How to breastfeed properly. Solving difficult situations. How to properly breastfeed after childbirth: feeding on demand

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

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

Benefit

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

Why is breast milk necessary for babies?

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

Hyperlactation

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

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

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

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

Baby refuses to breast

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

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

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

Choking

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

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

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

Should I wash my breasts before breastfeeding?

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

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

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

How to attach a baby to the breast?

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

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

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

How to understand that the child is full?

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

The baby will release the breast by itself after feeding, when he is full

Debunking myths

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Myth 5. Different women have different milk fat content.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Myth 10

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

When should I stop GW?

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

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

Read more about stopping lactation in another article.

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

For successful breastfeeding, the World Health Organization recommends:

• To attach the baby to the mother's breast for the first time in the first hour after birth.
Rules and postures
• Nutrition

The topic of breastfeeding is huge and inexhaustible. And we would be naive and a priori wrong if we tried to fit all aspects of this complex issue in one material. So there will be several articles on how to properly breastfeed, and this is just the first of them. It will talk about how to establish breastfeeding for a newborn, how often to put the baby to the breast, how and why to express milk, and also how to achieve the "cancellation" of night feeds ...

How to breastfeed your baby properly: starting breastfeeding

How breast milk "ripens". The mammary glands of a woman preparing for childbirth begin to rebuild during pregnancy. Each lady in position notices this - the breasts are "poured", significantly increases in size and becomes denser.

In the first 2-3 days after the birth of a baby, the mammary gland does not "give out" 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 beneficial for newborn crumbs and plays a key role in breastfeeding - it contains the highest concentration of proteins, trace elements and fat-soluble vitamins, but is poor in carbohydrates. Such a "cocktail" provides the maximum immune protection of the baby, populates his intestines with the primary microflora, nourishes the baby and is well absorbed.

It is very important to carry out the first attachment of the baby to the breast immediately after childbirth or, at most, within the first days after birth.

Irina Ryukhova, breastfeeding consultant of the AKEV Association and author of the book “How to give your baby health. We are breastfeeding ":" The first attachment during breastfeeding is the recognition of each other's existence, the first acquaintance, it must necessarily take place at least in the first day after childbirth. In addition, colostrum is the natural and most beneficial nutrition for a newborn in the first days, which provides the baby with maximum protection from disease and growth. Finally, colostrum, due to its low fat content, weakens a little, which allows you to cleanse the child's intestines of meconium (first stool). Thus, the intestines of the child get rid of the bilirubin accumulated in the meconium. This will minimize the risk of development. "

Colostrum is produced in relatively small quantities - 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 lays the baby to her breast as often as possible in the first days after birth. For what? In order for the baby to constantly suckle at the breast, thereby irritating the nipple. The more actively the nipple is irritated, the faster the production of mature milk will begin. And not only faster, but more.

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

At the end of the third day, transitional milk begins to mature in the breast, and after 2-3 weeks, the mother already begins to feed the newborn with full, 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 is breastfeeding 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 in the interval between feedings, remains "empty", and thus the baby does not finish eating. Many mothers at this moment turn to the assortment of artificial mixtures and begin to actively feed the baby with food "from a jar". This is not what breastfeeding experts recommend.

And they insist: latching on to an empty breast is not only not pointless, but also very useful for establishing breastfeeding. Since the lactation process is born in a woman's cerebral cortex, a stimulus is needed to “feed” milk into 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 milk begins to arrive at 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 the attempts to lactate look like sheer mockery of the newborn baby.

Attempts to establish exclusive breastfeeding may well continue without prejudice to the baby's health for 2-3 days. And only if after 3 days with milk there are still obvious interruptions, and the baby really doesn’t finish eating at a 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 is still worth enduring baby crying and weight loss for the sake of future full breastfeeding. For 3 days, nutritional deficiency will hardly affect 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 the 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 functions of the human body are "directed" 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 afraid, or when they are “on the run” or in captivity, the amount of milk in their udders does not change in any way.

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 to simply make her happy: a woman who is breastfeeding a newborn baby is doubly pleasant and needs compliments, bouquets, affectionate words, etc. .P.

In addition, breastfeeding mothers should not be limited - most of the ideas about what are delusions.

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

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

Breastfeeding styles

There are two main styles of breastfeeding:

• feeding on demand
• feeding according to the regimen

In the first case, the mother puts the baby to the breast "at the first squeak" of the baby, regardless of how much time has passed since the last feeding. In the second, the baby is breastfed strictly by the hour - as a rule, every three hours.

Rarely does a mother choose independently which feeding style to practice. Reality shows that most often the character of the child becomes the main determining factor.

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

It will be useful for both mothers to know that:

If the child has released the breast nipple on his own (and therefore he is satiated and does not want to eat any more), then the physiological feeling of hunger in him may come no earlier than 2 hours later.

This means that if your baby, 30 minutes after feeding, screamed that there is urine, then the reason for the screams is not hunger, but from something else: itching, tortured, simply “melancholy and scandalous mood overwhelmed”. Anything but hunger.

