The main difficulties of breastfeeding on the part of the child. Breastfeeding first month Breastfeeding problems

In anticipation of the birth of a baby, every woman is plagued by anxiety related to the health of the unborn child and the problems of breastfeeding, because she wants all the best for her blood.

It is breast milk that is the best natural product that fully meets the needs of the baby. It is easily absorbed, does not cause allergies, and contains iron. With breast milk, the mother's body receives antibodies from the mother that prevent infectious diseases. In addition, breast milk does not contain germs. Breastfeeding also helps create an emotional bond between mom and baby.

But, unfortunately, today it is rare to meet a mother who does not know what problems with breastfeeding are. Let's consider them in more detail.

The main problems with breastfeeding

Small, flat nipples

For some women, the nipples may be too small, flat. At first, it is difficult for a child to suck on such a breast, so be patient, because gradually in the process of feeding they will stretch out. First, you can put on silicone pads on the nipples to make it easier for your baby to suck. One way to pull the nipples is to use a breast pump. But remember, the only effective way is frequent, correct attachment of the baby to the breast.

Not enough milk

Every second mother is worried about whether she has enough milk for feeding. In such cases, first of all, you should not panic, because there is a connection between the psychological state of the mother and milk production, especially in the first weeks after childbirth. The more mom's experiences, the less likely you are to achieve a positive result.

Lactation disorders can be caused by a number of factors:

Fatigue and lack of sleep. Be aware that fatigue delays, reduces, or interferes with lactation. Get plenty of rest during breastfeeding.
Feeding is not on demand, not at night. It is night feeds that are an excellent way to maintain adequate lactation. Night feeds should be maintained for as long as possible.
Poor maternal nutrition. The quality of a woman's nutrition during breastfeeding is of great importance not only for her health, but also for the quality of breast milk. With inadequate nutrition of a nursing mother in milk, the content of protein, fat, and vitamins sharply decreases. Therefore, it is advisable for the mother to take food before each feeding of the baby (5-6 times a day). This helps to improve the secretion of the mammary glands.
Bottle use. Do not forget that bottle sucking is much easier, and the baby quickly gets used to the nipple and will refuse to breastfeed later. The consequence may be the cessation of lactation. If the doctor recommends feeding the child, then give the mixture from a spoon.

The baby cannot or does not want to suck

Let's try to identify the main reasons why a baby cannot or does not want to breastfeed:

congenital defects (cleft lip, short frenum, etc.);
pain in the abdomen (usually up to 4-5 months, colic disappears);
intracranial pressure;
stomatitis (white spots in the mouth);
teeth are being cut;
Bad mood;
and etc.

If the baby refuses to breast for certain reasons, you need not give up, but look for ways to solve the problem.

Lactostasis

Another problem with breastfeeding is painful lumps in the mammary gland, which are associated with stagnation of breast milk in the ducts - this is lactostasis. This causes breastfeeding problems.

The main causes of lactostasis are:

insufficient breast emptying;
improper attachment to the chest;
hypothermia;
overwork;
improperly selected linen;
injury or blow to the chest.

In order to avoid lactostasis, it is necessary to achieve maximum breast emptying. In this case, it is necessary to apply the baby to the breast as often as possible, carefully express the rest of the milk. The seal must be massaged with particular care.

Treatment of lactostasis with folk remedies involves the use of a compress from cabbage leaves, a decoction of chamomile, arnica. It is also necessary after feeding to apply a diaper to the breast, moistened with cold water, for 5 minutes (the cold will help relieve the state of health, relieve swelling and slightly reduce the flow of milk into the stagnant lobe of the breast).

To overcome lactostasis is often obtained completely independently, if you perform the above actions. At the same time, do not forget that if the breasts remain firm for more than a day, the seal does not go away, be sure to seek help from a breastfeeding specialist.

A complete body of myths and misconceptions about breastfeeding

Misconception 1: Breastfeeding is incredibly difficult, there are always a lot of problems and sheer inconveniences. Almost no one is able to feed for a long time.

Fact: There is nothing easier, more convenient, more pleasant for mother and child, and, by the way, cheaper than properly organized breastfeeding. But in order for it to be that way, breastfeeding needs to be learned. The best teacher in this matter may not be a book or a magazine for parents, but a woman who breastfeed her child for a long time, more than a year, and received positive emotions from this. There are women who fed for a long time and perceived it as a punishment. For example, one mother was feeding a child for 1.5 years and all these 1.5 years she was decanting after each feeding, and when she decided that she had enough and decided to wean the child, due to improper actions she developed mastitis. Now she tells everyone that breastfeeding is hell. She never fed her baby properly for a single day.

Misconception 2: Breastfeeding ruins breast shape

Fact: Indeed, breastfeeding does not improve the shape of the breasts, but the breasts do change during pregnancy. It is then that it grows and becomes heavier, and if its shape contributes to it, it "sags". What happens to the breast? Breasts change during lactation. Approximately 1-1.5 months after childbirth, with stable lactation, it becomes soft, produces milk almost only when the baby sucks. After 1.5-2.5-3 years, involution of the mammary gland occurs, lactation gradually stops. The gland "falls asleep" until the next time. Under natural conditions, this coincides with a decrease in the baby's need for breastfeeding and with weaning. The chest remains soft, inelastic. If the woman does not feed the baby, the involution of the mammary gland occurs within the first month after childbirth. Breast shape still does not return to pre-pregnancy state. (And if you think about it and figure it out, why does a woman need breasts at all? It is for breastfeeding.)

Misconception 3: breastfeeding ruins your figure

Fact: Many women are afraid to gain weight while breastfeeding. But a woman gains weight mainly during pregnancy, and not when she feeds. Moreover, if before pregnancy she tried to meet certain fashionable standards, for example 90-60-90, during pregnancy she returns to her weight, her genetically laid physiological norm + everyone knows 7-10 kg per uterus, fetus, amniotic fluid, increased volume of circulating blood and a little more on various little things. Weight gain during pregnancy can be significant. A woman begins to lose weight after 6-8 months of feeding, and gradually, in 1.5 - 2 years, she “discards” everything that she has accumulated. It turns out that the figure from breastfeeding just improves. It often happens that a woman, having stopped feeding at 1.5-2 months, begins to gain weight. Perhaps this is due to the emerging hormonal imbalance, because no woman is designed to end lactation so quickly.

Misconception 4: Breasts need to be prepared for feeding (this is followed by a variety of recommendations, from sewing hard rags into a bra to advice to the husband at the end of pregnancy to "dissolve the ducts" of the wife)

Fact: The breast does not need to be prepared for feeding, it is so arranged by nature that by the time of birth it is quite ready to feed the baby. Cloths, for example, can irritate the skin. Any manipulation of the nipple at the end of pregnancy can lead to very undesirable consequences due to the stimulation of the oxytocin reflex: stimulation of the nipple - release of oxytocin - contraction of the uterine muscles under the influence of oxytocin - the uterus is "toned" - and, as a worst option, stimulation of premature labor. And in general, has anyone seen a cat with a rag in a bra, or a monkey doing a hardening shower massage?

Misconception 5: Breastfeeding is not possible with a flat or inverted nipple

Fact: As strange as it may seem to people who have never breastfed, a nipple for a baby is just a point from which milk flows. If the baby sucks in the correct position, then the nipple is located at the level of the soft palate and does not participate in the actual sucking. The baby sucks not the nipple, but the areola - the areola, massaging, expressing it with his tongue. A breast with a flat or inverted nipple is difficult for a child to hold in his mouth while sucking and it is more difficult for him to stick to it. The mother should be patient and persistent in the first days after the baby is born. Any child learns perfectly to suckle even the most uncomfortable, from our point of view, breast. During the sucking process, the nipple changes shape, stretches and takes on a more comfortable shape for the baby, usually in 3-4 weeks. There are also various devices called "nipple formers". They are put on immediately after feeding, when the nipple, through the efforts of the child, is slightly stretched and worn until the next attachment. The nipple formers keep the nipple extended. But you can do without these things. It is very important for a mother with flat or inverted nipples to make sure that her baby never sucks on anything after birth except her mother's breast. The child of such a mother, having sucked on a bottle or a pacifier, quickly realizes that this is a more convenient object for sucking and begins to refuse the breast. In this situation, mom will need even more patience and perseverance.

