There is no freedom of choice for humans,
if it has been taken away from them at the beginning.
Breast-feeding is not a choice,
but an obligation to the choice.
Give your child the freedom of choice

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Friday, March 23, 2007

Tips memberi ubat

Anak saya amat benci akan ubat! Kalau diberi ubat pasti dia akan muntahkan. Jadi dari sini datanglah idea bagaimana hendak menangani bayi muntahkan ubat.

1. Walaupun ditulis 'after food' saya bagi 'before food' Caranya, masukkan ubat ke dalam mulutnya dan berikan dia susu.Dia memang tidak akan menolak susu. Maka dia akan menelan kesemuanya.

Kalau diberi 'after food' dia memang akan muntahkan semua isi perutnya.

Bolehkah beri ubat after food?

Tiada pilihan lain. Saya ada bertanya kepada doctor tentang hal ini.Doctor kata tiada masalah kerana kita akan susukan selepas itu.

2. Jika terdapat banyak jenis ubat untuk diberikan mulakan dengan memberi ubat yang tidak sedap terlebih dahulu.

Mereka akan muntahkan ubat yang tidak sedap, jadi bagi mengelakkan ubat yang tidak sedap dimuntahkan..selepas beri ubat yang tidak sedap itu berilah ubat yang lebih sedap. Oleh kerana dia sukakan ubat yang sedap secara tidak sengaja ubat yang tidak sedap tadi turut ditelan.

Bagaimana hendak tahu ubat itu sedap atau tidak.

Si ibu atau bapa hendaklah merasanya.

Sengkuang Cina-Water Chestnut

Sengkuang Cina ataupun water chestnut

Sengkuang cina juga dikatakan salah satu makanan yang boleh membantu meningkatkan penghasilan susu badan.

Rasanya: Mengikut lidah saya, rasanya seakan-akan tebu tapi tidaklah semanis tebu.Sedap!

Setakat ini saya temuinya di Giant hypermarket.Di bawah adalah gambar sengkuang cina.

sengkuang cina
The water chestnut, also called the Chinese water chestnut or the water caltrop, is a tuber vegetable that resembles a chestnut in color and shape. Although it is most commonly associated with Chinese cooking, it is now gaining in popularity as a cooking ingredient in many different ethnic meals. Originating in Southeast Asia, water chestnuts are the roots of an aquatic plant that grows in freshwater ponds, marshes and lakes, and in slow-moving rivers and streams. Currently, water chestnuts are grown in Japan, Taiwan, China and Thailand as well as in Australia. When harvesting water chestnuts, much labor is involved. Because of this, water chestnuts are fairly expensive to purchase, especially in a processed or canned form. However, processed and canned water chestnuts are the most common form used for producing and mass-marketing water chestnuts to consumers. You can easily purchase these products in most supermarkets and grocery stores. You can also purchase fresh water chestnuts, which are more difficult to find, at some specialty vegetable stores and ethnic markets. When purchasing fresh water chestnuts, however, know who your supplier is first to ensure that the tubers, which you are buying, are fresh.

Once you have purchased your water chestnuts, if canned, you can store them unopened in your home pantry. If a can has been opened or if you have purchased fresh water chestnuts, you can store them for up to one week in your refrigerator. However, you must keep the water chestnuts in a bowl of water. The water must also be changed every day in order for them to remain fresh while they are being stored.

Water chestnuts can be used in a variety of recipes because they have a starchy taste that is fairly neutral. Some people claim that their flavor is similar to a bland nut. Water chestnuts also have a firm and crispy texture, which adds to their appeal as an ingredient in stir-fries, salads, or any meals where the vegetables to be used must have a crunchy consistency. Some common uses for the water chestnut include the following:

* combining them with vegetables, such as bamboo shoots and snow peas, then adding soy sauce and other seasoning to make a stir fry

* adding them chopped to soups, salads, rice, and stuffing

* wrapping them whole with bacon then baking the pieces to serve as an appetizer or as a side dish.

