Preservation of lactation during illness, mixed feeding, introduction of complementary foods. How to extend the feeding period for the joy and health of the child Herbal medicine and homeopathic remedies

Everyone knows that the best nutrition for a newborn baby is mother's milk. Not a single, even the most expensive and high-quality, artificial mixture can compare with it. Breast milk contains all the substances necessary for a little person: vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, including essential ones, enzymes, hormones.

Until the age of six months, the baby does not need any other products for normal growth and development, including water, since it is present in the required proportions in mother’s milk.

Mother's milk forms a strong immune system that protects a person throughout his life. Repeated medical studies have confirmed that breastfed babies get sick less often and less than “ artificial people".

This is why all conscious and loving mothers want to maintain lactation for as long as possible. But this, alas, does not always happen. Stress, poor nutrition and drinking habits, and poor breastfeeding can lead to a decrease in milk supply. How to improve lactation in a nursing mother?

There are many ways in which you can increase the quantity and quality of breast milk. Let's tell you more about them.

How to improve lactation?

Before you begin to solve the problem, you need to figure out whether it really exists. Often, young parents who are overly concerned about their precious child think that it is not eating enough, although in fact this is not the case at all.

Signs of decreased lactation are the following indicators:

• the baby gains little weight, up to 400 g per month;
• the child has become capricious, irritable, sleeps poorly, “hangs” on the chest for a long time;
• a newborn pees less than 7-8 times a day;
• When expressing, milk is released very poorly or not at all.

If these symptoms occur, do not rush to switch your baby to mixed or artificial nutrition, since the best food for your baby is still your milk.

An important step towards good lactation is the physical and emotional state of the woman. A young mother needs not only to eat well, but also to get enough sleep, often walk in the fresh air, and also remain calm. Stress, anxiety, anxiety, and overwork can lead to a decrease in the level of prolactin and oxytocin - lactation hormones.

That is why the nurse must shift some of the responsibilities for caring for the child to loved ones - husband, mother, mother-in-law, etc. Remember that now you do not belong to yourself, but to a little person who is completely dependent on you.

Wear comfortable, high-quality underwear, allow your mammary glands to “breathe” from time to time, and remove your bra.

Nutrition

Proper, balanced nutrition is the most important condition for adequate breastfeeding and the well-being of the mother. But this does not mean at all that a woman should eat for two; the energy value of the daily diet should not exceed 2700-3000 calories.

It is very important to choose the right products, because, as you know, everything that a nursing mother absorbs must enter the baby’s body in the form of liquid.

You should completely exclude from your diet foods that cause fermentation in the stomach, namely:

• black bread;
• marinades;
• legumes;
• fresh vegetables;
• smoked meats, sausages, fatty meats;
• onions, garlic, other spices;
• pickles, etc.

You should also avoid allergenic foods - cocoa, chocolate, red, orange fruits, vegetables and berries.

And products that improve lactation include:

• soups with vegetable, low-fat meat and fish broth;
• porridge, especially green buckwheat and oatmeal;
• boiled or baked fish;
• fermented milk products (they should be introduced into the diet gradually and only a week after birth);
• almonds, cashews, hazelnuts and walnuts (it is recommended to consume no more than 30 g of nuts per day);
• dried apricots, raisins (no more than 50 g per day).

The basis of the nurse's diet must be predominantly protein. A nursing mother needs to consume at least 200 g of this substance per day.

If your baby suffers from constipation, add dried figs and prunes to the menu. These dried fruits are natural laxatives for both babies and mothers.

Do not forget about the drinking regime, because breast milk consists of 87% water. A nursing mother should drink at least two liters of fluid per day.

The following drinks will help improve lactation and milk quality:

• weak black tea with milk;
• green tea;
• barley coffee;
• freshly squeezed currant and carrot juices;
• uzvar (dried fruit compote), fresh fruit compote;
• decoctions of rose hips, fennel, oregano, anise, nettle, mint;
• special teas to improve breast milk production.

An infusion of milk with walnuts also has a good effect. To prepare it, pour half a glass of peeled walnuts with half a liter of boiling milk. Let it brew for 4-5 hours in a thermos, decant, throw away the nuts, and drink 30 ml of the drink half an hour before each feeding.

It is worth noting that this infusion has a very pleasant, unusual creamy-nutty taste and aroma.

Any drinks and food consumed by the nurse should be warm, not cold or hot.

