How to remove excess milk from Breast - ' Relieve Breast Engorgement'

What is Breast Engorgement?
                         Breast Engorgement mainly occurs in new mothers, where mostly the demand and supply is not yet balanced. It is also known as 'HyperLactation' since excess milk is being secreted and stored. Some times the Breast engorgement happens also for mothers who tend to stop breast feeding. The breast may get swollen and become very firm that causes pain in the breast. If left untreated may cause problems like breast infection,etc.,

How to prevent Breast Engorgement?

• Adopt proper Latching position. (As always i say if the position is right, then everything else would go in the right path)
• Make sure you feed one side of your breast completely for one single meal and the other side for the next meal.
• Inner wear must neither be tight nor be loose. The size of the cup should match the breast size.
• Make sure you feel the emptiness once you have fed the baby.

How to relieve Breast Engorgement?

• Use breast pump( if available )to squeeze out the initial few drops of stored milk.
• If not available, give warm compresses to the breast and squeeze out the excess milk with clean hands.
• It's enough if initial drops of milk are alone removed. Once the firmness is reduced you can feed the baby with the rest of the milk.
• For mothers who are weaning the baby, try baby led weaning method to avoid such problems.
• Do not apply any medicines(even home-made) without doctor's prescription to relieve the engorgement.
• Even though it is safe to refrain from using medicines(since it may affect the secretion for the next baby), if the engorgement still persists, do consult a doctor immediately and take prescribed medicines.

Click here to know more about breast feeding.

Have a Happy Parenting

Reader's suggestions and experiences are highly appreciable for the benefit of other mothers.

                 

"Night Feeds" - The words itself makes many mothers tired!

                      However babies tend to sleep for full night ever since they are 6 weeks old, they wake up for every two or three hours to fill up their tummy.( If your baby is older than two months and still is not sleeping for full night, read this article which could help you). Night Feeds are unavoidable till their first birthday. There are few things that has to be taken care of while feeding the babies during the night.
                    My Gynecologist is a very 'take it light' person which has also helped me handle my pregnancy in a better way. When I went for a check up post delivery, she warned me not to give the night feeds by lying on bed and she also said that if I do so I may risk my son's life. Since this was the only condition she had told me for all those nine months of pregnancy, I strongly made a determination not to do that at any cost, without analyzing much on it. But why did she say so? Isn't feeding like that would keep the baby as well as the mother undisturbed from sleep?

               Even during the night the baby should be fed in the correct position and has to be put on shoulders and gently tap the back until he burps and then has to be put back to sleep.

• When both the baby and the mother has gone back to sleep without checking whether the baby has burped, it may cause reflux in babies and sometimes even the baby tends to vomit.
• The latching cannot be made properly leading to 'no proper flow of milk'. The baby's tummy doesn't gets filled and also the left over milk may cause Breast Engorgement for the mother.
• Above all, unknowingly the mother's breast may press the baby's face leading to suffocation. It's quite natural to sleep for both the mother and the baby while feeding because the secretion of milk itself gives a very relaxed feeling leading to drowsiness. This is was the reason why my Gynecologists warned me not to feed by lying in bed especially during the night.

        (  Couple of years back I read a news in which a women found her three months old daughter died in the morning and also she said that she fed her baby just two hours back and that she don't know what happened in that two hours time. The news also told that the Doctors have confirmed that the baby has died out of inability to breathe. )

So its something serious to think about and change!!

Click here to know more about breast feeding.

Have a Happy Parenting

Reader's suggestions and experiences are highly appreciable for the benefit of other mothers.

                 

Should the sides of the breast be changed while feeding the baby?

       How do you feed your baby?Do you change the breast sides frequently while feeding? Most of the mothers would be instructed to do so by many elders at home and even by few doctors.
       But in real the sides of the breast should be changed only for each feeding and not in one single feeding. But we always want to know the reason behind everything. Here I am listing the reasons why the sides of the breast should not be changed while feeding the baby once.

