Brest feeding baby girl
Breastfeeding problems & support | Raising Children Network
Simone (Australian Breastfeeding Association counsellor, lactation consultant): Not all mums have problems with breastfeeding. Some of them have an easy run of it and they just put the baby on and that’s it. Other mums do find it’s a little bit more challenging.
Diana (mother of Jesse, 3 months): I had really bad nipple pain so both my nipples were quite tender to the point where I couldn’t even put my clothes to my breast.
Sally (mother of Lolopua, 5 years, and Heleni, 2 years): With my daughter when I first had the attachment issues, she was trying to get the milk and she was sucking but wasn’t sucking right, so the milk didn’t come through fast enough. I even had a lot of lumps in my breast and under my arm that they were saying was because she wasn’t draining it enough.
Natasha (mother of Heston, 2 years, and Georgia, 4 months): With Georgia, she had difficulties initially latching, then she would take a long time to feed and I had bouts of mastitis, which was quite painful.
Simone: You just don’t know what you’re going to get until that baby arrives, until you work out your whole relationship with that baby and what’s going to happen. It could be different from one baby to the next as well if you’ve had more than one.
Natasha: I was surprised that I felt that I needed to access support for the second time with Georgia because I thought, well I know what it is about breastfeeding, I’ve breastfed one child and I didn’t expect to have all these difficulties again – well new difficulties anyway. I’m just glad I had that support.
Simone: My main tip for breastfeeding mums who are having a bit of a hard time of it, would be to ask for help early. So the Australian Breastfeeding Association helpline would probably be your first port of call and then from there they can direct you to probably where else you might need to go. You might need to go to your GP. You might need to go to a lactation consultant.
You might need to see your child and family health nurse. There’s no silly questions. You can ring the helpline 24 hours a day and ask them the smallest – what you think is an insignificant question, but it can make a big difference to your breastfeeding.
Sally: I think some nights I just felt like I was going to cry, but as soon as you call and hear their voice and they just know so much about breastfeeding to help you, it’s just really calming and comforting to know that they can be there whenever, and you don’t have to leave the house, you don’t have to get dressed when you feel like rubbish, you don’t have to dress your kid that’s screaming and going crazy. You can just call them.
Simone: The other support services I guess people can look for are through their local hospital, through their child and family health nurse, which is their local council, and you can go to a lactation consultant privately if you wanted to. So some people like that because they might get a home visit and that could be learning to breastfed just in the comfort of their own home.
Diana: I woke up one morning and I thought well it’s either I seek help or I just give up and bottle feed. So I thought okay, well, I know this lactation consultant and I’m going to give her a call. She was so incredible. She went through the steps with me, how to actually put the baby on and my husband was there with me, he was quite supportive. So she started from the beginning and she went through how the baby needs to go on and how the baby actually needs to be latching on properly and why you get the pain if the baby is not on properly. So she’s started off getting me comfortable in the chair and I got Jesse in the right position. So we started the first latching on with her in the presence and I felt the pain within brief seconds and then it was gone and for the first time I could actually look at my baby and smile and I thought that was really magical for me.
Sally: The lactation nurse came around after I think 4 days, from the hospital.
She noticed when I was trying to feed her that, she’s like, look something is not right. When I was swapping the whole time while I was trying to tilt to the nurse, she just said, look something is not right, she’s not latching properly. I said, no, no, she’s fine, she’s all good, and she’s like, no, she’s not because she’s swapping every minute, she’s burping, she’s carrying on, she’s screaming. That’s when I tried to open her mouth and realised that she really wasn’t. So lactation consultant stayed with me for about an hour then she said, look I’ll come back in a couple of days and she just kept coming back. She kept saying, if I can’t come back I’m sending someone else from the hospital. They just persisted until they knew that I’d got it. So it was fantastic to have that help.
Natasha: The people that I found were particularly helpful was the early childhood nurse at the early childhood clinic. She was fantastic. It was the same lady who I saw when Heston was a baby.
At the time when I thought I was getting mastitis, and it was the first time I had experienced mastitis, I was on the phone to them, and I spoke to them about the soreness I was having and they were really helpful. They said, yep, go to your GP tomorrow.
Sally: If I didn’t have this support that I had through all of those obstacles, I think I just would have given up probably even after the attachment issues.
