Rules for breastfeeding newborns. Breastfeeding rules. Why You Shouldn't Supplement Your Baby

Breast-feeding - the best option feeding newborns. With breast milk, the child receives all the microelements and vitamins necessary for his further development and growth. It is this method of feeding that is the safest, most convenient and economical.

Breastfeeding is an inherently natural process, which in most cases should proceed without problems and bring joy to mother and baby. It has long been noted that breastfeeding calms the infant, gives him a sense of security and a sense of closeness with the most important person- mom. But not all mothers manage to easily and quickly establish proper breastfeeding. We hope that the tips and recommendations below will help women in this important matter.

#1: Early Breastfeeding: Making Contact with Your Baby

Experts have found that the earlier infant will be attached to the breast, the faster breastfeeding will be established. It is recommended to apply the newborn to the mother's breast for the first time no later than 1 hour after birth., therefore, in many maternity hospitals, they practice applying the baby in the first minutes after birth. It is very important for the baby to get colostrum, which appears in the mother immediately after childbirth and is useful in its properties.

Early attachment contributes not only to successful lactation, but also to the establishment of the first contact between mother and child. "skin to skin". This is their first meeting, direct contact, touch. For a newborn, it is especially important to feel the closeness of the mother, to hear her heartbeat. Plus, the first application contributes to a faster discharge of the placenta in parturient women, and contributes to the formation of intestinal microflora and immunity in a newborn baby.

Pediatrician, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Surovtseva Alla Pavlovna talks about the first application:

#2: Proper Latching Is the Basis for Successful Feeding

During the first feeding, it is important that the baby takes the breast correctly. At the same time, doctors should help the newly-made mother and check the baby's sucking reflex.

In the event that the newborn was attached to the breast incorrectly, the mother will subsequently have to face a number of troubles:

cracks in the nipples;
mastitis and lactostasis;
poor outflow of milk;
refusal of the child from the breast.

To avoid such problems, a woman in labor should consult with doctors and during each feeding, monitor the correct attachment of the baby to the breast.

Firstly, a woman should choose a position that is comfortable for herself and the newborn. Feeding in a sitting position or lying on its side is considered optimal. These postures help create comfortable conditions for feeding and ensure a good outflow of milk (See article about all).
Secondly, you need to follow how the baby captures the chest. It is considered correct to capture not only the nipple, but also the area around it.
Third, the mother should hold the breast and slightly direct it to the mouth of the baby.

Initially, correct application will save a woman from cracks and abrasions of the nipples, lactostasis. The baby, with proper attachment, will actively suck and gorge. If the attachment goes wrong, the mother will experience inconvenience during feeding and even pain, also the infant will find it uncomfortable and difficult to suckle, and he may completely refuse breastfeeding.

In the case when the newborn does not grasp the breast correctly, you need to interrupt the feeding and offer him the breast again, substituting it for the correct capture. Don't be afraid or insecure. The baby will calmly accept this situation and will soon understand how to breastfeed.

But mom's insecurity, in addition to different kind troubles, it can also turn into retraining the child in the correct grip, which will take about 7-10 days. In some cases it is improper attachment breastfeeding is the primary cause of a newborn's refusal to breastfeed.

How to properly attach a baby to the breast, tells and shows a specialist in breastfeeding and child care Natalya Kudryashova:

#3: Feeding on demand is an important condition for breastfeeding

A few years ago, feeding by the hour was considered correct. In accordance with this, the child should be fed at regular intervals (usually every 3 hours).

Nowadays, the rules of breastfeeding have changed somewhat. Modern experts believe that feeding on demand is necessary for successful lactation and the absence of problems.

Each newborn needs an individual feeding schedule. In this regard, it is important to listen to the needs of the child and meet them on demand. Offer your baby the breast whenever he is naughty, whimpering, or opens his mouth in search of a source of milk. Even if the previous feeding was an hour ago. Besides, frequent applications contribute to an increase in the amount of milk and better lactation.

Do not be afraid that when feeding on demand, the child will overeat. First, the baby will not eat more than he needs. Secondly, his stomach is adapted to the rapid assimilation breast milk. After some time, the child will form his own schedule, which will be optimally suited to his needs.

Feeding on demand favors the creation of psycho-emotional comfort of the newborn. The baby feels that his needs are met in a timely manner, which means that he is important and needed, he is loved. Such children grow up more balanced, calm and confident compared to those who were fed on time.

#4: Duration of Feeding: How Long Should Baby Breastfeed

The duration of feeding depends on several factors:

the sucking reflex of the baby and the efforts that he makes;
correct attachment to the chest;
satiety of the child.

On average, the feeding process lasts 20-30 minutes. However, there is no need to limit feeding to strict time frames. The baby will move away from the breast when it is full. The duration of feeding is due to the fact that at the beginning of feeding, the child receives early milk rich in water, minerals and carbohydrates (i.e., the baby drinks), and after 3-6 minutes of sucking it reaches hind milk, which is rich in fats and proteins. those. starts eating well.

In some cases, the baby may suckle the breast not only because of the feeling of hunger, but also in order to calm down, feel safe, being next to the mother. Don't deprive your child of this opportunity. In this way, he seeks contact with his mother, keeps in touch with her. This explains the peaceful sleep of newborns after breastfeeding: having calmed down and having eaten, the children fall asleep sweetly, feeling completely safe.

