How to breastfeed. An important element of proper growth and development is feeding newborns in the first days: suitable postures, diet and useful tips for young mothers

Breastfeeding is a healthy and correct form of feeding a newborn. It is worth understanding the benefits of breastfeeding, learning how to help yourself with possible complications and how to choose the right diet for nursing.

The composition and benefits of breast milk

Breastfeeding by a mother is a natural and beautiful phenomenon that connects a mother with a child, in addition, it brings health benefits not only to the child, but also to the mother. Breast milk saturates the child's body with nutrients and substances necessary for the child's body. Increases cognitive abilities, reduces the appearance of chronic diseases, helps to strengthen the immune system.

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

Squirrels

Breast milk contains a special fraction of proteins, which practically does not break down in the child's digestive system and has immune activity, being components of the body's defense system.

• lactoferrin iron-containing glycoprotein. Due to its ability to bind iron, it can block this element, as part of the bacterial cells of pathogenic microorganisms, thereby inhibiting their growth.
• Immunoglobulins is a group of whey proteins. Their variety is IgA immunoglobulin, which is able to envelop the intestinal mucosa, throat, thereby preventing the penetration of viruses and bacteria through it.
• Lysozyme- like lactoferrin, it has bactericidal activity, violating the integrity of the bacterial shell. In women's milk, its concentration is 300 times higher than in cow's milk.
• Alpha lactalbumin- promotes the formation of peptides with immunoregulatory and antibacterial properties, supports the growth of bifidoflora in the intestines of a child. When it is split in the gastrointestinal tract, bioactive lipids are formed, the so-called HAMLET complex, which contributes to the destruction of cancer cells.

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

Oligosaccharides

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

Water

About 90% of milk is water. Therefore, for a child, it is both drink and food. Moreover, its temperature is optimal, such as is needed for good absorption of the liquid. Thus, breast milk proves another advantage over artificial mixtures: itno need to heat or coolin case of overheating. Be sure to give the baby a breast on demand, perhaps he just wants to drink, and dehydration is extremely dangerous for a rapidly growing organism, as it disrupts the functioning of many organs.

fats

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

Carbohydrates

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

Minerals

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

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

vitamins

According to the amount of vitamin A, D and E breast milksuperior to cow's by 2-3 times. Moreover, these vitamins are in the optimal state for the child. The amount of vitamins can only be affected by the mother's diet.

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

Vitamin E- enough for the needs of the child.

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

Water-soluble vitamins (ascorbic acid, nicotinic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, pyridoxine, folic acid and vitamin B6, B12 and others) are directly dependent on maternal nutrition.

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

Enzymes and hormones

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

Nucleotides. When talking about the protein content in milk, they often mean the total protein, determined by the calculation method according to the nitrogen content. However, nitrogen-containing compounds of milk include not only proteins, peptides and amino acids, but also other compounds containing nitrogen. Such substances include nucleotides - nitrogen-containing compounds, precursors of DNA and RNA, the content of which in breast milk is 7-10 mg / 100 ml. In the human body, their synthesis is limited and is carried out only in individual tissues. Therefore, food is almost the only opportunity for entry into the body. Their functions are as follows:

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

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

What are the benefits of breast milk for a newborn?

Strong immunity

So, with a constant stream of nutrients and useful elements that are present in the composition of breast milk, important antibodies are transmitted from mother to child. Babies are generally quite susceptible to disease, and complications often occur. Scientists have proven that infants have a reduced risk of developing various types of allergies, asthma, and they also have less respiratory diseases and indigestion.

Breast milk protects the baby from infections

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

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

Disease prevention

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

normal growth

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

Enhancing Cognitive Skills

Researchers have also linked breastfeeding to an increase in IQ scores in older children. Even with its growth, cognitive abilities increase.

What are the benefits of breastfeeding for a mother?

Weight loss during pregnancy

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

Cessation of uterine bleeding

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

Improving the emotional state

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

strong bones

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

WHO guidelines for breastfeeding

Almost every woman is able to breastfeed her child, while having enough milk. According to statistics, only about 5% of women cannot breastfeed due to hormonal disorders.

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

• Feed one breast at a time. In order for the baby to eat up, do not rush to change breasts during feeding. Try to feed him only one breast in one feeding, as with prolonged sucking of the mammary gland, the baby “gets” to the hind milk. It is thicker than the front, it contains fats, nutrients that support satiety. With the first liquid milk, the baby will rather get drunk than eat. But it is also necessary to quench the thirst of the child.

• Without supplementation . The lack of supplementary feeding and water supplementation is the main factor in the question of how to properly breastfeed a newborn. Until the age of six months, he does not need anything but your milk. Supplementation and supplementation violate the natural intestinal microflora, prolong the process of maturation of the gastrointestinal tract.

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

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

With proper attachment of the baby, the breast is stimulated in the right way to produce milk, and the baby by sucking asks for the quantity and quality of milk he needs.

Also, proper attachment will save you from troubles such as cracked nipples and so on. You can take the advice of an experienced relative or friend, consult with a breastfeeding consultant in the maternity hospital. After all, the first application is the key to successful feeding in the future.

• Breastfeed your baby at night.

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

How to put the baby to the breast correctly

How to prepare the breast for feeding and learn how to properly latch on? The importance of proper attachment of a newborn to the breast is very high, because the health of not only the baby, but also the mother directly depends on it. Improperly performed procedure can lead to milk stagnation and mastitis.

Wrong on the left, correct attachment to the chest on the right

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

Let's try to figure out in more detail what and how to do. For successful attachment, the child must open his mouth wide, as if yawning. To do this, choose a comfortable position. By tilting your head slightly forward, nothing will work, since the tongue in this position rises, being behind the gums, and for comfortable sucking, it should cover the lower gum from above and cover the chest.

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

Of great importance is the comfortable, convenient position of both mother and baby during this procedure. Having settled well, proper attachment is ensured. It is worth considering the fact that the child should be calm when feeding. After all, any person concentrates better and performs work better when in a good mood.

Lack of milk: how to identify and stimulate its appearance?