Simone: A support network is really important and that might not be – it might not be a health professional, it could be the family and friends around you or your cousin or a sister who has breastfed, or something like that. I think tapping into those support networks is really important to keep yourself in a positive frame of mind.
Natasha: The support that I got from the various people was crucial to get through the breastfeeding because without them, I probably would have just given up.
Diana: I believe definitely that my breakthrough was because I actually got up and sought help.
I got up and actually did consult a lactation consultant and that was my breakthrough and I am very happy with how far we’ve gone now and the fact that we are still breastfeeding and we wouldn’t trade it for anything else.
Busted: 14 myths about breastfeeding
"You should only eat plain food while breastfeeding." Fact or fiction?
UNICEF/UNI183001/Quintos
1. Myth: Breastfeeding is easy.
Babies are born with the reflex to look for their mother’s breast. However, many mothers need practical support with positioning their baby for breastfeeding and making sure their baby is correctly attached to the breast. Breastfeeding takes time and practice for both mothers and babies. Breastfeeding is also time intensive, so mothers need space and support at home and work.
2. Myth: It’s usual for breastfeeding to hurt – sore nipples are inevitable.
Many mothers experience discomfort in the first few days after birth when they are learning to breastfeed.
But with the right support with positioning their baby for breastfeeding and making sure their baby is correctly attached to the breast, sore nipples can be avoided. If a mother faces breastfeeding challenges like sore nipples, support from a lactation consultant or other skilled professional can help them overcome the issue.
3. Myth: You should wash your nipples before breastfeeding.
Washing your nipples before breastfeeding isn’t necessary. When babies are born, they are already very familiar with their own mother’s smells and sounds. The nipples produce a substance that the baby smells and has ‘good bacteria’ that helps to build babies’ own healthy immune system for life.
UNICEF/UN0140320/Ayene
Did you know? Breastfeeding protects your baby from ear infections, diarrhoea, pneumonia and other childhood diseases.
4. Myth: You should separate a newborn and mother to let the mother rest.
Doctors, nurses and midwives often encourage the practice of ‘skin-to-skin’ – also known as kangaroo mother care – immediately after birth.
Bringing your baby in direct contact, so their skin is against yours, is a very important practice that helps them to find and attach to the breast. If you can practice this within one hour after birth and then frequently after, it helps to establish breastfeeding. If the mother cannot do this, then the partner or another family member can step in.
5. Myth: You should only eat plain food while breastfeeding.
Like everybody else, breastfeeding mothers need to eat a balanced diet. In general, there is no need to change food habits. Babies are exposed to their mothers’ food preferences from the time they are in the womb. If a mother perceives that her baby reacts to a specific food she eats, it is best to consult a specialist.
6. Myth: Exercise will affect the taste of your milk.
Exercise is healthy, also for breastfeeding mothers. There is no evidence that it affects the taste of your milk.
7. Myth: You won’t be able to breastfeed unless you do it straight away.
It is easier to get breastfeeding started if you begin in the first hour after birth because a baby’s reflexes are very strong at that time. They are ready to learn to feed at the breast. If you do not latch your baby on right after birth, do it as soon as possible in your situation. If you need help putting your baby to the breast, ask for support from a qualified lactation consultant or other skilled professional. Frequent skin-to-skin contact and putting your baby to the breast will help to get breastfeeding going.
UNICEF/UN040621
Did you know? Breastfeeding protects the mother from diabetes, breast and ovarian cancers, heart disease and postpartum depression.
8. Myth: You can never use formula if you want to breastfeed.
Mothers may decide they need to use formula on some occasions, while continuing to breastfeed. It is important to seek unbiased information on formula and other products that replace breastmilk.
To keep breastmilk production going, continue offering the breast to your baby as often as possible. It can be useful for mothers to consult a lactation specialist or skilled professional to help with a plan that works best for them to continue breastfeeding.
9. Myth: Many mothers can’t produce enough milk.
Almost all mothers produce the right amount of milk for their babies. Breastmilk production is determined by how well the baby is latched on to the breast, the frequency of breastfeeding and how well the baby is removing milk with each feeding. Breastfeeding isn’t a ‘one woman’ job and mothers need support. Support like ongoing breastfeeding guidance from health care providers, help at home, and staying healthy by eating and drinking well.
