After childbirth, a woman’s milk may appear on the 3rd day, for some on the 5-6th day. . Up to this point, the baby is fed colostrum. It is produced in the breast immediately after childbirth and is ideal for babies. The benefits of colostrum are enormous, only its composition can be absorbed and processed by the child’s gastrointestinal tract immediately after birth.
From colostrum, the child receives globular protein (immunoglobulins). They are secreted by the cells of the mother’s body and contribute to the formation of the immune system of the newborn. These components protect the baby in cases where pathogenic bacteria penetrate during childbirth. The bacterial flora should be normal, if the balance is disturbed, the bacteria actively spread, which leads to unpleasant consequences for the health of the baby. It is necessary to apply the baby to the breast in the first minutes after birth.
Doctors can prohibit breastfeeding, but there must be serious reasons for this: caesarean section with drug exposure, large blood loss during childbirth, the presence of HIV and other viral infections in a woman in labor. The ban can also apply in cases where the child has problems: asphyxia, birth injuries and a condition score below 7 points on the well-known Apgar scale.
Attaching a newborn to the breast stimulates the release of oxytocin. This hormone improves uterine contraction, the risk of postpartum hemorrhage is minimized. Early attachment to the breast normalizes the process of milk secretion and makes lactation more stable. Equally important is emotional contact, when psychological unity occurs, it will accompany the mother and baby for many years to come.
If you want to breastfeed your baby immediately after birth, but you are expecting a caesarean section, choose an epidural. General anesthesia is a risk of complications, several drugs are injected into the body at once. Epidural anesthesia uses only pain medication.
Doctors have the right to refuse to bring you a child for feeding only in cases where the condition of the child is assessed as serious. The health of the mother is also taken into account. Resuscitation and antibiotic treatment can be a reason for refusing to feed. For colds (bronchitis, runny nose, cough), it is enough to use a gauze bandage, no one has the right to refuse you to feed.
Breast size does not affect the lactation process. The mechanism of milk formation is in no way connected with the splendor of the bust, mother’s milk is excreted in sufficient quantities. Breastfeeding is important for successful breastfeeding.
If breastfeeding is not possible in the first days after childbirth, milk must be expressed. This is done manually or with a breast pump. In the early days it is very important to ensure a constant outflow of milk, it depends on how stable, full-fledged lactation will be in the future. Neglecting to express milk provokes the accumulation of fluid in the chest, which can cause lactostasis and mastitis.
In the first 6 weeks after birth, be attentive to the needs of the baby. Adapting a child is a complex process. Do not limit him in feeding, follow schedules and set modes. It will be later, in the first weeks surround the baby with care and attention.
In the first 3 months of lactation, lactation crises are possible. This is typical for the period of 7-8 months. It may seem to a woman that there is not enough milk, and the child is malnourished. Many turn to mixtures, begin to supplement. This is a mistake, lactation is restored after 3-4 days, sometimes after a week. Milk crises just need to wait out, and in order for the baby to eat up, breastfeed him more often than expected.
The lighter the baby was born, the more often he will demand a breast. His exactingness is understandable, for one feeding such a baby sucks milk less than it should. As soon as the weight returns to normal, and the child gets stronger, the need for frequent feeding will disappear.
You should not give the child a breast at the first capricious call. If only he calmed down and shut up – this is not an option, it is better to understand the causes of anxiety. It can be anything: heat, cold, health problems, or just a way to attract attention.
From the 3-4th day after birth, the baby requires a breast on average 12-30 times per day. The normal mode is usually established by 2 months, the regularity is appropriate when the child’s body is already adapted.
Try to choose a comfortable position for feeding. Any inconvenience can cause negative associations. Painful sensations and tension in the arms, in the neck and back should not serve as a reason for weaning the baby from the breast. It’s just an awkward position that’s easy to fix.
If you have cracked nipples, use special creams that heal the wounds. Wait until it heals and refuse to breastfeed is not worth it. Use a silicone pad.
To prevent cracked nipples, pay attention to how the baby takes the breast and adjust the process if necessary. The baby should take the nipple itself and the areola (the dark area around) into the mouth. If the grip is wrong, just gently lift the chest out and try again.
Feeding your baby expressed milk with a bottle is dangerous for lactation. Cracked nipples need to be treated, but stop breastfeeding and switch to a bottle. The child will quickly realize that this is an easy option, milk flows faster from the nipple. There is a possibility that after temporary use of the bottle, the baby, realizing all its charms, will refuse to breastfeed. Cessation of lactation is highly undesirable. Only a child can empty the breast, no breast pump can do it.
