100 And 1 Advice On Lactation

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

100 and 1 advice on lactation

1. After giving birth, a woman's milk may appear on the 3rd day, in some on the 5-6th day. Up to this point, the baby is fed colostrum. It is produced in the breast immediately after giving birth and is ideal for babies. The benefits of colostrum are enormous, only its composition in the child's gastrointestinal tract is able to assimilate and process immediately after birth.
2. 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 newborn's immune system. 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 entails unpleasant consequences for the health of the baby. It is necessary to apply the baby to the breast in the first minutes after birth.
3. Doctors can forbid to attach a baby to the breast, but there must be serious reasons for this: a caesarean section with a drug effect, large blood loss during childbirth, the presence of HIV and other viral infections in a woman in labor. The prohibition may also apply in cases where the child has problems: asphyxia, birth trauma and a condition score below 7 points on the well-known Apgar scale.
4. Latching the newborn to the breast stimulates the release of oxytocin. This hormone improves uterine contraction, minimizing the risk of postpartum hemorrhage. Early attachment to the breast normalizes milk flow and makes lactation more stable. Emotional contact is no less important, when psychological unity occurs, it will accompany the mother and baby for many years to come.
5. If you want to attach your baby to your breast immediately after delivery, 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. With epidural anesthesia, only pain medication is used.

6. Doctors have the right to refuse to bring you a baby for feeding only in cases when the child's condition is assessed as serious. The health of the woman in labor is also taken into account. Resuscitation and antibiotic treatment can lead to refusal to feed. For colds (bronchitis, runny nose, cough), it is enough to use a gauze bandage, no one has the right to refuse you feeding.
7. Breast size does not affect the lactation process. The mechanism of milk formation has nothing to do with the splendor of the bust; breast milk is excreted in sufficient quantities. For successful breastfeeding, it is important to regularly latch on your baby to the breast.
8. If breastfeeding is not possible in the first days after birth, the milk must be expressed. This is done by hand or with a breast pump. In the first 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 causes fluid to build up in the breast, which can cause lactostasis and mastitis.
9. In the first 6 weeks after giving birth, be attentive to the baby's requirements. Adapting a child is a complex process. You should not limit his feeding, follow the schedules and set the regimes. It will be later, in the first weeks, surround the baby with care and attention.
10. During the first 3 months of lactation, milk crises are possible during feeding. This is typical for a period of 7-8 months. The woman may feel that milk is not enough, and the child is malnourished. Many turn to mixtures, start feeding. 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, breastfeed him more often than he should.
11. The less weight the baby is born, the more often he will demand breast. Its 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 baby gets stronger, the need for frequent feeding will disappear.

12. You should not give a baby breast at the first whimsical call. If only to calm 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 get attention.
13. From the 3-4th day after birth, the baby requires breast on average 12-30 times per day. The normal regime is usually established by 2 months, regularity is appropriate when the child's body is already adapted.
14. Try to find 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. This is just an awkward position that is easy to fix.
15. If you have cracked nipples, use special creams to heal wounds. You should not wait until it heals and give up breastfeeding. Use a silicone pad.
16. To prevent cracked nipples, pay attention to how the baby picks up the breast, and adjust the process if necessary. The baby should catch the nipple itself and the areola (the dark area around) in the mouth. If you have a wrong grip, just gently lift your chest and try again.
17. Bottle feeding a baby expressed milk is dangerous for lactation. Nipple cracks need to be healed, but you shouldn't stop breastfeeding and switch to a bottle. The baby will quickly understand that this is an easy option, milk flows faster from the nipple. There is a chance that after temporary use of the bottle, the baby, realizing all its charms, will refuse to breastfeed. Termination of lactation is highly undesirable. Only a baby can empty the breast, no breast pump can do this.
18. If one breast is taken away from the baby ahead of time by offering another, he will be deprived of the most nutritious, healthy milk contained in the leftovers. The first milk flows by itself, you don't need to try and pull it out. The child will quickly get used to messing around, and will always demand readily available food.

19. As a rule, milk from one breast is enough for a baby. Some babies need an extra “portion”, for this they are given 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 where the previous feeding ended.
20. Do not force your baby to feed on time. Do not force the breast to suck if he does not want to, and vice versa, do not wait for the time set by the regimen. Upbringing from an early age is good, but it should not cause increased nervousness, tearfulness and sleepless nights.

21. Most children eat their fill in 15-20 minutes on average. The exception is small "sloths". It takes them about an hour to get enough. This does not mean that these children eat more, they just enjoy the food more slowly, their sucking movements are less intense.

