Proper feeding of an infant: advice for a nursing mother. How to understand that a child is full? Is it possible for a breastfeeding mother to smoke and drink alcohol?

Most women who have recently given birth are aware of the benefits of breastfeeding and want to breastfeed their baby. However, it is important not only to tune in to this process, but also to know how to set it up correctly. It would seem that what could be simpler than putting the baby to the breast and allowing him to suck milk? But many mothers, especially first-time mothers, when left alone with their baby for the first time and attempt to breastfeed, encounter one or another difficulty.

The basic principles for establishing good lactation and successful feeding are as follows:

Early attachment of the baby to the breast.

Breastfeeding experts say that to achieve good lactation, it is important to start feeding your baby immediately after birth, within the first 30-60 minutes. This is of great importance, since during this period of time the neuroendocrine mechanisms for regulating lactation in a woman who has given birth are launched, i.e. putting the baby to the breast immediately after childbirth is a signal to the female body that increased milk production is now required.

In addition, it is very important for a newborn to receive the first drops of colostrum, with the help of which the child’s gastrointestinal tract is populated with beneficial microflora, and the baby develops protective antibodies.

When a baby is put to the breast early, a whole complex of psychophysiological contacts between mother and child is launched and begins to form, which become the basis for their future relationships. Thus, a close connection is established: the woman better understands the needs of the baby and is prepared for long-term breastfeeding.

1. Feeding on demand, i.e. putting the baby to the breast as often as he asks, without limiting the duration of feeding. This principle is based on the fact that the amount of milk a mother has depends on the baby’s needs - the more the baby sucks, the more milk the mammary glands produce. This phenomenon is due to the fact that the hormone prolactin is responsible for the secretion of milk in a woman’s body, and it is produced in response to the baby’s sucking.

1. Mandatory night feedings, since it is at night that the hormone prolactin, which stimulates lactation, is intensively produced.

1. Avoiding extra drinking. Breastfed babies in the first months of life do not need additional liquids, since breast milk is both food and drink. However, if the house is hot and you think that the baby needs to be given water, use special ones with a nipple that follows the shape of the nipple so that the baby does not refuse the breast.

1. Avoiding supplementary feeding with formula milk. Some young, inexperienced mothers think that in the first days after birth there is no milk, and that means the baby needs to be supplemented with formula. In fact, this is a misconception. In the first few days after the birth of the baby, the mother secretes colostrum. It is actually secreted a little - only 10-50 ml per day. However, it has increased nutritional and energy value, so even 5 ml of colostrum per feeding is enough for a newborn baby.

   Colostrum plays an important role in the development of immunity in the baby, as it contains high concentrations of antibodies. This is why it is important that the newborn receives precious drops of colostrum in the first days after birth. Put your baby to your breast on demand, and your body will respond to the baby’s “request” by actively producing milk.

1. Correct application baby to breast. At the beginning of lactation, it is very important to avoid the appearance of irritation and cracks on the nipples, which complicate the feeding process.

Breastfeeding in the maternity hospital

What basics of breastfeeding should a mother learn while she and her baby are in the maternity hospital?

Proper latching of the baby to the breast

This is extremely important aspect establishing lactation. It determines how quickly the baby learns to breastfeed correctly. Proper attachment protects the nipples from injury, and high-quality emptying of the mammary gland is a good prevention of milk stagnation and mastitis. Unfortunately, the baby does not always latch on to the breast as needed, so a nurse in the children's department in the maternity hospital or a neonatologist must show and explain to the mother all the details of correct latching.

The sooner a nursing woman masters breastfeeding techniques, the better, as this will avoid unwanted problems.

Incorrect breast latch and “nipple sucking” are the main cause of cracks and inflammation of the nipples and lead to a limitation in the frequency of feedings and impaired milk flow.

The main thing that a nursing mother should remember is that breastfeeding should not be accompanied by painful sensations. If there is pain, it means the baby is taking the breast incorrectly.

With the correct latch, the baby should grasp not only the nipple, but also the areola - the dark area around the nipple. The baby’s lower and upper lips are turned out (rather than tucked in), the mouth is wide open, the nose and chin touch the chest. Only in this case will the baby's sucking movements be effective.

Positions during feeding

A woman's comfort while feeding her baby is one of important factors maintaining lactation: it is very important that at this moment both mother and baby feel comfortable. A well-chosen mother's position contributes to the baby's correct latching on the breast.

Difficulties with a comfortable body position during feeding may occur in women after surgery caesarean section or episiotomy. In these cases, the most comfortable position is considered to be “lying on your side.”

Pumping

To establish successful lactation, regular and complete emptying of the mammary glands is necessary. If this does not happen, milk stagnation (lactostasis) appears and its production decreases.

In the first days after birth, colostrum is released, and around the third day milk begins to be produced. In this case, the mammary glands enlarge, harden and become painful. During this period, in order to avoid stagnation of milk, you need to put the baby to the breast as often as possible. If the baby is fed “on demand,” then, as a rule, there is no need to express the breast. The mammary glands, responding to the needs and demands of the newborn, produce as much milk as he needs.

In what cases should you pump?

1. If you feel that there is more milk than needed, and your well-fed baby is snoring calmly, and your breasts become hard and filled with milk.
2. The newborn sucks sluggishly and does not latch onto the breast well (premature babies, children with intrauterine malnutrition, children with damage to the central nervous system).
3. Mom and baby are separated and the baby can only be fed according to a schedule.
4. Painful cracks in the nipples do not allow a young mother to fully feed her child.

