Experts have no doubts that breastfeeding is the best nutritional solution for a baby and a number of benefits for a new mother. Yet his beginnings are not always smooth. We suggest what the secret of successful lactation is and how to prepare for it …
The “gold standard”?
There is a reason why the World Health Organization (WHO), the European and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life. Breast milk is the best and most valuable food for a toddler, with a number of health benefits. Some of them are revealed already during breastfeeding, while others are long-term, ie they occur after the end of the breastfeeding period. Moreover, they achieve better psychomotor development than babies fed with modified milk.
Breastfeeding is also good for moms. And we do not mean only creating a strong bond with your own child, but reducing a woman’s discomfort during the puerperium and faster return to good physical condition.
Where to start?
Despite the many benefits for many mums, the “milky way” is a real challenge that often ends within six months. Therefore, we will take a closer look at the reasons why we give up most of the time …
No support
Sleepless nights, fatigue, postpartum pains, a hormonal swing and a toddler who needs your closeness – all this can overwhelm more than one “superwoman”. Motherhood has its dark sides and it is worth talking about them. It is also worth helping yourself. We all need support in difficult times. A close person who will take the baton from us, even for a moment. She will prepare breakfast, do shopping, clean the house or take care of the baby for one evening, and we will find time for ourselves. So, dear moms: don’t get crazy, none of us are robots.
Too little knowledge
Although we live in the XNUMXst century, lactation myths are still alive … Many debuting mothers are convinced that natural breastfeeding must hurt or the shape and size of the breasts determine the ability to breastfeed a baby. This is not true – just like the statement that the cause of a toddler’s night wake-up is hunger, i.e. not eating enough mother’s milk. The best defense against harmful beliefs is simply education. Therefore, it is worth looking for information on breastfeeding in reliable sources. Reliable knowledge will help us in the first days of feeding and in the first crises. After all, it’s better to go to a pre-prepared test, right? 🙂
Body weakness
We all know that what we eat has an impact on our well-being and quality of life. And although the “nursing mother’s diet” does not exist, the way of eating during pregnancy and breastfeeding is of particular importance. Which does not mean that from now on you should only eat rice, chicken and steamed vegetables! Your menu should simply be rational, healthy and rich in wholesome products.
The lactation period, like pregnancy, puts a heavy strain on the body, and the mother’s caloric requirement during breastfeeding increases by about 500 kcal per day. During this time, you should especially take care of providing our body with the right amount of folic acid, vitamin D, iodine and DHA fatty acids. Fortunately, supplementation comes with help, including Pueria Duo, which has been specially designed for pregnancy from the 13th week to the end of breastfeeding. Pueria Duo is distinguished by its pure composition – without fillers, dyes and preservatives. Pueria has a positive opinion of the Polish Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians1. It contains folic acid and its active form, vitamin D, iodine, DHA in combination with choline.
Pueria Duo helps to supplement the diet of a freshly baked mum with as much as 600 mg of DHA! Its proper supply during breastfeeding supports the proper development of the child’s brain and eyes.
Questions and doubts …
Although breastfeeding is a very natural activity, many newcomers as mothers feel insecure. One of the questions that keeps most women awake at night is the classic: is my baby eating? The answer is the indicators of effective feeding, the popular WSK, which make it possible to objectively assess the course of lactation. According to them, a toddler receives the right amount of food if:
- sucks the breast properly and effectively, the swallowing sound is audible for at least 10 minutes from one breast
- Feedings are 8-12 a day, of which at least 1-2 a night,
- mum’s milk flow reflex works well; you can see how the rhythm of sucking becomes steady, regular, with series of swallows,
- mom feels the loosening of her breasts after feeding,
- the child is content after feeding (falls asleep or calmly awake), is active for at least 4 hours a day and reacts to stimuli,
- passes 3 – 4 or more stools a day,
- a day soaks at least 6 diapers (from the 3rd day), urine is light, odorless,
- in the first days there is a physiological weight loss of up to a maximum of 10%. birth weight, after 2 weeks at the latest, the newborn should reach its birth weight,
- normal weight gain is observed.
And one more thing: children are different and it is impossible to clearly define how long a child should eat to be full. Some will eat both breasts at once, while others will eat only one. Some will eat after 10 minutes, while others will spend a good half an hour at the breast. What’s more, just as we adults eat meals of all sizes, each child may want to eat more at one time, and at other times less. So do not feed with a watch in hand, let’s trust the child and our own intuition.
1. The position of the Expert Team of the Polish Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians on dietary supplements: PUERIA UNO, PUERIA DUO. Practical Gynecology and Perinatology 2021, 6, 2, 1-4.