MM Breastfeeding


Did you know that any amount of breast milk has a positive effect? That’s why mixed or combination feeding is becoming increasingly popular for many of today’s mums


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Combination feeding Did you know that any amount of breast milk has a positive effect? That’s why mixed or combination feeding is becoming increasingly popular for many of today’s mums. This type of feeding may be attractive


to you, for example, if you want to breastfeed for some of your baby’s feeds, but give infant formula for some of the other feeds. Alternatively, you may be bottle feeding and want to start – or resume – breastfeeding. Even if you’re not exclusively


breastfeeding, your baby will still enjoy the benefits of breast milk and will still gain some of the antibodies that will protect them against infection. If you have any queries about combination feeding, just speak to your midwife or health visitor, who will be able to advise you.


Tandem nursing Tandem nursing is the name given to breastfeeding a toddler and newborn baby at the same time, or to breastfeeding twins. If you do happen to fall pregnant while breastfeeding, you don’t need to wean your child. You can simply tandem feed and wait for your toddler to wean himself/herself naturally. Some toddlers, who may have already


been weaned, may resume breastfeeding after the birth of a new baby. Since your


16 Modernmum


body will already be producing colostrum for your newborn baby, you should be able to produce enough milk for your older child as well. That’s because the more milk that’s removed from your breasts, the more milk you’ll produce. Tandem feeding will help to reduce the


potential for sibling jealousy and will also increase bonding between a toddler and newborn. When a new baby arrives, your toddler might feel a little left out, especially if he or she is told that they can’t breastfeed anymore! Your older child will continue to benefit from breast milk for as long as he or she breastfeeds. Tandem feeding also provides a way for


you to bond with both of your children at the same time, and can help to relieve breast engorgement.


Equipment Breastfeeding your baby the ‘natural’ way does, however, require some nursing ‘aids’: • a good nursing bra, which will allow you to feed in public comfortably and discreetly


• a good nipple cream, which will help to soothe any soreness that may arise


• if you opt to combine breastfeeding and bottle feeding, you’ll need a bottle design that makes switching between teat and nipple easier


• a good breast pump for expressing. If you only need to do this occasionally,


you can opt for a manual version but, if you’re planning on doing it more regularly, an electric pump is the one for you!


• a good quality breastfeeding pillow. When you’re looking for a pillow, look for one that’s flexible enough to use in a variety of positions and that can stretch to fit a variety of waists and nursing needs.


New tongue-tie clinic to meet demand


The increase in breastfeeding rates has led to more cases of tongue-tie being detected. Tongue-tie occurs when a frenulum, which is a string-like membrane that attaches the tongue to the base of the mouth, is too short, tight or thick. Research has shown that up to ten per cent of babies have a tongue frenulum, but less than half of these babies have some difficulty with feeding. This can impact on the function of the tongue. In breastfeeding, this can lead to baby having difficulty in latching on to the breast and/or maintaining latch, poor weight gain and significant dribbling during feeds. Now, a new clinic has opened at Beacon Hospital, which is offering lactation support. beaconhospital.ie/tongue-tie-clinic


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