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BREASTFEEDING
Diet During Breast-feeding:
Breastfeeding mothers usually have doubts about what should be eaten and how much
during this period. You should continue eating a balanced diet like the one during
your pregnancy. An extra 300 Calories above the pregnant requirement should be taken (600
Calories above the pre-pregnant state). Diet in Pregnancy One must continue taking Iron and Calcium supplementation during
breastfeeding for 4-6 months
Alcohol interferes with milk let down. Link to
let down reflex in breastfeeding. A study shows babies consume less breast milk
after the mother has consumed alcohol.
Smoking should be avoided as nicotine interferes with let down reflex
resulting in low milk supply. Link to let down reflex in
breastfeeding.
Breast
Care:
During pregnancy you don’t have to take special care of your breasts / or
nipples. But one must examine them during pregnancy itself
Be sure to wear the bras, which provide enough support. Nursing bras
are available, which give room for extra growth of your breasts.
Wash your nipples with warm water before and
after each feeding.
Soaps, lotions may not be necessary and can cause irritation.
To prevent dryness apply little expressed
colostrum, human milk, medical grade modified lanolin.
Breast care in special situations:
(i)
Inverted nipples:
During pregnancy if you have inverted nipples consult your doctor for correction. This
is done by manipulation or by shields in later month of pregnancy.
Link to Postures while Breast-feeding.
(ii)
Sore/ cracked nipples
Once you start breastfeeding you
may experience slight tenderness of the nipples. This is quite
normal in the first 2-3 days after delivery.
Soreness of nipples in early lactation period is due to wrong
positioning of the baby.
Link
to postures while breastfeeding
Sore nipples can be
extremely painful. Nipple shield should not be used. Breast-feeding should be continued. . Nipple should be exposed to air and sunlight. Don’t
use ointment/creams; instead use a drop of hind milk expressed from the breast.
If the soreness persists
or suddenly appears after a week or two of delivery, then it is mostly due to fungal
infection. This soreness is associated with pain and itching over the area around the
nipple. The baby may also have thrush inside the mouth. Consult a doctor for treatment
of the
fungal infection of your breast and your baby’s oral thrush.
(iii) Breast
engorgement:
Breast engorgement may occur when your breasts become too full with milk. A little
engorgement is normal, but excessive enorgement becomes painful or uncomfortable. This
makes the hard and your baby may find it difficult to feed. Thus a
vicious cycle begins as the breasts are not properly emptied and get
engorged.
If your breast becomes
engorged then:
Engorgement can be prevented by
“feeding on demand /by expressing out excess milk if your
breasts feel uncomfortable.
(iv)
Mastitis:
Mastitis is infection of a blocked milk duct leading to swelling, redness, pain and
fever. Consult your doctor for the treatment. Treatment includes rest, warm compresses,
antibiotics, adequate breast support and continued breastfeeding.
If breastfeeding is painful, then:
Allow the breast milk to ooze out as
your baby suckles at the other breast.
Breast milk can be manually
expressed. Link to
Manual expression of breast milk.
Pumping the breast may be required. Link to pumping in Expression of breast milk.
Medications
during breastfeeding:
Usually medications are safe to take during
breast-feeding, but there are a few that can be dangerous for the baby. To
be sure, let
your doctor and your baby’s doctor Pediatrician know that you are
breastfeeding. Get approval for all medications, including non-prescription drugs. Also, take
the medication just after you nurse rather than just before. Some birth control pills
also might affect your milk production, but effects vary from woman to woman and with the
type of pill. Link to side effects of O.C. Pills in Prevention
of Pregnancy. Discuss this with your doctor.
Breast feeding in a working women:
Most offices give a maternity leave of 3 months. Central
government offices may give 4 1/2 months leave. It is
recommended to continue breastfeeding for additional 3 months. When
you resume your work after these 3 months, DON’T stop breast-feeding. You can do both. Working women can
continue breast-feeding, by adopting different methods after
their maternity leave is over.
Extend
the leave, if you can
If you have a child care clinic near your work
place, you can nurse your baby often during the day.
If work can be done from home, nothing
like it.
Work part-time. Feed before going and after
coming from your office.
Express milk, 3 – 4 times a day in your
office. This will maintain your production of milk. You can feed this milk to your baby at
home later. Link to ways of expressing and storage of
expressed milk.
Start formula feeds only after the baby is 6
months old. Link to weaning.
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For this you may
require:
Special permission from your superior to allow
you to express breast milk during office hours.
A separate room, if your company does not have a
lactation room.
Co-operation from your colleagues.
A refrigerator / small cooler and ice packs when
you can store the milk.
Next |
Why Breastfeeding
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