• GW basics
• Doctor Komarovsky
• Rules and postures
• Nutrition
• Breast milk composition
• Pumping
• Storage

Breastfeeding is recognized as the safest and most beneficial way to feed a baby in the first year of life. With all the simplicity of breastfeeding, there are quite a few misconceptions and difficulties that can interfere with lactation. Let's take a closer look at such a natural process available to every woman who has given birth, like breastfeeding (HB).

Benefit

Receiving breast milk, the baby will grow and develop harmoniously. The crumbs will feel good, the risk of developing anemia, allergies, rickets, gastrointestinal diseases and other pathologies will decrease. In addition, the emotional contact with the mother acquired during breastfeeding will contribute to the development of the personality of the little one in a positive way.

Why is breast milk necessary for babies?

To achieve an increase in milk production, more frequent latching, feeding the baby at night, changing the drinking regime, good nutrition, a shower and a bath for the breast, as well as the use of special tea help. It is very important that the woman is in the mood for breastfeeding, knows the correct feeding technique, turns to counselors in a timely manner, and is provided with support from the family and other mothers with at least a year of breastfeeding experience.

Hyperlactation

Excessive milk production in the breast causes great discomfort in a woman. She feels that her breasts are bursting, the mammary glands become painful, the milk is leaking. In addition, with hyperlactation from the mother, the child receives too much liquid milk, which is called "front", and, accordingly, does not receive more fatty milk remaining in the back of the glands. This leads to disturbances in the digestion of the baby.

The most common cause of too much milk production in women is intense and prolonged expression after feedings. Also, an excess of fluid and lactogonic agents can lead to hyperlactation. It happens that hyperlactation is an individual feature of the body of a nursing mother, and then it is not easy to cope with it. You have to limit your drinking and control your diet so that it does not contain foods that provoke excess milk production.

Pumping must be done responsibly as it affects breast health. Read about the types of pumping and the technique of pumping breasts by hand in other articles.

In addition, we suggest watching a video on this topic.

Baby refuses to breast

The reason for the refusal can be a stuffy nose, ear inflammation, stomatitis, teething, colic and other health problems of the baby. Changes in mom's diet, for example, eating spicy foods or spices, can affect the taste of milk, so the baby will refuse to suckle. The use of pacifiers and the feeding of a baby from a bottle often leads to refusal.

A situation is quite common when a grown-up toddler at 3-6 months of age may refuse to feed, since his needs for milk decrease, and the pauses between feedings are lengthened. During this period, the baby explores the world around with interest and is often distracted from sucking. Over the age of 8-9 months, breastfeeding can be triggered by the very active introduction of complementary foods.

Establishing contact between the baby and the mother will help to solve the problem of breast rejection. The baby needs to be carried more often in his arms, hugged, talked with the baby. You need to give complementary foods, medicines or drinks only from a spoon or from a cup, it is advisable to refuse pacifiers, and the mother's menu should not include foods that are unpleasant for the baby.

Choking

The baby may choke with too "greedy" sucking, but this situation may also indicate an excessively rapid flow of milk from the female breast. If the newborn begins to choke during feeding, it is worth changing the position in which the baby is eating. It is best to sit up straight and hold the baby's head up.

In the case when the cause of choking is excess milk, you can strain the breast a little before offering it to the baby. If the change in posture and strain did not help, consult a specialist, since the reasons may be different pathologies of the oral cavity, larynx, or the functioning of the nervous system.

For the most common problems and how to solve them, see the video, in which experienced obstetrician-gynecologists tell important nuances.

Should I wash my breasts before breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding mothers should not fanatically follow the rules of hygiene and wash their breasts before each feed, especially using soap. It can destroy the natural protective film that covers the skin of the areola. As a result, frequent washing with soap is the cause of cracks, because of which it will be very painful to feed the baby.

In addition, detergents have the ability to interrupt the natural scent of the skin, even if the soap lacks a perfumed fragrance. It is very important for a newborn to catch his mother's smell during feeding, therefore, without feeling it, the baby will begin to worry and may even refuse to suck milk. To maintain cleanliness, it is enough to wash a woman's breasts once or twice a day, and only warm water should be used for washing.

Proper care of the breast of a nursing mother is an important point to avoid many problems. For more details, see the video.

How to latch on a baby to the breast?

When organizing GV, it is especially important that the grip of a small breast is correct, since a violation of grip on the breast threatens with excessive swallowing of air and insufficient weight gain. In addition to the nipple, the baby's mouth should also contain a portion of the breast area around the nipple, which is called the areola. In this case, the lips of the baby should be slightly turned out. In this case, the little one will be able to suck correctly.

The mother should not have any pain during sucking, and feeding can continue for a long time. If the crumbs are not applied correctly, the woman will experience pain during feeding, damage to the nipples is possible, the crumb will not be able to suck the volume of milk it needs and will not gorge itself.

Experiment and look for the type of breastfeeding that is most comfortable for you and your baby. If your nipples are damaged, you can use an emollient cream like Bepantena.

How to understand that the child is full?

The duration of each feeding is individual and may vary from one child to another or from one infant to another in different situations. Most babies take 15-20 minutes to empty their breasts and eat, but there are toddlers who suckle for at least 30 minutes. If you interrupt the feeding of such a child earlier, he will be malnourished. Mom will understand that the little one is full when the baby stops sucking and lets go of the breast. It is not worth picking off the breast up to this point.

Debunking myths

Myth 1. Before giving birth, it is necessary to prepare the nipples.

Women are encouraged to rub their nipples with a coarse cloth, but doing so is more dangerous than beneficial. Stimulating the nipple of a pregnant woman increases the risk of preterm labor, as there is a definite connection between the breast and the uterus (if you stimulate the nipple, the uterus will contract).

Myth 2. A newborn should be fed immediately with a formula, as milk does not come immediately.

Mature milk, indeed, begins to remain from the 3-5th day after childbirth, however, until this moment, colostrum is released from the woman's breast, which is quite enough for the baby.

Myth 3. For a successful hepatitis B, you have to constantly pump after each feeding of the baby.

Expressions after feedings are recommended by close relatives and even sometimes by doctors, ostensibly for the prevention of lactostasis, but in fact it is they that cause excess milk production and stagnation. It is worth expressing the breast only in case of pain and strong infusion, when the crumbs cannot grab the nipple. In this case, you need to express a small amount of milk.

Myth 4. If a child cries a lot and often needs breast, it means that he is hungry and does not gorge himself

Compared to formula feeding, the baby really asks for breast more often, since human milk is absorbed very quickly, and the formula takes longer. In addition, it is often easier for a baby to suck milk from a bottle than it is to take from a breast. But this behavior does not at all indicate a lack of nutrition for the little one. You should focus only on the weight gain per month and the number of baby urinates per day.

Myth 5. Different women have different milk fat content.

Some women are lucky to have fatty milk, while others are unlucky because they have low-fat blue milk. This misconception is associated with the color of expressed milk, the front portion of which does have a bluish tinge. This part of the milk is a drink for the baby, so by its color it is impossible to judge what kind of milk a woman has as a whole. If mom could express milk from the back of the breast, she would be sure of its fat content, but it is very difficult to get it manually.

Myth 6. The breast has stopped filling, which means that the baby does not have enough milk

This situation often occurs after a month or two feedings, when the woman begins to feel that the milk is no longer arriving in the required volume. Experiences further worsen the situation and can lead to the end of lactation. In fact, the absence of hot flashes has nothing to do with the amount of milk in the female breast, since 1-2 months after giving birth, milk begins to be produced exactly as much as is needed for the crumbs, and it arrives in the gland often in the process of sucking the baby's mother's breast.

Myth 7. A nursing mother needs to eat more than usual.

Without a doubt, the nutrition of a mother who is breastfeeding a baby must be of high quality and balanced. However, to do this, you should not significantly increase the portions. The baby will receive all the nutrients with breast milk, even if the mother eats very poorly, but the health of the woman herself will be undermined by the lack of vitamins. So nutrition should be given close attention, but not the volume of dishes, but their usefulness. It should also be remembered that breastfeeding mothers should not go on diets and exercise hard until the baby is 9 months old.

