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Your body is designed to make milk. Work with nature by avoiding things that get in the way, such as formula, bottles, nipples, and pacifiers. If your doctor thinks baby needs a little extra, use your own milk when you can and feed it to baby in a dropper or spoon.
There’s no greater pride as a mom than seeing your baby grow healthy and strong because of you! Mother Nature gives you all you need to feed, comfort, and protect your baby without using formula, so you and your little miracle can enjoy being happy and close.
Here’s how to make plenty of milk and keep your baby calm without using formula.
FOR THE BABY
FOR THE CHAMPIONYour support will help mom breastfeed without using formula.
It’s great to know you can feed and comfort your baby with your milk. When you avoid formula, you are able to protect breastfeeding with the best start possible.
Many babies “cluster feed” or eat several meals back-to-back. This is normal! Your new baby’s tummy is very tiny, and the milk goes through her system quickly. Just follow your baby’s cues and hold her skin-to-skin. Your baby will take the lead and show you when she needs to eat.
Your family and friends mean well, but may offer advice that does not help you meet your feeding goals. Explain to them that you want to breastfeed. Tell them that giving formula will make it much harder.
Your milk is all your baby needs for the first six months. If you decide to use formula, too, it’s best to delay it until your baby is around 3 to 4 weeks old. This gives your body time to get your milk flowing well. It also gives your baby time to learn how to breastfeed well.
Moms in all kinds of jobs keep giving their milk after they return to work. Today, laws require your employer to give you a private space to express milk at work. Talk with your nurse or your local WIC office to find out how to get a breast pump.
Baby gets enough if he eats at least 8 to 12 times every 24 hours. Let your baby nurse as long as he wants until he drops off on his own. You can also watch for soiled diapers. Baby should have at least one poop on the first day, two on the second day, and three on the third day, and beyond. By the fifth day, the color will change from black to greenish brown or yellow, and stools will be looser.
Your baby has a very tiny tummy in the first few days. He can only hold around 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk at a time. That’s just how much your body makes for him! You may not feel like you have any milk, but you have what he needs. This small amount of milk passes through your baby’s tummy quickly. Follow your baby’s lead and nurse when he shows signs he wants to eat.
Many babies become very fussy on the second day or night. This is because they start to wake up more on the second day. The people and noise in the hospital begin to bother babies and they become annoyed. If your baby is extra fussy on the second day or night, just give your baby what she wants most – to be held and comforted in your arms skin-to-skin.
Studies show this is not the case. Formula is harder to digest so babies might eat slightly less often. But drinking formula does not make them sleep. Formula also has many risks. For instance, babies who get formula are at higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Breastfeeding helps lower the risk of SIDS. Babies need to eat very often, even at night, to grow and gain weight. As they get older, they will sleep for longer stretches at night.
You will be able to fully breastfeed in most cases. If a medical situation occurs, the doctor or nurse might suggest that your baby get some extra calories. Ask about using your milk when possible. If formula is needed, you can often go back to full breastfeeding again after the medical issue is resolved.
The best milk to feed your baby is mom’s own milk. You can pump or hand express your milk to feed to your baby. Once your milk volume grows, you can try using a breast pump to remove milk. If you are not able to get extra milk, ask if your hospital uses donor milk provided by an approved milk bank. Formula is the last choice to consider.
In the early days, breastfed babies should get extra milk in another way besides a bottle. Try a spoon, dropper, cup, or tube. The easiest way is to express milk directly onto a spoon and place it near the baby’s lips. The baby will lap it up with his tongue. Your nurse or lactation consultant will help you find the best way of giving extra milk for your baby’s situation.
Your baby only needs a few things after birth – safety, warmth, comfort, and food. You don’t need formula. You only need your arms and your love.
Your body gives your baby all he wants – comfort, warmth, and food. When you avoid pacifiers and bottle nipples your body can do just what it’s designed to do. You’ll love knowing you are your baby’s whole world!
It’s simple. Just tell your nurse that you do not want your baby to have a pacifier or bottle nipples that can get in the way of learning to breastfeed.
FOR THE BABY
FOR THE CHAMPIONBreastfeeding goes better when mom’s champion is there to support her.
When you avoid other nipples in the early weeks, you will be better able to meet your breastfeeding goals.
New babies fuss and cry for many reasons. At your breast baby feels safe. Offer the breast if your baby shows signs he is hungry or just wants to suck. If baby is still fussy after eating, try changing his diaper or holding him skin-to-skin for a while.
Many people do not know that other nipples make it harder for baby to breastfeed. If they suggest you use other nipples, tell them why it’s best to avoid them.
Sometimes a baby needs extra milk for a medical reason. There are other ways babies can get the milk without using a bottle nipple. Your doctor or nurse will show you how to feed your baby with a spoon, dropper, cup, or other method.
Lots of new moms go back to work and want to be sure the baby will take a bottle. You have some time to teach baby how to do that! Right at first, it’s best to just breastfeed the first month so that baby knows how to feed well and your body makes plenty of milk. You can start expressing milk when baby is around a month old and giving baby small amounts of your milk from a bottle.
Sucking is a good thing for your baby! This is how she grows and learns about her world. Spending time at your breast helps your baby get plenty of milk so she can gain weight. As your baby gets older, she will not need to suck as often.
When babies suck they feel less pain. They also feel less pain when they are held skin-to-skin and nurse! During some procedures you might be able to nurse your baby skin-to-skin to help with pain relief. If you have a baby boy who will be circumcised, he might be given a sugar solution and offered a gloved finger or pacifier to suck on. The pacifier should be thrown away afterwards. Your baby will be returned to you so you can hold and nurse him.
Some babies are able to take a pacifier and still nurse often and well enough to gain weight. Other babies do not. To be sure, it’s best to just avoid pacifiers in the first month or so. It’s much easier to work on get things off to a good start than to have to fix things that aren’t working.
You may, but not until your baby is at least 3 to 4 weeks old. There are many things you can do to lower the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). One of them is to breastfeed! Focus on getting nursing going well in the first few weeks. Then, when your baby is around 3 to 4 weeks old, you can offer a pacifier. Offer it only when baby is going to sleep at naptime and bedtime. It should not be used while the baby is awake.
If your baby is born early, your doctor might want your baby to have a pacifier. The hormones that flow when baby sucks can help a preterm baby’s belly to develop. As your tiny baby grows, a pacifier may not be needed.
You CAN breastfeed without using pacifiers and bottle nipples. Your amazing body can do it all.
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