Breast milk ,the Liquid Gold!

Breast milk and Breast feeding the two most toughest things a new mom has to deal with. Guess what, it wasn’t called liquid gold just like that.

As a new mom I had my challenges too, but then slowly you learn things, it’s tough but then not an impossible task.

Just like all the new would be mom’s I was all prepared, I had read the books, I had everything planned in my head.

Bummer, Our munchkin had problems latching on the first day. So I expressed the first milk i.e. Colosstrum and fed our baby. All good but then he didn’t latch the first day so lactation specialist suggested to use a breast pump. This was to establish the milk supply.  A breast pump mimics the baby’s latch there by making mommy’s mammary glands to secrete milk. 

Thus, the first day rolled and we fed our baby with a filler on first day and on the second day we tried again and baby latched and since then has been ebf(exclusively breast fed)🙂

Breast milk is the only food for the baby for first six months of his/her life. But then there are a lot of things that help in production and in increasing and maintaining our breast milk. So in this post have put in a few things with my experience which will help new moms 😊

1. Collustrum, the first milk is called liquid gold, cause it’s kinda light yellow in colour because of increased white blood cells or leucocytes which help in destroying bacteria and viruses.So always feed your baby collustrum, mom’s first milk.

2. Drink lots of water and fluids.Keep yourself hydrated, cause most of milk is water.

3. Breast milk production works on the concept of supply and demand. It is secreted only on demand. So balancing this is very important. If baby latches, less worries,  baby itself will manage the supply and demand, based on it’s need. If it doesn’t, then a breast pump will have to do it.

4. Yes Breast pumps exist and they are helpful. There has been so much of pre conceived notions from people with absolutely no knowledge about breast pumps. Ideally as suggested by doctors babies are not given cow’s milk till they are a year old. So it never hurts to stash some for later times if you are working.

5. Breast pumps help alot of working mother’s. Mothers can pump milk and make sure baby gets mother’s milk even when they are working. 

6. Breast pump helps in maintaining milk supply. However Sterlization is a very important step with breast pumps. Using sterlized, washed and cleaned pump parts is very important.

7. Breast feeding is tiring and Stressfull after a child birth, you feel you are wanted all the time, and that might exhaust you. Ask for help. Trust me you can’t do everything. Giving birth, takes alot from your body so take rest and replenish.

8. Try hard, don’t give up. In certain cases when there are flat nipples, babies tend to not drink from that side of the breast , that’s when nipple shields play a major role.Use them.

9. ‎Work with a lactation consultant, if you face problems with lactation and breastfeeding.But don’t give up without trying.

10. ‎Yes, Breast milk is good for the baby but then if there is no breast milk for some reason, then momma’s don’t judge or curse yourself. There is still formula milk. It provides the nutrition your baby needs for growth and development. 

Our ultimate goal is to provide the best for their growth and development. I will be doing a series of posts on breast milk in the coming weeks, Happy Reading:)