Human milk is the most suitable food for a newborn, which has no analogues. Having decided to breastfeed the newborn baby, the mother gives the baby not food, but much more. Uncertainty at the first attempts to feed a baby will soon pass, especially if you learn more about the intricacies of breastfeeding during pregnancy.
Training
It is not necessary to wash your breasts before feeding with soap, as it was once advised to our mothers. For breast hygiene, just a daily shower is enough. It is also not recommended to treat the nipples with any antiseptics.
Choose a place that is calm and comfortable for feeding. It's good if no one bothers you at this time.
Drink a glass of liquid about 15 minutes before feeding your baby. Thanks to this, lactation will increase.
Correct attachment and grip of the breast
Correct attachment is one of the main factors contributing to a successful breastfeeding experience. For the course of the entire period of feeding the baby with human milk, it is very important how the first attachment of the baby occurred. Most maternity hospitals support breastfeeding by ensuring that the newborn baby is latching onto the mother's breast immediately after delivery.
A comfortable posture is also important for proper attachment. Feeding, especially at first, takes a long time, therefore it is important that mom does not get tired.
The baby should grab the nipple on its own, but if he did it wrong (grabbed only the tip), the mother should press a little on the chin of the baby and release the breast.
Stages
After washing your hands, it is worth expressing a few drops of milk and rubbing them on the nipple. This will make the nipple softer for the baby to grip easily. Now you need to get comfortable and start feeding:
- Grasping the breast with your fingers, without touching the areola, direct the nipple towards the baby's face. To help the baby find the nipple, stroke the baby on the cheek. If this does not help, you can squeeze some milk onto the baby's lips.
- Make sure that the baby grabs the nipple correctly. His mouth should be open quite wide, and his chin should be pressed against his mother's chest. The baby's mouth should contain not only the nipple, but also part of the areola.
- If milk begins to flow out of the corner of the baby's mouth, raise the baby's head and place the index finger under the baby's lower lip.
- When the baby sucks very sluggishly, help the baby to become more alert. To do this, you can stroke the crumbs on the head, pat on the cheek or ear.
- When the baby starts to fall asleep at the breast or is sucking at a slower rate, the mother can interrupt the sucking by gently placing her index finger between the breast and the corner of the baby's mouth.
- Don't rush to get dressed immediately after feeding. Let the milk on the nipple dry a little. Also, do not rush to put the baby in the crib. The baby should vomit out the air trapped in the stomach with milk. To do this, hold the toddler with a "column", putting a napkin on your shoulder, as a small portion of milk may also come out with the air.
Comfortable positions
To feed the baby, the mother chooses a lying, sitting or any other position in which it is convenient for both her and the baby to stay. You need to feed the baby in a relaxed state.
If the mother is weakened after childbirth, has undergone a cesarean section or stitches in the perineum, then it will be more convenient for her to feed while lying on her side. Turning to face the baby, you need to put the baby so that the baby's head is located in the elbow of the mother's hand. Supporting the baby under the back, you can gently stroke the baby.
Sitting is also one of the most comfortable feeding positions. Mom can sit in a chair or on a chair, but it is more comfortable if her hand rests on the armrest or on the pillow, and one leg is on a small bench. The child should be supported under the back so that his head rests on the bend of his mother's elbow. The baby's belly should touch the mother’s belly.
Other Possible Poses and Positions
Feeding the baby can be carried out in the position from behind. For this position, mom sits on the couch and places a regular pillow next to it. The mother puts the baby on the pillow so that the baby's body is located along her body at hand. This position is very convenient for mums breastfeeding twins. This way the mother can feed both babies at once.
Also, the mother can feed while sitting on the floor and crossing her legs "in Turkish" style. In this position, it is convenient to feed a baby who already knows how to crawl or walk.
Popular feeding positions are shown below. Experiment and choose the most comfortable one for both you and your baby.
How do you know that everything is going right?
If the baby has captured the breast correctly, then:
- Both the nipple and the areola (most of it) will be in the baby's mouth, and the baby's lips will be turned outward.
- The baby's nose will be pressed against the breast, but will not sink into it.
- Mom will not hear any other sounds besides swallowing milk.
- Mom will not have any discomfort while sucking.
Outside home
A breastfeeding mother gets such an important advantage as the ability to give her baby food at any time when the baby is hungry. You can quietly feed a baby in many places. To do this, mom should think over her clothes, putting on things that can be easily unbuttoned or lifted. You can also bring a handkerchief or shawl with you to cover up while feeding.
Recently, places for feeding babies have begun to appear in stores. If a mother and a newborn are visiting, do not hesitate to ask to retire with the baby in another room. Any adequate person will meet you halfway.
FAQ
Does a nursing mother need to take nutritional supplements (vitamins, minerals) while breastfeeding?
The Miteravel Plus complex can supplement the diet of both mothers and children (through milk) with the necessary vitamins and microelements. In addition to folic acid, iodine and iron, Miteravel Plus contains those elements that nursing mothers often lack: zinc, molybdenum, selenium, as well as vitamins and essential fatty acids Omega-3. Just 1 capsule per day takes into account the daily needs for vitamins and minerals. Miteravel plus contributes to the development of a healthy child and the preservation of the mother's health.
How often and after how many minutes should the baby be applied to the breast again?
