Your baby has arrived and you're keen to start breastfeeding. However breastfeeding doesn't always come easy. Plenty of mums have to practice before getting it right. Breast milk and breastfeeding have many advantages over formula milk and bottle-feeding for both the mother and the baby.

How often do you need to feed your baby? What is the best diet plan for a healthy breastfeeding mum? How to cut down nighttime feeds? When to wean? And more...

Dr Yong Tze Tein, Senior Consultant from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Singapore General Hospital, gives detailed answers to your questions.

Question by wida

Hi, I am currently on full breast feeding. Is it safe to use contraceptive? Tq

Answered by Dr Yong Tze Tein Senior consultant Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Singapore General Hospital President of the Association for Breastfeeding Advocacy (Singapore)

Full breastfeeding (ie no other food or drinks other than breastmilk given to baby) is in itself a contraceptive BUT not 100% reliable.

It is safe to use contraceptive like condom,Implanon,intrauterine contraceptive device and Mirena IUS and continue breastfeeding.

Question by eeksprout

I currently give my baby expressed breastmilk during the night. The milk is kept in bottles in the fridge, so I usually put a bottle into the milk warmer (at 45 deg c) and it's nice and warm when baby wakes for a feed. However, I noticed that my baby's beginning to sleep through the night, so the milk is kept in the warmer for 6 hours or more at 45 deg c! Is it still safe for baby to consume? Will the nutrients be lost? Is 45 deg c alright as a temperature for expressed breastmilk?

Answered by Dr Yong Tze Tein Senior consultant Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Singapore General Hospital President of the Association for Breastfeeding Advocacy (Singapore)

Count yourself lucky that your baby is sleeping through the night.

No, the milk is not safe for consumption. Putting the milk for too long in the milk warmer is not advised because the heat will encourage the growth of bacteria in the milk. The longer it is there the more bacteria will grow. This may increase the risk of infection in your baby. So warm the milk only when you want to feed. If not, discard it.

Question by oositioo

1. is it true that our milk supply can be affected by our diet.
2. there are lot of tea which they claimed can help to increase milk supply.. does it really works?

Answered by Dr Yong Tze Tein Senior consultant Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Singapore General Hospital President of the Association for Breastfeeding Advocacy (Singapore)

1. Yes.You need to eat enough as you need the calories to make the milk.
2. I am not aware of what teas work but fenugreek is supposed to help.

Question by marchar

Hi Dr Yong:

• What is the best diet plan for breastfeeding mummy? What about cold drinks, cow's milk, soft drinks?
• How much milk should a baby take? Any way of calculating? Based on baby's age or baby's weight?
• When is a good time to stop breastfeeding and start solid foods?
• Is it okay when 3 weeks old baby sleeps through the night without taking milk? For example from 12am - 7am without milk? Last feed at 12am, 70ml breastmilk.

Thank you!! =)

Answered by Dr Yong Tze Tein Senior consultant Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Singapore General Hospital President of the Association for Breastfeeding Advocacy (Singapore)

1. The best diet is a balanced diet with carbohydrate, protein vegetables and fruits and small amount of fat. Milk is a good source of calcium that you will need. Cold or hot does not matter. Soft drinks are not encouraged but an occasional drink is fine. That is because soft drinks have little nutritional value but lots of calories and prevent you from eating what you and our baby need. Do not eat like you are not eating for two; follow your own hunger cues.
2. The lovely thing about breastfeeding is that you can do away with all this measuring. Every baby is different and even each baby is different at different times. Feed by demand. Occasionally there are growth spurts when your baby will suckle more. As a rough guide a baby needs 150ml X weight in kg per day. If you feed 8 times a day, divide this total by 8 to get the amount per feed.
3. Fully breastfeed till 6 month. Start solids at 6 months but that does not mean that you must stop breastfeeding altogether. Breast milk is still a source of nutrition. WHO and HPB recommend that you breastfeed for one year and beyond. After that it’s a decision that you and your baby will make. Night feeding is can be continued longer because it allow you to bond with your baby even after you go back to work. For some mothers, it makes them feel less guilty about leaving their babies at home.
4. Usually in the early days, we suggest that you wake baby up at least 3 hourly to feed as breast milk is digested easily. However if your baby is content, active and well and is passing urine wetting 6 diapers a day and passing motion regularly, it means your baby is getting enough, then you have no cause for concern.

Question by marchar

Hi Dr Yong

• Can you advise if babies can drink water when they are drinking breast milk exclusively?
• How can I train my baby so that she wakes up lesser during night time for milk?

Thank you!

Answered by Dr Yong Tze Tein Senior consultant Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Singapore General Hospital President of the Association for Breastfeeding Advocacy (Singapore)

Can you advise if babies can drink water when they are drinking breast milk exclusively?

There is no necessity to drink water as there is adequate water in breastmilk to quench your baby’s thirst

How can I train my baby so that she wakes up lesser during night time for milk?

The baby will wake up less often once her brain is a bit more mature. She will wake when she is hungry. So, you can’t really train her as such. She will do this automatically as she gets older. You just have to be patient. What you can do is not to encourage her to wake up so often. Stick to same night time routines. Darkened room and quiet helps signal it is sleep time. When she wakes up for feed, feed her and then get her to go back to sleep. Do not play with her. Why most mothers ask this question is the lack of sleep that comes from waking up to feed the baby. One of the tricks you can try is breastfeed in bed if you are comfortable. Then you can breastfeed without getting up.

Ref: V10