• Initially secreted milk mainly contains water and if you keep changing the breast frequently while feeding the baby keeps drinking only the water. The dummy doesnt gets filled and this makes the baby feel hungry even after feeding him.
• Emptiness of breast doesnt mean there is no milk because only 30% of the milk gets secreted and stored in the breast. The rest 70% gets secreted only during nursing. So do not assume that there is no milk in one breast just because of the emptiness and change to other. Click here to know whether your baby is getting enough breast milk.
• There can be few exceptional days when your baby is having growth spurt. During those days the baby would cry for milk while nursing. The baby itself increases the quantity of breast milk secretion to match his growth by frequently asking for feeds. Those days can be handled by changing the breast frequently in one single feed instead of giving formula feed.
• Obviously there will be no proper weight gain if the baby is kept fed like this regularly.
• When the sides of the breast are frequently changed, there is chances for milk to be left over and it may inturn Cause breast engorgement.

Click here to know more about breast feeding.

Have a Happy Parenting

Reader's suggestions and experiences are highly appreciable for the benefit of other mothers.

Proper Latch Position for all Breast Feeding mothers

       I have been asked about the Proper latch position by quite few number of mothers all these days. Is it so important to talk about? Doesn't the convenient  position for breast feeding would do?Actually No. Almost all the breast feeding problems would be resolved once the position is corrected properly. I wanted my friends to know the exact breast feeding position and hence sharing it with everyone.

     Few mothers find it easy to feed by sitting in a chair and few by sitting down. However one week post delivery it is only possible to feed by sitting on the chair. While feeding the baby by sitting on the chair it is always advisable to have a pillow under the baby to avoid getting neck pain.

    Now, Let's consider that you are going to feed your baby with your left breast. Simply hold the baby on your left hand and your breast on the right hand. But how?

Holding the baby

          Baby's head has to be placed exactly on the elbow joint and the baby's back has to sit on your palm. The entire spine of your baby has to be supported by your arm. If not properly supported the baby may get body pain. So please make sure the baby is being held properly to make nursing a pleasure for him.

Holding the Breast

       Hold the breast using your right hand while feeding with your left breast and vice verse. The Nipple part of your breast has to be exactly in between your fore finger and middle finger. Whereas the other two small fingers have to support the breast from the bottom.

       The entire black part around the nipple has to go into the baby's mouth while nursing. This is because, the black part contains the glands that helps in secretion of milk and it works best only if the baby sucks the entire part. And also sucking the nipple alone may cause nipple crack and reduce the milk secretion.

Keep practicing the above position for few days and in no time breast feeding would be pleasure for both you and your baby.

Click here to read the other articles on breast feeding

Have a Happy Parenting

How Many Times a BreastFed Baby should Poop in a day?

It would sound funny when some one answer's this question as 'It Can even be Once in 10 Days or 10 Times in 1 Day'. But this is the most common statement that all Pediatricians would say when a mother ask about it.
      Exclusively breast fed baby will be without pooping for more than a week. This is because the breast milk doesn't have much impurities and it is also easily digestible and hence no bowel movement has to happen. So this doesn't mean that you are baby is not getting enough milk. Read our article to know whether your baby gets enough milk by clicking here.

To be Concerned about

• When the baby is pooping for many times in a day, make sure the baby doesn't gets dehydrated, which may then lead to hospitalization. The baby has to be kept feeding more frequently than ever to make sure the baby gets enough water supply.
• Check whether there is no Blood in the stool, which may need a immediate doctor consultation.
• If the baby is finding it difficult to poop, it may be a symptom for constipation. Read our article about 'Constipation In BreastFed Babies' by Clicking here. 

Click here to read the other articles on breast feeding 

Have a Happy Parenting

                          
Reader's Comments and Suggestions with their Ideas and personnel experience is Highly Appreciable.

Constipation In BreastFed Babies

What should be termed as 'Constipation In BreastFed Baby'?

                For a exclusively Breast Fed Baby not pooping for many days should not be termed as constipation. Only when the baby is finding it difficult to poop and when the poop is kind of hard then it should be called as Constipation.

