Did you know? 46

A newborn’s survival instincts kick into action just minutes after birth. If he or she is gently placed skin-to skin with the mother facing the breast, he or she will automatically turn his face towards the breast and make sucking motions with the mouth, an action commonly known as ‘rooting reflex’.  At this point, he or she also engages all his or her senses to locate the nipple.

A baby will feed from the first breast until relaxed and sleepy, and then continues nurturing until slipping off. Afterwards, the baby rests and digests, lying stretched out, slightly inclined, in order to help with self-burping and the transfer of pre-digested milk into the intestine. When the baby is ready for the second breast, he or she communicates with his or her arms and legs, and rooting begins again until the baby increasingly vocalises. The feed continues from the second breast until the baby is relaxed and comes off again.

It is wise to hold the baby upright for a while until the stomach has time to settle. This allows pre-digested milk from the first breast to transfer to the intestine and let milk from the second breast to refill the stomach. Time and patience minimise gastro-intestinal problems like reflux and colic, which encourages relaxed and healthy sleeping.

Healthy mothers and infants should be able to breastfeed in an essentially painless, low-fuss way and with minimal nipple damage.

When a mother is focused on her baby, the “love” hormones present just after birth are primed, and without interruption, the mother gently guides her baby so that the nose, cheeks and chin touch her breast symmetrically.

That there are over 18 types of smiles used in different social situations. You can use a particular smile to say hello, use a different type of smile to show you understand a particular situation, among other smiles.

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