Delusion 6: You can not hold a newborn at the breast for more than 5 minutes, otherwise there will be cracks

Fact: The baby should be held at the breast for as long as necessary. Feeding ends when the baby releases the breast on its own. If we talk about cracks, then there are only two groups of reasons leading to their formation: 1. Mom washes her breasts before each feeding. If she does this (and even with soap, and even smears it with brilliant green after feeding - a favorite pastime in Russian maternity hospitals, for example) - she constantly rinses off the protective layer from the areola, which is produced by special glands located around the nipple, and dries the skin. This protective lubricant exists precisely to prevent moisture loss in the delicate skin of the nipple, it has antibacterial properties and inhibits the growth of pathogens and, which is especially important for the baby, smells much like amniotic fluid. 2. Reasons related to improper position and behavior of the baby at the breast: The baby is not properly attached and suckles in the wrong position. And if this is true, then 5 minutes after 3 hours is enough for the formation of abrasions, and then cracks. The child can correctly latch on to the breast, but in the process of sucking, he can perform various actions that can lead to the formation of cracks, if the mother does not know that these actions need to be corrected and not allow the child to behave this way. It must be remembered that the child has not sucked sisu before, and does not know how to do it (he only knows the general principle of sucking). Unfortunately, most mothers also do not know how a baby should behave at the breast; they have never, or almost never, seen this. What should the child not be allowed to do? Slide down on the tip of the nipple. This happens especially often if, while sucking, the child does not stick his nose into his mother's breast. If the mother feels that the grip is changing, she should try to press the baby with her nose to the chest. Very often this is enough for the child to "put on" correctly. If this does not help, then you need to pick up the nipple and reinsert it correctly. The baby should not suckle for a single minute in the wrong position. He does not care how to suck, he does not know that he is hurting or unpleasant for his mother, he does not know that the wrong position does not allow him to suck out enough milk, he does not know that if the position is wrong, there is no sufficient stimulation of his mother's breast and there will not be enough production milk. The baby should not be allowed to play with the nipple. A baby who has learned to slide down on the tip of the nipple sometimes begins to pass the nipple through parted jaws back and forth. Of course, it’s painful or unpleasant for mom, but in most cases, mothers allow this to be done, “If only he sucked…” they say… Why? !!! It often happens that children who do not feel the sisya with their nose, or do not feel it very well, begin to make search movements with the nipple in their mouth. Here you need to squeeze the baby so that he understands that he is already in place and there is no need to look for anything else. Sometimes, especially if the mother has long and large nipples, the baby grabs the breast in several steps, "climbing" up in several movements. This also happens in cases where the child has already sucked on the nipple and does not open his mouth well. The nipple gets hurt so very quickly. To avoid this, it is necessary to correctly insert the nipple into the WIDE open mouth, bringing the nipple itself past the jaws, as deep as possible. Moms do not know how to pick up their breasts correctly. A typical picture for maternity hospitals with separate stay is as follows: the mother was brought the baby for 30 minutes, the baby held everything correctly and sucked well for these 30 minutes, he would have sucked, but they came to pick him up and the mother pulls (slowly or quickly) the nipple from his mouth. Six such pulls per day is enough for the development of an abrasion. You can take away the nipple only by first opening the jaw with the little finger (the tip of the finger is quickly inserted into the corner of the mouth and turned - it does not hurt at all and no one suffers).

Misconception 7: The baby sucks out everything he needs in the first five to ten minutes of feeding.

Fact: An older baby can actually get most of the milk in the first five to ten minutes, but it is not legitimate to extend this generalization to all babies. Newborns who are just learning to suck do not always do it effectively. They often take much longer to get full. A baby's milk supply also depends on the mother's hot flush. For some mothers, the hot flush occurs instantly, for some - some time after the start of sucking. For some, milk is produced several times in small portions during one feeding. The easiest way is not to guess the right time to feed, but to let the baby suck until signs of satisfaction appear - for example, the baby himself releases the breast, relaxing his arms.

Misconception 8: While there is no milk, you need to supplement with water

Fact: The first day after childbirth, a woman's breast forms liquid colostrum, on the second day it becomes thick, on 3-4 days transitional milk may appear, 7-10-18 days - mature milk comes. Colostrum is scarce and thicker than milk. This is the main argument in most Russian maternity hospitals in favor of supplementing and supplementing the child (otherwise he suffers from hunger and thirst). If a child immediately after birth needed large volumes of fluid, then nature would arrange a woman so that she would be filled with colostrum immediately after childbirth. But the child does not need extra water at all. All he needs he gets from colostrum and milk! The water that is given to the child while the mother has colostrum literally "washes away" the colostrum from the gastrointestinal tract, depriving the baby of the necessary action of colostrum. Water is supplied from a bottle, which leads to "nipple confusion" in the baby and can lead to breastfeeding. Water gives a false sense of fullness and reduces the baby's need to suck. If we give a child 100 g of water per day, he sucks out milk by 100 g less (this applies not only to a newborn). The kidneys of a newborn are not ready for a heavy load of water and begin to work with an overload.

Misconception 9: Milk is food, the child needs to drink - water or tea

Fact: Mother's milk contains 85-90% water and fully satisfies the baby's fluid needs, even in hot climates. Until you start giving your child solid food, do not add water, juice, or special tea for children. All these liquids are absorbed much worse than human milk, hinder the functioning of the kidneys and can even lead to upset stools and intestinal problems, as they "wash out" the beneficial microflora from the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, which it is populated thanks to human milk. In addition, all of these fluids can contain infectious agents and cause allergies. When feeding is just getting better, the baby may feel a false sense of fullness after drinking some water. In this case, he will suckle less at the breast and, accordingly, receive less milk and stimulate its production worse. There are frequent cases of poor weight gain in children who, due to supplementation, receive less breast milk.

Misconception 10: While there is no milk, you need to feed the baby with formula, otherwise he will lose weight, starve

Fact: A baby is not designed to receive anything other than colostrum and milk. In the first days after birth, one colostrum is enough for him. Weight loss of a child during the first day of life is a physiological norm. All babies lose up to 8-10% of their birth weight in the first two days of their life. Most children regain their weight by 5-7 days of life or begin to gain weight. Supplementing with a mixture in the first days of a child's life is nothing more than a gross interference in the functioning of the baby's body. You might call this interference a metabolic catastrophe. But in most Russian maternity hospitals, this is not at all attached to! In addition, the introduction of supplements is carried out through the bottle, which very quickly leads to "nipple confusion" and the baby's abandonment of the breast. Sometimes one or two bottle feedings are enough for the baby to stop breastfeeding! The mixture causes a feeling of fullness, lingers in the stomach for a long time, the baby's need for breastfeeding decreases, which leads to a decrease in breast stimulation and a decrease in milk production. Breast milk is a natural and physiological product for the baby's digestive system. If the baby shows signs of a reaction to feedings, it is usually caused by a foreign protein mixed with the mother's milk, rather than the milk itself. This is easily remedied by temporarily eliminating the allergenic product from the mother's diet.

Misconception 11: I feed the baby on demand! - He demands in 3.5 hours!

Fact: Feeding on demand means latching the baby to the breast for every squeak or search. The baby needs breastfeeding around each of his dreams, he falls asleep at the breast and when he wakes up, he is given a breast. A newborn baby in the first week of his life can really be applied relatively rarely - 7-8 times a day, but in the second week of life, the intervals between applications are always reduced. During wakefulness, the child can ask for breast up to 4 times per hour, i.e. every 15 minutes! 10-14 days of life - there may be a peak of sucking, up to 60 applications per day. This is rare, but it is a variant of the norm. In the overwhelming majority of cases, at the moment when the child begins to ask for breast more often, the mother decides that the child is starving and introduces supplementary foods. And the baby is asking for breast not at all because he is hungry. He constantly needs a sense of confirmation of physical contact with his mother.

Misconception 12: A nursing mother should take intervals between feedings so that her breasts have time to fill, feed no more than 6 times a day.

Fact: Every mother-child pair is unique. In the body of a nursing mother, milk is produced continuously. Part of the mammary gland acts as a "milk cistern" - some can store more milk, some less. The less milk there is in the breast, the faster the body works to replenish it; the fuller the breast, the slower the milk production process. If the mother always waits for the breast to “fill” before breastfeeding, the body may perceive this as a signal that too much milk is being produced and reduce lactation. Research shows that when a mother starts breastfeeding early and often, an average of 9.9 times a day for the first two weeks, the baby gains weight better and breastfeeds last longer. Milk production has been shown to be related to the frequency of feedings and is reduced when feedings are infrequent and / or limited.