It is important to remember that it is necessary to stimulate the production of milk only after making sure that the child really does not have enough of it. You can easily determine the shortage by observing the behavior of the baby. It is necessary to increase lactation if:

• the crumb to the end of feeding without falling asleep expresses irritation;
• cannot stand the usual time between breastfeeding, waking up earlier;
• the appearance of a "hungry" stool - it is liquid, and has a brownish color;
• the child urinates less than 6 times a day;
• gains weight poorly.

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

• elimination of stress;
• compliance with the feeding technique;
• the use of additional means to help improve lactation. There are natural lactation stimulants. These are teas to increase it, such as Laktafitol, Hipp and other drinks and products that are advised to be used by nursing mothers.

• expressing milk;
• plentiful drink. Try to drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day. Increasing the liquid can increase the productivity of milk. It is not recommended to drink cow's milk, it does not increase lactation, but can cause allergies or colic in a child.
• nipple stimulation. By stimulating the nipples, the body can be tricked into imitating an increased need for milk and causing an increase in its amount in the mammary gland.

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

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

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

Accept, Lady Mother of God, the tearful prayers of Your servants who flow to You. We see You on the holy icon, carrying in her arms and feeding with milk Your Son and our God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thou hast given birth to Him painlessly, and even more so motherly sorrows, weights and infirmities of the sons and daughters of men. The same, the same, is fallen to your hen -to -bore and tenderly this lobbying, we can, all of the whole lord: we, sinful, condemned in the sickness of the birth and in the seals of them, the other deliver sickness and bitter sorrow. Grant them health and well-being, and nourishment from strength to strength will increase, and those who feed them will be filled with joy and consolation, as even now, through Your intercession from the mouth of a child and pissing, the Lord will perform His praise. Oh, Mother of the Son of God! Have mercy on the mother of the sons of men and on Thy weak people: heal the sicknesses that come upon us, quench the sorrows and sorrows that are upon us, and do not despise the tears and sighs of Thy servants. Hear us on the day of affliction before Your icon of those who fall down, and on the day of joy of deliverance, accept the grateful praise of our hearts. Lift up our prayers to the throne of Your Son and our God, may He be merciful to our sin and weakness and grant His mercy to those who lead His Name, as yes we, and our children, let us glorify Thee, merciful Intercessor and faithful hope of our generation . Amen."

When is it necessary to express milk?

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

With blockage of the milk ducts, lactostasis, painful seals may appear, which can cause an increase in temperature. Milk is expressed from such areas. When the seals resolve, you need to regularly apply the baby to the chest, and then pump it out on your own.

If a woman in labor takes antibiotics that are dangerous for the newborn, the baby is weaned for the duration of the medication. At the same time, they are expressed up to 10 times a day. After recovery, continue breastfeeding. Premature babies and children with pathologies are fed with expressed milk from a bottle. If the baby is not attached to the breast 6 hours after birth, it is also necessary to start pumping. It happens that an overflowing mammary gland becomes very hard, this prevents the baby from seizing the nipple, in which case pumping will help relieve swelling of the gland. We'll talk about how to do this a little later.

How to properly express breast milk?

You can express milk manually or with a breast pump. Breast pumps can be electric or manual. They must be thoroughly washed and sterilized before use. Do not use for women who have cracked nipples. When using this device, follow the enclosed instructions. A good effect is when the chest is full. In this case, you can carry out combined pumping: first with a breast pump, and then manually.

Electric breast pump

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

How to store breast milk?

So, you need to collect milk in a clean, sterilized vessel. For long-term storage, it is placed in the refrigerator. Breast milk contains antibodies that protect it from pathogenic bacteria. From 1 to 3 hours, milk can remain out of the refrigerator.

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

Do not place expressed breast milk on the door, as frequent door openings cause temperature fluctuations. Such jumps are unfavorable because they allow the reproduction of harmful bacteria. Immediately after expressing milk, do not put it in the refrigerator. You need to keep it indoors for a while.

In the freezer. Freezing allows you to store breast milk for a long period, since the temperature in the freezer compartments is on average -18°C-24°C. The optimal temperature regime in this case is -18 ° С. Such storage conditions allow you to keep freshness a little more than 6-8 months. If the constant temperature regime is from -20 ° C, then the shelf life of milk increases to 12 months. If it is not possible to set a low temperature, it is acceptable to store the frozen product at -5-8°C. It will remain usable for six months.

Mother's nutrition while breastfeeding

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

• Be sure to eat meat (200g.), Poultry fillet, non-fatty fish, cottage cheese (100g.), Cheese (30g.), Vegetables (500g.), Fruits (300g.), Creamy (15g.) And vegetable (30g. ) oil.
• Foods well tolerated by babies: low-fat kefir and yogurt, sour cream, buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, potatoes, beef, turkey fillet, baked apples.

The basic rules for breastfeeding are:

• 5-6 meals a day for the mother (3 main meals and 2 snacks). Meal is better to coincide with feeding - the best time is 30 minutes before it.
• Boiled and steam cooking methods, rejection of fatty and fried foods.
• The use of only freshly prepared natural food, semi-finished products, products with dyes and preservatives, all types of canned food are excluded.
• The introduction of a large number of dairy products containing calcium.
• Eating lean meats and fish.
• Compliance with the drinking regime - 1.5-1.6 liters per day (purified water, table water without gas, compotes, fruit drinks). Fluid intake is one of the important factors in prolonged lactation. Drink a glass of water 10 minutes before feeding. At the same time, you should not drink fluids above the norm, which can cause swelling, strain on the kidneys and excess milk production and subsequently lactostasis .
• During lactation, products that increase fermentation are excluded (legumes, sweets, pastries, kvass, black bread, bananas, grapes, sweet apples, sauerkraut, white cabbage, cucumbers, carbonated drinks, confectionery, sweet curds, curd pastes and sweet cereals).
• Limit the consumption of raw vegetables and fruits, because in this form they increase peristalsis and cause bloating. For this reason, it is better to bake or stew vegetables and fruits and start eating in small portions, since a large amount of fiber can cause a child to loosen his stool and bloat.
• Vegetables with coarse fiber and essential oils, which are strong digestive stimulants (radish, radish, turnip, celery, sorrel, mushrooms), are not allowed, and the child can cause bloating and intestinal colic.

