Some time ago, a friend introduced a postpartum depressed mother to talk to me, this mother very much want to breastfeed, but also feel that their milk is not enough, resulting in the baby is not enough to eat crying, not long, want to quit milk to eat milk powder and worry about the baby's health is not good, especially correct self-blame, how can not come out, and finally by the family forced mother and baby to separate breast milk, more depressed, really feel sorry for this mother.
Indeed, breastfeeding is advocated almost all over the world, and our maternity hospital here is full of poster banners encouraging breastfeeding. But breastfeeding rates are low because breastfeeding is really not easy for moms.
As a mother whose two children are exclusively breastfed, my breastfeeding road is relatively smooth, but also in the breastfeeding road setbacks, remember to go to the physical examination when my family Xiaobao was two years old, the physical examination doctor learned that I have not quit breast milk, but also a surprised face, saying that there are really not many mothers who can stick to the size of the child.
Breastfeeding does have many benefits for babies and mothers
For the baby, breast milk contains nutrients suitable for the baby to absorb, such as rich lactoferrin, protein, minerals and vitamins, etc., and a variety of nutrients and proportions are suitable, easy to absorb, which is difficult to replace other dairy products. Breastfeeding helps your baby's brain develop, helps strengthen the body's immunity, and can also promote parent-child relationships.
For mothers, breastfeeding can promote uterine contractions, help restore physical health, prevent postpartum depression, and reduce the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis and other diseases, but also economically convenient, saving a lot of milk powder money and time and energy to clean and disinfect bottles, and even lose weight.
Of course, breastfeeding is good, but we can't kidnap moms and ask them to breastfeed longer. Even if my own two babies are exclusively breastfed, I understand the choice of mothers who do not breastfeed, breastfeeding is a matter for both mothers and babies, and others have no right to interfere. If for various reasons, the mother can't breastfeed, there is no need to feel guilty, we have many good ways to love the baby. Instead of being anxious, spend your time on quality companionship.
As a mother whose two babies are exclusively breastfed, I have a deeper understanding of how breastfeeding is a setback for mothers, and the following is that new mothers must learn in advance so as not to encounter problems and mess up.
Second, breastfeeding mothers common problems and solutions
1. Insufficient milk
Many mothers love their babies and want to breastfeed, but they have more than enough and lack of strength, and insufficient milk is one of the reasons, in fact, most mothers can secrete enough milk to feed their babies. However, some mothers do not have enough milk, which affects milk production for many reasons, the most important of which is the frequency of breastfeeding and the degree of milk emptying. May be coupled with poor postpartum rest, low mood and irritability, postpartum depression, psychological stress!
Evidence-based medicine points out that the production of breast milk is determined according to the needs of the baby, and has nothing to do with fat and thin body, breast size, as long as the mother is not severely malnourished, it can provide the nutrition needed to meet the baby's growth and development. So, we found that twin moms can produce more milk, and skinny moms can breastfeed, for example, I lost about 80 pounds after giving birth, but I can still breastfeed until the baby is over two years old.
4 tips for moms who want to breastfeed
Make more skin-to-skin contact and let your baby suck as soon as possible
Newborn babies or premature babies, as early as possible and more skin contact with the mother, as early as possible to suck the baby's breasts, can increase the amount of milk. After my two babies were born, the midwife put the baby on my chest as soon as possible and asked me to feed the baby as soon as possible, so I had milk for the baby on the first day. Normally, your baby's first bite of life should be breast milk, not water or formula.
Increase the frequency of breastfeeding and don't rush to add milk powder
If you want to chase milk, it is necessary to breastfeed the baby more, and the newborn baby generally needs to breastfeed about 8 to 12 times between 24 hours. And in each period of the year of age, the baby will suddenly increase the demand for breast milk, cry, frequently eat milk, and eat for a long time, so that many mothers feel that their milk is not enough.
At this time, we can not simply think that our own milk is not enough, resulting in the baby is not enough, we are anxious to add milk powder to the baby, once the milk powder is added, it will make the baby's demand for breast milk reduce, so that the amount of milk is reduced. My approach is to try to breastfeed as often as possible so that your baby eats one breast and then changes to the other. It can really effectively promote milk secretion, generally about 3 days to a week or so to achieve a balance between supply and demand.
Adopt the correct breastfeeding posture
Under normal circumstances, breastfeeding should be warm and sweet, if it is painful, it may be that the feeding position is not right, so we should choose a breastfeeding position that makes both the baby and the mother feel comfortable. Relaxation and comfort also help to stimulate milk production.