Water chestnuts can also be used as a healthy and nutritious snack. For a quick treat, open a can of water chestnuts and rinse the water chestnuts thoroughly under cold water. Dry any remaining water off of the water chestnuts then eat them raw. Water chestnuts are also great for those who are looking for health-conscious vegetable alternatives because they contain little fat as well as provide a good source of fiber and of vitamin B. Additionally, water chestnuts contain a fair amount of the following minerals: calcium, iron, potassium, and zinc. They also offer a flavorful alternative to dieters who are looking to liven-up their meals by using unique and low-fat vegetables and foods. One cup of water chestnuts contains approximately 135 calories.

Water chestnuts will continue to be used as a cooking stable among Asian and international households because of their cooking diversity and because of their unique texture and interesting taste.

Back to normal.Alhamdulillah

Hari ini Jumaat 23 March 2007. Alhamdulillah.Minggu ini mampu juga saya 'hasil'kan susu buat Akif. Stok di dalam freezer hanya ada 6 botol. Tetapi tidak mengapa.Jika hari ini saya dapat 4-5 botol, esok 4 botol..Insya Allah semuanya akan kembali seperti sedia kala.

Pesanan saya:Kepada ibu-ibu yang menghadapi masalah milk supply, jangan cepat berputus asa. Teruskan usaha.Pasti berjaya.Banyakkan minta pertolonganNYA.

Memang ini bukan kali pertama, namun inilah kali pertama saya hadapi masalah sekronik ini. Bila dikenang kembali, banyak sungguh dugaannya.

Pernah:

  • Buang berpuluh-puluh botol EBM kerana keputusan bekalan electric
  • Milk supply merudum sampai sehari dapat sebotol sahaja.
  • Milk supply merudum stok pula tak ada..Dan banyak lagi.Jika dikenang akan jadi tidak percaya...

Alhamdulillah....Rezeki dariNYA masih ada untuk kami.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Warming Breast Milk

Microwaving breastmilk, or heating it on the stove, can cause a loss of Vitamin C content, along with loss of some of the milk's special anti-infective properties. The higher the temperature, the more pronounced the effect. (Quan R, Yang C, Rubenstein S, et al: Effects of microwave radiation on anti-infective factors in human milk,Pediatrics 89:667, 1992; Sigman M, et al: Effects of microwaving human milk: changes in IgA content and bacterial count, J Am Diet Assoc 89:690-92,1989)

It's important to remember that uneven heat distribution, from microwave warming, resulting in "hot spots" can be hazardous. The center of the fluid may be much hotter and the milk may scald your or your baby.

You do bring up an interesting point. Though parents are told not to microwave breastmilk for several reasons, we often forget to mention that heating milk on the stove can also be problematic.

My Scary Experience

Di sini saya ingin berkongsi sedikit pengalaman yang amat menakutkan saya.

My milk supply tiba-tiba 'drop', manakala my son tiba-tiba minum susu dengan banyaknya (susu=ebm), Kalau 'direct feeding' Alhamdulillah masih mencukupi.

Pada hari Jumaat lepas (16 March 2007) pukul 6:55am, saya masukkan 6 botol EBM ke dalam 'cooler bag' akif untuk dibawa ke Taskanya. Ketika itu baki EBM hanya ada 2 botol di dalam freezer.

Hati makin gundah gulana, namun saya yakinkan diri, saya ada 3 hari untuk terus mengepam.

16 March 2007 pukul 7:30pm, saya masukkan 3 botol EBM ke dalam freezer menjadikan jumlah keseluruhan 5 botol EBM. Hanya cukup untuk sehari, Untuk ke kedudukan 'selamat' , saya perlukan sekurang-kurangnya 15 botol EBM. Sempatkah?

17 March 2007, saya dapat 3 botol EBM..Menjadikan jumlah keseluruhan 8 botol EBM.Aduh....

18 March 2007, Saya hanya mampu dapat 2 botol EBM. Walaupun saya kerap mengepam, hasilnya tetap sama. Saya tetap teruskan usaha. Segala makanan yang dikatakan menambahkan penghasilan susu saya ambil. Rasa macam 'tong drum' plak.