To avoid lactostasis, milk can be expressed using a delicate Dr.Brown's manual breast pump. It does not damage the nipples and prevents bacteria from entering the milk ducts.

Breast care

Particular attention should be paid to breast care. Compliance simple rules hygiene allows you to avoid the problem of scuffs and cracks on the nipples, which make feeding the baby difficult.

It is enough to wash your breasts 1-2 times a day while taking a shower. There is no need to do this before each feeding of the baby. The fact is that when washing the breast, especially with soap, a protective layer of fat is removed from the skin of the areola and nipple, which contains factors that prevent pathogenic microbes from penetrating the skin of the breast. Frequent washing leads to dry skin and cracked nipples.

After feeding, you can apply a special cream to prevent dryness on the breasts and nipples, you can also lubricate the nipples with drops of breast milk (hind milk) and let them dry.

If cracks and inflammation of the nipples occur, they must be examined by a doctor, since they can be an “entry gate” for infection and, as a result, mastitis (inflammation of the mammary gland) can develop. Used to heal cracked nipples special means with panthenol or lanolin, rosehip oil or sea buckthorn oil.

How to eat for a nursing mother?

This is a very important question, because with natural feeding, the child’s body directly depends on the mother’s: the food that a nursing woman takes affects the quality of breast milk and, accordingly, the baby’s nutrition. A properly structured diet during lactation allows you to achieve the optimal composition of breast milk. In order for the baby to grow and develop well, a nursing mother must receive complete nutrition every day, balanced in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and calories.

Particular attention should be paid to foods that should not be consumed during breastfeeding, as they can harm the baby's health. For example, chocolate, honey, citrus fruits, and nuts can trigger allergies in a baby. Legumes, grapes, cabbage often cause increased gas formation in the intestines and colic, etc. in infants.

There are also some peculiarities in the drinking regime of a nursing mother. On days 2-3 after birth, when there is a sharp increase in milk in the breast, fluid intake should be limited to 800 ml per day to avoid severe engorgement of the mammary glands and stagnation of milk. After lactation is established, the volume of fluid consumed should be approximately 2 liters per day. Moreover, it is desirable that it be not only water or tea, but also compotes, kefir and others dairy products.

After maternity hospital

If the mother was unable or did not have time to establish proper breastfeeding in the maternity hospital, or she still has unresolved issues, but the time has come for discharge, do not worry. If you have unanswered questions, you can contact your local pediatrician, who will monitor the child at home upon returning from the hospital, or lactation consultants.

They are very important, because the health and well-being of the baby and the peace of mind of his mother depend on how correctly this process is organized. It is worth recognizing that recently humanity has achieved a lot in technical terms, while the issue of feeding infants has also been radically changed by science. There were many prohibitions and fashion trends, which has led to the fact that many mothers are increasingly putting their babies to the breast by the hour, expressing in in strict order, are looking for alternatives to breastfeeding.

How much should you feed?

Advice to a nursing mother when breastfeeding has resulted in the fact that recently the feeding period has been reduced to several months. Only in the 2000s Children's Fund The United Nations has stated that breast milk is the only safe form of nutrition for a child in the first two years of life. This is the only way to reduce the risk of death from intestinal infections, only it fully meets the needs child's body. At the same time, the development of breastfeeding is important not only for developing countries, but also for prosperous countries where medical care and sanitary conditions are poor. high level. This statement was simply stunning for many.

In addition, the results of numerous studies have become known, according to which only breast milk is capable of fully forming children's immunity due to the five hundred components that make up its composition. In addition, it promotes the development of the brain and nervous system. None artificial mixture cannot fully replace breast milk.

WHO Basic Principles

When breastfeeding, advice to a nursing mother should be given based on the feeding principles formulated by the World Health Organization. They form a unified approach to this problem for all children from birth to two years of age.

These standards are based on the fact that breastfeeding techniques must be taught to medical staff in maternity hospitals, who must pass this information on to young mothers. Pregnant women need to be informed about the benefits of breastfeeding, and the first breastfeeding should be done within the first half hour after the birth of the baby.

Employees medical institutions should help mothers maintain milk production and advise how to improve lactation. In WHO recommendations you can find the answer to the question that worries many young parents today: when breastfeeding?

It is assumed that the baby should not have additional drinks and complementary foods, unless this is provided medical indications. In the first months of life, a baby can and should do without water and formula if he receives breast milk. The amount of colostrum he receives from mother's breast, that's enough for him. In addition, this is his first vaccination against all kinds of infections, the basis for the formation of passive immunity. So mothers should not have a question about whether to give water to their newborns while breastfeeding.

It is also recommended that mother and baby stay in the same room 24/7 from the first day of the baby’s life. The ability to attach to the breast when needed should become his basic skill, then milk will be produced in the required volume. That's why healthy child no need to share with your mother.

So-called demand feeding should be encouraged. There should be no schedule here; the baby should latch on to the breast as soon as he feels hungry. And this can occur much more often than once every three hours.

According to WHO experts, one of the the most important rules is the absence of pacifiers and nipples when breastfeeding. The advice to a nursing mother is to limit the baby’s access to these objects so that he does not develop a different sucking technique. The choice is usually not made in favor of the mother's nipple, which the newborn may begin to bite and chew with his gums. This leads to severe pain during breastfeeding and the formation of cracks. To avoid this, you need to remember that a baby does not need a pacifier when breastfeeding.

