Breastfeeding for the first time. Breastfeeding a newborn in the early days

A woman, while still pregnant, must make a clear decision to breastfeed. This forms a dominant in the brain for the formation and development of lactation. Proper breastfeeding is not possible without an internal setting. The support of family and friends in this matter is important.

Second rule: the first feeding of a baby

Ideally, the first application of a newborn is carried out in the delivery room. Early contact contributes to the development of lactation and the colonization of the skin and intestines of the newborn with bifidum flora. How to properly apply a newborn for feeding, the medical staff will show. If the condition of the child or the puerperal does not allow this, the first attachment to the breast is transferred. If the woman is in a satisfactory condition, the medical staff teaches self-pumping. This skill will not allow the extinction of milk production and the development of lactostasis. In the absence of contraindications, the child can be fed with expressed milk during a separate stay.

The third rule: the correct attachment of the child to the breast

The problem of how to properly attach a baby to the breast, especially for the first time, is very important. How to take a breast, the newborn is still unknown. And mom needs to remember or learn to how to breastfeed your baby:

immediately before feeding, the mother needs to wash her hands and pour warm water over her breasts;
Decide on a position for feeding. Usually this is sitting (reclining) or standing (after an episiotomy);
the child is placed on the crook of the elbow, the other hand brings the nipple as close as possible to the mouth of the baby;
obeying the reflexes, the baby will grab the nipple and start sucking;
the breast should be given so that the baby captures the nipple and almost the entire areola with his mouth. At the same time, its lower lip will be slightly turned out, the chin and nose touches the chest.

The child's nose should not sink. How to properly apply the baby for feeding is also important for the health of the mother. If it is wrong to breastfeed a newborn, several breast problems can be acquired. First of all, these are macerations and cracks in the nipples.

breastfeeding a newborn, especially the first few days, should be no more than 20 minutes each. This will allow the delicate skin of the nipples to harden and get used to the new effect.

Often this does not work out. The child may be restless or have a large body mass and constantly demand to eat. In such cases, a nursing mother needs to arrange air baths more often and lubricate the nipples with healing ointments, such as Bepanten.

one feeding - one breast. If the child ate everything from it and did not eat enough, offer a second one. Start the next feeding with the last one. So the child will receive not only foremilk, but also hind milk.

Fourth rule: signs of production and flow of milk to the breast

The symptoms of lactation are:

tingling or tightness in the chest;
the secretion of milk during the crying of the child;
for each sucking of the baby there is a sip of milk;
leakage of milk from the free breast during feeding.

These signs indicate the formed active reflex of oxytocin. Lactation is established.

Fifth rule: feeding on demand

Newborn babies need to be fed frequently. In Soviet times, there were rules according to which breastfeeding was carried out every three hours and no more than twenty minutes. Nowadays, it is recommended to feed the baby on demand. Give breasts literally at the first squeak. Particularly capricious and demanding children almost every hour. This allows you to feed the baby and give him a feeling of warmth and care.

Frequent applications relieve the need for mandatory pumping and serve as a prevention of lactostasis. And night feedings will serve as an excellent stimulation of the main hormone of lactation - prolactin.

How much to breastfeed in time, ideally, the baby himself determines. If you turn away or fall asleep, it means you are full. Over time, the baby will eat less.

Sixth rule: sufficiency of feeding

Women's milk in the process of its evolution goes through certain stages: colostrum, transitional, mature milk. Their quantity and quality composition ideally meets the needs of the newborn. They also produce early and late milk. The first is produced at the very beginning of feeding, rich in water and proteins. The second comes from the back of the mammary gland, it has more fat. It is important for the baby to get both.

There are times when it seems to the mother that she does not have milk and the child does not eat enough. To determine the adequacy of feeding, there are certain criteria:

restoration of body weight at birth by the 10th day of life with an initial loss of 10%;
6 - 18 wet diapers per day;
the child poops 6 - 10 times a day;
positive oxytocin reflex;
audible swallowing of the baby during sucking.