    

22. Learn to recognize a hungry baby cry. This will help determine why it needs attention. When the baby is hungry, he smacks his lips, tries to catch your finger and take it in his mouth, turns his head. Attentive parents will notice this activity and respond. If this is not done, crying is inevitable. Moreover, if every time or often bring the child to cry, he will get used to it. Having mastered the convenient formula for getting food, the baby will skillfully use screaming to attract attention.
23. If milk spontaneously flows from the nipple before feeding, the baby may choke. In such cases, it is recommended to express the front milk.

24. How to breastfeed your baby correctly?

    • Lay the baby so that his face is against the nipple;
    • Touch and move the nipple over the cheek and lips;
    • Flatten the breasts, put the nipple in your mouth, grabbing the areola;
    • Support your chest and make sure that it does not block your nostrils.
25. If you are unable to quit smoking, refrain from cigarettes before feeding. By narrowing blood vessels, nicotine interferes with milk production.
26. When starting breastfeeding, take care of purchasing a special bra. Convenient design allows you to reach your chest without removing the accessory.
27. When choosing a bra, pay attention to the cups. They should fit snugly around the chest, snug but not squeezing.
28. As a rule, breast milk always leaks slightly. We recommend using cotton pads. You can wear them around the clock, you just need to insert them into your bra and change them regularly.

29. Feeding positions

    • Classic. This position is very convenient for mothers with small breasts. The baby's head is laid on the elbow.
    • The child is 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.
30. Women who are physiologically incapable of producing sufficient milk make up 3-8%. Lack of milk is observed only with hormonal disruptions, pathologies of internal organs, physiological infantilism. Rarely, but age restrictions apply. 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.
31. Poor milk production after childbirth is observed in women who have had toxicosis at the end of pregnancy. Insufficient lactation can be provoked by bleeding during childbirth, surgery, postpartum infections. Do not give up breast stimulation, continue to feed, or express regularly. These measures will get rid of violations and restore lactation.
32. It happens that lactation is adjusted normally, but decreases over time. The reason for this may be lethargy when sucking, long breaks when feeding, violation of the regimen. With insufficient stimulation, the amount of milk is reduced.
33. Milk production is controlled by the brain. Women's breasts and their sizes have nothing to do with it. Remain calm, especially in the early months. The quantity and quality of breast milk depends on your resistance to stress. Protect yourself from hard work and intense anxiety.
34. To keep your breasts toned, try rubbing yourself. You can use a regular washcloth or a terrycloth towel. Dousing with a contrast shower is effective.
35. For feeding, choose a quiet place in an apartment or house. Neither mother nor child is recommended to be distracted from feeding. Move the phone away, isolate pets, turn off the TV, any annoying factors must be eliminated.
36. If the baby does not pick up the nipple correctly, aerophagia may begin. This is not dangerous, the usual swallowing of air and regurgitation following feeding are characteristic of all children. However, the volume of air swallowed should not exceed the norm. If they are more than 10% of the total stomach volume, the baby will not receive sufficient nutrition.
37. The calorie content of the mother's diet should increase as the child grows up. However, do not overeat, three meals a day with the addition of snacks (3-4 times) will be enough. When breastfeeding, lean meats, fruits, dairy products, cereals, whole grain breads, and vegetables are considered the best sources of calories.
38. During feeding, you can use creams from cracks containing lanolin. The components of these products are safe for babies' health. In order to avoid buying fakes, it is better to buy creams in pharmacies.

When there is too much milk, there is a chance of stagnation. Remember that excessive and frequent pumping increases breast milk production. Be careful, when overstraining the mammary glands, express a little, no more than 10-15 ml.