Feeding mode

The breastfeeding regime must be carefully observed so that the child grows healthy and fully develops. The most important thing is that strict regime there shouldn't be. The baby should have the opportunity to receive mother's milk at any time of the day when he wishes.

It must be remembered that crying is not always a sign that the baby needs additional food. More often than not, he asks to be picked up and caressed. Some babies need sucking purely to help them calm down, and it also helps produce extra milk.

At the beginning of breastfeeding, it is important not to give the newborn fluids and complementary foods. Because of this, the baby takes the breast less often and the flow of milk decreases. You must always remember that breastfeeding is an excellent opportunity to relax for the mother. The father and everyone around him during this period must create a favorable atmosphere and help the woman in running the household.

Special pads

Many people use special pads for breastfeeding. You need to know that this method has its advantages and disadvantages. Nipple shields are special silicone or latex products that should make the process of breastfeeding easier. It is important to use them only when they are really needed.

Breastfeeding shields are recommended for use by women who have stopped lactation, have cracked nipples, or after severe birth injuries. Also, when a child is teething, the woman has an abnormal nipple structure or there are some peculiarities in the structure of the child’s oral cavity. Breastplates can help when a baby refuses the mother's breast. This usually happens when a mother expresses milk for a long time and gives it to the baby from a bottle. After this, the baby may not want to return to the breast, since it is much easier to get nutrition from a bottle. The shields are shaped like a bottle nipple, so when transitioning from a bottle to the breast, their use is considered appropriate.

At the same time, it is worth knowing that pads sometimes lead to a decrease in milk production, can interfere with sucking, and the feeding process itself becomes much longer. In addition, the baby swallows more air, which leads to the formation of flatulence.

They need to be carefully sterilized, otherwise they can become a source of infection for the mother's breast, and with prolonged use they become addictive.

What should a nursing mother eat?

There are many ways to increase the amount of milk your body produces. You will find recipes for nursing mothers in this article. The diet must be varied; a woman must receive the necessary proportion of vitamins and beneficial elements.

When breastfeeding, you need to drink more fluid, it has a positive effect on lactation, promoting the production of more milk. It is best to opt for compotes, natural juices and tea.

The body must receive sufficient amounts of vitamins during breastfeeding. Therefore, women are recommended to include lean veal and beef, turkey or rabbit meat, meatballs and meatballs in their diet. From fish - pike perch, carp, cod, boiled a couple of times a week.

Consume cheese and cottage cheese only after heat treatment (for example, prepare a cottage cheese casserole), drink cow's milk in small quantities, and only low-fat fermented milk products. Vegetables can be eaten fresh and stewed, more berries and fruits (at least 300 grams per day).

Among the porridges recommended are buckwheat, wheat, corn rice and oatmeal. But semolina should be abandoned in the first months of a child’s life. You can eat rye bread, dried fruits, butter (about 25 grams per day), vegetable oil (15 grams).

It is necessary to limit the amount of flour and sweets, but some sweets are even beneficial for a young mother. These are marshmallows, marshmallows, low-fat cakes, homemade pastries. Only in small quantities.

Healthy recipes

A woman can get vitamins during breastfeeding from first courses. For example, they recommend soup made from zucchini and fennel. For this recipe use:

• two fresh fennel roots;
• one medium zucchini;
• liter of chicken broth;
• dill and parsley;
• salt and pepper - to taste;
• one tablespoon of butter.

The zucchini needs to be cut into small pieces, just like the fennel roots. Melt the butter and fry the fennel for five minutes before adding the courgette. Then simmer for about ten minutes.

Chop the boiled chicken and add to the broth along with the stewed vegetables.

Among the main courses you can highlight beef in a pot. This is a tasty and light dish that requires only low-fat sour cream and beef fillet. The recipe for nursing mothers is as follows: the fillet should be cut crosswise into thin layers along the fibers, each piece should be watered olive oil. The meat should be left to marinate in its own juices for a quarter of an hour. Then fry the pieces in hot oil for a couple of minutes on each side. Place in layers in a pot and put in the oven for one hour. Before serving, garnish with fresh dill.

Menstruation while breastfeeding

The issue of the appearance of menstruation while breastfeeding worries many mothers. According to statistics, during breastfeeding they begin in the eighth to ninth month. At the same time, menstruation itself is significantly different from what it was before pregnancy. The pain can be either more severe or, conversely, lessened.

Delayed periods may occur during breastfeeding, especially if breastfeeding is done regularly. And the very first menstruation may be significantly delayed. When the female body is finally restored, menstruation will occur regularly.

It is worth noting that breastfeeding during menstruation is not harmful to the baby. The quality of breast milk is still normal. You can increase the amount of milk in natural ways - drink a lot of tea, use other methods for lactation.

Problems with feeding

Mothers often have problems while breastfeeding. It could be a health condition. As a rule, illnesses not related to the breast do not affect the feeding process; exceptions, of course, are tuberculosis and HIV.

Breast-feeding compatible with the use of many medicines, in particular, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, sedative. In most cases, treatment is possible while breastfeeding

You should be concerned if you feel weak or nauseous, depressed, unexplained anxiety or depressed while breastfeeding. This is a reason to immediately consult a doctor so as not to harm yourself and your child.