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

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

Possible problems with breastfeeding

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

The breast is full, milk is not pumped well, the baby cannot latch on (swelling)

When transitional milk arrives on the 2-3rd day, the breast, not knowing the needs of the baby, fills up, becomes heavy, full and painful. If before the child took the breast with ease, now it is difficult for him to grasp the hard nipple. Considering at the same time that the first milk is produced both by the baby and expressed by the mother, it is very difficult. Because colostrum and first milk are quite viscous. Milk comes, the baby cries because he is hungry, and it is difficult for him to grab the breast. If the mother still does not properly attach the baby to the breast, then lumps in the chest may appear. Raising body temperature is not uncommon.

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

• The chest feels "stony", painful. Areola hard, inelastic, full.
• Pressing on the areola is painful, which makes it difficult to feed the baby.
• The nipple becomes invisible, flat.
• Milk does not flow out - edema interferes, blocking its path.
• It may be difficult for a child to grab such a breast, he slips from a dense areola onto the nipple, or cannot suckle at all.
• Feeding often does not give relief due to the fact that the milk does not flow.
• Expressing milk is also not very good.

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

There are A very effective technique is the Areola Pressure Softening Technique by Jean Cotterman.

This requires gentle with your fingers, gently and painlessly press on the areola towards the chest and hold the pressure for at least 1 minute. If the swelling is strong, then do the exercise for 2-3 minutes, repeating as needed.

For a while, the areola becomes soft and elastic again, and the nipple becomes more pronounced. But most importantly, the ducts are freed - the path for milk. The baby can suckle and can get milk.

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

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

The essence of the method is as follows.

If mom has short nails, she should make a "hole" in the central part of the areola. Grasping the nipple, she needs to press her fingers inward, towards the chest for 1-3 minutes. At the same time, the bent first phalanxes of the fingers increase the area of ​​pressure. If necessary, you can turn your hand at a different angle and repeat.

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

For greater effect, we do pressure softening like this:

• We lay on the back. Under the shoulder blades - a pillow - so that the chest is even higher.
• We throw the hand from the side of the chest with which we plan to work to the side.
• Several times, with the edge of the palm, gently stroke the breast from the nipple towards the subclavian lymph nodes - i.e. to the collarbone, and to the axillary - to the armpit. Movement - as if dispersing water. The goal is to preliminarily “disperse” the edema. It is he who gives pain and stoneness, and not milk itself (the technique and idea of ​​Jean Kotterman, Maya Bolman, Tatyana Kondrashova).

After that - actually softening with pressure - we put our fingers around the areola and hold the “chamomile”. At least one minute, longer if the swelling is severe. You will feel how the areola becomes softer, as if the fingers fall deeper.

When the areola is completely soft and painless when squeezed, you can apply the baby. Or pump if he's not suckling yet. Now the milk will flow out and the sucking will be effective, the breast will soften further. The best position for feeding is to put the baby on top of the chest. The most nursing need to take a reclining position.

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

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

Cracked nipples while breastfeeding, what to do?

Approximately by the fifth day after childbirth, if the baby is not properly attached to the breast, cracks and abrasions may form on the nipples. At this point, consultation with a breastfeeding specialist is desirable.

Basic Rules:

• The child should stick to the breast, capturing the areola (not one nipple);
• Sick breasts suck less time;
• Lubricate the nipple with "Bepanthen" or "Solcoseryl", take a damp cloth and attach it to the mammary gland, covering it with polyethylene and put on a bra. Before feeding the baby, the breast should be rinsed with warm water.

To prevent cracks and pain on the nipples, you need to: master the correct feeding technique, do not use breast pads for feeding, take the breast out of the baby’s mouth with the little finger, after feeding the baby, lubricate the nipples with your own milk and let it dry, wash the breast every day, at least once.

In the first weeks after birth, a newborn and his mother only get used to each other, and much in the behavior of the baby is not clear to the mother. Why, for example, does a child worry at the breast during feeding? There are many reasons for this, and we decided to describe them and suggest ways to overcome difficulties. Let's start with the cause of the child's anxiety, which mothers call the first, but which really exists least of all.

Lack of milk

This is the first thing that comes to mind, whose child cries a lot, including at the breast. One of the biggest difficulties with, oddly enough, is that nursing mothers do not know exactly how much milk their children receive, and whether they have enough of it.

If your child is overly restless, most third-party well-wishers will likely point out to you that the baby is probably hungry. Since you are a mother, such remarks can make you feel guilty. After all, it is your responsibility to feed your baby! How to dispel doubts and fears associated with a lack of milk?

1. Watch your baby urinate and defecate. After the sixth day of life, you should receive at least six wet diapers and one dirty diaper per day. If so, then your baby is getting enough milk.
2. Frequent feedings are normal. In the first few weeks of life, a newborn usually needs 8-12 feedings per day. At the very beginning, you may at times have to keep it near your chest almost constantly. For several hours he will demand it very often, and then fall asleep for four to five hours. As the baby learns to suckle more effectively, the number of feeds decreases.
3. Keep track of your baby's weight. By two weeks, the baby should regain the weight he was born with, and gain at least 150 grams per week for the next two to three months.

If you are still worried that you are not getting enough milk, you may find it helpful to have a lactation consultant who will monitor and assess your baby's weight gain and suggest ways to increase your milk supply, if needed.

breast swelling

Sometimes the restless behavior of the baby at the breast is caused by its swelling. Excessive breast swelling most often occurs in the first weeks after childbirth. To reduce it, express some milk by hand or with a quality breast pump to make the breast softer and easier for the baby to latch onto. Don't express too much milk, as this can cause more milk to be produced later on, which will only make the swelling worse. Apply cold compresses to your breasts between feedings to reduce swelling and soreness.

Flat or sunken nipples

Also, the baby may be nervous when applying to the breast if the mother has flat or sunken nipples. To stretch them, you can wear special pads between feedings. Turning on the pump for a few minutes before putting the baby to the breast will help elongate the nipples and also start the flow of milk so that the baby will immediately receive it and is more likely to continue sucking instead of dropping the breast and crying.

In some cases, a woman has to use pads that encourage suckling until her nipples become more prominent. This should happen after about two to four weeks of breastfeeding. If you're having trouble with flat or sunken nipples, seek help from a lactation consultant as soon as possible.