Seventh rule: accounting possible feeding problems

flat or inverted nipples. In some cases, by the time of delivery, this difficulty is solved by itself. Others need to remember that the baby, when sucking, must capture both the nipple and most of the areola. Before feeding, try to stretch the nipple yourself. Find an acceptable position for feeding. For many mothers, a comfortable position is "from under the arm." Use silicone pads. If the breast is tight and it is difficult for the newborn to suck from it, pump. The breast will become softer in 1-2 weeks. And the child will not be deprived of mother's milk.

No need to try to "pull out" the nipples before childbirth. Excessive stimulation will lead to an increase in the tone of the uterus. Over time, an actively suckling baby will normalize everything.

cracked nipples. The basis of prevention is proper breastfeeding. If cracks appear, use silicone pads. Make applications with lanolin ointment and Bepanthen as often as possible. If the cracks are deep and feeding is painful, use a breast pump;
milk flow. Easily solved by using special inserts. They are disposable and reusable;
a lot of milk, and the child chokes on it. Express some fore milk. When feeding, it will flow out under less pressure;
engorgement of the mammary glands. Occurs when overfilled with milk. The chest is sore, swollen, hot to the touch, and very hard. Milk does not flow out of it. If this problem occurs, it is necessary to quickly remove milk from the breast. Attach your baby often or pump. Take a warm shower before feeding. Do a light chest massage. This will improve outflow. To reduce swelling after feeding, apply a cold compress;
lactostasis and mastitis. Occurs when the milk ducts are blocked. The body temperature rises, the chest hurts, the place of stagnation turns to stone. Pumping is painful. A warm shower, gentle breast massage and frequent breastfeeding come to the rescue. When an infection is attached, antibiotics are required.

Infectious mastitis is a formidable complication that requires medical intervention. Non-conversion is fraught with surgical intervention up to the loss of the breast.

lactation crises. They develop at 3-6 weeks, at 3-4 and 7-8 months of a child's life. During these periods, the most important thing is to apply more often and be sure to feed the baby at night. Drink teas with lemon balm, fennel and cumin. Rest and eat well.

Feed the baby breast milk- a laborious, but delightful in its natural process. Remember this and everything will work out.

Breastfeeding a newborn is a completely natural and physiological process, but many women have many questions for the first time. It is very important to figure out how to breastfeed correctly in order to avoid difficulties such as the development of lactostasis, refusal of the breast, lack of milk.

Is it necessary to breastfeed a child?

Often women are interested in what will happen to the child if the mother did not breastfeed him. The vast majority of neonatologists or pediatricians recommend breastfeeding at least in the first months of a child's life, since mother's milk contains the ideal amount of fats, amino acids and vitamins needed by the baby.

How much to breastfeed the baby is usually decided by the mother herself, but doctors recommend that breastfeeding be continued until at least six months of age. Until what age is the best time to feed a baby? There is no deadline for breastfeeding, but most women wean their children from the breast at the age of one and a half to two years, less often they continue feeding until three to five years.

If breastfeeding is not possible for some reason, it is necessary to use a special milk formula to feed the child, which is close in composition to mother's milk. Replace adapted mixture cereals, broths or regular milk is prohibited. These products are not enough useful substances, such food will harm the child.

Rules for feeding on demand

The frequency of feeding a newborn with breast milk depends on the chosen method of feeding. There are two ways to feed your baby: on demand and on schedule.

Of course, the mother herself decides which way to choose, but you need to consider that on-demand feeding is the best option. Only this method of feeding guarantees long and high-quality lactation, because regular stimulation of the nipples causes milk production.

A woman starts breastfeeding on demand immediately after childbirth, as soon as the doctor gives her the baby. And from that moment, as soon as the child cries, the woman offers him a breast.

This method of feeding provides sufficient nutrition to the child, the baby cries a little, as he is always next to his mother, he is calm and warm. Thanks to frequent applications, a woman is not threatened with a lack of milk, and the likelihood of developing lactostasis and mastitis is also reduced.

Often women are afraid of feeding on demand, as it becomes necessary to constantly get up and feed the baby at night. Most The best way to avoid sleepless nights - the correct organization of feeding on demand. To do this, it is recommended to sleep next to the child.

