What to do if the baby sucks on one side only: an algorithm for mom. What to do if the baby sucks on only one side: an algorithm for mom More milk is produced on the right or left

DatsoPic 2.0 2009 by Andrey Datso

Often, mothers who breastfeed their babies have various kinds of difficulties associated with breastfeeding and feeding. One of the most common causes for concern is breast rejection - when the baby does not take the breast at all, but more often - when the baby takes one breast without problems, but prefers to refuse the other breast.

Such situations often arise and often mothers make one big mistake - they follow the lead of the child and all this leads to the fact that the baby is fed with one breast, he may not get enough milk, and the second breast at the same time reduces the amount of milk or does not produce it at all. Then there is also the problem of the mother - the mammary glands become of different sizes, and this gives the mother an aesthetic and physical inconvenience. Why does this happen and what to do in such cases?

Why refusal?

First of all, you need to understand the question - did the baby always prefer the same breast, or had there been no problems with alternating breasts before? If a child initially has a tendency to breastfeed with one breast, it is possible that he has problems with the cervical spine and neck muscles. On the other side and at the other breast, it is simply uncomfortable or painful for him to lie. This problem will be solved by a neurologist or pediatrician during examination, and this is usually detected almost once - in the first weeks of feeding. Then, for the duration of treatment, you should choose comfortable positions for feeding at both breasts - it can be from under the arm, hanging over the baby, in a cross cradle, and so on, the main thing is that the location of the child’s body is convenient for his muscles and skeleton.

If the child does not have physical health problems, the reason for the refusal of one breast may be in the formation of the refusal as such. The baby may be sucking on the nipple and developing nipple tangles, or selectively rejecting one breast in any position because it contains too much milk. And then, at the beginning of feeding, it pours too much from it, which makes the baby refuse it in favor of another breast - softer and with less pressure. Perhaps the reason for the refusal is the psychological discomfort of the baby - it is inconvenient for the mother to reproach the child with one of the breasts. She is not so comfortable putting the baby to her chest, and he catches it on a subconscious level, refusing the "unloved" breast. Sometimes the refusal of one breast is a kind of “demonstration of strength” by the baby and a way to control the mother, a kind of whim of the baby. Sometimes the breasts can be somewhat different from one another - it is easier and easier for the baby to get milk from one breast than from the other. And then the child can refuse a more “complex” breast in favor of a simpler one.

What to do?

First of all, do not panic and be nervous. With a strong nervousness of the mother, the baby may refuse to breastfeed completely. Feeling her physical and emotional stress. At the same time, the mother’s milk in a state of stress is “clamped” by oxytocin in the chest and it becomes more difficult for the baby to get it. Pull yourself together and calm down - the situation is quite normal and not critical. But you need to correct breast rejection at its earliest stages, until the baby has switched to breast rejection altogether or you yourself have come to terms with the fact that you will feed from one breast for the rest of the time. First of all, you need to understand for yourself that you are the mother of this baby and you are the leader in your couple, you are the main one and you will need to decide which breast and which of the feedings you will give to the baby. Feeding on demand implies not only the requirements of the baby itself, but also the requirement of the mother - if she has chest discomfort or a feeling of breast fullness, if she needs to feed in this situation with her left or right breast. It is extremely important to understand this for yourself and follow this rule. You need to be completely confident in yourself and in the correctness of all your actions. However, in such a delicate situation as the beginning or already completed refusal of the breast, it is also not worth bending the pack, insisting on your opinion and feeding with a certain breast should be done delicately, since violence in terms of breastfeeding can turn the situation in the opposite direction to you.

How to start the process of overcoming the rejection of one breast? First of all - change the program - that is, feed the baby with the unloved breast in an unusual position for him or use non-standard places for feeding him, sometimes you can feed the child with the unloved breast on a walk, in the kitchen with the noise of working appliances, in the car while traveling on business. Do the same when feeding to fall asleep - always start feeding by offering the child his favorite breast, and when the baby begins to fall asleep, quickly change the breast to the one that he does not take well. Offer the same breast at night. When the baby wakes up for feeding, half-asleep children are usually more willing to agree to an unloved breast, if only to cling to their favorite milk faster again. You can use sources of white noise to persuade you to take an unloved chest - a hairdryer, the noise or splash of water, the sounds of nature or light music. Usually, breast rejection does not last long, and if you quickly eliminate the cause of discomfort and cope with your tension within yourself, then the child will quickly again be evenly applied to one and the other breast. If you let the situation take its course, you can get a categorical rejection of the breast because there will actually be less milk in it due to its low stimulation. Then the baby will be capricious and offended by the lack of milk when trying to suck, and over time will refuse one breast altogether. Then you will have to feed with one breast, which entails a chain of new problems, for example, the formation of different breast sizes.

different breast size

As we have already said. Different breast sizes can form as a result of selective feeding by the mother of the baby with only one breast. The second breast at the same time receives insufficient stimulation and lactation in it decreases, and sometimes completely collapses. Different breast sizes and different amounts of milk in it bring a pronounced inconvenience to mothers - babies are reluctant to take smaller breasts with a small amount of milk, a difference is often visually noticed and there are problems with underwear and wardrobe. This leads mothers to the idea that they need to do something with their breasts and correct the situation. The difference in breast size may appear both at the very beginning of breastfeeding, and after a year of feeding - it all depends on the specific situation and the degree of difference in the intensity of feeding from the left and right breasts. Naturally, the smaller the age of the baby and the duration of uneven feeding. The easier it will be to correct this situation. But you should not give up and with a feeding experience of six months or a year, the situation can always be corrected with some effort and effort. Then the size of the breast can be almost completely aligned.

Why can breasts become different sizes?

This question worries all breastfeeding mothers, without exception. The main reason for this is the unequal stimulation of the breast by sucking and the different flow of milk into the breast, in other words, the baby sucks one breast more actively and more willingly than the other, or the mother applies the baby to one breast more often and for a longer time than the other, due to certain reasons. This happens if the baby captures one breast when applying correctly, and the other incorrectly. Breast asymmetry may also occur. If a mother pumps a lot and does it unevenly from different breasts, one breast pumps better than the other. Different breast size occurs. If a mother wears a baby in a sling on one shoulder and gives the same breast more often, it is more convenient for her to feed on one arm, in the same position. And the size of the mammary glands can also vary if the mother and baby sleep on the same side on their noses and the child sucks the same breast at night. And another reason for the asymmetry of the breast can be lactostasis or mastitis with it with the suppression of lactation for a while or permanently by camphor compresses, dressing the breast or performing an operation on it. Depending on what was the reason for the different breast size, the tactics for restoring the size will be slightly different.

How to try to equalize the size of the chest?

The easiest way is if you know the true causes of breast asymmetry. It becomes clear that your main task now will be to drastically change the rhythm and organization of breastfeeding in order to direct the stimulation of suckling to your smaller breasts, and reduce the stimulation of your larger breasts. This will not be very difficult to do if the cause of the asymmetry is caused by nightly feedings on one side or your convenience in feeding on one hand - then you just need to change the position and position of the baby at the breast - change breasts and feed with smaller breasts more and more often. Remember the following advice - always start breastfeeding on the smaller breast and let the baby empty it all the way through. Then let's suck on the big one. Also, for all short attachments - calm down, take a nap, pee - give the child a small breast. Larger only after complete emptying of the smaller one. If a baby likes to sleep with a breast, a smaller breast should always be in the baby's mouth. At night, try to feed your baby mostly from smaller breasts. If discomfort from overflow occurs in a larger breast, briefly attach a crumb to it until it is relieved, and return it to a small breast.