• If you are experiencing milk stagnation, a breast pump will not solve the problem. This device is not able to straighten the female breast, it can be done by an experienced midwife. Anti-congestion massage techniques are quite simple, every woman can master them. The main thing is for a specialist to teach this.
• The breast produces as much milk as the baby sucks in. Regular pumping will result in excess, and the amount of milk produced will be much higher than normal.
• To prevent cracks on the nipples, take care of the chest and do not allow the skin to become rough. To do this, make lightweight, soft fabric pads, put them in your bra cups and wear them throughout the day.
• Some foods cause allergic reactions in a child. 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, stretch 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 shape convenient for feeding.
• An anti-stretch mark cream is best applied to the breast during pregnancy or after lactation has stopped. Protect the baby and yourself, do not allow components that could harm him to penetrate into the milk.
• The amount of milk produced has nothing to do with the amount of food consumed. The diet should be balanced, and the food should be regular.
• The causes of colic and intestinal discomfort in a child have not yet been studied. 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 do not receive from the usual products.
• Scientists claim that there are substances in breast milk that prevent colic. A relationship was found between these unpleasant symptoms and the psychological state of the baby. More often colic occurs in nervous children. Feeding them does not comfort them, but calm babies usually calm down when sucking.
• Night feeds are a means of enhancing and maintaining lactation. The production of prolactin 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 baby will demand a breast. This time is needed to digest food. If the regime does not line up, then there are some deviations. Most often it is nervousness and excitability. The child has already grown up, he feels everything, and reacts in his own way to the situation in the house. Surround him with calmness and care, it will help.
• To completely relax and enjoy the contact with the baby, many mothers breastfeed while lying in a warm bath.
• It is not recommended to add water or warm tea to the child in the first half of the year. Colostrum and breast milk contain the right amount of fluid. It is better absorbed, healthier and able to meet the needs of the child.
• When supplemented, the infant develops a false sense of satiety. Sluggish sucking and poor weight gain are consequences of supplementation.
• Drink at least 2 liters of fluid a day. Water in breast milk is one of the main components. For stable and high-quality lactation, the body should not need fluid.
• Breastfeeding should be fun. Don't take it as work, rest and relax while nursing. Surround yourself in comfort and find a comfortable position. Eye contact with your baby is very important.
• If the child "hangs" on the 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. Relieve yourself and your child of everything that can unbalance and deprive you of 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 way is the mother's positive attitude and confidence.
• Contact of the child with the mother "skin to skin" is highly recommended and advised by pediatricians. Psychologists also welcome this rapprochement. On contact, attachments are formed, this stimulates milk production and helps during lactation crises.
• If you have a headache or a toothache, half the pain pill 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 feeding, this is sufficient; there is no need to stop breastfeeding. The 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 that contain gestagens, camphor and androgens.
• If you are sick and want to be treated with medicinal herbs, you need to know which plants are prohibited for breastfeeding. Many of them, penetrating into 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, and dehydration.
• Never think badly about breastfeeding and your breast. Love and appreciate everything that is connected with her, because it is thanks to breastfeeding that the baby grows strong and healthy.
• If your baby is over 3 months old, and he reaches for the breast very often, most likely he has a need for your attention. He's missing something, and he reacts in his own way. Do not rush to feed with the mixture, the reason is the lack of calmness. Help your baby to feel protected, loved and needed, hug and talk to him, continue breastfeeding.
• Friends, doctors, parents can convince you that you do not have enough milk, so the child does not gain weight. This is not true, giving advice is a favorite pastime of people, but only a mother knows her child better than others. 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, digestive problems are possible. Do not rush to blame yourself, think that lactation has become weak, and turn to artificial feeding. Continue feeding, be sure to examine the baby. Get tested, this will help identify digestive problems and eliminate them in a timely manner.
• If you think you are low on milk, pump more often. Breast milk contains an inhibitor. This substance accumulates in the breast and reduces lactation. Do not allow this, watch out for the timely outflow of milk.
• To find out if your baby has enough milk, pay attention to the color of his urine and the frequency of urination. For one day, give up diapers and use diapers. Place them under the child and watch. Six times urination per day and colorless or pale yellow urine is a good sign, milk is enough.
• 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 child's activity increases. Fears that there is not enough milk during these periods are completely in vain. Continue to breastfeed as you gradually adjust to the growing needs of your baby.

• The taste and smell of onions, garlic, and other herbs and spices can alter the taste of breast milk. It takes time for your baby 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.

  

• To keep your breasts in shape, do chest strengthening exercises at least 2-3 times a day.

  Each exercise is done 20-25 times:

  • Put the palms of the hands together in the chest area. Press them together, straightening your back as much as possible. Relax after a couple of seconds.
  • Grasp your wrists. Without changing the position of your arms, try to stretch them to the sides.
  • With your palms together directly above your head, try to squeeze them as much as possible. As in the first exercise, the chest muscles are involved. The muscles of the shoulder joint also work.
• If you have too much milk, feed only one breast when feeding. You do not need to strain the leftovers. The second breast may swell. Ease her tension by expressing no more than 10-15 ml of milk. During the next feeding, the child is given already expressed breast, the second is resting.