If a child is prematurely taken away from one breast, offering another, he will be deprived of the most nutritious, healthy milk contained in the remnants. The first milk pours itself, you don’t need to try and pull it out. The child will quickly get used to idleness, and will always demand readily available food.
As a rule, the milk from one breast is enough for the child. Some babies need an extra “portion” by giving them a second breast. The balance will be restored over time, it is important to properly adjust the lactation process. The next feeding starts from the breast on which the previous feeding ended.
Do not force your child to feed strictly on time. Do not force him to suckle if he does not want to, and vice versa, do not wait for the time set by the regimen. Education from childhood is good, but it should not cause increased nervousness, tearfulness and sleepless nights.
Most children are full on average in 15-20 minutes. The exception is the little “sloths”. It takes them about an hour to satiate. This does not mean that such children eat more, just that they enjoy food more slowly, their sucking movements are less intense.
Learn to recognize a baby’s hungry cry. This will help determine why it needs attention. When the baby is hungry, he smacks his lips, tries to catch your finger and put it in his mouth, turns his head. Attentive parents will notice this activity and react. If this is not done, crying is inevitable. Moreover, if every time or often you bring the child to crying, he will get used to it. Having learned a convenient formula for obtaining food, the baby will skillfully use a cry to attract attention.
If milk involuntarily flows from the nipple before feeding, the baby may choke. In such cases, it is recommended to express the foremilk.
How to properly breastfeed a baby?
Lay the baby so that his face is opposite the nipple;
Touch and move the nipple on the cheek and lips;
Flatten the chest, put the nipple in the mouth with the areola;
Hold the chest and make sure that it does not close the nostrils.
If you are unable to quit smoking, refrain from cigarettes before feeding. By narrowing blood vessels, nicotine prevents milk production.
Starting breastfeeding, take care of purchasing a special bra. Convenient design allows you to get the chest without removing the accessory.
When choosing a bra, pay attention to the cups. They should tightly cover the chest, fitting, but not squeezing it.
As a rule, milk from the breast always leaks a little. It is recommended to use cotton pads. You can wear them around the clock, you just need to insert into a bra and change regularly.
Postures for feeding
Classic. This position is very convenient for mothers with small breasts. The baby’s head is placed on the elbow.
baby at hand . This baby position is ideal for women with large breasts.
Lying position. This is convenient if the chest does not slip out of the hands.
Women who are physiologically unable to produce enough milk make up 3-8%. Lack of milk is observed only with hormonal failures, pathologies of internal organs, physiological infantilism. Rare, but there are age restrictions. When a woman is over 35, milk deficiency may occur. In other cases, lactation is usually normal, and there are no problems with milk production.
Weak milk production after childbirth is observed in women who have had toxicosis at the end of pregnancy. Insufficient lactation can provoke bleeding during childbirth, surgery, postpartum infections. Do not refuse breast stimulation, continue to feed or pump regularly. These measures will relieve violations and restore lactation.
It happens that lactation is normally adjusted, but decreases over time. The reason for this may be lethargy when sucking, long breaks in feeding, violation of the regimen. With insufficient stimulation, the amount of milk is reduced.
The process of milk production is under the control of the brain. Women’s breasts and their size have nothing to do with it. Remain calm, especially in the first months. The quantity and quality of breast milk depends on your resistance to stress. Protect yourself from hard work and strong experiences.
To keep your chest in good shape, try wiping yourself. You can use a regular washcloth or a terry towel. Dousing with a contrast shower is effective.
For feeding, choose a quiet place in the apartment or house. It is not recommended to be distracted from feeding either by mother or child. Put away the phone, isolate pets, turn off the TV, any irritants must be eliminated.
If the baby takes the nipple incorrectly, aerophagia may begin. This is not dangerous, the usual swallowing of air and regurgitation following feeding is characteristic of all children. However, the volume of air swallowed should not exceed the norm. If they are more than 10% of the total volume of the stomach, the baby will not receive enough nutrition.
The caloric content of the mother’s diet should increase as the child grows older. However, do not overeat, three meals a day with the addition of snacks (3-4 times) will be enough. When breastfeeding, the best sources of calories are lean meats, fruits, dairy products, cereals, whole grain breads, and vegetables.