10. Myth: You shouldn't breastfeed if you’re sick.
Depending on the kind of illness, mothers can usually continue breastfeeding when they’re sick. You need to make sure you get the right treatment, and to rest, eat and drink well.
In many cases, the antibodies your body makes to treat your disease or illness will pass on to your baby, building his or her own defences.
11. Myth: You can’t take any medication if you’re breastfeeding.
It’s important to inform your doctor that you are breastfeeding and to read the instructions with any medications you buy over the counter. It might be necessary to take medications at a specific time or in a specific dosage, or to take an alternative formulation. You should also tell the baby’s doctor about any medications that you’re taking.
UNICEF/UN0160505/Soares
Did you know? The ‘first milk’ – or colostrum – is rich in antibodies and gives newborns an immunity boost while their own immune systems are still developing.
12. Myth: Babies who have been breastfed are clingy.
All babies are different. Some are clingy and some are not, no matter how they are fed. Breastfeeding provides not only the best nutrition for infants, but is also important for their developing brain.
Breastfed babies are held a lot and because of this, breastfeeding has been shown to enhance bonding with their mother.
13. Myth: It’s hard to wean a baby if you breastfeed for more than a year.
There’s no evidence that it is more difficult to stop breastfeeding after one year, but there is evidence that breastfeeding up to two years is beneficial for both mothers and children. All mothers and babies are different and need to determine together how long they want to breastfeed.
14. Myth: If you go back to work, you’ll have to wean your baby.
Many mothers continue breastfeeding after going back to work. First, check the policies in your country and your own workplace. If you have the right to time and a place to breastfeed during working hours, you may be able to go home and breastfeed, ask a family member or friend to bring your baby to you, or to express your milk and take it home. If you don’t have the option to breastfeed during working hours, look for moments during the day to express your milk and then feed your baby directly when you are at home.
If you decide to give your baby a breastmilk substitute for some feeds, it still very good to continue breastfeeding whenever you are with your baby.
This article was developed in collaboration with Dr. Michele Griswold PhD, MPH, RN, IBCLC. Dr Griswold is a lactation consultant, registered nurse, breastfeeding researcher and advocate. She represents the International Lactation Consultant Association to the WHO/UNICEF Global Breastfeeding Collective, which calls on governments and society as a whole to provide mothers the support they need to breastfeed.
Sign me up
Pediatrician "SM-Doctor" about the age until which a child should be breastfed
Some new mothers try to do this as early as possible. Others continue to put the baby to the breast at 4 and 5 years.
Play their role and "national" characteristics. For example, in the UK, only a third of babies in their six months still receive mother's milk, while the rest are transferred to formula. And in the UAE, the law prescribes to breastfeed children up to two years, otherwise you can get severe punishment.
In fact, it is on the figure “two years” that most doctors around the world agree. It is believed that after this age, mother's milk no longer brings additional health benefits. Is it so? we deal with experts.
Tatyana Kuznetsova
TATYANA KUZNETSOVA
pediatrician, nephrologist, breastfeeding consultant at the SM-Doctor clinic.
On the recommendation of the World Health Organization and the UN Children's Fund, it is desirable to maintain breastfeeding up to 2 years, longer - at the mutual desire of the mother and child. Domestic pediatricians, based on practical experience and scientific research, voice the figure up to 1.5 years.
It is now not uncommon to see mothers who breastfeed their children after two years of age.
Such prolonged breastfeeding is commonly referred to as long-term feeding.
In any case, after 2.5 years, the child goes through the process of natural extinction of the sucking reflex, there is a gradual self-weaning and, thus, the smooth completion of breastfeeding.
Regardless of the recommendations, the choice always remains with the mother. And the duration of breastfeeding will depend, first of all, on the readiness of both the mother and the child to stop this process.
What are the health risks of early weaning?
Breast milk substitutes do not contain anti-infectious factors, so an artificially fed baby is more likely to get intestinal infections and respiratory diseases. These include frequent acute respiratory viral infections, otitis media, bronchitis, pneumonia, intestinal infections (usually of a viral nature) with prolonged diarrhea, fungal intestinal diseases, as well as a formidable life-threatening condition - necrotizing enterocolitis of newborns.
