Breastfeeding: Mom's side
Breast milk is the food best suited to the baby because it was created for him! However, that is for breastfeeding mom? What are the advantages, what are the constraints? Here are our answers to your questions, so you can make your choice knowingly.
Breastfeeding is tiring?
In reality, these are the puerperium and the arrival of the baby at home who are tiring, not breastfeeding itself!
However, at each feeding, mother of our body releases endorphins, neurotransmitters that facilitate relaxation and sleep. This feeling may be misinterpreted, such as fatigue. No, breastfeeding does not tire.
This is a completely natural function of the human body, which does not require additional energy. You should also know that breastfeeding can recover more quickly after childbirth (retraction of the uterus, weight loss). And recall that: push a shopping cart with water bottles and boxes of baby milk, prepare, wash, sterilize bottles ... all this does not alone either!
Breastfeeding is painful?
The first days of breastfeeding can be somewhat ... startling! Unheard like a baby so small can suck so so strong! Our breasts are not always prepared, but fortunately they soon get used! After a few days, the conflict have generally disappeared. In the meantime, you can relieve with special creams nipples, cold applications, massage, or by giving the feeding with silicone nipples until the situation stabilizes. But what really helps the mother, it is mainly the idea that this discomfort is fleeting, and she will soon experience the joy of feeding her baby at the breast, serenely. It's worth it to persevere.
If pain returns later, it is the signal that something is wrong. Most often, it's a bad position of the baby. The ideal position is to have your baby's tummy against your tummy, with his mouth at the exact height of your nipple, and the baby in the mouth take the greatest possible surface of the areola (the area "dark" after your breasts). The temptation to "go back" baby a little closer to our face (he's so cute!), Or to keep it lying on his back like a bottle-fed baby, but if you follow the ideal position, your breasts will thank you ! Anyway, if any pain persists, without you knowing why, do not suffer in silence, talk to your doctor.
Some women have no milk or milk a little feeding
If this were true, humans would not have survived! The composition of breast milk is identical from one woman to another, from one continent to another.
The amount of milk depends on the frequency and the length of the feedings. In this area, there is no mystery: the more you give in and you'll have more milk. Lactation (milk production) is proportional to the nipple stimulation. Never let anyone tell you that you have too much milk, not enough milk, he is not eating, not rich enough, and blah blah blah .... Your breasts are not graded, such as baby bottles, with milliliters! Do you trust. If you feel that your milk is a bit slow, take a nap (sleep also promotes lactation), take the yeast (yeast malt, yeast), drink water, put your baby in more often and stay Zen.
The first three weeks, during the establishment of breastfeeding, you can have lots of milk, too sometimes. Everything should get sorted as soon as your breasts will have found their rhythm. If after three weeks, you find that you still have too much milk, take the opportunity to collect in the shells collect milk. You can then store your milk in the refrigerator or freezer for days when you entrust your baby to a nanny to grandma, etc. ... You can also ask the milk bank to come collect your bottles containers of milk surpluses, at home. Your milk will then be distributed in medical charge of saving premature or sick babies, who have the chance to be breastfed.
Breastfeeding can be learned?
Breastfeed her child, it's easy and natural. However, this does not just happen. Our breasts do not come with user manual. It is important during pregnancy, to learn by meeting professionals, associations, mothers who breastfed, reading Bibles, to understand the functioning of lactation and breastfeeding. One might say that, in time, caregivers will be there to guide and advise you. Unfortunately, with breastfeeding, the degree of training of health workers is very uneven from one person to another. So, to avoid being caught off guard, better self-train on the issue, and also form the dad who will be your most valuable support to start breastfeeding as in the following months.
If you have a fever, are we forced to stop breastfeeding?
The fever of the mother is not dangerous for the baby. When the mother is sick, it produces a set of antibodies which it benefitted her child through breast milk. The baby has very little chance of getting sick too. The difficulty lies in the fact that a nursing mother can not take any medication. Even if only 1% of the drug passes into breast milk, the doctor must find the molecule that heal without disturbing the mother the baby. And that's where you'll be able to judge the competence of your doctor!
Of course, if the latter, even if you look closely, can not find a drug compatible with breastfeeding, it is possible to give the baby formula milk. But it is better to give it with other means than the bottle to avoid a bad baby's sucking the resumption of feeding (cup or spoon ... but if it works!). On your side, you'll get your milk to maintain your milk supply, and to restore the breast as soon as you will be cured.