During feeding, you can use creams from cracks containing lanolin. The components of these funds are safe for the health of babies. In order to avoid acquiring fakes, it is better to buy creams in pharmacies.
If you have milk stasis, you will not be able to solve the problem with a breast pump. This device is not able to drain the female breast, this can be done by an experienced midwife. The techniques of anti-congestion massage are quite simple, every woman can master them. The main thing is to be taught by a specialist.
The breast produces as much milk as the baby sucks. Regular pumping will lead to excess, the amount of milk secreted will significantly exceed the norm.
To prevent cracks on the nipples, take care of the chest and prevent roughening of the skin. To do this, make light pads from a soft fabric, put them in your bra cups and wear them throughout the day.
Some foods cause allergic reactions in children. Be careful in nutrition, everything that you eat passes through the milk to the child.
Inverted or flat nipples have the ability to stretch. Scroll them with your fingers, pull them out yourself with your hands. These simple exercises are done no earlier than the second semester, 2-4 times a day for a month. The result will be, the nipples will acquire a form convenient for feeding.
Cream against stretch marks is best applied to the breast during pregnancy or after the cessation of lactation. Protect the baby and yourself, do not allow components that can harm him to enter the milk.
The amount of milk produced has nothing to do with the amount of food consumed. The diet should be balanced, and meals should be regular.
The causes of colic and intestinal discomfort in a child have not been studied so far. Only the fact of the dependence of the activation of gas formation on certain foods eaten by a nursing mother has been proven.
Take vitamin complexes. They contain all the vitamins and minerals your baby needs, which you don’t get from your usual products.
Scientists say that in mother’s milk there are substances that prevent the appearance of colic. The relationship between these unpleasant symptoms and the psychological state of the baby was revealed. More often, colic occurs in nervous children. Feeding does not comfort them, but calm babies usually calm down when they suckle.
Night feedings are a means of enhancing and maintaining lactation. Prolactin production is activated at night. This hormone is responsible for lactation. To successfully continue breastfeeding, do not exclude night feeding from the regimen.
By the age of two months, a feeding regimen is established, every 3-4 hours the child will demand a breast. This time is necessary for the digestion of food. If the mode does not line up, then there are some deviations. Most often it is nervousness and excitability. The child has already grown up, feels everything, and reacts in his own way to the situation in the house. Surround him with calmness and care, it will help.
To fully relax and enjoy contact with the baby, many mothers breastfeed while lying in a warm bath.
It is not recommended to supplement the child with water or warm tea in the first half of the year. The right amount of fluid is found in colostrum and breast milk. It is better absorbed, more useful and able to meet the needs of the child.
When supplementing, the baby has a false feeling of satiety. Sluggish sucking and poor weight gain are consequences of supplementation.
Drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day. Water in breast milk is one of the main components. For stable and high-quality lactation, the body should not need liquid.
Breastfeeding should be enjoyable. Don’t take it as work, rest and relax while breastfeeding. Surround yourself with comfort and choose a comfortable position. Visual contact with the baby is very important.
If the child “hangs” on his chest for hours, and attempts to take it away end in crying, take care of his calmness. Increased anxiety is the cause of many unpleasant conditions in a child. It can be caused by family conflicts, nervousness of the mother herself, annoying people. Rid yourself and the child of everything that can unbalance and deprive peace.
To enhance lactation, you can drink medicinal teas and herbal decoctions. These can be drinks with the addition of cumin, oregano, dill and alfalfa. Natural helpers always help out, but the best remedy is the positive attitude and confidence of the mother.
Skin-to-skin contact between a child and mother is highly recommended and advised by pediatricians. Psychologists also welcome this rapprochement. Upon contact, attachments are formed, this stimulates the secretion of milk and helps during lactation crises.
If you have a headache or a toothache, half a painkiller tablet will do no harm. It is necessary to get rid of painful conditions, medications in small doses are not dangerous.
Have you caught a cold? Wear a gauze bandage. When breastfeeding, this is enough; there is no need to stop breastfeeding. Milk contains immunoglobulins that protect the child’s body from viral infections.
Avoid taking drugs that reduce lactation: these are diuretics, Parlodel, Bromocriptine and drugs, which include gestagens, camphor and androgens.
If you get sick and want to be treated with medicinal herbs, you need to know which plants are prohibited during breastfeeding. Many of them, penetrating the body with milk, cause allergies, increase the excitability of the baby, lead to serious digestive disorders, which are accompanied by vomiting, breath holding, convulsive conditions, dehydration.