In order not to take the baby to the parent's bed, you should try to put the crib next to it and remove one side. In this case, the woman will be able to breastfeed the baby on demand without getting out of bed.

The breast should be changed every two hours, regardless of the frequency of application, so that the child has time to suck the entire breast without residue.
It is very important to apply correctly so that not only the nipple, but almost the entire areola is in the child’s mouth, otherwise cracks and stagnation will occur due to ineffective emptying of the gland.
During the period breastfeeding you need to eat right, do not drink alcohol and allergens.
Feeding should be carried out at the request of the baby, wherever the woman is.

How often you need to feed on demand depends on the age and condition of the baby. A baby up to three months old can be applied 20 times a day. If a child is teething or sick, for the sake of comfort, the baby can be at the breast almost all day, this is the norm. To facilitate the process for a woman, special devices will help - slings and ergo-backpacks, which help to safely carry the baby and do their job.

Feeding rules according to the regimen

Feeding according to the regimen is an option that is more convenient for the mother, but less useful for the baby. Benefits of routine feeding:

You can plan your day, leave if necessary.
When the child gets used to the regime, it will be possible to avoid night feeding.

Disadvantages of feeding by the hour:

The baby may not eat. Due to infrequent attachments, the baby does not receive enough milk.
At first, the baby will cry a lot, because the regime is incomprehensible to him.
The likelihood of developing milk stagnation is greatly increased, since nature does not provide for long breaks. Normally, the breast should empty constantly, and not once every three hours.
There is a high probability of a decrease in lactation, especially in the absence of nightly applications, since it is at night that an active release of prolactin occurs.

Thus, feeding by the hour is not recommended at this time. But if a woman nevertheless made a decision for herself, then you need to do it right. First of all, it is necessary to understand that feeding according to the regimen cannot be started from the birth of a child. The newborn will not be able to quickly get used to the regimen and will scream for days and nights, which is bad for both the child and the parents.

In addition, in the first two months, the process of breastfeeding is normalized, lactation is established. If a woman rarely feeds, milk production is likely to stop, and by the third month of a baby's life, it will burn out.

Only from the second, and preferably from the third month of life, you can switch to the regime, increasing the intervals between feedings. The older child is already learning the world, it is easier to distract him from the breast than a newborn.

The intervals between feedings should be increased gradually, this is very important. First, you need to feed every 2.5 hours, then every 3 hours. After 6 months - every 4 hours. If you immediately make an interval of 4 hours, the child will not gain weight well, such nutrition is not enough.

Every mother is advised to listen to the child, and if the baby really wants to eat, you need to break the regimen and feed him. It is also better to abandon the regimen during the period of illness and teething, and in order to alleviate the condition of the baby, it is better to offer breasts on demand.

For babies in the first months of life, the most healthy nutrition is breast milk. The components included in its composition allow the crumbs to fully develop and grow. So that the process of feeding does not become a painful procedure, young mothers should not make common mistakes. They need to know how to feed the baby, when is the best time to do so, and what mistakes to avoid.

And now let's dwell on this in more detail.

Features of the first attachment of a newborn

The first attachment of the baby to the mother's breast is the final process of delivery. This manipulation is carried out necessarily, because this is the only way to establish and strengthen lactation. Let us dwell on why it is so important in the first minutes of birth to put the baby to the mother's breast?

The first application of the crumbs should occur immediately after its appearance in this world. It is important that the meeting of the mother with the baby takes place no later than 30 minutes. As soon as the baby was born, the doctor cut off his umbilical cord, he was immediately sent to his mother's chest.

Attendance at birth pediatrician should help the baby find the nipple with sponges and grab it. This is exactly how the first application happens.

Why so few? This time will be enough for him to feel his mother and get the necessary portion of colostrum, oh useful properties which we will discuss next. In addition, the baby is laid naked on the mother’s chest, and he cannot stay undressed for a long time, as he will simply freeze.

