There are many moms who have some doubts about the lactating their baby. So for all those mamma’s who certain ifs and buts in their minds here are few points of wisdom on breast feeding for new mom –
1. Latching:
In the beginning latch the baby to the breast by holding it in comfortable position. You will know when you have got a proper latch when the baby’s chin and tip of her nose are touching your breast.
2. It hurts in the beginning:
Lactating, your baby hurts in the beginning. Your will nipples will pain and will get crack. The first few weeks are the hardest and you will experience tremendous pain. Best cure is to apply some oil or ghee in the nipples to keep it moisturized and prevents it from cracks and pain.
3. Wear comfortable clothes:
It is advisable to wear comfortable clothes both from outside and from inside. As tighter ones make inconvenient for you to feed the baby and will lead to sore nipples and plugged milk ducts. You can also wear breast pads inside your nursing bra that will help in soaking up any breast milk from leaky breasts and prevents stains from reaching your clothing. When traveling always carry scarves or shawls that will act as cover and provide required privacy in public.
4. Engorgement (overfull breast or blocked milk duct)
Warm compress, letting warm water running over the breasts or pressing them and removing the excess milk can help to relieve some of the pressure. You can also try using breast pump and try pumping out some milk between feeds however this will be a painful act.
5. Breast infection:
In you have fever and one breast is red, hot and sore you have mastitis. As a cure you will need an antibiotic and you will have to nurse this part by pumping and removing milk as much as you can. To prevent mastitis make sure you empty your breasts regularly. Add a good culture bacteria supplement or fresh curd in your diet as long as you are on antibiotics.
6. Breast feed from both sides:
Nurse your baby from both sides alternatively. If you continue to give from only one side eventually you may develop breast lumps on the other side.
7.
Plan to breast feed about eight to 12 times a day. Your baby gives good signals of hunger by crying, by licking fingers or by rooting around searching for you or by looking increasingly alert. Always feed on demand.
8.
Try not to introduce bottle or pacifiers until breast feeding is well established. The thrusting motion required to nurse is different from that required to suck a nipple and your little one will get confused.
9.
Stay hydrated to ensure that your body is able to make enough milk. A good idea is sip a glass of water while feeding.
10.
Breast feed in the calm environment to help the milk get down.
11. Thrush:
It is a fungal infection that can form on your breast and be passed between your breast and baby mouth. Over moist breasts, sore and cracked nipples, following diet with high sugar or yeasts or taking antibiotics, birth control pills or steroids make your body’s natural yeast level out of control and cause thrush. Common symptoms are sore nipples, painful breasts, little white spots in baby’s mouth and non healing diaper rash. To prevent thrush air dry your nipples, use nipple pads in your bra, wear clean bra and reduce amount of sugar and yeast products.
12. Increase milk supply:
This process is basic demand and supply activity. The more you nurse the more milk your body generates. As the baby grows you will require more amounts of milk consumptions to cope up the new nutritional needs of your little one.