Quite often, infants on mixtures develop intolerance to animal milk proteins (bovine, goat) with the development of allergic reactions, in particular, food allergies in the form of atopic dermatitis. Unfortunately, in the future such children are at risk for the development of allergic bronchitis, bronchial asthma.
Formula feeding increases the risk of developing diabetes mellitus, as well as obesity associated with excessive formula intake that exceeds the needs of the child. Perhaps the development of seizures due to excess content in mixtures of sodium, calcium, phosphorus.
Infants receiving formula may have reduced intellectual development due to a lack of amino acids, omega-fatty acids, which are necessary for the growing brain of a child.
In addition, according to some studies, not breastfeeding increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
And what are the disadvantages of late weaning?
Not only abroad, but also in Russia, there are many studies that have proven the benefits of mother's milk at any time of feeding.
After a year, breast milk changes its composition, but not for the worse.
The main reason for these changes is that milk is no longer the main food for the baby, and other functions come to the fore.
The older the child becomes, the greater the concentration of immunoglobulins in milk increases, which protect the child from infectious diseases. Breast milk contains leukocytes and a number of anti-infectious factors, as well as antibodies against infectious agents previously transferred by the mother.
How does breastfeeding affect the child's psyche?
Today it is becoming very fashionable to instill early independence in children, and premature weaning is seen by some parents as a means to make the child more independent.
However, psychologists who are closely involved in the study of child development warn that premature weaning can, on the contrary, provoke a delay in emotional development and increase dependence on parents.
Imposed independence turns into psychological isolation and abandonment. It is much better to give the child the opportunity to become independent when he is ready for it.
This is well illustrated by the results of foreign studies: for example, one of them showed that the greatest achievements in school were in children who were fed longer. And in the course of another, they found that the longer a child breastfeeds, the better social adaptation goes later, at the age of six to eight. Both mothers and teachers acknowledged that babies who were breastfed for a long time were much less likely to develop problem behaviors.
Yes, and Russian doctors, who undertook to study the effect of breastfeeding on the neuropsychic development of children, found that babies who ate their mother's milk for a long time show much better results both at two years, in tests of speech development, and at three years , in tests of the correct performance of skills.
Many long-term breastfeeding mothers successfully combine feeding with work, and also take their children to kindergartens.
Applications remain only at bedtime and at night. The rest of the time, the baby usually does not need to breastfeed. Ideally, the child should stop asking for breasts during the day, and then at bedtime and at night. As a rule, this happens about 2.5 - 3 years.
But if the child continues to breastfeed after 3.5 years, this may indicate some psychological problems of the baby or mother, in this case it is advisable to contact a psychologist, but not an ordinary one, but a friendly one for long-term feeding.
What if I can't breastfeed?
Sergey Butriy
SERGEY BUTRIY
Pediatrician, author of books on child health
A well-known doctor spoke about this in a podcast for Cuprum.
- One of the most "explosive" topics in the pediatrician's office after vaccinations is breastfeeding. Now it's fashionable to be for GW. Of course, formula is not quite the same as breast milk. There is only one "but".
Mothers who failed to breastfeed for health reasons experience a huge sense of guilt. They are pressed by society, other mothers, breastfeeding consultants. Many become depressed because of this, trying to feed through physical pain. But not so perishing GV and it is important. "Die but feed" is not our method. And there are many such mothers, they come to the doctor and cry. It hurts them even to think that they will not give something to the child.
Breastfeeding is great, but it's not the only way. Artificial feeding is not shameful. You can raise a healthy child and mixtures. The main thing is that mom is calm.
Published on the portal parents.ru
Breastfeeding / Breastfeeding / Useful information / Children's clinic / Divisions of the CDMC
Guide to breastfeeding
spring grasses, sometimes sweet like honey, sometimes light like dew, sometimes enveloping like white clouds. How many times it healed me and I became strong again, or wrapped me in a sweet slumber when I was very tired.
At your chest, I heard the singing of a lark high in the sky, and the whisper of leaves in a birch grove, and autumn rain outside the window, and the chime of waxwings on a winter day.
Even after many years I will remember it, we will remember it...
E.Ibragimova
Published in the special issue of the magazine "Liza. My child" special issue 01/2016
Many mothers, expecting their first baby, seriously think about how childbirth will take place, and less often they think about how they will feed the baby. Meanwhile, childbirth is a very short period of time, and the rest of the time of life with the baby will be devoted to building relationships with him through breastfeeding.
