29.03.2024

How to keep breastfeeding

In Russia, attitudes to breastfeeding (GV) may vary in different regions and sectors of society. The prevalence and duration of breastfeeding is greatly influenced by social and cultural aspects. In large cities, for example, they feed less than in the provinces. Often, medical staff are aware of the benefits of breast milk, but they cannot always support mom and help her properly.

Breastfeeding in Russia: mothers are ready, but little support

WHO has developed programs for medical institutions to support breastfeeding, training courses for doctors, and there is an excellent WHO / UNICEF initiative, “A child-friendly hospital,” but, unfortunately, in Russia they use it very little.

To date, there is a lot of scientific research, but Russian recommendations are often based on outdated traditions or personal experience. About 90% of mothers at the time of birth are set to feed, but not everyone is able to maintain this attitude when faced with the first difficulties and a large number of conflicting recommendations. Over the past few years, the statistics on breastfeeding in Russia have not changed, everything remains at a low level.

How to organize a home bank of breast milk

The idea of ​​making a supply of your milk is now very popular, many mothers ask specialists about it. If a nursing mother plans occasionally or regularly to leave the house, the so-called “milk bank” may be useful to maintain breastfeeding. This is a supply of frozen breast milk that will allow dad or another relative who is left with the baby to feed him.

Stock preparation : From the moment lactation is established 1-2 times a day, express milk and freeze it in the freezer. Usually, morning time is good for collecting milk “in reserve”, when the breast is more full after night, but you can also choose another convenient time. You can give one breast to a baby, and milk from another to be stored.

Freezing and thawing : It is advisable to freeze fresh milk as soon as possible after decantation. Before freezing, it is better to cool it in the refrigerator. It is most convenient to freeze in small portions, it can be different, from 40 to 80 ml. Before giving milk to the baby, it is enough to smoothly defrost the milk (first it is advisable to move it to the refrigerator, you can overnight), and then warm it in warm water. If time is short, a container with warm water or special heaters are suitable. But slow defrosting in the refrigerator leads to less fat loss.

Storage : Special bags or containers made of safe plastic are suitable for storage. The shelf life of breast milk is quite large – from 3 to 6 months in the freezer of a two-chamber refrigerator (-18 0 С). For a short time, milk can not be frozen, but stored at room temperature (4-6 hours) or in the refrigerator (24-72 hours).

When decanting, it is important to observe hand hygiene and properly process the details of the breast pump. According to many scientific studies, breast milk has a number of properties that protect it from bacterial infection, allowing it to be stored for a long time. It practically does not lose its properties, with the exception of a slight decrease in the activity of some components.

When expressing is especially important

Modern mothers are active, they do not sit at home, and they do not always have the opportunity to bring their baby and put it on their chest. Then a breast pump helps out, which allows you to effectively collect breast milk. But this is not the only situation where pumping may be required. It is important for a mother who is preparing for HB to know in which cases it may be required.

The previously popular recommendation to express after feeding “to the end” is a thing of the past. Modern recommendations prescribe feeding the baby on demand, according to the “free” schedule. By the end of the second or third week after birth (maximum by the fifth or sixth), lactation is fully established. The baby and mother adapt to each other, and the woman’s body produces as much milk as the baby needs. A fairly stable supply-demand balance is formed.

However, there are situations when you need to express milk. For example, in the case of premature birth, the baby is born prematurely and for some time eats expressed breast milk before it can begin to actively suckle. A full-term baby also can not always fully breastfeed if there was a difficult birth, surgery is required, there are various pathologies, etc. Department of resuscitation, surgery and pathology of newborns at the Center. Kulakova is equipped with special express rooms, and the ability to express breast milk is a real salvation for the mothers of such babies.

Moms of healthy babies also need to express milk, for example, in the first days after childbirth, when milk “comes”. Often women experience discomfort: the chest is very full, and it is more difficult for the baby to cope. Without additional decantation can not do with a separate stay after childbirth. Then the breast pump in combination with gentle massage allows you to quickly establish lactation. Breast pumps are becoming more modern – they do not injure the breast, they allow you to collect milk immediately in a bottle or storage container.

Now mothers can choose between simpler, but more functional manual breast pumps and electronic ones that mimic the process of a baby’s natural sucking. Such devices include, for example, Philips Avent breast pump Ultra Comfort, created on the basis of the results of a study of the physiology of sucking a baby.

When establishing breastfeeding, it is important for mother to believe in herself and not be afraid of difficulties, seek support and help, read more about breastfeeding before childbirth. This process is very flexible, and there are no irreversible situations and dead ends. There is almost always a chance to establish exclusive breastfeeding, even in difficult cases.

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