Application mode

Even 20 years ago, babies were immediately taken from their mothers to a special ward after birth and brought in for feeding according to a specific, clear schedule. Today, pediatricians claim that feeding on demand is an excellent stimulation of lactation, that is, the more often the baby suckles at the breast, the more milk it produces.

Immediately after birth, the newborn is handed over to the loving hands of the mother, and feeding occurs not according to a schedule, but on demand. This applies even to those babies who were born after a caesarean section (after the woman recovers from anesthesia).

If, after a caesarean section, mother and child were separated for one reason or another, in order to improve lactation, the nurse needs to express every 3-4 hours, since stagnation of milk can lead to its “burning”.

Contrast shower and massage

A contrast shower also enhances milk production well. Warm elastic streams of water massage the glands, which allows the nursing mother to improve lactation and blood circulation.

It should be performed twice a day - before morning and evening feeding.

Get under the shower and alternately direct warm and then cool streams onto your chest, creating a clockwise movement.

Thanks to active propaganda and information, most modern mothers themselves want to breastfeed their baby, because they realize that this is important and beneficial for the child. Sometimes circumstances develop in such a way that, despite a great desire to feed, lactation fades away and needs to be restored. This usually happens in the following cases:

• Lactation crisis. A temporary decrease in milk volume is normal. It is associated with hormonal changes, growth spurts in the baby, restoration of the mother’s menstrual cycle, and even the phases of the moon. If you do not delay the moment of crisis (and it lasts 2-3 days), then you can avoid the consequences by additionally stimulating the breasts and offering them to the baby more often. After 2-3 days, the milk volume will be restored, and feeding can be safely continued. If the milk disappears and the mother immediately switches the baby to formula, lactation will decline;
• Stopping feeding for medical reasons. For example, if the mother is sick and takes medications prohibited for breastfeeding. It is also worth stopping feeding for a while if the mother has undergone breast surgery. After illness, breastfeeding will have to be re-established;
• Separation of mother and baby. It happens that a mother or baby ends up in the hospital and feeding becomes impossible. Sometimes, due to the mother’s busy schedule (study session, personal affairs, or the need to temporarily go to work), the child cannot receive breastfeeding on demand. In such cases, the family usually feeds the baby with expressed milk, but due to weak breast stimulation, lactation decreases. To maintain breastfeeding, it is very important to work closely on restoring lactation after a break;
• Incorrect organization of GV. It has long been known that the feeding rules of the times of our mothers and grandmothers only harm breastfeeding. If a young mother starts feeding by the hour, supplementing with water, giving a pacifier, and weaning the baby off night feedings, the baby will suck little at the breast and the milk will begin to disappear. ( We read the large article memo - );
• Stress and overwork. If a mother literally drives herself into a corner, trying to “lift” the whole house on her shoulders and hold the bar high as an exemplary wife and mother, she begins to live in constant tension. If the milk is burnt out, this means that stress hormones are raging in the mother’s body, which inhibit lactation. ( Reading on the topic: ).

How to restore breastfeeding

Reducing and even completely stopping lactation is a problem, but it can be solved. Even a woman who has not given birth can establish lactation, and if the mother was breastfeeding and temporarily stopped, the chances of success are very high. In addition to specific actions aimed at restoring lactation, it is very important to create a favorable environment around the mother and meet certain conditions:

• Look at the situation realistically and be patient if necessary. The younger the child is, the easier it is to “accustom” him to the breast again: for babies under 3 months this is a matter of 1-2 weeks, for children closer to six months it takes much more time. On average, breastfeeding can be restored in the same time that was “spent” on the extinction of lactation;
• Agree with your family for help. Establishing lactation requires a lot of time from the mother. You need to spend literally all day and night with your baby at your breast, so household chores will have to be entrusted to someone else. You can involve your dad and agree with your grandmother to take care of your house for a few days. ( We read: );
• Just in case, find the contact information for a lactation consultant. In general, all the steps to restore lactation are quite simple, but if you have any doubts about whether you are doing everything correctly, consulting a specialist will come in handy. ( GW consultant answers questions )

Now that all the conditions for restoring lactation have been created, you can move on to specific actions.

Note to moms!

Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me too, and I’ll also write about it))) But there’s nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too...