Thus, the small breasts will be actively stimulated and emptied, which will lead to the fact that it will produce milk more actively. In a larger breast, stimulation will decrease and, according to the principle of feedback, there will be less milk. Gradually, this will even out the size of the chest.

If the child does not take one breast and freaks out when the mother gives it, then the reason may be both in the baby itself and in the nursing woman. Breastfeeding consultants advise not to follow the lead of a baby who constantly wants to suckle only the right or left side. Indeed, in the future this may lead to a cessation of milk production in the other breast and tangible visual differences between the glands. With cunning, mother can correct the situation and make sure that the baby takes both breasts with the same desire.

The baby refuses one breast: the consequences

Many women during lactation face the same problem when the child takes only one breast and completely refuses the other. In this situation, the mother has two ways: to retrain the baby or to obey his desires.

If a mother wants to keep breastfeeding, then all the ways that can correct the child's behavior should be tried. When a breastfeeding woman submits to the wishes of the baby and agrees to feed only on the right or on the left, then this is a step towards refusal.

If the baby refuses one breast and sucks on the other, and the mother does not try to correct the situation, then the consequences will be as follows:

• In the "unloved" breast, milk will stagnate. This will result in bumps. If you feed the baby only on the right or only on the left, then the signs of lactostasis will not keep you waiting.
• In one breast, milk will be produced in the same volume, and in the other, its production will decrease. Over time, the baby will lack nutrition as the baby grows. Mom will be forced to supplement the baby with a mixture, since there is not enough milk.
• The "favorite" gland will be larger, since it supports active lactation. Perhaps, after the abolition of HB, the size will be restored, but the skin will still remain more stretched. a fairly common occurrence.

Causes

The refusal of the breast on the one hand is provoked by the physiological characteristics of the mother or baby, as well as the behavior of both during attachment. It is sometimes difficult for women to understand why a child behaves this way.

It is important for mom to understand the reasons, but at the same time remain calm. After all, the baby feels even a little stress, and excitement can affect the production of milk. If you determine the cause exactly, then in most cases it is possible to solve the problem and adjust the GW.

More milk is produced on the right or left

If the baby suckles one breast willingly, but refuses the other, then uneven milk production may be the cause. The female mammary gland contains alveoli in which breast milk accumulates. From them depart the ducts that go to the nipple.

Through the ducts, milk during sucking enters the baby's mouth. In one woman, the number of alveoli in different glands may differ, since there are no symmetrical people. There is nothing dangerous or unnatural about it. Each mother, having a different number of alveoli in the mammary glands, is able to feed.

In the gland with more alveoli, more milk is collected. It starts to flow as soon as the baby starts to suck. On the other hand, there are fewer alveoli and milk, respectively, accumulates less. It is produced in the process of sucking. Therefore, the baby has to work hard to get food.

On the one hand it pours more intensely

The baby may refuse one breast and suck on the other with pleasure due to the different force of milk flow. Some babies love to have milk poured into their mouths. Others prefer to actively suck before this.

Nina Zaichenko, certified breastfeeding consultant and well-known blogger says:

- The child sucks on one breast, from where the milk splashes directly, and he does not need to strain. And to get milk from the other breast, you have to strain and he does not like it. And some children, on the contrary, do not like it when a jet hits him in the mouth like from a hose. Everything is very individual.

Mom puts the baby in different ways on both sides

If the baby eats only one breast calmly, but does not want to take the other, then the posture may be the reason. It would seem that mom puts the baby on the right and left elbow in the same way. But the difference is still there, and for the little man it is palpable.

Infants often have increased muscle tone. If it is stronger on one side, then it will be uncomfortable for the baby to lie on a certain side. Due to the fact that the shape of the breast is slightly different for all women, it may be difficult for the baby to latch onto the nipple.

The child does not like to lie on one side

The baby, although a newborn, is already a separate person. He shows dissatisfaction in certain cases, but not always mom manages to understand the reasons. Sometimes babies fight at one breast and suckle with pleasure from the other.

Blogger and lactation consultant Nina Zaichenko says:

- We are all not born symmetrical and at first it may be inconvenient for a baby to turn in one direction. And then the baby gives priority to one side and the corresponding chest.

Since the baby still cannot say that it is uncomfortable for him to lie in this position, he simply spits out the nipple and starts to make trouble. At the same time, he happily calmly sucks the opposite mammary gland.

teeth on one side

Babies after six months may prefer one breast due to teething. Perhaps the child experiences discomfort when lying on a certain side. Because of this, the baby refuses to suck on one breast, but takes the other.

Teething in babies usually occurs after six months, but for some this process begins earlier.

What to do

Priority breasts produce more milk over time, and a woman may notice a difference in size. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures in time so that the baby sucks both mammary glands with the same desire.

• Attach the baby to the “unloved” breast at special moments. It is better to choose the time before bedtime, in a dream or immediately after waking up. The kid will indiscriminately take his mother when he is hurt or offended. After all, during sucking, he calms down.
• Apply in an unusual and unusual situation for a child. You can feed the baby on the street, at a party. Feeding while bathing helps a lot. From warm water, the ducts expand, so it is easier for the baby to cope with food. In addition, the water creates a soothing environment, as once in mom's tummy.
• In the fight for breastfeeding, all means are good, and mom can use the method of deception. When a baby falls asleep with his "favorite" breast, you must immediately change it. It is important to do this carefully so that the baby does not detect the change and continues to suck.

If the reason for the baby's dissatisfaction is temporary discomfort or teething, choose a different position for feeding. It is more convenient not to hold the baby in your arms at this moment, but to put him on the bed. If the baby categorically does not want to turn in the direction the mother needs, you need to sit above him. In the new position, the baby can taste the “unloved” breast.

The baby refuses to breastfeed and cries - such a problem can occur even in the absence of any apparent reason for this. Let's try to figure out why this can happen and, most importantly, how to find a way out of this situation, because the lactation period is very important both for a newborn baby and for the health of his mother.

Is the baby crying and refusing to breastfeed? Learn how to solve the problem READ ALSO: why is the baby crying?

What does breastfeeding look like?

If a baby refuses breast milk, it may look different. Of course, a mother who spends day and night next to her baby will see warning signs:

• the child does not want to breastfeed at all;
• eats from only one breast;
• agrees to eat only in a half-asleep or sleepy state;
• takes the breast, but badly - at first sucks, then cries and stops, then he can eat again, but again goes crazy and eventually remains hungry.

To say that the baby is naughty is not entirely true. If at this age the baby roars and does not recognize breastfeeding, then there are objective reasons for that. Either he is sick or he is not comfortable. It is inappropriate to talk about the so-called manifestation of character here. The sooner we determine the cause, the more successfully we will solve the problem.

First of all, you need to find out the reasons for the anxiety of the baby.

Causes associated with the anatomical features of the maternal breast

A child's refusal to breastfeed can happen due to the fact that the mother's breast has individual anatomical features that make the process difficult. This may be too flat or, conversely, an elongated shape of the nipples, as well as too narrow channels through which milk flows.

What is created by nature is difficult, and sometimes impossible to change, so you need to try to adapt to the non-standard features of your body and help the baby do it. It is necessary to develop the breasts, massage and express milk with a manual breast pump. Such regular activities will support lactation and help the baby. You can use special pads for feeding, which are sold at the pharmacy. The main thing is to tackle the problem right away, because at first the baby is still very weak. After the first month, when he grows a little and gets stronger, he will cope with tight breasts on his own.