The purpose of the first application is to feed the baby with valuable drops of colostrum. In this case, it is possible to form a reliable immunity to protect the body. The reason is that colostrum has valuable components. Thanks to them, the baby's body is protected from various infections, which tend to hit the still weakened body of the baby.

The first application is a kind of vaccination of a newborn baby from various ailments.

Valuable properties of colostrum

Colostrum is the secret of the mammary glands, the production of which occurs before childbirth and in the last days of pregnancy. A secret arises against the background of the production by the body of the future mother of a hormone called. It is he who influences the formation of milk in the breast of a woman.

Colostrum is a thick liquid. Its color is yellow or gray-yellow. The composition contains a large number of:

proteins,
mineral microelements,
vitamin A,
vitamins B, E.

All these components are contained in large quantities, but sugar and fats are present in low concentrations.

The chemical composition of colostrum is quite complex and differs in many respects from the composition of milk. This secret contains over 30 components. Each woman has a different composition of colostrum, which is associated with individual characteristics of the body.

Duration of feeding in the first days and weeks of life

Most inexperienced mothers are concerned about the duration of breastfeeding in the first days and weeks. Doctors recommend feeding the baby until the moment when he himself releases the nipple. How is the preparation of the nipples for feeding,. There is absolutely no need to set a specific feeding schedule, adhering to a specific time.

The baby should be at the chest for as long as he wants. As a rule, it lasts 25 minutes. During this time, the baby manages to get enough of watery milk, and then more fat.

Mom should not remove the nipple from the baby's mouth if she starts to fall asleep. Feeding should be extended. Only in this case it is necessary to ensure that the newborn does not choke. Sucking during sleep, the baby eats milk, which contains the most valuable fats and proteins.

It is necessary to show concern when month old baby breastfeeds for only 10 minutes and then refuses to breastfeed.

The duration of feeding is determined by the age of the baby. The older he is, the faster and less often he eats. Already at 3 months, the baby's body becomes strong, strong, and the child himself is able to absorb a large amount of milk. It is also the age when the baby in an acute form experiences psycho-emotional discomfort and the need for reassurance.

How often to feed a baby in the first month

If breastfeeding is carried out by healthy and full-term babies, then the number of feedings per day will be 6-7 times. The break between feedings is 3 hours. At the same time, it is important that the baby consumes a sufficient amount of the product.

To feed a monthly crumb, 600 ml of milk per day is needed. For one feeding, he eats 100 ml.

Common Mom Mistakes

Very often, due to her inexperience, a nursing mother makes a number of common mistakes:

When a woman experiences discomfort or pain while breastfeeding, then it should not be tolerated. Sometimes the cause of discomfort is that the baby has not completely captured the breast. To eliminate the problem, you just need to correct the chest and attach it correctly.
teaches you the correct position and attachment to the chest.
Breastfeeding should take place on demand. You don't have to take the breast. The baby will release it when it is full.
Moms wake up their baby who fell asleep after 5 minutes of suckling. This is wrong, although for such a short period the baby does not yet have time to fully get enough. In this case, you need to wait until the baby releases the nipple on its own.
Don't give your baby two breasts at once. He is not yet able to suck completely one breast. When during feeding from one breast milk flows out of the other, it is worth putting a pad in the bra. Recommended for lactating women. In special underwear, they feel more comfortable.
Don't pump after feeding. The mammary gland is arranged in such a way that the more milk is taken from it, the more it will give.
After feeding the crumbs and expressing milk, you stimulate the mammary glands to produce a large amount of milk, which can lead to stagnation. What is this painful condition we described in a previous article.

Breastfeeding takes an average of 25 minutes.

Useful information for nursing mothers and women preparing for motherhood about colostrum and breastfeeding in this video:

Feeding a child in the first month of life is a very responsible process that requires compliance with certain rules. If the nursing mother remembers them and adheres to them, then neither she nor the baby will have any problems during the feeding period.

And other specialized experts strongly recommend that all young mothers breastfeed their newborns and not abandon this process for a long period of time. What is its use? How to establish good lactation? When should we start introducing complementary foods? You will read about this and much more in our article.