As the baby grows older, he will learn to satisfy his need for saturation more quickly and will find other ways to establish contact with his mother. This means that the feeding time will be significantly reduced. But in the first months, be sure to give the newborn the opportunity to be at the breast for as long as he wants.

See how much to breastfeed by time:

No. 5: Alternate application

The correctness of breastfeeding largely consists of alternately applying the baby to the breast. During one feeding, the mother should offer the baby only one breast, during the next feeding - the other. This is due not only to the gradual accumulation of milk in the mammary glands, but also to its composition.

So, for several minutes of suckling, the baby absorbs early milk, which satisfies his need for fluid. This is liquid milk, which contains water, carbohydrates, minerals. Only after 3-6 minutes does late milk begin to stand out. It is thicker, rich in healthy fats and nutrients. If a woman changes her breast during one feeding, the child may not receive late milk, which is valuable in its composition. As a result, the newborn may remain hungry and receive less necessary trace elements.

In addition, alternate application is also useful for the mother: excess milk will not linger in her breast, and the mammary glands quickly adapt to the established regimen.

When the baby grows up (5-6 months), he may not have enough milk from one breast. Only in this case, you can supplement it with a second breast.

#6: Feed at night

At night, it is also necessary to feed the newborn on demand. This will provide peace of mind for both the child and the parents. Night feedings help maintain lactation and produce enough milk. At first, the baby may need 2-3 applications at night.

For the convenience of feeding a child at night, mothers often resort to co-sleeping. This allows you to feel the baby, quickly respond to his needs, offer him a breast without getting out of bed.

But if the mother decides to sleep with the baby, she should be especially careful and careful not to crush him during sleep. You also need to wake up for night feeding, and not feed the baby "through sleep."

Young parents consider the best option when the baby's crib is moved close to their bed, and one side of it is open. This allows the baby to occupy a separate place, but be in close proximity to the parents. And the mother can at any time move the newborn to her and feed him.

See Lactation Consultant, talks about night feedings:

Thus, to properly organize breastfeeding is a process that does not require certain efforts and special skills. If a woman encounters any difficulties, she should consult with specialists. Do not forget that breastfeeding takes time. But loving mothers they will easily endure all the troubles associated with the period of breastfeeding, because the benefits of breast milk for a newborn are priceless. No expensive formula contains as much nutrients how much is in breast milk. Only breast milk acts as a natural defense of the newborn against bacteria and contributes to the formation of immunity.

In addition, breastfeeding is not only natural and required process, but also important point in establishing emotional contact between mother and child.

More on the topic (posts from this category)

There are rules for breastfeeding, following which, a woman will provide the child with the most valuable nutrition which, of course, is breast milk. By breastfeeding her baby, a mother creates ideal conditions for the growth and development of your baby, providing him good health for many years to come. It is not difficult to follow the rules of breastfeeding, but the result is obvious.

Rules for successful breastfeeding were developed by WHO in collaboration with UNICEF. Below are the basic rules, under which a successful, well-established lactation process is guaranteed:

1. One of the first rules for successfully starting breastfeeding is early attachment to the breast. The first attachment to the breast of a newborn, if possible, should be carried out within the first hour after birth, since the baby is born with a sterile intestine, namely, in the first hours it is populated by bacterial flora. With maternal colostrum, the child receives beneficial microorganisms that prevent the occurrence of diseases. For a woman, an established lactation process is also important, since when a baby suckles the breast, the uterus contracts. The uterus quickly acquires its former forms, is cleared of blood clots.

2. When breastfeeding, do not supplement your baby with a bottle or give him a pacifier. This ban is justified by the fact that a newborn, having tried the mixture from a bottle, may then refuse to breastfeed. After all, it is easier to suck the mixture through the nipple, and for sucking breast milk, you need to make an effort. A pacifier should not be given for the reason that more baby sucks the breast, the more milk comes to the woman. The nipple disrupts this well-established process.

3. The joint stay of the mother with the child in the same room has a very positive effect on breastfeeding. This, of course, is important, since a close emotional connection between the mother and the child is established, the mother learns to take care of the baby and can breastfeed at the first request of the child, which is very important for establishing successful long-term lactation.

4. The correct grip on the nipple and the correct position of the baby at the breast also play a very important role. important role when breastfeeding. How to properly attach a baby to the chest, women are usually shown in the hospital. You can feed lying down and sitting. The child should capture not only the nipple, but also the areola. Proper grip on the breast will help to avoid nipple cracks.

5. One of essential rules Successful breastfeeding is feeding the baby on demand. Attach the baby to the breast as soon as he wants to, let him suckle the breast for as long as he wants. Not always a newborn asks for a breast to satisfy hunger. Near his mother's chest, he feels comfort and calm. For mom, this is also important, because the more the baby sucks milk, the more it will arrive next time.

6. The duration of feeding is regulated by the child. Stop feeding only when the newborn releases the nipple.

7. The most favorable effect on a well-functioning lactation process is night feeding. At night, the hormone prolactin is produced - a hormone that is needed to produce milk. Night feedings help increase and improve lactation.

8. For successful breastfeeding, do not give your baby water and various teas. Breast milk quenches a baby's thirst.

9. Do not put the baby on the second breast before he sucks the first breast. Late milk is rich in fats that saturate the baby. Therefore, if the breast is not sucked enough, the baby will not receive enough fat.

10. Do not wash your nipples before and after feeding. Frequent washing of the breasts removes the protective layer of fats that cover the areola and nipples, and cracks can occur. Wash your breasts once or twice daily.

