I have visited many moms who think they want to breastfeed their baby. We spend a whole consultation ensuring that the positioning and attachment is correct that there is no pain…then just before I leave, the client says that she actually really doesn’t want to breastfeed and can she just pump instead? Of course she can!
Look, breastfeeding is not for everyone, I get it, so how can you ensure that your baby is still benefiting from breast milk? You express and offer it to baby in a bottle.
The nice thing about breastfeeding is that new moms feel like the baby is their’s because he or she, is solely reliant on them for food. Often, bottle feeding moms feel that they lose that sense, because anyone can feed their baby.
So if you are thinking about going down this route, be sure to:
do lots of skin to skin time with your baby (mom and dad)
keep feeding intimate (mom and dad – not the whole family)
try bathing with baby (mom and dad)
do baby massage after baths (babies need contact with other humans)
You see, breastfeeding is not only a source of food which is why so many people will say that expressing and bottle feeding doesn’t meet the needs of a new born. But there are ways of making up for it and ensuring that your baby still gets mother’s milk, rather than formula!
So whatever your reasons for expressing and bottle feeding, be sure to take time to sit and enjoy your baby.
Thought. As we get older, the years seem to fly by. When you think back to your school years – they just seemed to drag on forever! (in SA we don’t have as many holidays as the UK kiddies)
Anyway, at 33 a year is a very small part of my life, where as when I was ten – a year was a tenth of my life – which is why it seemed longer.
Just think how enjoyable 30 minutes snuggled with you will be for your newborn! It is so important and such a huge percentage of their life.
Careful that you don’t lose it regardless of whether you are breast or bottle feeding.
Much love as always,
Geraldine