Incorrect attachment, uncomfortable posture

Another cause of restless behavior at the chest is wrong position. Both the mother and the baby may be uncomfortable, causing the breasts to be pushed in the wrong way, and a sufficient supply of milk is disrupted. If your baby is very nervous, your best bet is to use the underarm position (where you hold the baby to your side, holding him close to the nearest breast) or the "cradle" position (where you hold the baby horizontally at your chest), as these positions allow you to control his head.

These positions allow you to guide the baby to the breast and hold him there. The baby's nose and chin should be pressed into the mother's chest. As a rule, he suckles better when the mother holds him tightly. If something makes you feel uncomfortable during feeding, contact a consultant. Perhaps this is the reason for the anxiety of your baby.

Gastroesophageal reflux

Almost all children have some degree of gastroesophageal reflux. This medical term refers to a condition in which the annular muscle (sphincter) that blocks the entrance to the stomach has not yet fully formed and does not always completely close the opening. Because of this, some milk along with gastric juice can flow back into the esophagus, causing a sensation that we call "heartburn".

As anyone who has ever experienced it knows, it is quite an unpleasant sensation. Just as an adult can relieve heartburn by sitting with a straight back, a child can also usually benefit from being held upright.

Sometimes reflux can occur during feeding. Its appearance can be prevented by holding the child more upright or periodically taking breaks so that the baby “stood” a little. As the child develops, so does the musculature, so that cases of reflux become less and less common.

Sometimes the problem is so severe that the child is unable to eat normally due to reflux. In such cases, you must consult a doctor.

Increased gas formation

All newborns have flatulence. When a child begins to eat, he starts reflex gas production, which is necessary for the waste generated during nutrition to be removed from the body more quickly. This prevents constipation.

Since breast milk is very easy to digest, it takes very little time for this food to pass through the baby's gastrointestinal tract. You can often hear characteristic sounds while the baby is still suckling. Although all children have gas, some people tolerate it better than others. The time of day can also affect this. Apparently, the problem of flatulence becomes more noticeable at the end of the day. Traditionally, this time is considered the most hectic. The child does not seem to want to let go of the breast at all, and this, in turn, can aggravate flatulence. This problem disappears on its own as the baby develops.

How to calm a crying baby
Many of the methods that promote calming are somehow related to the imitation of intrauterine conditions. Make sure that the air temperature is comfortable - not too hot and not too cool. Change diapers promptly. The baby can feel peace if he is firmly pressed to himself or rocked. Or monotonous sounds can be effective - music or the buzz of electrical appliances. You can carry your baby in a sling, thereby providing him with comfort and getting the opportunity to do some business at the same time.
You can involve one of the family members, such as a father, grandmother or grandfather, to calm the child; in this case, the baby will not feel the smell coming from the mother, which can excite him. In addition, this will give the mother the opportunity to devote some time to herself.

Physiological lactase deficiency

At the beginning of feeding, mother's milk is more saturated with milk sugar - lactose. It's called "front". After 10-15 minutes of feeding with the same breast, she begins to produce "hind" milk. It is richer in fats, which neutralize lactose and thereby reduce gas formation. If the baby is getting too much foremilk and not getting enough hindmilk, excess lactose and lack of the enzyme lactase, which increases flatulence.

Try to have your baby suckle from one breast for at least 12-15 minutes so that he can get back milk. When the baby grows up and sucks more efficiently, it will get to him after a shorter period of time after the start of feeding. Hindmilk has a calming effect and helps restless babies fall asleep. Most newborns naturally drift off to sleep at the end of a feed, thanks to the calming action of hindmilk.

Child chokes on milk

While the baby is only learning to suckle the breast, the so-called milk ejection reflex may be too strong for him and cause him to choke. Because of this, the baby can drop the breast and start to get nervous. Press firmly on the breast for about a minute to stop too much milk flowing, and then reattach the baby to the breast. Try expressing some milk before a feed and see if you can trigger the ejection reflex before the baby latch on. Feed your baby in the underarm position. As your baby gets older, he will be able to cope with the consequences of the milk ejection reflex in any feeding position without any problems.

Smell

In rare cases, the baby becomes nervous and throws the breast from soaps or creams you apply to your breasts or nipples. If you start using a new remedy and the baby becomes more nervous, wash it off and start feeding again.

Thrush

The child in the mouth or the mother on the nipples may develop yeast- so-called . You will see white spots in the child's mouth.

Your nipples may become bright red or itchy, and burn after feeding. During feeding, the baby may be more restless than usual.

See a doctor. If he confirms that you have a fungal infection, both you and the child will have to undergo treatment.

Too noisy and light

In some children, excessive anxiety is associated with hyperstimulation. They may be calmer when feeding if it takes place in a dark and quiet room.

Wants to settle down with breasts

Until 12 weeks, babies have little to no self-soothing skills and often reach for the breast just for comfort. They begin to suck to calm down, not experiencing at this moment the need for food. For parents, this need of the baby should be on a par with all the other vital things that you provide to the child.

The main causes of restless behavior of the newborn disappear after the first six weeks. Some problems may exist for a little longer, but they are usually resolved by three months.

During this period, you must definitely take care of yourself. Eat well. Drink plenty of fluids and exercise outdoors. Try a variety of relaxation techniques—yoga, meditation, massage, or a warm bath—to help you get through a difficult period.
Share your feelings with the baby's father and other family members, and have them take turns comforting, lulling, and rocking the baby.
Set small goals for yourself, like reading one chapter from a book or going for a walk for 15 minutes.
Group sessions for new mothers are very helpful because you will learn that other mothers and their children go through exactly the same adjustment period as you and your child.
The main thing you need to remember is that this is a very short period in your own life and the life of your baby. Try to hug and cuddle your child as often as possible to help him through a difficult time for him. Together you will succeed.

How does breast milk mature? The mammary glands of a woman preparing for childbirth begin to rebuild even during pregnancy. Every woman in position notices this - the breasts “fill up”, significantly increase in size and become denser.

In the first 2-3 days after the birth of a baby, the mammary gland does not “produce” milk as such, but the so-called colostrum - this is primary milk, which is quite different in composition and fat content from more mature milk.