Myth 8. The formula is almost identical to breast milk, so it doesn't matter how you feed your baby.

No matter how much the manufacturers praise their high-quality mixtures and no matter what valuable ingredients they add, no artificial nutrition can compare with milk from a woman's breast. An important difference between these two options for food for a baby is that the composition of human milk changes in accordance with the growth of the baby and the needs of the baby. Let's not forget about the psychological connection between a nursing mother and a baby.

Myth 9. After 6 months, the baby no longer needs milk.

Although complementary foods are already beginning to be introduced to a six-month-old toddler, human milk still remains the staple food for an infant. It does not lose its valuable properties even when the child is one or two years old.

Myth 10

If cracks appear from sucking, then it is better to switch to a mixture. The situation when the baby in the first days of sucking rubs the nipples until they bleed is quite common. The reason for this is incorrect attachment. And having corrected it, it is quite possible to breastfeed the baby for a long time. The use of special pads also contributes to the rapid healing of cracks.

When is it worth stopping hepatitis B?

According to experts, the best time to stop breastfeeding is the period of involution. Most often, this stage of lactation occurs at the age of a child from 1.5 to 2.5 years. To complete the GV, it is important to take into account the readiness of both the child and the mother. The gradual curtailment of lactation will not harm either the mental state of the baby or the mother's breast.

There are situations when it is necessary to stop hepatitis B abruptly, for example, in case of an acute illness of the mother. In this case, one should be guided by the advice of a doctor so that the process of parting the baby with the breast, and the mammary glands with milk, is the least painful for everyone.

Read more about stopping lactation in another article.

1. To successfully establish lactation, it is important to take care of the early attachment of the baby to the mother's breast. Ideally, the baby should be laid on the woman's belly and found the breast immediately after delivery. Such contact will trigger the natural mechanisms of lactation regulation.
2. While waiting for the arrival of mature milk, you should not feed the baby with formula. Due to the small amount of colostrum, many women are worried, believing that the baby is starving. However, colostrum contains substances valuable for the baby, and supplementation with a mixture can greatly harm the development of lactation.
3. You should not replace your mother's breast with a pacifier. Let the baby be breastfed whenever he wants to suckle. Using a nipple will help distract the little one, but it can negatively affect lactation, especially if it has not already been established. In addition, the breast for the newborn is not only a source of food. During sucking, a deep psychological contact is established between the baby and the mother.
4. If you give the breast to the baby on demand, you do not need to add water to the baby. The first part of the milk sucked out is represented by a more liquid part containing a lot of water, therefore it serves as a drink for the baby. If you give the baby water in addition, this can reduce the volume of lactation.
5. You should not express after feeding until it is completely empty. This advice was common at a time when all children were advised to feed by the hour. Babies rarely breastfeed, and due to the lack of stimulation, less milk was produced, so it was necessary to additionally provoke milk production by full expression. Now the breast is offered to the baby on demand, and during sucking, the baby makes a request for the next feeding - how much the baby sucks milk, so much of it will be produced. If you additionally express your breasts when the baby has already eaten, the next time more milk will arrive than the little one needs. And this increases the risk of lactostasis.
6. Do not give your baby a second breast until the baby has emptied the first breast. In the first months, it is recommended to alternate breasts no more often than every 1-2 hours. If you give the baby a second breast, when he has not yet sucked the hind milk from the first, this threatens digestive problems. Both breasts may need to feed a baby over 5 months of age.
7. There is no need to rush to start introducing complementary foods into the children's diet. Exclusively breastfed infants receive sufficient nutrients until 6 months of age. And even after six months, milk remains the main food for the baby, and with the help of all the new products, the baby first simply learns tastes and consistency that differ from human milk.
8. Find out what feeding positions are, since changing the position during the day will help prevent milk stagnation, because in different positions the baby will suck more actively from different lobes of the breast. The main positions that every nursing mom should master are lying down and feeding in a sitting position from under the arm.
9. Doctors call the minimum period of breastfeeding 1 year, and experts consider the optimal duration of breastfeeding to be 2-3 years. Earlier weaning can be difficult for both the infant's psyche and the woman's breasts.
10. It is not at all necessary to give up breastfeeding for any mother's illness. For example, if a woman has ARVI, you should not interrupt feeding, since the baby will receive antibodies from her mother's milk. Lactation can be prevented only by those diseases that we indicated in the contraindications.

For successful breastfeeding, the World Health Organization recommends:

• Attach the baby to the mother's breast for the first time in the first hour after birth.
• Give the baby a breast at the request of the baby.
• Nutrition

Breastfeeding is a healthy and correct way to feed your newborn. It is worth understanding the benefits of breastfeeding, finding out how to help yourself with possible complications and how to choose the right diet for nursing.

The composition and benefits of breast milk

Breastfeeding a mother is a natural and wonderful phenomenon that connects a mother with a child, in addition, it benefits the health of not only the child, but also the mother. The baby's body nourishes breast milk with nutrients and nutrients necessary for the baby's body. Increases cognitive abilities, reduces the occurrence of chronic diseases, helps to strengthen the immune system.

The main the components of human milk are:fats, proteins, carbohydrates and minerals ... And also the main component iswater ... Everything is in a balanced state, we can say that there is nothing superfluous in the composition of human milk.

Squirrels

There is a special fraction of proteins in breast milk, which is practically not destroyed in the child's digestive system and has immune activity, being components of the body's defense system.

• Lactoferrin- iron-containing glycoprotein. Due to its ability to bind iron, it can block this element, in the composition of bacterial cells of pathogenic microorganisms, thereby suppressing their growth.
• Immunoglobulins Is a group of whey proteins. A variety of them is IgA immunoglobulin, which is capable of enveloping the intestinal mucosa and throat, thereby preventing viruses and bacteria from penetrating through it.
• Lysozyme- like lactoferrin, it has bactericidal activity, disrupting the integrity of the bacterial membrane. In human milk, its concentration is 300 times higher than in cow's milk.
• Alpha lactalbumin- promotes the formation of peptides with immunoregulatory and antibacterial properties, supports the growth of bifidoflora in the intestines of the child. When it is broken down in the gastrointestinal tract, bioactive lipids are formed, the so-called HAMLET complex, which helps to destroy cancer cells.

Milk can independently change its composition, determining by saliva which proteins the child needs right now!

Oligosaccharides

About 130 types of oligosaccharides have been identified; the biological role of most of them is still poorly understood. Many of them are able to suppress the binding of toxins of viral and microbial origin with the cells of the intestinal epithelium. All oligosaccharides are prebiotics, stimulating the growth of beneficial intestinal microflora.

Water

Milk contains about 90% water. Therefore, for a child it is both drink and food. Moreover, its optimal temperature, such as is needed for good absorption of liquid. Thus, breast milk proves another advantage over artificial formula: itsno need to heat or coolin case of overheating. Be sure to breastfeed your baby on demand, maybe he just wants to drink, and dehydration is extremely dangerous for a fast-growing organism, as it disrupts the functioning of many organs.

Fats

The fats in human milk are not quite the milk fats we are used to. By their consistency, they are an emulsion of a very fine composition. These fats are easily digested by gastric juice and 95% absorbed by the body. They have twice the polyunsaturated acid content of cow's milk and have a very low melting point.Human milk fat, like most natural fats, has several main components: triglycerides; phospholipids; sterols.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates in human milk are presented lactose ... This milk sugar differs in structure from animal lactose. For a newborn child, it plays an invaluable role, since lactose supplies beneficial biphytobacteria to the intestines. While developing, they suppress pathogens, and therefore those babies who are breastfeeding are much less likely to suffer from diseases of the digestive system.

Minerals

Their composition is so optimal that it does not imply a lack of any trace elements. If, for example, cow's milk contains the same amount of calcium and phosphorus, then in the mother's milk their ratio is already 2: 1. And also, in comparison with the cow, the female has an increased content of such elements: zinc, copper, potassium and iron, sodium, chlorine, phosphorus, calcium, iodine and others.

