Archive for the ‘Breastfeeding Info’ Category:
Lack of Breastmilk Supply
Are you worrying that your milk supply is low? Then you should read the signs of lack of breastmilk, because most women think they have this problem, when in fact they don’t.
Most common signs:
- The baby is not gaining weight.
- The baby is wetting less than 5 diapers a day
- You can’t hear the baby swallowing
- Dehydration (of the mother)
- Too much stress
To prevent this, firstly, you should stay hydrated, drink 8 to 10 cups of water a day. I also recommend drinking herbal tea. Secondly, try to get as much sleep as you can, which I know is hard when you have a new born baby in the house. My advice is to sleep while your baby is also sleeping, and leave the chores around the house to your husband. Be relaxed, stress is commonly the cause of low milk supply.
Try to nurse your baby at least every 2 to 3 hours. When you nurse frequently your breasts will be stimulated and therefore produce more milk. So if the baby isn’t drinking the milk, your body will not make any.
In case any of this is not helping try using a breast pump. Pump for around 5 minutes before every feeding. This really is not a big issue, your breasts just need a bit more stimulation.
You also have to eat a lot more. When you are pregnant you need around 300 calories more than usual, and when breastfeeding a woman requires 500 calories more. Make sure that you are eating a lot of protein. Boiled egg whites, chicken breasts, lamb, salmon, tuna are all very good sources of protein.
Natural supplements and herbs can help, but be sure to consult with your doctor or nutritionist first. I know herbs are natural, but that doesn’t mean that they are safe, in fact they can be potentially dangerous for you and your baby.
Tips on How to Stop Breastfeeding
These are some of the considerations that you should take before you start weaning the baby. How to stop breastfeeding depends on certain conditions. This is not something that can be done in a single day. Your child should be breastfed for at least 6 months before you decide to wean the child. This is because; the mother’s milk has a number of elements that can provide protection to the health of the baby. Children that are at a high risk of asthma or other diseases should be weaned off after 6 months.
If your child is falling sick very often, then it is best to continue breastfeeding. Breast milk is the most nutritious milk for the baby. It’s appetizing and can be easily digested by the baby. In fact babies will refuse any other sort of milk when they are sick. However they will never say no to breastfeeding when they are sick. Breast feeding for the babies is also reassuring and can be extremely good for the bay and the mother.
Start the elimination process really slowly. For the first week, eliminate the breast feed starting with the breakfast. Then gradually proceed with the other feeds. Replace the breastfeed with watered down goat’s milk or any other milk that the baby finds easy to digest. Remember that the process of weaning should be really slow. When you start the process of weaning, you breast may still feel heavy as it is used to the baby asking for the breast feed. At this time, express the milk out of the breast to ensure that your breasts don’t feel heavy at all.
Depending on the age at which you stop breastfeeding, it is also important to give an alternative source of food. For example if your child is 6 months old, when you want to stop breast feeding, then you would need to give some kind of semi solid food or some formula milk. If the baby is more than 1 year old and has been otherwise having proper meals, then the breast feed should be substituted with milk that is available.
Remember that children will cry, become stubborn and be extremely uncomfortable. How to stop breastfeeding can be quite a worrisome and tiring experience for the child as well. Please have some patience as the process of weaning will take about 7-10 days before both you and the baby are comfortable with it.
How to Start Weaning from Breast to Bottle
Weaning from breast to bottle can be a difficult time for both the mother and the baby. The breast produces the milk according to the requirements of the baby. The switch from the breast to the bottle should be a gradual process for both the mother and the baby. If it is done suddenly, the baby may become sick and you can also get a breast inflammation.
As the baby stops demanding for the milk gradually, the production of milk in the breasts will also become less. This will prevent the breasts from become lumpy, hard or inflamed. A little planning will help you with this ongoing procedure.
For mothers that need to return to work, they should plan accordingly. As working mothers, you may still wish to feed your baby in the night and in the morning or do so during the weekends. Plan accordingly. Before you return to work gradually stop giving your baby the breast feed for afternoon, evening and in between feeds. You will have to either give the bottle or the cup. The baby may like formula milk or may prefer some other milk such as goat’s milk (that has been watered down). A baby is also an individual and has likes and dislikes.
When weaning from breast to bottle, the baby also needs to be comfortable with the bottle or the cup. Let the baby feel comfortable with the teat and cup. You should also warm the milk to your body temperature or the temperature at which the baby is comfortable before giving them the milk. The bottle or the cup feed should be given, when the baby is very hungry or wants to go off to sleep. This will make the baby more receptive towards the bottle.
When feeding the baby through the bottle, hold the baby in the normal manner and ensure that the teat has enough supply from the bottle. This will ensure that the baby doesn’t take in gulps of air as this can be painful for the baby.
Some babies can be more difficult that the others. Try giving half breastfeed and then the bottle or the other way round. You can also change the teat or the nipple of the bottle. Change the formula milk as the taste can make the baby more amenable towards the bottle. The hole of the bottle teat should be just right and enable the baby to suck the milk. If it’s too small, then the baby will remain hungry, if the hole is very big, then the baby can easily choke.