Problems may arise with your breasts while breastfeeding. These are cracks in the nipples, blockage of the duct, mastitis, thrush, painful feeding due to improper latching on the breast by the child, pain in the nipples that appears after feeding, the appearance of blood in the milk. None of these symptoms should be missed; as soon as they appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. The doctor will tell you how to get rid of them and normalize the breastfeeding process.

First feeding

It is important to start complementary feeding on time. The scheme of the first complementary feeding during breastfeeding these days is determined by the recommendations of pediatricians and the World Health Organization.

The first complementary foods at four to five months are prescribed only on the recommendations of pediatricians; in most cases, it is not necessary to introduce additional nutrition for the baby before six months. At six months of age, this is due to the growing need for vitamins, protein and minerals. A universal sign by which you can determine whether a child is ready for complementary feeding is the appearance of teeth. But many experts do not advise focusing on this factor, since various diseases, as well as environmental factors can lead to teeth erupting too early or too late. Therefore, the scheme of the first complementary feeding during breastfeeding is often determined strictly individually, based on the doctor’s recommendations.

There are a large number of myths about breastfeeding, most of which are untrue. For example, many people think that breastfeeding is very inconvenient. In fact, it is not feeding itself that causes discomfort, but mistakes during lactation. As a rule, if you change your feeding technique and master proper attachment, the pain should go away.

Another factor that scares many people away is the need to express after each feeding. In fact, this is a stereotype. This should have been done in the past, when women fed once every 6-8 hours. To reduce the risk of mastitis, they pumped. If a woman feeds on demand, she does not need it.

Some people are afraid that breastfeeding may ruin the shape of their breasts. In fact, changes do occur, but at the very beginning of pregnancy, long before the lactation period. The mammary glands enlarge due to the growth of glandular tissue.

The mother's body is able to independently adapt to the child's nutritional needs approximately one and a half months after birth. Then he begins to produce as much milk as the baby needs. The feeling of “expanding” of the chest disappears, it becomes soft again.

Similar processes in the breasts and mammary glands occur even in cases where a woman had an abortion in the first months of pregnancy. True, they take a much shorter period of time.

It is also believed that cracks appear if the baby is held at the breast for a long time, so many young mothers try to limit feeding time to a few minutes. It is often important for a child not only to get the necessary amount of nutrients, but also to calm down, and in infancy this is easiest to do with the breast in the mouth. In fact, cracks are formed due to improper application, poor skin care of the mammary glands, when a woman begins to use disinfectants and soap too often. Cracks also appear due to frequent use of a pacifier instead of the mother's breast.

None of these reasons have anything to do with how long the baby is fed. The baby should be kept at the breast exactly as long as he needs it.

Women during breastfeeding begin to drink a lot, often through force, this is also a mistake. You need to drink as soon as thirst arises. A nursing mother does not need an excess amount of water.

You cannot feed breast milk all the time; the baby’s stomach must rest from time to time. And this statement is not true. There is no stress on the stomach; the milk in the baby’s stomach only “curds”, after which it immediately enters the intestines. There it is completely absorbed. There is no point at all in artificial breaks during breastfeeding.

You definitely need to sleep at night. Of course, rest is extremely important both for the mother herself and for the rest of the family members, but it is during the period from three o’clock in the morning to eight in the morning that a woman’s body produces greatest number prolactin. This is a special hormone on which the level of lactation for the entire next day depends.

In this regard, doctors advise putting the baby to bed as late as possible, bathing him around 11 p.m., then feeding him and sending him to bed. So he will sleep for 7-8 hours, giving the whole family a rest. Early in the morning you can feed him, and then put him to bed again, and you can fall asleep with the baby.

It is important to remember that even after the introduction of complementary foods, it is mother’s milk that contains most of the substances necessary for the formation of the newborn’s immunity.

Pediatricians and breastfeeding specialists recommend adhering to a free daily routine, in which the child himself sets the optimal routine for himself, based on his needs. Breast milk is fully adapted to the baby’s gastrointestinal tract and is quickly absorbed, so the baby can and should be put to the breast as often as he wants. This is the so-called feeding on demand, in which the intervals between feedings and the duration of sucking are set by the child himself. The baby's stomach has a small volume and is designed to receive milk in small portions. If the intervals between scheduled feedings increase to 3 hours, the baby needs a much larger portion of milk to be satisfied than he can absorb, which leads to overstretching of the stomach walls and regurgitation.

In addition, breastfeeding is hard work for a newborn baby. He may simply be tired and not suck enough milk at one feeding. That is, in one feeding the baby can suck out very little milk, but after 20-30 minutes he asks the breast again to finish eating.

It is important to remember that the more often the mother puts the baby to the breast, the more it will be produced in the following days. So, to maintain full lactation at first, at least 10–12 applications per day are necessary. With rare scheduled feedings, insufficient stimulation of the breast occurs and, as a result, a decrease in the amount of milk.

By mode
It is recommended to maintain a three-hour interval between feedings only for children who are bottle-fed, since infant formula differs in composition from breast milk and digestion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates requires a certain time.

Error two. Canceling night feedings

At a time when our mothers and grandmothers were raising children, it was believed that the baby should not bother mom and dad at night. Using all possible methods (rocking in arms or in a crib, supplementing with water, sucking on a pacifier), parents tried to ensure that the child slept all night without waking up. Night feedings were also “forbidden” because it was believed that at night the child’s stomach should rest from food.

Currently, there is a completely different point of view - night feedings are needed. Moreover, the baby should be applied to the breast as many times a night as he wants. The baby's body is designed so that its stomach can digest breast milk without interruption. In addition, after continuous intrauterine nutrition, the baby is not able to withstand long breaks between meals, and it is natural for him to wake up and eat at night.

