A nurse is teaching a new parent about breastfeeding her 2-week-old infant. Which of the following statements by the parent indicates an understanding of the teaching?
Explanation & Rationale
A. Manually expressing my milk will decrease my milk supply: Manually expressing milk actually helps stimulate milk production by encouraging milk flow and preventing engorgement, especially if the baby is not feeding well. B. My baby should always start on the same breast when feeding: It is recommended to alternate the starting breast with each feeding to ensure both breasts are stimulated evenly and to prevent issues like engorgement or blocked ducts. C. The more my baby is at the breast sucking, the more milk I will produce: Frequent and effective suckling stimulates the release of prolactin and oxytocin, hormones essential for milk production and ejection, increasing milk supply over time. D. After 5 to 10 minutes when the breast is emptied, my baby should be removed from the breast: Babies should be allowed to feed as long as they want on one breast before switching, as feeding duration varies and the baby controls milk intake to meet nutritional needs.