19 March 2007, saya dapat lagi sebotol EBM di subuh hening Alhamdulillah. Menjadikan stok EBM keseluruhan 11 botol.

Saya ambil 5 botol dan bawa ke Taska Akif....Baki di dalam freezer hanya ada 6 botol EBM.

Saya cuba elakkan diri dari memikirkan tentang EBM.

Saya pesan kepada Akif, jika susu tak cukup, akif jangan menangis, tunggu mummy balik dan akif berdoalah agar segala kerja mummy di office berjalan lancar Insya Allah mummy balik awal.

Akif seperti biasa..Akan menganguk-angguk dan senyum, salam dan lambai...

Di pejabat saya tingkatkan sesi mengepam, dari normal 2X ke 3X....

Alhamdulilah saya dapat kumpulkan 5 botol EBM, cukup untuk penggunaan sehari.

Ketika mengambil Akif di Taska, pengasuhnya memberitahu ada sebotol lagi EBM yang belum digunakan. Maknanya Akif hanya minum 4 botol EBM.Mmmm...

Setelah mengambil Akif, seperti biasa dia akan minum susu di dalam perjalanan ke rumah.

Malamnya saya cuba meluangkan masa untuk mengepam, Akif seolah-olah tidak bersetuju, jadi saya batalkan plan saya itu. Saya berikan dia peluang direct feeding sepuasnya. Dan hasilnya pagi tadi, saya dapat mengepam keluar 2 botol EBM.

Pagi tadi saya bekalkan 6 botol EBM ke Taska menjadikan jumlah EBM di taska 7 botol dan EBM di rumah 7 botol. Insya Allah.......

Moral

Jika anda tiba-tiba mengalami masalah milk supply, jangan berputus asa. Jangan terlalu memikirkannya.Kerapkan sesi mengepam dan direct feeding.

Ini bukanlah kali pertama kali saya alami masalah ini, sudah kerap kali.Setiap kali masalah ini bakal menjelma saya sebenarnya sudah dapat menghidu akan kedatangannya. Memerhatikan stok EBM di dalam freezer yang makin susut, memikirkan expressed milk kuantiti yang makin berkurangan.

Namun ini bukan penghalang dan ini bukan melemahkan, semua ini makin menyemarakkan semangat untuk terus komited dalam dunia penyusuan susu ibu ini.

  1. kerapkan mengepam
  2. fikirkan yang positif sahaja
  3. tidak memikirkan sangat tentang masalah ini.
  4. yakin dengan kemampuan diri
  5. sokongan padu dari suami

5 faktor di atas merupakan antara elemen penting bagi menghadapi saat-saat genting kekurangan susu mendadak.

Insya Allah kita sama-sama berusaha dan teruskan perkara murni ini.

note: Sepanjang 3-4 hari ni saya ambil

  • lobak putih
  • kobis
  • halba
  • teh pegaga
  • oat

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Gambar Pam &Amp; etc

Untuk melihat gambar, sila lawati my fotopages,

under entry

alkisah peralatan mengepam, date 11 March 2007.

Thanks.

Friday, March 9, 2007

Balance Diet

A balanced diet must contain carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, mineral salts and fibre. It must contain these things in the correct proportions.

1.Carbohydrates: these provide a source of energy.
2.Proteins: these provide a source of materials for growth and repair.
3.Fats: these provide a source of energy and contain fat soluble vitamins.
4.Vitamins: these are required in very small quantities to keep you healthy.
5.Mineral Salts: these are required for healthy teeth, bones, muscles etc..
6.Fibre: this is required to help your intestines function correctly; it is not digested.
7.Balanced Diets: we must have the above items in the correct proportions.


Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy. They contain the elements Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen. The first part of the name "carbo-" means that they contain Carbon. The second part of the name "-hydr-" means that they contain Hydrogen. The third part of the name "-ate-" means that they contain Oxygen. In all carbohydrates the ratio of Hydrogen atoms to Oxygen atoms is 2:1 just like water.