11. Avoid frequent control weighings child. This method does not give an objective assessment of the nutritional value of the baby, but only irritates and upsets the mother, leading to a decrease in lactation, the result is an unreasonable introduction of supplementary feeding.

12. Do not express after feeding. Milk is produced exactly as much as the baby needs. When expressing milk, by the next feeding it will arrive more than necessary. Because of this, lactostasis can occur, which sometimes leads to mastitis.

13. A child under six months is only breastfed, does not need complementary foods.

It would seem that there is nothing easier than attaching a newborn to the breast. However, unfortunately, not always everything is as simple and smooth as we would like. Some mothers experience problems with breastfeeding not only in the first month, but throughout the entire lactation period. How to breastfeed and express milk so that this process is not overshadowed by anything?

How and when to breastfeed a newborn baby

The first question that worries all young mothers is “how and when to put the baby to the breast”? It is very important to do this as early as possible - already in the delivery room, in the first 30 minutes after birth. Now it is practiced in many maternity hospitals.

It is noted that the correct early attachment of the child to the breast with the mother contributes to the production of breast milk in a larger volume and for a longer time. If it is difficult to attach the baby to the breast immediately after birth (caesarean section, illness of the mother or child), this should be done as soon as possible. And before that, milk must be expressed regularly and given to the child.

It is very important that mother and baby are placed in the same room immediately after delivery. At joint stay in the postpartum ward, the mother has unlimited access to the baby at any time of the day, she can put the newborn to the breast whenever he wants, at his first request, which contributes to a better condition for both mother and child.

When not to breastfeed

The breastfeeding rules do not allow breastfeeding only in exceptional cases, when the mother is seriously ill. This may be an open form of tuberculosis, cancer, heart disease in the stage of decompensation, severe renal or hepatic pathology, AIDS, etc.

For some acute infectious diseases mothers (flu, tonsillitis, acute respiratory disease, etc.) breastfeeding is not cancelled. But mom must be careful: put on a mask of several layers of gauze, wash her hands thoroughly. At this time, it is better to entrust the care of the child to dad or grandmother.

With such severe infectious diseases as typhus, erysipelas, the baby must be isolated from the mother and fed with expressed milk. And only after her recovery, you can resume breastfeeding.

How to properly hold your baby while breastfeeding

According to the rules of feeding, the baby should be applied to the breast only in a calm environment! This contributes to a more complete flask of milk and its good absorption. It is best if the mother and the baby can retire and fully concentrate on feeding, without being distracted by extraneous conversations, watching TV, reading, etc. Under these conditions, she can observe the behavior of the child during feeding.

For yourself and for the child you need to choose a comfortable position. The process of feeding often lasts up to 15-20 minutes or more, and if a woman is in an uncomfortable position all this time, she may develop drawing pains in the muscles of the back and lower back, fatigue and even irritation. All this can adversely affect milk production.

How to keep a baby while breastfeeding in the first days after birth? During this period, the mother should feed the baby lying on her side, placing pillows under her head and back! The child, while he is still small, should also be placed on the pillow so that he feels the warmth of the mother's body, hears the sounds of her heartbeat familiar to him, meets his eyes with his mother's eyes. Many women believe that this is the most comfortable posture, allowing them to relax easily, which is very important for a good outflow of milk.

If the mother is feeding the baby while sitting, then for this it is best to adapt a low chair or armchair, put a pillow under her back! For proper feeding baby under the leg (from the side of the breast from which the child feeds) you need to substitute a small bench. At the same time, the child is comfortably located on the lap of the mother, who, resting her hand on a bent knee or arm of the chair, supports the baby under the head and back, which should be in one straight line. Do not put pressure on the child's head, otherwise he will reflexively recline it back.

The position "behind the back" is more convenient when feeding twins. And how to breastfeed a baby if he is suffering frequent regurgitation? In this case, a vertical position is recommended.

Proper attachment of the baby to the breast: useful tips for breastfeeding

It is very important to learn how to properly organize breastfeeding, as pediatricians advise. In order to properly breastfeed the baby, as practice shows, he must be turned to the mother with his whole body and pressed against her. His face is close to his chest, his chin touches his chest, his mouth is wide open, underlip turned out, the child captures both the nipple and the areola, over upper lip a larger area of the areola is visible than under the lower one. With proper sucking, the baby makes slow, deep sucking movements and swallows milk. The mother does not experience pain in the nipple area.

At each feeding, it is better to give the child only one breast! In this case, he receives the so-called "hind" milk, rich in fat. "Forward" milk contains a lot of lactose and water. However, if the baby, having completely emptied one breast, is not satisfied, he can be given a second one. Wherein next feeding you need to start with the chest that ended the previous one.

Useful advice on breastfeeding - after feeding, you need to hold the baby in vertical position to move the air swallowed during sucking! This is usually identified by a loud burp. Sometimes at the same time the baby spits up a little milk, which should not be a cause for concern. After finishing feeding, the breast should be held open for some time so that the nipple dries up in the air. In this case, a so-called protective film is formed on it.

How to properly breastfeed after childbirth: feeding on demand

Many pediatricians, when recommending how to properly breastfeed, advise the practice of feeding the baby on demand. A child can receive breasts up to 8-12 times a day. This practice is especially necessary in the first days and weeks of a baby's life. At the same time, the mother needs to learn to distinguish the "hungry" cry of the child (the baby turns his head in search of the mother's breast, smacks his lips, cries loudly insistently) from his other requirements.

