From the first day of a baby's life, a caring mother is concerned about two questions: "Does my child have enough milk?" And "What should I do to make lactation last as long as possible?" Finding answers to them will inevitably lead you to the concept of "lactational a crisis". One of the women after reading the description of this phenomenon will conclude that this is exactly about her; someone will be surprised and will not believe that this can be; and someone can be scared, deciding that hypolactia is inevitable and irreversible.
But do not panic when faced with the first obstacles in breastfeeding, and make hasty decisions about additional complementary foods. Let's understand together what are the crises of breastfeeding and how to deal with them.
Lactation crisis is normal, and this is temporary
There is such an interesting feature of breastfeeding: all lactating women have days when it seems that their milk "leaves". Some mothers note that on such days their baby becomes restless at the breast, the frequency of attachments increases significantly, the baby is naughty. Others complain of a feeling of "devastation" in the chest, as if milk had long since disappeared, and all the vital juices have been drained from it.
This usually occurs at the 3rd and 6th week of a newborn's life, and then at the 3rd, 7th, 11th and 12th months of breastfeeding. Other sources indicate a period of one and a half months. At 3 months, the lactation crisis is, as it were, a litmus test, indicating that breastfeeding is not properly organized. Traditionally, the phenomenon of the famine crisis is explained by the fact that the child periodically increases the energy expenditure, and he needs a larger portion of milk. My mother's breast does not adapt so quickly to the increased needs of the child. But still adapts, by all means.
The state of the feeding crisis lasts for an average of 3-4 days, although it can sometimes last up to one week. The main rule on these days is not to think that breastfeeding comes to an end and does not succumb to panic, and the baby is many times more likely to apply to the chest, even if it seems completely empty to you.
What if the lactation crisis started?
Recommendations for moms in support of lactation, perhaps, is best presented in tabular form. So immediately it will be clear what you need to do first, and what actions should be avoided on the contrary.
| It helps | It hurts and because of this, milk disappears during lactation! |
|---|---|
| 1. More frequent application of the baby to the breast. Offer your baby a chest every hour. For convenience, set the alarm. Do not be afraid of cracks on the nipples. If you apply the baby correctly, they will not appear. To prevent the occurrence of cracks helps perfectly ointment "Bepanten". It is recommended to use it in the hospital, when there is no milk in the chest at all, and there is only colostrum. | 1. A dummy as a means to soothe a child. A dummy and any imitators of a woman's breast are enemies of breastfeeding. The child spends efforts on their sucking, as a result of which, with less intensity, stimulates the mother's breast. |
| 2. Increase the duration of feeding. Do not take the baby's breast until he releases it. Afraid of cracks - see the previous paragraph. | 2. Dopaivanie water baby. How much water is drunk - so much is not eaten milk. A baby before the introduction of lures (after 6 months) does not recommend water. |
| 3. Frequent night feeding. The hormone prolactin, responsible for the production of milk, is synthesized most actively when feeding in the interval from 3 am to 8 am. If both you and the kid are lovers of sleep, put the alarm. Night feeding is priceless. | 3. Use a bottle with a pacifier (regardless of the contents). See point 1. |
| 4. Counting the number of urination of the child. It will reassure you. You will be convinced that he ate a lot. | 4. Introduction of mixtures before 1 week from the onset of the lactation crisis. |
| 5. Rest from home affairs. | 5. Constant weighing of the child. Often they just make mom nervous about the possible errors. |
| 6. Support of relatives and friends. | 6. Fatigue of the mother, lack of help in the household. |
| 7. Council for a breastfeeding consultant. They are real professionals with huge experience. They will help organize breastfeeding correctly and overcome any crises. | 7. Condemnation of people around her doubts about the availability of a sufficient quantity of milk for lactation and its beneficial properties. Demoralizes an already worried woman. It is advisable to politely avoid such conversations and not lose your fighting spirit. |
Dear mothers, do not give up, do not despair and fight for your lactation. You will succeed. At least two people in the world are confident in your ability to raise a child in spite of all the crises of breastfeeding - this is the child and the author of the article.