Misconception 13: A baby's ability to keep up with feeds is determined by how much (quantity) he ate, not whether he ate breast milk or formula (quality)

Fact: In breastfed babies, the stomach empties in about 1.5 hours. In bottle-fed babies, this process takes up to 4 hours. The formula is heavier and takes longer to digest due to its larger molecular size compared to breast milk. Although the amount sucked in at one time affects the frequency of feedings, the quality of the food is equally important. Anthropological studies of mammalian milk confirm that human babies are adapted to frequent feedings, and that they have been fed for much of history.

Misconception 14: Feeding on demand is a nightmare! It is impossible to sit and feed a child for days!

Fact: This is what mothers who cannot feed say. With properly organized feeding, mom can rest! She lies, relaxed, hugs the baby, the baby sucks. What could be better? The majority of women cannot find a comfortable position, they sit, the child is held awkwardly, the back or hand becomes numb, if feeding while lying down, it usually "hangs" over the child on the elbow, the elbow and back become numb. Moreover, if the child does not breastfeed well, it hurts mom ... What kind of pleasure can we talk about here? In the first month - one and a half after birth, when the baby is applied chaotically, without a pronounced regimen, sucks often and for a long time, the mother can feel good only if breastfeeding is organized correctly, it is convenient for the mother to feed, she knows how to do this while standing, lying and sitting and even moving ...

Misconception 15: Feeding on demand does not increase the intimacy of the baby with the mother.

Fact: Regimen feeding interferes with the synchronization of the mother's and baby's systems, which markedly weakens their physical and emotional connection.

Misconception 16: Baby-directed feeding (on demand) adversely affects marital relationships

Fact: Experienced parents know that newborn babies require a lot of attention, but over time the intensity of their needs decreases. In fact, caring for a newborn baby together helps bring parents closer together as they learn to raise a child together.

Misconception 17: Holding a child a lot will spoil him.

Fact: Babies who are few in their arms cry more and show less self-confidence afterwards. During his life in his mother's belly, he was very accustomed to the following: warmth, cramped, I hear my heart beating, my lungs breathe, the intestines grumble, I smell and taste amniotic fluid (fill the baby's nose and mouth), almost all the time I suck on a fist or loops umbilical cord (learning to suck). Only in these conditions does the baby feel comfortable and safe. After giving birth, he can get into similar conditions only if his mother takes him in her arms, puts him to the breast, and then he again becomes cramped, warm, he hears familiar rhythms, begins to suck and feels a familiar smell and taste (the smell and taste of milk are similar to the taste and the smell of amniotic fluid). And a newborn child wants to get into such conditions as often as possible. And the modern mother is waiting - she can't wait for the intervals between feedings to increase, when will the child start to eat in 3.5 - 4 hours, when will he stop waking up at night ??? Hurry !!! And, usually, to the child's timid attempts to ask for a breast, he responds with a dummy, a rattle, gives some water, talks, and entertains. The child most often lays on the breast only when he wakes up. And he quickly agrees with this position ... The child always takes the mother's position ... But then the mother and the baby are in for a "pitfall" - insufficient breast stimulation and, as a result, a decrease in the amount of milk.

Misconception 18: After each feeding, you must express the remaining milk, otherwise the milk will disappear

Fact: No, you do not need to pump after every feed if you are breastfeeding properly. If you feed your baby 6 times a day and don't pump, milk can really disappear very quickly. Expressing after each feed can help support lactation for a while. The terms are different, but rarely it is more than six months, cases of feeding on this behavior for more than a year are rare. When feeding a child on demand, the mother always has as much milk as the child needs and there is no need to express after each attachment. In order for the newborn to completely suck out the breast, he is applied to one breast for 2-3 hours, the next 2-3 hours - to the other. Somewhere after 3 months, when the child is already applying relatively rarely, he may need to apply the second breast in one application, then the next time he is applied to the one that was the last. There is one unpleasant pitfall in regular pumping after breastfeeding that even most doctors are not aware of. It is called lactase deficiency. When the mother expresses after feeding, she is expressing just the "back" fat milk, which is relatively poor in milk sugar and lactose. She feeds the child mainly with the front portion, which accumulates in the breast between rare feedings. There is a lot of lactose in the front portion. The child is fed with "lactose alone", the child's gastrointestinal tract after some time ceases to cope with such volumes of lactose. Lactase deficiency develops (Lactase is an enzyme that breaks down lactose - milk sugar, it is not enough). This is one of the reasons for the development of lactase deficiency; the second, for example, this: a mother gives the baby two breasts in one feeding.

Misconception 19: You should give your baby two breasts at one meal.

Fact: No, you don't have to give two breasts. A newborn baby is applied to one breast for 2-3 hours. Then 2-3 hours to another (for example, 5 times in 3 hours - to the right, sucked it all - now to the left). We need this for the baby to suck out the breast to the end, and receive “front” and “back” milk in a balanced amount. If the baby is transferred to the other breast in the middle of feeding, he will receive less “hind” milk, which is rich in fat. He will suck out mainly the front portion from one breast and add the same from the other. Foremilk is rich in lactose, after a while the baby ceases to cope with the load of lactose. Lactose intolerance develops. Shifting the baby from one breast to the other can cause hyperlactation in some women, and if the mother also pumps both breasts after each feeding ... There are such mothers. Reducing excess milk is sometimes more difficult than adding missing milk ...

Misconception 20: Cam sucking is very harmful

Fact: Throughout the end of pregnancy, the baby sucked on the fist, so he learned to suck. Cam sucking is one of the innate habits of a newborn. After giving birth, the baby begins to suck on the fist as soon as it gets in his mouth. If the need to suckle the baby is completely satisfied by the breast, then the baby stops sucking the fist by 3-4 months. (then, at 6-7 months, he begins to "look for teeth", but this is a completely different behavior). The baby sucks on the fist in the same way as the breast. Some babies have very funny behavior when, after sucking on the breast, the baby tries to shove his fist into his mouth ...

Misconception 21: My baby wants a dummy

Fact: A child is not designed by nature to suck on anything other than the breast (and the fist, in a pinch). The child is always accustomed to a dummy. There are children who immediately push out the pacifier with their tongue. And there are those who begin to suck her. There are mothers who hold the pacifier with their finger so that the baby does not push it out. Usually, the first time a child gets a dummy is when he has shown anxiety and the mother does not know how to calm him down. To calm down, the child needs to breastfeed, well, they didn’t give a breast, they gave something else, they’ll have to suck what they give ...

Misconception 22: A baby will never confuse breast sucking and nipple sucking.

Fact: Breast and bottle sucking requires different oral-motor skills from the baby. Rubber nipples are a "super stimulant" that can imprint on the baby's sucking reflexes instead of the softer breast nipple. As a result, some babies experience the so-called nipple confusion - they try to reflexively suck on the breast as they move from bottle to breast, like a rubber nipple.

Misconception 23: Non-nutritional sucking has no scientific basis, mom's breast is not a dummy!

Fact: Experienced breastfeeding mothers know that different babies have different sucking patterns and needs at different times. Some babies satisfy the need to suck during feedings, while others may breastfeed shortly after feeding, although they are not hungry. In addition, sucking calms the baby down when he is in pain, lonely, or scared. It’s a natural design of nature to comfort and satisfy the need to suck on my mother’s breast. Pacifiers are just a substitute for mom when she is not available. Other reasons to avoid using pacifiers instead of breasts are the risk of malformations of the oral cavity and facial bones, a shorter period of lactational amenorrhea, nipple confusion, and inhibition of sufficient milk production, which reduces the likelihood of breastfeeding success.

Misconception 24: A baby often asks for breast, it means hungry, not enough milk

Fact: As mentioned above, a newborn baby often asks to be applied not because he is hungry. He wants to suck, wants to go to mom. He constantly needs confirmation of psycho-emotional and physical contact with his mother. Babies don't breastfeed just because they are hungry. They are applied to the mother's breast for a feeling of closeness, comfort and pleasure, just as in a state of hunger. Many mothers believe that if a child sucks a lot and often, then this indicates that he is hungry, they begin to feed the child with formula, which he absolutely does not need. There is a significant difference between sucking for comfort and sucking on a bottle. Satisfying the need to feel comfortable, the baby sucks out the main portion of milk. It continues to flow, but much more slowly. If the baby continues to suckle, then he sucks out a little milk. Milk flows quickly from the bottle all the time. Therefore, if a child satisfies the need for sucking with a bottle, he will overeat and then become overweight. If the baby is really hungry or thirsty, breastfeeding will increase milk supply and satisfy the baby's needs.