Considering this fact, modern pediatricians often suggest that mothers modify the feeding style by combining the principles of regime 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 the mother and baby to communicate not only through the breast (after all, it is possible in other ways besides “giving out” the cherished nipple). And finally, more or less adequate intervals between feedings will help the baby's digestive tract system to quickly establish the process of digesting food.

Expressing and storing breast milk

If you have chosen the on-demand breastfeeding method, then at the stage of lactation, you do not need to think about pumping. In conditions when the baby is constantly "hanging" on the breast, he simply will not allow any colostrum or the first mature milk to linger and stagnate in the breast.

It is necessary to strain in three cases:

• 1 If for some reason (for example, the baby was born prematurely and was sent to a hospital for growing up), 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, breastfeeding consultant of the AKEV Association: “If you understand that resuscitation can take weeks, then in order to maintain lactation, you need to use a breast pump no later than 6 hours after giving birth. And then pump every 3 hours with a 5-hour break at night. Then there is a chance to preserve breastfeeding of the newborn. "

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

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

Observations of Dr. Komarovsky: "Nowadays, when doctors more and more often recommend that mothers not pump at all, the number of lactational mastitis has increased significantly."

Lactational mastitis - This 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, milk stagnation in the breast. If lactostasis continues for 3-4 days (for example, the mother has enough milk, the child does not suck everything out, and the mother does not pump out), then the inflammation of the gland is almost inevitable, since stagnant milk is an ideal breeding ground for microbes.

Expressing is also necessary 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). Correctly 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.

We will devote a separate detailed material to how to express correctly, why and when it should be done, as well as how to properly freeze, store and thaw breast milk. Let us just remind you that expressed 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 a baby breastfeed?

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 the 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 very hot climates, in which the risk of heatstroke in a small child increases dramatically. In this case, it is necessary to replenish the pathological loss of fluids in the body of the crumbs by 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 preserve breastfeeding. And further - the frequency and duration of breastfeeding gradually decreases, at the same time the frequency and volume of complementary foods - accordingly increases.

If the mother has the opportunity (she still has active milk production) and the desire, the preservation of breastfeeding is welcomed by all pediatricians in 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 foods - vegetables, meat, cereals, dairy products, etc., but together with that, he daily receives a portion of mother's milk) right up to 2 years or more. Explaining the importance of this strategy by the fact that breastfeeding in children of all ages significantly reduces the risk of various infections.

Logically, we can assume that for countries with a high level of medicine and a low level of spread of infectious diseases (such countries include Russia), the medical reason for prolonged breastfeeding is not as relevant as for underdeveloped countries.

In modern pediatrics, it is believed that in developed countries with a high standard of living, latching on to the breast after a year has not so much biological value as psychological.

We perceived it more as an anomaly than a favorable norm. But this is a separate story ...

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

• 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 the mother herself wishes, you can continue to breastfeed once or twice a day - for as long as you like.

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

Most pediatricians and breastfeeding specialists rightly argue that for a period of up to 6 months, night feeds are necessary and justified. Even if the baby sleeps quietly until the morning and does not wake up with a "hungry cry", it should still be awakened 1-2 times a night and applied to the breast.

However, after reaching six months of age, it is quite reasonable to reduce the number of night feedings to one time. This will significantly add strength and good mood to the mother, and in no way infringe on the child's food needs.

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

• Late night bathing. After 23 hours, it is useful in cool water, after which feed it tightly. This scenario encourages the baby 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 your baby sleeps, which encourages sound and restful sleep. Parameters: air temperature - no more than 20 ° С, humidity - 50-70%.

Gradually, over time, night feedings can and should be "canceled" altogether.

How to breastfeed properly: summary

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

• Breast-feeding is a type of feeding for newborns, infants and children up to 2 years old and even older, which has no analogues in terms of benefits and value. Any comparisons between breastfeeding and artificial feeding are a priori advantageous in favor of the former.
• The surest and most effective way to establish breastfeeding - in the first days and weeks of a newborn's life, apply the baby to the breast as often as possible so that it actively stimulates the nipple.
• Breastfeeding in the first six months of the baby - the necessary norm, which provides the strongest protection of the child from diseases and fully covers all his nutritional needs.
• To supplement the baby with water, or to supplement any products are not needed in the first six months. 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.
• Optimal feeding style for babies up to one year old - on request, but with an interval between attachments to the breast for at least 2 hours.
• After 1-1.5 years the issue of breastfeeding is determined solely by the desire of the mother and baby.
• Expressed breast milk (subject to proper storage and defrosting) - as healthy and nutritious as the milk in the breast.

The birth of a child is the beginning of a wonderful, but also the most difficult period of life for a family. We have to solve many issues, some of them appear even before childbirth. But perhaps the most important problem is nutrition. What to feed - breastfeeding or formula? Modern doctors recommend breastfeeding. But how to properly breastfeed a newborn and to what age should it be done? Should we rely on Mother Nature, who, as they believe, will not allow mistakes, or is it better to learn from those who understand the problem?