Frequent feeding stimulates better milk production, ensures calm behavior and full development of the baby. In the future, usually by the end of the neonatal period, the baby develops its own feeding regimen, most often from 6 to 8 times a day and, as a rule, without a night break.

If you are just learning the basics of how to properly establish breastfeeding after childbirth, keep in mind that, in accordance with modern concepts, a breastfed child, at least for the first 2-3 months, does not need any nutritional supplements, as well as drinking in the form of boiled water, glucose solution, physiological saline. He receives all the necessary amount of fluid from breast milk. Giving your baby water will reduce his appetite and ultimately the mother's milk production.

How to properly organize breastfeeding: the duration of feeding

Another breastfeeding tip for breastfeeding mothers is to breastfeed your baby according to the baby's needs. The duration of feeding depends on the amount of milk, the speed of its separation, and most importantly, on the activity of the child. In most cases, the baby is at the mother's breast for 15-20 minutes. However, there are very fast and active suckers who are saturated within 5-7 minutes and refuse to breastfeed themselves. Usually healthy child during feeding, he sucks out as much milk as he needs, and the mother easily determines when it is time to wean him from the breast. In order to properly breastfeed a newborn, as a rule, the baby is held until he vigorously sucks and swallows, and then releases the nipple himself.

It also happens that weakened children or the so-called "lazy suckers" are ready to suckle the breast for a very long time. for a long time, and sometimes even, not having time to fully get enough, they quickly fall asleep without releasing the nipple. However, it is not recommended to keep the baby at the breast for a long time, as this can lead to irritation and injury of the nipple, the formation of painful cracks on it. If the child sucks sluggishly, falls asleep at the breast, he should be encouraged to be active - lightly pat on the cheek, make an attempt to take the breast. Usually the baby wakes up immediately and continues to actively suck. If the baby has not woken up and released the nipple, you can express a few drops of milk into his mouth, which stimulates the appetite and causes a swallowing reflex, after which he begins to suck again.

Problems with breastfeeding a newborn in the first month

The first few weeks of breastfeeding a baby can be quite difficult, especially for an inexperienced mother. What are the causes of difficulties, and how to solve problems with breastfeeding?

First of all, the development of lactostasis is possible, when there is a blockage of the milk ducts due to the accumulation of excess milk, which often happens in the first time after childbirth.

The breast tissue is divided into 10-20 segments, from which one duct emerges. When the duct is blocked, perhaps due to wearing tight clothing or poor suction by the child of this part of the breast, a painful swelling develops. Blockage of the duct must be carefully treated to prevent mastitis or breast abscess.

What can mom do?

Drink less liquid.
Put the baby to the breast with a hard painful area more often.
invert Special attention on the correct position of the child, ensuring the suction of milk from all segments of the mammary gland.
It is necessary to make a light massage of the breast. Such a massage is done in the direction from the hardened area to the areola.
You can try expressing some milk. This will make your breasts softer and make it easier for your baby to suckle.

Breast problems in a mother while breastfeeding

tight chest

One of the reasons that interferes with normal breastfeeding may be that the mother has a so-called tight breast, when milk is produced normally, but it is difficult to separate, and it is not easy for the baby to suck it into her mouth. the right amount. In this case, the chest may become hot, heavy and hard, sometimes painful engorgement occurs.

In order for the breast to be released from milk faster, the mother needs to feed the baby more often. If it is difficult for a child to take such a breast, you should express a little milk before applying it, after which it will go easier. (You need to express milk in a sterile dish, observing all the rules of hygiene.) Sometimes breast massage before feeding helps.

Misshaped nipples

Another problem with breasts during breastfeeding is the wrong shape of the nipples (flat, inverted). How to feed a breastfed baby in this case? At irregular shape nipples in the mother is especially important to achieve proper attachment the baby to the breast, make sure that he captures not only the nipple, but also a sufficient part of the breast.

When the baby begins to actively suckle the breast, the nipples will not become longer, but may be more stretchable. If a child cannot suckle at such a breast, he has to be fed through a breastplate, and sometimes even with expressed milk.

Inflammation of the nipples

Incorrect position in which the baby suckles at the breast can lead to the development of inflammation of the nipples and the appearance of cracks on them, which makes it difficult to breastfeed. Cracked nipples cause severe pain to the mother when the baby is attached to the breast,

It is possible to cure inflammation and cracks in the nipples by correcting the position of the child during feeding. Usually there is no need to stop feeding even for a short time. After each feeding, the nipples should be lubricated with expressed breast milk, which, as we have already said, drying in the air, forms a protective film. Between feedings, it is desirable to keep the chest open as much as possible, if possible, do sunbathing for the nipples.

Advice on breastfeeding a child in some cases, if feeding is accompanied by severe pain - for some time to feed the baby through a pad or freshly expressed milk. It is better to give expressed milk to your baby from a spoon or from a small cup, and not from a bottle. Having got used to the bottle, the baby will then not so actively suckle the breast.

Do not apply cream or any medication to the nipples, wash them with soap, treat with deodorant, as this can increase inflammation.

If the inflammation lasts more than a week or recurs after certain period, one might suspect fungal infection(thrush), which is accompanied by itching or acute pain and the appearance of white pimples on the nipples. For the treatment of thrush, nystatin ointment is used, which is used to treat the mother's nipples and the baby's mouth. You should consult a doctor for advice.