Misconception 25: Is there enough milk, we find out on control feeding

Misconception 26: If you apply often, the baby will suck everything up quickly, the breast is soft all the time - there is no milk. It is necessary to "save" milk for feeding

Fact: When feeding a baby on demand, the breast becomes soft about a month after the start of feeding, when lactation is stable. Milk begins to be produced only when the baby is sucking. The breast is never "empty", in response to the sucking of the baby, milk is formed in it all the time. If the mother tries to fill her breast for feeding, waits for the breast to “fill up,” she gradually reduces the amount of milk by such actions. The more the mother puts the baby, the more milk, and not vice versa. When the baby is given the opportunity to suckle as often as it needs to, the amount of milk is appropriate for the baby's needs. The milk flow reflex works best when the hot flushes are good, such as when feeding on demand.

Misconception 27: Stomach Must Rest

Fact: A child's stomach doesn't work very well. Milk is only curdled there and rather quickly evacuated into the intestines, where the actual digestion and absorption takes place. This is a prejudice from an old song about feeding 3 hours later. The newborn does not have a watch. No mammal takes uniform feeding intervals for its newborns. The child's body is adapted to the continuous flow of breast milk, and he does not need to rest at all. Breast milk is a unique food that helps your baby to digest itself. At the beginning of a child's life, the activity of his own enzymes is low. Milk contains enzymes that help the body metabolize proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. The baby can suckle and absorb breast milk without compromising health almost constantly. This explains the ability of newborns to suckle the mother's breast for a long time and often.

Misconception 28: A baby up to eight weeks old needs 6-8 feedings per day, at three months - 5-6 feedings per day, at six months - no more than 4-5 feedings per day

Fact: The frequency of breastfeeding a baby needs depends on the amount of milk the mother has, the breast's ability to store milk, and the individual needs of the baby at the moment. Growth surges or illness can change a baby's feeding habits. Research shows that demand-sucking babies have their own unique regimens that suit the situation. In addition, the energy value of milk rises towards the end of a feed, so arbitrary limitation of the frequency or duration of feedings may result in the baby not receiving the required number of calories.

Misconception 29: The metabolism of a newborn baby is disordered and in order to organize it correctly, you need to feed according to the regimen

Fact: A baby is born with the ability to eat, sleep, and sometimes stay awake. There is no disorganization in this. This is a normal expression of the unique needs of newborns. Over time, the child will naturally adapt to the rhythm of life in a new world for him, and this does not require either stimulation or training.

Misconception 30: Hold your baby upright for 20 minutes after each feed.

Fact: Do not hold your baby upright after each latch, especially if the baby is asleep. Most of the time, the baby lies on its side. If he spits up a little, then the diaper just changes under the cheek. It is necessary to hold the artificial man vertically so that he does not spill the 120 g poured into it. We're talking about on-demand babies who receive small portions of their mother's milk. In addition, the cardiac sphincter of the stomach needs training, which it can only get if the baby is lying down.

Misconception 31: Need to sleep at night

Fact: At night you need to not only sleep, but suck your sissy. Most newborn babies are so arranged that they sleep from 10-11 pm to 3-4 am, then they start waking up and begging for breast. In a child of the first month of life, attachments in the morning hours (from 3 to 8) are usually 4-6. Night feedings with properly organized breastfeeding look something like this: the baby got worried, the mother put him to her breast, the baby sleeps sucking and the mother also sleeps, after a while he releases the breast and sleeps more soundly. And such episodes happen 4-6 overnight. All this is easy to organize if a mother sleeps with her baby, and for this she needs to be able to feed while lying down in a comfortable position. If the child sleeps separately from the mother, in his own bed, then he stops waking up for afternoon feedings, sometimes as early as a week after childbirth, sometimes by 1.5-2 months. Most modern mothers take this with relief, because for them, finally, the night running back and forth, nodding while sitting in a chair or on a bed over a sucking baby, and some also pumped at night ... ... Mom and her baby are a wonderful self-regulating system. While the baby has a need to suck in the morning, his mother produces the maximum amount of prolactin, just from 3 to 8 in the morning. Prolactin is always present in the female body in small quantities, its concentration in the blood increases significantly after the child begins to suckle, most of all it is obtained in the pre-morning hours from 3 to 8 in the morning. Prolactin, which appears in the morning, is engaged in the production of milk during the day. It turns out that whoever sucks at night, stimulates their mother's prolactin and provides themselves with a decent amount of milk during the day. And who does not succeed in sucking at night, he can rather quickly remain without milk during the day. No mammal takes a nightly break from feeding its babies.

Misconception 32: Never wake a sleeping child

Fact: Most children make it clear when they are hungry. However, during the neonatal period, some babies sometimes do not wake up on their own to feed often enough, and, if necessary, they must be woken up to get at least eight feedings per day. Infrequent breastfeeding breakouts may be associated with maternal birth or medication, neonatal jaundice, birth injuries, pacifiers, and / or inhibited behavior due to lack of timely response to signs of hunger. In addition, mothers wishing to take advantage of the natural contraceptive effect of lactational amenorrhea find that menstruation does not take longer when the baby suckles at night.

Misconception 33: My “nerves” lost my milk

Fact: Milk production depends on the hormone prolactin, the amount of which depends on the number of times the baby is applied and nothing else. The mother's worries about any reason do not affect him. But the release of milk from the breast depends on the hormone oxytocin, which is involved in the contraction of muscle cells around the lobules of the gland and thereby facilitates the flow of milk. The amount of this hormone very much depends on the psychological state of the woman. If she is scared, tired, in pain, or any other discomfort while feeding - oxytocin stops working and milk stops flowing out of the breast. The baby cannot suck it, the breast pump doesn’t express it, and it doesn’t come out with his hands ... Every nursing woman has observed the manifestation of the "oxytocin reflex": when a mother hears a baby crying (and not necessarily her own), her milk begins to leak. The body tells the mother that it is time to attach the baby. In a situation of stress or fear, nothing of the kind is observed. (Connection with the ancient instinct of self-preservation: if a woman runs from a tiger and smells of leaking milk from her, the tiger will find her faster and eat her, therefore, while she runs in fear through the jungle with a child under her arm, milk does not leak when she gets to a safe cave - and calmly settle down to feed the child, milk will flow again). Modern stressful situations work just like those tigers. In order for the milk to start flowing out again, you must try to relax during feeding, think only about the baby. You can drink soothing herbs, massage of the shoulders, a calm conversation helps well. Anything that helps you relax. And most modern mothers are not able to relax during feeding, they are uncomfortable sitting or lying down, it can be painful to feed - all this interferes with the manifestation of the oxytocin reflex - milk remains in the breast, which leads to a decrease in lactation. The most common cause of insufficient milk supply is infrequent feedings and / or improper breastfeeding and latching. Both come from a lack of information in a nursing mother. Sucking problems in a baby can also negatively affect milk supply. Stress, fatigue, or malnutrition rarely lead to a lack of milk, as there are strong coping mechanisms that protect the lactation process even during times of famine.

Misconception 34: If you feed your baby at night, your mom will get so tired that she won't be able to feed him at all.

Fact: This can really happen if a mother who needs continuous sleep often gets up to her baby. Some children do not ask for food at night right from birth, but there are very few of them. Pediatricians' beliefs that a baby's stomach should rest at night and that a 6-hour break between feedings should be maintained has been recognized as erroneous. Some mothers can easily sleep for two hours with a break for feeding, but they are in the minority. Most mothers want to sleep, and most babies need night feeds - and it is not known which is more important for them: the next portion of milk or constant contact with the mother. The needs of mom and baby can be reconciled by sleeping with him. He will feel protected, and you will release the hormone prolactin, which supports milk production - especially at night.

Misconception 35: Frequent feedings can lead to postpartum depression

Fact: It is generally accepted that postpartum depression is caused by hormonal surges after childbirth, and can be exacerbated by fatigue and lack of social support, although most of this happens to women with a history of psychological problems before pregnancy.

Misconception 36: Fearing the baby's obesity, limit the number of feeds and give water

Fact: A breastfed baby gains 125 to 500 g per week, or 500 to 2000 g per month. Usually by 6 months, a baby born with a weight of 3-3.5 kg weighs about 8 kg. The rate of increase is very individual, there is never any talk of "overfeeding", children who are actively gaining weight quickly grow in length and look proportional. Children who gain 1.5-2 kg per month in the first half of their life, usually sharply reduce their weight gain in the second half of the year and can weigh 12-14 kg by the year. There is never a need to limit the number of feedings, let alone give water. Research shows that self-sucking babies receive the optimal amount of milk for their individual needs. The risk of obesity in the future increases with formula feeding and early introduction of complementary foods, rather than with feeding on demand.