We obtain most of our carbohydrate in the form of starch. This is found in potato, rice, spaghetti, yams, bread and cereals. Our digestive system turns all this starch into another carbohydrate called glucose. Glucose is carried around the body in the blood and is used by our tissues as a source of energy. (See my pages on respiration and balanced chemical equations.) Any glucose in our food is absorbed without the need for digestion. We also get some of our carbohydrate in the form of sucrose; this is the sugar which we put in our tea and coffee (three heaped spoonfuls for me!). Both sucrose and glucose are sugars, but sucrose molecules are too big to get into the blood, so the digestive system turns it into glucose.

When we use glucose in tissue respiration we need Oxygen. This process produces Carbon Dioxide and water and releases energy for other processes.

Proteins

Proteins are required for growth and repair. Proteins contain Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen and sometimes Sulphur. Proteins are very large molecules, so they cannot get directly into our blood; they must be turned into amino-acids by the digestive system. There are over 20 different amino-acids. Our bodies can turn the amino-acids back into protein. When our cells do this they have to put the amino-acids together in the correct order. There are many millions of possible combinations or sequences of amino-acids; it is our DNA which contains the information about how to make proteins. Our cells get their amino-acids from the blood. Now try my Biuret test in the Virtual Laboratory

Proteins can also be used as a source of energy. When excess amino-acids are removed from the body the Nitrogen is excreted as a chemical called urea. The liver makes urea and the kidney puts the urea into our urine.

Fats

Like carbohydrates, fats contain the elements Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen. Fats are used as a source of energy: they are also stored beneath the skin helping to insulate us against the cold. Do not think that by avoiding fat in your diet you will stay thin and elegant! If you eat too much carbohydrate and protein, you will convert some of it into fat, so you will put on weight. You must balance the amount of energy containing foods with the amount of energy that you use when you take exercise.

You must have some fat in your diet because it contains fat soluble vitamins.

Vitamins

Vitamins are only required in very small quantities. There is no chemical similarity between these chemicals; the similarity between them is entirely biological.

Vitamin A: good for your eyes.
Vitamin B: about 12 different chemicals.
Vitamin C: needed for your body to repair itself.
Vitamin D: can be made in your skin, needed for absorption of Calcium.
Vitamin E: the nice one - reproduction?

Mineral Salts

These are also needed in small quantities, but we need more of these than we need of vitamins.
Iron: required to make haemoglobin.
Calcium: required for healthy teeth, bones and muscles.
Sodium: all cells need this, especially nerve cells.
Iodine: used to make a hormone called thyroxin.

Fibre

We do not/can not digest cellulose. This is a carbohydrate used by plants to make their cell walls. It is also called roughage. If you do not eat foods materials which contain fibre you might end up with problems of the colon and rectum. The muscles of you digestive system mix food with the digestive juices and push food along the intestines by peristalsis; if there is no fibre in your diet these movements cannot work properly.

A Balanced Diet

You must have carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals salts and fibre in the correct proportions. If there is not enough protein, you will not be able to grow properly and you will not be able to repair yourself i.e. wounds will not heal properly. If you do not have enough energy containing foods you will feel very tired, you will not have enough energy. If you have too much energy containing foods you will become overweight. If you think that you are overweight you might try taking more exercise to "burn off" some of the excess food which you ate at you last meal.

Saturday, March 3, 2007

garam dan bayi

1ST article

Can I put salt in my baby's food?

You should not add salt to your baby's food in the first year as this may damage her kidneys. In the first six months of life your baby needs less than 1g of salt per day, which she will usually obtain from breastmilk or formula milk. Between seven and 12 months this increases slightly to around 1g. Toddlers aged one to three years need less than 2g (this is the equivalent of 0.8g sodium per day).

