THE MOST COMMON PROBLEMS RELATED TO BREAST FEEDING

You may encounter such difficulties while breastfeeding, such as food stagnation and nipple soreness and cracking. Both of these situations can lead to a serious complication, which is mastitis.

Food stagnation

Food stagnation occurs most often in the first week after delivery and is associated with the so-called. food load, that is, temporarily increased – above the child's needs – its production. This situation is the result of a sudden hormonal re-adjustment of the woman's body after childbirth. You should take care of regular ones during this time, systematic breast emptying. Of course, a child will do the best, but if there is more food, than it can drain, then it should be additionally pulled away.

Another cause of excess milk may be too rare and too short latching on to the breast. This may be due to the watering of the newborn or infant, especially if he is given sweet liquids. The child does not feel hungry then and asks for a breast less often, it sucks not often and for a short time. This causes a retention of food in the nipple, and soon it can lead to a reduction and disappearance of food production. Let us remind you once again: in the first 4-6 In the months of a baby's life, the mother's food is the best and sufficient for her – fully satisfies its nutritional requirements, energy and fluids.
Food stagnation may also be associated with a disturbance of the spontaneous flow of food reflex. The mother's anxiety contributes to this, haste, nervous atmosphere. You should take care of relaxation, choose an intimate place for feeding, secluded. Sublingual oxytocin tablets may be helpful, supporting the food flow reflex. When food stagnates, the breasts become swollen, painful at the slightest touch. Body temperature usually rises and is subfebrile. Bringing your baby to the breast is unpleasant and painful. But there is no way, the only procedure in such situations is to empty the breast from the breast, preferably by latching on the baby frequently, and if it does not have such an appetite, then you have to express your milk.
This way, we prevent the food from getting stuck any further, and above all – inflammation and abscess of the nipple. To prevent backlogging, you need to remember to latch on to the baby frequently and to follow the right one
feeding techniques and ensure a calm and pleasant atmosphere. Applying cool compresses to the nipples in the breaks between feedings helps.
The recommended method is the use of cool leaf compresses, previously smashed white cabbage. On 20-30 minutes before feeding, the compress should be changed to a warm one in order to improve the outflow reflex. The flow of milk is also supported by light stroking of the breast from the base towards the nipple. After consulting your doctor, you can also take oxytocin (sublingual tablets) on 20-30 minutes before feeding. If the breast is still full after feeding, always express the milk.
In case of food stagnation, when you have a fever, redness and soreness of the nipple or discharge from the nipple is not white in color – contact your doctor as soon as possible.

Soreness and cracking of the nipples

The second problem with the beginning of breastfeeding is soreness, and even nipple cracking. This is especially true for mothers, they are feeding for the first time, a is caused by an incorrect feeding technique. The reason is too shallow insertion of the breast into the mouth of the newborn.
It is then difficult for the baby to eat the right amount of food, nervously bites the nipple, which most often leads to its damage (characteristic linear cracks). In addition, with such improper feeding, it does not eat, which manifests itself in crying and reluctance to suck. Desperate mothers then most often reach for the bottle and feed their children, the more so as the attachment to the breast with a cracked nipple is painful. A vicious circle is created that leads to the disappearance of milk and the cessation of breastfeeding. And yet it can be avoided, if you remember the basic principles of breastfeeding.

Another cause of cracking and sore nipples is when your baby falls asleep with the nipple in his mouth. When the baby is asleep, the nipple protrudes from his mouth, and reflex sucking in sleep causes damage to a breast that is too shallowly given. At last – in the case of significant stagnation of food, it is difficult to properly latch the baby to the breast (tight areola of the nipple), which in turn can lead to damage to the nipple.
What to do, if the nipple is already damaged? First of all, it is not necessary to stop breastfeeding. The most important thing is to correct the feeding technique and properly latch on to the baby, so that it hugs and sucks the tissue around 1,5 cm around the nipple, not just the wart itself. It is amazing, how quickly the wart then heals. Of course initially, even if you are already feeding your breast correctly, you may experience discomfort when feeding, but one at a time – two days the situation improves. If the pain is so bad, that you are unable to feed from a sore breast, you can stop taking it for a day or two. During this time, express milk from the diseased breast and alternate feeding from the healthy breast, a raz – expressed milk, using a spoon or syringe. You can leave a drop of dried food on the sore nipple after feeding, which has soothing properties and accelerates the healing of cracks.
You may find it helpful to wear protective nipples. They are similar to corrective overlays, only have a larger opening and prevent underwear from irritating the nipples. It is a mistake to use nipple protectors – the so-called. caps, which disrupt the suction mechanism.

Too little food

The amount of food produced depends on the frequency and duration of feedings. The more often the breasts are emptied, the more food is produced. In this way, the baby regulates the amount of food produced by the mother's body. This only happens then, when it is fed on demand, so always, whenever it is hungry. Feeding and giving a child a dose of food causes, that the amount of food decreases over time, because one of the feedings falls out and the mother's body receives incorrect information, that the baby needs less.
If your baby is hungry after one breastfeeding, then you should put them on the other breast. If he doesn't eat anyway, feed them more often, then the amount of milk will also increase. On the other hand, the inclusion of artificial food causes, that food gradually disappears. Newborns and infants report hunger by crying. However, crying does not always mean hunger. Therefore, before you find out, that the cause of your baby's crying is too little food, scroll them and check, is everything alright with him. Every mother knows very well after a short time, what does a baby cry mean in a given situation and what is missing. Perhaps your little one just wants to be hugged longer. The best indicator, whether the baby is provided with the right amount of food, is weight gain. However, it should not be weighed every day, and even more so after each meal, because there are some fluctuations in weight over such a short period and this is normal. Weighing should take place at least once a week. This will allow you not to be afraid, that you can starve your little one.
Don't compare your child with others, maybe bigger. If it grows harmoniously, she smiles often, it is calm and relaxed – it means, that he is getting enough food.

Mother's disease and breastfeeding

In the case of infectious diseases, there is no need to stop breastfeeding. The baby is in contact with the same germs as the mother (after all, most of the time he stays with her or in the same environment), so he may develop a similar infection anyway. In a newborn and infant, the body's defense system (immune system) he is not yet fully educated and functional. On the other hand, the mother's food contains many substances that the mother produces after contact with the infection, protecting the child against microbes, with whom she came into contact. The case of chronically ill women is somewhat different, constantly taking medication. If you are in this situation, Consider the effect of feeding on disease progression with your healthcare professional, as well as the effects of medications on the child.

Drugs and breastfeeding

remember, that you always, whenever you see a doctor who prescribes medication – informed him, that you are feeding. Usually such medications can be selected, which will not be harmful to the baby. However, if this is not possible, then you should stop latching the baby on while taking the drug and give artificial mixtures. You can and we encourage you to do so – during this time, express the milk, so that its quantity does not decrease and that after stopping treatment, you can bring it back to your baby, what's best for him. Always ask a doctor, how long after the last dose can you start breastfeeding. remember, that certain medications (sometimes even these, that were used during pregnancy), can pass into breast milk and be very dangerous to your baby. Always ask your doctor, or taking the drug, you can breastfeed.