With the advent of artificial mixtures, maximally adapted to the characteristics of the body of newborns and children under 1 year old, the process of feeding a child has been greatly simplified - in fact, quite a lot of problems related to the physiological needs of a growing organism have been solved. A few decades ago, doctors recommended a quick transition from breastfeeding to replacement nutrition. However, modern global studies have shown the fallacy of such judgments. Why is it so important to breastfeed your baby?

Maximum adaptive potential. Mother's milk at the physiological level is intended for the child, which even the most perfect artificial mixture cannot provide;
Protection against various infections. As recent biochemical studies show, breast milk contains leukocytes and many anti-infective factors that initial stage development complement immune system newborn;
Optimal digestibility. Breast milk contains special enzymes, in particular lipase, which help break down fats as efficiently as possible. Moreover, the whey proteins of mother's milk are processed by the gastrointestinal tract without consequences for the baby's body. Artificial mixtures have neither. Visually, this is easy to see in the stool of a newborn - in the first case, it is softer and practically does not have an unpleasant odor, while the stools of children who are fed with mixtures are quite thick, darker and have a pronounced aroma. The same factors determine the almost complete absence of allergic manifestations and systemic problems with the gastrointestinal tract in newborns who consume breast milk;
Faster mental development. Selected studies recent years point to the indirect influence of food quality in the development of mental abilities of children under 5 years of age. The control groups of infants who regularly use artificial mixtures had lower scores in tests compared to their peers who were breastfed. Some specialized experts associate this fact with the presence in mother's milk of a whole group of natural polyunsaturated fatty acids that affect the work and development of brain activity;
Stable psycho-emotional background. Breastfeeding is not just a process of introducing food into the child's body, but also a close emotional and mental closeness of mother and baby. The fact of the active production of endorphins (they are also called happiness hormones) by the woman's body in the process of feeding is proven, while the child, feeling the close presence of the mother, is calm and cries less;
good development swallowing-sucking reflexes. Breastfeeding versus artificial feeding a bottle with a mixture, allows you to fully compensate for the sucking reflex and develop correct swallowing - milk, naturally and dosed, enters the child's body;
Improving maternal health. Natural feeding allows you to quickly overcome postpartum depression, get rid of the stress of the first months after childbirth, normalize hormonal levels, reducing the risk of developing cancer of the uterus and ovaries, and more actively get rid of excess weight and mastopathy, prolong temporary lactational amenorrhea (absence of menstruation and, as a result, natural contraception with an efficiency of up to 99 percent), prevent anemia;
Saving money. If the mother eats properly and enough, supports healthy lifestyle life, then her milk for a long period of time completely satisfies the baby's need for nutrition. Good mixtures are quite expensive, and the artificial feeding system requires constant monitoring (sterilization of bottles and nipples, dilution and preparation of the mixture, control that various pathogenic bacteria do not get into the raw material, and so on).

The first days, weeks and even months of breastfeeding are associated with various difficulties - both adaptive for the mother and child, and objective, especially when it comes to poor lactation. However, most problems can be effectively overcome by adhering to a set of rules and guidelines.

Proper breastfeeding

The diet must include meat, fish, dairy and sour-milk products, bakery products, all vegetables, fruits, berries, cereals and eggs. Main protein food must be fresh and low-fat, dairy products must be given heat treatment. The restriction should be imposed on semi-finished products and exotic tropical fruits (except bananas). Do not forget also about oil - both vegetable (from sunflower, olives or corn), and creamy. As a “reward for hard work”, you can treat yourself to confectionery - mainly marmalade, low-fat cakes, marshmallows, marshmallows in limited quantities.
Despite the fact that during the initial active breastfeeding, a woman has a temporary menstrual pause, the chances of becoming pregnant still remain. As a rule, the menstrual cycle begins to recover within 2 months after childbirth, and in case of interruptions in lactation - already after 30-40 calendar days.
To avoid a quick unwanted re-pregnancy, which will hit a woman's health hard, you must first think about contraception. Despite the fact that there are no direct contraindications to taking progestins, gestagens or estrogens, in the vast majority of cases their regular intake (namely, constant use gives the desired effect) can introduce a significant imbalance in the process of restoring the hormonal background of the fair sex. Recommended methods:
Installation of the "spiral". It is possible only in the absence of postpartum complications and other pathologies of the female reproductive system;

Use of a condom. A classic technique with a high degree of effectiveness, but often ignored by men due to the deterioration of tactile sensations during sex;

Aperture setting. The classic “cap” can be installed 1.5–2 months after childbirth and in the absence of cervical erosion / dysplasia.