There is enough calcium in milk, it is less than in cow's milk, but just as much as your baby needs for development and it is absorbed much better than from a mixture.

Vitamins

By the amount of vitamin A, D and E breast milksurpasses cow by 2-3 times... Moreover, these vitamins are in optimal condition for the child. The amount of vitamins can only be influenced by the mother's nutrition.

Vitamin K- little in colostrum, a lot in mature milk. At the 2nd week of a child's life, its own flora is formed for the synthesis of this vitamin.

Vitamin E- enough for the needs of the child.

Vitamin D- depends on the mother's nutrition, so you need to eat fish, eggs, butter and flaxseed oil.

Water-soluble vitamins (ascorbic acid, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, pyridoxine, folic acid and vitamin B6, B12 and others) directly depend on the mother's nutrition.

In addition, scientists have noticed that during the assimilation of breast milk, the baby spends much less gastric juice than when eating cow's milk.

Enzymes and hormones

The main function of enzymes is to accelerate biochemical reactions, and hormones to regulate their speed. Enzymes in breast milk facilitate the absorption of its components. Since the synthesis of its own enzymes by the child's body is still insufficient. So the enzymes pepsinogen and trypsin are directly involved in the breakdown of protein. Lipase facilitates the breakdown of fat due to its partial hydrolysis before entering the stomach.

Nucleotides... When they talk about the protein content in milk, they often mean the total protein, determined by a calculation method based on the nitrogen content. However, the nitrogen-containing compounds of milk include not only proteins, peptides and amino acids, but also other compounds containing nitrogen. These substances include nucleotides - nitrogen-containing compounds, precursors of DNA and RNA, the content of which in breast milk is 7-10 mg / 100 ml. In the human body, their synthesis is limited and is carried out only in certain tissues. Therefore, food is almost the only way to enter the body. Their functions boil down to the following:

• maturation of the immune system and the formation of an immune response;
• a universal source of energy that promotes cell growth and division;
• participate in the formation of normal intestinal microflora and the exchange of essential fatty acids.

Breast milk contains immune cells (macrophages and leukocytes), which provide protection against various infections. In addition, breast milk contains dozens of types bifidobacteria necessary for the formation of an adequate immune response and playing a huge role in the fight against infections and inflammation.

What are the benefits of breast milk for a newborn?

Strong immunity

So, with a constant flow of nutritious and beneficial elements that are present in breast milk, important antibodies are transmitted, transmitted from mother to child. Babies are generally very susceptible to disease and complications often develop. Scientists have proven that infants have a reduced risk of developing various types of allergies, asthma, and they also have less frequent respiratory diseases and indigestion.

Breast milk protects the baby from infections

So if mom gets sick then l the oykocytes in her body produce protective antibodies to the disease. Individual leukocytes enter the mammary gland and produce antibodies there. Antibodies to the mother's infection pass into the milk and protect the baby.

If a child is sick : Mom inhales and absorbs pathogens from the baby's skin when she kisses the baby, sniffs, washes, and presses. Mom's immune system receives information about the infection and activates its lymphocytes. The activated lymphocytes enter the mother's breast and begin to secrete antibodies into the milk. The baby suckles at the breast and receives renewed protection - antibodies developed specifically to fight the actual infection.

Disease prevention

Recent studies have established the fact that without the use of mother's milk, infants develop diseases such as obesity and even asthma, this is a very significant advantage of this process.

Normal growth

The necessary composition of minerals and nutrients that breast milk contains is ideally accepted by the baby's body. Milk contains proteins, fats, antibodies and vitamins. Affects the quality of the milk itself and the products consumed by the mother, during the first postpartum months, the mother should eat only high-quality and healthy products, adhering to a certain diet.

Improving cognitive skills

Scientists also linked breastfeeding to an increase in IQ scores in an already matured child. Even with its growth, cognitive abilities increase.

What are the benefits of breastfeeding for mom?

Reducing weight gained during pregnancy

It is believed that it is especially important for women who gained excess weight during pregnancy not to give up breastfeeding, since the child's body absorbs nutrients from the mother's body, the so-called proteins and fats, from the mother's body. Because of which a large number of calories are burned from breastfeeding, this process also speeds up the metabolism.

Cessation of uterine bleeding

Thanks to the hormone oxytocin, which the body produces during lactation, the uterus, being protected, without any problems returns to the prenatal state. Heavy bleeding can trigger postpartum complications. Breastfeeding can help reduce the chances of these complications.

Improving the emotional state

Among women who have given birth, there is such a dangerous consequence as postpartum depression. With the help of breastfeeding, with close contact with the baby, mothers experience a decrease in anxiety and improve their overall emotional state.

Strong bones

During pregnancy and lactation, the body's ability to absorb calcium increases, which is why a nursing mother is four times less likely to develop osteoporosis.

WHO Breastfeeding Rules

Almost every woman is capable of breastfeeding her baby, while having a sufficient amount of milk. According to statistics, only about 5% of women cannot breastfeed due to hormonal disorders.

• You need to feed your baby "on demand ", And not by the hour. Feed your baby when he starts sobbing, wakes up and looks for breasts, tries and cannot sleep. Remember that milk for your baby is not only food, but also drink. If breastfeeding occurs during the winter, your baby may need frequent breastfeeding. In the first days it will seem to you that you spend all the time with him "in your arms." Gradually, your regimen will come to ten to twelve feedings during the day. A newborn baby looks for her mother's breast with every movement. He can be capricious, turn his head, open his mouth in search of, all these signs indicate the child's desire to suck on the breast, not always for food, sometimes to calm down, and sometimes just feel the mother's warmth.

• Feed one breast at a time. To keep the baby full, do not rush to change breasts during feeding. Try to feed him with only one breast at a time, as with prolonged suckling of the mammary gland, the baby "gets" to the hind milk. It is thicker than the front and contains fats, nutrients that support satiety. The baby is more likely to get drunk with the first liquid milk than to eat enough. But it is also necessary to quench the child's thirst.

• Without supplementary feeding ... Lack of supplementary feeding and supplementation with water is the main factor in the question of how to properly breastfeed a newborn. Until he is six months old, he doesn't need anything other than your milk. Supplementation and supplementation violate the natural intestinal microflora, prolong the process of maturation of the gastrointestinal tract.

• No pacifiers ... A nipple, a bottle, and a pacifier are the main enemies of full-fledged breastfeeding. They form the baby's wrong sucking skills, which negatively affects the level of lactation, excludes full breast emptying, creates a risk of injury to the mother's nipples due to improper grip.

• It is necessary to attach the baby to the breast for the first minutes of life.

With the correct attachment of the baby, the breast is stimulated to the right extent for the production of milk, and the baby sucking asks for the amount and quality of milk he needs.

Also, proper attachment will save you from trouble, such as cracked nipples and more. You can take the advice of an experienced relative or friend, or consult a breastfeeding consultant at the hospital. After all, the first attachments are the key to successful feeding in the future.

• Breastfeed your baby at night.

The break between feedings should not exceed 4 hours. It is necessary to monitor this at night. If the child does not wake up to eat himself, he should be woken up in order to offer the baby a breast at the right time. Night feeds are important to stimulate lactation. They maintain sufficient prolactin levels, on which the production of breast milk depends. The greatest amount of prolactin is produced at night, in the interval from 2 to 8 hours. It is recommended to follow such a routine before the introduction of complementary foods, that is, until the baby is six months old.

How to properly latch your baby to the breast

How to prepare breasts for breastfeeding and learn how to latch on correctly? The importance of the correct attachment of the newborn to the breast is very great, because the health of not only the baby, but also the mother directly depends on it. An improperly performed procedure can lead to milk stagnation and mastitis.

Left wrong, right right attachment to the chest

The basic rule of how to properly attach the baby to the breast is to give the baby's breast as deep as possible so that both the nipple and the areola are in his mouth. To do this, you need to get into the upper part of the mouth that is already open in search of, after which the child is simply pressed closer to you.