1. Offer your baby the breast regularly. Baby suckling at the breast is the most important “tool” for restoring lactation. In response to sucking, the hormone prolactin is produced, which is responsible for lactation. It is necessary to offer the breast to the child even when he himself does not express a desire. In this case, you must definitely give up the pacifier, because if lactation is restored, it is a serious competitor to the breast ( We read:). Let the baby suckle not only from hunger, but also to satisfy the sucking reflex. If the baby himself does not take the breast, do not stop offering, but use additional stimulation. For this you will need a breast pump. It is possible, but it is not always effective, so it is better to purchase an “assistant”. In this case, you need to express milk at least 8 times per day. ( On this topic: )
2. Gradually reduce the amount of supplementary feeding. During a break in feeding, you will have to feed the baby with formula. When you begin to restore lactation, do not remove the formula suddenly, you need to do this gradually, using the “breast - supplementary feeding - breast” scheme. This means that feeding should begin and end with breast milk. By the way, in order not to confuse the baby with the confusion of the nipple and bottle during the relactation period, you can give the formula using a special supplementary feeding system at the breast ( This system is a container for milk from which a thin tube extends. The container has a cord that is placed around the mother's neck, and the tube can be attached to the skin of the breast with a plaster so that its end is at the top of the nipple. Thus, when feeding, both the tube and the mother’s breast appear in the child’s mouth: the child sucks the mixture from the tube and at the same time sucks the breast. Video clip below... ).
3. Watch your diet. There is no need to do anything supernatural. During the period of restoration of lactation, a nursing mother needs to drink enough water and eat a balanced diet (the menu must include protein). This does not affect milk production so much as it simply provides the body with the necessary resources to establish feeding.
4. Refer to folk and traditional medical remedies. Traditional medicine recommends special lactogonine teas and decoctions to restore lactation. Plants that can help restore milk are cumin, anise, fennel and nettle. You can buy dried pharmaceutical preparations and make decoctions yourself, or you can use ready-made ones. There are also hormonal drugs for promoting lactation, but they can only be taken as prescribed by a doctor. ( See the link block below...)
5. 24/7 physical contact. When establishing lactation, it is better for mother and baby to literally “stick” to each other. Skin-to-skin contact, especially on the “skin to skin” principle, stimulates the mother’s production of lactation hormones, and awakens the child’s instincts. Even if the baby himself refuses the breast, constantly being in close proximity to the mother’s body, he will smell her, the smell of milk and will certainly instinctively begin to be interested in the breast again. It is advisable not only to constantly be close to the baby during the day, but also at night. For example, organize a joint sleep.
6. Warm shower. Lightly massaging the breasts with streams of warm water several times a day improves milk flow. This will not increase your milk volume, but it will make it easier for the milk to flow out of the breast, which means it will be easier for your baby to breastfeed. This is especially important after a bottle, because many children choose a bottle precisely because they don’t have to work too hard with it: everything flows into the mouth itself, while milk from the breast has to be “extracted” by sweat.
7. Thoracic back massage. Massage of the area between the shoulder blades and the collar area can activate the process of milk production. It is better if the massage is performed by a specialist, but he must be warned that you are breastfeeding.
8. Complete rest and lack of stress. Mom definitely needs to get enough sleep, walk in the fresh air and avoid stress. Stress hormones “block” lactation.
9. Breast massage- we read.
10. Drink fenugreek.

You can breastfeed your baby even if you have little or no milk:

During the period of restoration of lactation, the psychological mood of the mother is very important: she needs to act calmly and confidently. There are practically no irreversible situations with breastfeeding, so you just need to follow all the rules and wait for the result. It doesn’t always happen quickly, but if you do everything consistently and patiently, it will definitely happen.

What else you need to know about restoring lactation

• Stagnation of milk in the breast is not a contraindication for feeding, so lactostasis will have virtually no effect on the ability to feed. On the contrary, frequent latching of the baby to the breast -;
• Sometimes, to suppress already established lactation or to prevent its occurrence immediately after childbirth, women are prescribed drugs "Dostinex" or "Bromocriptine" . Both of these drugs reduce prolactin levels and thereby stop lactation. The need for such a rough cessation of lactation occurs for medical reasons. When the problems are over, mothers ask themselves: Is it possible to restore lactation after Dostinex or Bromocriptine? — Yes, this is indeed possible, and the recovery methods are no different from those listed above. Lactation is a physiological process, there are no special secrets in establishing it after taking medications, you just need to start this mechanism again. The main assistant here is the baby himself, but you also need to follow all the accompanying recommendations.