Night feedings contribute to the production of sufficient milk and the establishment of good lactation. Maximum amount Prolactin (the hormone on which the volume of lactation depends) is formed at night: from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. If the baby is not put to the breast at night, prolactin is produced in small quantities and, consequently, milk production decreases.

Error three. Limit feedings to 10–15 minutes

Properly organized breastfeeding implies that the duration of feeding is set by the child himself. One of the rules for successful lactation is this: the baby should be kept at the breast as long as he needs, i.e. Feeding should end when he releases the breast on his own.

Each child takes a different amount of time to feed: some need 5 minutes, others 30 minutes. Some babies suckle quickly and come off the breast on their own, others fall asleep while doing so, while others suckle for a long time and with pleasure. To a large extent, this depends on the child’s temperament, adaptation processes, the state of his nervous system and age. As a rule, babies suckle for a long time in the first weeks of life, when falling asleep, when they are sick, or in the presence of psychological discomfort. Short feedings are most often associated with the need to quench thirst or calm down at the mother’s breast in a stressful situation, fear, or pain.

Limiting feeding time can lead to unpleasant consequences. If the mother interrupts feeding ahead of time, the baby does not receive the “back” portion of milk, rich in nutrients and enzymes. Undigested substances (lactose) from the “front” portion of milk enter the large intestine, where they cause digestive disorders in the form of fermentation, increased gas formation, stool disorders, abdominal colic. All this, in turn, leads to poor weight gain in the baby, anxiety, and sleep disturbances.

In addition, poor emptying of the breast due to insufficient sucking leads to a decrease in the production of a new portion of milk, and can also contribute to the development of milk stagnation (lactostasis).

Error four. Supplementing your baby with formula

Many nursing mothers think that if the baby is often put to the breast, this means that he is not getting enough to eat and needs to be supplemented with formula milk. Actually this is not true.

For babies in the first months of life, frequent breastfeeding is a normal and natural process. The fact is that at the age of up to 3 months, the baby needs the breast not only for food. With the help of sucking, he satisfies his many needs: for physical and emotional contact with his mother, for warmth, safety, for constant care and love. When experiencing any discomfort, the baby calls his mother. We should not forget that young children have a well-developed sucking reflex and the baby needs to satisfy his need for sucking.

Particularly frequent breastfeeding is typical for children in the first month of life. A newborn baby can ask for the breast up to 12–16 times a day. But from about 2 months he begins to do this less often, and by 3 months the baby develops its own feeding schedule with breaks of 2-3 hours.

Attention!
Only a doctor can prescribe supplementary feeding of a baby with formula milk after assessing his general condition and weight gain.

Error five. Giving your baby water

The question of whether it is necessary to supplement the baby with water is one of the most frequently asked questions to specialists. The thing is that in Soviet times it was customary to give the baby water between feedings. Today, one of the rules for successful breastfeeding, set out by the World Health Organization, is: “No supplementation or introduction of other foreign liquids and products for up to 6 months.” Thus, a breastfed baby should not be given any additional fluids until 6 months of age.

There is a simple explanation for this rule. IN breast milk contains a sufficient amount of water, approximately 85–90%, and it is able to fully satisfy the baby’s fluid needs. In addition, supplementing with water negatively affects lactation. Even a small amount of water fills the child's stomach and creates a feeling of false satiety. He is less likely to want to latch on to the breast, and the amount of milk produced decreases.

Error six. Pumping after every feeding

If the mother feeds the baby on demand, then there is no need to regularly pump the breast. In this case, sufficient stimulation of the mammary glands occurs and the woman’s body itself “calculates” how much milk to produce. A nursing mother who puts her baby to the breast on demand and expresses her breasts after each feeding provokes an increase in milk production. Thus, the breast receives “false” information about how much milk has been used. TO next feeding The milk will arrive in quantity: sucked by the baby plus expressed. The baby cannot eat the large volume of milk produced; it stagnates in the breast and, as a result, the likelihood of developing lactostasis and mastitis (inflammation of the mammary glands) increases.

Expressing the breast may be necessary in cases of problems such as breast engorgement, in the treatment of lactostasis, mastitis, cracked nipples, in case of insufficient milk to increase its production, in the event of forced separation of mother and baby.

Error seventh. Drinking large amounts of liquid

The most common mistake breastfeeding mothers make is eating large quantity liquids. Many people think that more woman drinks fluids, the more milk she produces. In fact, the process of milk production is regulated not by the amount of fluid entering the mother’s body, but by pituitary hormones (prolactin and oxytocin).

In addition, breastfeeding experts say that excess fluid not only does not stimulate lactation, but can also reduce it. Excess fluid intake often leads to the formation of more milk than the baby needs, which, in turn, often causes lactostasis. For stable lactation, a nursing mother needs to drink 1.5–2 liters per day.

Error eight. Following a strict diet

Many women associate breastfeeding with a strict diet, which until recently doctors recommended that mothers follow during pregnancy. natural feeding. The purpose of the diet was to exclude from the nursing woman’s menu all foods that could cause allergic reactions or digestive disorders in the baby. A competent approach to the issue of nutrition for a nursing mother at present is to monitor the baby’s reaction to a particular product eaten by the mother, and not refuse them. That is, products that cause disturbances in the baby are excluded after the fact, and not in advance.

