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Subject:
From:
Joy Anderson <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 3 Nov 1996 22:22:08 +0800
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>I've taken to talking about the 2nd breast as dessert when I teach at
>our Birth Center.  Ideally the baby will take both breasts but the more
>important thing is to finish the meal, and dessert is fine after that.
>We talk about the meal as at least 10-15 minutes at the breast after the
>first couple of days, and letting the baby determine the need for the
>2nd breast.  This gives moms flexibility to watch the baby and go with
>the flow.

This is interesting - the different ways we use to try to put breastfeeding
into everyday terms for mothers. I usually tell mothers that *each* breast
is a meal - starting with soup (foremilk), main course (after let-down) and
finishing with a creamy dessert (hindmilk and comfort-sucking stage). I
find this is a good description for mothers with oversupply (of which there
are heaps round here!). Often they are better off using the same breast
twice or more in a row, and I say that each time the baby goes back to the
same recently-used breast, he gets a low-volume, high fat feed which slows
down his overworked little system. This is better than him going straight
to the other side for another large serving of 'soup' and 'main course'.
Usually what's happening is that he is getting too much, too quickly -
literally in one end and out the other!
On the other hand, if the supply is lower, then baby may need two smaller
meals from the two breasts.

Joy Anderson IBCLC, NMAA Breastfeeding Counsellor,
Perth, Western Australia
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