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Breastfeeding

ID: ANH00034
MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Breastfeeding is a way to nourish your baby with breast milk from your own body. Breast milk is produced in mammary glands. From there it travels through milk ducts to openings in your nipples. When your baby suckles at your breast, your body releases the hormones prolactin and oxytocin. Prolactin controls milk production. And oxytocin controls the release or let-down of milk through milk ducts. Breastfeeding benefits your baby in many ways, such as providing the optimal balance of nutrients, providing antibodies to support your baby's immune system, reducing your baby's risk of asthma, allergies, colic, obesity, diarrhea, and certain ear and lung infections, providing nutrients that are easily digested, and reducing your baby's risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Breastfeeding also benefits you in many ways, such as giving you a convenient inexpensive way to nourish your baby, helping you lose excess body weight, helping your uterus contract after delivery, and increasing the bond between you and your baby, There are four basic breastfeeding positions, cradle hold position, side lying position, cross cradle hold, and football hold. Your baby is born with the instinct to turn to your nipple with an open mouth and suck. To trigger this instinct, lightly stroke your nipple downward from under the baby's nose to the lips. When your baby opens his or her mouth, position your nipple toward the roof of the mouth and pull him or her close to your breast. It may take some time for your baby to learn to get his or her mouth around the nipple or latch on. When properly latched, your baby's mouth will cover your nipple and most of your areola, the darkened area around your nipple, your baby's lips will curl out, and his or her nose will touch your breast. You should hear smooth, regular sucking sounds along with swallowing. Let your baby nurse as long as he or she wants. Many newborn babies nurse 8 to 12 times a day.

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