And finally: the most important thing is the mother’s desire to breastfeed. Women restore lactation after illness, severe operations, or long separations from their baby. The examples of those who have succeeded are very inspiring, because if others have succeeded, then you will definitely succeed too!

The lactation process is a very sensitive milk production mechanism to the baby’s needs, concentrated in the body of the nursing mother. Moreover, the amount of milk depends entirely on its effective removal from the mother’s breast. Therefore, when a young mother refuses, for certain reasons, breastfeeding, the process of milk production gradually fades away. This does not mean that a nursing mother’s milk disappears forever and restoration of lactation is impossible.

There are cases in history where elderly women breastfed their infant grandson during wartime. Cases of the appearance of breast milk in the glands of women who breastfed “other people’s” children have also been described. Today this is commonly called induced lactation, when breastfeeding is practiced by a woman who has not previously breastfed or even been pregnant before, or she decides to take the baby from an orphanage. This demonstrates the complexity of breastfeeding. To understand how it is possible to regain lost lactation or start it from scratch, it is important to know that the trigger mechanism lies in the woman’s great desire to feed her baby. Lactation processes begin to function both at the physiological level (breastfeeding mechanisms are launched during pregnancy) and at the psychological and emotional level. Therefore, the desire of a nursing mother, her motivation is very important for the restoration of guards.

Reasons for premature termination of breastfeeding

Mother's milk is the ideal nutrition for a baby. But life dictates its own conditions and often the mother stops lactation prematurely and weans the baby from the breast due to certain circumstances. A baby under 1.5–2 years old still desperately needs a valuable milk elixir. In this case, the young mother may feel discomfort from an overfilled breast, which can cause lactostasis or. The most common causes of premature termination of lactation are as follows:

• Errors in the organization of breastfeeding and feeding techniques. Incorrect breastfeeding technique can cause pain in the nursing mother and make it difficult for the breastfeeding woman to release milk. At the same time, the baby becomes restless, requires more frequent feedings, and the woman may mistakenly perceive this behavior as a lack of milk in the breast and start using artificial formula. Errors in the organization also include lack of night feedings, supplementing with water, etc.
• Maternal diseases incompatible with breastfeeding. It is known that when the mother is ill, antibodies enter into breast milk, which support the newborn’s immunity, preventing the baby from becoming infected or more easily transferring the infection. But there is a list of diseases for which breastfeeding is contraindicated (open form of tuberculosis, heart disease in the stage of decompensation, severe renal and hepatic pathology, mental disorders, cancer, etc.).
• Taking certain medications by a nursing woman. If a nursing mother is prescribed a drug that is incompatible with breastfeeding (metronidazole, cimetidine, salicylates, etc.), the woman can resume lactation without any problems by supporting her during the treatment period.
• Diseases of the baby and his weakened condition. It happens that a premature baby or a child after a long labor is weakened, experiences severe stress and has a weakened sucking reflex. A short frenulum, pain in the mouth during teething, ear inflammation, and a runny nose in a baby can cause the baby to refuse the breast and stop breastfeeding.
• Unusually long separation between mother and baby. There are times when mother and baby are separated for health reasons or the mother is absent for a session. If during this period a woman does not maintain lactation by expressing, the milk gradually disappears.
• Overexcitement, stress, overwork. Excessive physical and emotional stress and anxiety trigger the production of stress hormones, which suppress lactation. Therefore, family conflicts and frequent worries may be the reason why a mother’s breast milk has disappeared.
• . These periods of physiological decrease in the amount of breast milk are often interpreted by a young mother as indications for supplementary feeding with formula and a gradual reduction in the proportion of breastfeeding.
• Uncertainty of a nursing mother. Successful breastfeeding requires a firm conviction and commitment to a long period of lactation. An experienced lactation consultant or psychologist can tell you what to do in such a situation and how to restore breast milk.
• Lack of support from loved ones and medical staff. Unfavorable attitudes towards breastfeeding today, and especially towards long-term breastfeeding, persist due to many unfounded myths. A woman after childbirth is very vulnerable, suspicious and needs support from loved ones. Therefore, when parents, husbands, and girlfriends advise giving up breastfeeding with the “best” intentions, a young mother who is dependent on them often has to give in and refuse proper nutrition for the child.