READ MORE: breastfeeding pads

Causes related to the health of the baby

Why does the child refuse the breast after he took it for a while without problems? Often this happens if the baby is sick. This must be taken very seriously, since the protracted nature of the disease not only adversely affects overall health and slows down the recovery process, but can also lead to the child's refusal to breastfeed.

A possible reason for the refusal of a child to breastfeed is problems with the tummy

What diseases and painful conditions should be kept in mind:

1. Colds and other diseases accompanied by nasal congestion. In addition to the fact that viral diseases weaken the body and reduce appetite, it is difficult for a child to suckle at the breast simply because he can hardly breathe through his nose. As a result, he starts eating, then stops. The problem is solved by instillation of a saline solution, massage, humidification of the air in the room and regular ventilation, and in case of a complication in the form of fever, compliance with all the recommendations of the attending physician.
2. Intestinal dysbacteriosis. This process is necessarily accompanied by colic and the accumulation of gas in the tummy, as a result of which the baby not only screams, but also twitches his legs. Dill water will help to alleviate the condition of the baby. In addition, discomfort can be created by the air that the baby inevitably swallows during feeding. Dysbacteriosis is eliminated by special preparations that restore the intestinal microflora, and a light massage of the tummy will help rid the child of gas.
3. Thrush. To cure inflammation of the oral cavity, you need to consult a doctor for competent recommendations, and while the treatment lasts, breastfeeding can be temporarily replaced by feeding expressed milk from a spoon.
4. teething period. Children react differently to this painful process - someone hangs on their chest for days, and someone flatly refuses it. Teethers or special gels can be used as sedatives.

READ MORE: Teething gels for children

If the first signs of any ailment are found, it is imperative to take action as soon as possible. This will preserve lactation and help avoid complications.

https://youtu.be/PV4C-tvqejk

Other Common Causes

There are a number of other reasons why a baby may refuse to breastfeed. Eliminating them is easier, since they are all associated with non-compliance with elementary rules. Most often it is:

1. A strong smell emanating from the mother. Having a baby in your arms, you should temporarily stop using perfumes and strong-smelling deodorants. The child should feel natural smells.
2. Abuse of nipples, pacifiers and bottles. Eating milk (or formula) from a bottle is easier than sucking it out of your breast. If you had to temporarily switch to this method of feeding, you should give expressed milk or a mixture from a spoon, pipette or syringe without a needle. To prevent the baby from switching to a bottle at all, you need to apply it to the breast more often. A convenient moment for this is when the baby falls asleep or should wake up.
3. Haste or abrupt change of scenery. If the mother is in a hurry and nervous, the baby will not be able to properly latch onto the nipple. In the same way, an unusual environment and any excessive revival around can act. The feeding process should be quiet, calm and secluded.
4. Diet violation. The taste of breast milk can be affected by garlic, onions, herbs and spices, and medications. A nursing mother needs to follow a diet so that her baby does not have digestive problems.
5. Not enough milk. Hypogalactia can be triggered by rare breastfeeding, chronic fatigue, lack of daily routine. Mom should follow the regime, get enough sleep and rest, eat right and drink 2-2.5 liters of warm liquid per day. You can use products that stimulate milk production (for example, tea with anise or fennel).
6. Too much milk is also a common reason for rejection. You just need to express a small amount, then the breast will become softer, and the child will be able to grab the nipple.

As you can see, all the problems in this category are not so difficult. Having correctly determined the cause, it can be eliminated simply and quickly.

Try drinking tea to restore lactation

Could it be a lactation crisis?

The so-called lactation crisis is actually a false rejection of the breast. This breastfeeding crisis can be faced when the baby is already 3-4 months old. At this time, the baby begins to show individual character traits. Naturally, he does it in his own way: he can scream and resist, turning away from his chest, cry, that is, refuse food in all available ways.

It is equally important that the mother is constantly next to the child - constant contact will help strengthen the spiritual connection between them. The period of the lactation crisis passes quite quickly, and soon the baby will again take the breast with pleasure.

How to overcome the GW crisis?

The main danger of false breastfeeding is that it can become real. Such a risk exists when the mother was not immediately able to understand what was the matter, or if the rules of feeding were violated from the very beginning. The physical malaise of the child can also aggravate the problem.

Always be calm, this will strengthen your bond with your child.

To overcome the lactation crisis, the psychological factor is very important. Establishing contact between mother and baby is the basis for solving the problem. Some tricks will help with this:

1. Mom needs to remain calm, no matter what, because the child feels her state of mind very well and succumbs to it. You need to constantly talk to him, sing songs, stroke and smile.
2. In order for the baby to take the breast, he must be comfortable. You can try different positions and positions for feeding, even if this will not be very comfortable for the mother herself. The main thing is that nothing bothers the child.
3. Breasts must be offered constantly and it is very undesirable to use nipples, pacifiers, bottles. Complementary foods must also be excluded. If there is no alternative, the baby will start breastfeeding again.
4. Do not give up night feedings. In the first months of life, children need it. The nutritional value of milk can be increased by appropriate products added to the mother's diet.

Subject to all the rules, you can quickly and relatively easily solve the problem and teach the baby to the breast again. Lactation will not be disturbed, and the child will develop a sense of security and confidence.

https://youtu.be/p5LMczlmW6A

VseProRebenka.ru

Why the child does not take the breast freaks out and cries

Any mother got into a situation where the child does not take the breast, freaks out and cries. In primiparas, this immediately causes a panic attack associated with the thought that the child may remain hungry. After all, mother's milk, as a valuable and irreplaceable product, should remain prerogative at the age called breastfeeding. Women who do not have this first experience begin to look for the reason for such behavior, turn to specialized literature or ask advice from those whose experience they trust. But even such a search for information may not give an idea of ​​​​the causes of the baby's anxiety.

KidFeed.ru

Breastfeeding

Let's try to imagine what will happen if a cub of a mammal, for example, a bear, an elephant, a gorilla, suddenly takes it and decides to suck its mother? The answer is simple: under natural conditions, such a baby will not survive. Therefore, he does not suck his mother only in two cases: either he himself is weak and unviable, or a misfortune happened to his mother, and his mother is no more. In all other cases, the cub sucks its mother. Nature is arranged in such a way that the rejection of the breast is an unnatural phenomenon. Rejection is practically never found in nature, nor is it found in human communities that have preserved the archaic culture of raising children. In a modern civilized society, the refusal of a child to breastfeed is a very common phenomenon. Let's try to understand why this happens.

The main task of any population, including the human one, is to survive, to preserve offspring. In the course of natural selection over the course of tens of millennia, signs have been fixed that allow the mother to provide the best conditions for the preservation of offspring, and optimal models of maternal behavior have been formed. Maternal experience, knowledge, techniques of maternal art were the property of the entire community - clan, tribe, and were continuously passed down from generation to generation. In such a community, a young mother is never left to fend for herself.

She is ready for motherhood, because, firstly, she herself was fed and raised correctly, as all previous generations were fed and raised, in the best way to preserve the health of the offspring. Secondly, she knows how to handle small children, because she saw how other mothers behave, and she nursed the babies herself. Thirdly, she is always patronized and supported by more experienced mothers. They teach her how to feed and care for her own child, and correct her if her mother does something wrong. By the birth of her fourth child, a woman becomes an experienced mother enough to do without guardianship, to pass on her experience to other mothers.