In addition, a nursing mother should not eat twice as much as usual. This is nothing more than a myth. The volume of foods eaten does not affect the quantity and quality of milk produced. Every day, a nursing mother should receive nutritious and balanced diet. Its calorie content should be 400–600 kcal per day more than usual, since approximately the same number of calories are spent per day on the production of breast milk.

To avoid mistakes when establishing lactation, if various questions and difficulties arise, a nursing mother can seek help from a pediatrician or a breastfeeding specialist.

Breast milk is a unique cocktail of vitamins and microelements that appears in the mother’s breast 3–4 days after birth. Before this, the young mother can feed the baby with colostrum, which precedes it. In fact, this is a secretion of the mammary gland, which is produced by it in last days pregnancy and in the first days after childbirth. In my own way appearance it resembles a thick yellowish liquid, but it has no equal in quality.

The fact is that colostrum contains a maximum of proteins, vitamins and microelements that a newborn needs immediately after birth. It is well absorbed and saturates the baby perfectly. And this despite the fact that in the first hours its amount, as a rule, does not exceed 30 ml. Its only drawback is its relatively low fat content. As a result, the baby constantly feels the need to suckle, thanks to which the cherished time of changing colostrum to full breast milk is approaching.

2. How to feed your baby correctly

According to the pediatrician, the biggest problem of a young mother is the incredible flow of information from everywhere. Grandmothers, neighbors and even random passers-by constantly advise her something, based on personal experience. And the number of feedings per day is no exception.

Moreover, modern science knows three options for feeding:

By the hour. This is an old proven method, which consists of putting the baby to the breast at a certain time with an interval of 3 hours. In other words, the newborn will eat at 3 o’clock, then at 6, at 9 and finally at 12. On the one hand, this is convenient, since in the intervals between feedings the mother will be able to go about her business. But on the other hand, she will have to suffer until this moment.

On demand. Today, this is not just a fashionable, but also a desirable feeding style. It involves breastfeeding at any time of the day or night at the baby’s first cry. Moreover, he can “hang” on it as much as he wants. In practice, babies quickly get used to sleeping with a nipple in their mouth, which makes life difficult for a young mother. Despite this, frequent application stimulates lactation better than special teas and allows you to significantly increase the amount of milk in the mother’s breast in a matter of days. In addition, its advantages include the fact that you do not need to wake up the baby at night to feed. If he wants, he will wake up on his own. The downside is that it actually “ties the hands” of the mother. She must find a way to feed the child at any time and anywhere. In addition, very often the cause of his crying can be colic, itching due to diathesis, or, finally, a wet diaper. And due to his inexperience, his mother simply will not understand him.

Free feeding. This is a cross between the two previous options. The method involves feeding the baby according to appetite, including at night, but not more than once every 2 hours. Why is this so? Simply because, when satiated, the physiological need for food in the baby will not appear earlier than after 2 hours. And these are not empty words, but theses of medical science. In addition, this technique clearly regulates the feeding time. It should not exceed 15 - 20 minutes. It is believed that this is exactly how long it takes for the baby to get enough. In practice, the baby may ask for the breast not only because of hunger, but also to calm down or simply satisfy the sucking reflex, so it is not recommended to limit the sucking time.

3. About the quality and quantity of milk

Is the baby getting enough to eat? Does he have enough milk? Is it greasy? Young mothers ask these and other questions already in the first days after discharge from the hospital. And they often appear precisely as a result of advice from outside. Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that today store shelves are full of baby food for every taste and budget, which will always help out if something goes wrong.

But, according to Komarovsky, you should not resort to their help, at least until the baby’s weight loss is detected.

During this period, it is necessary to stimulate lactation in every possible way, if only because:

• Mother's milk is always suitable for the baby;
• doesn't make him feel allergic reactions and constipation, not counting cases when the mother herself is the culprit due to errors in nutrition;
• does not require special conditions storage There is no need to warm it up before giving it to your baby. This is very convenient at night or outside the home.

It is worth noting that the amount of milk increases due to constant attachment to the breast, even if it seems empty, but the baby sucks on it peacefully. Perhaps he is simply finishing off the last drops of milk, which many consider the most valuable. The mother’s emotional calm also matters. This means that there is no need to irritate her over trifles. Instead, it's better to give her an extra couple hours of sleep after picking up a screaming child.

The question of pumping also remains open. The fact is that previously everyone was advised to do this. Simply because it enhances lactation. Now doctors do not recommend pumping, as a result of which more lactation mastitis has begun to be recorded in medical practice. Time will tell how it’s done, but it’s better not to go to extremes, but to act according to the situation.

In any case, as practice shows, within 2–3 days of such manipulations the milk will arrive and everything will work out. In turn, the quality of milk directly depends on nutrition.

4. Nutrition for a nursing mother

Do you want your child to be healthy? Make sure you eat a varied and safe diet for yourself. After all, almost everything eaten is present in breast milk in one way or another, and sometimes changes its taste or smell.

What does this meal include:

• porridge, including semolina. It is better to eat the latter in the evenings if there are no problems with your own weight;
• fresh vegetables and fruits, except strawberries, citrus fruits and other allergens. Ideally, they should be eaten at least 500 g per day in order to avoid constipation in the baby.
• fats and proteins. Meat, fish, dairy products, as well as vegetable oils– sunflower, olive or corn. They are necessary for better absorption useful substances. But you shouldn’t overdo it with them, as they increase the fat content of the milk. But fatty milk is less digestible and harder to suck out of the breast;
• beverages. Scientists say that the amount of fluid does not affect lactation, but practice shows that this is not so. Therefore, it is better to drink water, teas with milk, dried fruit compotes, juices, milk with a fat content of no more than 2.5% and dairy products immediately after feeding;
• nuts, dried fruits, etc.

