By: Ruth Abi, B. Pharm. Freelance Health Writer. Medically reviewed by the DLHA Team.
An African mom breastfeeding her baby. Credit: WHO
Congratulations! You just became a new mom! – A very common refrain in the labour ward.
From childhood, most African girls hide to wear their mom’s bra and play mom roles in neighbourhood dramas. Without a doubt, the journey to motherhood is one every girl excitedly looks forward to. Becoming a mom comes with several requirements, one of which is breastfeeding.
In this article, we will explore six valuable tips to enhance effective breastfeeding.
It is common to think that breastfeeding benefits only the baby, but this is not true. Breastfeeding is beneficial to the baby, as well as the mother.
To the baby, breastfeeding has the following benefits [1]:
For the mother, breastfeeding has the following benefits [1, 2]:
6 Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms
Being aware of the positive impact of breastfeeding is not enough. It is also important to know how to breastfeed effectively, and other tricks to get you started.
In the first few days after childbirth, your breasts produce a thick yellow substance called colostrum. It is high in nutrients and beneficial to your baby. It is recommended to breastfeed within the first hours after childbirth.
Here are six tips to make your breastfeeding journey relatively smooth.
Sample nursing bra
To ensure comfort and easy access for breastfeeding, nursing bras were designed with mothers in mind. Unlike normal bras, nursing bras come with an easy to open front side and saves you the stress of undressing more than is necessary. Nursing bras are definitely a must have in your ‘new mom’ era if culturally and socially in tune with your lifestyle and affordable.
Figure 1: Breastfeeding baby positions. Click on image to enlarge.
This refers to the baby’s posture in relation to the mother. Positioning is important as it determines whether or not the baby gets to be fed. There are different ways that a baby can be positioned for breastfeeding. These include (see figure 1):
The position that works best for you and your baby will depend on trial and error and your experience.
However, good positioning can be achieved when the following are done [3]:
a. The baby’s body and head are kept straight.
b. The baby’s nose is opposite the nipple.
c. The baby’s body is close to that of the mother.
d. The baby’s body is supported by the mother.
Figure 2: Illustration of baby attachments during breastfeeding. Click on image to enlarge.
A simple word that can be used in place of latching is attachment. That is, the baby’s attachment to the mother’s breast. Good latching can be achieved when the following are done:
a. The baby’s chin is touching the breast.
b. The baby’s mouth is opened wide.
c. The baby’s lower lip is turned outward.
d. More areola (the round dark skin around the breast) is visible above than below the baby’s mouth.
Proof that the baby has latched properly and is effectively sucking is slow deep sucks with pauses in between. Rapid sucks that are shallow shows ineffective sucking. [3]
Sample nursing pads
Whoever came up with the idea of nursing pads must be a genius. Breastfeeding moms usually experience milk leaks, especially when the baby has not sucked for a while. To prevent the embarrassment that comes from getting soaked, nursing pads are placed within bras to absorb the milk and keep you dry. Nursing pads come in various forms; while some are disposable, others are reusable. [4]
Types of breast pumps. Credit
A breast pump is a device (either manual, battery powered or electrical) that aids nursing mothers in collecting breast milk. If you need to step out without your baby, a breast pump helps you extract milk so your baby gets to feed in your absence. All breast pumps are made of three main parts:
To use a manual breast pump, all you need to do is to place the breast shield over your areola and keep pressing the handle. For a battery powered or electric breast pump, there's a need for batteries or a power source respectively. Remember to wash your hands and sterilize the breast pump before each use. [5]
Hand washing is an important piece of breastfeeding hygiene
Breastfeeding is the best possible example of mother and child skin-to-skin contact. Breastfeeding with a dirty breast exposes your baby to various diseases and infections. Poor hygiene during breastfeeding is more dangerous than not breastfeeding at all. So, it’s vital that you take proper hygienic care of your body and most importantly, your breasts. These will ensure the health of your baby.