Unfortunately, it so happened that the chain of transmission of maternal experience was interrupted. Most modern mothers are brought up "according to Spock." In addition, they practically did not communicate with babies before the birth of their own children and never watched how experienced women breastfeed and care for their children. Most modern grandmothers are not carriers of positive maternal experience, because it was they who raised their children “along the Sopka”. In addition, both mothers and grandmothers are confused in conflicting information about how to properly feed, raise and educate. Instead of help and support, knowledge and experience tested by generations, modern society offers mothers a variety of “substitutes”, means for separating the child from mother in the form of mixtures, bottles with nipples, pacifiers, baby monitors, as well as many newfangled methods of education and development that contradict the very the nature of man.

Under these conditions, failure, an inherently unnatural phenomenon, has long become commonplace. In the practice of breastfeeding counseling, the problem of refusal is in third place in terms of the number of requests after suspected lack of milk and lactostasis.

In today's situation, a child's refusal to breastfeed is a completely natural and the only way available to a child to say “no” to his mother, to declare his disagreement with her actions.

What does a normal mother-baby relationship look like?

Numerous observations of the behavior of infants in natural conditions, as well as the behavior of those mothers who were lucky enough to get the same maternal experience, proven by generations, make it possible to understand how an infant behaves normally, what his relationship with his mother looks like.

If the mother offers the breast, the baby always starts to suck. Even if at this moment he doesn’t really want to, he will take the breast. Just in this case, he will make several sucking movements and calmly let go of the chest. Why it happens?

It is so arranged by nature that a newborn human cub is a helpless creature, completely dependent on its mother. Therefore, the relationship in the mother-child pair is asymmetrical: the mother is the main one, she plays the leading role. Mom is the main one, she offers her breasts - so it’s necessary, and the baby begins to suck.

Usually, the mother does not abuse her leadership and offers the baby the breast when he really feels the need to suck, or in an emergency where she herself needs help. For example, for some reason too much milk has come in and the mother feels discomfort.

It is worth noting that the behavior described above is the norm throughout the entire period of breastfeeding. And the duration of this period in a person is on average three and a half years.

This happens if the mother-child relationship is normal. If they are violated, the baby may refuse to breastfeed.

How relationships break down

When a baby is born, he knows for sure that he has a mother. During the nine months of his intrauterine life, the baby got used to quite certain sensations: he got used to hearing the sounds of his mother's body, her voice, the rhythm of her steps, got used to a certain temperature and comfortable posture, to his mother's smell. A newborn baby needs constant closeness with his mother, because it is in her arms, sucking on her breasts, that he gets into the atmosphere of familiar sensations, into an atmosphere of peace and comfort. The child expects quite definite actions from the mother, aimed at satisfying all his needs, he expects that the behavior of the mother, in general, will not differ much from the behavior of a primitive woman or living in an Indian tribe isolated from civilization. These are innate genetic expectations, formed in the course of evolution, that every newborn baby has. If the mother does not live up to the expectations of the child, the baby loses faith in her reliability, and this is always the foundation of a possible refusal.

For example, a child may "take offense" at childbirth. When they interfered with the course of the natural process, violating it. In such a situation, the baby may refuse to breastfeed in the first days of life. Such situations are rare, but they do occur.

Maybe the mother is trying to teach the child to swim and dive, does dynamic gymnastics with him, awkwardly holds him, takes care of him incorrectly, feeds according to the regimen, rarely picks him up, puts the baby to sleep in a separate bed ... In all these cases, the child experiences negative experiences. He does not expect a mother to behave in this way, because thousands of previous generations of mothers behaved very differently.

What does failure behavior look like?

In response to the proposal of the mother, the baby does not take the breast. May turn away silently, may scream when trying to breastfeed or as soon as the breast is in the mouth, or even at the sight of mother and breast, often arches. There are different options: 1. The baby does not take both breasts. 2. The baby does not take one breast and sucks the other well. 3. Takes the breast, but, after making several sucking movements, throws it with a cry.

4. During periods of wakefulness, the baby does not take the breast or takes it and throws it with a cry, but takes the breast and sucks in a dream in a completely different way.

Types of failure

Depending on the behavior of the child and the reasons that cause it, there are several types of refusal:

1. With an apparent or false refusal, behavior similar to a refusal is observed, but it is not caused by a violation of the relationship, but by other reasons.

2. The cause of true rejection is always a broken relationship. Depending on the degree of impairment, the behavior of the child may vary. In the case of a soft refusal, the child sometimes takes the breast, in the case of a hard one, he does not take it at all.

Seeming failure

Consider the most common cases of apparent refusal and the actions of the mother to correct the situation.

1. Some mothers are frightened, taking for refusal such behavior in which a newborn baby turns his head to his chest. In the performance of a newborn, such a movement is not associated with denial. This is the instinctive behavior of the child, a manifestation of the search reflex, which helps the baby navigate and find the nipple. In this case, the mother should learn how to properly attach the baby to the breast and control his behavior, then the reflex will soon die out as unnecessary. With proper attachment, the baby's mouth is wide open, the lips are relaxed and turned out, they capture the areola almost completely, the tongue is placed on the lower gum. With proper attachment, the baby sucks silently, does not smack, does not click the tongue, does not swallow air.

For control, the mother should always put her free hand on the baby's head, not allowing him to turn his head, slide on the nipple or pull it away.

2. The baby may begin to worry at the chest, experiencing bodily discomfort. For example, because of the desire to pee or poop. Mom should treat this with understanding, calm and stroke the child. In such a situation, the baby should be offered the breast again, because breastfeeding helps the child cope with such problems. Having learned to plant a child, a mother will be able to help him even better in such situations.

3. The child may not take the breast because it hurts to suck. This happens if the child is sick, for example, he has a runny nose, stomatitis, tonsillitis, thrush.

If a child is sick, he should be treated. Perhaps during an illness, the baby will be better at sucking in his sleep.

The child may be worried about the teeth.

To reduce the pain associated with teething, local anesthetics designed for this purpose can be used. When the pain subsides, the baby will again willingly take the breast.

Another case associated with soreness is colic. With colic, the baby regularly behaves restlessly in the evenings. The child can scream when changing the position of the body, with any tension, cannot suckle. He presses his legs to his stomach, sharply straightens them, cries, so many mistakenly believe that the child is worried about pain in the abdomen. In fact, a small child behaves in the same way with any pain, since he does not yet have a localization of sensations. The real cause of colic is not digestive problems, but a headache of vascular origin, infantile migraine. From tension, the pain intensifies, so the baby reacts painfully to everything that requires tension from him. If the child is prone to colic, he may be sensitive to geomagnetic phenomena, pressure changes, the phase of the moon.

With colic, the mother should behave calmly. Do not offer your baby a breast during an attack, he will not be able to suck, because this requires him to strain and increase pain. Hold the baby in your arms, try to find a position of the baby's body, or a motion sickness rhythm, in which he can calm down and fall asleep. If the child falls asleep, do not change the position of his body. It is important not to wake the child, wait until he wakes up on his own. Try to get comfortable and wait patiently for him to wake up. If the baby woke up on his own, then the attack had passed. Offer him breasts, now he can suckle again. The tendency of a child to colic is caused by mistakes in caring for him. If your baby has colic, try to arrange care, learn the techniques of maternal art.

4. It can be difficult for a baby to suckle when milk flows too much from the breast. While awake, the baby may have difficulty suckling. As a rule, these difficulties are temporary and by three to four months everything is getting better. React to the situation calmly, try to calm the baby, gently talk to him, stroke, shake. Try to adapt to the situation by choosing the best position for feeding with the help of a consultant. In a dream, as a rule, the baby does not experience any difficulties with sucking, try to use this.