Misconception 37: A baby lacks nutrients, needs complementary foods from 4 months

Fact: The need for other food is manifested in a child of about 6 months of age, when he begins to actively wonder what everyone is eating there. And, if the mother takes the baby with her to the table, he begins to climb into her plate. This behavior is called active food interest, and it indicates that the child is ready to get acquainted with a new food and can begin. The child begins to fully assimilate vitamins and other useful substances from foreign food after a year. Breast milk contains absolutely all the nutrients a baby needs.

Misconception 38: Most babies refuse to breastfeed by 4 months and have to be switched to formula

Fact: Why is it about 4 months old? A friend said that she finished feeding at 4 months. The pediatrician persuades the mother: "Feed at least up to 4 months!" Even in the documents of the scientific conference we read: "To achieve that 80% of children under 4 months receive breast milk is a difficult, unattainable task." What happens when a baby turns 4 months old? According to perinatal psychologists who study the behavior of infants, at 3-4 months the first stage of the separation of the baby from the mother is observed - the baby for the first time declares itself as a person. He does this to the best of his abilities: being on his hands, he rests against his mother with his hands and feet; turns away and resists when she gives him a breast; screams, barely taking the breast and making several sucking movements; takes one breast, but refuses the other. The child seems to provoke the mother: how will she behave in such a situation? is it really a reliable protection for him? If, in response to such a change in the child's behavior (it is called "false breastfeeding"), the mother provides him with additional "evidence" of her reliability - she does not stop offering breast, feeds the child at night, does not use bottles and pacifiers, does not provide water and complementary foods, ready feed the baby in different positions that are convenient for him - the crisis of 3-4 months passes quite quickly. Most importantly, only the mother should take care of the child at this time, and all other family members should take care of her. This is the best way to strengthen the contact between the mother and the child, which the baby needs so much during this period. However, if the mother does not know about the crisis for 3-4 months, does not understand the baby's behavior, or from the very beginning, breastfeeding caused difficulties, was organized incorrectly, a false breastfeeding can turn into a genuine one. Sometimes it is accompanied by any ill health of the child (digestive problems, dysbiosis, PEP, etc.), but without establishing psychological contact with the child, treatment may be ineffective, and children's doctors are not always well acquainted with the psychology of an infant.

Misconception 39: If the baby is not gaining weight well, the cause is poor quality milk from the mother.

Fact: Studies have shown that even undernourished women are able to produce sufficient quantity and quality milk to feed a baby. Most cases of underweight are associated with insufficient milk intake or with a medical problem in the baby.

Misconception 40: a breastfeeding mother must have a strict diet.

Fact: Food should be familiar. It is preferable not to use exotic foods in the diet that are not typical for the "native" climatic zone. A nursing mother may have interesting nutritional needs and need to be met in the same way as the desires of a pregnant woman. A woman should eat according to her appetite, and not stick food into herself for two.

Misconception 41: The more liquid you drink, the more milk you drink. You must drink milk to make milk

Fact: There are mothers who try to drink as much as possible, sometimes up to 5 liters of fluid a day. And a nursing mother should drink only as much as she wants. Out of thirst. Mom shouldn't be thirsty. And if water is drunk on purpose, and even more than 3-3.5 liters per day, lactation may begin to be suppressed. All a mother needs to produce milk with all the necessary elements is a regular diet with vegetables, fruits, cereals and proteins. A variety of non-dairy foods such as green vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish with bones provide calcium. No mammal drinks the milk of another mammal in order to produce its own milk.

Misconception 42: The baby should be fed for no more than a year, then there is still nothing useful in the milk

Fact: After a year of lactation, the quality of milk does not deteriorate at all. Milk continues to be a source of all the necessary substances for the child, and in addition, it supplies enzymes that help the child to assimilate foreign food, contains the means of the baby's immune defense, and a lot of other substances that are not in artificial mixtures, in baby food, or in food. adults (hormones, tissue growth factors, biologically active substances and much, much more.) During the period of involution of the mammary gland (and for about a year with properly organized breastfeeding, involution of the mammary gland occurs very rarely), milk in its composition approaches colostrum. This is probably due to the fact that the mother's body is trying to provide the baby with maximum nutritional, energetic and immune support during the difficult period of weaning. By depriving a child of milk in the second year of life, a woman deprives him of this support as well. Large primates, which include humans, feed their young up to 3-4 years of age. The composition of breast milk changes over time, adapting to the needs of the growing baby. When a baby can eat solid foods, breast milk is still the main source of nutrition until the end of the first year. In the second year of life, milk becomes an addition to the main food - solid food. In addition, a child's immune system is fully developed by the age of two to six. Breast milk continues to help maintain and protect the immune system throughout the entire nursing period.

Misconception 43: Feeding after a year is bad for the woman and the baby.

Fact: If you take a close look at your one-year-old baby, you will not find any reason why he should stop breastfeeding right now. A one-year-old child is really not much different from an eleven-month-old or one who is 1 year 2 months old. He can walk a little better or a little worse, try different "adult" food, but psychologically he is still attached to his mother, and weaning him at this time from the breast means abruptly breaking this connection, undermining his trust in his mother, not giving them relationships develop naturally. The importance of milk as a biologically active liquid does not diminish after a year. "Thanks to its protective substances, the child does not suffer from numerous infections, although when he learns to walk, it is difficult to keep his hands clean all the time, and he often pulls objects that are far from sterile into his mouth." , which will be fully completed only by 3 years. “Teething of milk teeth, which weakens the immune system and often causes discomfort, ends at about two and a half years, and during this time, breast milk supports the baby's immune system, and the sucking process relieves pain.” In the second year of life, the composition of human milk helps the baby to adapt to the new food, moreover: if mother and child eat the same thing, which is called "from the same plate," enzymes appear in breast milk that help to digest this particular food. Breastfeeding is, of course, a burden for the mother's body, but it cannot be called harmful. Teeth can really suffer - during pregnancy and feeding, the baby "takes" calcium from the mother. Therefore, try to visit your dentist every three months. The organs of the reproductive sphere, on the contrary, rest - feeding, especially at night, often prevents the resumption of the menstrual cycle. Breastfeeding has a number of positive factors for the mother's health: latching on to the breast for the first hour helps prevent postpartum bleeding; when feeding for more than 9 months, the mother loses fat deposits that have formed during pregnancy; Feeding for at least 3 months reduces the risk of breast cancer in women of pre-climatic age by 50%; the percentage of osteoporosis morbidity in women over 65 who breastfeed in their youth is decreasing; feeding for more than 2 months reduces the risk of ovarian cancer by 25%. Modern research suggests that the physiological weaning of a child from the breast in each mother-child pair occurs at an individual time, somewhere between one and a half and two and a half years.

Misconception 44: It is important to involve other family members in feeding the baby so that they too can develop intimacy with the baby.

Fact: A close relationship with your baby isn't just about feeding. In addition to feeding the baby, you can hold him in your arms, hug, bathe and play with him. All this is equally important for his growth, development and closeness with family members.

Misconception 45: feeding while lying down causes ear infections

Fact: Breast milk is a living product, loaded with antibodies and immunoglobulins, so a breastfeeding baby is not at risk of ear inflammation due to any sucking position. It has been scientifically established that children who are bottle-fed from birth to 12 months are 2 times more likely to suffer from otitis media of varying severity than children who are breastfed.

Misconception 46: You can't feed after a caesarean section.

Fact: After a cesarean section, sometimes there are problems with the timely appearance of lactation. The fact is that after a cesarean section, the woman is weakened, and for some time she is under the influence of anesthesia. And she cannot immediately attach the baby to the breast after giving birth. Therefore, milk may appear a little later. But the baby still needs to be regularly applied to the breast. You just have to find a comfortable position so as not to damage the stitches in the first days after the operation. By the way, in recent years, very often a cesarean section is done under local anesthesia (epidural anesthesia). In this case, the woman is conscious and immediately after childbirth can attach the baby to the breast.