Adjust your mindset
After giving birth, mothers should pay as much attention to rest, relax their mentality, believe in themselves, even if there is no milk, the baby can grow well with milk powder, there are many ways to love the baby, and the way to make the baby grow up healthy is not only breastfeeding, so anxiety will only make breastfeeding worse, and it is great to be a 60-point mother.
2. Milk sleep is severe
In fact, for newborn babies, milk sleep is a very normal thing, feeding is also very difficult for small babies who sleep more, it is easy to eat and eat tired and fall asleep. And the early baby can feel more secure when the baby sleeps.
However, after the baby grows up, if other methods of coaxing and sleeping have not been introduced, and they can only rely on milk to sleep, it may bring some trouble to the mother and baby. For example, the baby's milk sleep is serious, put down to wake up, frequent night wake-up, affecting the baby's physical development, but also let the mother physically and mentally exhausted.
When milk sleep has become a burden, we must try to communicate with the baby more, tell the baby that he has grown up, can sleep like a big baby, and gradually quit milk sleep, such as when we are sleeping at night, we can first tell stories or sing while feeding, so that the baby who is used to sleeping after feeding, develop new habits, eat milk, listen to stories or listen to songs to sleep, and then slowly become sleep listening to stories.
My little treasure began around the age of 1, I was playing nursery rhymes while listening, let him listen while feeding, at night also try to feed when he was not particularly sleepy, almost full will not feed, use the story machine to play children's songs to him, if he is still humming, just pat his hands and feet, or pick up and coax for a while and then put it down slowly, until he falls asleep, before one and a half years old can listen to the nursery rhymes and fall asleep on their own.
3. Frequent night milk
Many times the child does not want to breastfeed and wake up at night, but wakes up at night and wants to breastfeed. Especially for a highly sensitive child like my family's dabao, a little discomfort will wake up at night and cry, so if the child's night milk is frequent, we need to find the reason for the night wake-up and appease it in time!
In some special periods, such as the turnover period, just learn to crawl, walk, etc.; the time when the mother just went to work, the baby is separated from anxiety and thinks of the mother; the change of caregiver, room change, bed change, moving and other environmental changes; too excited before going to bed, strong stimulation, frightened, teething or sick discomfort, etc., may make the baby wake up frequently at night to feed and seek comfort.
Therefore, what we should do should be: look for the reason for the baby's night awakening, find a way to alleviate the baby's physical discomfort, such as more hugs, gently caress massage, etc., or accompany the baby to adapt to the environment, such as high-quality companionship, more expression of love, etc., so that the baby can successfully pass this period; instead of rushing to wean the night milk to adjust the baby's schedule!
4. Breastfeeding is not a good meal
Some babies do not eat well after adding complementary foods, but the amount of milk does not decrease but increases. In fact, the baby does not eat well, many times it is caused by the parents' incorrect feeding, and the relationship with breastfeeding is not good. My two babies are also breastfeeding, but the complementary food has always been very good.
In addition, the baby's mind is developing at a high speed, about 1 year old may experience a regressive period of eating, but also in the budding period of "independent exploration" and the peak period of "separation anxiety", babies of this age, when exploring and recognizing the new environment, will encounter various confusions and setbacks, and more need the mother's comfort and support, so the breast milk baby may seek comfort by nesting in the mother's arms to eat breast milk.
So whether breastfeeding or not, the baby loves milk, or is more "clingy" than before, may not be the mother or breast milk itself is at fault. What we have to do is to respond to the baby's needs in time, soothe the baby's emotions, and establish a good parent-child relationship! Instead of pushing your baby away and making him even more insecure!
Of course, it does not mean that we should provide breast milk as a comfort, what the baby really needs is that the family sees his feelings and needs, and gives love, support and help in time.
Therefore, when the baby has bad emotions and wants to feed, we can try to hug and kiss the baby more, high-quality companionship, so that the baby understands that the mother's love has always been there, not just the form of breastfeeding, reducing the baby's dependence on breastfeeding.
In addition, too much milk is too flushed, the baby is anorexia, nipple confusion, and the most common pain experienced by breastfeeding mothers is mastitis, nipple cracking, etc., that unforgettable pain, and helplessness when encountering problems, no one can help, really will make many breastfeeding mothers psychologically collapse.
However, breastfeeding is another mother-baby link after the baby is born, and it is especially happy to watch the baby snuggle up to the side with a contented face. We also hope that more people will recognize the importance of breastfeeding, support breastfeeding, and not put too much psychological pressure on mothers who choose to breastfeed.
Breastfeeding moms, let's share what difficulties you encounter in the process of breastfeeding, and how to solve it!
【Transferred from: Sohu Original - Swallow Parenting Diary 】