Michelle Tant

 (November 2016c) As a breastfeeding counsellor I am frequently asked about antenatal hand expressing from a gestation of 37 weeks, regarding both the rationale and technique. Colostrum is the first milk produced and is present during pregnancy and until the mature milk comes through at around 2-3 days. Colostrum is particularly important in the protection of the newborn as it transitions from being inside the uterus in a sterile environment to being on the outside, exposed to the bacteria present in our environment. Colostrum is high in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, bacteria- fighting leukocytes as well as a high concentration of the secretory immunoglobulin A (IGA) which acts as a sort of 100% organic vaccine, protecting the vulnerable membranes in the lungs and gastrointestinal system. Furthermore colostrum acts as an antibacterial paint, sealing off the naturally permeable newborn gut. Speaking of the gastrointestinal system, colostrum acts as a laxative...

When I started as a Breastfeeding Counsellor, I used to cram as many things as I could into my antenatal classes. A year later and some more direct experience supporting brand new mothers in their early breastfeeding experience and I find my classes to be a bit different. I used to go to great pains to tell parents how they could do it properly, not quite step by step, but almost. I'd justify this approach by thinking about how I would have appreciated the information before I breastfed my first child. It took being on a postnatal ward with a brand new mother with an hours old newborn to remind me in exquisite shock just what it is like to be a new mother. It took me right back and I started to think long and hard about just how I felt in those first 24 hours. Morphine induced haze aside, when the mist started to clear, I was overwhelmed with the enormity of the task ahead and the minute and beautiful creature in my arms. The realisation that all the information I'd bee...

Mothers milk is the gold standard in infant nutrition. It provides absolutely everything a child needs in order to survive and thrive. It is food and drink. It continually adapts in order to pass on mothers antibodies and immunities. We know that it literally saves lives, reduces chances of illnesses such as gastroenteritis, ear infections and more. There is evidence to suggest that colostrum actually lines and seals the babies immature gut to help prevent infections. We know that it also reduces the incidence of obesity. We know that in mothers that it reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancer, diabetes and helps you to lose weight as an added bonus. These things are just the tip of the iceberg. We know that artificial milk, or breastmilk substitute does not even come close. Try as they might, the manufacturers cannot perfectly imitate mothers milk. It is unable to support the babies immature immune system in the same way that mothers milk can. However we (breastfeeding ...

While I'm thinking about it (and I often am) I wanted to jot a few things down about the latch.   So many things come back to it, so its well worth revisiting. A significant proportion of breastfeeding problems come back to an incorrect, or inefficient latch.   Sore nipples - almost always a poor latch Other things to cause soreness - tongue tie, Raynauds   Poor milk supply - an inefficient latch - baby not feeding very efficiently, so not draining the breast effectively and stimulating further breastmilk production Other things to cause poor supply - baby not feeding very often, extreme malnutrition in the mother   Mastitis - Infected blocked ducts are often caused by poor drainage of the breast. Engorgement may then result in mastitis. If the latch isnt right, then particularly in the early days, engorgement may result.   My Tips for a Great Latch   * A baby can breastfeed from many 'directions' hence the various 'holds' like cradle and rugby ho...

This year has felt like one attack after another on breastfeeding. There's been the ongoing Facebook debacle; photos of breastfeeding being removed while Playboys pages are continued to be allowed to flaunt more flesh than a whole convention of breastfeeding mothers. Then there was the ridiculous opinion piece in the British Medical Journal which many newspapers, including The Daily Fail regurgitated as fact, further undermining the benefits of breastfeeding. Just this week I saw a short piece in Practical Parenting magazine about the Chinese developing GM cows to produce human milk! One sentence says the milk will have more nutritional content in it, though its unclear whether it means than breastmilk or than formula milk. And now this. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/campaigners-livid-as-whitehall-axes-breastfeeding-week-2287445.html Our beloved government in its wisdom has cut national support for National Breastfeeding ...