Jul 1, 20237 min read

The healthy advantages of Breastfeeding.

Updated: Dec 30, 2023

Breast milk is a living substance, just like blood.

HELLO QUEENS! Let's chat about breastfeeding for a minute. Get your tea ready!!!

Let me start by stating breastfeeding is one of the most beautiful moments I love to capture after skin-to-skin. Besides babies living/growing in us for almost a year. (happy face lol) It's SO much more than nourishment. You are literally providing your baby with comfort and a safe place.

Truly a blessing and beautiful thing to know you hold that power.

Within this blog I share moments I've had the great pleasure of capturing from many of my clients.

I hope you walk away knowing and understanding; one, there are many significant health outcomes for both mothers and babies and two, that you are not alone.

As a your *B.P. Doula (birth & postpartum) we tackle lactation throughout your pregnancy (third trimester) until after birth. Mainly while I am capturing your FIRST 48 session. Love what I do!

The milk our bodies produce and our kin thrive on is pure blissful magic.

Think, our milk nourishes their hungry bellies. It soothes real and imaginary hurts. We comfort, it's our bonding. Breast milk is more than food. It is love, liquefied.

I was one of those moms with breastfeeding struggles, and for me breastfeeding was one of the hardest things I have ever done. It became another chore, not a beautiful bonding moment. With that said, I gave up. I didn't want to, but I surly did. Highly regret it.

After becoming a B.P. Doula, told myself moving forward I would help and motivate my clients to create a wonderful breastfeeding relationship. To be able to preserve these memories, I'm not only capturing a special bond between a mama and her baby, I am helping mom celebrate her struggles, to celebrate her perseverance, to celebrate her love and dedication to her baby. I am giving something I never received.

Let's start with the facts:

Why breastfeed? There is plenty of formula, correct? Yes.

Breast milk is rich in good bacteria when it comes directly from the mother’s breast, even pumped milk is still greatly beneficial. The healthy bacteria will help set to build up babies growing immune system and metabolism. (That's what we want, right? RIGHT!)

Many studies about early brain development are pointing to better outcomes, pointing back to starting at breastfeeding.

So, however, you’re feeding your baby, that close contact and responsiveness are vital.

As your baby grows and changes, your breast milk composition also changes to meet babies needs at that particular time.

Even throughout a single day, the composition of your breast milk can change too, showing that it is a very adaptable substance. (the human body, I tell ya)

The Beauty of Bonding

This can take place as soon as you're both ready after birth.

The most wonderful advantages to breastfeeding is the time spent connecting with your baby. Keyword is Physical contact; it's extremely important to newborns. It helps them feel secure, warm, and comforted. (Like stated in the beginning)

Mothers also benefit from this bonding moment, as well. Breastfeeding requires a mother to take the TIME to be relaxed. My favorite is skin-to-skin contact; this can boost the mother’s oxytocin (OKS-ee-TOH-suhn) levels. Oxytocin is a "love hormone" (I like to call it) that helps milk flow and can calm the mother.

How do my breast produce Breast Milk?

Good question! It's how God designed the human body, let alone the FEMALE!

There are "Mammary glands" within your breasts that produce the breastmilk. Within each mammary gland, different parts play a role:

Alveoli: where breastmilk is produced. These clusters of small grape-like sacs are surrounded by tiny muscles that squeeze them to push milk through your breast to your baby. Alveoli develop during each pregnancy.
Ductules: small, branching canals that carry milk from the alveoli to the main milk ducts.
Milk ducts: these carry milk from the ductules straight to your baby via your nipple. More of these ducts grow during each pregnancy. The average is nine or so in each breast by the time you start breastfeeding.

Note: You may leak a few drops during pregnancy (which is completely normal)

That's your body preparing your breasts to make MILK especially during your second trimester. You'll be able to breastfeed your baby even if they arrive prematurely.

(My OB/GYN was asking/checking if I was leaking every visit during 2nd trimester) Once baby is born AND you have delivered the placenta, your levels of estrogen and progesterone start to drop...meaning this makes way for the hormone prolactin to be released from the pituitary gland in your brain. Prolactin is telling your body to make lots and lots and LOTS of milk to nourish (feed) your baby. (THAT'S WHAT WE WANT QUEENS)

All these elements work together to get breastfeeding off to a great start. The first milk you'll feed your baby is the famous liquid gold called colostrum; which is a golden color, concentrated, creamy-looking, high-protein, low-fat substance. This is exactly what your baby needs in their first moment of life. (VERY IMPORTANT) Colostrum is full of disease-fighting cells and proteins that strengthen your baby's immune system.