Some mothers-to-be are hesitant to breastfeed at all.
Let's look at their assumptions first:
- Does breastfeeding ruin breast shape?
Breast shape changes during pregnancy. On the contrary, when feeding for more than a year and smooth weaning, the breast acquires an almost “pre-pregnant” shape.
According to studies, smoking has a stronger effect on the shape of the breast than feeding.
- Will it be impossible to leave the child?
The first 3 months are possible short (1-1.5 hours) separation from the child, from 3 months absence can be longer, after 9months, the mother can go to work full-time, leaving the baby with expressed milk.
- If the mother is nervous or very tired, does the milk “burn out” or become bad for the baby?
There are no conditions in the mammary gland for "burning out" of milk. When breastfeeding, endorphins are released into the blood of a woman, and HB helps her to endure stress more easily and is the best prevention of depression. Yes, and the child himself calms down at the breast, even if before that he sees the unusual behavior of his mother.
- Is formula practically the same as breast milk?
To give women such a doubt, manufacturers of infant formula have tried hard, investing millions of dollars in advertising and bribes.
Let's look at a few differences between breastfeeding and formula feeding:
|
| GV | Blend |
| Economy | free | about 100 tr. in the first year of a child's life. If hypoallergenic mixtures are required, then about 240 tr. |
| Number of substances | over 700! | 30- 50 |
| Stem cells | yes | no |
| Antibodies against disease | yes | no |
| Growth factors for maturation of the intestines | enough | little |
| Effect of | normal maturation of the gastrointestinal tract, normal development of the immune system | constipation, diarrhea, increased risk of many diseases: allergies, gastrointestinal problems, various infections, diabetes, etc. |
| Proteins | easily absorbed whey
| hard-to-digest casein clots
|
| Change in composition | adapts to the needs of the baby (varies depending on the season, time of day, age of the baby, etc.) | composition is the same for all children |
| Vitamins and minerals | easily digestible | low absorption |
| Availability | no need to cook | it is necessary to go to shops, sterilize the bottle, dilute the mixture with water, etc. |
| Excess substances | no | cases of salmonella infection, radioactive particles, etc. |
| Emotional connection between mother and child | strong | weak |
And the list of differences goes on.
Imagine, can a baby bottle with formula replace the happy moments at the mother's breast?
With information and help, almost any woman can successfully breastfeed for a long time. And you can!
What information can help you?
First , immediately after delivery (before measurements) skin-to-skin contact between the newborn and the mother (a method that involves placing the naked child on the mother’s abdomen or chest), the child must be dried, covered with a dry diaper, contact duration - at least 40 minutes, optimally 2 hours or more. (This right of mother and child is also enshrined in the Methodological Letter of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation dated July 13, 2011 N 15-4 / 10 / 2-6796 "On the organization of the work of the obstetric service in the context of the introduction of modern perinatal technologies").
Why is this important:
a) At the same time, the baby's body is colonized by the same bacteria that live on the body of his mother. This, in combination with HB, is considered an important prevention of allergic diseases.
b) If a newborn is separated from his mother immediately after birth, he becomes vulnerable to aggressive hospital flora, the risk of nosocomial infections increases dramatically.
c) This calms the baby and mother, because they both experience severe stress in childbirth.
d) The baby is more likely to be able to latch on correctly (especially if the birth was completed without medication).
Second , breastfeed within the first hour after delivery. Don't panic if the baby doesn't take the breast right away. Children should eat when they show they are ready, and if the child is in close contact with the mother, she will notice this readiness. The recommended duration of application is at least 20 minutes from each breast.
The baby's first food should be colostrum. Colostrum is the secret of the mammary glands, which is produced during pregnancy and the first 3-5 days after childbirth (before milk arrives). It is a saturated thick liquid from light yellow to orange color. Do not be afraid that there is not enough colostrum. Colostrum is very concentrated, so the baby needs just drops.
Why it's important:
A) Colostrum contains several times more protein than mature milk, especially immunoglobulin A. Immunoglobulins are responsible for protecting the baby from infections and allergens, thanks to special mechanisms they are quickly absorbed in the baby's stomach and intestines.
B) Has laxative properties to help the baby quickly get rid of the original stool - meconium, and also reduces the risk of physiological jaundice in the baby.