Let's try to figure out in more detail what and how to do. For a successful attachment, the child must open his mouth wide, as if yawning. To do this, choose a comfortable position. Tilting your head slightly forward will not work, since the tongue rises in this position, being behind the gums, and for comfortable sucking, it must cover the lower gum from above and cover the chest.

Raising your head slightly, you can see that the mouth opens quite wide, and protruding the tongue does not cause problems. It is necessary to provide the child with a position in which he can be with a wide open mouth and a straightened neck, also make sure that there is no pressure on the back of the head, give support to the neck and back.

A comfortable, comfortable position for both the mother and the baby is of great importance during this procedure. Well seated, correct attachment is assured. It is worth considering the fact that the baby should be calm when feeding. After all, any person concentrates better and performs better work being in a good mood.

Lack of milk: how to identify and stimulate milk production?

It is important to remember that it is necessary to stimulate milk production only after making sure that the baby really lacks it. Determining scarcity can be done simply by observing the behavior of the infant. It is necessary to increase lactation if:

• the baby expresses irritation by the end of feeding without falling asleep;
• cannot withstand the usual time between latching to the breast, waking up earlier;
• the appearance of "hungry" stool - it is liquid and has a brownish color;
• the child urinates less than 6 times a day;
• does not add weight well.

If the baby has more than two of the above signs, it makes sense to stimulate lactation. This process is supported by:

• eliminate stress;
• adherence to feeding techniques;
• the use of additional agents that help improve lactation. There are natural stimulants for lactation. These are such teas for its increase as "Lactafitol", "Hipp" and other drinks and products that are advised to use by nursing mothers.

• expressing milk;
• drinking plenty of fluids. Try to drink at least 2 liters of fluid a day. By increasing the liquid, an increase in milk productivity can be achieved. It is not recommended to drink cow's milk, it does not increase lactation, but can cause allergies or colic in a child.
• stimulation of the nipples. Stimulating the nipples can trick the body into simulating an increased need for milk and causing an increase in the amount in the mammary gland.

In addition, the nutrition of a lactating woman should be balanced and varied. This helps the body to fulfill its natural functions, enriches milk with the necessary vitamins and microelements that are necessary for the baby. The diet of a nursing mother should be protein, fat and slow carbohydrates. It is advisable to exclude spicy, smoked, canned and other foods that retain water in the body; they can provoke allergies and reduce the production of breast milk.

Prayer before the icon of the Mother of God "Mammal" with a lack of breast milk

The joy of motherhood can be spoiled by such an unpleasant phenomenon as a lack of breast milk for various reasons. A prayer in front of the icon of the Mother of God "Mammal" can help to cope with such a problem. Women who have given birth most often turn to this image, asking for a blessing to feed their baby. They turn to the shrine with a request that the breastfeeding of the baby be successful and long-lasting.

Receive, O Lady Theotokos, the tearful prayers of Thy laborers that flow to Thee. We see Thee on the holy icon, bearing on the hands and nourishing Thy Son and our God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though she gave birth to him painlessly, and even more, the mother was grieving for the weight and weakness of the sons and daughters of men. Wherefore warm pripadayusche to tselbonosnomu way of Thy and tenderly this lobyzayusche, we pray Thee, the All-Merciful Lady: us sinners, convicted in bolezneh gives birth and in pechaleh pitatsya children of ours, mercifully merciful and compassionate atonement, babies as ours takozhde and rodivshiya them from tyazhkago sickness and bitter sorrow, please. Grant them health and well-being, that they will also have nourishment from power to the power of growth, and those who nourish them will be filled with joy and consolation, as even now Thy representation is from the mouth of the young man and the martyrs of the Lord. Oh, Mother of the Son of God! Have mercy on the mothers of the sons of men and on your weak people: heal the sickness that befalls us soon, the sorrow and sorrow that lay upon us, and do not overlook the tears and sighs of Your labors. Hear us on the day of mourning before thy icon those who fall, and on the day of joy of redemption, receive the grateful praise of our hearts. Raise up our supplications to the throne of Thy Son and our God, so that He may be merciful to our sin and powerlessness, and He will show His mercy to those who lead His Name, as I have given the Lord, and I have given you the gift of God, who is merciful. ... Amen."

When is it necessary to express milk?

Immediately in the postpartum period, milk in the breast is quite active. If the baby is not very often or incorrectly attached to the breast, there may be a lot of it, which will cause discomfort for the mother. In this case, milk must be expressed, the main thing is not to overdo it, as you can cause hyperlactation. It will stop when the breasts become soft.

With blockage of the milk ducts, lactostasis, painful seals may appear, which can cause an increase in temperature. Milk is expressed from such areas. When the seals dissolve, you need to regularly apply the crumbs to the chest, and then they will drain on their own.

If a woman in labor takes antibiotics that are dangerous to the newborn, the baby is weaned while taking medications. In this case, they are decanted up to 10 times a day. After recovery, breastfeeding is continued. Premature babies and children with pathologies are fed with expressed milk from a bottle. If the baby has not been breastfeed 6 hours after delivery, pumping should also be started. Sometimes the overflowing mammary gland becomes very hard, it prevents the baby from grabbing the nipple, in which case expressing will help relieve the swelling of the gland. We'll talk about how to do this a little later.

How to express breast milk correctly?

You can drain the milk by hand or with a breast pump. Breast pumps can be electric or manual. They must be thoroughly washed and sterilized before use. Do not use on women who have cracked nipples. When using this device, you must follow the attached instructions. They have a good effect when the breasts are full. In this case, you can perform combined pumping: first with a breast pump, and then manually.

Electric breast pump

Having chosen to pump by hand, you need to do a light massage of the breast. In this process, it is necessary to monitor the smoothness of movements so as not to injure the areola. This activity can take up to half an hour.

How is breast milk stored?

So, you need to collect milk in a clean, sterilized vessel. For long-term storage, it is placed in a refrigerator. Breast milk contains antibodies that protect it from pathogenic bacteria. Milk can be left outside the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours.

In fridge. Expressed milk can stand for more than a week in the refrigerator. On the shelves, the average temperature is + 4-6 ° C, it allows you to keep the freshness of milk for up to 5-6 days. At 0 to + 3 ° C, the shelf life of breast milk is extended to 8 days. It is recommended to place the food farther, to the back of the refrigerator, where the temperature is lower.

Do not place expressed breast milk on the door, as frequent door openings will cause temperature changes. Such leaps are unfavorable, since they allow the multiplication of harmful bacteria. Milk must not be refrigerated immediately after expressing. It is necessary to keep it indoors for some time.

In the freezer. Freezing allows you to preserve breast milk for a long period, since the temperature in the compartments of the freezer averages -18 ° C-24 ° C. The optimal temperature regime in this case is -18 ° С. Such storage conditions allow keeping freshness for just over 6-8 months. If the constant temperature range is from -20 ° C, then the shelf life of milk increases to 12 months. If it is impossible to set a low temperature, it is permissible to store the frozen product at -5-8 ° C. It will remain usable for six months.

Mommy's nutrition when breastfeeding

As mentioned above, the diet of a nursing mother should be balanced, contain many minerals and vitamins. Choosing a diet is quite difficult, because some foods are poorly tolerated by children. Some mothers make special meal schedules and note in them the child's reaction to a particular product.

• It is imperative to eat meat (200g), poultry fillets, not fatty fish, cottage cheese (100g), cheese (30g), vegetables (500g), fruits (300g), creamy (15g) and vegetable (30g). ) butter.
• Foods well tolerated by babies: low-fat kefir and yogurt, sour cream, buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, potatoes, beef, turkey fillets, baked apples.