REMEMBER: Your breastmilk has all the germ-fighting and microbial ingredients that colostrum has. As well as these, it has different protein and fat levels that are perfectly tailored to help your baby grow at the healthiest rate. Your breastmilk is the only food and drink your baby needs for about the next six months, but your baby will benefit most if you can breastfeed them for the first few years. (EVERYONES CLOCK/TIMING IS DIFFERENT)

Do not feel alarmed when you start to feel contractions in your belly during the first few days of feeding. These after-pains may feel like mild labour contractions. It's oxytocin getting to work again, shrinking your womb back to its pre-pregnancy size.

If you need pain relief for afterpains, ibuprofen works better than paracetamol. Both are safe to take while you're breastfeeding.

How do my breasts know how much milk to make?

A very good popular question: While your baby is feeding that stimulates your brain to release more prolactin. Prolactin tells your breast to make more milk to replace the milk baby is enjoying. Your breasts then have a pre-order of milk ready for your baby's next feed.

In summary, SUPPLY AND DEMAND BABY!!!!!!!!! The more often your baby breastfeeds, the more the prolactin levels in your bloodstream are boosted to produce milk.

Again, watching God at work!

So what about health benefits for you as a breastfeeding mother?

Breastfeeding can significantly reduce your risk of breast cancer, even where there is a family history.

It can also reduce your risk of other cancers, too, like ovarian or womb cancer. It can reduce the risk of osteoporosis, which causes bone fractures as it seems breastfeeding causes your bone density to increase. Once you finish the period of lactation, the bone density appears to become stronger!

Ok, Nicole...How do I know I have a good latch?

I will start on a personal note: How difficult breastfeeding is for some of moms (myself included!) For some low supply issues, lip/tongue issues, inverted & sore nipples, etc. Or (my issue) how difficult it is to continue breastfeeding, especially the full time working mamas who have to fight for pumping breaks at work (take your bow mamas!). It truly is a labor of love to continue breastfeeding, and to work through all the struggles. Unfortunately, I dreaded breast feeding because I was stressed, never relaxed nor calm. When feeling this way, babies can sense that as well. Now we are no longer bonding or enjoying the moment. It's added to becoming another "chore".

*If 7 years ago you tell me I would be a doula creating "breastfeeding portraits" I would honestly laugh at you. It was like a PTSD moment for me. Now you'll catch me in tears just talking about it. That is how passionate I am about photographing breastfeeding sessions.

Knowing what I know now, a good latch is important for YOU and your baby during feeding. During the early days of breastfeeding, it can take time and patience for your baby to latch on well. But that is ok and normal, bonding time.

Things I've noticed:

The latch feels comfortable to you, without hurting or pinching. How it feels is more important than how it looks.
You will see little or no areola, (depending on the size) of your areola and the size of baby’s mouth. If areola is showing, you will see more above your baby’s lip and less below.
You'll hear (if *DEAF) then you'll notice (see/feel) your baby swallow. *Some babies swallow so quietly, a pause in their breathing may be the only sign of swallowing
Your baby’s lips turn out like fish lips, not in. You may not even be able to see the bottom lip. (my favorite)

Do dads have a say in this too?

Of course! Breastfeeding is more than a way to feed a baby – it becomes a lifestyle. And fathers/partners can be involved in the breastfeeding experience, too.

What I encourage father/partners to do:

Support the breastfeeding relationship by being kind and encouraging.
Be avid good listeners when mommy needs to talk through her breastfeeding concerns.
Make sure mommy has enough to drink, plenty of rest, help around the house, and take care of other children at home. (BIG ONE)
Dad, you can enjoy the beauty of breastfeeding by just sitting with mom and baby and sharing in the warm moment

If you are still reading; so many of my mama clients come to me when they realize their babies are weaning and this precious journey is coming to an end. It's a combination of celebrating their strength throughout their journey, but also acknowledging that this is it.

It's a happy time, an emotional time, and an important time to capture.

My point is to take breastfeeding portraits, moms. Celebrate this journey you have worked so hard for. Capture the beautiful moments that happen when you nurse your child. Celebrate how amazing YOU are for giving your child such a huge piece of yourself and giving such dedication.

Breastfeeding portraits celebrate YOURSELF, your strength, your persistence, your struggles, and your love for your babies.

Please, I am only a phone call away: 443.907.8005 Let's book your Motherhood Breastfeeding/First 48 Session.