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these will keep a baby happily occupied for ages. You can also pass spoons of mashed potato, rice, sauces from your plate. A baby sitting and chewing may choke, so you need to be ready to tip them up over the sink if necessary, and they should always be attended. Stopping nursing is a different matter from introducing other foods. This can cause heated debate, and is one topic I suggest you discuss with your partner, before you begin if possible. Any breastmilk is better than none, so do begin, whatever your later plans. The colostrum, first milk, is highly protective and lines the baby’s gut ready to receive mature milk. You need to nurse for a minimum of seventeen weeks if you wish to protect your baby from the more damaging effects of respiratory disease and gastroenteritis. However I would guess that if you get that far you are unlikely to want to change as you have got through the tricky bit and onto the enjoyable part. It is after all a wonderful experience to nurse your baby and not just a matter of the best feeding method. Many people assume that breastfeeding will be halted by a mother’s return to work. This is not the case. Do plan to breastfeed, even if you feel you later will be returning to work. Mothers who go out to work often continue to breastfeed and really value the relationship they have through continued nursing. You can continue to nurse morning and evening for many months, and this has a protective function as well as an emotional bond. (see Work: returning to work and breastfeeding p.51, and the book “Working and Breastfeeding”, bibliography.) The ideal is to let the child choose how long to nurse, if that is what you would like to do. Most will choose to stop when over one year old. In many countries, and in some religions, there are stipulations as to the least time you should nurse. There are also indications to stop so that the mother can conceive again. | ||
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CATHERINE HOLLAND Tel: 0701 7415310 Email: catherine@catherineholland.co.uk | |
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