According to WHO experts, the ideal time to start breastfeeding is right after birth. Lying on the baby's breast in the first hour of his life helps the baby to adapt to a sudden change in the "habitat", and the mother - easier to endure the process of childbirth. The production of oxytocin at the time of sucking helps the uterus to contract faster, as a result of which atonic bleeding (the worst complication of the early postpartum period) is prevented. There is a wealth of research showing the benefits of breastfeeding for the infant, from reducing the risk of childhood infections to preventing obesity and even increasing IQ.

Do I need to wash my breasts before feeding

In the recent past, washing the mammary glands with soap before feeding was considered absolutely necessary. It was even recommended to treat them with antiseptics, which should have prevented gastrointestinal infections in the baby, which he could supposedly get from dirty breast skin.

In recent years, WHO recommendations clearly state that frequent washing of the mammary glands leads to the destruction of the protective water-fat layer of the skin. The result is a decrease in local immunity and an increased risk of skin infections. It is enough to take water procedures only once or twice a day, without becoming attached to feeding. You don't fidget with your bare chest on the ground, so why wash it all the time?

As part of food hygiene, hand washing should not be forgotten. Here everything is different - every time after going to the toilet, changing the diaper and washing the baby, hands should be thoroughly washed with some kind of detergent (even for dishes, although ordinary toilet soap is best). Here, too, one should not fanatically strive for absolute sterility - you are not going to do an operation. Just wash your hands and just give the baby a breast.

I have a small papilloma on my nipple, can I breastfeed my baby?

It all depends on the size, position and condition of the papilloma. If feeding causes pain or bleeding is noted during suction, the growth should be removed using one of the safest methods (laser, electrocoagulation, cryocoagulation). It is unlikely that the child will become infected with the papilloma virus, but if this tumor bothers you, see your doctor and think with him about the treatment tactics. It is impossible to give a single advice here, it all depends on the specific situation.

What are the positions for breastfeeding

The important issue of breastfeeding positions is sometimes overlooked even by doctors, getting off the duty officer “the main thing is that you feel comfortable”. This is not quite the right approach, although there are no clear recommendations, as in sports, like "heels together, socks apart."

Of course, for the first time, a woman worn out by childbirth may attach the baby incorrectly, but later she must be explained how to breastfeed correctly. So, the rules are as follows:

1. The baby's head and body, regardless of your position, should be in line. He will not be able to suck if his head is twisted, bent, or dangling left and right. Don't believe me? Turn your head to the side and try to drink from a cup.
2. The baby is turned to face the breast so that his nose is flush with the nipple. So he will be able to capture mainly the lower part of the areola.
3. Bring the child as close to the body as possible. You should not put the breast into the child's mouth, it is better to bring him to the breast, otherwise the nipple will periodically fall out. This is fraught with excessive swallowing of air, belching, colic, and just unpleasant for the baby.
4. Do not bend over while feeding - your back should be completely relaxed.
5. In newborn babies, the whole body needs to be supported, not just the head.
6. If you need to hold the breast, do it from below, forming a semblance of the letter C from the fingers of the hand. Do not clasp the nipple with "scissors" made from the index and middle fingers - there is a high risk of pulling out the nipple.

How to breastfeed while lying down

It is better to breastfeed correctly lying down only during the day. Yes, I want to sleep at night! Yes, no strength, agree! But momentary convenience for you can turn into a tragedy if you fall asleep and "fall asleep" the child. So there is only one rule - feed, then lie down and sleep on. And let the baby sleep in his crib.

When feeding lying down, all the rules described above work, there are no special features. If it is convenient for you, it does not hurt, if the baby sucks well and falls asleep happily - you are doing everything right.

How to breastfeed twins

If you're lucky (or unlucky, depending on how you look) and have twins, the feeding problem becomes somewhat more complicated. Time may take more, such a life also takes a lot of energy. But after all, twins and even triplets are fed, some feed both their own and someone else's child, which means you can handle it. There should be enough milk, because the child himself stimulates its production, and the more children - the more stimulation. Help is more likely to be needed in other everyday matters not related to feeding (washing, ironing, cooking, etc.), but this is the second question.

Technically, there is no difference between feeding one or two children: babies should grab the entire areola with their mouth and suck so as not to choke and choke. You can feed them one at a time or at the same time - that's as convenient for you. Most moms prefer the simultaneous option - it takes a little less time. The main rule is not to "tie" Vasya to the right breast, and Petya to the left breast: each baby sucks differently and may require a different amount of milk. If Vasya always sucks more from one breast than Petya from the other, the breasts will become asymmetrical and this will be aesthetically unpleasant even for the mother herself. Therefore, the breasts must be alternated.

There are several positions in which feeding two babies does not turn into torture:

1. "From under the arm." Toddlers put their armpits on rolled blankets or special pillows. The legs of the children are located behind the mother. Each child is given a breast: right - right, left - left.
2. Crosswise. First, one child is laid, pressing him to himself, then the second, pressing him to the first.
3. "Parallel". The first child lies on the arm, the second - under the armpit, the bodies are located in one direction.

