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Get a pdf copy of this book instantly for $1 and make as many copies as you wish! |Ch.1 |Ch.2 |Ch.3 |Ch.4 |Ch.5 |Ch.6 |Ch.7| 3 Common Concerns Chapter 5 A woman that has no idea what, how, why she needs to breastfeed feels intimidated, afraid, and has mixed feelings. She may be tempted to take the easy way out: the bottle with formula. Just to reinforce what was said in the first chapters, preparation is a must. But if you find yourself in the hospital with your baby, ask for assistance. Most hospitals have personnel trained in lactation that are able to give you direction. Also try to read the handouts given. They will usually give you ideas about how to take care of the main breastfeeding concerns mothers have. The following are common problems and concerns new breastfeeding mothers have. Sore Nipples are one of the top breastfeeding concerns. But they don't have to be. How can a mother avoid this potential problem? Follow these simple recommendations and let nature take its course. As soon as baby is born, mother allows baby to be placed skin to skin over her chest. When baby starts giving cues wanting to suckle, mother lowers him/her to the breast and allows baby to find the breast him/herself. Baby’s suckling reflex is more acute during the first 15-30 min of birth. Do not get frustrated if baby is not responding or not able to latch. Have lots of patience and follow baby’s cues. The pain medication or anesthesia you received during labor can affect how your baby will respond to breast feeding the first few hours after birth. Baby will eventually come around and breastfeed. Remember, the first day with your baby, you are learning to get along with your baby and he/she is trying to adjust to his/her new world. Baby knows by nature how to suckle at the breast he/she opens his/her mouth wide takes most of the nipple and areola in the mouth, the lips are flanged, and as he/she suckles using the tongue to express on the areola stretching the nipple about 1.5 to 2 inches. Modern medicine helps mothers be comfortable during labor by giving them intravenous medications, epidural anesthesia and other types of pain control. Also, complicated deliveries, C-sections, separation from mother, and more can affect to some extent the ability to breastfeed well temporarily. To prevent sore nipples, mother needs to check that baby is correctly latched at the breast. Try for an asymmetric latch. To get an asymmetric latch mother offers the nipple pointing towards baby’s nose. Baby is looking up towards the breast. When baby opens his/her mouth wide, mother brings baby to the breast. It looks like baby is taking a bite up. When the mouth attaches to the breast the lower lip touches as low as possible on the areola. When the baby is latched correctly, he/she has a wide, big mouth that rests over the nipple and areola, lips are flanged, lower lip covers most of the areola underneath, and over the top lip you can see more areola. The tongue expresses the milk on the areola not the nipple tip. Sore nipples are caused by baby just latching on the tip of the nipple, this causes abrasion or open skin on the nipple. Each time baby latches incorrectly it gets more and more sore. Mother wants to quit. Prevention is the key to avoid sore nipples. Once you have sore nipples, first thing to do is to correct your baby’s latch. Practice and more practice. It is best to start the first day by teaching baby to latch correctly if he/she is not doing it. Pure lanoline breast cream is recommended for mild sore nipples. It works like a wet, moist dressing and aids in the healing of the sore nipples. Can take over the counter medications for pain to make breastfeeding more comfortable. Consult with a lactation consultant if no improvement noticed. If there are any signs of infection consult your doctor. Engorgement of the breast is another common concern that often breastfeeding mothers have. Early engorgement can be due to the fluids given during labor to mother. This early engorgement, meaning during the first day or second day, can interfere with breastfeeding by making it harder for the baby to latch on the breast. Ask your nurse or lactation consultant in the hospital to help you. The engorgement of the breast that most women are concerned with is the one that can appear during the coming in of the mature milk/the volume of milk during the 3rd to 4th day after birth. When the milk comes in, it comes in also with some swelling. Some mothers over produce milk during this initial period. The breast feel heavy, lumpy, and hard as if they are not being properly emptied. The baby might have trouble latching when the breast are over-full, baby does not empty the breast because there is more milk than he/she needs. It is very uncomfortable for a woman to have breast engorgement; she can develop a low grade temperature. To manage engorgement Allow baby to breastfeed as often as he/she wants. Do not put baby on a schedule. After baby breastfeeds well at the breast you may want to pump out some more milk for comfort. If the engorgement extends all the way to the armpits, after emptying the breast for comfort with baby and or pump, you can put cold compresses on for just 5 to 10 minutes. You can also use the cabbage leaf treatment. Best to consult a lactation expert for personal instructions. Use a bra that gives you good support and is the right size. The milk that you pump out, do not discard, save it. Find information on how to store breast milk. You can buy kits. If your breasts are too full that baby can’t latch on, you can extract some milk before latching baby with a pump or manual expression. If you get in the shower and allow warm water to run over the breast, your breast will start to flow. Express manually more milk as you shower and right after breastfeed baby. The basic thing to do to prevent engorgement is to keep them comfortable for you and so baby can latch on well. A fever greater than 101 F may not just be due to engorgement but can mean an infection. Notify your obstetrician. Not enough milk is a concern that most mothers have after they give birth to their baby. Especially when they do not feel the let down of milk, they do not feel their breast full, or see milk. It is important to know that the first step in the cycle of milk production is to have the placenta delivered. This starts to produce the right hormone that starts the cycle of milk production. The second step is for the baby to start suckling. The baby is the one that sets the pace of production. The baby’s stomach at birth is the size of a marble. Yes, the milk you have will fill the stomach of the baby, but he/she will be hungry soon again. The more the baby sucks, the more milk mother has for the next feeding. The baby’s stomach grows in direct proportion to the milk you produce. Do not be concerned if the baby wants to feed frequently. Let baby determine when the next feeding is. Be aware when baby wants to eat. Make baby relaxed and feel secure to give you timely cues. Let baby do skin to skin with you as often as possible during the first few days while the milk is been established. There are some cases when mother may not produce enough milk for her baby. There are some cases when women may have some health problems that can cause their milk to be delayed. The mature milk/or volume does not come in until 8 to 9 days. If you feel that your milk is not coming in full around the 3rd or 4th day postpartum, consult with a lactation consultant, have your baby's weight checked. As always, see your doctor! Click here for Ch.6 Online Resources Copyright 2007 by Martha Loredo. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reprinted without written permission from the author. You can purchase a pdf copy of this book for only $1.00. You can make as many copies as you like! Click here to pay $1 and get the book instantly! |
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*Disclaimer: Nothing on this website is considered to be medical advice. It is only a guide. Please see your doctor regarding any information you read. *The informaiton on this website is not diagnosing or treating any medical or health condition. *Any information you read on this website is not a substitute for your doctor's advice. *Only your doctor can decide what are the best measures for you to take. |
| © 2005-2007 by Martha Loredo |