Never think badly about feeding and your breasts. Love and appreciate everything that is connected with it, because it is thanks to breastfeeding that the baby grows strong and healthy.
If your baby is over 3 months old and he is reaching for his chest very often, most likely he has a need for your attention. He lacks something, and he reacts in his own way. Do not rush to supplement the mixture, the reason is the lack of calmness. Help your baby feel protected, loved and needed by hugging and talking to him, continue to breastfeed.
Friends, doctors, parents may convince you that you do not have enough milk, so the child does not gain weight. It’s not like giving advice is people’s favorite pastime, but only a mother knows her child better than anyone else. If a friend with a lot of experience in motherhood claims that your child is malnourished, check it yourself. It’s simple, ordinary electronic scales will help out. Try weighing your baby before and after feeding. If the difference is noticeable, and the weight has increased by at least 50-70 grams, everything is in order, your milk is enough.
If the child is not gaining weight, there may be digestive problems. Do not rush to blame yourself, think that lactation has become weak, and turn to artificial feeding. Continue to feed, be sure to examine the baby. Take tests, this will help identify problems with digestion and eliminate them in a timely manner.
If you think you’re low on milk, pump more often. Breast milk contains an inhibitor. Accumulating in the chest, this substance reduces lactation. Do not allow this, watch the timely outflow of milk.
To understand if a baby is getting enough milk, pay attention to the color of his urine and the regularity of urination. For one day, give up diapers and use diapers. Put them under the child and watch. Urinating six times a day and colorless or pale yellow urine is a good sign that there is enough milk.
At the age of 3-6 weeks, as well as at 3,7, 11 and 12 months, the baby’s nutritional needs increase markedly. The body develops, the activity of the child increases. Fears that there is not enough milk during these periods are completely unfounded. Continue breastfeeding as you gradually adjust to your baby’s growing needs.
The taste and smell of onions, garlic, and other herbs and spices can change the taste of breast milk. Babies need time to get used to new tastes. He will not refuse to breastfeed, just give him half an hour to taste, think and get used to it.
To keep your chest in shape, do exercises to strengthen the pectoral muscles at least 2-3 times a day.
Each exercise is done 20-25 times:
Connect the palms of the hands in the chest area. Press them against each other, straightening your back as much as possible. Relax after a couple of seconds.
Grab your wrists. Without changing the position of the hands, try to stretch them to the sides.
Putting your palms together directly above your head, try to squeeze them as hard as possible. As in the first exercise, the chest muscles are involved here. The muscles of the shoulder joint also work.
If you have too much milk, feed only one breast. You don’t need to scrape off the leftovers. The second breast may swell. Relax her tension by expressing no more than 10-15 ml of milk. During the next feeding, the already expressed breast is given to the child, the second one rests.
If the child sucks for a minute, and then throws the breast with crying, then something is bothering him.
Possible reasons:
stuffy nose;
Teeth are cut;
Pain in the abdomen, throat or head;
Inflammatory processes in the mouth (possibly thrush);
Nervousness of the mother;
Milk flows too fast.
Perfume or deodorant scents are irritating to children. Any strong smell repels. The most attractive and soothing for a child is the smell of clean skin. During the period of breastfeeding, refrain from using perfumes, take a shower more often.
Are you sure the baby is refusing to breastfeed? Do not rush to conclusions. Turning your head, being distracted by sounds and movement is normal for a growing baby. Do not immediately think about problems with milk and look for causes related to malfunctions in the body. Everything seems interesting to the child, distracted attention is ordinary curiosity.
So that the baby does not refuse the breast, try to contact him more. Pick up, sleep side by side, stroke, kiss, avoid pacifiers, breastfeed at night. When feeding, it is allowed to change positions, sometimes this draws the attention of the baby to the chest.
Natural feeding does not affect intimate relationships. Husbands are not repulsed by breastfeeding, many men find it very sexy. You should not hide when feeding, this will not cause problems in relations with your loved one.
A good way to maintain breastfeeding is considered an approving and understanding attitude of the second half. Compliments from the husband, kind words and smiles have a positive effect on the mood of a woman. Happy mothers and wives usually do not have problems with lactation.
Do not let your husband speak negatively and make fun of your changed breast shape. “Compliments” like “you are my cow” are unlikely to please anyone, any careless word spoils the mood and reduces lactation.
