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Lactation period – what is it?
Lactation is a natural physiological process of producing a specific nutrient – mother’s (breast) milk. The lactation period lasts from the end of childbirth and the first attachment of the baby to the breast until the milk flow stops. According to research data and the recommendations of obstetrician-gynecologists, the baby should be applied to the breast immediately after childbirth.
Despite this, the mammary gland does not immediately begin to secrete milk immediately after childbirth. However, the mother’s body synthesizes colostrum, useful for the child’s body, which plays a huge role in the development of children’s immunity.
Lactation, as a physiological process, begins approximately 2-3 days after the end of childbirth. At this time, a woman may begin to experience uncomfortable, and even painful sensations: pressure in the chest, enlargement of the mammary glands, slight pulling pains. This is a physiological norm.
From the moment breast milk appears, the baby should be breastfed as often as possible. Only in this way can lactation become sufficiently stable. Neither pumping nor other methods will help establish stable lactation. Otherwise, there is a risk that the milk will be wasted.
After 14 – 21 days after birth, the next phase of the lactation period begins, the so-called “mature lactation”. In some cases, it may come later – after 1-1,5 months.
In this phase, it is no longer necessary to feed the baby as often as possible. Lactation is stable, which means that the baby can be applied to the breast on demand. The intervals between each subsequent feeding should be about 2 hours (at least). In the future, as lactation comes to an end, breaks should be increased to 4 hours.
Only in this single case, the entire period of breastfeeding will be as comfortable and beneficial as possible, both for the child and for the mother herself.
A little about lactation as a physiological process
As mentioned, lactation is a natural process during which the synthesis, accumulation and further release of a specific nutrient – mother’s milk. Lactation is an extremely complex process. It is caused by the production of a number of hormones. The main active substance that affects milk production is the pituitary hormone prolactin.
It directly affects the mammary glands, giving them a “command” to produce milk. The intensity of production directly depends on the concentration of the hormone in the blood. Milk accumulates in the glands themselves and in the so-called milk ducts, through which the milk comes out.
Another hormone important for lactation is oxytocin.. This active substance is intensively produced in the process of sucking by the baby of the mother’s breast. With muscle contraction, milk leaves the body faster. The hormone does not directly affect the intensity of milk production, but it helps it to evacuate faster, which means it prevents milk stagnation and the development of such formidable complications as lactostasis and mastitis. In addition, oxytocin helps to contract the muscles of the uterus, and hence the rapid stop of postpartum hemorrhage.
The first two or three days after birth, mothers still do not produce milk, but colostrum is released. In some cases, colostrum begins to be synthesized even during gestation.
It is important to keep in mind that during breast stimulation, the hormone oxytocin is released, so women who have colostrum at the end of pregnancy should not express it. Oxytocin promotes contraction of the uterus and the onset of preterm labor.
Colostrum is replaced by mother’s milk approximately 3-5 days after the baby is born.
10 mistakes breastfeeding moms make
Many women, out of inexperience or ignorance, make quite serious mistakes:
In no case should you set a schedule (mode) for feeding the baby immediately after childbirth. The child himself knows how much and when to eat. It is advisable to establish a feeding schedule only when the period of so-called mature lactation begins (after about 14-21 days) and closer to its completion (intervals of 2-4 hours). Starting in this way the feeding of the child, the mother runs the risk of losing milk very quickly, since lactation at the initial stage is extremely unstable.
It is not recommended to supplement the baby with artificial mixtures. This is probably one of the most serious mistakes mothers make. For one reason or another, a woman decides that the baby does not have enough milk, and buys an artificial mixture. Such a diet can lead to a number of adverse effects. Firstly, sucking from a nipple is much easier than applying to the breast, and secondly, the mixture has better taste properties, which means that there is a high risk that the baby will completely refuse mother’s milk. Despite all the positive properties of artificial mixtures (proximity in composition to mother’s milk), they are unable to completely replace breast milk. In addition, mixtures provoke a lot of side effects. The child may begin colic, problems with digestion and immunity, allergic reactions.
Do not give your child water. Contrary to popular belief, milk is not only food. Almost 90% of it consists of water, which means that this is quite enough for the child. If the mother suspects that the child is thirsty, the best solution would be to stimulate lactation and “unscheduled” next feeding. If the baby consumes water in addition to milk, this can lead to refusing to eat. The fact is that as the stomach fills, the brain receives a signal about this, and a feeling of artificial saturation sets in. It is possible to give water to an infant only in two cases: if the time has come for the introduction of complementary foods (not earlier than from 6 months), or if the child is initially bottle-fed. Otherwise, problems with the kidneys may begin, and the development of edema is not far off.
Crying is not always caused by hunger. The child is designed in such a way that crying is the only way to get attention. But there can be a lot of reasons for crying: the child may have colic, abdominal pain, he may have a headache, the baby may simply be bored, he may want to be picked up, teeth may be cut, the baby could be scared, the time has come change a diaper, etc.
For some reason, many mothers are sure that a dense and firm breast is an indicator of a large amount of milk. This is a huge misconception. If seals are felt in the chest, this does not indicate an excess of milk, but the beginning of lactostasis. The chest, on the contrary, not only can, but should be soft. Moreover, a woman with the normal development of lactation should not experience a lot of discomfort. Therefore, dense breasts are not a reason to avoid feeding in order to reduce lactation, but a signal that the glands need to be drained.
Without sufficient reasons, you should not express breast milk. When expressing milk, a woman loses the most useful part of it, the so-called “hind” milk. Instead of expressing, it is better to once again offer the baby a breast. Pumping is advisable only if there is lactostasis.
Do not use outdated data on weight gain in babies. Many pediatricians use old schemes and tables of weight growth ratios, etc. These data were relevant 10-20 years ago, and the materials were compiled for artificially fed children.
If possible, do not give the baby a pacifier. The sucking reflex of the child is satisfied by the mother’s breast. If the baby is crying, you need to find and eliminate the cause of irritation, and not plug the baby’s mouth with a dummy.
Control weighing the baby is useless. Mothers often weigh their babies before and after feedings to see how much they have eaten. But the fact is that, firstly, the baby consumes a negligible amount of milk. To reflect such a small result, very sensitive scales are needed, which cost quite a lot of money. Ordinary household scales will not tell the truth. Secondly, each time the baby consumes a different amount of milk. It is not advisable to use this method of control. Weigh your baby once a week, that’s enough.
Don’t introduce complementary foods too early. Complementary foods should be introduced no earlier and no later than 6 months. If you enter it earlier, there is a risk of allergic reactions and the development of problems with the gastrointestinal tract, if later, mental and physical development disorders are possible. (How to introduce complementary foods to a child – a table of complementary foods for children up to a year by months)
[Video] Dr. Berg – Top 7 Benefits of Breastfeeding: