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Breastfeeding and Colic
Colic can complicate breastfeeding. When babies cry, mothers instinctively feel they need to feed them. This might lead the mother to feed the baby too much, making the problem worse, or tempt her to switch to formula. Some conditions causing colic may also make it more difficult to breastfeed the baby. Moreover, breastfeeding opens up new opportunities to cause colic. All this may make mothers want to give up on breastfeeding entirely. However, breastmilk is by far the best option for your baby and most problems can be solved with a little effort. Breastmilk & Formula The superiority of breastmilk over formula cannot be disputed. Formula makers are continually trying to make their products closer to breastmilk, but they will never be able to reproduce it exactly. Because of this, formula is not as easy as breastmilk to digest and is more likely to cause infant allergies or acid reflux in babies. These problems are much more complicated to fix than those caused by breastfeeding difficulties. On the other hand, breastfeeding problems can more easily be resolved and infant allergies and acid reflux are more likely to be mild and short-lived in breastfeeding babies. |
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Breastfeeding Reclining or Back Lying This little-known breastfeeding method can help solve many breastfeeding problems. Breastfeeding when lying on the back or reclining triggers more instincts in both the mother and the baby and breastfeeding becomes more natural. In fact, most babies will crawl to the breast and latch on naturally if laid stomach down on their mothers’ chests immediately after birth. This is because, besides all those instincts being triggered, mothers’ areolas smell like the amniotic fluid the baby was just swimming in. This method of breastfeeding is particularly helpful for mothers dealing with overactive letdown because it allows gravity to slow the flow of the milk naturally. When trying this method, a mother should lie down or recline and let her baby root around on her chest. The baby may find the nipple herself and latch on. If she doesn’t, the mother can help by placing the baby’s mouth near the nipple. If the baby has been allowed to root around for a while before latching, the baby will often latch on by herself in a perfect, comfortable latch. |
Additional Information
Nutrition & Colic: How nutrition affects colic. Improper Latch: How improper latch causes colic and what to do about it. Oversupply: What to do when you’ve got too much. Can Breastfed Babies be Overfed?: The debate rages on, but the answer is quite simple and can help your colicky baby. |