Breastfeeding

Question 1

Breastfeeding - general

Answer 1

1. Skin-to-skin contact ASAP

2. Demand feeding (less weight loss, less hyperbilirubinaemia) - usually 8/d (6 during day, 2 at night)

Question 2

Breastfeeding - benefits

Answer 2

Infants 
1. Improved bonding
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Less morbidity from:
2. GI infection
3. UTIs
4. Respiratory infection
5. Atopic illness

Mother
1. Helps in uterine involution -> decreased risk of PPH
2. Lactational amenorrhoea = contraception
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Protection against: 
3. Premenopausal breast cancer
4. Ovarian cancer
5. Osteoporosis

Question 3

Breastfeeding - potential problems

Answer 3

1. Inadequate milk supply (physiological)
2. Sore/cracked nipples (due to incorrect attachment of baby to breast)
3. Non-infective mastitis (obstruction of milk drainage due to restriction of feeding, badly positioned baby or small bra)
4. Infective mastitis (complication of inappropriately managed non-infective mastitis)
5. Breast abscess (complication of inappropriately managed infective mastitis)