5. There are cases of one-time refusal of the breast. If the mother went away, leaving the child, then upon her return she may find that the baby does not want to suckle the breast. Try to behave calmly, outwardly do not react to what is happening. Rock the child. When he falls asleep, lie down with him in an embrace and try to give breast at his first stirring. As a rule, after sleep everything is getting better. Remember that a baby should only suckle at the breast. Nipples and pacifiers should not be given to him even in the absence of his mother. The person with whom you leave the child should be able, if necessary, to supplement the baby from a spoon, cup or syringe without a needle.

A one-time failure occupies an intermediate position between apparent and genuine failure. A one-time failure may not be accidental. If this happens, be sure to think about whether you are doing everything right, whether the child is sure that you are a reliable mother.

Genuine rejection

Genuine rejection occurs if the relationship between mother and child is broken, when the actions of the mother have led to the fact that the baby has lost faith in her reliability. If the child has lost faith in the reliability of the mother, the slightest reason is enough to provoke a refusal. It can be a mother’s absence or a trip to the clinic, the arrival of guests or a massage course ... As a rule, within two weeks before the start of refusal behavior, some kind of event occurs, in its own way, the last straw that overflows the cup, and the baby starts a strike. The child's behavior is an expression of his attitude towards his mother. Depending on the severity of violations, the baby behaves differently. If he sometimes takes the breast, then this is a protest against the actions of the mother, an attempt to “re-educate” her. If the child does not take the breast at all, this is an ultimatum, a real rejection of the mother. Most mothers experience rejection hard, experience a deep sense of guilt in front of the child, confusion and helplessness.

What to do if the child really refuses to breastfeed?

How to overcome genuine rejection

First of all, it is necessary to understand why the failure occurred, to find its causes. Note that this is not always easy to do; an inexperienced mother, as a rule, does not notice her mistakes. The consultant will help you find the reasons and reasons for the refusal and, if possible, eliminate them.

It happens that the reasons cannot be eliminated. After all, we cannot change the past, but, having realized our mistakes, we are able not to repeat them in the future. Remember that in any particular situation, a person chooses the best of all the solutions available to him. Then you did not know how to do the right thing and there was no person nearby who could help, teach, correct you. Try not to blame yourself for past mistakes, look ahead.

First of all, the child needs your sympathy and understanding. He is bad now. It's not easy for you either. Believe that if you act confidently, without doubting that you are doing the right thing, and follow all the recommendations, everything will definitely work out, and soon you and your baby will enjoy their newfound intimacy.

First stage (preparatory)

Dealing with rejection is not easy, so try to finish pressing matters and enlist support. Ask relatives to take over household duties for two to three weeks so that you can devote all your time to the child. Try to explain what and why you are going to do and ask not to interfere for at least three weeks. It’s good if there is a woman nearby who, after listening to all your complaints, can say something like: “But still, you’re done. You are doing the right thing. Everything will definitely work out.” The preparation of the rear can take from several days to several weeks. Every day matters, so don't stretch it out too long.

Second stage (main)

It is carried out by a small "siege". Mom locks herself away from the world for 2-3 weeks, retires with her child and restores lost relationships, providing the baby with conditions that most closely resemble the state of intrauterine comfort.

All this time she spends a lot of time with the child in her arms and lying with him in an embrace. Often, mom practically does not leave the room or even the sofa. When he leaves the room, he takes the baby with him. Everything that can distract the child from the mother is excluded: walks, trips to visit, the arrival of guests, trips to the clinic, massage. You can not transfer the child to the hands of other people. For two or three weeks, only the mother touches the baby.

All items for sucking are removed: pacifiers, nipples. They are removed forever. If you are bottle feeding your baby, learn how to do it with a spoon. You can do it gradually, over 3-4 days. Then remove the blank. If the baby is under two months old, forget about it right away. If the child is older and used to the pacifier, leave it for a few minutes before falling asleep, then remove it completely. In the future, you should ensure that the child always falls asleep with the breast.

If the child receives supplementary feeding, it is reduced. This should always be discussed with a consultant. Monitor the condition of the child by the number of urination.

Mom should undress to the maximum, ideally put on shorts and a light button-down shirt, undress the child as much as possible. It is important that the baby touches mother's skin as often as possible, feels that the breast is nearby and always available.

The breast is offered to the child at a frequency depending on age, sex and type of failure. Always offer the breast at bedtime, when waking up, and whenever your baby is worried. When offering breasts, do not insist. If the attempt fails, reassure the baby. Sleep in an embrace with the child both day and night. In a dream, offer the breast as soon as the baby moves.

Don't let your baby cry under the breast. If this happens, cover your chest, distract and calm him down.

If the baby is suckling, do not take the breast until he releases it himself.

The third stage (consolidation of the achieved results)

In order to consolidate what has been achieved, be vigilant until the child is eight months old. A kid who at least once experienced doubts about the reliability of his mother needs a long rehabilitation. Most likely, he will want to check you for reliability more than once, he will behave provocatively. Mom should check the baby for "loyalty" and offer breasts on her own initiative 1-2 times a day. In case of recurrence of refusal, follow the recommendations above.

A stable relationship to the breast will be formed in a child only by eight months.

Here are the most general recommendations. If you can't, ask a consultant for help. After the rejection is overcome, you will have to learn to live differently. A nursing instructor will help you master all the subtleties and techniques of maternal art. If you are unable to invite an instructor, seek help from an experienced mother. It is important that the woman you are consulting has had a positive experience of breastfeeding, that is, she has been breastfeeding for at least a year and a half, and remembers this with pleasure.

In conclusion, it is worth noting the following:

1. Breastfeeding is not a reason to stop breastfeeding, but a reason to think about whether you are doing everything right. This is also important in case of a one-time failure.

2. If a baby refuses to breastfeed, it is always worth fighting to continue breastfeeding, but after eight months, it can be more difficult to cope with rejection.

3. Dealing with rejection is usually difficult. But your efforts will be justified. After all, we are talking about the continuation of breastfeeding - the basis of your relationship with the child, the basis of his relationship with the world and other people. Ahead of the whole life, help the baby not to lose faith in you at the very beginning of the journey!

Http://www.rojana.ru/about/st/chukalovskaya.html Breastfeeding Consultant

www.baby.ru

Why does the child refuse to breastfeed, freak out and cry

The newborn receives its first nourishment from the mother. At first, it is just a few drops of breast milk - colostrum, but then the breast produces full-fledged milk with numerous vitamins. Breastfeeding is also necessary for the mother, it helps her recover after childbirth, because when the baby suckles the breast, the muscles of the uterine wall contract in the mother, health is restored faster. However, sometimes you can see that the child does not take the breast, freaks out and is naughty. Mom is upset, but she cannot understand why this is happening. And there can be at least three reasons: the condition of the baby himself, the behavior of the mother and the characteristics of the mammary glands.