What are the reasons for the BreastFed Babies to get Constipation?

               However it's very rare for a Exclusively BreastFed baby to get Constipation, it may happen for some of the below mentioned reasons

• The Baby Doesn't get enough breast milk and hence the bowel movement couldn't happen.
• Mother has doesn't drunk enough water and hence the water content in the breast milk has also been reduced, which has caused dehydration in the baby.
• Mother has eaten some of the constipation causing food resulting in constipation for both mother and the child.
• Non adoption to the change of the climate.

What should be done to overcome the problem?

• It the baby is four months and above do consult his pediatrician about starting with the supplements. If the baby is younger or if you want the baby to be exclusively breast fed for few more months try increasing your breast milk supply. Read our article for increasing the breast milk quantity by clicking here.
• The baby should be fed every 2 hours or even lesser if the baby demands it.(After all Breast feeding is just a demand and supply formula).
• The mother has to drink lot and lot of water to increase the water content in the breast milk.
• Mother has to avoid the constipation causing food like wheat, bread, etc.,

Click here to read the other articles on breast feeding

                        Have a Happy Parenting

                          
Reader's Comments and Suggestions with their Ideas and personnel experience is Highly Appreciable.

Few Foods that Breast Feeding Moms Have to eat to Improve the Quantity of Milk

                         Please read my other two articles related to 'Quantity of Breast Milk' before reading this. Myths about Quantity of Breast Milk and Is my Baby Getting Enough Milk would help you understand better about this topic.
                           There is a famous saying that the Breast Milk is secreted simply based Upon the 'Demand And Supply Formula'. Even My Personnel experience was the same. But there are really few food that could aid in the secretion of the Breast Milk. If not that it can Really Make the Milk still more Nutritious.


1. Since the Breast Milk is predominately made up of water, it is obvious that a Breast Feeding Mother should drink adequate amount of Water.

2. A wide range of Vegetables and Fruits should be included in every day's diet.

3. A hand full of Dry Fruits everyday keeps both of the mother and the baby healthy(include walnut,  almond, pistachios(pista), dry fig,etc.,)

4. Milk with the supplement Powder that the gynacologists has suggested(if any) 3 to 4 times a day.

5. Out my personnel experience(as per grandmother's advice) Boiled roots of Tapioca(Maravalli Kilangu in Tamil) and Slices of Bread with milk, was found to be useful.

Click here to read the other articles on breast feeding

The Only Remedy For the Nipple Crack is .................

                  However I prefer my readers being answered in Short, isn't that putting the answer in the title itself becomes too short. Not only that, it may also look meaningless and sometimes becomes useless(you would also accept this at the end of the article).However I am giving a clue below.

                 Nipple Crack doesn't always mean 'A Crack in the Nipple'. Sometimes it may refer to the mild irritation caused in the nipple while feeding the baby or sometimes the Nipple crack Itself. It differs for each and every one. As soon as you talk about this to the people around you, I am sure they would all be kind enough to offer you lots and lots of solutions. But should you go for it???Read this article before deciding.


Myths That you shouldn't Opt for:

1. Suggestions such as using wet wipes or any kind of wipes should not even been given a thought. They may seem to give  a momentary soothing feeling, but later makes the part dry and makes it prone to more irritation.

2. Few May suggest you to apply various oils like that we use in other places of our body. Even though you may wash it off before feeding, few Babies may(May!!! literally) create a strong aversion to the breast milk because of the smell which may lead to many other problems.

3. Use of Non-Prescribed Ointments available in market should be totally avoided.

4. I have seen few people suggesting Nipple Shield as a remedy for Nipple crack. But that would be the worst decision you have ever taken. Read this article to know more about Nipple Shield and its problems.


But What should be done?
            Go to Your Gynecologist!! As simple as that. She would be the best person to diagnose the stage of the Nipple Crack and would either send you off with a counseling or prescribe you with the ointment that has to be  used for a day or two. Very few cases would be given a treatment(for babies born with teeth may cause sever Nipple Crack).

           But Is this a remedy??Have you read all these just to know the above statement!!!No..