Colostrum is extremely useful for a newborn baby and plays a key role in breastfeeding - it contains the highest concentration of proteins, trace elements and fat-soluble vitamins, but it is poor in carbohydrates. Such a “cocktail” provides maximum immune protection for the baby, populates its intestines with primary microflora, nourishes the baby and is well absorbed.

It is very important to carry out the first application of the child to the breast immediately after childbirth or, as a maximum, within the first day after birth.

Explains Irina Ryukhova, breastfeeding consultant of the AKEV Association and author of the book How to Give Your Baby Health. We breastfeed”: “The first application during breastfeeding is a recognition of the existence of each other, the first acquaintance, it must necessarily take place at least on the first day after childbirth. In addition, colostrum is the natural and most useful nutrition for a newborn in the early days, which provides the baby with maximum protection against disease and growth. Finally, due to its reduced fat content, colostrum is a little weak, which allows you to clear the baby's intestines from meconium (the first stool). Thus, the intestines of the child get rid of the bilirubin accumulated in the meconium. This minimizes the risk of development.”

Colostrum is produced in a relatively small amount - only about 20-30 ml per feeding. But, unlike mature milk, colostrum is produced continuously, not in sessions. Nature conceived this mechanism so that the mother would put the baby to the breast as often as possible in the first days after birth. For what? In order for the baby to constantly suck on the breast, thereby irritating the nipple. The more active the irritation of the nipple occurs, the faster the production of mature milk will begin. And not only faster, but more.

The most effective way to improve the production of breast milk is to constantly put the baby to the breast. Because it is the irritation of the nipple that stimulates increased lactation like nothing else.

At the end of the third day, transitional milk begins to ripen in the breast, and after 2-3 weeks, the mother already begins to feed the newborn with full-fledged, mature milk. Thus, the formation of breastfeeding occurs at the initial stage.

"Dairy farm": what determines the amount of milk during breastfeeding

If the baby suckles actively and vigorously, then, as a rule, in one feeding, he almost completely empties one or both breasts. And in this case, there is no need to express the remaining milk.

However, in reality, mothers often complain not of an excess, but, on the contrary, of a lack of milk during breastfeeding. It seems to them that the breast does not have time to fill up during the interval between feedings, remains “empty”, and thus the baby does not finish eating. Many mothers at this moment turn to an assortment of artificial mixtures and begin to actively supplement the baby with food “from a jar”. This is what breastfeeding experts do not recommend.

And they insist: attachment to an empty breast is not only not pointless, but also very useful for establishing breastfeeding. Since the process of lactation is born in the cerebral cortex of a woman, a stimulus is needed to “supply” milk to the breast. Active sucking is such a stimulus. The baby "smacks" the empty breast, the brain immediately receives a signal that there is a "demand" for milk, and after a while the milk begins to arrive in the breast.

If you want to establish breastfeeding in full - do not stop putting the baby to the breast, on the contrary - do it as often as possible, even if at first the breast is completely empty and lactation attempts look like a real mockery of the newborn baby.

Attempts to establish exclusive breastfeeding may well continue without harming the health of the baby for 2-3 days. And only if, after 3 days, there are still obvious interruptions with milk, and the baby really does not eat up at the risk to his health and development, in this case it is absolutely necessary to go to the store and buy a jar of formula for supplementary feeding.

The process of implementing breastfeeding can take several days - but it’s still worth it to endure baby crying and weight loss for the sake of future full-fledged breastfeeding. For 3 days, a nutritional deficiency will have almost no effect on a newborn baby, but in the end, your patience and perseverance can bring you a positive result: milk production will improve in full, and you will be able to fully breastfeed your baby without any "additives from outside".

Requirement for others: a nursing mother must be loved, protected, cared for and cherished

There are quite a few fundamental differences between humans and other mammals. One of them is that all the functions of the human body are “managed” by the cerebral cortex. That is why the mother’s emotional state leaves a huge imprint on the lactation process.

In other words: when an elephant or a mother whale is “sad”, or when they are scared, or when they are “on the run” or in captivity, the amount of milk in their udder does not change at all.

But when a human mother is sad or very tired, her milk “leaves”, up to complete disappearance. That is why it is very important to surround a nursing woman with some adequate amount of attention and care - to give her the opportunity to sleep between feedings, not to burden her with household chores and simply to please: a woman who is breastfeeding a newborn child is doubly pleasant and needs compliments, bouquets, affectionate words, etc. .P.

In addition, a nursing mother should not be limited - most ideas about that are misconceptions.

Factors that positively affect lactation in the first month of a baby's life:

• the most frequent application of the baby to the breast (active sucking and irritation of the nipple);
• emotional support for the mother, caring for her;
• lack of stress;
• the duration of the “session” of feeding (the longer the baby sucks, the more milk will arrive by the next time).

Breastfeeding styles

There are two main styles of breastfeeding:

• feeding on demand
• feeding according to schedule

In the first case, the mother puts the baby to the breast “at the first peep” of the child, regardless of how much time has passed since the last feeding. In the second - the baby is breast-fed strictly by the clock - as a rule, every three hours.

It is rare for a mother to choose which feeding style to practice on her own. Reality shows that most often the main determining factor is the character of the child.

If the baby is restless, noisy and active, the mother, willy-nilly, endlessly and everywhere puts him to her breast and becomes an “adept” of the style of feeding on demand. If, on the contrary, the baby is very calm from birth, sleeps constantly and rarely cries, then the mother naturally begins to adhere to the “every three hours” feeding regimen.

It will be useful for both mothers to know that:

If the child independently released the breast nipple (and therefore he was full and no longer wants to eat), then his physiological feeling of hunger may come no earlier than 2 hours later.

This means that if your baby, 30 minutes after feeding, screamed like urine, then the reason for the screams is not hunger, but something else: it itches, tortured, just “the spleen and scandalous mood took over.” Anything but hunger.

Given this fact, modern pediatricians often suggest that mothers modify the style of feeding by combining the principles of the regimen and feeding on demand into a free feeding technique. That is, the mother breastfeeds the baby on demand, but at the same time maintaining at least two-hour intervals between feedings. And during sleep, the child is not woken up for feeding - he will wake up and eat.

On the one hand, this style will save you from overfeeding the baby (which is often the cause of prolonged colic), on the other hand, it will teach mom and baby to communicate not only through the breast (after all, it can be done in other ways besides “issuing” the cherished nipple). And finally, more or less adequate intervals between feedings will help the baby’s gastrointestinal system to quickly establish the process of digesting food.