Regardless of how often and intensively the mother uses breastfeeding, sooner or later the baby's diet must be supplemented with complementary foods. As modern pediatric practice shows, this should be done after 6 months if the child is fully provided with mother's milk.
It should be noted that the introduction of complementary foods does not eliminate the need for breastfeeding - it can be carried out in parallel up to 2 years. Children's nutritionists do not recommend starting a separate meal from the family table - even the crushed and most tidbits intended for adults do not always benefit a growing child. The optimal scheme is the use of special monocomponent purees at the first stage with a gradual expansion to multicomponent solutions and cereals.
Main phases:
From 6 months - vegetable purees from carrots, zucchini, cauliflower. A new component is added no more than once a week;

From 8 months - corn, buckwheat and rice porridge;

From 9-10 months - oatmeal, wheat, multi-grain solutions;

From 11-12 months - phased introduction of fruits, meat, fish, biscuits and other products.

You should start introducing complementary foods with 1 teaspoon, reaching a standard serving of 100-180 grams for 1-2 months.
How to wean a child from breastfeeding
If the child is fully breastfed and the mother's milk is completely sufficient to cover all the needs of the baby for food, then the process of weaning from this event can be started no earlier than 6 months after birth.
At the initial stage of the introduction of complementary foods, active breastfeeding should be continued, however, as the diet expands (especially with the appearance of cereals in it), it is worth creating prerequisites for reducing the process - less often breastfeeding. Upon reaching 1 year of age, the child in the vast majority of cases is practically provided with all the necessary nutrients from the main diet, but often still requires breasts. Within 3 months, reduce the number of breastfeedings to 1-2 approaches per day, after which you smoothly switch to the usual menu.
Breast problems while breastfeeding
The vast majority of breast problems at the stage of natural feeding of a child are not formed due to the physiological process itself, but as a result of non-compliance with the recommendations of specialists. Typical problems:
Pain and cracked nipples. Usually they are formed during an improperly organized feeding process, when the child lies in an uncomfortable position for himself and wraps his mouth around only the nipple, and not the halo with it;

Lactostasis and mastitis. Stagnation of milk in the chest indicates irregular feeding of the child or too fast feeding, when the baby is weaned from the breast to full saturation. In addition, these problems can form as a result of hypothermia of the body;

Infections. Occur when the norms of local breast hygiene are not observed;

Change in the shape of the breast. Many women complain that after the end of the period of breastfeeding, their breasts sag a lot. Such a problem does exist, however, the correct preventive measures in the form of special gymnastics, the use of a tightening lifting cream and other procedures will quickly restore soft tissues and epithelium.

Avoid stress. Bad mood, depression, other psychological problems significantly worsen lactation and lead to a host of other problems;

Eat well and diversify. Do not forget that in addition to your body, part of the nutrients from the food you eat goes to the child;

Follow the recommendations of doctors and visit them regularly. Regular visits to a pediatrician, gynecologist and other specialized specialists, as well as compliance with their recommendations, is a guarantee of the health of the mother and baby;

Love and be loved. Maternal love for her child and the reciprocal feeling of the baby is the best thing that can be in a woman's life.

Most mothers try breastfeeding while in the hospital. It is advisable to give the baby a breast in the first 60 minutes after birth. Experienced midwives help to attach the baby, talk about the features of feeding. If you did not immediately figure out how to properly feed a newborn with breast milk, there is nothing to worry about. Breastfeeding can be mastered with simple tips.

