What do you need to know before breastfeeding.

When you start to breastfeed your baby, you wonder if he is being fed properly. If you notice that your baby is not gaining weight or that she is not “wetting” her diaper, this may be because she is not getting enough breast milk. Either because she doesn't latch on to the chest properly; or because you don't have enough milk. The good news is that most women produce a third more milk than the baby requires, so it's not so bad if your supply drops. However, it is important that you talk to your doctor if you have any concerns. If you are concerned about your milk levels, we invite you to continue reading to discover how to increase your milk supply naturally and find out why you might be breastfeeding less than you would like.

 

During breastfeeding, there should be no rules regarding the frequency or duration of feedings

The number and duration of feedings vary greatly from child to child and from day to day within the same child, depending on nutritional needs and physical proximity. In addition, it is feedings that condition milk production: the more milk the child takes, the more the mother produces. These two concepts explain that there should be no rules concerning the number or duration of feedings. During the first weeks of breastfeeding, most children crave often, up to 8-12 times a day. This should not be interpreted as a problem, and especially not as a lack of milk.

Lack of milk, in the sense of a physiological maternal inability to produce milk, is exceptional

Only a minority of women actually do not produce enough milk to be able to breastfeed. For the vast majority, the explanation for a “lack” of milk is something other than a failing physiology. It may be a subjective impression, because the child begs or cries for no reason in an unusual way. These “peak days” are normal. There may also be a decrease in milk production in response to less emptying of the breasts, due, for example, to feedings that are too short and/or too far apart. These two situations do not correspond to a real lack of milk and can be easily solved.

To know if a baby wants to breastfeed, just observe him when he wakes up, without waiting for him to cry.

When a baby wakes up, several small signals show that he is ready to suckle: he brings his hands to his mouth, opens his mouth, sucks his tongue, and, if he is in his mother's arms, turns towards the breast. Crying is a late signal of hunger that you should not wait to breastfeed: if you wait, the child risks taking the breast poorly and sucking less effectively.

The cracks are not due to too frequent or too long feedings, but to a bad position of the child at the breast

Cracks are due to abnormal friction of the nipple with the baby's mouth, when the latter is not correctly positioned on the breast. A good position of the child to suckle is the best prevention and the most effective treatment.

The best way to prevent or relieve breast tightness or pain is to breastfeed on demand.

Breast tension and pain during breastfeeding are rarely due to excessive milk production, but to insufficient drainage from the breasts. To combat them, the important thing is to regularly and completely empty the breasts in order to avoid any milky stasis. For this, the child must be able to suckle without restriction and effectively. Water restriction, breast bandaging and wearing a tight bra are not recommended: these measures are ineffective and can even aggravate the problem.

The introduction of complementary bottles in the first weeks can disrupt the smooth running of breastfeeding.

The introduction of supplements in a breast-fed child is a tempting response to the doubt that women express about their ability to sufficiently nourish their child with their own milk. Except in special cases, this practice is not recommended, as it limits the child's demand for the breast, can reduce milk production and increases the risk of early weaning.

The occurrence of mastitis does not prevent continued breastfeeding

Mastitis is an inflammation of the breasts favored by anything that prevents proper drainage of the breasts, in particular feedings that are ineffective, too far apart or of too short duration. Its treatment imposes to restore a good evacuation of the milk. To this end, breast-feeding can and even should be continued. If breastfeeding is interrupted, there is a risk of developing a breast abscess.

Breastfeeding while working is possible

When returning to work, breastfeeding can be continued in several ways: morning and evening breastfeeding on working days, resumption of breastfeeding on demand on rest days, collection and storage of milk to feed the child. between breast feedings and, if the child is old enough, partial breastfeeding. There are also, in the Labor Code, measures facilitating the continuation of breastfeeding (daily reduction of working time, flexible working hours, breaks during working time) .

A breastfeeding woman can eat anything.

There is no obligation for a nursing mother to eat certain foods or avoid others. Nor is it justified for her to eat more in the hope of better covering the child's nutritional needs, or forcing herself to drink large quantities in order to produce more milk. On the other hand, the consumption of alcohol during breastfeeding is not recommended. If abstinence is not possible, the mother should limit herself to 1 or 2 glasses occasionally and avoid breastfeeding afterwards. Some nursing mothers sometimes resort to supplements to help with lactating like Lactation Cookies, Calcium supplements and vitamins. This practice can be useful and prophylactic to low milk yields. 

A large number of drugs can be safely administered to breastfeeding women.

The majority of drugs pass only in very small quantities into breast milk, so that the breastfed child receives at most only one percent of the dose ingested by his mother. In the event of maternal illness, it is therefore very often possible to find a drug compatible with the continuation of breastfeeding. We recommend you try Natural Lactation Cookie Bites from BOOBEE that will benefit both you and your baby.

Women who smoke can breastfeed

It is better for the breastfeeding mother not to smoke, but if she cannot stop, it is better for her to continue breastfeeding anyway. Breastfed children of smoking mothers have a lower risk of disease than those who are artificially fed. In addition, nicotine substitutes for smoking cessation are authorized for breastfeeding women. The nicotine they contain passes into the milk but in a lower quantity than that of the cigarettes smoked by the mother. To further reduce the concentration of nicotine in milk, oral forms are preferable to patch forms.