If the inflammation and cracks in the nipples are not eliminated in time, an infection can enter the breast tissue. In this case, part of the breast becomes red, hot, swollen and painful when touched, the body temperature rises, inflammation of the gland develops - mastitis, which can be complicated by a breast abscess. Mastitis is not always an obstacle to breastfeeding. If only a seal appears in the chest, it is allowed to feed the baby. At severe pain and the appearance of a purulent infection, the application of the child to the sore breast should be temporarily stopped. At the same time, milk from a diseased breast must be expressed (so that it continues to be produced), but it is not necessary to give it to the child. You can start feeding from this breast only after the permission of the attending physician. Healthy breastfeeding should be continued.

Problems in a newborn baby while breastfeeding

Frequent constipation in a child

At frequent first months of life is recommended to use vent tube or an enema (as recommended by a doctor). With such a problem in a child with breastfeeding, perhaps more early introduction juices (preferably with pulp), as well as fruit puree(apples with peach, apples with prunes, etc.).

Baby refuses to breastfeed

In cases of stomatitis or thrush, the child may refuse to breastfeed. Then he has to be fed with expressed milk from a spoon or cup, but not through a nipple, as this can lead to a change in the baby's sucking activity and difficulties in resuming breastfeeding.

Feeding with a cold

With a runny nose, the child cannot breathe freely during feeding. How to breastfeed a baby in this case? Before applying a baby with a runny nose to the chest, he needs to carefully treat the nose: clean each nasal passage cotton flagellum, removing all the mucus, drip the drops prescribed by the doctor. Sometimes this medical procedure have to be repeated during feeding.

Facial malformations

An obstacle to breastfeeding may be some malformations of the child's face (" cleft lip”, cleft palate), requiring surgical intervention. "Cleft lip", as a rule, is eliminated at the age of three months, cleft palate - at the age of one year. Therefore, it is especially important to keep breastfeeding for such a child, which will help him gain strength before the operation.

If a child has only a cleft lip and even a cleft gum, he may adapt himself to breastfeed. What is the best way to breastfeed a baby in this case? It is important to help him learn to suck in correct position, gripping the chest well enough. With a cleft palate, the baby may choke while sucking the breast, his milk often flows out through the nose. To prevent this from happening, when breastfeeding newborns with facial problems, it is recommended to keep it in an upright position, then it will be easier to adapt to suckling. You can use special plates (obturators) that close the palate defect. And yet, with this pathology, it is often necessary to feed the child with expressed milk from a spoon, cup or through a tube, but at the same time breast milk should be constantly offered to him directly from the breast. Over time, many children, even with such a pathology, still adapt to suck maternal breast.

Tongue frenulum

Some difficulties in sucking at the breast may occur in a child with a shortened frenulum of the tongue. With such a pathology, the baby is not able to stick out his tongue far, which interferes with effective sucking.

In this case, you need to consult a doctor who will recommend treatment. Most often, cutting the frenulum is required. But in many children the frenulum is only slightly shortened, and they do an excellent job of suckling at the breast.

Jaundice

Newborn babies with jaundice need to be exclusively breastfed. Jaundice usually develops in an infant on the 2nd or 3rd day of life. It most often occurs in premature babies, but it also occurs in children with normal birth weight. As a rule, jaundice occurs due to the fact that the liver of the child is slightly underdeveloped. The occurrence of jaundice may be partly due to the later start of breastfeeding, as well as the fact that the child receives little mother's milk. It should be remembered that colostrum helps the child to get rid of the first stool and is a good prevention of jaundice.

Sometimes children with neonatal jaundice are drowsy, not actively sucking their mother's breast. In this case, the mother needs to express milk and feed it to the baby from a cup. In all cases, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

Breastfeeding: how to properly feed your baby

Quite often, especially in the first weeks of life, the child may worry while sucking the breast or after feeding due to pain in the intestines - the so-called colic. In this case, the baby first eagerly grabs the breast, begins to suck vigorously, and then throws the nipple and cries loudly, then sucks again and cries again. Such crying during feeding can be caused by increased intestinal motility when the first portions of milk enter it. Perhaps colic is due to increased gas formation in the intestines and its swelling, as well as when air is swallowed during sucking.

For the prevention of colic, it is necessary after each feeding, as mentioned earlier, to keep the child in an upright position to drain the swallowed air

If colic occurs, proper breastfeeding of the baby may be interrupted: during feeding, you should take the baby from the breast for a minute, also hold it in an upright position so that the air leaves, make a light massage of the abdomen warm hand clockwise or apply a warm (not hot!) heating pad. If this does not help, you can put a gas outlet tube. Usually everything ends with a bowel movement, the baby calms down, and feeding can be continued.

Some mothers in these cases give the child another breast, believing that he is crying because of a lack of milk. This is not necessary, since the baby will again receive only "forward" milk, which contains in large numbers lactose, which can only enhance the process of gas formation and intestinal motility.

For persistent colic, you should consult a doctor.

According to the rules of breastfeeding a newborn, it is very useful to lay the baby on the stomach between meals. It is good if from the first days the baby is taught to sleep on his stomach, which is practiced in many countries. At the same time, the child is not swaddled, but dressed in a blouse and sliders - so he can take the most comfortable position.

How best to feed a baby: rules for breastfeeding

The children themselves early age regurgitation often occurs after feeding.