About expressing and storing breast milk

If you have chosen the method of breastfeeding on demand, then at the stage of formation of lactation, you can not think about pumping. In conditions when the baby is constantly “hanging” on the chest, he simply will not allow either colostrum or the first mature milk to linger and stagnate in the chest.

It is necessary to express in three cases:

1. If for some reason (for example, the baby was born prematurely and was sent to the hospital for nursing), you are separated from the baby in the first days or weeks, but you plan to establish full-fledged breastfeeding in the future.

Evgenia Trifonova, consultant on breastfeeding of the AKEV Association: “If you understand that resuscitation can drag on for weeks, then in order to maintain lactation, you must use a breast pump no later than 6 hours after birth. And then pump every 3 hours with a 5-hour break at night. Then there is a chance to keep breastfeeding the newborn.”

1. If you leave the baby with loved ones or a nanny, do not breastfeed, but you want the baby to eat breast milk.
2. If a newborn in one feeding eats less milk than "accumulated" in your chest.

As for the last point, modern breastfeeding specialists and neonatologists often argue: there are supporters of pumping, there are opponents. The main argument in favor of pumping is the risk of lactational mastitis in the mother.

Observations of Dr. Komarovsky: “Today, when doctors more and more often recommend mothers not to pump at all, the number of lactational mastitis has increased significantly.”

lactation mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland during breastfeeding. In 87% of cases of lactational mastitis, the cause of the disease is lactostasis - in other words, stagnation of milk in the breast. If lactostasis continues for 3-4 days (for example, the mother has plenty of milk, the child does not suck everything out, and the mother does not express it), then inflammation of the gland is almost inevitable, since stagnant milk is an ideal breeding ground for microbes.

It is also necessary to express in order to ensure the feeding of the baby in the absence of the mother (for example, the mother leaves for work, and the grandmother or nanny feeds the baby with expressed milk). Properly expressed, frozen and thawed milk does not differ in composition and benefits from the milk that the baby receives directly from the mother's breast.

How to properly express, why and when to do it, as well as how to properly freeze, store and thaw breast milk - we will devote a separate detailed material. We only recall that breast milk can be frozen (there are special bags and containers for freezing expressed milk) in the freezer for quite a long time. However, breast milk can only be thawed at room temperature and heated only in a steam bath.

How long should you breastfeed your baby

It is extremely important to provide the baby with breastfeeding in the first six months of his life - his health, his growth and development fundamentally depend on this.

Modern doctors around the world have agreed that if a mother has enough of her own milk, then up to 6 months only breastfeeding can be carried out, which will fully cover the child's needs for all the necessary substances. That is, neither water nor complementary foods can be added to the baby's diet.

The only exception is a very hot climate, in which the risk of heat stroke in a small child increases dramatically. In this case, it is necessary to compensate for the pathological loss of fluids in the body of the crumbs, supplementing it with water, and often even mineral water (that is, water with the addition of salts) - we wrote more about this in the material about that.

And then, after you have celebrated the first six months of your baby's life, everything related to the duration of breastfeeding depends primarily on the desire and capabilities of the mother and the family as a whole.

At 6 months, the child is recommended. However, it is highly desirable to continue breastfeeding. And then - the frequency and duration of breastfeeding gradually decreases, at the same time the frequency and volume of complementary foods - respectively increases.

If a mother has the opportunity (she still has active milk production) and desire - the preservation of breastfeeding is welcomed by all pediatricians of the world without exception. For example, WHO (World Health Organization) and UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) jointly recommend maintaining partial breastfeeding (that is, the child's diet consists mainly of other products - vegetables, meat, cereals, dairy products, etc., but together at the same time, he also receives a daily portion of his mother's milk) up to 2 years or more. Explaining the importance of this strategy by the fact that breastfeeding in children of any age significantly reduces the risk of various infections.

Logically, it can be assumed that for countries with a high level of medicine and a low level of the spread of infectious diseases (Russia is one of these countries), the medical reason for prolonged breastfeeding is not as relevant as for underdeveloped countries.

In modern pediatrics, there is an opinion that in developed countries with a high standard of living, breastfeeding a child after a year has not so much biological value as psychological.

To us, it was perceived more as an anomaly than a favorable norm. But that's a different story...

Shortly speaking. To put it as simply and clearly as possible, we repeat:

• ironically it is necessary (according to all biological laws) to breastfeed the child - the first six months;
• it is highly desirable to prolong breastfeeding - up to 1-1.5 years;
• at the discretion of the family and, if desired, by the mother herself, you can continue to breastfeed once or twice a day - for as long as you like.

The benefits and reason for night feedings: when children are for, and mothers are not very ...

Most pediatricians and breastfeeding experts rightly argue that nighttime feedings are necessary and justified in the period up to 6 months. Even if the baby sleeps peacefully until the morning and does not wake up with a “hungry cry”, it should still be woken up 1-2 times a night and applied to the chest.

However, after reaching six months of age, it is quite reasonable to reduce the number of nightly feedings to once. This will significantly add strength and good mood to the mother, and will not in any way infringe on the child's need for food.

How and when can night feedings be reduced? The following activities are very helpful:

• Late night bathing. After 23 hours it is useful in cool water, then feed tightly. This scenario encourages the child to fall asleep quickly and deeply and, as a rule, sleep soundly for the next 3-4 hours.
• Favorable microclimate. Create a cool and humid microclimate in the room where the child sleeps, which contributes to a sound and restful sleep. Parameters: air temperature - no more than 20 ° C, humidity - 50-70%.

Gradually, over time, night feedings can and should be “cancelled” altogether.

