Every woman is looking forward to the birth of her baby. However, becoming a mother, she often encounters problems. Almost every woman is concerned about the process of breastfeeding. If you already have children, then there are usually fewer questions. This article will talk about what interests many women in childbirth - this is a lactation crisis. Periods, terms, what to do in such a situation - everything will be described below. You will also learn about the main causes of this situation.
Breast-feeding
Most maternity hospitals practice early breastfeeding. This means that immediately after birth, your baby will be allowed to suck colostrum. After all, at the very beginning of lactation, it is it that stands out. Milk comes a few days later. But do not worry. A few drops of milk liquid will be enough for the newborn to be full.
When milk arrives, it seems to most women that there is a lot of it. All for the simple reason that in the early days, the baby can not eat the produced volumes. But do not worry, soon everything will normalize, and milk will come on demand.
Lactation crisis: periods
Just a few months after giving birth, a woman may face the first problems. The lactational crisis is a period when the mother has less milk in her breast. A woman can notice this condition by the behavior of the crumbs. The baby begins to apply more often, sucks for a long time and is naughty.
The periods of occurrence of lactational crises can be different, but more often this occurs at three to six weeks from birth, then at 3, 7, 11 and 12 months. It is worth noting that many women do not notice such changes at all. They even have no idea what lactational crises are. When there are vagaries in a child or if he needs frequent attachments, mothers find other explanations.
Duration
How long does the lactation crisis last? This question arises for every woman faced with a similar problem. In fact, everything is individual. You cannot specify exact dates, because a lot depends on your desire and actions.
If you try to increase the amount of milk produced and comply with all the conditions described below, then the crisis will end after a few days. It usually takes three to four days. When a woman lets things go by themselves and categorically does not want to fight, the crisis can last up to a week (subject to continued breastfeeding). Many mothers make the same mistake - they offer the baby a bottle. Such a lactation crisis is likely to end with the completion of lactation. Indeed, over time, the baby understands that sucking from a bottle is much easier than getting healthy milk from the chest.
How to deal with the problem?
If a lactation crisis has begun, what should mom do? First of all, you need to contact a specialist. If you do not have an experienced adviser nearby, then you can not do without a breastfeeding adviser. There are always such specialists in modern maternity hospitals and antenatal clinics. They will surely tell you about the nuances of the course of the lactational crisis, and will also help to eliminate it in a short time.
In some situations, a woman is prescribed drugs that increase milk production. It can be special protein and taurine mixtures (Semilak, Olympic), Milky Way tea, dietary supplements Apilaktin and Laktogon. You can also independently purchase funds to enhance lactation. The most popular manufacturers are Hipp, Grandmother’s basket, Semilak and so on. But it’s worth saying right away that it is impossible to solve the problem only with drugs. It is necessary to understand why the lactational crisis arose, to eliminate its causes and to normalize the process of applying the baby to the chest.
Get some rest and sleep
A lactation crisis of 3 months often has a cause in the form of lack of sleep. After all, it was at this time that the baby became more active, its daily routine changed. If before the crumbs only ate and slept most of the time, now he needs to play and stay awake. Mom, however, may simply not be able to cope with the entire volume of affairs. A woman needs to pay attention to the child, and prepare food, and perform some household chores. There is simply no time left for your vacation. The exhausted organism can no longer supply milk in the volume that the crumbs need. In addition, by the age of three months, the need for food is increasing.
You may need help to resolve this issue. Ask dad or grandparents to help you a bit. Send them for a walk with the baby. Themselves in the free time do not grab the laundry and cleaning. Lie down and sleep. The night's sleep of a lactating woman is constantly interrupted. Therefore, a young mother just needs a few hours of daytime rest. Many breastfeeding experts also advise to practice a joint night's sleep with the baby. In this case, you do not have to get up at every feeding.
Eat fully and drink more fluids
Lactational crisis may develop due to malnutrition and lack of fluid. As you know, breast milk is more than half composed of water. Therefore, for its production, the body requires a lot of fluid. If in a normal state a woman should drink about 2 liters of water per day, then a nursing mother needs about three.
Get yourself a separate container of water that needs to be emptied throughout the day. Be sure to end each meal with a cup of hot tea, compote or juice. Keep all foods fresh and free from many spices. Prefer soups, cereals, vegetables and fruits to smoked and salty dishes. Never eat dry food. Exclude carbonated drinks. They cannot make up the body’s need for fluid.
Eliminate stress
Often a lactational crisis develops due to a nervous breakdown. This can happen due to fatigue, lack of sleep, moral exhaustion, and so on. Therefore, a nursing woman needs mandatory support from close relatives. Never get help. Walk and spend more time outdoors. Prolonged planting in four walls only exacerbates your condition. Do not lock yourself.
If you feel constant anxiety, get nervous a lot and understand that you can’t cope on your own, go to the doctor. Your doctor will prescribe herbal-based safe medicines, such as Tenoten, Persen, and others. They will not harm the baby, but they can normalize your condition. Remember that self-medication is unacceptable.
Useful Tips
The lactational crisis can be overcome very quickly with the help of some secrets. The described actions will not take you much time. With their help, in the future you can not only overcome, but also prevent a new crisis:
- Before each feeding, do a light massage of the chest. Knead the mammary glands along the ducts (from the base to the nipple). Please note that you can not push hard.
- To increase the amount of milk, give both breasts at once to the baby. First, let the baby eat from one, then change the pose and attach it to the other.
- Promotes lactation decantation. After the baby is full, gently with the help of a breast pump or with your hands, express the last drops. Do not worry that there is no milk left in the chest. The higher the need for it, the more it will remain.
- Make warm wraps. Heat a towel and attach it to the mammary gland before feeding. This procedure will expand the ducts, improve blood circulation and increase the flow of milk.
- Do not get hung up on the fact that you have a lactational crisis. Periods, terms you already know. Remember that soon everything will normalize. Mom’s psychological attitude is very important. Do not offer the baby a bottle. Better once again attach it to the chest.
To summarize ...
Any lactation crisis, periods whose terms you are aware of is not such a serious problem for a woman who wants to continue breastfeeding. Remember that this situation usually resolves after about a week. Subject to the above conditions and tips, you can cope with a lack of milk in just a few days. If you can easily overcome the first lactation crisis that occurs about a month from the birth of a child, then the rest will not present any particular danger and complexity.
One important thing to keep in mind is that you should never replace bottle feeding. Do not think that your baby is starving. Check if the baby has enough milk. To do this, count how many times a day he urinates. If the number of wet diapers exceeds 12, then the baby will have enough food. Please note that this rule is only valid for infants prior to feeding. Hurry up to normalize your breastfeeding!