Here are some tips to maintain proper breast hygiene [6]:
As a breastfeeding and lactating mother, it is important that your hand washing should be consistent. Wash your hands:
A nipple is regarded as inverted if instead of pointing outwards like it normally should, it points inwards. Mothers who have inverted nipples due to whatsoever reason face challenges breastfeeding their newborns. To handle this, the following can be done:
Milk production after childbirth is a positive feedback mechanism. The more your baby sucks, the more your breasts produce milk. Supply may be poor at the start, but it is bound to increase if your baby keeps sucking. To stimulate milk production, ensure to stay hydrated and gently massage your breasts before and during breastfeeding.
Engorgement occurs when the breasts becomes extremely filled with milk causing them to be hard and painful. It is logical to think that extracting a significant amount of the milk would make you feel better, but this isn’t the case. The more milk is extracted, the more milk your body produces. To ease the swelling, you could apply ice packs to your breasts.
If your nipple feels sore after breastfeeding, it is usually because the baby is not well positioned or attached to your breast. To prevent this, proper positioning and latching technique as discussed above is encouraged. You can also make use of ice packs to soothe the pain.
Although Africans encourage breastfeeding, they still have their reservations. This is because breastfeeding involves exposing a sensitive part of your body. To beat this cultural barrier and ensure your comfort, the use of nursing scarves are recommended, especially when you have to breastfeed in public places.
Q: What is the best position for breastfeeding?
A: There is no best position for breastfeeding. Together, you and your baby will figure out what works.
Q: Should I stop breastfeeding if I have fever, cold, and cough?
A: No. A fever, cold or cough shouldn’t stop you from breastfeeding.
Q: How can I ensure continued breastfeeding after my maternity leave when I rejoin work?
A: You can make use of breast pumps to extract milk and reserve for your baby.
Q: I am taking medicine for cancer. Can I breastfeed?
A: No. Breastfeeding isn’t recommended if you are taking anticancer medications.
Q: I am a vegetarian. Would my breast milk contain sufficient nutrients for my baby?
A: For most nutrients, a vegetarian diet should suffice. But, supplement is needed for vitamin B12 since vegetarians have relatively low levels.
Q: My baby seems to be constantly hungry and crying. What should I do?
A: If your baby seems to be constantly hungry and crying, you may want to check the baby’s position and attachment to your breast during feeding.
Like any other situation, the art of breastfeeding can be learnt. If you are a first time mom, learning as much as you can about the breastfeeding process before and during pregnancy, will make you more confident when your baby arrives.
10 Common Myths and Misinformation about Breastfeeding in Africa
1. Modak A, Ronghe V, Gomase KP. The Psychological Benefits of Breastfeeding: Fostering Maternal Well-Being and Child Development. Cureus, 2023. 15(10), e46730. Doi: 10.7759/cureus.46730. Available from here.
2. Bartels RL, DiTomasso D, Macht GA. A mother-centered evaluation of breast pumps. Applied Ergonomics (2020) Volume 88, 103123, doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2020.103123. Available from here.
3. Kajal D, Paragkumar C, Chandresh P, Divya D, Kedar M. Breastfeeding position and attachment practices among lactating mothers: An urban community-based cross-sectional study from Vadodara city in Western India. Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health, 2022.(15), 101009. Doi: 10.1016/j.cegh.2022.101009. Available from here.
4. Zhang L, Xiang C. Enhancing Comfort and Absorbency: A Comparative Analysis of Commercial Nursing Pads and Proposal for the Integration of Nanofiber Technology. International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings (2024) 80(1). doi: 10.31274/itaa.17181. Available from here.
5. U.S Food and Drug Administration. Types of Breast Pumps. [Internet]. 2018 Feb 4. [Accessed: 2 November 2024]. Available from here.
6. Alabi A. Breast hygiene and care during breastfeeding: A guide for African women [Internet]. 2024 April 29. Accessed 2024 Nov. 15. Available form here.
Published: November 28, 2024
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