Ideal if you feed the children at the same time. However, you should not fanatically follow this advice: one of the two wants to sleep, so let him sleep. Do not forget that the main rule is that the baby is in charge of feeding, not his mother.

When feeding, I have one breast larger than the other. Could this be due to my right breastfeeding more often than my left breast? Olga, 27 years old

Yes, Olga, if before the birth your mammary glands were the same, then this is the reason for the difference. More “active” breasts produce more milk and therefore increase. Try to alternate, apply the baby with one feeding to the right breast, the second to the left, and everything will return to normal. And don't worry, usually after lactation stops, both breasts become the same.

Best way to breastfeed: one breast or both

Among nursing mothers, especially inexperienced ones, the myth that if you feed your baby with only one breast, then it will become larger than the other, and everything will remain so. In reality, however, after the end of the feed, both breasts return to normal and become exactly the same size.

There is no biological difference between feeding with one or both breasts - milk will be produced as much as the baby needs. Moreover, if the child prefers to eat from only one "plate" - do not bother him. This is the essence of on-demand feeding - letting your baby eat how, when and how much he wants. He, not you, controls his food. Just don't pump unclaimed breasts: it doesn't make any sense.

Of course, more radical situations are possible - for example, one breast was completely removed and replaced with an implant. Of course, you won't be able to feed it, but the second one remains! She may well give the amount of milk needed for the baby.

Why does the baby freak out and bend over while breastfeeding?

There can be a lot of reasons: uncomfortable position, lack of milk, difficulty in sucking, improper attachment, colic. Together with the doctor, you should exclude medical reasons, and also pay attention to violations in the feeding technique. In extreme cases (for example, with hypogalactia) supplementation should be given.

Do I need to breastfeed after a year

In the old days, it was believed that a child should be excommunicated at the age of one or a little later. Even many modern experts argue that milk after a year is no longer the same, it does not contain the necessary substances, the child lacks something, his digestive system is formed so that mother's milk no longer absorbs properly. It is a myth!

The World Health Organization explains that breastfeeding after a year and up to two years is an important factor in the psycho-emotional development of a baby. Moreover, three studies in Brazil and Bangladesh (1987, 1989, 1995) have shown that in countries at risk of food and respiratory infections, where access to health care is low, breastfeeding of infants in their second year of life significantly reduces the frequency of their diseases and facilitates the course of diseases in already sick babies. WHO insists on natural nutrition for children up to 6 months, strongly recommends - up to a year, and highly recommends breastfeeding and after a year - up to two years.

I have been breastfeeding for 6 months, but my period has started. Should the baby be weaned because of this? Alena, 30 years old

No, Alena, there is no need to wean from the breast. Usually, lactation prevents the onset of menstruation, and this reduces the likelihood of getting pregnant by 98%. But it so happens that menstruation begins earlier. This is not a reason to refuse breastfeeding, since the taste of milk does not change, its composition also remains the same. Continue breastfeeding and use contraception if a new pregnancy is undesirable.

Is it possible to breastfeed and artificial formula

Sometimes situations arise when the child begins to lack milk. There is even a special term for this - hypogalactia, which is primary (usually with disturbances in the nervous and endocrine regulation of lactation) and secondary, arising from many external factors:

• complications of pregnancy and childbirth;
• pathology of the mammary glands;
• serious violations of feeding techniques;
• improper breast care;
• severe course of various diseases;
• improper or (more often) insufficient nutrition;
• overwork, stress, lack of mood for feeding;
• late start of breastfeeding;
• violation of the sucking process by the baby;
• taking medications or foods that change the taste of milk.

It is clear that with secondary hypogalactia it is possible to correct the situation, and by eliminating the cause of the decrease in lactation, normal milk production can be restored. Conditionally, lactation crises can also be attributed here, when for a short period of time the child begins to lack nutrition due to a jump in his growth.

Can I exercise while breastfeeding?

Yes, you can. However, you should plan your workouts so that your baby's food intake does not coincide with the activity. Remember that sports can cause chronic fatigue, which will affect the amount of milk produced. And certainly do not take any sports drugs during feeding, because some of them may be dangerous for the baby.

In most such cases, mothers usually transfer the baby partially or completely to feeding with artificial mixtures, making a big mistake. First of all, you need to see a doctor or a breastfeeding specialist and decide with them whether it is enough to breastfeed the baby or you need to introduce supplementation. Remember that it may only seem to you that the child does not have enough milk (especially if he has suspicious grandmothers), but in fact the baby may gain even more than the required weight.

If there is a need for supplementation, then some rules should be followed. First, supplementation is always given after the breast, otherwise the baby will stop sucking at all. Secondly, only high-quality mixtures should be used, but in no case whole cow or goat milk. Thirdly, when preparing the mixture, strictly follow the instructions attached by the manufacturer to each can. An excessively thick mixture will lead to an overload of the child's body with proteins and minerals (this is dangerous!), And a mixture that is too liquid is simply not enough for the baby to eat. Pay attention to the composition - the daily dose of the mixture should contain all the necessary vitamins, micro- and macronutrients in the required amount.