To stay within these recommendations you should aim to:

. limit salty foods in your baby's diet

. don't add salt during cooking

. Limit processed foods, such as ready meals, pies, biscuits, crackers, soups, gravies, sauces, pizza, tinned vegetables, cheese, bacon and crisps, which are all very high in salt, and offer low-salt alternatives.

Foods made specifically for babies, such as jar foods and infant cereals, have a low salt content, as salt is not added during processing. These should not be confused with foods aimed at older children. These can be highly processed and have a high salt content and are therefore not suitable for your baby.

If you do choose to offer your baby or toddler high-salt foods, it is recommended that you only offer small amounts occasionally.

Salt is usually labelled as sodium on food labels: 1g of sodium is equivalent to 2.55g of salt. Read food labels carefully and aim to choose those foods with a sodium content of no more than 0.1g of sodium per 100g.

Suitable low-salt foods for your baby include fruit, vegetables and salad, plain meat, poultry and fish, eggs, pulses and milk. Whether they are fresh, tinned or frozen shouldn't make a difference as long as they have no added salt (tinned vegetables often have salt added so be especially careful to check these). Rice and dried pastas are also low in salt provided they have had no salt added during cooking. Make a habit of reading food labels, and you will soon get to know which are the most suitable foods to buy.

2ND article

Babies and children under 11 years old should have less salt than adults, because they are smaller.

How much salt should babies have?
Babies need only a very small amount of salt - less than 1g a day up to 12 months. Their kidneys can't cope with larger amounts of salt.

Babies who are breastfed will get the right amount of salt through breast milk. Infant formula contains a similar amount.

Remember not to add salt to food you give to your baby. And be careful not to give him/her processed foods that aren't made specifically for babies, such as breakfast cereals and pasta sauces, because these can be high in salt.

How much salt should children have?
The daily recommended maximum for children depends on their age:

* 1 to 3 years - 2 g salt a day (0.8g sodium)
* 4 to 6 years - 3g salt a day (1.2g sodium)
* 7 to 10 years - 5g salt a day (2g sodium)
* 11 and over - 6g salt a day (2.5g sodium)

These are the recommended maximums for children. It is better for them to have less.

If you're buying processed foods, even those aimed at children, remember to check the information given on the labels so you can choose those with less salt.

Remember there is no need to add salt to your child's food.

If children have too much salt, this could affect their health in the future. And it could also give them a taste for salty food, which means they're more likely to continue eating too much salt when they grow up.

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Bagaimana susu terhasil?

Hi,

Oleh kerana terdapat 'cakap-cakap' yang menyatakan susu adalah darah, maka saya telah mencari di ruangan internet ini info tentang penghasilan susu.

Selamat membaca.

The breast is a gland that consists primarily of connective and fatty tissues that support and protect the milk producing areas of the breast. The milk is produced in small clusters of cells, called alveoli and travels down milk ducts to the milk sinuses, which act as collecting reservoirs. These sinuses are located behind the areola, the pigmented area around your nipple.

Breastfeeding success has nothing to do with the size of your breasts or nipples, as breast size is an inherited trait and determined by the number of fat cells you have. The breasts will enlarge with pregnancy and lactation. Breastfeeding is a supply and demand process. Therefore, the more often you nurse, the more milk you produce!

Anatomy of the Female Breast

Each nipple has 15 to 20 openings for milk to flow. The nipple and areola (the pigmented area around the nipple) enlarge and darken during pregnancy. This may assist your baby in latching-on by providing a clear "target."

The small bumps on the areola are called Montgomery Glands. They produce a natural oil which cleans, lubricates, and protects the nipple during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This oil contains an enzyme that kills bacteria and makes breast creams unnecessary. Use only water to clean your breasts. Soaps, lotions, or alcohol might remove this protective oil.

When your baby nurses, the action of baby's jaws and tongue press down on the milk sinuses creating a suction that causes the milk to flow out of your breast and into the baby's mouth.


The Let-Down Reflex

Your Body's Response to the Baby's Suckling

Infant suckling stimulates the nerve endings in the nipple and areola, which signal the pituitary gland in the brain to release two hormones, prolactin and oxytocin.