Breastfeeding is not only the process of satiating the baby. When feeding, a woman feels the fullness of maternal happiness, close emotional contact with her child, sucking calms the baby: maternal closeness gives the baby a feeling of security. The benefits of human milk are invaluable and irreplaceable by even the most innovative mixture. In addition, artificial nutrition can cause stool upset, overeating, etc. in the baby. It is these factors that most often influence a young mother’s decision to relactation.

Is it possible to return breast milk and how to restore lactation after a break can be correctly advised by an experienced lactation consultant. At the same time, in each specific case, an individual approach and taking into account all the existing nuances of the relactation procedure remain very important. Thus, when a child is under six months of age, the recovery process is easier than in older children. It also matters how the baby previously received nutrition (from a bottle, spoon, syringe, SNS system), whether the mother practiced pumping, whether a pacifier was used, whether the child is familiar with the mother’s breast, etc.

“What should a nursing mother do if the baby refuses to breastfeed?”, “How to properly restore lactation after a long break?” and “What to do if milk disappears after depression?” - these are the most popular questions about relactation, the difficulties of which can be successfully overcome with the right approach.

10 steps to restore lactation

Step 1 Preparatory. When restoring breastfeeding, a young mother must be firmly convinced of its necessity and significance for the health and development of the child. A woman must understand that this process can take up all her time for several weeks and will require patience and perseverance. At this stage, it is very important to enlist the support and understanding of your family and close friend. If there are other children in the family, try to explain to them your future actions in advance.

Step 2 Liquidation. It is necessary to return lactation by giving up all sucking objects. Nipples, pacifiers, and bottles are removed as far as possible. Alternating these objects with the breast can disorient the baby and the baby will choose a more familiar and easier way of getting food and calming down. In some situations, such actions are carried out gradually even before the start of relactation, daily reducing the time the baby has contact with the pacifier. For supplementary feeding, a cup, a spoon, a syringe without a needle, and an SNS system are used.

Step 3 Contact. When a young mother is looking for an answer to the question of how to resume breastfeeding, she cannot do without establishing a close emotional connection with her baby. To do this, they use skin-to-skin contact, the Christina Smiley method or self-attachment, the “nesting” method, babywearing, co-sleeping, and frequent and prolonged carrying. All these methods, to one degree or another, are aimed at the privacy of mother and baby, their continuous stay together and contact. At the same time, it is very important to exclude everything that can distract the baby: massage, trips to the clinic, visiting guests, etc. It is important that the child’s care is provided exclusively by the mother.

Step 4 Limiting. The essence of this stage is to reduce the share of artificial nutrition when feeding the baby. In this case, the food intake plan must be agreed upon with a pediatrician or breastfeeding consultant, since it depends on many individual factors (age, monthly weight gain, availability of complementary foods, amount of breast milk, etc.).

Step 5 Restorative. If after lactation, or more precisely, after the last act of feeding, a rather long period has passed, breast milk has disappeared and the woman has not made attempts to stimulate the processes of its production, it is necessary to resume them. This also applies to mothers who have never breastfed. The process of milk production must be resumed a few days before the baby starts breastfeeding. Such stimulating actions include the following:

• set yourself up for successful and long-term breastfeeding;
• establish pumping processes;
• Before feeding, take a warm drink;
• warm the breasts with a warm compress, shower before feeding;
• stimulate nipples;
• master the technique;
• use, after consultation with a doctor, lactogenic preparations and dietary supplements (“Femilak”, “Mlekoin”, “Laktogon”) (dill, cumin, anise, nettle, yarrow, fenugreek, etc.), (“Lactamil”, “Milky Way” and etc.);
• normalize diet and sleep.

The lost volume of breast milk must be restored gradually. When the baby begins to actively empty the breast, this will become the most effective way to stimulate it.

Step 6 Liberal. Do not put undue pressure on your baby by offering him the breast. You need to be patient, give the baby some freedom, and allow him to show interest in the breast and nipple. Always offer feedings before bedtime and during times of awakening and fussiness. If the attempt fails, calm the baby down. You should not allow your baby to cry at your breast. Don't insist, but don't despair either.

Step 7 Corrective. This is a very important stage from the point of view of the quality of breastfeeding, when a woman, trying with all her might to latch onto the breast with her baby, sometimes forgets about the technical side of feeding. Therefore, it is very important to observe the basic rules of the baby’s position at the breast, choose, adhere to all the principles of breastfeeding (alternating breasts, etc.).

