Everything You Need To Know About Breastfeeding
A n OB, m patients k m ut mn questions but breastfeeding th k but pregnancy itself
. I don't mind t ll bu t uh n important topic. Ovr th years, I hv scribbled mn f th questions n m notebook tht I uld research th mt current information fr nw mothers eager t learn hw t feed thr babies th natural way.
Now, th questions r th basis fr th week's article whh written ut fr you, wth completely dffrnt mindset nd format thn ll m previous articles. Bfr writing however, I decided t interview th head lactation consultant, Ms. Renate Abstoss t Stamford Hospital n Connecticut, t gt nd opinion nd gather hr responses. Ms. Abstoss sat fr th frt International Board Exam fr Lactation Consultants n 1985 nd h continuously worked n th field n tht time n California, Nw York, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, nd Connecticut. Sh w th frt lactation consultant appointed State Certified Teacher fr Bavarian Midwifery schools.
Thr r rbbl mn variations f responses t th questions l ndr th information helpful, but nt absolute. I wlm n additional "pearls" frm thr lactation consultants r experienced moms w n share th knowledge nd promote th bt nutritional health fr babies everywhere.
Wht r th mt common problems tht women encounter whn pumping?
Dwindling milk supply rbbl th foremost problem tht women encounter whn pumping milk. Th n b attributed t mn dffrnt factors.
Infrequent pumping
A working woman huld tr nd pump vr 3 hours fr 10 t 15 minutes r t lt fr vr missed feeding
Inefficient pumping
Pump bng ud m hv inadequate pressure r nt nugh cycles r minute causing decrease n th milk supply.
Lack f breast feeding
Evn whn mom home frm work, h huld tr nd breast feed th baby t stimulate milk production. Fr convenience, babies m b bottle fed t frequently.
Painful nipples
Th n b due t bad pump due t excessive suction pressure, pumping fr t long period f time, r poor latch whn th baby d breast feed.
Fatigue nd exhaustion
Th stress f tkng care f newborn lng wth pressure frm work nd home n result n exhaustion nd fatigue whh n decrease th milk supply.
Hw d I increase m milk supply?
Thr r vrl medications nd herbal products vlbl t hl wth increasing th milk supply. T increase n existing milk supply, n n tk tw herbal supplements n combination fenugreek nd blessed thistle, bth f whh r vlbl n health food stores nd hv n knwn contraindications.
Th tw mt commonly ud prescription drugs r Metoclopramide nd Domperidone bth f whh wr designed stomach medications but wr fund t increase prolactin production n th brain. Th medication Domperidone, (Motlium) nt approved fr u n th United States nd th FDA h issued warnings gnt th u f th drug galactagogue bu n higher dosages, whn gvn intravenously, Domperidooe t w td wth cardiac arrhythmias nd cardiac arrest. However, th small dosages tht r ud whn gvn orally t increase lactation (30-40 mg/day) nd fr th short duration f thr t x weeks d nt m t b great concern. Patients generally obtain th medication frm Canadian pharmacies r frm Mexico nd Europe whr t vr th counter. Studies r nw bng conducted b ILCA (International Lactation Consultant Association) rgrdng th safety f domperidone.
Metoclopramide (commonly knwn Reglan), ud t treat severe nausea n pregnancy, h bn knwn t hv side effect f depression t u h t b carefully monitored n th postpartum mother. Th drug n b detected n breast milk nd th long term side effects t infants unknown.
Hw d I treat plugged milk ducts?
Milk ducts tht d nt drain n u th milk t bk u resulting n plugged milk duct. Oftn th th surrounding breast tissue bm hardened nd inflamed. Th area n eventually bm infected resulting n mastitis requiring antibiotic therapy. Plugged ducts ftn occur when:
Mom misses feedings
Mom fails t pump frequently
Th breast fails t empty
Nursing mr frequently
Changing positioning
Improving th latch f th baby (sometimes shield necessary). A lactation consultant wuld b vr instructive n th situation.
Th n b result f incorrect positioning, inadequate pressure frm pump, r restriction f milk flow frm poorly fitting bras r n kind f breast trauma tht damages th duct. Fatigue, stress, r failure f th baby t latch n properly n l contribute t th problem.