* Prolactin causes your alveoli to take nutrients (proteins, sugars) from your blood supply and turn them into breast milk.
* Oxytocin causes the cells around the alveoli to contract and eject your milk down the milk ducts. This passing of the milk down the ducts is called the "let-down" (milk ejection) reflex.

Let-down is demonstrated in numerous ways including:

* Your infant begins to rapidly suck and swallow.
* Milk may drip from the opposite breast.
* The mother may feel a tingling or a full sensation (after the first week of nursing) in her breasts or uterine cramping.
* You may feel thirsty.

NOTE
There may be many let-downs during a feeding, of which you may or may not be aware. Because the brain plays such a large role in the release of hormones that cause the milk to eject, it is very normal for let-downs to occur in other situations as well. For instance, let-down may occur when you think about your baby, hear your or another baby cry, when it is your scheduled nursing time, when you are sexually stimulated, or during orgasm.

If the let-down occurs at an awkward time, cross your arms over your chest, or press the heel of your hand over the nipple area and apply pressure until the leaking stops. It may also help to wear cotton breast pads (without plastic liners) in your bra, especially in the first weeks, to protect your clothing. This type of response will usually diminish after the first few weeks of nursing.

Uterus Response Postpartum
Release of the hormone Oxytocin while breastfeeding will cause the uterus to contract and this may be more noticeable if you have previously had children. It is this mechanism that helps your uterus to return to its pre-pregnant size quickly.

Interference with Let-Down
A variety of factors may interfere with let-down:

* Emotions: embarrassment, anger, irritation, fear or resentment
* Fatigue
*
* Inadequate sucking (Improper positioning or insufficient amount of time baby is actively nursing. Stress
* Negative remarks from relatives or friends
* Fear of pain in your breasts or uterus (i.e., sore nipples or afterbirth pains)
* Breast engorgement in the first few days

Suggestions for Creating a Supportive Nursing Environment

* Find a peaceful atmosphere for nursing. Before beginning the feeding, unplug the phone, turn on relaxing music, and take four or five deep abdominal breaths.
* If breastfeeding in public inhibits you, insist on your privacy and/or drape a light cover over your baby and your shoulder to cover up.
* Interact with friends and breastfeeding professionals who are supportive of breastfeeding. Do not let well-meaning friends and relatives who have different attitudes discourage you. Restrict visitors until you are comfortable.
* Be around other nursing mothers. Attend a postpartum exercise class and/or postpartum support group.
* Be sure your baby is positioned properly and allow adequate suckling.

Your Milk

Colostrum
Colostrum is the early milk made by your breasts, and is usually present after the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy. Once the baby is born, it is present in small amounts for the first 3 days to match the small size of the baby's stomach. Most babies do not need additional nutrition during this time. Begin breastfeeding as soon as possible after giving birth and every 1 to 3 hours per 24 hours (8-12 times per 24 hours) to allow your baby to receive this valuable milk.

Colostrum is designed to meet the special needs of a newborn. Colostrum has a yellow color, is thick in consistency, is high in protein, and low in fat and sugar. The protein content is three times higher than mature milk because it is rich in the immunities being passed from the mother to protect the baby. It also acts as a natural laxative, helping the baby pass the first stools called meconium.

Mature Milk
Your milk will change and increase in quantity in approximately 48 to 72 hours. It may take longer depending on when breastfeeding was initiated and breastfeeding frequency. The change in milk occurs a little earlier if you have breastfed before.

* Foremilk:When breastfeeding is initiated, the first milk the baby receives is called foremilk, which appears thin and watery with a light blue tinge. Foremilk is composed largely of water and is necessary to satisfy your baby's thirst.
* Hind-milk:Hind-milk has the highest concentration of fat and is released after several minutes of nursing. It is similar in consistency to cream and will have a soporific (sleepy) effect on your baby. Hind-milk is important for your baby to feel satisfied and to gain adequate weight. Feed your baby until you see a sleepy, satisfied look on his/her face.