Before putting a newborn to the breast for the first time, you need to find a position in which you can spend half an hour without discomfort. You have 3 options:

sitting;
standing;
lying on your side.

Most women choose a lying position for the first feeding, since after childbirth it is almost impossible to stay upright for a long time. Until full recovery, it is necessary to feed the child, lying on his side, in order to protect himself from discomfort. If you chose this option, then check out how to properly apply a newborn for feeding while lying on your side:

Release your chest on the side you are lying on.
Lay the baby with his stomach towards you so that his head is against his chest.
Bring the nipple to the baby's mouth, he will immediately try to take it. When sucking, the entire areola should be in the baby's mouth, which means that its capture is done correctly.

The sitting position is comfortable. This position allows mothers to breastfeed two babies at the same time. In the hospital, this position can be uncomfortable, since on the bed you will have to keep your hands on weight, and there will be no support for the back. If you have a spacious chair at home, then feed the baby while sitting in it, placing your hands on the armrest.

Sitting, two babies can be fed at the same time, placing them on a special pillow in the “out of hand” position.

The standing pose is rarely used, as it puts too much stress on the spine and arms. It is used only by women who, after natural childbirth, had sutures in the perineum. They need to lean on the table to reduce the load on the spine and legs. At the first opportunity, the position is changed. It is also recommended when the baby does not properly latch onto the breast while lying on a bed that is too soft or uncomfortable.

Provides a rush of milk light massage of the mammary gland in a circular motion.

Breastfeeding experts offer some tips on how to properly breastfeed your baby:

place it on its side facing you;
the chin and cheeks should be pressed to the chest, and there must be free space between the gland and the nose;
bring the nipple to the newborn - he will take it himself;
there should be no pulling sensations (their appearance means that the baby is too low);
if there is a nipple without an areola in the newborn's mouth, immediately release the breast (gently press the little finger on the corner of the baby's mouth, straighten the breast and offer it to the newborn again).

Evaluate the result: if the baby has enough air, and he correctly grabbed the nipple, leave it until he is full. The first seconds of feeding can cause discomfort in a young mother due to the fact that the skin on the nipples is not yet coarsened enough. Until this happens, the woman will be in pain at the moment of catching the nipple. The application is done correctly if there is no discomfort. When feeding, only swallowing of the baby should be heard.

Learn how to properly latch your baby to the breast beforehand, as mistakes in this process can lead to:

the capture of a crumb of air;
colic in a baby;
the appearance of cracks in the nipples;
milk duct injury.

If you feel pain during the entire feeding session, then the cause is often an incorrect grip on the areola. The baby's lips should be located on its edge.

During one feeding, do not give a second breast. Ideally, each time you need to offer the crumbs a different mammary gland. If you follow this rule, then the baby is guaranteed to eat the fore and hind milk, which will allow him to eat fully and balanced, get a full set of vitamins, useful trace elements.

There is an exception to the rule of using one breast per application. They can be neglected if there is not enough milk produced.

How to understand that the baby is full?

In addition to knowing how to properly attach a baby to the breast, mothers need to get information about the signs of satiety crumbs. After all, it is very easy to overfeed a baby, for whom every feeding session is an opportunity to feel the protection and support of the mother.

The baby is full if he:

behaves calmly;
cheerful after the completion of the process;
gaining sufficient weight according to WHO standards;
independently released the chest;
after feeding, falls asleep soundly or moves on to active activities.

If the newborn is often naughty, worried, crying, then before giving him both breasts for one feeding, it is necessary to carry out a control weighing. It is held once a week. If at the end of the seven-day period the weight of the child has become higher, it is necessary to look for another reason for crying.

Signs of overeating are:

regurgitation after feeding;
rapid weight gain in excess of established norms;
increased gas formation, leading to colic and abdominal pain.

Regurgitation can be a sign of a neurological disorder, so it is important to monitor the child's health and visit doctors in a timely manner. If your pediatrician notices signs of overeating in your baby, release the nipple 15-20 minutes after the start of feeding. When overeating, do not try to reduce lactation, this often leads to its complete loss.