This is due to the peculiarities of the structure of their digestive organs: the esophagus of a newborn child is relatively wide, the muscular layer of the stomach is not yet sufficiently developed, and after eating, the entrance to the stomach closes weakly, and sometimes even remains open.

Spitting up should not be a cause for concern: when the baby gets a little older, they stop on their own.

So-called active suckers often suffer from habitual regurgitation. During feeding, they swallow a lot of air along with milk, which then leaves the stomach, taking with it part of the milk. To prevent regurgitation, immediately after weaning the child from the breast, hold him in an upright position until the air swallowed during sucking leaves, which is determined by a loud burp.

After feeding, the baby should be laid on its side or on the stomach, but in no case on the back, so that when regurgitation milk does not enter the respiratory tract.

Spitting up should not be a cause for concern: when the baby gets a little older, they stop on their own. With persistent regurgitation, you should consult a doctor.

If a child vomits after feeding, and even more so if it recurs, you should immediately consult a doctor.

If the child vomits immediately after feeding or after some time, and even more so if it recurs, you should immediately consult a doctor and strictly follow his prescriptions. Vomiting may be a sign intestinal disease. At the same time, the baby's stool becomes more frequent, its appearance mucus appears. Abundant repeated vomiting occurs in children with congenital pathology stomach (spasm or stenosis of the entrance to the stomach), which requires special treatment.

Breastfeeding Methods for Twin Babies

Certain difficulties are encountered when feeding twins. They have to be fed from both breasts, applying alternately. In this case, you should first feed more restless child. The second baby is applied to the breast that the first suckled. This is done in order to empty the mammary gland as much as possible and increase the production of milk in it. After that, the baby is fed from the second breast. The next feeding begins with the breast on which the feeding ended. It is only important that each child receives both “forward” and “hind” milk, this will ensure their normal development.

One way to breastfeed twin babies is to feed at the same time, applying to both breasts at once. In this case, the mother only needs to choose a comfortable position for herself and for the children.

Usually, when feeding twins, mother's milk is not enough, and they have to be supplemented artificial mixtures. At the same time, it is very important that both children receive at least a little mother's milk at each feeding, since only it contains both enzymes that help digestion and protective antibodies that protect babies from diseases.

How to teach a premature baby to breastfeed

Close attention should be paid to the rules and techniques of breastfeeding. premature baby. Special studies have shown that the milk of the mother of a premature baby contains more protein. Therefore, premature babies grow better on their mother's milk than on donor "mature" breast milk. If necessary, special "amplifiers" of milk containing vitamins, minerals and easily digestible protein can be added to breast milk.

Premature babies weighing less than 1600 g often do not know how to not only suck, but also swallow. Such children should be kept in the departments for premature babies. They are fed with expressed milk through a special tube. If the baby can swallow, he can be fed from a small cup, but not from a bottle, otherwise it will be difficult for him to suckle later.

In order for the mother of a premature baby to produce more milk, she must start manual pumping. It is necessary to express milk before each feeding of the child, that is, after 3 hours, day and night, up to 8-10 times a day. If you express only 1-2 times a day, milk production in the breast will decrease.

When the baby's body weight reaches 1600-1800 g, you can try to breastfeed the baby. Moreover, this should be done often in order to switch to direct breastfeeding as early as possible. This tactic helps develop breastfeeding skills and better stimulates the milk ejection reflex. It is very important to help a premature baby to take the breast in the correct position. So he will quickly get used to self-sucking.

At first time premature baby sucks with respite. This must be taken into account and not taken prematurely from the chest. After the baby has sucked on the breast as much as he could, but has not received yet required amount milk, you should express the milk remaining in the breast and supplement the baby with it from a cup.

If a child is sick, breastfeeding is an essential part of the treatment. Mother's milk is the most nutritious, easily digestible food, contributing to more speedy recovery child.

How to breastfeed a sick baby

If necessary, a sick child should be fed with expressed breast milk from a cup or spoon. If milk is expressed, it will be produced in sufficient quantities.

Any sick baby, including one with diarrhea, can be breastfed as much and as often as a healthy baby. Moreover, if a child, due to a serious condition and weakness, cannot suckle hard enough and for a long time, he needs to be breastfed as often as possible.

If any treatment solution is prescribed to a sick child (to compensate for fluid losses during frequent stool), it should be given from a cup so that the baby does not lose the skill of sucking the breast.

How to breastfeed your baby and express milk

It is important not only to know how to properly teach a child to breastfeed, but also how to express milk.

Sometimes a practically healthy and full-term baby refuses to breastfeed. Most often this occurs with severe engorgement of the mammary glands. In this case, a small amount of breast milk is expressed.

It is very important to learn how to express milk correctly.

In case of breast engorgement, pumping can be painful. Then you can apply a warm compress or heating pad to your chest. warm water, accept warm shower. At the beginning of pumping, you need to gently massage the breast towards the nipple, you can lightly stroke the nipple and areola with your fingertips. Pumping should only be done as long as the feeling will pass bursting of the breast, after which the nipples become less tense and the child can easily take the breast.

If the baby is premature, weak or sick, you need to express milk immediately before each feeding. At the same time, milk, if a sufficient amount is produced, is expressed from only one breast, which ensures its full composition. The baby in this case receives both “forward” and “back” milk. For the next feeding, milk is expressed from the other breast. And only when insufficient lactation milk is expressed each time from both breasts.

Milk can be expressed manually or with a breast pump. There are many types of breast pumps available today.