Reasons for breastfeeding in the first months

It is difficult to recognize why a baby refuses such a necessary procedure as breastfeeding in the first days of life. But experts have identified several reasons:

1. Early breastfeeding. According to the WHO, the baby should be applied to the mammary glands in the maternity ward in the first half hour after birth. However, sometimes the baby does not take the breast. This happens when the baby is put to the mother in the first 10 - 15 minutes of his life. A child needs at least a short, but pause after going through a difficult path to birth. And here mother's patience and the ability to wait for the right moment will come in handy. After a while, the child himself will show activity, begin to turn his head, push with his arms and legs, and open his mouth. At this point, you can start applying it to the mammary glands. The first attempts are awkward, the baby loses the nipple or it is awkward to adapt to it. A loving mother will definitely show patience and cope with this, even if there were unsuccessful attempts. If the newborn does not want to take mother's food, you should consult a doctor while still in the hospital, understand why this happens, and take action.
2. Helplessness. At first, the baby may clumsily turn its head, open and close its mouth, not stick to the chest or stick to another place on the mammary gland. Mom perceives these actions as a refusal of the baby to take the breast, but she needs to learn how to help the baby, because he is only learning to make the first movements.
3. Difficult childbirth. They can become a strong obstacle to feeding, especially after a caesarean section. The baby may be very tired and exhausted to suckle immediately. There is little strength in premature babies, as well as in children who have undergone oxygen deficiency. Recovery takes several days. During this period, the mother needs to express and give the child expressed milk to drink. However, attempts to attach to the breast cannot be stopped. As soon as the baby gets stronger, he will take the breast. Taking medication during labor can also cause the baby to not accept the breast.
4. Short frenulum of the tongue. This makes it difficult to capture the chest.

The nipple is a barrier to feeding

When the first breastfeeding after childbirth does not take place, and the mother and child are separated, there can be a serious barrier to further breastfeeding, especially if the baby was fed from a bottle at that time. A bottle differs from breasts in shape, smell, and the way milk flows out. Sucking from a bottle is easier, so the relearning process can be long and difficult. Attachment to the breast can cause the baby to cry and scream. If the baby needs to be supplemented, it is better to do this from a spoon, from a pipette or from a syringe without a needle.

Often it is difficult for a child to wean from a convenient bottle and immediately get used to the breast, so the transition should be gradual and accurate.

If the baby does not take the breast or, on the contrary, takes and sucks it, but quickly abandons it, one of the reasons is the incorrect attachment of the crumbs to the breast. As a result, the baby quickly sucks out the “front” milk, which flows easily, and does not want to put any effort into sucking out the “back” milk, which is thicker: it is harder to extract it from the breast. However, it is fatter and healthier for the baby. Mom does wrong if, immediately after the child spit out her breast, she gives him a second one. You need to patiently repeat attempts to attach to the first.

With improper attachment, the baby can swallow air, which will cause colic in his tummy, and the baby will spit out his chest. In addition, the child does not want to breastfeed unless he is hungry. Mom needs to wait until the baby gets hungry.

With elevated body temperature and the presence of colds, the child will refuse to breastfeed

The problem with breastfeeding can also occur at an older age, but there are other reasons for this:

• Excessive activity. The baby is actively looking for the breast, trying to take and suck it, but cannot hold it. This happens most often due to the high activity of the child, who is constantly spinning, especially at the age of 3-4 months. In this case, mommy needs to support the baby's head near the nipple.
• Fatigue. The child is just tired and wants to sleep, and the mother is trying to feed him at all costs. This causes a protest - the baby screams and freaks out. Take a closer look at the baby: if he rubs his eyes and yawns, it’s time for him to sleep, you can feed him after. Although, it may be more comfortable for your baby to take the breast when he is already practically asleep.
• Sensitivity to weather conditions. A sudden change in the weather can affect a child's behavior and, as a result, breastfeeding, especially if the child is sensitive. Mom needs to see a doctor for advice.
• Colds. A mother should listen and look closely at the child. He may refuse to suck because of painful phenomena. If the nose is stuffed up, the baby has nothing to breathe when he starts to eat. Or an ear, tummy, head, painful general condition hurts. The baby at this time cries, screams, is naughty. When a child has a cold, the temperature rises, appetite decreases. He does not have the strength and desire to make efforts to suck. At such moments, you need to calm the baby, identify the cause of crying and eliminate it. You can try to feed him when he sleeps.
• Thrush. At an older age, a baby may develop thrush in the mouth, which is accompanied by a white coating and soreness, which prevents him from taking the breast freely.
• Teething. At 3-4 months, the lack of desire to suckle can be caused by teething. You can help the baby using special pastes and gels. They need to be applied to the gums, which will ease the suffering of the baby.
• Strong flow of milk. With an abundance of milk, it can flow strongly, and the child can choke. This causes discomfort, which is the reason for refusing to feed. Then mommy should choose the right position in which the milk will not flow in a strong stream. The position in which the baby lies on top of the mother, or when they lie side by side, is quite suitable.

Mother's behavior and features of her body

A child may refuse to breastfeed in the following cases:

1. Mom has flat or inverted nipples. Mom needs to learn how to help the baby, because with skillful attachment, the child grabs the breast, and does not suck on the nipple. With constant breastfeeding, the nipples most often stretch.
2. Mom has swelling of the nipple. Edema occurs due to lactostasis. Mom needs to direct maximum efforts to treatment, while drinking less liquid and carefully developing flow passages, decanting a little milk before feeding. When the edema subsides, feeding is getting better.
3. Mother's lack of milk. The child is malnourished, so he cries and stops suckling. It is urgent to find out the reasons for the decrease in milk production and take emergency measures to eliminate them. Most often, a child is given one breast during feeding, but if there is not enough milk, both are given. If there is enough milk, it is necessary to follow the sequence: first they give the child one breast, in the next feeding - the other.
4. Too much milk. At the same time, it is difficult for the baby to hold the nipple, the mammary gland becomes hard. You can soften the chest by pressing your fingers for a few seconds on the areola area. In a woman's diet, it is better not to include foods with a pungent odor and taste, such as onions and garlic. This will cause a change in the taste of the milk and may cause the baby to refuse the breast.
5. The family has a difficult psychological situation. During such a period, the mother is irritable and nervous, her mood is transmitted to the baby. He can begin to act up, and all this worsens the process of eating. All adult members of the family should be interested in eliminating psychological problems.

The baby does not take the breast, and mommy thinks that he is being naughty. This is not true. Below are the recipes of specialists and experienced mothers who know the ways and methods of solving the problem.

• Don't panic if your baby only occasionally refuses to feed. But if the baby did not receive mother's milk within a day after birth, you can feed it like this: express milk, mix with glucose and give from a spoon or from a finger. Finger feeding will help develop your baby's sucking reflex.
• Carry your baby in a sling - this will accustom him to his mother's breast. Gradually notice how the baby will independently reach for it.
• Avoid pacifiers. Yes, the baby will cry during retraining. Show patience and perseverance.
• Study your child in what position is best for him to eat. Some babies love to suck while being rocked while walking, while others are almost asleep.
• If it was not possible to feed the baby during motion sickness, give him the opportunity to fall asleep, and then bring the nipple to his mouth. The baby will happily smack his lips in his sleep.
• Use a special pad if you have not breastfed for a long time. However, do not abuse it, otherwise feeding without it may become impossible.

Successful feeding requires a mindset for success. Enjoy the pleasant moments of communication with the child. Do not be nervous. Always feed in the same room. During feeding, do not be distracted by extraneous matters, do not keep problems in your head. You can turn on pleasant quiet music, and drink warm tea before feeding.

Remember that a newborn child is defenseless in the adult world, he is completely dependent on his parents. Only by showing love and care, you can eliminate all the reasons that interfere with feeding, and establish relationships with the baby.

One sided child

If your baby prefers one breast over another, or only suckles on the breast he loves, don't be discouraged. The baby quickly learns which breast "works best" and stays on that side. Babies usually grow well with only one breastfeeding. This is what happens with twins. For several months, you may feel that one breast is lower than the other, but in any case, your body after the birth of a child will never be the same as it was before the birth of a child.