NOTE:
"Weak breast milk" does not exist. Your body will combine the exact ingredients necessary to meet your baby's requirements.

The Family's Role

Breastfeeding is usually thought to include only a mother and baby. However, the family also plays a major role in the breastfeeding relationship. One of the most precious gifts family members can give the mother is to take care of her and encourage and support a healthy breastfeeding relationship.

Try to delegate the many household tasks that take a mother's energy away from nursing her baby to another member of the family. Help her find and use the lactation resources in her community if she is having any problems breastfeeding.

There are many other satisfying ways for the family to participate in caring for the baby, besides feeding him/her. Activities such as burping, diapering, playing, giving the baby massages, comforting (holding and rocking, etc.) and taking the baby for a walk are wonderful ways to help, as well as get to know the baby. Bathing is a very special activity because bath time is a great opportunity for eye contact and play for the whole family.

Family Support and Encouragement
Having people help and encourage you are some of the most important things you will need to breastfeed successfully. The first few weeks of breastfeeding are critical for you and your baby to learn what works best for the two of you. This is also when your milk supply is being established. This time can be very frustrating as you have just gone through labor and delivery and you may be physically tired and emotionally drained. You and your baby may need to try several breastfeeding positions before you find the one(s) that work. With strong support from family, friends, health professionals and volunteer counselors, mothers who would otherwise have given up breastfeeding during the first weeks are able to succeed.

A Good Support Network
A good support network can assist in many ways. They can help get you complete, accurate information about breastfeeding and resolve any problem(s) quickly. By doing other "duties", your support network can allow you to put all your efforts into breastfeeding and getting to know your baby. Most importantly, they can help you feel confident in your ability to breastfeed your baby.

The most important support person for most new mothers is their husband or partner. Other support persons may include the new mother's mother, other immediate and extended family members, friends who have breastfed, health professionals such as the obstetrician, pediatrician, lactation consultant, and volunteer counselors such as those at Nursing Mothers Counsel, La Leche League, WIC or other local breastfeeding support groups in the community.

How can family and friends provide support?
The best thing they can do is to attend a breastfeeding class with you. In this class, they will learn about the benefits of breastfeeding, how to establish a good milk supply, and how to manage common breastfeeding problems. Your own mother may or may not have breastfed you, as many mothers in her generation did not. Either way, she can learn new things from a breastfeeding class, as there is a lot of new information on breastfeeding and its benefits. Sometimes even well intentioned family and friends can put your milk supply at risk by giving your baby bottles, pacifiers, advising you to limit nursing time or encouraging you to "get the baby on a schedule." The more your partner and family know about breastfeeding, the more they can help you.

It is also extremely important that your support people provide encouragement and emotional support during the first days when you and the baby are learning how to breastfeed. Many mothers decide to give up on breastfeeding during this period. Remember that it will take time for both you and your baby to get comfortable with breastfeeding. Even if you have breastfed before, each baby is different. You and your baby will learn what works best for the two of you during the first several days or weeks together.

Your support people can help you with other household tasks such as cleaning, laundry, shopping and meal preparation. Physical fatigue from trying to do too much can affect your milk supply. Nap when your baby sleeps to assist in your physical recovery. Exhaustion can make postpartum depression (some women feel "low" or "depressed" after delivery) worse. Let others do things for you. Only you can breastfeed your baby so you should put all of your efforts into recovering from your delivery, breastfeeding and getting to know your baby.

Resuming Intimacy
Finally, you and your partner should both be patient about resuming intimacy. You may temporarily lose interest in having sex after giving birth. This is common and can happen regardless of whether or not you are breastfeeding. You may have concerns and negative feelings about your body after pregnancy and delivery. Breastfeeding does not "ruin your breasts." Although you may experience breast changes after childbirth, these changes were caused by pregnancy, not by breastfeeding. Breastfeeding does not make you gain weight; in fact, along with proper diet and moderate exercise, it may help you lose your pregnancy weight more easily.

SUMBER