Step 8 Control. After observing a positive trend in relactation processes, the questions “How to get milk back?” and “Is it possible to restore lactation?” Nursing mothers have new, no less important concerns regarding a sufficient amount of milk and compliance with the proportions of supplementary feeding. You can check whether milk formation processes are active enough using Moll's method. To do this, measure the temperature in the armpit and under the mammary gland. The lactation process is normal if the body temperature under the breast is 0.1–0.5 ° higher.

To determine whether your milk supply is sufficient, you can perform a “wet diaper test” by analyzing weight gain or using other methods. As a rule, the pediatrician decides what to do with supplementary feeding, based on weight indicators.

Step 9 Consolidate the results. Don't let your guard down. The baby needs close maternal communication even with successful breastfeeding. Try not to leave your baby for a long time, show love and willingness to help more often. The psyche of a baby is extremely vulnerable.

Step 10 Final. This is a very important stage, which will greatly affect the duration of established breastfeeding. After all, breastfeeding is a process no less pleasant for the mother herself. Therefore, if a woman learns to enjoy breastfeeding, she will try to maintain and prolong it. Breastfeeding is one of the most touching aspects of motherhood. Having overcome the difficulties of relactation, the young mother begins to feel the beauty of breastfeeding more acutely and enjoys every contact with the baby to a greater extent.

The duration of lactation is influenced by the diet, work and rest of the mother. To maintain breast milk production, it is recommended to adhere to one lifestyle, living conditions, i.e. proper nutrition and maintaining physical and emotional balance. Let's try to understand the question: “How to maintain and prolong lactation?”

• Maintaining the same daily routine, your diet and feeding your baby while breastfeeding. This has an impact on how long it will last lactation , prone to change when living conditions change;
• A complete and varied diet is necessary. It is imperative to include meat, fish, and eggs in your diet, as they contain large amounts of protein, which promotes the formation of breast milk. It is recommended to consume lactic acid products daily, which are a source of proteins, fats and calcium, and it is also necessary to consume cereals, brown bread, vegetables and fruits, which are sources of vitamins, minerals and energy. This diet has a great influence on the quality and quantity of breast milk;
• It is recommended to eat freshly prepared food 4-5 times a day. Overeating is not advisable because it has adverse effects similar to undereating;
• It is recommended to drink fluids as much as the body needs, but not less than 1-1.5 liters daily. If you drink too much fluid, lactation will not increase or prolong. Drinking large amounts of milk (more than 500 ml daily) is not recommended, since in the future the child may be immune to the protein contained in cow's milk;
• It is recommended to feed the baby at the same time, which will help ensure that milk will be produced reflexively at a certain time. If there is insufficient milk supply for the next feeding, it is recommended to express the breast after the baby has eaten and between feedings;
• It is necessary to express the breast after each feeding and between feedings for up to 6 months, while complementary foods are not yet included in the baby's diet. Starting from 6 months, when two breastfeedings are replaced by two complementary foods, pumping should be done only instead of breastfeeding. This is necessary in order to prevent stagnation of milk, increase its quantity for the next breastfeeding and allow prolongation lactation;
• Starting from the second half of the year, there is no need to express your breasts between feedings. It is recommended to gradually prepare the mammary glands to produce less milk in order tocessation of lactationcould pass quickly and less painfully.

Increased lactation

Drinking lactogenic teas helps increase lactation. Herbs that have a lactogenic effect include:

• anise. Has a mild antispasmodic and calming effect;
• thyme. Has a calming and disinfecting effect;
• rosehip, which serves as a source of vitamins and improves immunity;
• nettle, cumin, lemon balm, fennel. These herbs can be used when feeding very young children.

It is recommended to consume teas throughout the entire period during which you are breastfeeding your baby. It is recommended to drink one cup of tea 20 minutes before feeding the baby 2-3 times a day. Tea should be prepared immediately before consumption. Each herb can be used within 2-3 weeks.

Technique for attaching a baby to the breast

The technique that needs to be used when applying the baby to the breast, as well as the nutrition of the mother herself, has a great influence on increasing lactation. To increase lactation, it is recommended to study correct position of mother and baby during feeding, the emotional background during feeding, as well as the baby’s reaction, is very important. It is believed that 20-30 minutes of feeding is enough for a child to get adequate nutrition. If he stays at the breast longer, then he needs it to satisfy his sucking reflex or to simply pamper himself at the breast.