• 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 your stomach, throat, or head;
  • Inflammatory processes in the mouth (possibly thrush);
  • Mom's nervousness;
  • Milk flows too quickly.
• Perfume or deodorant scents are irritating to children. Any pungent odor is repulsive. The smell of clean skin is the most attractive and soothing for a child. During breastfeeding, refrain from using perfumes, take a shower more often.
• Are you sure that the baby is refusing to breastfeed? Don't jump to conclusions. Turning your head, being distracted by sounds and movement is normal for a growing baby. You should not immediately think about problems with milk and look for causes associated with malfunctions in the body. Everything seems interesting to a child, distracted attention is a common curiosity.
• So that the baby does not give up breast, try to contact him more. Take it in your arms, sleep side by side, stroke, kiss, exclude pacifiers, breastfeed at night. When feeding, it is allowed to change positions, sometimes this draws the baby's attention to the breast.
• Natural feeding does not affect intimate relationships. Breastfeeding is not repulsive for husbands, and many men find it very sexy. You should not hide when feeding, this will not cause problems in relationships with a loved one.
• A supportive and understanding attitude of the other half is considered a good way to maintain breastfeeding. Compliments from her husband, kind words and smiles have a positive effect on a woman's mood. Happy mothers and wives usually do not have problems with lactation.
• Don't 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 or unpleasant statements from grandmothers. You shouldn't worry about their judgments about breastfeeding, especially those that leave you feeling less confident. Stories from personal breastfeeding and advice from grandmothers are welcome, but all information should be extremely positive.
• If you suspect a lack of milk, it is up to grandmothers to support and calm down. Their stories from their lives about how in similar situations they solved problems using formula or cow's milk should not influence you. As convincing as relatives are, remember, there is nothing better than breastfeeding.
• Emotional and physical overwork reduces lactation. A nursing mother needs relief and emotional relief. Do not sit at home, walk, visit and shop. A trip to the hairdresser or tea with a friend is a great way to unwind. Do not neglect rest, love and value yourself.
• Often pediatricians talk about the benefits of supplementation. Such "specialists" should be alert, it is better to choose another doctor. A good professional will not advise bad ones. 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 formula at the end of breastfeeding. It is clearly indicated on the packages that such mixtures belong to supplementary feeding, they cannot act as a substitute for mother's milk. An unjustified medical recommendation is a violation.
• When going in for sports such as fitness, be sure to wear a supportive bra. The breast increases in size during lactation, 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. Drink more with physical activity, the liquid is responsible for the removal of metabolic products. They leave the body faster, bypassing milk.
• After the first fitness session, your baby 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 into milk. Reduce the load, and the milk composition will return to normal.
• Intense cardiovascular exercise will increase lactation. A baby may not be able to handle large volumes of milk. The remains will start to "burn out". For further lactation, this is bad, it is possible that the production stops or the properties and taste of milk deteriorate.
• If you have moved and changed your environment, do not be surprised if your baby craves breast more often. He adapts to new conditions, and your task is to help him. Do not refuse feeding and be always there.
• If you want to swim in the summer, be careful when choosing a place to swim. Let it be the sea or a clear river. In lakes and ponds, the water is stagnant, and a huge number of pathogenic bacteria accumulate in it. Accidental ingestion of such water into the mouth or the lactiferous duct often causes infection.
• When planning to go to work, stock up on a reliable breast pump. The baby is to be fed with breast expressed milk and trained to use a bottle. The hole should be small, otherwise the baby will not take the breast after the nipple.
• When you go to work, take a short break to start. Your baby should get used to both expressed milk and your absence. A long separation can provoke nervousness and stress. Let your baby get used to it gradually.
• Expressed milk is stored in the refrigerator. After a few hours in a cold place, cream may appear, and a double layer of milk may be found. Don't worry, it's okay, just shake it up, warm it up a bit, and feel free to feed the baby.
• Use special bags to preserve expressed frozen milk. Always wash your breast pump in hot water before pumping. The shelf life of milk largely depends on the collection conditions.
• Heat expressed milk, but do not boil it. High temperatures destroy nutrients. The best heating option is a water bath.



• Make sure to express milk while at work. Interruptions can lead to milk burnout and further cessation of lactation. An electric or manual breast pump will help you.
• At room temperature, 23 to 25 ° C, milk is 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 baby only with mother's milk up to 6 months. Additional power supplies are not required during this period. The baby has enough mother's milk, he completely sucks the breast, thereby stimulating lactation.
• You can think about stopping breastfeeding when your baby reaches the age of 12-14 months. With the correct introduction of additional products into the diet, weaning will go unnoticed and painless for everyone. If the baby continues to insist on breastfeeding and constantly requires breast, this is a clear sign of increased nervous excitability.
• The best remedy for normal lactation is good self-esteem. The ability and ability to breastfeed her own child is not given to every woman. A mother must be confident in her indispensability for the baby, because a healthy and full-fledged future of the child depends on her milk.

The author of the article: Lapikova Valentina Vladimirovna | Gynecologist, reproductologist

Education: Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynecology received at the Russian State Medical University of the Federal Agency for Healthcare and Social Development (2010). In 2013 completed postgraduate studies at N. N. N. I. Pirogova.