Baby feeding time

The question of the time of each meal cannot be solved unambiguously. The duration of one feeding session depends on the individual characteristics of the child. Some babies eat actively and quickly, so they only need 10 minutes to saturate. Other kids enjoy the process for a long time, they need more than 40 minutes. In the first month of life, you should not interrupt feeding on your own. Gradually, the newborn will adjust the duration of sucking.

Experts consider a feeding session lasting up to 30 minutes to be correct. It can last longer if the baby is premature or weakened. If the baby fell asleep with a breast in his mouth, then you just need to release the nipple and transfer it to the crib. For newborns, sleep after feeding is considered the norm.

If you are interested in the total duration of the GW, then it is selected individually. It is worth stopping feeding after a year. After the first 6 months of life, you can gradually replace feedings with complementary foods, which will prepare digestive system crumbs to the adoption of normal food, and mothers - to gradually reduce lactation.

It is important not only to know how to breastfeed, but also to learn how to respect the time intervals. Doctors recommend applying crumbs by the hour, but it is best to do this on demand. Breaks can be from 15 minutes to 2 hours, and during a night's sleep, the interval increases. If the baby is calm, the chest does not require, then after 3-4 hours it is worth offering him a refreshment on his own. Don't wake the baby up to breastfeed him. A well-fed baby will not sleep peacefully, he will demand food on his own.

What can't be done?

Just because you know how to breastfeed your baby doesn't mean you don't have other questions. The process of breastfeeding is very complicated, and young mothers often make mistakes that negatively affect the lactation process.

Another mistake is frequent weighing. If the baby is slowly gaining weight, then the mother begins to give him an artificial mixture. It acts as an additional nutrition or completely replaces natural nutrition. Find out the child's body weight no more than 4 times a month, then you will be able to objectively assess the changes.

Solving difficult situations

Before you properly attach the baby to the breast, you need to prepare for possible problems with lactation.

Small inverted nipples usually change their shape by childbirth. If this does not happen, then you can change the position for feeding, stretch the flat nipple yourself, apply silicone pads. Many believe that a small tight chest can become an obstacle. This is not a problem: it is enough to express for 1-2 weeks so that the baby can get his own food. The mammary glands during lactation can increase by 1-2 sizes - just a couple of weeks after childbirth, small breasts will change, it will be convenient to feed them.

Before childbirth, you should not solve the problem with excessively tight breasts and improper nipple anatomy, since touching the breasts can trigger the production of the hormone oxytocin.

Cracks are not a reason to refuse natural feeding. Before they heal, use silicone pads for feeding, and between applications, make applications with Bepanthen ointment, and take air baths. Make sure that the medicinal composition does not get into the child's mouth. Sometimes, in order to get rid of cracks, you need to learn again how to properly breastfeed, since improper capture of the areola leads to nipple injuries.

In the first 3 months after the start of lactation, every young mother is faced with the problem of arbitrary leakage of milk. Any woman will not like to walk around with milk stains on clothes in the chest area, so use special disposable pads that fit into a bra.

Breast engorgement can be saved by more frequent breastfeeding or pumping. Take a warm shower before feeding, do a light massage. From folk remedies cabbage leaf compresses can be used. After feeding, apply a cold compress to relieve swelling.

Lactation crises do not mean that it is time to finish feeding the crumbs. There is less milk, but this situation can be overcome: drink tea with cumin and fennel, eat right, and rest. During the first year of a baby's life, you will experience crises at least 3 times.

Mothers often self-program themselves for failure. It should be understood that feeding is a natural process that is available to every woman after childbirth. Do not neglect it, even if you want to quickly restore the figure. Losing weight can be combined with feeding crumbs. Do not use diets: the diet of a nursing mother should be complete. Only sweets, products with chemical dyes and those that can cause an allergic reaction in a child should be excluded from it. If you are used to making a menu for yourself, keep in mind that its calorie content should slightly exceed the norm for adult women. The diet must include fruits, vegetables, meat and fish.

Karina is a permanent expert of the PupsFull portal. She writes articles about play, pregnancy, parenting and learning, baby care, and mom and baby health.

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