C) The mother triggers the oxytocin reflex, which contributes to uterine contraction and faster recovery after childbirth.
Thirdly, the correct position of the baby at the breast and the correct attachment of to the breast. Let's dwell on the key points.
For example, you feed while seated. How to hold a baby:
a) The child's body and head are on the same line.
b) The baby's belly should be turned towards the mother's belly and touch it.
c) The WHOLE body of the child must be supported.
The baby is brought to the breast with the NOSE to the nipple so that it is necessary to reach for the breast. When he opens his mouth wide, we press the baby to ourselves.
If it is not possible to attach the baby well, gently insert the little finger into the corner of the mouth and open the gums, remove the breast.
What does proper attachment look like? The baby's mouth is open wide; lips turned out; his chin touches his mother's breasts; areola capture radius is 2-3 cm from the base of the nipple; except for swallowing, sniffing and even breathing, no other sounds are heard (smacking, etc.
); mom is not in pain.
There are many positions for feeding - sitting, lying down, close at hand, relaxed feeding, etc.
Nuance: good breast sucking is affected by the frenulum under the tongue of the baby, ask the pediatrician at the maternity hospital to check it. If it turns out to be short, it is better to cut it immediately.
Fourth, frequent breastfeeding . The term “on demand” is commonly used, which confuses many moms. Many people think that a baby "demands" when it cries. At the same time, crying is the last thing a hungry child decides to do.
Signs of readiness to suckle in a newborn :
The baby's muscles tighten, for example, he clenched his fists and flexed his arms at the elbows.
The child rolls, twists and arches his back.
The child makes different sounds.
The child draws his hands to his mouth (even if his eyes are closed, he can suck his own hand).
If the child's hand is next to the face, he turns towards the hand, pokes, opens his mouth.
A newborn in the first 3 months of life may want to kiss 15-25 times a day. After all, his stomach is very small (on the 1st day after birth - 5-7 ml, on the 3rd day - 22-27 ml, on the 7th day - 45-60 ml) and breast milk is quickly absorbed. In addition to receiving nourishment, the child also finds comfort in his mother's breast. Therefore, it is not recommended to feed the baby "according to the regime" - for example, once every 3 hours or to limit his time at the breast - for example, to feed no more than 15 minutes. Night feedings are crucial for successful lactation - thanks to them, the level of prolactin is maintained at the required level.
Why frequent breastfeeding is important:
a) The number of prolactin receptors in the breast increases, which further contributes to sufficient milk production.
b) Promotes a more relaxed flow of milk, without pronounced symptoms of engorgement.
c) When feeding “according to the regimen”, there is a high risk that the child will be offended by the mother (after all, they do not immediately respond to his needs) and will behave restlessly at the breast.
Fifth, it is not recommended to give pacifiers to the child.
Why it's important:
a) Soothers artificially delay feeding time, resulting in poor weight gain and reduced milk production.
b) The child finds solace not at the mother's breast, but in a silicone object and may refuse the breast.
c) It spoils the grip of the breast, which leads to cracks, lactostasis.
Sixth, if you need to supplement with expressed milk and/or formula, then avoid the use of bottles.
Why is this important:
A) The baby gets used to a strong and constant flow of milk from the bottle and begins to behave restlessly at the breast, “lazy” to suck.
B) When sucking a bottle and a breast, different muscle groups are used, so the grip on the breast often deteriorates, the child sucks milk poorly, gains weight worse.
Seventh, the joint sleep of mother and child.
Sleeping with your baby is perfectly normal. A child should not be spoiled with attention or held too much in his arms. The more children are held in their arms, the more attention is paid to them, the better they grow. The presence of the mother, her smell, constantly encourages him to suckle the breast more often, which means sucking out more milk.
Western parents are advised to leave the child to “shout out” before going to bed in order to raise an independent child, used to loneliness and able to calm himself. However, modern research shows that in this case, the child's brain is irreparably damaged.
Safe sleep:
- The child should sleep on a clean and hard surface.
- Avoid sleeping with your baby if you are overly tired.
- Do not leave your baby unattended in an adult bed.
- In cold weather, cover yourself with several layers of thin bed linen instead of one thick layer.
- Pets must not be in bed
- No one should smoke in the room where the baby sleeps.