The basic rules for breastfeeding are:

• 5-6 meals a day for the mother (3 main meals and 2 snacks). It is better to time a meal to coincide with feeding - the best time is 30 minutes before it.
• Boiled and steam cooking methods, avoiding fatty and fried foods.
• Eating only freshly prepared natural food, excluding semi-finished products, foods with dyes and preservatives, all types of canned food.
• The introduction of large amounts of dairy products containing calcium.
• Eating lean meats and fish.
• Compliance with the drinking regime - 1.5-1.6 liters per day (purified water, still table water, fruit drinks, fruit drinks). Fluid intake is one of the most important factors in lactation. You need to drink a glass of water 10 minutes before feeding. At the same time, you should not drink excess fluids, which can cause swelling, stress on the kidneys and excess milk production and subsequently lactostasis .
• During lactation, products that enhance fermentation are excluded (legumes, sweets, pastries, kvass, black bread, bananas, grapes, sweet apples, sauerkraut, cabbage, cucumbers, carbonated drinks, confectionery, sweet cheeses, curd spreads and sweet cereals).
• Limit the consumption of raw vegetables and fruits, as in this form they increase motility and cause bloating. For this reason, it is best to bake or stew vegetables and fruits and start with small portions, as high amounts of fiber can make your baby's stool loose and bloated.
• Vegetables with coarse fiber and essential oils, which are strong digestive stimulants (radish, radish, turnip, celery, sorrel, mushrooms), and can cause bloating and intestinal colic in a child are not allowed.

The rest of the products should be introduced gradually and with great care, they can cause allergies.

Forbidden to use: legumes, cabbage, smoked meats and pickles, sausage, canned food, beer, kvass, coffee, caviar, drinks with sugar content.

Potential Breastfeeding Problems

It would seem that breastfeeding is a natural process, however, mothers often face problems, because of which they have to complete GW. Even if mom is experienced, and she has not had her first child, she is not immune from problems with feeding. So what are the problems?

The breast is full, milk cannot be expressed well, and the baby cannot take the breast (edema)

When transitional milk comes in for 2-3 days, the breast, not knowing the baby's needs, pours, becomes heavy, full and painful. If before the child took the breast with ease, now it is difficult for him to grasp the hard nipple. Considering that the first milk is produced both by the baby and expressed by the mother, it is very difficult. Because colostrum and first milk are rather viscous. Milk comes, the baby cries because he is hungry, and it is difficult for him to grab a breast. If the mother still does not correctly attach the baby to the breast, then lumps may appear in the breast. Increases in body temperature are not uncommon.

So, if you have most of the following symptoms, then we have the so-called engorgement of the mammary glands:

• The chest feels "stone", painful. Areola stiff, inelastic, crowded.
• Pressing on the areola is painful, making it difficult to feed the baby.
• The nipple becomes invisible, flat.
• Milk does not flow out - swelling interferes with it, blocking its path.
• It may be difficult for a child to grasp such a breast, he slips from a dense areola onto the nipple, or he cannot suck at all.
• Feeding often does not provide relief because milk is not flowing.
• It doesn't work out very well either.

So what should you do in such a situation? There is a way out, do not be afraid, these are not strong slaps, slaps on the chest and painful kneading of lumps. They are of no use whatsoever. First you need to remove the swelling and soften the areola so that milk can flow freely.

There are a very effective technique is the technique of softening the areola with pressure according to Jean Cotterman.

For this you need to gently with your fingers, gently and painlessly press on the areola towards the chest and hold the pressure for at least 1 minute. If the swelling is severe, do the exercise for 2-3 minutes, repeating as needed.

At the time, the areola again becomes soft and elastic, and the nipple is more pronounced. But most importantly, the ducts are freed - the way for milk. The baby can suck and can get milk.

If mom's nails are short enough, she can simultaneously press on the areola with bent fingers of both hands, while her nail plates will almost touch the nipple. The goal is to create a ring of 6-8 small pits or indentations in the areola around the base of the nipple.

If mommy has severe swelling of the areola applied two-finger pressure method. This method allows you to achieve a more even distribution of interstitial fluid. .

The essence of the method is as follows.

If the mother has short nails, she should make a "dimple" in the central part of the areola. Grasping the nipple, she needs to press inward with her fingers, towards the chest for 1-3 minutes. In this case, the bent first phalanges of the fingers increase the pressure area. If necessary, you can turn the arm at a different angle and repeat.

Why does it help? The reason is as follows. Any excess intercellular fluid is temporarily squeezed inward, in the direction of the natural outflow of lymph.
Longitudinal compression of the ducts under the areola displaces some of the milk back into deeper ducts. Releasing tension in the walls of congested ducts under the areola reduces the discomfort of attachment. The elasticity of the nipple-areola complex increases, and as a result, the child can pull it deeper into the mouth.
Almost always, after three minutes or even earlier, it is possible to induce a milk separation reflex due to uniform stimulation of the nerves going to the nipple and areola. This reflex propels milk forward to the nipple.
After applying this method, additional manual pumping is also easier to obtain to further soften the areola.

For greater effect, we do softening with pressure like this:

• We lay on our back. Under the shoulder blades - a pillow - so that the chest is even higher.
• The hand from the side of the chest, with which we plan to work, is thrown aside.
• Several times with the edge of the palm, gently stroke the breast from the nipple towards the subclavian lymph nodes - i.e. to the collarbone, and to the armpits - to the armpit. Movement - as if we disperse water. The goal is to "disperse" the edema a little beforehand. It is he who gives pain and stoniness, and not milk itself (the technique and idea of ​​Jean Cotterman, Maya Bolman, Tatiana Kondrashova).

After that - actually softening by pressure - we put our fingers around the areola and hold the "chamomile". At least one minute, longer if the swelling is severe. You will feel how the areola becomes softer, your fingers seem to sink deeper.

When the areola is completely soft and painless when squeezed, you can attach the baby. Or pump if he's not sucking yet. The milk will now flow out and the suckling will be effective and the breasts will soften further. The best breastfeeding position is to place the baby on top of the breast. The most nursing one needs to take a reclining position.

After feeding, you can attach the cabbage leaf, after preliminary washing and softening with a rolling pin.

Remember, if you soften the areola, freeing the ducts from compression by edema, milk will flow, and engorgement can and really be removed almost painlessly!

Breastfeeding nipple cracks, what to do?

By about the fifth day after birth, if the baby is not properly attached to the breast, cracks and abrasions may form on the nipples. At this point, consultation with a breastfeeding specialist is advisable.

Fundamental rules:

• The child should stick to the breast by capturing the areola (more than one nipple);
• Sore breasts suck less in time;
• Lubricate the nipple with "Bepanten" or "Solcoseryl", take a damp cloth and apply to the mammary gland, covering it with polyethylene and put on a bra. Before feeding the baby, the breast should be rinsed with warm water.

To prevent cracks and pain on the nipples, it is necessary: ​​to master the correct feeding technique, you do not need to use breast pads for feeding, remove the breast from the baby's mouth with your little finger, feeding the baby, lubricate the nipples with your own milk and let it dry, wash your breasts every day, at least once.

Breastfeeding is the best feeding option for newborns. With breast milk, the child receives all the trace elements and vitamins necessary for his further development and growth. It is this feeding method that is the safest, most convenient and economical.

Breastfeeding is an inherently natural process, which in most cases should proceed without problems and bring joy to mom and baby. It has long been noticed that latching on to the breast calms the baby, gives him a sense of security and a feeling of closeness with the most important person - his mother. But not all mothers manage to easily and quickly establish proper breastfeeding. We hope that the following tips and tricks will help women in this important endeavor.

# 1: Early Breastfeeding: Making Contact With Your Baby

Experts have found that the earlier the baby is attached to the breast, the faster breastfeeding will be established. It is recommended to apply the newborn to the mother's breast for the first time no later than 1 hour after childbirth., therefore, in many maternity hospitals, babies are applied in the first minutes after birth. It is very important for the baby to receive colostrum, which appears in the mother immediately after childbirth and is beneficial in its properties.

Early attachment contributes not only to successful lactation, but also to the establishment of the first contact between mother and child. Skin to skin... This is their first meeting, direct contact, touch. It is especially important for a newborn to feel the closeness of the mother, to hear her heartbeat. Plus, the first application contributes to a faster discharge of the placenta in women in labor, and contributes to the formation of intestinal microflora and immunity in a newborn baby.