It is worth noting that if the mother’s diet lacks something, the child will definitely get what she needs from her body’s reserves. And later this will simply affect her health in the form of falling out teeth or hair, for example.

What you should not use:

• allergens - citrus fruits, cocoa and chocolate, coffee, strawberries;
• salty, sour and spicy - they can affect the taste of milk;
• garlic - it can affect the smell;
• legumes, cabbage, plums - they increase gas formation in the baby and cause diarrhea.

5. How long to feed your baby

Ideally, a year and a half to two years, subject to introduction additional products for complementary feeding - meat, fish, vegetables and fruits, cereals, etc. But in practice - as much as nature allows, but preferably at least six months. It is not worth delaying breastfeeding until three years of age, because... further feeding no longer makes sense - that’s all useful material the baby can get it from food.

You need to wean off the breast gradually, eventually giving it 1 or 2 times a day in order to help the baby wean himself off it.

You can get answers to additional questions about breastfeeding from Komarovsky thanks to the video:

All the intricacies of breastfeeding. Preparation, first days, possible difficulties and possibilities for restoring lactation.

Waiting for a baby is an exciting and troublesome time. Particularly troublesome arises in the last trimester of pregnancy. Often before the birth of a baby, the house is renovated, a bedroom or area is allocated for a new family member, and many necessary things are purchased.

But in this whole cycle of affairs, you need to allocate only half an hour a day to prepare for breastfeeding. There's a lot of talk about breastfeeding, and not all of it is sweet and sweet. Some mothers remember feeding with a tragic expression, a lot of problems and pain, as well as the rapid disappearance of milk.

Do you want feeding to be a joy for both baby and mother? Do you want to feed your baby exclusively with your own milk and minimize the risk of milk “burnout”? Then the first thing you need to do is prepare thoroughly!

It is better to start preparing for breastfeeding in the second trimester of pregnancy.

The purpose of the exercises: to have the most positive attitude toward breastfeeding, as well as to prepare the still tender nipples for daily challenges.

Remember, unprepared breasts mean cracks, inflammation, temporary weaning, and subsequently the risk of switching to artificial feeding.

The most important thing is a positive attitude. From the moment you see the coveted two lines on the test, until the moment you decide to wean your baby from the breast, you need to remain calm. Move away from all problems, conflicts, life situations. This is quite difficult to learn, but it's worth it.

• Start with meditation
• sign up for yoga
• listen to calm and pleasant music and contemplate the beauty

Now about preparing the nipples. They should become a little rougher and lose some sensitivity. There are only three exercises for this:

• You will need a piece of linen or waffle fabric (this fabric is often used to sew kitchen towels). In the evening, after a warm shower, vigorously rub your nipples for a minute rough cloth. It will be unpleasant at first, but over time the breasts will get used to it and at the beginning of feeding, you will minimize the pain of the process
• In the morning after your shower, take a piece of ice and quickly rub the ice over your areola. It is important to understand here that the goal is to harden, not to catch a cold. For one nipple no more than 4-5 seconds
• The last exercise can be started when the first ones do not cause any discomfort. Warm up your chest with smooth movements. After warming up, gently stretch and squeeze the areola. Scroll the nipple right/left. Do the exercise for no more than a minute

If you have any questions or severe discomfort, consult your doctor. In conclusion most important recommendation: Wear a bra.

During pregnancy and lactation, breasts enlarge, become fuller, and without supporting underwear they will simply sag. The size will go away and you will be left with sagging breasts as a souvenir. Also, refusal to wear a support underwear often leads to breast diseases.

• The first colostrum may begin to be released a few days before birth, but if this does not happen, there is no need to worry. Show up a little later
• If you have inverted nipples, stock up on special pads in advance, and also watch videos on how to start breastfeeding with this breast shape. Don’t listen to spiteful critics, including some doctors who will rush to comment on the situation as unfavorable and assure you that breastfeeding is not for you
• Just a hundred or two hundred years ago, all women fed their children on their own and did not even suspect that the shape of the nipple could be an indicator of refusal to feed

Video: Problem nipples

The first days of breastfeeding: how to avoid mistakes

And then the very moment came - the baby was born! Ask your midwife to place your baby on your breast and run the nipple across your baby's lips. The baby will reflexively latch onto the breast. You should not expect long and active sucking. The baby had just completed the most difficult journey of his life and was very tired. And just from one contact, the natural mechanism for producing colostrum, and then milk, will start.

Remember Golden Rule- feeding on demand. Feeding by the hour may be convenient, but it causes a lot of discomfort for the baby. The need for the mother's breast is not only the supply of food, but also a feeling of protection and comfort. Help your baby adapt without unnecessary tears.

• In the first days, feeding is not yet regulated and feeding on demand helps the body understand how much milk it needs to produce and in what time frame. If there is more colostrum than the baby eats, the remainder must be expressed. Stagnant processes are fraught with hardening, temperature and “burnout” of milk
• Colostrum arrives at the maternity hospital and milk arrives after a few days. The process is always sensitive, sometimes accompanied by very painful sensations. When pumping on your own, you may get the false feeling that your breasts are completely expressed, just to quickly leave them calm
• Therefore, we strongly recommend asking for help from a midwife, and at the same time mastering the correct technique.

