep passing back and forth from mum to baby.
Thrush in the mouth is not painful for the baby just a bit of an irritation, so the baby may try to use breastfeeding as a means of scratching the itchy bits!
Tips from Ryan's story
Breastfeeding should not be painful
Your nipple should be the same shape as it was before breastfeeding, my nipples used to come out like paddles – flattened from being crushed against the roof of his mouth.
When you breastfeed you nipple is actually right down the back of your baby's mouth. If you run your tongue back along the hard palette of the roof of your mouth, where it becomes softer, this is where your nipple should sit.
Watch the breastfeeding DVDs and wait for a big wide mouth, hold your breast correctly and roll/fold your nipple into the mouth, so it falls to the back of the baby's mouth. This takes a lot of practice, but it does become second nature after a while.
Get help early on from a lactation consultant, the sooner you get help the better and it may only take 1 or 2 visits to get your technique right.
Commonsense advice to support breastfeeding
Avoid alcohol. If you must have a wine, have it after the last evening feed (if there is a ‘last’ feed!). Avoid caffeine, smoking, recreational drugs, and medications – unless these have been prescribed by a health practitioner who is aware that you are breastfeeding. Take any medications immediately after a feed so as to minimise the amount of drug going through to the baby in your breast milk. Not all drugs pass into breast milk, but many do.
Splash out on some good quality supportive maternity bras and have them fitted by an expert. A good bra makes a big difference to comfort, and to preventing breast problems such as mastitis, and blocked milk ducts.
Looking after your own nutrition is important – eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and drink plenty. Aim to have a glass of water after each feed. Take a pregnancy multi-vitamin. Take note of foods that you eat that seem to unsettle the baby (eg onion, cabbage, chocolate) and avoid or reduce these.
Get as much rest as you can manage. If you have more than one child at home this can be a challenge! Manage your stress levels with exercise, relaxation exercises, or whatever you find helpful as stress inhibits prolactin levels which then decreases your milk supply. Try some Chamomile tea, one cup three times a day. This has a gentle relaxing action on your nervous system, and the small amount that goes through to the baby in your breast milk will help baby to relax as well.
Out and about with formula
Here's a tip from Annaliese
Don't worry about keeping made up formula cold etc. I carry 150ml of water in the bottle, a thermos of boiling (but most great parent's rooms have boiling water available now) and enough formula powder for a 200ml bottle. Add 50ml of boiling and powder, voila, bottle made and - most importantly - correct temp. If the water comes straight from the fridge use 130ml of cold. This way I can take 2 or so bottles to town without a worry. It may take a bit to set up but I have never had to worry regarding temperature of bottle or trying to heat it up!