Pediatrician, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Alla Pavlovna Surovtseva talks about the first application:

# 2: Correct latching is the basis for successful feeding

During the first feed, it is important that the baby licks correctly at the breast. At the same time, doctors should help the newly-made mom and check the baby's sucking reflex.

In the event that the newborn was attached to the breast incorrectly, the mother will have to face a number of troubles in the future:

• cracked nipples;
• mastitis and lactostasis;
• poor milk flow;
• refusal of the child from the breast.

In order to avoid such problems, a woman in labor should consult with doctors and, during each feeding, make sure that the baby is correctly attached to the breast.

1. At first, a woman should find a position that is comfortable for herself and the newborn. Feeding while sitting or lying on your side is considered optimal. These positions help to create a comfortable feeding environment and ensure good milk flow. (See article about all).
2. Secondly, you need to monitor how the baby captures the breast. It is considered correct to capture not only the nipple, but also the area around it.
3. Thirdly, the mother should hold the breast and slightly direct it to the baby's mouth.

Initially, correct application will protect a woman from cracks and abrasions on the nipples, lactostasis. The baby, with correct attachment, will actively suck and gorge. If the attachment goes wrong, the mother will experience discomfort and even painful sensations during feeding, the baby will also be uncomfortable and difficult to suckle, and he may completely refuse to breastfeed.

In the event that the newborn does not properly capture the breast, you need to interrupt the feeding and offer him the breast again, substituting it for the correct capture. Don't be afraid and insecure. The baby will calmly accept this situation and will soon understand how to accept the breast.

But the uncertainty of the mother, in addition to all sorts of troubles, can also result in the retraining of the child in the correct capture, which will take about 7-10 days. In some cases, it is improper attachment to the breast that is the primary reason for the refusal of a newborn from breastfeeding.

Natalia Kudryashova, a specialist in breastfeeding and childcare, tells and shows how to properly attach a baby to the breast:

# 3: Feeding on demand is an important condition for HW

A few years ago, feeding by the hour was considered correct. In accordance with this, the baby should be fed at regular intervals (usually every 3 hours).

Breastfeeding rules have changed somewhat these days. Modern experts believe that for successful lactation and absence of problems, feeding on demand of the child is necessary.

Every newborn needs a different feeding schedule. In this regard, it is important to listen to the needs of the child and satisfy them at the first request. Offer your baby a breast whenever he is naughty, whimpering, or opens his mouth in search of a milk source. Even if the previous feed was an hour ago. In addition, frequent lactation increases milk supply and improves lactation.

Do not worry about overeating during on-demand feeding. First, the baby will not eat more than he needs. Secondly, his stomach is adapted to the rapid assimilation of breast milk. After a while, the child will form his own schedule, which will be optimal for his needs.

Feeding on demand contributes to the creation of psycho-emotional comfort for the newborn. The baby feels that his needs are being met in a timely manner, which means that he is important and needed, he is loved. Such children grow up more balanced, calm and confident compared to those who were fed on time.

# 4: Duration of feeding: how long should the baby suckle

The duration of feeding depends on several factors:

• the sucking reflex of the baby and the efforts that he makes;
• correct attachment to the chest;
• saturation of the child.

On average, the feeding process lasts 20-30 minutes. However, feeding should not be limited to strict time frames. The baby will move away from the breast by himself when he is full. The duration of feeding is due to the fact that at the beginning of feeding, the child receives early milk, rich in water, minerals and carbohydrates (i.e. the baby drinks), and after 3-6 minutes of sucking it reaches the rear milk, which is rich in fats and proteins. those. begins to eat fully.

In some cases, the baby can suckle at the breast not only because of the feeling of hunger, but also in order to calm down, to feel safety, being near the mother. Do not deprive your child of this opportunity. In this way, he seeks contact with his mother, keeps in touch with her. This explains the peaceful sleep of newborns after breastfeeding: having calmed down and having eaten, the babies fall asleep sweetly, feeling completely safe.

As he grows up, the baby will learn to more quickly satisfy his need for satiety and will find other ways to establish contact with his mother. This means that feeding time will be significantly reduced. But in the first months, be sure to give the newborn the opportunity to be at the breast as much as he wants.

See how much to breastfeed by time:

# 5: alternate attachment

The correctness of breastfeeding largely depends on the alternate attachment of the baby to the breast. During one feeding, the mother should offer the baby only one breast, during the next feeding - the other. This is due not only to the gradual accumulation of milk in the mammary glands, but also to its composition.

So, for several minutes of sucking, the baby absorbs early milk, which satisfies his need for fluid. This is liquid milk containing water, carbohydrates, and minerals. Only after 3-6 minutes does late milk begin to emerge. It is thicker and richer in healthy fats and nutrients. If a woman changes her breasts during one feeding, the baby may not receive late milk, which is valuable in its composition. As a result, the newborn may remain hungry and lack the necessary micronutrients.

In addition, alternate latching is also useful for the mother: excess milk will not linger in her breasts, and the mammary glands will quickly adapt to the established regimen.

When the baby grows up (5-6 months), he may not have enough milk from one breast. Only in this case it is possible to supplement it with the second breast.

# 6: feed at night

At night, it is also necessary to feed the newborn at his request. This will provide peace of mind for both the child and the parents. Night feeds help maintain lactation and milk production in sufficient quantities. At first, the baby may need 2-3 applications at night.

For the convenience of feeding the baby at night, mothers often resort to sleeping together. This allows you to feel the baby, quickly respond to his needs, offer him the breast without getting out of bed.

But if a mother decides to sleep with her baby, she should be especially careful and careful so as not to crush him during sleep. You also need to wake up for night feeding, and not feed the baby "through sleep".

Young parents consider the option optimal when the baby's bed is pushed close to their bed, and one of its side is open. This allows the baby to take a separate seat, but be in close proximity to the parents. And the mother can at any time move the newborn to her and feed him.

See Breastfeeding Consultant for Night Feeding:

Thus, properly organizing breastfeeding is a process that does not require certain efforts and special skills. If a woman is faced with any difficulties, she should consult with specialists. Do not forget that breastfeeding takes time... But loving mothers can easily endure all the troubles associated with the period of hepatitis B, because the benefits of breast milk for a newborn are priceless. No expensive formula contains as many nutrients as breast milk. Only breast milk acts as a natural defense of the newborn from bacteria and contributes to the formation of immunity.

In addition, breastfeeding is not only a natural and necessary process, but also an important moment in establishing emotional contact between mother and child.

More on the topic (entries from this section)

A woman who is still pregnant must make a clear decision to breastfeed. This forms a dominant in the brain for the formation and development of lactation. Correct breastfeeding is impossible without internal installation. The support of family and friends in this matter is important.

Second rule: first feeding of an infant

Ideally, the first attachment of the newborn is carried out in the delivery room. Early contact promotes the development of lactation and the colonization of the skin and intestines of the newborn with bifidum flora. How to properly apply a newborn for feeding, the nursing staff will show. If the condition of the child or postpartum woman does not allow this, the first attachment to the breast is postponed. If the woman is in a satisfactory condition, the medical staff teaches self-expression. This skill will prevent the extinction of milk production and the development of lactostasis. In the absence of contraindications, the child can be fed with expressed milk during a separate stay.

Third rule: correct attachment of the baby to the breast

The problem of how to properly attach a baby to the breast, especially for the first time, is very important. How to breastfeed, the newborn still does not know. And mom needs to remember or learn how how to properly breastfeed your baby:

• immediately before feeding, the mother needs to wash her hands and douse her breasts with warm water;
• decide on a posture for feeding. This is usually sitting (reclining) or standing (after episiotomy);
• the child is placed on the bend of the elbow, the other hand brings the nipple as close as possible to the baby's mouth;
• obeying reflexes, the baby himself will grab the nipple and begin to suck;
• the breast should be given so that the baby captures the nipple and almost the entire areola with his mouth. At the same time, his lower lip will be twisted slightly, the chin and nose touch the chest.

The child's nose should not sink. How to properly apply the baby for feeding is also important for the mother's health. If breastfeeding is not correct for a newborn, several breast problems can be acquired. First of all, it is maceration and cracked nipples.