Standard Treatment consists f moist heat bfrhnd fr approximately 5 minutes, empty breast muh possible, cool compresses afterwards, nd reduce swelling n btwn feedings. Massaging th duct twrd th nipple m l b helpful. If th plug m out, t m lk lk dried milk n string. On huld continue t nurse t fully clear th plug. Apply cold compresses v n ice pack r plastic bag f frozen peas fr approximately 15 t 20 minutes. Fresh cabbage leaves t th area nthr herbal remedy tht n b ud n btwn feedings t hl wth engorgement. Cabbage leaves n b left n th bra fr approximately n hour untl t wilts. It important t avoid th nipple area whn applying th cabbage leaf bu th cabbage caustic nd n u irritation
Wht d I d f th baby d nt latch on?
Latch problems n depend un th situation causing them:
It m b due t newborn wh ut learning hw t latch.
Assistance frm lactation consultant n b vr helpful n making ur th baby latched deeply wth mouth vr wide t gt ll th breast tissue. Th baby huld b latched wll bnd th tip f th nipple. Oftn latching problems occur bu th baby fails t flare th bottom lip.
I t due t flat r inverted nipples?
If th problem due t flat r inverted nipples, suction device, pump, r nipple shield m b ud t avoid engorgement b expressing th milk. Th wll avoid lowered r disappearing milk supply. Dffrnt lactation consultants nd hospitals m prefer n modality vr another, hwvr ll agree tht care h t b tkn whn ung n device tht ru trauma r damage d nt occur t th nipple.
On th baby "educated" tht th breast h r hr "food supply", generally th baby wll nurse fine. It helpful t tr nd gt bnd th frt fw days whn nl colostrum present, untl th milk m in. Tr nd avoid avoid artificial nipples t th vr beginning.
I th baby nt hungry t th time?
I thr nursing strike?
A "nursing strike" n occur f wll nursing baby, bnd th newborn period suddenly refuses t nurse. Th n occur ftn ftr 4 months f age whn mother wll state "my vn month ld baby ut suddenly weaned herself." Th babies r nt weaning but r tull facing situation whr nursing h bm unpleasant, boring, r painful. Oftn th infants nd t b taught t return t functional breastfeeding pattern wth increased skin t skin contact, trng t nurse n quiet, calm environment wthut distractions, uh nursing t night n bed. Bottles huld b avoided but spoon r cup feeding wth expressed milk acceptable. If th underlying u treated, mt babies wll happily g bk t thr normal nursing pattern.
I th baby gttng sick?
Cu f poor latch n b n undiagnosed ear infection, urinary tract infection, r n upper respiratory infection. Check wth ur pediatrician t b ur n illness nt bng missed. Maternal stress n l u th problem.
Rgrdl f th problem, t important t remove th milk efficiently bl f n established supply exists t avoid engorgement whh wll lwr r u th milk supply t disappear.
If th baby nt latching, t important t stimulate th establishment f milk production thrugh u f pump.
Hw d I wean th baby whn I hv decided t transfer t bottle?
Weaning th time th baby transitions w frm th breast. Time frames fr weaning n vary frm weeks t months.
Slow weaning lw mr optimal. Sm mothers wll u th pump fr weaning nd stop breastfeeding entirely. On option fr weaning wuld b t reduce th time r pumping, ntd f pumping fr 15 minutes, reduce t t 10 minutes. Th n gradually b dropped dwn t 2 t 3 minutes r session. An alternative w t wean t increase th interval btwn pumping sessions, frm vr 3 hours t vr 4, 6 r vn 8 hours. If desired, n n u ice packs ftr pumping fr comfort. Also, Motrin n b ud fr anti-inflammatory pain relief. A comfortable, tight bra n l hl wth support nd relief. Nursing pads n b ud t prevent excess leakage. A recommended herbal remedy n b drinking 3 cups f sage tea whh vlbl n health food stores. It h strong nd astringent taste adding honey mk t mr palatable. D nt u th f urrntl pregnant n t h abortive action.
On occasion, sudden weaning bm necessary. Discomfort generally greater n th breast continues t mk milk nd th breast remains engorged. Nursing n b replaced wth pumping but nl pump th breast t llw comfort nd nt t completely drain. Increase time frame btwn pumpings.
Thr days f Sudafed n hl dry u th milk production. Th milk supply decreases u feed less. Th milk quality l hng bmng mr salty nd colostrum-like whh mn babies d nt like. Consequently, th l helps diminish th nursing.
by: George Daisy
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