Everyone says that the baby should be fed naturally. But I don’t want to breastfeed, I’m afraid that her shape will change. What should I do? Irina, 24 years old

Irina, for a start, you should determine what is more important to you - a healthy baby or a beautiful breast. If the first, then try to set yourself up to give up your "want-do not want" and take care of the baby. If the latter, then remember that sooner or later the beauty of your breasts will dry out, and in adulthood it will hurt you to look at how the child is moving away from you psychologically. Are you ready to be lonely in old age?

Do I need to express my breasts after breastfeeding

Most mothers believe that if the baby has not sucked everything out of the breast, milk must be expressed, otherwise it will become less. This is only half the truth. Milk contains a substance called an inhibitor that inhibits milk production. The more milk there is in the breast, the more inhibitor it contains, the more its secretion is suppressed. Then everything is simple: the child has sucked a lot - there is little inhibitor left - a lot of milk has been produced and vice versa. Thus, if the child has not sucked everything, the body understands that it should not produce so much milk, and reduces its "production". This is how the prevention of mastitis and engorgement of the mammary glands occurs.

It has been noticed that mastitis develops more often in those women who constantly express milk: they always have too much milk, it stagnates, becomes infected and a disease occurs. Let the baby and your breasts regulate the process themselves, this is biologically correct. Expressing is needed only in a few cases, most often associated with the inability to attach the baby to the breast.

My hair is falling out a lot and I am breastfeeding. Is this related and what to do in order not to lose the remaining hair? Ira, 21 years old

Irina, hair loss is a sign of certain ill-being in the body. Most sin on hormonal disruptions, although only a few percent of such situations can be explained by this reason. Most often, hair falls out due to a lack of certain vitamins and minerals in the mother's diet, as well as due to overwork. In the second case, you can shift some of the household issues onto other family members (husband, grandmothers, older children). In the first, you need to revise the diet and diet. It is better to do this with a doctor, and not with a local therapist, who for the most part do not have the necessary skills, but with a breastfeeding specialist or nutritionist.

Diet while breastfeeding

A healthy mother of a healthy child should not be on any diet. A full, balanced diet is the key to successful lactation. All stories about the dangers of certain foods are just myths. If your child is not allergic to the tomatoes you have eaten, eat them. If he is not “embarrassed” by strawberries - bon appetit. Honey and nuts are strong allergens, and is it not strange that they are often advised for reducing milk production? The main thing in a woman's nutrition is its quantitative and qualitative usefulness. And if the child gives a reaction to something - well, cancel this product. And do not drink alcohol - it is dangerous in any quantity, even 10 grams. You can not eat and fast food - this is biologically defective, and often dangerous due to low-quality ingredients that make up it, food.

Proper feeding of a newborn in the first days of life is just as important an element of growth and development as mother's care, caring for a baby. Breastfeeding is ideal. If for various reasons it is not possible to breastfeed, high-quality milk formulas for newborns will help out.

It is important for a young mom to know how to organize the meals of a tiny person. Study the material: you will find answers to many questions related to the organization of meals for the smallest children. The most important thing is to provide maximum comfort for mom and baby.

How to properly feed newborns

At the maternity hospital, staff will talk about the benefits of early breastfeeding, provide conditions for close contact between mother and baby immediately after birth. Now the kids are in the same room with their mother, which allows them to feed the baby "on demand".

If there is a shortage of milk, do not despair, try to establish natural feeding. Drink plenty of fluids, try to calm down, and breastfeed your baby more often. Even the smallest amount of milk will be beneficial. Feed the newborn with formula, control behavior, weight, stool quality. If there is no milk, switch to artificial formula.

Breast-feeding

The benefits of early breastfeeding have been proven by neonatologists and pediatricians, confirmed by satisfied mothers and well-fed, peacefully snoring babies. Close emotional contact is one of the benefits of breastfeeding.

Breast milk benefits:

• crumbs (the child receives completely digestible food, develops well, is less likely to get sick);
• mothers (the uterus contracts more actively under the influence of the sucking movements of the baby, the body is more likely to recover after childbirth).

First stage

In the first hours after childbirth, the mammary glands produce a valuable product - colostrum. The volume of the nutrient is small, but the rich composition, high fat content satisfy the crumbs' need for food. An important detail - colostrum saturates a small organism with biologically active substances, strengthens the immune system.

Most maternity hospitals practice early breastfeeding. An exciting moment for mom and baby, falling into an unfamiliar world. The warmth of the breast, the smell of milk soothes the newborn, allows you to feel protection. The more colostrum a child can get, the better for his immune system.

Homecoming

Many young mothers get lost, panic when they find themselves at home with a newborn. There is a caring dad nearby, a familiar environment, but there is still excitement. If a woman listened to the recommendations of the maternity hospital staff, there will be less difficulties with breastfeeding.