• breastfeeding a newborn, especially the first few days, should be no more than 20 minutes each. This will allow the delicate skin of the nipples to harden and get used to the new effects.

This often does not work; the child may be restless or overweight and constantly demand food. In such cases, the nursing mother needs to arrange air baths more often and lubricate the nipples with healing ointments, such as Bepanten.

• one feeding - one breast. If the child has eaten everything from it and has not eaten, offer the second one. Start the next feeding with the last one. So the baby will receive not only the front milk, but also the rear milk.

Fourth rule: signs of milk production and flow into the breast

The symptoms of lactation are as follows:

• tingling or tightness in your chest;
• the release of milk while the baby is crying;
• for each sucking of the baby there is a sip of milk;
• leaking milk from the free breast during feeding.

These signs indicate the formed active reflex of oxytocin. Lactation is well established.

Fifth Rule: Feeding on Demand

It is necessary to feed a newborn baby frequently. In Soviet times, there were rules according to which breastfeeding was carried out every three hours and no more than twenty minutes. Nowadays it is recommended to feed the baby on demand. Give breast literally at the first squeak. For especially capricious and demanding children almost every hour. This allows you to feed your baby and give him a feeling of warmth and care.

Frequent attachments relieve the need for compulsory expression and serve as the prevention of lactostasis. And night feeds will serve as an excellent stimulation of the main lactation hormone - prolactin.

How much to breastfeed in time is ideally determined by the baby himself. If you turned away or fell asleep, it means that you are full. Over time, the baby will eat less often.

Sixth rule: sufficiency of feeding

Human milk in the process of its evolution goes through certain stages: colostrum, transitional, mature milk. Their quantity and quality composition ideally meets the needs of the newborn. Early and late milk is also excreted. The first is produced at the very beginning of feeding, and is rich in water and proteins. The second comes from the back of the mammary gland, it contains more fat. It is important for the baby to get both.

There are times when it seems to mom that she has no milk and the baby is not eating enough. To determine the adequacy of feeding, there are certain criteria:

• restoration of body weight at birth by the 10th day of life with an initial loss of 10%;
• 6 - 18 wet diapers per day;
• the child poops 6 - 10 times a day;
• positive oxytocin reflex;
• audible swallowing of the baby while sucking.

Seventh rule: accounting possible feeding problems

• flat or inverted nipples... In some cases, by the time of childbirth, this difficulty is resolved by itself. Others must remember that the baby, when sucking, must grasp both the nipple and most of the areola. Try to stretch the nipple yourself before feeding. Find a suitable feeding position. For many mothers, a comfortable position is "from under the arm." Use silicone pads. If the breast is tight and the newborn has a hard time sucking from it, express. The breasts will become softer in 1 - 2 weeks. And the child will not be deprived of mother's milk.

There is no need to try to "stretch" the nipples before childbirth. Excessive stimulation will lead to an increase in the tone of the uterus. Over time, an actively sucking child will normalize everything.

• cracked nipples... The basis of prevention is correct attachment to the breast. If cracks appear, use silicone pads. Apply lanolin ointment and Bepanten as often as possible. If the cracks are deep and the feeding is painful, use a breast pump;
• milk outflow... Easily solved by using special inserts. They are disposable and reusable;
• There is a lot of milk, and the child chokes on it... Strain some of the front milk. When feeding, it will flow out under less pressure;
• swelling of the mammary glands... Occurs when milk overflows. The chest is painful, swollen, hot to the touch, and very tight. Milk does not flow out of it. When this problem occurs, it is necessary to remove the milk from the breast faster. Give your baby a touch or pump often. Take a warm shower before feeding. Massage your breasts gently. This will improve churn. Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling after feeding;
• lactostasis and mastitis... Occur when the milk ducts are blocked. The body temperature rises, the chest hurts, the place of stagnation turns to stone. Expression is painful. A warm shower, gentle breast massage and frequent latching of a baby come to the rescue. When an infection joins, it is necessary to take antibiotics.

Infectious mastitis is a formidable complication that requires medical attention. Failure to convert is fraught with surgical intervention up to the loss of the breast.

• lactation crises... They develop at 3 - 6 weeks, at 3 - 4 and 7 - 8 months of a child's life. During these periods, the most important thing is to apply more often and be sure to feed the baby at night. Drink lemon balm, fennel, and cumin teas. Rest and eat well.

Feeding a baby with breast milk is a time consuming but naturally delightful process. Remember this and everything will work out.

Feeding needs may arise immediately after birth or some time after birth. In the first days, colostrum is formed in the woman's breast. Three days later, the colostrum in the breast of the giving birth woman is replaced by milk. It rushes to the mammary glands, the woman's breast begins to "burst" from the milk that has arrived.

If you do not express, then after a few feedings, its amount will return to normal, and will correspond to the needs of the child.

During the period of milk flow, a woman experiences painful sensations, so she wants to breastfeed the baby more often in order to release the swollen breast. Since the newborn sleeps a lot, the question arises of how to wake the newborn for feeding.

Here are some tips on how to do this:

• Give a breast to a sleeping baby. If after feeding an hour and a half has passed, then the baby can begin to suck without waking up.
• You can massage your baby's palms and feet. Massaging touches stimulate brain activity, increase blood flow and lead to awakening.
• Play music- first quietly and then start to amplify its sounds. You can not turn on the background music abruptly. This will scare the baby and cause violent crying. The volume of sounds should increase gradually.
• Unwrap the baby contact with cool air will awaken it.

How much milk does the baby eat at one time

How much a newborn should eat in one feeding is determined by its age (1 or 4 weeks). You can measure its amount by weighing the baby before and after feeding. From the difference between the results obtained, the increase that the baby ate is obtained.

In medicine, the following norms are used, which determine how much a newborn eats in one feeding:

• 1st day- 10 g per feeding, for only 10-12 feedings 100-120 ml per day.
• 2nd day- single dose - 20 g, daily dose - 200-240 ml.
• 3rd day- for one feeding - 30 g, per day - 300-320 ml.

So by the 10th day of life, the feeding dose is increased to 100 g at a time and up to 600 ml of milk per day. Such norms are maintained for up to 1.5 months. The total amount of milk eaten is 1/5 of the baby's weight. At 2 months, the baby eats 120-150 g at a time and up to 800 ml per day (1/6 of his weight).

Frequent feedings are normal.

Free feeding of the baby assumes that he can choose the time intervals between feedings, their duration and the amount of milk eaten. These factors depend on the nature and characteristics of the child himself.

There are children who eat quickly and a lot, while in a hurry, often choke on milk, and after feeding they regurgitate. There are other babies who suckle slowly, often lifting themselves from their breast and looking at their surroundings thoughtfully. All people are different, as well as different children and their eating habits.

How often to breastfeed your newborn

The recommendations of pediatricians twenty years ago on how to feed a newborn spoke of the mandatory observance of the regimen - feeding the baby no more than 3-4 hours later. Do not keep near the breast for more than 10-15 minutes and be sure to express the remaining milk. It is good that these recommendations have become history. They caused too many eating disorders in children and mastitis in mothers.

Modern pediatricians do not set strict limits on how much time should elapse between feedings. The frequency of feeding is determined by the needs of the child and cannot be standard for all occasions.

If the baby was active, moved a lot of arms and legs, swam in the bathroom - he spent a lot of energy. When feeding, it will suck out more milk. If the time between feedings passed calmly, the baby slept or lay in a crib, did not actively communicate with the outside world - most likely, his appetite will be modest, since the need for food has not reached its maximum.

How to feed a newborn correctly: mom and baby poses

When feeding a baby, you can sit, stand, lie down, position yourself in any position convenient for mom and baby. The feeding position should be comfortable, since the time for this is quite long - from 20 to 50 minutes a day.