Misconception 47: Breastfeeding prevents your period and creates contraceptive problems

Fact: Problems with contraception occur only in women who previously used the "natural method" calculating "dangerous" and "safe" days for conception. But this method is considered deprecated and invalid. Most gynecologists are against the "natural method". Since, firstly, this method, subject to all the rules and a regular menstrual cycle, gives no more than 50% efficiency. And secondly, to use it, you must have certain skills and monitor the slightest changes in the body. During breastfeeding, you can use almost any method of contraception (with rare exceptions) and the doctor will easily select the most effective method for you. While the baby is breastfeeding, the chances of getting pregnant are reduced to some extent. As a rule, the menstrual cycle is fully restored, only a month after the cessation of lactation. By the way, many women, on the contrary, like this "vacation".

Misconception 48: When a child has teeth, he starts to bite.

Fact: Babies very rarely bite their mother's breasts. With the correct grip on the nipple, even with all the teeth, the baby will not be able to bite you. After all, he sucks not with his teeth or gums, but with his tongue. And if the nipple is not properly gripped, a child, even without teeth, can severely damage the breast. Although sometimes children start to play with their breasts and bite. This happens when the child has already eaten, but he is sorry to let go of the breast. In this case, you just need to wean the baby from the breast, but not let go.

Misconception 49: Milk is constantly flowing out of the breast, which is ugly

Fact: Indeed, sometimes milk leaks a little from the breast. But, as a rule, this happens when the time of feeding approaches, when the breast is full of milk or at night. Milk can also leak if the bra is incorrectly fitted and squeezes the breast too hard. In some cases, with weak nipples, milk may continually ooze from the breast. Now on sale there is a large selection of different pads for nursing mothers and special underwear. If your milk is leaking constantly, it is very convenient to insert milk collectors into your bra, which collect milk in a small cap. Then this milk can be poured into a bottle and, if necessary, feed the baby.

Misconception 50: All mom's diseases are passed on to her baby.

Fact: When breastfeeding, a child, firstly, is much more resistant to any viruses. And secondly, with breast milk, he will receive strength to fight against this particular infection. Breast milk is sterile and does not contain bacteria, so it cannot be the cause of the baby's illness. It contains anti-infectious factors that prevent the spread of infection. These include: white blood cells (which kill bacteria); antibodies (immunoglobulins, many infections that protect the child from diseases) - if an infection enters the mother's body, special antibodies soon appear in breast milk that protect the child from this infection; bifidus factor, which promotes the growth of special bacteria in the intestines of the child, which do not allow the appearance of harmful bacteria, protect against diarrhea; lactoferrin, which binds iron and prevents the growth of a number of iron-consuming bacteria. Of course, in case of serious illnesses, when the use of strong antibiotics is necessary, it is really undesirable to continue breastfeeding. And with a common cold or even mild infectious diseases, you can continue feeding. It is only necessary to take this into account when choosing a method of treatment and abandon medications that can enter breast milk and cause harm to the baby.

Of course, for almost every woman, breastfeeding is a welcome and pleasant process, but sometimes everything does not go as smoothly as we would like.

It is very good when, when the first signs of problems appear, a young mother can understand what is happening and take the necessary actions to normalize her health. Let's take a look at the symptoms and ways to overcome the “enemies of breastfeeding” such as clogged milk ducts, breast overflow, mastitis, and breast abscess.

Clogged ducts

If, for some reason, the breast was partially emptied or there were skips in feeding, then compression or, more simply, "blockage" of the milk passages may occur. The first symptoms of such an unpleasant process are appearing seals in the chest, they can be small and occur in different parts of the chest roundness. Such lumps give a mild, aching chest pain.

The reasons for this phenomenon can be very different, for example, a baby missed a few night feedings because of a sound sleep or a crumb got sick, and began to eat less mother's milk. The reason for stagnation can be inconvenient, squeezing bra, breasts become somewhat larger during lactation and it is better to buy a new suitable bra than to use a tight and pressing one. And in some cases, milk stagnation leads to overwork of mom, constant lack of sleep, in this case, for a while, postpone things that can wait or involve relatives in the process of caring for the baby so that you can have a proper rest.

Also try to breastfeed your baby more with the breast in which you feel an "excess" of milk. Newly arrived and outgoing milk will clear the clogged ducts. You can massage the breast before feeding to remove stagnant milk, or use different feeding positions to empty the different milk channels.

It is very important not to stop feeding your baby if there is a blockage in the breast, this will only worsen the problem.

Regular breastfeeding according to the correct regimen is the most important prevention against the formation of stagnation in the milk canals.

Video - obstetrician-gynecologist about clogged ducts:

Breast overflow

Many people know that in the first days after childbirth, colostrum is produced in the female body, which only third fourth the day will change to normal breast milk, and this in turn is fraught with breast overflow. You will know right away that your breasts feel full gravity in the chest, they will increase in size and become firm to the touch.

It would seem that a lot of milk is great, but such an excess is painful both for a mother, who may have a fever and chest pain, and for a baby, because he can simply choke on an abundance of milk.

To avoid such a milk "flood" after childbirth, you should limit yourself to drinking fluids and taking protein-rich foods.

Use both breasts when breastfeeding. Let the baby eat less but eat more often than plentiful feeding but with four-hour breaks. But you do not need to rely only on the child, in the first days the baby cannot eat very much, therefore, if there is an excess of milk, perform a breast massage, and then pump milk, before removing the "fossil" of the breast. If the breast is not straining well, you can stand under a warm shower and milk will come out more easily.

But just do not "abuse" expressing. After all, the body will increase the flow of milk, and this process can become endless, express only at the beginning of the feeding process in the first weeks after childbirth or with the "fossils" of the breast. Over time, the body will adapt to the needs of the baby, and will produce as much milk as the baby eats.

Video - about breast overflow:

Mastitis

The most unpleasant and painful phenomenon that brings many inconveniences to a nursing mother and can have complications. Most often, mastitis can develop between the beginning of the second week and the end of the fourth week after birth. Several reasons can provoke mastitis. Weakening of the body after childbirth, dehydration and exhaustion, combined with an excess of milk and blockage of the ducts can lead to the development of mastitis.

If the child does not completely empty the breast, and even cracks and wounds form on the chest, which can become conductors of microbes, then mastitis can easily develop. The very process of "blossoming" of mastitis is painful and painful, and the consequence can be a breast abscess.

Symptoms of mastitis are accompanied by a sharp a jump in temperature, general weakness, chills.

To defeat this disease, it is necessary for a while to deal only with the process of breastfeeding, in between which special compresses should be applied, this is a direct path to recovery.

The most famous compress is made from fresh cabbage leaves, which should be lightly cut with a knife and applied to the chest, wrapping a towel on top. Similar compresses can be made from cottage cheese, grated raw potatoes, burdock leaves, beets and honey, or flour and honey cakes. Change the compress every 4 hours or leave it overnight.

If all independent efforts do not give results, then by all means consult a doctor. Antibiotics are usually given and breastfeeding is allowed. But of course, it is better to control and regulate the flow of milk to the breast than to deal with severe symptoms afterwards.

Video - obstetrician-gynecologist about mastitis:

Breast abscess

Faced with the onset of a breast abscess, you do not need to rely on self-medication methods and folk wisdom - it's too late, you should immediately consult a doctor, and go through drug treatment... Symptoms of an abscess are pronounced - throbbing pain, pain when pressing on the chest, swelling, high temperature, a feeling of heat and in the abscess area, redness.

Sometimes it is impossible to do without opening the abscess, after that it is temporarily impossible to feed from this breast, express with a breast pump, and be sure to continue feeding the baby with a healthy breast.

Be sure to check with your doctor about feeding and taking medications so as not to harm your baby.

Video - how to prevent breast problems:

What are the most common problems regarding breastfeeding, and what should a nursing mother do to cope with them as quickly as possible and establish breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding problem # 1

Incorrect nipple shape. Very often, young mothers think that the irregular shape of the nipples (flat or inverted nipples) is an obstacle to breastfeeding the baby. In fact, when breastfeeding, it is not the shape of the nipples that is important, but the ability of the areola and breast tissue to stretch when sucking. The shape of the nipple is not of primary importance in breastfeeding, since with proper breastfeeding, the baby must capture not only the nipple, but also the entire areola.

What to do?

Try to teach the baby to properly grasp the breast when sucking, persistently put the breast in the baby's mouth and make sure that it captures the entire areola.
Use special nipple formers. The nipple former is a plastic cup, the inner side of which is made of silicone and has a hole for the nipple in the middle. A denser silicone bead is located along the diameter of the hole. It stimulates the nipple to move forward and makes it easier for the baby to grip.
Use special silicone nipple covers for feeding. With the first sucking movements of the baby, the nipple is pulled out in the pad and rests directly on the holes in it.

