BaiBoo

If you just gave birth and you are facing breastfeeding problem – don’t give up. Breastfeeding may not be easy but as soon as you and your baby learn how to do it, you will see that it is the best way of bonding with your baby.

Doctors and nutritionists all around the world agree that breast milk and breastfeeding are best for the baby. Breast milk is a complete food which provides the baby with all the energy and nutrients that she needs for her growth and development. It also contains antibodies which help to strengthen her immune system and protect her from many common childhood infections (such as diarrhoea, cough and cold).

Like any mother, your body has the ability to produce milk. The process, called lactation, depends on your baby’s needs and demands. As your baby suckles on your nipple, those are stimulated and a message is sent to your brain. A hormone called prolactin is responsible for the production of milk in your breasts. The more your baby suckles, the more of this hormone is released and the more milk your body will produce. When your baby suckles, oxytocin is also released into your bloodstream and this causes the milk to flow.

After you gave birth your body will produce the first days a slightly yellowish milk. This is called colostrum. It is low in fat and high in carbohydrates, protein and antibodies. The colostrums is very important and it will help you to keep your baby healthy.

A lot of mothers experience some problems in breastfeeding. The most common are:

1.Breasts are too small to produce milk

Don’t worry; size does not matter at all. If you have small breasts, your body is still able to produce milk. The size of your breasts does not determine the quantity of milk you will produce. Small breasts can produce the same amount of milk as larger breasts.

2. Milk flow is too slow

When you find that your milk is flowing too slowly, it could be due to a slow “let-down reflex”. This is the reflex that causes your milk to flow when your baby begins to suck. The reasons why you have a slow flow can be that you are feeling tired or anxious. Try to rest and relax before you start nursing your baby. You can also apply warm towel compresses to your breast before you start nursing to stimulate the milk flow.

3. Painful nipples

If your baby latches on to your nipple in the wrong position or if she wants to be fed all the time, your nipple may become sore and painful. The golden rule is to get your feeding position right so that you and your baby are comfortable.  It’s important that your baby take your whole nipple and the areola into her mouth. Apart from right positioning, you can also try to express some drops of your milk after you feed your baby and rub them on your nipples and the areola. Let it air dry. Don’t wear a bra if the soreness continues. If the pain is persistent consult a lactation expert.

4. Engorged breasts

Your breasts may become engorged with milk. As a result, you will experience swollen and painful breasts. In this case, you need to relieve your breasts by expressing some milk first. Gently massage your breasts and rub the hard little milk sacs which you can feel within the breasts. You can also apply hot towels on your breasts or try to breastfeed your baby more often.

5. Clogged milk duct

There are 15 to 20 ducts in your breasts that help to pass the milk to the nipple. If one of them is blocked, it can cause a hard, sore lump and disrupt your milk flow. You will need to:

• Let your baby suck often – especially on the affected side
• Before nursing, gently massage the blocked area and apply warm moist heat just to ease the milk flow
• If your baby doesn’t empty the blocked area, it helps to express that breast either manually or with the help of a pump.

6. Infected breast (mastitis)

A clogged milk duct can lead to mastitis, a breast infection. Should  this occur, consult your doctor. Mastitis is very painful and you most  probably need to be treated with antibiotics. Your doctor will advice  you on either or not you should be still able to feed your baby.

7. Your nipple turns white after the baby comes off the  breast

This is cause due to a spasm of the blood vessels in the nipple (when  the nipple is white), followed by relaxation of these blood vessels (when the nipple returns to its normal colour). Most mothers experience first a burning after the feeding is over. It may last several minutes or more.  Afterwards they experience some kind of throbbing that may last for seconds or minutes and may even blanch again.

What you can do?  Pay careful attention to getting the baby to latch onto the breast properly. Immediately after the nursing apply heat to the nipple (you can try hot washcloth, hot water bottle, hair dryer – this may prevent or decrease the reaction). Dry heat is usually better than wet heat, because wet heat may cause further damage to the nipples.

8. My baby refuses to suck

Sometimes it happens that your baby is crying with hunger, but she refuses to suck and to drink.  Try not to get upset or think about stopping to breastfeeding. It happens sometimes that babies go through the phase of refusing the breast. There could be several reasons for it. Here some thinks you should consider:

• Did your baby feel unwell lately? If your baby is sick and that could be a reason for her decrease in appetite.
• Are you feeling anxious or too tired? If this is the case, than you letdown reflex can be affected, which means that your baby is sucking but no milk is flowing. Try to relax before feeding your baby, lie down, take a hot drink, and listen to music that relaxes you.
• Does your baby refuse to suck during the day? Sometimes babies are very active and curios about what is happening around them so they don’t concentrate on sucking. If this is the case with your baby, find a peaceful and quiet environment where you can feed your baby. It could also be that your baby is feeling too hot during the day.
• Does your baby suck a bit and then start to cry as if in pain? Maybe your baby needs to be burped more often.
• Does your baby cry a long time before starting to suck? Don’t get nervous when your baby cries even while she is at your breast. She probably can’t wait for your let-down reflex to take place. Try to wake your baby up for his feed a bit earlier so she would be too sleepy to get fussy.

9. How do you know your baby is getting enough milk?

If you are worried that your baby might not be getting enough milk, take her to the paediatrician for a weight check. There your baby will be weighed before and after nursing to see how many ounces she has gained. Even so, you may still feel doubtful because you can’t measure your breast milk. So here are a few tips for you to know if everything is normal:

• Your baby should have approximately 6 to 8 wet cloth diapers per day. The colour of the urine should be pale yellow.
• In a day, you should expect a minimum of 2 bowel movements from your baby. The stool should be soft and yellowish.

Your baby should start gaining weight at a healthy rate by 2 weeks. She should gain at least 4 to 7 ounces (120-200 grams) a week during the first 3 months.

To ensure you produce enough milk you should:

• Eat well
• Drinking plenty of fluids such as plain water, milk or fruit juices.
• Rest and try to relax before and during breastfeeding. Listen to soft music or try meditating.
• Gently massage your breasts before you nurse. Stroke the breasts from the top and sides to the nipple.
• Try to feel confident that you can breastfeed; this will increase your self esteem and help you to overcome your fears.
• Remember, the more often you breastfeed, the more milk you will produce.

10. You need to work

Most women in Malaysia need to go back to work after their two month maternity leave. If you want to keep breastfeeding your baby after you go back to work you can express your breast milk and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The babysitter can feed your breast milk to your baby while you are away. Please read carefully the indications on how to store your breast milk.