Breast pumps can do more harm than good in the early days and may not be useful until a few weeks later.

How to use expressed milk

No way. The baby should receive milk exclusively from the breast. As soon as he understands that he can get enough without sucking, breastfeeding will come to an end.

You will pump and feed from a spoon or bottle, as he will stop sucking, and if the baby does not suck, milk will stop being produced. A vicious circle will lead to artificial feeding.

Not enough milk to feed a baby.

If the baby is not yet two weeks old, the only solution may be frequent breastfeeding. Mom's diet should include low-fat broths, plenty of liquid, and sweet tea.

A child should not be forcibly removed from his breast. This will lead to cracks, bites and tears of the baby. Wait until the baby lets go.

And in conclusion - the chest is warm and there are no drafts. No worries. Most often, milk disappears due to the excessive emotionality of the young mother. Remember - feeding is a natural process, just like breathing.

Why do my breasts hurt after feeding?

After childbirth, it’s a difficult time for your breasts. A new process begins inside - milk is produced. From the outside, every few hours the baby actively works to obtain milk. Even prepared breasts can hurt after feeding, but unprepared ones: it hurts, the areola becomes inflamed, cracks and bites in the gums may appear.

Breasts should be washed before and after feeding. If pain, burning, or nipple injury occurs after feeding, wash your breast and pat dry soft cloth and treat with dexpanthenol cream.

Milk remains in the breast after feeding. What to do?

As mentioned earlier, at the beginning of feeding, the body produces more milk than the baby can eat. The remainder needs to be expressed. But without fanaticism. The more you feed and express, the more comes.

Rules for expressing breast milk

• Express milk only for leftovers or when the temperature rises and the breast becomes hard. Pumping is an additional tool to regulate the process by adjusting the amount of fluid and diet
• The milk is disposed of; it can be left only in cases when the mother needs to leave
• If there is not enough milk, you can additionally stimulate by expressing
• Friction, squeezing, and clapping are contraindicated. The presence of video materials greatly facilitates mastering the technique, but if possible, master this skill in the maternity hospital under the supervision of experienced specialists

Video: Manually expressing milk

How to store milk after pumping?(link to article on website)

Why does milk disappear and how to restore feeding?

Milk production, although natural, is a very capricious process. It depends on many factors:

• Nervous overstrain. Life changes dramatically, relatives can be upsetting, childbirth was not perfect, hormones are raging. Against all this background, it is quite possible to go beyond. Remember about yoga and meditation at the beginning of the article? They are needed now more than ever. Calm mother - calm child
• Use of medications. Before taking any medicine, consult your doctor.
• Stagnation of milk. Preventative pumping will solve the problem
• Poor nutrition. The amount and fat content of milk directly depends on the diet and liquid
• Bad dream. Mom needs to sleep at least 8 hours. If you don't have time at night, get there during the day. The baby has fallen asleep, go to bed too
• Bottle and nipple. Yes, they are the ones who relax the baby; he does not want to work with his mother’s breast. And the lack of breastfeeding leads to the fact that the body stops producing milk

In addition, during the feeding process there are days when milk naturally rapidly decreases. Most often, the situation arises when the baby is one month old, half a year old, or closer to a year old.

In such cases, you need to strengthen your diet and drink more liquid. Put a hungry baby to the breast (so that he actively sucks on the breast, stimulating the flow of milk), and only then give complementary foods. If you used a bottle, the nipple should be tight with a tiny hole.

Nutrition while breastfeeding

Let us repeat once again - the mother’s diet should be balanced and varied. Mommy’s menu should include proteins, carbohydrates, fats and, of course, vitamins and minerals.

Here's just a small list necessary products: chicken breast or rabbit, baked vegetables and fruits, herbs (except parsley), milk and dairy products, dried apricots, prunes, nuts.

During feeding, the following are contraindicated: coffee and alcoholic drinks, food with preservatives and dyes, gas-forming products can be introduced into the diet after 4-5 months of feeding (cabbage, beans, etc.). Regarding red products, everything is individual. Some introduce it while still in the maternity hospital, others after six months. Much depends on the tolerance of the products by the child’s parents and relatives.

How to increase lactation?

First of all, a positive attitude and confidence in a favorable continuation of feeding.

Small amount of milk: drink a glass of water or sweet green tea once an hour. Currently, the pharmacy has a lot of powders and teas to increase lactation.

Increasing the fat content of milk: the situation improves with the introduction of more meat, nuts, and fatty cottage cheese into the diet.

An excellent recipe came down from our great-grandmothers: black radish, grated on a fine grater and mixed in equal parts with honey.

Weaning: when and how (link to article)

Remember, the duration of lactation depends on your rest, nutrition and well-being. This is the period of time when there is no shame in asking relatives for help in caring for the baby and running the household.

If you have pain, weakness, or feeling unwell, you must consult a doctor.

Sometimes the first months of raising a child are very difficult. Talk to your spouse about this. Think together about how you can relax: walking fresh air, trips to parks and shopping centers.

And also the notorious self-care. Don’t be afraid to leave your baby with relatives for just an hour and take care of yourself. New haircut, a trip to a cosmetologist and even a manicure will throw all the negativity and problems far, far away from you! Happy mother - happy family!

Video: Breastfeeding a newborn baby