Breastfeeding problem # 2

Cracked and painful breasts when feeding. One of the most common problems women face in the first weeks of breastfeeding is cracked nipples.

The process begins with the fact that the mother feels pain in the breast while feeding the baby, and after a while redness, abrasions and skin damage appear on the nipple in the form of cracks that can bleed.

What to do?

Make sure that the baby is correctly latching on to the breast. The lower and upper lips of the child during sucking should be turned out (and not pressed inward), the mouth is wide open, the nose and chin should touch the breast.
Change the position of the baby during feeding, so that when sucking, different areas of the areola and nipple are exposed.
Do not remove the nipple from the baby's mouth if he does not let go. When it becomes necessary to remove the breast from the mouth of the crumbs, do it very carefully. In order for the baby to open his mouth, the mother needs to insert her little finger into the corner of his mouth and release the chest.
Start breastfeeding from a breast that is not cracked because a hungry baby sucks harder and this increases the pain.
In case of severe breast pain during breastfeeding, shorten the feeding time to 5–7 minutes and express the excess milk with your hands.
Apply a "rest mode", that is, do not put the baby to the sore breast for 1-3 days, but feed him only with a healthy breast. Milk from the damaged breast should be expressed by hand and the baby should be fed with expressed milk. This method is used if the fissure does not heal within 2–5 days during the initiation of drug treatment.
Do not use a breast pump to express. This additionally injures the nipple and prevents it from healing.
Organize proper breast care.
See a pediatrician or gynecologist who may prescribe medication to treat a cracked nipple.
For cracked nipples, you can also use special silicone nipple covers, which makes breastfeeding less painful and traumatic for the mother and allows the crack to heal. It is impossible to use silicone pads for a long time (several weeks), as this can lead to a decrease in milk formation. The fact is that when using the pad, adequate stimulation of the nipple does not occur, and as a result, its production decreases.
In case of an increase in temperature and the appearance of purulent discharge from the crack, it is necessary to urgently seek help from a doctor.

Breastfeeding problem # 3

The baby refuses to breast. Refusal to breastfeed should not be seen as a reason to stop breastfeeding. Mom needs to figure out why the baby refuses to breastfeed, and make every effort to maintain and restore breastfeeding. At the heart of breastfeeding can be problems of improperly organized breastfeeding, the peculiarities of the formation of lactation in the mother, or health problems for the baby.

Most often, this problem occurs in children who are weakened due to an unfavorable course of pregnancy and difficult childbirth. If there is a sucking reflex, but the baby is very weak after childbirth, he sucks a little and sluggishly, gets tired quickly, drops the breast and falls asleep.

What to do?

Be sure to consult a neonatologist, pediatrician or neurologist.
Offer your baby a breast at every feed.
Weakened babies are recommended to be applied to the breast every 1.5-2 hours.
If the baby does not breastfeed, be sure to pump (every 3 hours) so that the body receives a signal about the need to produce sufficient milk.
If necessary, feed the baby with expressed breast milk from a spoon, pipette or syringe (without a needle).
Do not bottle feed your baby.
Breast refusal can be one of the symptoms of the onset of the baby's illness, such as ear pain, nasal congestion, etc. In this case, it is important for the mother to assess the condition of the child, try to find out what is bothering the baby, and consult a doctor if necessary.

Breastfeeding problem # 4

Lactostasis and mastitis. One of the most pressing problems of concern to women during breastfeeding is lactostasis. This is a blockage of the milk duct, which occurs when there is insufficient emptying of any part of the breast. In this case, in addition to chest pain, a nursing mother may have an increase in body temperature and the appearance of a thickening area or a lump when probing the breast. Lactostasis can occur due to feeding the baby "by the hour", and not "on demand", the wrong technique for attaching the baby to the breast, premature weaning of the baby from the breast.

What to do?

Do not stop breastfeeding! The most important task for a nursing woman with lactostasis is to ensure a good outflow of milk from the breast. To do this, you need to establish the correct feeding technique:
Ensure proper attachment of the baby to the breast.
It is important to feed the baby “on demand”, while applying it to the breast at least once every 1.5 hours, and the duration of sucking should be at least 15–20 minutes.
Find a comfortable feeding position. In order for an effective outflow of milk to occur, when sucking, the baby's chin should be as close as possible to the place of stagnation. If the seal is from the inside, then the classic cradle position is suitable for feeding; if outside under the armpit - the pose "from under the arm", if stagnation in the upper lobes - pose "jack". During one feeding, the baby can be applied to the breast from different positions, which contributes to an even and complete emptying of the breast.
Express milk after feeding. It is important to remember that you cannot squeeze the area of the seal and the adjacent breast tissue. Strong pressure can transmit other milk ducts and blockage elsewhere.
For a better outflow of milk, before feeding, it is recommended to massage the breast from the base to the nipple with gentle stroking movements. It is convenient to carry out this procedure under the streams of a warm shower for 5-7 minutes.
Observe the drinking regime: during the period of lactostasis, it is recommended to limit the amount of fluid consumed to 1.5 liters per day.
If, within 1–2 days, when establishing the breastfeeding technique, it is not possible to cope with the problem on its own: the area of compaction does not decrease, chest pain increases, breast swelling appears, fever persists, pain appears when moving the hand, you need to contact to an obstetrician-gynecologist, mammologist or pediatrician, since against the background of lactostasis, inflammation of the breast gland - mastitis can occur.
Mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland, which is accompanied by an acute deterioration in general well-being, a sharp rise in temperature to 38–39 ° C, soreness and redness of the breast. The causes of this disease are cracked nipples and lactostasis. If you suspect mastitis, a nursing mother should immediately consult a doctor. Treatment for mastitis usually requires antibiotics, which must be prescribed by a doctor. The question of whether it is necessary to stop breastfeeding during treatment is decided in each case individually, depending on the compatibility of the drugs chosen by the doctor with breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding Problem # 5

Lactation crisis. This is a periodically occurring decrease in the amount of milk associated with the growth spurt of the child and the fact that the body of a nursing woman adapts to the new needs of a growing baby in milk. Most often, lactation crises appear at 3-7 weeks and at 3, 7, 11 months of a child's life. Lactation crises are temporary and usually last no more than 2-3, rarely 5 days.

What to do?

The most important thing is not to give the baby supplementary foods in the form of milk formula! Supplementing and using a bottle will reduce the number of breastfeeding sessions, breast stimulation, and therefore milk production.
Lactation crisis does not require any special measures to eliminate it.
It is very important not to be nervous to maintain normal lactation.
Apply the baby to the breast as often as possible. The interval between feedings should be no more than 1.5–2 hours.
You can give two breasts in one feeding: first, the baby sucks the first breast "to zero", then the second (start the next feeding with the one that was the second).
Observe the drinking regime. The amount of fluid entering the body should be at least 2–2.5 liters per day.
Be sure to feed your baby at least 3-4 times at night, with two feedings between 3 and 7 am.
Gently massage your breasts under a warm shower before feeding. This improves milk separation.
Provide skin-to-skin contact - at the same time, the mother puts the naked baby on her stomach or chest, and he lies there until he gets tired of it. This contact gives the brain a signal to produce milk.
Organize a joint sleep with your child (at least during the day).
If there is no more milk within 5-6 days, you should seek help from your pediatrician or breastfeeding specialist.

Breastfeeding problem # 6

Excess milk. Excess milk is dangerous because the baby cannot completely empty the breast and there is a threat of lactostasis and mastitis. Too much milk often occurs at the very beginning of lactation, when the so-called milk supply begins. Other reasons for this condition are most often the unjustified intake of lactogonics and expression after each feeding in the mode of feeding on demand.

What to do?

Check if the baby is properly attached to the breast and is sucking well. Do not limit feeding time - do not wean the baby from the breast until he releases it himself.
Express some of the milk before each feeding, but only until the breast becomes soft, not trying to free itself "to the last drop." Do not express after feedings as this stimulates more milk production.
Do not drink drugs that reduce lactation.
Do not limit the amount of fluid you drink. Milk production depends on the amount of the hormone prolactin, not on the amount of fluid you drink.
Avoid hot drinks and warm showers before breastfeeding, as this will stimulate milk flow.
Increase the intervals between the "shifts" of the chest. This means that we must try to increase the time during which the same breast is given for all the requirements of the child. In this case, the stimulation of the prolactin reflex is reduced and milk production is reduced in accordance with the baby's needs.