The Only Remedy for the Nipple Crack is none other than the Breast Milk itself.

Doesn't that seems logical. The Breast Milk that can do all magic in your baby, cant the same liquid heal a small wound. All you have to do is, once the baby finishes nursing, just take a drop or two from the left over and apply it all over the Nipple where you have the irritation. Having done that each time you feed, within a day or two you would happily visit my site again to share that it has worked for you also.

The white drop in the picture that I gave as a clue represents a Drop Of a Breast Milk...;p;p How many of you found it as soon as seeing the picture???


Click here to read the other articles on breast feeding

4 Myths about 'New Born and the Quantity of their Breast Milk' that makes the Mother Worry!!!

             I have already shared a article that will help a Mother to ensure that her New Born is getting enough Milk. However there were few more concerns that has been conveyed, as soon as I posted the article Is My Baby Getting Enough Breast Milk?4 Signs To Find It Out. So this article is a continuation of the first one(so please read that before you read this article, link shared above) in which I am sharing few Myths that a mother never have to be worried about.

         1. The Time duration a baby nurses is not all related to the quantity of the milk it is taking in. Time just depends upon how perfect the baby has latched.(click here for the article about Latching Problem). For a clear picture, A well Latched 2 Months old baby can fill his tummy in less than 5 minutes. Mothers who wanted to know the exact position of feeding for better latching can contact me through the mail id(divyaanbarasu19@gmail.com).


          2. Never Judge the Fullness of your Baby's Tummy with the Size of it. Trust Me!! I have never seen any size of my son's tummy except the Flattened one till he was exclusively fed with breast milk.

         
         3. Experts say that only 30% of the milk is secreted and stored in the breast. The rest gets secreted only when the baby nurses(The secreting glands are more active at that time comparatively). So Again the Size of the breast of the mother does not depend upon the quantity of the milk.


       4. As said already a baby should urinate a minimum of 6-8 times in a day. One can relate the Number of times the baby Urinates to the Quantity of the Milk but not the Number of times the baby poops(solid excretion).


Click here to read the other articles on breast feeding

Have A Happy Parenting

Is My Baby Getting Enough Breast Milk?4 Signs To Find It Out

                Most of the new moms feeding their baby exclusively with their breast milk keep asking this question to me. However I can understand the reason behind this big question, Because even I fall under the common category 'Most of the new moms'. Everyone around a new mom will keep talking about the quantity of the milk the baby intakes, which may panic her. However it is our responsibility to ensure that the baby is getting enough milk(If not for those who talk about it, at least for the wellness of yourself and your little one).

               I have comprehended the signs to learn that the baby is getting enough milk, into four simple points.

          1. A new born should urinate minimum of 6-8 times a day. However it would take few days, say 4-5, for everything to get settled between the mother and the baby. So from then on the baby should urinate once in every 3-4 hours.

          2. A new born should sleep for a minimum of 12-15 hours in a day. Again however the baby would sleep more or less than that for the initial few days. The baby should get undisturbed sleep for a minimum of 2 hours each time he sleeps, which means his tummy is full and that means he is getting enough milk.

        3. Once the baby finishes nursing the mother should feel the emptiness in their breast, which means there is no left over.

         4. Obviously from the weight gain of the baby, a mother can ensure that the baby is getting enough breast milk. click here for Growth Chart

Have A Happy Parenting

"My Baby is not latching properly" - What to do to Overcome This Problem

'My Baby Is Not Latching Properly' is the very common statement made by every new mom. Since the baby is new to the world it may initially have some trouble in latching. But still some mom may keep worrying about this. I am going to share my personnel experience to make those moms feel comfortable.

There is famous quote that all doctors and elders would keep saying, 'Babies are taught to suck milk when they are in womb itself, By God'. I guess My Son was busy playing when God was teaching the other Kids. 