1. Lying on its side- mom and baby are facing each other. In this position, it is convenient to breastfeed with the breast that is located below. If necessary, the mother can lean forward a little and give the baby the breast that is higher.
2. Lying with a jack- mom and baby can sit on the sofa (bed) head to each other (feet - in opposite directions). How to feed a newborn while lying down - next to it or with a jack - depends on the time of day. It is more convenient to lie down next to the baby at night. During the day, both poses can be used.
3. In a reclining chair- baby on top. In this position, it is recommended to feed those mothers who produce too much milk. Placing the baby slightly on top reduces the milk flow and allows the baby to suck as much as needed.
4. Sitting- the mother sits, the baby lies on her knees and takes the breast as if “from below”. Mom holds the baby with her hand, bending it at the elbow. In order for the baby to be higher and reach the breast, a pillow is placed on the mother's lap.
5. Sitting from under your arm- for such feeding you need a sofa and a large pillow. The baby is placed on the pillow so that it is at the level of the mother's breast. The mother sits down on the sofa and takes the baby as if "from under the arm."
6. Standing- this feeding option is also possible, especially if you are walking outside in a sling.

It's important to know: when feeding, that lobule of the mammary gland is emptied most of all, towards which the baby's chin is directed. Therefore, for the full suction of milk from the gland, it is necessary to position the baby in different ways at each feeding.

How to properly apply a newborn for feeding

The health of the mother's breast depends on the correct attachment of the baby. To prevent injury to the nipple, it is necessary to put the entire areola into the mouth. How to breastfeed your newborn correctly?

• The baby's mouth should be wide open (like yawning). The mouth opens wider if you raise your face up (do this experiment with yourself - lower your face and open your mouth, and then raise it and also open your mouth). Therefore, for proper feeding, position your baby so that he slightly lifts his face to your breast.
• When properly gripped, the nipple should touch the baby's palate. This attachment is called asymmetric. The nipple is directed not to the center of the mouth, but to the upper palate.
• The asymmetry of attachment is visible from the outside - that part of the alveolus, which is located under the lower lip, is completely inside the mouth. The part of the alveolus, which is located behind the upper lip, may not be completely taken.
• With proper sucking, the baby's tongue "hugs" the nipple and alveoli from below. In this position, he does not squeeze the chest and does not create pain. The tongue protrudes from the mouth further than it is normally located (without feeding). The tongue protrudes poorly with a shortened frenulum (skin membrane under the tongue). Therefore, if feeding your baby is painful for you, take your baby to the doctor. If the bridle is too short, a surgical incision is made.
• It is necessary to take away the breast from the baby when he releases it himself. If he is no longer sucking, but simply lies and holds the nipple in his mouth, give him the opportunity to rest. Pulling the nipple out by force is not worth it. If you really want to get up, you can easily press on the baby's chin with your finger or insert a little finger into the corner of the baby's mouth. The baby will open his mouth, and you will be able to take the breast without pain.

When feeding, the baby's head should not be rigidly fixed. He should be able to tear himself away from the nipple and let his mother know that he is full.

Spitting up after feeding: reasons and concerns

Regurgitation accompanies almost every feeding of an infant under 3 months of age. Sometimes the regurgitation is so strong that milk leaves the stomach not only through the mouth, but also through the nose. Normally, regurgitation in an infant should not exceed 10-15 ml (these are 2-3 tablespoons).

Why does a newborn spit up after feeding? The reason is the swallowing of air and its subsequent exit from the child's esophagus. In order for the baby to spit up immediately after feeding, you need to hold it upright. Otherwise, the belching will take place in a lying position, together with the air from the baby's stomach, milk will be thrown out.

Some babies swallow too much air, then belching occurs right during feeding. Such crumbs must be torn off from food in the middle of sucking and kept upright for several minutes.

Let's list the reasons for spitting up in newborns after feeding:

• While sucking, the baby rested his nose on the chest, breathed through his mouth and therefore swallowed air.
• For bottle-fed babies, the hole in the nipple is too big.
• Too much milk or not enough small stomach. The baby overeats and returns some of the milk (the part that he cannot digest).
• Digestive problems: lack of bacteria in the stomach and intestines, colic, as a result of which gas production increases.
• Lactose intolerance.
• CNS disorders, birth trauma.

In order not to stimulate regurgitation, you do not need to stir up the baby after feeding. It is necessary to put it on its side or back and let it rest quietly for 15-20 minutes. The best option is to feed your baby before falling asleep.

Regurgitation in newborns after feeding should not cause concern if:

• The child is gaining weight steadily.
• The baby does not have moodiness, irritability or lethargy.
• After spitting up, the baby does not cry.
• Regurgitation milk is white without a strong unpleasant odor.

If the baby spits up yellow milk with an unpleasant odor, this requires medical advice and treatment.

Hiccups after feeding: why it occurs and what to do

Hiccups after feeding in newborns is not a pathology. It occurs as a result of contractions of the diaphragm, a muscle located between the digestive organs and the lungs. Why does a newborn hiccup after feeding?

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Muscle contractions occur due to the pressure on them from the walls of the stomach. With the formation of gas or swallowing air, the stomach is bursting.

Therefore, hiccups often occur before regurgitation. If the baby spits up, the hiccups go away.

Here are the factors that contribute to hiccups:

• The newborn hiccups after feeding if he ate too quickly and swallowed a lot of air.
• Newborns hiccup when overfeeding. If too much food is eaten, the stomach presses on the diaphragm and causes it to contract.
• The baby hiccups if he has frequent intestinal colic. They are accompanied by the formation of gases that accumulate in the intestines and stomach. When feeding, gaziki stretch the walls of the stomach and press on the diaphragm.

What to do if a newborn has hiccups after feeding:

• Do not worry. Almost never, hiccups are not a sign of illness or other pathology. As a rule, it goes away with age, when the baby's stomach becomes more spacious.
• Next time- do not feed so much, feed calmly and let lie on your stomach before feeding (prevent flatulence).

Artificial feeding: what mixtures to feed

Artificial feeding of infants should be avoided. Breast milk is incomparably healthier, more nutritious, better absorbed and rarely causes allergies. The most correct choice is to feed the newborn baby with breast milk.

The transition to artificial mixtures is justified only when the mother is sick, which does not allow her to breastfeed. The question of which mixture is better to feed a newborn is decided after analyzing its composition (it is written on the package).

The mixture is based on milk whey, which has undergone hydrolysis (decomposition), demineralization and is easily absorbed in the baby's esophagus. This mixture is called adapted, it is hypoallergenic.

Worse for a newborn - casein-based mixture. This component is absorbed more slowly in the child's body. Casein-based mixtures are more suitable for artificial nutrition of children after six months. They are classified as partially adapted.

It is also good if the mixture contains bifidobacteria. These mixtures include Similak, Nestogen, Impress, Enfamil.

For children with lactose intolerance, soy milk-based formulas (Nutria-soy, Bona-soy) are used.

What should be a feeding bottle

Are there requirements for feeding bottles for newborns? What are the best feeding bottles for newborns?

Let's list what to look for when choosing a bottle:

• The hole in the nipple should be small, the baby should "work hard" to pull milk out of the bottle.
• When feeding, the teat should always be filled with milk.
• A glass feeding bottle is better than a plastic bottle. Glass is an inert material, while plastic is made from food grade polycarbonate. It may contain a number of components that are not entirely beneficial for the baby.
• You need to change your nipples every 2-3 weeks. The hole in them is stretched and becomes too large. The shape of the nipple with an anti-vacuum skirt is preferable. The latex nipple is softer and cannot be boiled. Silicone - harder, better imitates the breast and easily tolerates boiling.
• The simple shape of the bottle makes it easy to clean.
• The special anti-colic shape of the bottle is curved to prevent air from being swallowed (by special valves). They keep air bubbles from the bottle out of the stomach.

How to bottle feed your newborn correctly:

1. Take your baby in your arms for skin-to-skin contact.
2. Hold the bottle with your hands rather than propping it up with pillows (to prevent the baby from choking).
3. The nipple should be directed towards the baby's palate.

Sucking from a bottle is easier than pulling milk from the mother's breast (the mouth does not open so wide, there is no need to pull or suck too much). With artificial feeding, it is necessary to imitate the mother's breast: pick up a hard nipple, make a small hole in it.