Reject any negative and unpleasant statements from grandmothers. Their judgments about breastfeeding should not worry you, especially those that deprive you of confidence. Personal stories of breastfeeding and advice from grandmothers are welcome, but all information must be extremely positive.
If there is a suspicion of a lack of milk, it is the job of grandmothers to support and reassure. Their stories from their lives about how they solved problems in similar situations using formula or cow’s milk should not influence you. No matter how persuasive relatives are, remember that there is nothing better than breastfeeding.
Emotional and physical overwork reduces lactation. A nursing mother needs unloading and emotional release. Do not sit at home, walk, visit and shop. A trip to the hairdresser or to tea with a friend is a great way to unwind. Do not neglect the rest, love and appreciate yourself.
Pediatricians often talk about the benefits of supplementary feeding. Such “specialists” should alert, it is better to choose another doctor. A good professional will not advise bad. First, he finds out the reasons for the decrease in lactation and by any means tries to restore breastfeeding.
In case of insufficient lactation, the pediatrician recommends mixtures at the end of breastfeeding. The packages clearly indicate that such mixtures are supplementary feeding, they cannot act as a substitute for mother’s milk. Unjustified medical advice is a violation.
Be sure to wear a supportive bra when you are going to do sports, such as fitness. The breast during lactation increases in size, it can sag, there is a risk of stretch marks.
Yoga is traditionally considered the most suitable sport for breastfeeding mothers. Callanetics and Pilates are effective and safe. During physical exertion, drink more, the liquid is responsible for the removal of metabolic products. They leave the body faster, bypassing the milk.
After the first fitness session, your child may refuse to breastfeed. The reason for this behavior, as well as possible sleepless nights and the appearance of intestinal colic, are metabolic products. During exercise, they can penetrate the milk. Reduce the load, and the composition of the milk is normalized.
Intense cardio training increases lactation. The baby may not be able to cope with large volumes of milk. The rest will start to burn out. For further lactation, this is bad, it is possible to stop producing or worsen the properties and taste of milk.
If you’ve moved and changed your surroundings, don’t be surprised if your baby wants to breastfeed more often. He adapts to new conditions, and your task is to help him. Do not refuse feeding and always be there.
If you want to swim in the summer, be careful when choosing a bathing place. Let it be the sea or a clean river. In lakes and ponds, the water is stagnant, a huge amount of pathogenic bacteria accumulates in it. Accidental entry of such water into the oral cavity or milk duct often causes infection.
When planning to go to work, stock up on a reliable breast pump. The baby will be breastfed with expressed milk and bottle-trained. The hole should be small, otherwise, after the pacifier, the baby will not take the breast.
When you go to work, take a short break to start. The child should get used to both expressed milk and your absence. A long separation can provoke nervousness and stress. Let the baby get used gradually.
The expressed milk is stored in the refrigerator. After several hours in a cold place, cream may appear, two-layer milk will be found. Don’t worry, it’s normal, just shake it, warm it up a bit, and feed your baby boldly.
Use special bags to store expressed frozen milk. Be sure to wash your breast pump in hot water before expressing. The shelf life of milk largely depends on the conditions of collection.
Warm the expressed milk, but do not boil it. High temperatures destroy nutrients. The best heating option is a water bath.
Be sure to express milk while at work. Breaks can lead to burnout of milk and further cessation of lactation. An electric or manual breast pump will help you.
At room temperature, between 23 and 25 °C, milk can be stored for up to 5 hours. When stored in the refrigerator, it does not deteriorate for about 2 days. Milk can be frozen, it retains its properties in the refrigerator for 8 days, in the freezer for up to six months.
It is necessary to feed the child only mother’s milk up to 6 months. Additional power sources are not required during this period. The child has enough mother’s milk, he completely sucks out the breast, thereby stimulating lactation.
You can think about stopping breastfeeding when the child reaches the age of 12-14 months. With the proper introduction of additional products into the diet, weaning will go unnoticed and painlessly for everyone. If the baby continues to insist on breastfeeding and constantly requires breasts, this is a clear sign of increased nervous excitability.
The best remedy for normal lactation is a decent self-esteem. The ability and opportunity to breastfeed your own child is not given to every woman. Mom must be sure of her indispensability for the baby, because the healthy and full-fledged future of the child depends on her milk.
When there is too much milk, there is a possibility of stagnation. Remember that excessive and frequent pumping increases the production of breast milk. Be careful, in case of overexertion of the mammary glands, express little by little, no more than 10-15 ml.