Features of feeding newborns with breast milk:

• the diet in the first week takes into account the interests of the newborn. The mother will have to adjust to the needs of the baby;
• it is useful to observe when the baby is really hungry, to note the interval between feedings that the baby can withstand. The best option is 3 hours, but in the first week, babies often demand milk with loud crying after 1.5–2 hours;
• pediatricians advise: feed the baby "on demand" when he greedily searches for the breast with his mouth. Gradually, the child will get stronger, will be able to drink more valuable liquid at a time, and will stay full longer. Active breastfeeding will increase lactation, the baby's nutritional needs and the mother's capabilities will gradually coincide;
• in a couple of weeks, accustom the baby to the diet. If in the first days you fed your baby every one and a half to two hours during the day and after 3-4 hours at night, gradually switch to feeding seven times a day. The regimen improves the functioning of tiny intestines, gives rest to mom.

Suitable poses

Find a specific position that suits you as much as possible. Remember: each feeding in the first weeks of a newborn's life lasts a long time.

Keep in mind that you will hardly be able to sit for half an hour or more beautifully, bending over the baby (as nursing mothers pose for photos in magazines), especially after a difficult birth. If the mother is uncomfortable or difficult to hold the baby, she is unlikely to have pleasant thoughts, tender feelings.

Try several poses, choose the optimal one, taking into account the condition of the chest, weight, age of the baby. As the baby grows, an uncomfortable position may become suitable and vice versa.

Basic postures for feeding newborns:

• supine position. The baby rests on mommy with arms, legs, head. A woman's shoulders, her head raised with a pillow. The pose is suitable for copious milk flow;
• lying on its side. This convenient option is chosen by many moms, especially for evening and night feedings. Be sure to alternately lie on each side to empty both breasts;
• the classic sitting position for feeding. Mom holds the baby in her arms. The pillows under the back, on the knees and under the elbow will help reduce hand fatigue, "reduce" the baby's weight;
• overhanging pose. Recommended for poor milk flow. The newborn lies on its back, mom feeds him from above, bending over the baby. Not very back-friendly, but effective for emptying the chest;
• posture after cesarean section, when nursing twins. The woman sits, the baby lies so that the legs are behind the mother's back, the head looks out from under the mother's hand. This pose relieves the manifestations of lactostasis - stagnation of breast milk, accompanied by pain, pronounced compaction of the lobules of the breast.

Formulas for babies

Artificial feeding is a necessary measure, but in the absence of breast milk, you will have to adapt. Organize the nutrition of the newborn correctly, listen to the recommendations of pediatricians.

Features of feeding newborns with formula:

• unlike breastfeeding, when the baby eats and falls asleep, the formula has a certain dosage. It is important to know how much breast milk substitute to give the "artificial" per day;
• from the first days feed the baby 7 times, interval 3 hours. Later, you can switch to six meals a day with an interval of 3.5 hours;
• choose a high-quality mixture that ensures satiety, a maximum of useful substances. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to feed the crumbs on demand: the mixture should not be given "whenever you want", it is important to maintain a certain interval;
• occasionally it is allowed to shift the time of the next intake of a useful mixture, but not by much. Violation of the rules causes stomach / intestinal problems in the baby;
• choose infant formula for newborns from well-known manufacturers, without palm oil, sugar, maltodextrin. As a last resort, the components that support the feeling of fullness should be minimal;
• if there is not enough breast milk, you have to constantly feed the baby. Offer breast first, then spoon baby food. Avoid the bottle: it is easier to get milk from the nipple, after a while the baby will probably give up the breast;
• be sure to give the newborn - "artificial" boiled water. The volume of fluid depends on age;
• artificial feeding will help to produce healthy twins or triplets. Mom does not have enough milk for two / three children, she has to give a nutritional formula. As babies grow, breast milk is replaced with formula milk.

How much should a child eat

How much should a newborn eat per feeding? When breastfeeding, the baby himself senses when the ventricle is full. The baby stops sucking on the breast and falls asleep calmly.

To feed the "artificial" mother must pour a certain amount of the mixture into the bottle so that the newborn does not go hungry. Pediatricians have developed a formula for calculating the amount of baby food for each day.

The calculations are simple:

• the newborn weighs less than 3200 grams. Multiply the number of days lived by 70. For example, on the third day the baby should receive 3 x 70 \u003d 210 g of milk formula;
• the newborn weighs over 3200 grams. The calculation is similar, only multiply the number of days by 80. For example, on the third day a large child should receive a large portion - 3 x 80 \u003d 240 g of baby food.

Note! Calculations are suitable for the smallest. From the 10th day of life, the norms are different. You will find a detailed calculation of the amount of formula for feeding children - "artificial" in the article, which describes the selection rules, especially the use of popular infant formula from 0 to 6 months.

Power table by hour

It is easier for young mothers to navigate if they have a clear idea of \u200b\u200bthe baby's diet. During the first month, the newborn will sleep most of the time (up to 18 hours a day), the rest of the day will be awake.