Pump and breast pump with pear. Previously, there were only such breast pumps. Now they are also sold, but are already unpopular, mainly because they injure the breasts, they can be used to collect some milk, and also because they cannot be used often.
Piston. Very popular breast pump with soft silicone nozzles. Relatively inexpensive, effective and silent, does not injure the chest. The main disadvantage: when decanting, hands get tired quickly.
Electric. Also popular despite the high price. It is very convenient to use, when decanting massages the chest, high performance. Among the shortcomings is the noise during operation.
Electronic. Microprocessor-controlled breast pump, mainly used in maternity hospitals.

A breast pump is best used when you need to express a lot of milk, and also when manual pumping is painful.

Manual pumping. It is most convenient to do this in a position where the chest hangs down. The chest should be clasped with the hand so that thumb was on the areola above the nipple, and the index and middle - under the nipple. First, you need to make a few light massaging movements with your fingers from the base of the breast towards the areola (the movements should be soft and intermittent, as when rubbing the cream into the skin; if necessary, you can knead the milk passages by pressing with the fingertips and produce vibration). Having adjusted the milk to the areola, it is necessary to deeply capture the areola and press towards the nipple. Milk first flows out in drops, and then, with repeated manipulations, in a trickle. Thus, the entire breast is massaged and milk is expressed until it is completely emptied.

You can express milk using the "warm bottle" method, especially for breast engorgement and tight nipples.

This method is as follows. Pour hot water into a sufficiently capacious (from about 700 ml to 1-1.5 and even 3 l) thoroughly washed bottle with a wide neck (at least 3 cm in diameter), let it stand for a while, then pour out the water, cool the neck of the bottle and immediately tightly applied to the nipple area so that the bottle hermetically closes it. The nipple is drawn into the neck, and the milk begins to separate. When the flow of milk weakens, the bottle is removed, the milk is poured into a clean container prepared in advance. Then the bottle is refilled hot water, and the whole procedure is repeated several times until the milk is completely expressed.

Repeated expression of milk, if necessary, can be carried out no earlier than 2-3 hours later to avoid unnecessary injury to the breast.

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For the first six months of a newborn baby's life, mother's milk is the most complete food. To make this period comfortable for the mother, and bring only benefits to the baby, each inexperienced mom should know the basic and most important rules of breastfeeding.

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Attaching the baby to the breast. Important points:

Features of modern breastfeeding

One of the principles is free and unlimited feeding at the first request of the baby. Unlike the old methods, this method has a positive effect on psycho-emotional state child and. It is advisable to breastfeed in any restless condition of the baby, without waiting for him to cry. If a baby requires 10-16 feedings in the first months, this is normal!
Up to six months, the baby needs night feedings, as they bring the greatest benefit to the child, and the mother develops stable lactation.
The duration of sucking depends only on the child. The last milk in the breast is the fattest and healthiest, so it is recommended to let the baby suck out one mammary gland to the very end. The second should be offered only at the next feeding. An exception can be only in case of a lack of mother's milk in one breast for complete saturation.
An infant up to six months can only get by with breast milk without the introduction of additional nutrition. ()
The best option for full development child, strengthening immune system and protection against viruses is breastfeeding up to one and a half to two years.

When breastfeeding, do not:

Frequently wash the mammary glands, as frequent washing removes the protective fatty layer from the nipples. The lack of a protective film leads to painful cracks in the nipples and areola. It is enough to take a shower once or twice a day.
Giving your child water - excess water can reduce appetite and increase flatulence in digestive system baby. A teaspoon of water per day can be given only if from mother's fat milk the child has constipation.
Up to six months, use pacifiers and drink from a bottle. If the baby does not have enough mother's milk, then supplementary feeding should be given with a spoon or pipette. A baby may confuse suckling with a nipple (it is more difficult to suck milk from a breast than from a bottle), and improper sucking can lead to cracked nipples. In addition, the child may completely refuse breast milk.
After each feeding, resort to decanting the remaining milk. The exception is congestion in the chest, engorgement or forced separation of the mother from the baby.
Weigh the child frequently. It is enough to control the weight once every one to two weeks. Frequent weighing can unnerve the mother and encourage unnecessary supplementation.
Give the baby sweet tea. Sweet can harm future teeth, and tea can contribute to iron deficiency anemia.

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Breastfeeding is an individual natural process. All children, like mothers, are different. Only with the help own experience any mother herself will be able to establish the rules for feeding a baby, based on the characteristics of her baby and following the recommendations of specialists and mothers who have fed more than one child.

Nature is arranged in such a way that any woman, in principle, is able to feed her child. And in any female body a program has been put in place that allows him to produce a certain amount of breast milk at the right time. So the main task future and accomplished mother - do not interfere with this program to work.

Do not interfere

The first one is mental attitude. Our brain controls all processes in the body, including lactation. So, if you give him an exact and unambiguous command - to produce milk, he will carry it out. If you are constantly in doubt: can I, do I want to, your body is not able to understand what you need. Fear and doubt lead to failures and, in the end, to the cessation of lactation. Therefore, the sooner you start setting yourself up for breastfeeding your baby, the better.

The second is the preparation of the breast for feeding. Ideally, it is necessary to prepare the breast from the beginning of the second trimester of pregnancy, but if this period is long over, then it is better to start late than never. Breast preparation for feeding is very simple. It is necessary every day, preferably twice, for several minutes, to massage the breasts and nipples with a hard towel. This will allow the nipples to harden and further reduce the risk of cracks and mastitis. It is also very good if you wash your nipples with cold water twice a day.