Committed to the chest

Finally, to make the life of a family with a baby even more difficult, there are children who refuse the bottle. You worry about what will happen when you return to work, and the little gourmet food lover waits for his favorite dish and refuses the second-rate. Some babies refuse a bottle (even with breast milk) from a breastfeeding mother. It's like going to your favorite restaurant, sitting at your favorite table, listening to pleasant music, being served by a familiar waitress - and they bring you the wrong menu. For a baby accustomed to breastfeeding, any change may be undesirable. You should feel grateful that your child is so devoted to you!
We have often discussed this issue on our live radio show "Ask About Your Child". One day, a dad called and gave advice on how to feed a baby from a bottle. "I'm a cop and I love to stay with the baby when my wife is at work. I take off my shirt and let him cuddle and crawl over my hairy chest. Then I take the bottle, hold it with my forearm in the way I usually hold a flashlight when I have to maneuver in the dark. I hold the baby in my arms, much like my wife does during breastfeeding, and the baby drinks from a bottle sandwiched between my chest and forearm. We are both delighted with our invention. " Take note of this example of paternal intuition.
If you have followed all of the recommendations for bottle feeding an accustomed to breastfeeding baby on p. 300, but the baby still refuses to take the bottle, don't stress, there are other methods. Try feeding your baby from a small plastic container, such as a juice cup, medicine cup, or soft cup with a rim. Giving the cup a curve that approximates the curve of the baby's lips can make it more attractive to the baby, it may be more interesting than the nipple. Pour milk into the baby's mouth in small portions, wait for him to swallow. At first, some of the milk will spill until the baby learns to coordinate movements. Be patient and let your baby pull the milk the way he is used to sucking. Do not use cups with a spout. (See page 222 for more tips on giving your baby a bottle.)
Fortunately, all the tricks thrown out by children during feeding soon pass. Children grow and develop, and soon you find yourself face to face with new challenges. But that's what children are.

BREASTFEEDING FOR SPECIAL CHILDREN IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Breastfeeding is even more important for children with special needs, as well as for their parents. Breastfeeding provides a higher level of "maternity" hormones that contribute to the development of intuition in communicating with the child, the readiness to meet all his needs. The physical, physiological and medical benefits of breastfeeding for these children are even more significant. In 25 years of medical practice, we have repeatedly observed a phenomenon that we would call the "principle of matching the level of needs." The child needs special care. Parents do their best to provide for his needs, and gradually they develop increased intuition and sensitivity to meet the needs of the child. Let us consider the most common situations when, in response to the special needs of the child, special behavior of parents is developed.

Sexual sensations while breastfeeding

Hormones involved in the formation of milk and the formation of maternal feelings (prolactin and oxytocin) affect female sexuality. They contribute to relaxation, a feeling of pleasure and help the mother to be in continuous communication with the child. Breastfeeding should be fun. Humanity could not survive if breastfeeding was not associated with pleasure.
Some women are worried about the strength of the feelings they experience while the baby is suckling. They are especially worried about this, when the child grows up, they ask if this is normal? Yes, sure! Here is what the International League of Breastfeeding Mothers says about this: “Women experience physical feelings during breastfeeding. Depending on the time and circumstances, these feelings can be interpreted in different ways: as a physical attraction, overflowing with a sense of satisfaction or feelings of warmth and love for child. All these are normal components of a woman's relationship with her child. "

Children born by caesarean section

After a caesarean section, a nursing mother has a double burden: she must recover and take care of the child. Here is what you can do in such a situation:
- Ask your lactation consultant to show you how to position yourself while lying on your side and how to hold your baby while breastfeeding. With the right position chosen, the child will not disturb the sore spot. (See pages 147-148 for a description of nursing postures.)
- Your husband needs to see how the medical staff helps you to get into the right position and properly put the baby on the labor so that he can help you when you get home. Ask the professionals to instruct the dad on how to pull the baby's jaw down and correct the curled lip, because it can be difficult for you to bend over and see if the baby latch on correctly.
- Take medicines to relieve pain that suppresses milk production and interferes with its arrival. Medicines commonly prescribed to relieve pain after surgery do not pose a risk to the baby, as they hardly pass into milk.
- If postoperative complications prevent you from breastfeeding your baby for 1-2 days, the father or nurse can formula feed him, but not from a bottle. It is better to use a syringe or tube feeder or finger feed (an explanation of this feeding technique is given on pages 176-177), as bottle sucking can prevent the baby from learning to latch properly later on. If your baby is not being delivered, you need to start using breast pumps as soon as possible so that the baby can get colostrum.
- You should reunite with your child as soon as possible. Since mothers need rest after a caesarean section, children are usually kept separately. We still recommend placing the baby with the mother if someone can be around to help care for the baby.
- Be patient. After surgery, learning the science of successful breastfeeding will take more time, support, and perseverance. Some of the energy that you could otherwise use to achieve faster breastfeeding success, you will have to spend on your own treatment. In the end, you will establish feeding, but not so easily and quickly. (See the section on creating an unbreakable bond with your baby after a caesarean section on page 54.)

Premature baby

Premature babies require special care, good nutrition and comfort. Here is a case where breastfeeding mothers especially benefit. Recent advances in newborn nursing increase your chances of returning home with a healthy baby, but they also remove the mother from him in saving the child. You need to become one of the members of the medical assistance team.
Sue and her premature son Jonathan were under my supervision in the hospital. She spent most of the day at the box in which her child was placed. Since Sue was an active witness of the baby's development all the time, she exclaimed, "It's like the womb is outside and I can see it growing."

Supermilk!

In a premature baby, the need for mother's milk is even greater. He needs more protein and calories for faster growth. The researchers found that the milk of preterm mothers was higher in protein and higher in calories - clear evidence of how a mother's milk changes to ensure the survival of the baby. Super milk for a baby born prematurely is amazing!
It used to be customary for babies placed in intensive care units not to breastfeed until they were strong enough. New research has shown that it is easier for a premature baby to breastfeed than to bottle because the ability to breastfeed precedes the ability to bottle feed. The researchers found that during breastfeeding, the baby sucks and swallows at a rhythm that requires less energy than with less even bottle sucking; Breastfeeding babies grow better, stop breathing less often, and are less tired than bottle-fed babies. Not only breast milk is healthier, but how it is consumed.