Remember: when the baby is awake, half the time he sucks on his mother's breast or receives infant formula instead of breast milk. Pay attention to the newborn feeding chart. It lists feeding hours for babies of normal weight.

• if the newborn spits up after feeding, a simple technique will help: rub the fed baby with a column for 10-15 minutes;
• the neck of a newborn is still very weak, how to act so as not to damage the bones, not to stretch the muscles? Put the head on your shoulder, hold the baby vertically, gently press it to you, supporting it behind the back and butt. This position will ensure the release of excess air, reduce the frequency and volume of regurgitation;
• after eating, you can not shake the baby, it is undesirable to put it in the crib Active games, tickling, braking are prohibited. Change the clothes of the newborn also after 10-15 minutes, when the air leaves the ventricle;
• if the newborn hiccups after feeding, it may be overeating or cold. Stroke the tummy, warm the baby, let the excess air out (hold it with a column). If the volume and pressure of breast milk is too high, feed the baby intermittently so that the previous portion has time to enter the tiny stomach.

How to maintain the emotional and physical health of a nursing mom

Helpful hints:

• upon returning home after the hospital, a woman should also get at least a little sleep, devote time to other family members and herself, otherwise psychological problems, a crisis in relations with her husband cannot be avoided;
• constant fatigue accumulates, mom gets irritated for any reason, gets nervous. The result is a decrease in milk production, an eternally hungry, crying baby, more nerves and new worries. The circle is closed. That is why it is important to take care not only of the baby, but also to maintain the health, psychological balance of a woman who has undergone natural childbirth or a cesarean section;
• the realization that with the birth of a baby a successful business woman has turned into a “milk-making machine” depresses many young mothers. The closest people should help here. Praise, pride in the person who gave a son (daughter) / grandson (granddaughter) must be expressed in warm words. A woman feels much more confident if she feels supported;
• an important point is help in caring for the baby. It's good if the husband, grandmothers and a young mother share the chores around the house. A woman needs to rest, often feed her newborn, and recuperate. In the first two to three weeks, the lack of real help negatively affects the physical and psychological state of the nursing mother;
• unfortunately, it often happens that the husband stays late at work (not to mention how difficult it is to "knock out" vacation after the birth of a baby), and grandmothers, due to various circumstances, cannot help with household chores. It is important to save breast milk, not to fall off your feet from fatigue;
• what to do? We'll have to ask for help from good friends, relatives, neighbors. Surely, someone will agree to help you: go for groceries, buy diapers, or wipe the dust at home. Attract people you trust, do not refuse help. Even half an hour of rest for a young mother will be useful;
• cook simple meals, buy a multicooker that minimizes the labor costs of cooking. The device does not require constant monitoring, which is important in case of fatigue, frequent feedings, in a state where mommy only thinks about the baby and sleep.

Now you know how to start breastfeeding, how to give special formula. Pay maximum attention to the baby, remember your health and the existence of the rest of the family. The correct diet will ensure maximum comfort for the baby and adults.

More helpful breastfeeding tips in the following video:

“Over time, breastfeeding stops

be a way to feed a baby

and becomes a universal remedy

child care ”

In our time, not all mothers want to breastfeed, while absolutely not understanding what they are depriving themselves and their child of. Breastfeeding is a must!

If you are reading this article, then you are already consciously approaching the birth and upbringing of a child, and we want to help you establish the process of breastfeeding and not make mistakes due to inexperience. After all, there are still many misconceptions about how to breastfeed a newborn, even among maternity hospital workers.

1. Natural childbirth promotes successful breastfeeding

For the breastfeeding process to start and go without problems, childbirth should be as natural as possible, ideally without any medical intervention. Even a drug to stimulate labor (oxytocin) or labor pain relief leads to disruptions in the process of childbirth and adaptation of the child to extrauterine life.

Labor is a very delicate process, during which a certain cascade of hormonal reactions occurs, and interference with this mechanism can lead to a variety of disorders. Including to birth trauma - even the slightest, imperceptible to the eye displacement of the bones of the skull can lead to the fact that the child will not be able to properly grasp and suckle the breast (therefore sometimes the child “from birth refuses to breast”).

2. First attachment to the breast

They put the newborn on the breast almost immediately after birth, but before that they give it a rest on the mother's stomach. Early attachment helps the uterus to reflexively contract, expel the afterbirth, and prevent bleeding. It also gives a signal to the mother's body that the baby was born, he is alive, suckles and wants to eat, so it's time to produce milk.

Interestingly, in the very first minutes and hours after birth, the need to suck on the mother's breast is so great that the child not only looks for the breast and stretches out the lips, he is even able to crawl some distance to find the breast (nature took care of this in case the mother, to unfortunately, he is not able to give breast on his own).

Often, a cesarean section, as well as various complications in childbirth, do not allow the baby to be attached to the breast at once, which can be fraught with problems in the future.