Behavior after childbirth

Early attachment of the baby to the breast is crucial. Ideally, it is desirable to do this immediately after the birth of the baby, he receives the food he needs, and thereby starts the milk production mechanism. Even after caesarean section when the baby is brought on the third day, it is quite possible to establish a lactation process. If you do not have the opportunity to attach the baby to the breast immediately after birth, then try to do this as soon as you have the opportunity. The sooner this happens, the better for both the baby and the woman.

After childbirth, you should not eat a lot of heavy food - this distracts the body's forces from lactation. It is much better if you eat salads, allowed fruits. Protein in the form of lean meat, cottage cheese, cheese should also be present, but in moderation. Water should be drunk best of all mineral, non-carbonated. After childbirth and the next day, you should drink at least 2.5 liters of water per day (since a woman loses a lot of fluid during childbirth, and she needs to be restored).

But from the beginning of the third day to the end of the fifth, we drink constantly, but little by little - about 1.5 liters of water per day. Since this is the time when milk arrives, and if you get carried away with drinking, there can be too much milk, which can lead to congestion and mastitis. These days it is better not to drink tea, juices, compote at all - they only interfere with the body. All kinds of lactogenic drugs should not be taken without consulting a doctor, and not earlier than 20-30 days after childbirth. It is in the first month that lactation is established, the amount of milk that the child needs is produced.

Feeding on demand

Feeding on demand is worth talking about separately. Very often we hear from women who could not breastfeed that in the first days the baby behaved as follows: sucked on the breast - and after 20 minutes it demands again, and so on all the time. Women are scared by this, they think that this is a sign of a lack of milk and give the baby a bottle of formula. As a result, the amount of milk gradually decreases, and eventually disappears.

The kid does everything right so that what he needs appears in this moment the amount of milk, the breast must be sucked, which he does. In the first 40 days after birth, the main task of the child is to suckle as often as possible in order to receive the amount of milk he needs as a result. Therefore, it is perfectly normal if the baby asks for breasts up to 20 times a day, and can suckle the breast every hour or even more often.

But do not think that this will continue forever. Most babies, having sucked their breasts, begin to eat after 2-3 hours during the day, giving mom 6-8 hours of rest at night. In general, than less woman interferes and tries to regulate the feeding process, the better.

Stagnation, cracks, mastitis ...

The first misfortune that awaits mothers with unprepared breasts is cracks. It is not worth being afraid of this and weaning the child from the breast. Cracks can be lubricated with special ointments, an oil solution of vitamin A, vitamin A, apply special protective silicone pads on the chest. Before feeding, the breast must be washed, usually after a few days, when the skin on the nipples becomes coarse, the cracks disappear.

If the baby receives a breast “on demand”, he is cheerful, cheerful, sucks normally and actively, the mother rarely has congestion in the chest. This usually happens to those who have a milk supply that is at odds with the needs of the baby. This is where pumping plays negative role. After all, you can unhook up to such an amount of milk that is enough for several babies, and one baby cannot eat it. As a result, from the fact that there is a lot of excess milk, stagnation or mastitis may appear.

At the time of establishing lactation, it is very important to monitor the condition of the breast. Before each feeding, massage the breast from the base to the direction of the nipple. If you find seals, let the child suck away from this particular breast in order to get rid of the seal, lactostasis. Today, various homeopathic remedies and various ointments are sold that will help a woman cope with lactostasis, if it still appears.

It is much worse if lactostasis has turned into mastitis. Here you can not do without the help of a doctor. Keep in mind that it is not necessary to stop feeding the baby at this time.

lactation crises

As the baby grows, he needs more and more milk. And to get it, the baby from time to time changes the number of attachments to the breast. This usually happens at 3, 6, 9 months and after a year if you continue to breastfeed your baby. Within 5-10 days, the baby suddenly sticks to the breast, he forgets about all modes and again begins to demand the breast 15-20 times a day. By increasing the volume of milk he needs, the child calms down and returns to the usual and comfortable feeding regimen, usually even increasing the time between meals.

Basic rules for breastfeeding:

when feeding a child, put a glass of water next to you and drink whenever you want;
make sure that the child takes the breast correctly;
it is desirable that in the first month of life the child does not receive nipples, when he learns to suckle, nothing should confuse him;
even bottled water can make a child think about getting food more easily. Give water from a spoon, the fact that the baby pushes the spoon with his tongue is quite normal, after a while he will get used to it and will drink normally;
the baby's nose can touch the chest, but he should not drown in it. Make sure that the child breathes freely;
in the first month of feeding should pay attention to the duration. The baby sucks out the main amount of milk in 5-7 minutes, but if he stops sucking after that, then perhaps he is simply weak. Ideally, the baby should breastfeed for 10-15 minutes;
if the baby sucks for a long time and at the same time gains weight poorly, he needs help. Feed him as often as possible, if he falls asleep, then wake him up by touching his cheek;
if the baby was born with low weight, it must be fed at night;
it is almost impossible for a child to overeat breast milk. Children who are on breastfeeding, are extremely round, especially closer to the year;
in the first months, the feeding regimen should be as the baby wants;
if a woman does not have enough milk, then you can increase it by expressing after feeding for 1-2 minutes. Pumping should go on time, not on the amount of milk. Usually three times is enough.