HELPING WITH BREASTFEEDING

• Describe support during labor and birth • Analyze the importance of early contact for mother and baby

• Perform breast and nipple assessment

• Discuss baby’s positions for breastfeeding

Objectives

Support during Labor

• Encourage the mother to walk and move in labor• Offer light nourishment and fluids• Increase the mothers confidence• Suggest ways to keep pain and anxiety manageable• Provide massage, hand-holding and cool cloths• Use positive words

Skin to Skin Contact and Early Breastfeeding

Skin to Skin Contact• Calms the mother and baby• Helps to stabilize the baby’s heartbeat and breathing• Keeps baby warm with heat from the mother’s body• Assists with metabolic adaptation and blood glucose

stabilization in the baby• Reduces infant crying, thus reducing stress and energy

use• Allows the baby to find the breast and self-attach• Enables colonization of the baby’s gut with the mother’s

normal body bacteria

Encouraging Oxytocin Release• Sensory Stimulation• Relaxing and being

comfortable• Expressing a little milk

and stimulating the nipple• Contact with the baby• Upper back massage-

especially along the sides of the backbone

Rooming In

Breast Milk Production

Signs of HungerEarly Signs:

AlertIncreased eye movementSoft whimpering sounds

RootingSucks or chews on its

hands, fingers, blankets or anything that comes in contact with the mouth

Signs of Hunger:Late Signs:

Crying loudlyBack arching Difficulty latching

May need to be held and calmed before the baby is able to be fed.

Assessment of the Mother’s Breast and Nipples

• Antenatal nipple preparation is not helpful.• Observe during breastfeeding• To assess the breast:

-Ask for permission -Ensure privacy -Touch gently• Highlight the positive signs and reassure

Baby’s position

• In line – ear, shoulder, hip

• Close – baby brought in close to the mother

• Supported – at head and shoulders, or whole body if newborn

• Facing the breast - with nose to nipple

1. “Skin-to-Skin”2. “Tummy-to-Mummy”3. “Spine-in-Line”4. “Nipple-to-Nose”5. “Baby-to-Breast” not

“Breast-to-Baby”

Mother’s Position• Sitting on floor• Sitting in chair• Sitting in bed• Lying down• Standing• Walking

Mother’s PositionPrinciples:1. Comfortable

with back supported

2. Feet supported if sitting

3. Breast supported if needed

Baby’s Position• Cradle hold• Cross-cradle • Football• Side lying• Over the shoulder• Straddle

Breastfeeding Positions 7/1

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Cross Cradle

Cradle Hold

Football Hold

Side Lying

Straddle Hold

C Hold C Squeeze

U Hold U Squeeze

Getting the Good Latch

Good Latch - Bad Latch

How to Assess Breastfeeding• Explain you want to watch the baby feeding, not what the

mother is doing• If baby attached well and sucking effectively, do not

interfere• Unwrap the baby• Unwrap the mother!• Use Breastfeeding Observation Aid

Summary

• Skin to skin contact calms the mother and the baby and stimulates milk production

• Assess the mother’s breast and nipples• The mother should be in a comfortable position during

breastfeeding• Assess the mother and baby in breastfeeding

THANK YOU.