The first day we didn't bother too much about it, thinking he will learn it the next day. But the next day also he didn't, which ended up putting us in frustration. We took some help from nurses in the hospital and tried to make him latch properly. But he didn't even attempt to do it and hence he didnt pass urine frequently. The doctor doesn't wanted him to get jaundice. So he instructed us to express the milk and feed. My Grandma fed him the milk through paladai since she doesn't wanted him to get used to bottle. Fourth day, on which I was about to discharge, he still did'nt learn it. So we finally ended up with using the Nipple Shield, which we had as our last option.


Happiness In Using Nipple Shield
     I wanted my son to be exclusively fed with mother's milk and for that this Nipple Shield helped me. I still hold the picture of him, having mouth full of milk for the first time he drank using Nipple Shield, in my mind.


Sufferings We under went because of this Nipple Shield
      He had to put more effort to suck milk out of Nipple Shield when compared with the babies drinking directly from the mother. So he ended up getting Jaw pain that kept crying all through the day and night.
      Also the flow of the milk was very slow and I have to feed him for more than an hour each time. Most of the time I will fall asleep by the time he finishes his meal. My grandmother would stay near us and once he finishes, she will take him away and put him down to sleep in his 'thulli'.
     Finally I ended up with getting Nipple Cracks when he was 15 days old. So I had to go to doctor and get some medicines.



      Everyone started making a statement that my son does'nt get enough milk and wanted me to give him formula feed. Not wanting to give up, I struggled a lot for transforming him from Nipple Shield to direct feeding. I would feed him for the first few minutes using the shield and then feed him directly by removing it. Finally!!!!! With all the support of My Grandmother I transformed him to direct feeding when he was 20 days old.

For Babies who did'nt latch properly Nipple Shield is a Good Solution, But Not A Permanent One.

But what is the answer for 'What to do Overcome This Problem?'.

Very simple. Stay Confident. Have Patience. Think Positive. 

Have a Happy Parenting

Why Paediatricians Tell Not To Give Bottles For Babies?

        Why All Paediatricians  Keep Saying No Bottle???? That would be the question in most of the minds. I personally know a paediatrician, who is very strict in this. She never check a baby that is been fed through bottles. She used to sent the parents back home, when she sees them giving milk in bottles through her CCTV. This may sound offensive. But there are so many reasons behind this.

Infection Caused through the Nipple
     The Material of the Nibble used these days are made out of vulcanized Rubber. When those nipples are not sterilized properly(even once), they obtain the higher possibility of causing infections in babies. When a baby gets a stomach disorder like indigestion because of the infection caused by the nipple, we take them to their paediatrician. There the paediatrician will not be able to identify the cause and hence find it difficult in treating the baby. And finally what we do is, start blaming that paediatrician. May be because of this, that paediatrician would have been so strict about it.


More Gas Gulped In by the Baby
      When a baby is given formula milk in Bottles it has the higher possibility of gulping in more air. The air that the baby has gulped in remains in their tummy for quite a long time because they have not yet mastered the skill of pushing the gas out of their body.

Nipple Confusion

      All moms will always have the doubt whether their baby's tummy is filled after breast feeding them. So few moms keep giving formula milk regularly in bottle after each feed. They may think 'what is wrong in that!! I am giving the formula only after breast feeding my baby'. But ya!!! There is a problem that has to be given importance. The nipples in the bottles are soft and as soon as the bottle is kept in the baby's mouth the milk starts to flow in their mouth without any effort. But it is not the same in the case of nipple of the breast. Baby has to put lots of effort to suck the milk out of the mother's breast. What will this lead to?? In due course the baby would start preferring the easy way and would skip drinking milk from mother. Even though the baby seems to be latched to the mother for quite some time, it may not suck properly. Mother's milk will secrete only if the baby needs it and sucks properly. Soon the secretion will reduce without our knowledge.

Tooth Decay

      All babies need some soothing effect to sleep. For some babies the nipple may give them the soothing effect. When they sleep with   the bottles on their mouth, little amount of milk may remain in their mouth throughout the night. This may increase the possibility of tooth decay in a very small age.




Hope you would have found this blog useful. Keep following my blogs for 'Alternate options for bottle' through my facebook page 'Each Baby Is Different'.