Every year there are new arguments in favor of breastfeeding. They prove that natural milk provides the baby’s body with all the necessary substances for growth and development. The feeding process affects the baby’s intelligence, the formation of his character and his further ability to adapt to society. According to WHO, it is recommended to breastfeed a child for at least 2 years; this has a positive effect on the health of mother and child. Many mothers would really like this, but they can’t. Every month the amount of milk becomes less or it disappears altogether. The use of infant formula and other complementary foods weakens the child's interest in the breast. Occurring lactation crises can reduce milk production for several days. The process of breastfeeding is a sacrament, and it must be approached very responsibly. Many things can influence its suspension: diet, breaks between feedings, disease of the mammary glands, a restless environment at home, worries, and more. Everything can be fixed, you need to know and use simple means of increasing lactation.

The amount of breast milk depends on many reasons. The main thing is that the mother’s body must maintain the required level of prolactin and oxytocin. The first is considered a motherhood hormone and is responsible for the process of milk production. The second affects the reflex of its release and movement along the thoracic tract. For good lactation, it is necessary to maintain sufficient levels of these hormones at all times.

There are two opinions on the issue of feeding babies. First: children need to be fed on a schedule, every 3 hours. Second: you should put your baby to your breast only at his request. Many breastfeeding experts favor the latter. Frequent breast stimulation increases milk production. The secret of lactation is simple: what is eaten is what is received.

The amount of milk also depends on the correct position of the baby when feeding. If the baby is comfortable sucking the breast, nothing distracts him, he grasps the nipple correctly - feeding will be complete. He will be able to suck out more without tension and thereby stimulate the flow of a new portion.

Pumping also helps the functioning of the mammary glands.

Up to 6 months it is practiced after each feeding, while the baby’s additional nutrition is limited. From six months onwards, it is allowed to replace up to two breastfeedings with complementary foods and express during this time. Such measures will prevent stagnation of milk in the ducts of the mammary gland and increase its quantity for the next feeding.

Breastfeeding is the unity of the child with the mother. Children who eat their own milk grow stronger, calmer, and smiling. Is it possible to deprive a baby of this happiness even at night?

It is believed that in the absence of full night breastfeeding, milk will be released less than it should be. If the mother stops feeding the baby at night altogether, it can quickly end. The hormone prolactin is responsible for the production of difficult milk. And it is most actively produced between 3 am and 8 am.

Therefore, breastfeeding at night, if the baby requires it, normalizes lactation.

Night feedings are also useful for shaping the character of a little person. They help him sleep better and cope with any physical discomfort. Analgesic hormones contained in milk relieve toothache and any disease.

Mother's nutrition is reflected in the composition of milk. Experts advise breastfeeding women to eat small meals often. The diet should include meat, fish, eggs. Protein is essential for the formation of breast milk and the development of the baby. Lactic acid products contain important fats, proteins and calcium. Vegetables and cereals are a necessary source of energy, vitamins and minerals.

Particular attention should be paid to the drinking regime. There are no restrictions on the amount of fluid intake for a nursing woman. You can drink as much as you want - vitamin fruit drinks, teas, compotes, jelly, juices, still mineral water. It has been found that any warm liquid drunk before feeding increases the release of oxytocin and increases the flow of breast milk. It doesn’t get bigger, but at high tide it will be easier for the baby to suck it out. It is advisable for nursing mothers to limit cow’s milk.

It is recommended not more than 0.5 liters per day. The body of a small child may not be receptive to cow's milk protein. It is also undesirable to indulge in citrus fruits, chocolate, spicy, smoked foods to avoid an allergic reaction in the baby. If he experiences redness of the skin or an upset tummy, he needs to remember which high-risk foods his mother consumed in the last few days and exclude them from her menu for a month.

A nursing mother should not be nervous. Adrenaline released during excitement blocks oxytocin. Experts recommend giving up any business - talking, watching TV - while feeding. The child feels the mother’s mood, it is transmitted to him. Experiencing anxiety, the baby will not be able to eat fully and will remain hungry. Will ask for the breast often, suckle little, and leave most of the milk in the breast.

It is important for mother to create the necessary conditions for feeding. Take a comfortable position, relax, smile at the baby, hug him, whisper something tender.

Compared to a lifetime, 2-3 years of breastfeeding is a very short time. This is what can give a child the experience of communicating with a loved one, filled with warmth and love.