How to breastfeed correctly: summary

So, from an array of useful information, let's try to squeeze out a brief rational grain:

• Breast-feeding- this is a type of feeding for newborns, infants and children up to 2 years and even older, which has no analogues in terms of benefits and value. Any comparison between breastfeeding and artificial feeding is a priori advantageous in favor of the former.
• The most reliable and effective way to establish breastfeeding- in the first days and weeks of a newborn's life, put the baby to the breast as often as possible so that he actively stimulates the nipple.
• Breastfeeding in the first six months of the baby- the necessary norm, which provides the strongest possible protection of the child from diseases and fully covers all his nutritional needs.
• Supplement the baby with water, or supplement any products in the first six months is not necessary. An exception is the conditions of a very hot climate, in which the baby needs constant replenishment of the water-salt balance.
• 6 months to a year- breastfeeding (along with complete complementary foods) is highly desirable.
• The optimal style of feeding a baby up to a year- on demand, but with intervals between applications to the chest of at least 2 hours.
• After 1-1.5 years the issue of breastfeeding is determined solely by the desire of mother and baby.
• Expressed breast milk(subject to proper storage and defrosting) - as useful and nutritious as the milk in the breast.

The birth of a child is one of the greatest miracles in the world. At first, the baby most of all needs the mother and her milk. The composition of women's milk is ideal for the normal development of the child, so pediatricians strongly recommend breastfeeding. However, many new mothers face problems: they are unable to maintain lactation, which reduces the period of breastfeeding to only a few months. Unfortunately, there are no analogues to breast milk, therefore, as a result, the child does not receive all the substances he needs. Pediatricians note that the most common cause of lactation disorders is the wrong behavior of a young inexperienced mother. Therefore, it is so important to know how to feed the baby and how to properly apply it to the breast.

In this article, you will find answers to many important questions: how to understand the needs of the baby, what are the most common mistakes mothers of infants make, and how to avoid the negative consequences of these mistakes. This information will help to establish feeding and will enable both mother and child to experience only joy and pleasure from this unique process.

Proper application is the basis for continued success

Proper attachment of a newborn to the breast is one of the main factors that determine the success of the feeding process. If you make a mistake at this stage, then you cannot avoid negative consequences for both the mother and the child. For example, due to frequent incorrect attachments, a child may refuse mother's milk.

Of course, in almost all maternity hospitals, medical staff assists mothers during the first feeding. However, unfortunately, this is not always the case. Therefore, you should familiarize yourself with how to properly attach the baby to the breast, even before childbirth.

So, what is the right way to apply the baby to the breast? The process is carried out in several stages:

• Feeding can last quite a long time, up to several hours. Therefore, at the first stage, it is important to take the most comfortable position: you should not get tired quickly. You can feed your baby in almost any position. The child should be turned to the mother with his stomach, and his face should be located near the chest. You can’t fix the baby’s head: he must choose his own position and be able to tell his mother that he has had enough.
• The baby's nose should be close to the chest, but do not press it too hard. Women with large breasts should be especially careful: the baby will be forced to reach the nipple, which will cause it to be caught incorrectly.
• It is important that the child must take the nipple into his mouth on his own. In no case should you put the nipple in the baby's mouth: this is fraught with an incorrect grip, which means a lot of unpleasant problems in the future. If the baby takes only the tip of the nipple into his mouth, the mother should gently release it by gently pressing on the newborn's chin.

It can be difficult for new mothers to know if the baby has been able to latch on properly. However, this is quite simple to do: just look at how the feeding process is carried out. If you managed to achieve the correct capture, then feeding will look like this:

• In the mouth of the child will be not only the nipple, but also the areola, while the lips of the child turn slightly outwards.
• The baby's nose is pressed quite tightly against the chest, but does not sink into it completely.
• The child does not make any sounds except for sips.
• The mother does not feel discomfort or pain.

Should I feed my baby on a schedule?

The question of whether to follow a feeding schedule is faced by almost all new mothers. Representatives of the older generation confidently declare that you need to feed the baby on a schedule. However, you should not listen to these tips: doctors assure that it is necessary to feed the child not according to a certain strict schedule, but when he requires it.

The fact is that the amount of milk produced directly depends on the volume drunk by the child. Therefore, the more often the baby is applied to the breast, the less likely it is that there will be any problems with lactation.

How long should the baby stay at the breast?

Many are concerned about the question of how long to feed a child. There are no clear limits here: the time depends on the needs of the baby. However, a healthy baby should actively breastfeed for at least half an hour. The maximum time is individual for each baby.

In general, there are three main points to consider:

• The amount of time a baby spends at the breast varies from person to person. For example, there are children who breastfeed quite actively and are quickly satiated. Naturally, in this case, feeding does not take much time. Other babies suckle slowly and even fall asleep at the breast. To wake the baby, it is enough to touch his cheek or gently pull the nipple.
• The total breastfeeding time is determined both by the desire of the mother herself and by the living conditions of the family, for example, the need to start work and other factors.
• As a rule, newborns are breastfed up to 10 times during the day. When the child begins to grow up, the number of feedings is gradually reduced.

How can you tell if your baby has received enough milk?

There is one indisputable truth: a well-fed child is always satisfied. Having eaten, the baby either lets go of the breast on its own, or falls asleep. To understand that the child no longer needs milk, you can by the following signs:

• The baby releases the nipple on its own each time.
• There is a uniform increase in both weight and height.
• The baby is quite active and has no problems sleeping.

Should I give both breasts while breastfeeding?

In the process of feeding, you should give the baby only one breast. During the next feeding, you need to give another one and thus alternate them. Such a strategy will make it possible to establish proper lactation in both mammary glands. One breast provides the baby with both fore, light milk, which the baby gets drunk with, and hind milk, which is thicker and more nutritious, containing a large amount of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Of course, if the baby is not full on one breast, then you need to give him another.

Some women do not produce enough milk and the baby does not eat enough from one breast. Often this happens at those moments when the child has a jump in weight or height, for example, after reaching two months of age. During such periods, both breasts should be given to the child.

Do not believe the opinion that there is no milk in the soft breast or it is not enough. If the child is full by all indications, you should not try to give him a second breast.

How often should you breastfeed your baby?

How many times do you need to feed a child so that he does not overeat? It is necessary to be guided by the desires of the child himself. If the baby has received enough milk, then he will begin to experience hunger in two or three hours. If the child asks for breasts more often, he should not be denied, because he might not have received the required amount of milk during the last feeding. Feeding on demand is the key to success: you should forever forget the feeding strictly on schedule imposed by the older generation.

What to do if the child is overfed?

Many young mothers are afraid that the child will be fed. However, this should not be feared. Of course, the baby can drink too much milk, but he will simply vomit everything that is superfluous, so his health will in no way be at risk.

