Breast milk is the most suitable nutrition for babies, but almost all young mothers have worried about their milk shortage, especially at the beginning of breast-feeding.
How do you know if the baby is full? What if there is really not enough milk?
The cause of insufficient milk
There are many reasons that affect milk secretion, the most important of which is the frequency of lactation and the degree of milk emptying.
For example, if a new mother reduces the frequency of lactation due to nipple pain, it will lead to a decrease in milk secretion.
In addition, some diseases and drugs can also affect milk secretion. Some physiological reasons, such as endocrine disorders or thyroid problems, can also lead to insufficient milk.
For most women who suffer from insufficient milk, the real problem is [transportation], not [production]. They can secrete enough milk, but due to various reasons, such as wrong breast-feeding posture, the baby cannot drink enough milk.
How to keep breast milk sufficient?
Three elements of breast-feeding: breast, baby and brain. If you want to increase lactation, on the one hand, the breast needs more stimulation from the baby; On the other hand, mothers should also adjust their physical and mental state so that their brains can treat breast-feeding more happily and calmly.
Here are 7 tips to help new mothers solve the problem of insufficient milk.
1. Increase the frequency of lactation
The frequency of lactation can basically be carried out according to the baby’s will to eat milk. When the baby has the intention to eat milk, lactation should be carried out.
Generally speaking, newborns need to breastfeed about 8-12 times a day (24 hours). However, in the rapid growth period (usually referring to the time when the baby is ten days, three weeks, six weeks and three months old), the baby’s demand for breast milk will increase and breast milk will be eaten more frequently. Increasing the frequency of breast-feeding can effectively promote milk secretion.
2. Extend each breastfeeding time
Don’t set a few minutes for each breast in advance, which will limit the time the baby will eat milk. Let the baby finish eating one side and change to the other.
3. Adopt the correct breast-feeding posture
Choose a nursing posture that makes both the baby and the mother feel comfortable. Relaxation and comfort help stimulate milk secretion.
4. Stay away from tobacco and alcohol and control caffeine intake.
Generally speaking, if caffeine is taken during lactation, it should not exceed 300 mg per day, which is about 2 ~ 3 cups of coffee.
Step 5 Avoid certain drugs
Some drugs will affect milk secretion and should be avoided as much as possible. If you need medication when you are ill, it is recommended to consult a doctor first and then take it according to the doctor’s advice. Of course, you don’t have to stop nursing blindly because of medication.
6. Try to breast-feed directly by the mother at the early stage of breast-feeding.
Try to avoid using bottles and pacifiers in the early stage of lactation to ensure that the baby can only suck on the mother’s breast.
STEP 7 Pay attention to rest and diet
Ensure adequate sleep and rest time, drink more water, maintain a balanced diet and optimistic attitude.
Lactagogue Folk Prescription Should Be Cautious
Many elders will suggest that some new mothers with insufficient milk try to eat some Chinese herbal medicines to lactagogue. However, at present, the influence of most Chinese herbal medicines on lactation level has not been studied by very strict scientific experiments, and the influence on infants is not clear. Blind use may have certain risks to both mothers and babies.
In addition, drinking traditional [Yuezi wine] lactagogue may lead to alcohol in milk and bring health hazards to babies. Please look here: Is it really good to drink more [lactagogue soup]? > > < < [Yuezi wine] does not lactagogue, [alcoholic milk] does great harm > >.
Therefore, if the above methods have been tried, but there is still insufficient milk, don’t be superstitious about [folk prescription], and it is suggested to seek help from doctors in regular hospitals.
Is your baby full?
Knowing the scientific [lactagogue] method, the next step is to verify whether the baby can drink enough milk. The following aspects can be used to judge.
Step 1: Weight gain
The baby’s weight gain is the main indicator to judge whether the mother’s milk is sufficient.
If the baby is full, he will gain about 200 g per week for the first 3 months and about 100 g per week for 3-6 months.
However, in the few days after the baby is born, the weight will be lower than that at birth (generally around 7%, if the baby’s weight is reduced by more than 10%, timely medical treatment is required), mainly due to the discharge of meconium and excess liquid in the body, and it has little to do with the baby sleeping more and eating more after birth.
In the 10-14 days after birth, the baby’s weight will return to the level at birth.
2. Defecation
In the first month after birth, babies who drink enough milk have to defecate at least 2-3 times a day, and the feces will change from the initial black sticky meconium to brown yellow milk feces like mustard sauce. After a month or two, the frequency of defecation will also decrease. Some babies even defecate once every 1 or 2 days.
If the baby’s feces are always dark in color, small in quantity or few in defecation frequency, it may be because he does not eat enough milk.
3. Number of wet diapers
Babies with plenty of milk will wet 7 to 8 cloth diapers (or 5 to 6 diapers) every day. Disposable diapers are more absorbent, so it is sometimes difficult to see if they are wet. If you are not sure, you can compare them with dry diapers to judge their humidity.
However, the number of wet diapers alone cannot judge whether the baby is full. Dehydrated babies can still urinate. The baby’s weight gain and feces are better indicators.
4. Number of breastfeeding
What is advocated now is to feed on demand, without strictly limiting the interval of feeding. Generally speaking, newborns breast-feed at least 8 times a day. During lactation, the baby can be heard swallowing frequently.
5. Baby’s Status
Babies who drink enough milk look healthy and energetic.
Responsible Editor: Rouge