There are many questions that every new mother needs to know and wants to know about breastfeeding. One of the most common questions that every new mother has in mind is regarding the duration for which she should be breastfeeding her child. It is usually claimed that time for which mother should continue breastfeeding is totally a personal decision however there are health organizations that have better answers. World Health Organization suggests that exclusive breastfeeding, that is, feeding without inclusion of any other fluids or solids, strictly should be for six months without any compromise. After six months, continued breastfeeding can be combined with the solid foods for around 2 years or as long as the mother as well as the baby desire. Irrespective of time you breast feed your baby, you must remember that each and every drop of mother’s milk does miracle to the baby.
Exclusive breastfeeding for six months
It is important to maintain the skin contact with the new born baby for at least one to two hours or most particularly till the baby has breastfed. Tongue darting, hand sucking and rooting are some of the indicators that the baby wants food so you should breastfeed the baby as soon as the baby shows these hunger cues. It is your duty to encourage active sucking pattern, that is, six to eight sucks in a row followed by a pause and then repetition. Ensure that you keep looking for these feeding cues every now and then. In case you feel that your nipples are cracked or bleeding as well as painful to breastfeed then be cautious. Do not take these things as normal. You need help and you should consult your doctor immediately before it gets worse. Only in case of medical emergency should you feed the baby with anything other than the breast milk.
Continued breastfeeding for around two years
It is vital that you get to sense when your baby is not taking the breastfeed sufficiently. It can either be a problem with the baby’s eating pattern or with the supply of milk in your breast. In any case you are unable to breastfeed your baby directly, you must ensure stimulating your breasts with a high quality double electric breast pump. While doing so, it is vital that you set your vacuum on comfortable setting because it should not be at all hurtful. You must remember that more suction in no case means more milk but just more pain. At times, pumping and not directly breastfeeding can be highly exhausting and discouraging but if the time demands then you need to motivate yourself by telling that your child needs feed on time and that is the only thing that matters the most.
Irrespective of what people have to suggest, you should go strictly by the advice that your doctor has to offer you. Breastfeeding the baby plays a very crucial role in the overall growth of the baby and this is one thing that you should keep in mind.