Now consider some common cases:
- Mother's Rh negative or blood type incompatibility is not a contraindication to breastfeeding. Rh-conflict, blood type conflict or hemolytic disease of the newborn is not a contraindication. Rh antibodies are destroyed in the gastric juice of the newborn. Studies also show that in children with hemolytic disease, HB does not increase the breakdown of erythrocytes, red blood cells.
- The administration of anti-Rh immunoglobulin to prevent Rh conflicts in subsequent pregnancies in an Rh-negative mother is not a contraindication to breastfeeding. Anti-Rhesus immunoglobulin almost does not penetrate into breast milk. Most immunoglobulins are destroyed in the gastric juice of the newborn.
- Is it possible to breastfeed with jaundice?
Even with severe physiological jaundice in children in the first days of life, it is impossible to refuse breastfeeding. Early attachment of the baby to the breast and frequent feedings are an important factor in the prevention of jaundice, since colostrum, having a laxative effect, leads to a faster discharge of meconium (original feces).
With insufficient nutrition of a newborn baby, jaundice may be more intense and prolonged due to the thickening of bile. (source - NATIONAL PROGRAM OF OPTIMIZATION OF FEEDING OF CHILDREN OF THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, p.17).
It is absolutely pointless to give the child water, glucose, activated charcoal, smectite, etc. in such a situation. - from this, the activity of liver enzymes, the function of which is reduced, will not increase. In some cases, it may be necessary to carry out phototherapy with special lamps, which can usually be rented from the hospital home.
- What to do if you are separated from your child?
It is recommended to express at least eight times a day. Whether you can pump something or not, breast stimulation is important to maintain and increase your milk supply.
If there is no joint stay in the maternity hospital, or if the baby was taken to the children's department for some medical reasons - do not hesitate to visit him and feed him there! If your and his condition allows, try to feed the baby only colostrum and then breast milk.
Try not to give supplements from a bottle, but from a spoon, pipette or syringe without a needle.
"Arrival" of milk.
Milk comes on 3-4 days after birth, less often - on 5-7. Your chest becomes hot, heavy, tight. If the mother rarely put the baby to the breast before, then engorgement may occur. At the same time, remember that you can do without pain and rough straining. Act according to the scheme: heat - light massage - removal of swelling from the areola - decant a little - attach the child - cold compress.
"Hard" straining, which is often used in the hospital, leads to severe swelling and worsening of the situation. Alcohol compresses, Vishnevsky ointment, etc. are not recommended.
How to remove swelling from the areola? Use the Pressure Softening technique introduced by International Consultant Jean Kotterman.
It is necessary to evenly and gently press on the areola towards the chest and hold the pressure for at least a full minute (up to 2-3 minutes).
How to express properly? Fingers are placed on the border of the areola and white skin. First, the fingers are pressed in the direction of the chest: you seem to grab the milk-filled ducts that lie under the areola, and only then roll over them with your fingers. Important: the fingers do not fidget over the skin, they stand in one place on it.
How do you know if your baby is getting enough milk?
Newborns lose up to 6-10% of their birth weight in the first two days of their lives. This is a physiological norm. Most children regain their weight or begin to put on weight by 5-7 days of life.
- Wet diaper test .
Urination rate (per day) for a child under 10 days old = number of days + 1.
That is, for example, a 2-day-old baby who has enough milk pees 3 times a day.
Babies over 10 days old should pee 12 times or more per day.
These calculations are correct if there is no water addition and no drips.
- Weight set . The rate of weight gain for babies in the first 6 months of life is from 500 to 2000 g per month.
The set is not calculated from birth weight, but from the minimum (usually this is discharge weight). If the weight gain is less than 150g per week, we advise you to contact the AKEV specialists and the pediatrician.
- An infant should have at least 3-4 bowel movements per day (up to about 3-6 weeks). Then the chair is reduced - up to 1 time per day or less.
All other signs - baby crying, little pumping from the breast, no milk leakage, etc. - are not reliable signs of milk sufficiency / lack of milk .
Breastfeeding lifestyle:
- Care: it is recommended to wash the breasts 1-2 times a day while taking a shared shower (just with water, no soap).
- Diet: you should not sit on a "dry ration", the menu should be varied and healthy (without the use of chemical additives), eat according to your appetite.