Breastfeeding problem # 7

Lack of milk. Insufficient milk production may be due to a violation of the production of hormones in a nursing mother, which directly affect the development of lactation. But still, most often, a lack of milk occurs due to improper organization of breastfeeding.

What to do?

Apply the baby to the breast more often. The interval between feedings should be no more than 1.5–2 hours. To maintain full lactation at first, you need at least 10-12 applications per day. The more the baby sucks milk, the more it will be produced in the following days.
The duration of feeding should be set by the child himself, on average at least 15–20 minutes;
Night feedings are required, since the production of the hormone prolactin, which stimulates lactation, is much higher at night than during the day.
Apply the baby to the breast correctly.
It is important for a nursing mother to get enough sleep and not to be nervous.
Observe the drinking regime. You need to drink so much so as not to feel thirsty. For a good lactation, it is recommended to drink the drinks warm 30 minutes before feeding.
An additional measure to increase lactation can be a warm shower before feeding the baby. In parallel, you can massage the mammary gland with circular kneading movements from the center to the periphery and from top to bottom, while expressing the remaining milk. It is advisable to carry out this procedure for 10 minutes, 2 times a day for each breast.
Expression can be used as a temporary measure to improve lactation. It stimulates milk secretion as a result of the reflex release of lactogenic hormones from the pituitary gland. It is important to stop pumping after you have restored enough milk for your baby so that it is not produced in excess or stagnant.
Herbal medicine and the use of homeopathic medicines to increase lactation under the supervision of a physician.

How to properly care for your breasts?

Wash your breasts no more than 1 or 2 times a day while taking a shower.
Do not use soap every time you wash and do not treat the nipples with disinfectants - brilliant green and other alcohol solutions that dry the skin.
Do not rub your breasts with a towel, so as not to further irritate or injure the delicate skin of the nipples.
After feeding, lubricate the nipple with drops of hind milk, as it has protective and healing properties, protecting the nipple from dryness.
After feeding and between feedings, air baths on the nipples, that is, keep them open for about 10 minutes. After each feeding, the nipple should air dry on its own.
Use special breast pads to absorb milk released between feedings.

Breastfeeding a newborn is so natural that it seemed like there could be problems. However, as practice shows, during breastfeeding, problems arise that young mothers cannot always cope with. Our magazine "Like a Woman" will try to tell you about the most common problems.

The first problem with breastfeeding

Not having enough milk when breastfeeding

One of the most common and frequent breastfeeding problems faced by young mothers is the problem when there is not enough milk. Usually this situation occurs when the baby is already 1 month old. The woman begins to panic and in vain. The main thing here is not to make mistakes. By this time, the young mother has matured lactation. And this means, if the baby feeds on demand, then the mother's breast is no longer overflowing and the milk is produced as much as the baby needs to feed. If the mother is not familiar with this fact, this situation scares her and she may make mistakes. Firstly, she will think that she does not have enough milk, but this is not so. Secondly, that the child is hungry, this is also not true, milk is produced as much as the baby needs.

And at this moment, if mom starts to panic, milk will really disappear, since stress disrupts the production of hormones responsible for milk production.
Before you panic, you can do this test:

If the baby wets the diapers 10-12 times, and you do not feed him, then there is not enough milk.

There is one more nuance that young moms should know:

The child grows and develops in leaps and bounds. And therefore, during such "leaps", the demand for milk increases. This happens at four weeks, then at 3 months, then at 7 months. (It must be remembered that each child develops individually and each race may be slightly different). The baby during these "leaps" literally depends on breastfeeding. So my mother thinks that there is less milk. But there is as much milk as there was, just the baby's need for milk has increased dramatically. This situation is called a lactation crisis and lasts for about a week. And this does not mean at all that the baby is hungry. We must continue to feed the baby on demand. The more often you put the baby to the breast, the more milk is produced.
In this situation, it is possible to make a second mistake:
give the baby a bottle. That's when there really will be less milk, because milk is produced according to need: the baby eats little and not much milk is produced, eats more, and more milk.

prompt

If a woman is breastfeeding for the first time, she may have very narrow ducts that carry milk to the nipple. The child, no matter how hard he tries, is unable to get himself the required amount of milk. The baby gets tired, as a result gets nervous, screams, so he does not succeed, and not from the fact that you do not have milk.

The child just needs help. In order for the milk ducts to expand and the milk to stand out better, you need to take a warm shower before each feeding. While breastfeeding, you can lightly massage the breast towards the nipple. If the baby changes positions while feeding the baby, it will make it easier for him to "get" milk. You can put the baby on the changing table, and mommy can bend over him, then under the influence of gravity, the outflow of milk will go easier.

To develop ducts, express milk several times a day, using your hands, or using a breast pump. But, you need to feed the baby not from a bottle, but from a spoon. (The baby quickly gets used to the bottle and may refuse to breastfeed.) Before each feeding (with a spoon), put the baby to the breast.

The second problem with breastfeeding

The baby does not breastfeed

The most painful problem for a mother during breastfeeding is when the baby refuses to breastfeed. This happens quite often in life. This mainly happens when the baby is 3 to 6 months old.

The most common reason for not breastfeeding is when a baby is given a bottle. When he sucks on a pacifier, he does not perceive it as a breast. But having tried a nipple with a bottle, from which it is much easier to get milk than from the breast, the baby prefers it.

After removing the bottle, the baby will return to the breast. And give water, tea, dill water from a spoon. Of course, the child will not immediately agree to this. But you have to endure, for each child this process is different. Usually, if the baby is up to three months old, then it will take him a week to retrain. For an older child, it will take more time.

The second reason for refusing breastfeeding is the baby's poor health. The sucking motion may be causing the child pain. This happens when the weather changes, or with colitis. In this case, it can help on the tummy. But, if such situations recur, you need to see a doctor.

Another problem with breastfeeding is change. For example, the music is playing loudly, or you sat down to feed the child in a new place, or a pungent smell of perfume, or maybe you ate a dish with whatever spices you are not accustomed to. Eliminate this factor, and everything falls into place.

It happens that a child refuses to breast when he does not want to eat, although the time has come. Offer the child something else, for example, do a massage, or bring it to the window, play.

A child can refuse to breastfeed, if there was any painful medical procedure in which the mother was present. The kid believes that his mother betrayed him, because she did not protect him. Mom will have to try very hard to regain the baby's trust. The same thing happens if the mother and child are separated for a long time. To regain the child's trust, the mother will have to stay with the baby for some time.

The third problem with breastfeeding

Lump in the breast and feeding

Sometimes a blockage of the milk ducts occurs in the breast of a nursing woman and a painful lump appears in the breast. This situation should not be left to chance. If urgent measures are not taken, the seals will become larger, the temperature may rise and, as a result, mastitis frolics.

You can cope with lactostasis, and not be taken to extremes.

Try to feed your baby more often, at least every two hours.
Before breastfeeding, it is advisable to take a shower, express a little milk. First, attach the baby to the sore breast. While the baby is hungry, he sucks harder. But remember about the second breast too.
Choose the one that is comfortable. It is necessary to position the baby at the breast so that his chin is directed towards the seal.

On a note

If it was not possible to cope with lactostasis on your own, within 24 hours, you should consult a doctor. There is no need to hope that everything will "resolve" by itself. Do not be afraid of being prescribed pills that will harm your baby. With lactostasis, ultrasound is prescribed, but it is harmless and helps to get rid of milk stagnation. Electrophoresis can be prescribed, which is used with various medicinal solutions.

The fourth problem

In case of impossibility of breastfeeding

There are different situations in life. Sometimes it can happen that a mother is forced to part with her child. The reasons may be different: it is necessary to undergo a course of treatment that is not compatible with breastfeeding. But you never know what can happen.

If the separation is no more than three weeks, temporary weaning can be used. During separation from a child, it is necessary to express milk six times a day so that lactation does not disappear. Upon returning to the baby, feeding can be restored.

But, and if it nevertheless happened that the mother is forced to stop breastfeeding, use the following tips:

The chest should not be overtightened, as mastitis may develop.
See your doctor - mammologist or gynecologist and carry out the cessation of lactation under their supervision and with their help.
Expressing will not stop lactation quickly.

The main thing is to remain calm that such a situation has happened to you. Because of this, you will not stop loving your child, but he will not stop loving you.

"Like a woman" | I am a mother

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