It is optimal to feed the baby in a free mode, that is, give the baby a breast not by the clock, but when the baby asks for food. In the early days, you will have to give the baby a breast very often, but these days milk production has not yet improved, so both breasts should be offered to the baby at once. Later, more milk will be produced and the baby will begin to ask for breast about 6-7 times a day with an approximate interval of about 1.5-3 hours. Breaks between feeds are influenced by the infant's temperament, maturity and birth weight, and health status. Read more in our article on how long to breastfeed your baby.
How many minutes should a newborn breastfeed?
Most babies suck in a single suck for about 15 minutes, but there are babies that need longer suckling times (up to 40 minutes). If the baby is weaned from the breast before it empties the breast, the baby may receive less milk from the back, which contains a large proportion of fat. Due to prolonged sucking, cracks in the nipples are possible, therefore it is recommended to feed the baby for 10-15 to 40 minutes.
How to understand that a child is eating up?
After eating, babies usually either release their breasts or fall asleep. The mother can judge that the baby has enough milk not only by the release of the breast after eating, but also by the weight gain per month and the general condition of the baby. Read more in our article on how to know if breast milk is enough for your baby.
Can I breastfeed my baby?
Indeed, at first the baby eats milk in excess, because he is not familiar with the feeling of satiety, since he was constantly fed in utero. But you do not need to worry, all the extra crumb will spit up, and overfeeding with breast milk cannot harm its health.
Will the milk have time to be digested if the baby asks for breast often?
You don't have to worry about this, because mother's milk is a perfectly balanced food for a newborn, digested without a lot of effort. Breast milk almost immediately enters the children's intestines and is quickly digested in it.
How to breastfeed a crying baby?
If the crying baby is unable to latch onto the breast, calm the baby first. Press him to you, talk to the child affectionately, shake him in your arms. If the baby's crying is due to the fact that he cannot take the breast, touch the nipple to the baby's cheek or lips.
Is it necessary to feed at night?
Night feeds are very important for long and successful lactation, as it is during these feeds that the production of hormones important for milk production is stimulated. In addition, the newborn has not yet established a regime of day and night, so the time of day does not affect his feeling of hunger.
Tips
- Remember that by placing your baby early, feeding on demand, and emptying the breast completely, you will stimulate milk production in your glands. If you rarely feed the baby and limit the feeding time, there is a high probability of a decrease in lactation.
- If the mother is taking any medications, it is important to find out if such medications pass into the milk and if they can affect the child's health.
- If the mother drank alcohol, then she should not feed the baby for three hours. Alcohol very quickly penetrates into human milk in the same concentration as it is found in the mother's blood.
- You cannot smoke while breastfeeding, because nicotine very easily passes into milk. Also, nursing mothers should not be in a smoky room.
- Milk often leaks from the breast between feedings in the first months of lactation, so it is convenient to use the pads in the bra.
- You should not buy a bottle and formula "just in case" and you should not give up if your first feeding experience is unsuccessful. The art of breastfeeding needs to be learned like any other skill, but by mastering it you will reap many more benefits than switching to formula feeding.
Possible problems
At the very beginning of breastfeeding, many problems often arise, but any woman can cope with them.
Incorrect nipple shape
The nipples near the mother's breast can be inverted or flat, and the baby can hardly grasp such nipples.
In this case, in the first weeks of feeding, before giving the baby to the breast, the mother should pull the nipple together with the areola (by hand or using a breast pump).
Often helps and Hoffman technique: Several times a day, massage with your fingers, first squeezing the nipple, and then straightening, stretching it in opposite directions.
You can also resort to using special pads.
If stretching the nipple and pads does not help, you will have to feed the baby with expressed milk.
Cracked nipples
This is a common problem during the first days of breastfeeding, which causes a lot of discomfort for the mother. Cracks are usually caused by the infant sucking for too long, or by improper latching. And therefore, to prevent cracking, you need to monitor the latch of the breast, as well as the duration of feeding.
If cracks have already appeared, the baby should be fed from a healthy gland or using pads. If the pain is severe, you can express your breasts and give your baby expressed milk.
For quick healing of cracks, frequent air baths are recommended, lubrication of the nipples with "hind" milk at the end of feeding, as well as the use of special ointments or creams (for example, "Bepantena").
Strong rush of milk
If the breast is too much filled with milk and becomes so dense that the baby cannot properly grasp the nipple and suck out milk, you should slightly strain the breast before feeding (until it is soft), limit fluid intake, and apply something to the breast for 5-7 minutes cold (such as an ice pack).
Lactostasis
With such a problem, the breast becomes very dense and the mother feels painful distension in it. You do not need to stop feeding your baby, on the contrary, you should apply it to the breast more often. At the same time, the mother is advised to limit the liquid and lightly massage the hardened areas of the breast, straining the milk until soft.
Mastitis
This inflammatory disease is a common problem in the second to fourth week after birth. It is manifested by the appearance of seals that cause pain to the woman. Also, a nursing mother often has a fever. If you suspect that a woman is developing mastitis, you should immediately consult a doctor. Only he will confirm the diagnosis, prescribe treatment and be able to say whether it is worth continuing to breastfeed.
Hypogalactia
This is the name for milk production in an amount less than the baby needs. Counting wet diapers (there are normally more than 10 of them) and monthly weighing (normally, the baby should gain at least 0.5 kg) will help to make sure of the lack of milk. But there is no need to rush to supplement with a mixture, because it can be a lactation crisis.
Apply the baby to the breast more often, review your diet and daily regimen, and also consult your doctor about lactogonetic agents, and you can return milk. Read another article on what to do if your baby is short of breast milk.
For more information on breastfeeding, see Dr. Komarovsky's program.