Will the milk have time to be digested before the next feeding?

Many mothers worry that if the baby eats too often, then the milk will not have time to be digested before the next feeding. However, do not be afraid, because mother's milk has an ideal composition for the baby, so it is digested easily and quickly.

Feeding and crying

What to do if the baby is crying and needs to be breastfed? First of all, there is no need to panic: hold the child close to you, shake him a little, talk to him. If the crying is caused by the fact that the baby is unable to capture the breast, you need to squeeze some milk into his mouth or touch the nipple to the cheek or lips. Breasts are great at soothing babies, so you don't usually have to "persuade" your baby to take them for a long time.

How to properly breastfeed?

It is important to learn not only to give the breast correctly, but also to take it away correctly. If this is done incorrectly, then the mother may experience rather unpleasant sensations, and much more serious problems are possible, for example, nipple cracks. To avoid these troubles, you should wait until the baby himself releases the nipple from his mouth. If he does not, gently press your finger on the child's chin. There is another way: you should insert the little finger into the corner of the baby's mouth and gently pull. This technique will force the baby to open his mouth, after which the chest can be removed.

What to do in case of milk stagnation?

It is difficult to find young mothers who do not face certain problems in the process of breastfeeding. For example, if a child does not drink all the milk, it begins to stagnate. The chest becomes firm to the touch. Often, stagnation is accompanied by an increase in body temperature and pain. If you ignore this symptom, mastitis cannot be avoided, which, in turn, is fraught with the need for a surgical operation.

What to do if you notice stagnation of milk? You need to act immediately. At the initial stage, breast massage in the shower, gentle expression of milk or the attachment of the baby to the breast will be effective. A compress of cabbage leaf and honey will also help. Massage the chest should be very careful: massage should not cause pain and discomfort. The compress should be done every time after the child has eaten. If within a few days all these actions do not alleviate the condition of the mother, it is necessary to go to the hospital.

New moms are faced with a plethora of information about how to breastfeed their baby. Often, an uncritical attitude to the advice received leads to making mistakes, the most common of which will be described below:

• Washing the breast on the eve of attaching a child to it. You should not do this: it is quite enough to take a shower in the morning and in the evening. Too much enthusiasm for hygiene procedures leads to the fact that a special lubricant is washed off the nipples, which protects them from injury.
• The chest must be supported by the hand. In this case, milk stagnation may occur in places that are in contact with the hand.
• The child should be given water or weak tea. Mother's milk contains all the necessary substances: the baby not only eats up, but also drinks plenty of it.
• With colds or cracks on the nipples, you need to switch to mixtures. If the mother has a cold, then to protect the baby during feedings, it is worth wearing a medical mask: this is quite enough, since pathogenic bacteria do not penetrate the milk. Special silicone pads on the chest will protect against cracks.

This is not a complete list of mistakes that a young mother can make. If you have any other problems, you should consult your doctor.

Establishment of lactation

Immediately after the baby has eaten, the remaining milk should be expressed. A clean container is used for pumping, before the procedure you need to wash your hands thoroughly. To date, in pharmacies you can see a wide range of breast pumps, but you should resort to them only as a last resort, since breast pumps injure the thin skin of the nipples.

There are general rules for breastfeeding a baby:

• It is necessary to give the breast a few hours after the baby was born, as this stimulates lactation.
• If the baby is hungry, he will try to find the nipple by opening his mouth and smacking his lips. If the baby is not trying to find the breast, it is necessary to attach the nipple to his lips.
• The baby should capture not only the nipple, but also the areola.
• The cheeks and nose of the baby should be pressed tightly enough to the chest.
• It is not necessary to give both breasts at one feeding: it is enough for the child to completely drink all the milk from one breast.

The newborn should be breastfed as early as possible. In modern maternity hospitals, the first feeding occurs a couple of hours after birth. The first feeding is of utmost importance, because it is at this time that the correct nipple grip reflex will form, which will be the key to successful breastfeeding in the future.

How should a breastfeeding mother behave?

There are rules that a nursing mother should follow:

• In the first days after childbirth, you need to eat foods that contain a lot of fiber. But a large amount of sugar is best avoided. Give up tobacco and alcohol, and limit the use of foods that can cause allergies (citrus fruits, eggs, etc.).
• Do not be distracted by the TV or computer during feeding: in the first months of life, it is at this moment that mother and baby communicate, so you should focus all your attention on the child.
• It is necessary to give the baby the opportunity to burp, and after feeding, keep him in a column, which is the prevention of abdominal pain.
• It is worth giving up breastfeeding if the mother suffers from a serious illness (AIDS, tuberculosis, hepatitis, etc.).

Mom's milk is the best food for a child, created in accordance with all his needs. Establishing breastfeeding is simple - just follow the recommendations developed by the World Health Organization.

Early start is the key to long feeding

1. To keep the breast skin clean, it is enough to rinse it once a day during the shower. No need to wash it with soap before every feeding.
2. Dry skin of the areola after feeding can be lubricated with vegetable oil (olive, almond).
3. Cracks in the nipples are well treated with Purelan cream or Bepanthen ointment. Some women find silicone areola pads helpful.
4. You need to wear a comfortable cotton bra with wide straps, without wires.

And you don't have to skimp!

We have already said that with an established nutrition of newborn milk, exactly as much milk is produced in the breast as the baby sucks out. If you decant after feeding is completed, then next time more milk will come, you will have to decant again, etc.

With powerful bursts of milk in the first weeks (hyperlactation), you can slightly express the full breast before feeding, if the baby cannot capture the areola, or if it chokes on a powerful stream of milk.

Refuse daily weighing of the baby, the absence or presence of an increase is not a sign of a lack of nutrition. Especially indicative of weighing before and after feeding. WHO recommends weighing babies no more than once a month.

Until what age should you breastfeed?

WHO recommends continued breastfeeding up to two years of age. Mother's milk will help the child to endure diseases and teething more easily. The breast will calm the baby and enable him and his mother to feel more comfortable in times of crisis.

Only a mother knows how to properly and for how long to breastfeed her baby. Therefore, rely on the recommendations listed, watch the baby, listen to yourself - and you will provide yourself and your baby with a long and complete feeding without any problems.