3. The first days of breastfeeding

In the first 2-3 days, instead of milk, colostrum is formed in the breast. It is not formed very much, but the child only needs a few drops - firstly, his stomach is still too small, and the gastrointestinal tract cannot digest large volumes. Secondly, colostrum is so nutritious and contains everything a child needs that he doesn't need more.

By the way, a healthy child is born with some supply of nutrients and fluids in the body, which allows him to live the first day without food at all.

Therefore, during this period, one should not worry that “I have no milk, the child is starving, it is necessary to give a mixture”. Usually milk comes on the third day, and so much that the child is not able to eat so much. But colostrum fully satisfies his needs in the first days of life.

If you start feeding the baby with a mixture during this period, you can not only disrupt the formation of the digestion and immunity of the newborn baby, but also start the end of breastfeeding. You have to be very careful with this. If the baby suckles less, less milk will be produced.

However, a newborn baby breastfeeds for more than just food. If he has enough strength, then he can suck on the breast for half an hour or longer, and with age and for hours hang on the breast. The fact is that this is how his psychological need for closeness to his mother, the feeling of her warmth, is expressed. The urge to suck can be irrepressible, because sucking at the breast will provide the baby with sufficient milk production and will also promote proper physical and mental development. Breast sucking has been shown to be directly related to brain development and mental processes.

4. Arrival of milk

Finally, the child's efforts finally lead to the fact that one night the young mother's breasts suddenly fill up and milk comes. Sometimes there is so much milk that the breast becomes hot and stony to the touch and requires pumping to make it easier.

However, pumping can be tricky either, as milk is slow at first, and you need the help of a breastfeeding specialist to help straighten your breasts, or a good electric breast pump (). Otherwise, there is a risk of developing such an unpleasant condition as lactostasis, or in other words stagnation of milk, which is dangerous for the development of mastitis.

For breastfeeding, the mother should adopt a comfortable position in which she can relax - place a pillow under her back or use

There are different positions for feeding a baby - for example, a cradle, from under the arm or lying down. It is better to alternate poses, so the baby will be more effective in sucking milk from different segments of the mammary gland to prevent lactostasis.

Remember - where the baby's chin is directed when sucking, it sucks milk from that part of the mammary gland. If you feel tightness and discomfort in any part of the chest, take a position so that the baby's chin is directed towards it.

It is very important for the baby to properly grip the nipple. Improper grip leads to damage and cracks in the teat, as well as ineffective sucking and reduced milk production. If you have less milk - pay attention not to the baby latching on the breast.

How do you know if the grip is correct? When sucking, the child captures most of the areola with his mouth, and the lips are slightly turned out.

In this case, the sucking itself is painless. No air should be sucked in. After feeding, the nipple should not flatten. If you have any problems and questions, then it is better to contact an experienced mother acquaintance who has successfully fed her child, or call a breastfeeding consultant at home.

6. On schedule or on demand?

“Feeding mode as well as kissing mode -

will make life difficult for you and your child "

The Soviet Union began to teach the child to breastfeed every three hours in order to get women back to work as soon as possible. Now there is no need for this, nor any physiological justification. It is not possible to overfeed a baby with breast milk!

A newborn baby does not know what a feeding schedule is and does not need it. Feeding should be on demand - as often and as long as the baby wants. If the baby shows the slightest concern, give him the breast first. If you don't know if he is hungry, give him a breast. It is best that the breaks do not exceed 2-3 hours, although sometimes the child sleeps soundly and longer.

It is absolutely necessary to feed the baby at night, it is these feedings that lead to the formation of a sufficient amount of milk, and it cannot suddenly "disappear".

Remember that feeding on demand, frequent feeding can not lead to anything bad, no digestive problems, as it is absorbed very easily and quickly. With the exception of rare congenital diseases and lactase deficiency in a child.

7. Supplement with mixture

“Regular food fills a child's stomach,

and breast milk - the soul "

Unfortunately, doctors and nurses continue to easily recommend formula supplementation for the slightest problem with breastfeeding. They don't teach mothers to fight for him. For questions on how to breastfeed a newborn, contact a breastfeeding consultant.

Ideally, for the first 6 months, the baby should not get anything other than breast milk in the mouth. If it seems to you that the baby does not have enough milk because he is crying and hanging on his chest, then first count how many times he will wet the diapers per day. 10 times or more means there is enough milk.

Even if at some point the child does not gain weight (and some mothers weigh their children every day), this does not mean anything, since children grow and gain weight in leaps and bounds. More than once every 2 weeks it makes no sense to weigh the child.

Supplementation with formula is dangerous in that it helps to reduce the formation of milk, due to the fact that the baby suckles less. Firstly, the mixture from the bottle is easier to suck, the child likes it and he begins to be lazy to suckle. Secondly, having eaten with the mixture, he needs less milk and suckles less. Especially because the mixture is heavy food, after which the child sleeps long and soundly.

Do not allow your baby to be supplemented with formula at the hospital. After a cesarean section, when the mother and child are separated, even if a baby is brought to you for feeding, this can be done without notifying you.