What can mom do

So that you can understand your huge role in caring for your premature baby, let's look at what is the usual care of a premature baby who has stable breathing, but who needs to gain fat. Here's what you can do.
Kangaroo method. One of the options for a nursing mother to provide medical care to her baby is provided by an innovation that can be called the kangaroo method, since this method provides an opportunity to facilitate feeding in the same way as a kangaroo in its pouch nurses its premature baby. A study by Dr. Gina Cranston Anderson at Florida State University found that preterm infants gained weight faster using this method, had fewer respiratory arrests, and had shorter hospital stays.
Using a special device - a sling, the mother wears the child wrapped in swaddling clothes at the breast. The mother's body and warm blankets provide much-needed warmth. Due to insufficient body fat, such children often freeze. The proximity of the mother's breast encourages the baby to feed as soon as his small stomach requires it, a system called "self-regulating feeding." Always be at the box in which the child is placed, sit in a rocking chair and hold the child wrapped in swaddling clothes at your chest. If the child is not connected to any medical devices, wear it while walking around the room. Even more than sitting with a baby in a rocking chair, rhythmic walking helps him breathe regularly, because this is the environment that surrounded him before birth. (See the description of the vestibular system on page 309.) A baby who is cared for by the kangaroo method cries less. Children who cry a lot grow worse, because a lot of oxygen and energy is consumed with strong crying.
If you breastfeed your baby, kangaroo care, hold him, sit with him in a rocking chair, carry him, he will cry less and grow faster.
The kangaroo method gives a lot not only to the child, but also to the mother. The closeness of a baby perched on the breast stimulates the production of hormones that cause increased maternal feelings and the formation of milk. Mothers involved in kangaroo care are more likely to breastfeed, have more milk, and breastfeed for longer. They are very attached to their tiny children, more confident in their ability to do everything possible for the child and feel like active members of the neonatal intensive care team.
Newborn specialists believe that one of the main reasons why kangaroo care is effective is that mothers set the rhythm of breathing for premature babies, and therefore babies develop better. Premature babies often have respiratory arrests that slow their growth and are often the cause of long hospital stays. It is unlikely that you have ever thought of yourself as a device that provides breathing, but the picture is exactly this: the child is snugly on your chest, his ear is at your heart. You breathe rhythmically, your heart beats rhythmically, and the child perceives it. The rhythm of your breathing, the beating of your heart, your voice, which the baby used to hear even before birth, and even the flow of warm air from your nose that enters the head of the child with each exhalation, sets the rhythm of breathing, as if reminding him to breathe. The child, inextricably linked with the parents, breathes with them.
Pump out the milk. Rent an electric breast pump and start pumping milk as quickly as possible. Stock it up and start giving as soon as medically warranted. Feed your baby in the way that works best.
Ask for help. See a lactation specialist who can teach you how to make it easier for a premature baby to latch on and suckle properly.
Try not to use a bottle. Instead of a bottle, use a supplemental feeding device and the thumb sucking syringe method (described on page 176). Some premature babies transition easily from bottle to breast and don't confuse a nipple for a pacifier. Others, after a bottle, take the breast incorrectly, so try not to use it if possible. When the baby is strong, move on to full breastfeeding, bypassing the bottle stage, or combine breastfeeding and bottle feeding, whichever works best for baby and mom.

When a baby does not suckle well at the breast, this becomes a real problem for a nursing mother. What to do if the baby sucks for a very short time and quickly falls asleep? Or vice versa, only when he kisses his chest, does he start to pull away and act up? Whether the reasons are always in the amount of milk the mother has, or there are some problems with the child himself - it's time to deal with these issues.

Reasons for breastfeeding in newborns

nipple shape

A newly born baby may not breastfeed for a variety of reasons. Most often they are a whole complex. Breasts of women can have a variety of sizes and shapes of nipples. If the nipples are very flat or sunken, it is more difficult for the baby to drink milk, but most often the babies do not experience much discomfort during feeding. In rare cases, the shape of the nipples can become a really serious obstacle to feeding.

Anesthesia during childbirth

If the mother gave birth with painkillers, the drugs also penetrate the baby's blood, which is why the children are lethargic and sleepy at first. Narcotic substances that are part of anesthesia are completely eliminated from the baby's body only after a few days. Even relatively weak (compared to other modern painkillers) morphine will cause a child to be lethargic for several days.

Mucus in the airways

If a baby is sucked too much mucus from the respiratory tract at birth, this can negatively affect his desire to suckle for a while. If the baby was born completely healthy and full-term, there is no need to suck out the mucus.

The structure of the oral cavity

Sometimes children are born with a congenital anomaly of the oral cavity, popularly referred to as "cleft lip". Often this looks like a splitting of the palate with a lip, which is immediately visible. But in some cases, only the palate is split in the depths of the mouth, which is not always possible to detect during the initial examination.

Incorrect chest grip

Why is my baby not breastfeeding well? One of the reasons is his inability to properly breastfeed. It does not depend on the shape of the mammary gland and nipples. If the newborn takes the breast incorrectly, then the milk is excreted worse, the child quickly gets tired and begins to act up. Breastfeeding mothers need to monitor the correct grip and, if necessary, consult with a breastfeeding consultant.

Tongue frenulum

The first reason is purely physiological - a short frenulum of the baby's tongue. In this case, the tongue is not mobile enough, it is inconvenient for the baby to suck. The problem is eliminated immediately after birth, it is enough to show the baby to the dentist or surgeon to make an incision on the frenulum.

Bottle, pacifier

The problem can arise if pacifiers and bottles with nipples are used. The fact is that when sucking milk from a bottle and the mother's breast, different muscle groups are involved. The difference is that milk flows freely from the bottle, no effort is needed to get it. Breast milk has to be obtained. In this case, you will have to re-train the baby to take the breast.

Diseases

Toddlers may begin to fuss during feeding due to poor health. For example, feeding becomes more difficult if the child has runny nose, sore throat, candidiasis or inflamed ears. If there is a suspicion of malaise, you need to call a doctor at home. You can feed your baby with expressed milk. But in no case do not use bottles for these purposes, it is better to take mugs or a syringe.

Colic in the stomach

Babies under the age of 2-4 months may be disturbed by colic - the child will begin to act up, kick his legs, he can hear rumbling in his tummy. The baby will become very restless and noisy. Most often, these anxiety attacks occur at the same time, for example, every evening. To avoid intestinal spasm, you need to ensure that the baby does not swallow air when feeding. If the child starts to worry, you need to warm his tummy or bathe in a warm bath. These actions will help relieve spasms.

False Denial

At the age of 2 months and up to 4 months. babies may begin to turn away from the breast during feeding, they are ready to be distracted by any trifle, but just do not eat. There is nothing wrong with such behavior when the baby is already about 4 months old, his diet changes - most often he begins to suck milk before and after sleep. The baby can eat in a half-asleep state, the main thing is to make sure that he does not toss and turn.

How can the situation be corrected?

So, what to do if the child began to be naughty when feeding?

Feeding frequency

Feed your baby as often as possible - newborns, especially those under the age of 2-4 months, should eat at least every two hours. If the child fell asleep, wake him up, he should not sleep for more than 2 hours. You will have a baby at night - at least 1 time.

It is a mistake to think that a child, if necessary, will certainly demand it. Babies with calmer temperaments may not want to eat as often as they should unless their mother reminds them to do so. If your baby is one of those calm children, offer the breast yourself more often, including at night.

Feeding time

Increase the feeding time, no need to calculate the minutes when the baby takes the breast in his hands. Let the baby completely suck out first one breast and only then attach to the other. The fact is that the most nutritious milk is the last, it is more fatty and high-calorie. If you switch breasts too early, your baby will not get enough calories by sucking out liquid milk.

Cloth

Don't wrap your baby up when feeding him, on the contrary - contact with the mother's skin will help him wake up. This method is especially good for sleepy eaters. Remove some of your clothes from yourself, and so that the baby is not cold, cover him from the back with a blanket.

Night feedings

In order for more milk to be produced, and the baby to breastfeed with great appetite, you can try feeding at night. Take the baby to your bed during sleep, so both you and the baby will relax. In this state, the level of hormones that affect milk flow increases. Prolactin is produced more actively at night, so these late feedings are considered the most productive. Also, according to recent studies, the amount of milk in the breast is affected by human growth hormone, which is also produced during sleep.

closeness of mother

It is difficult for adults to control themselves in food when they are sitting at a plentiful table - the hand is constantly reaching for plates of goodies. The same rule works with babies, constantly being near their mother's breasts, children often want to eat. Get in the habit of wearing your baby in a sling so he will always be with you. Some babies wake up appetite on the go, when the mother is on the move. In addition, constant walking will prevent the baby from falling asleep while suckling.

Rest

Get more rest yourself. From the constant haste of milk just will not increase. Give yourself more time, walk, sleep during the day, use every free minute to relax yourself. Of course, it's good to have help with household chores.

Good sleep and rest blocks the production of stress hormones, which in turn speeds up the process of milk secretion. Do not overwork and do not strive to redo everything in a day. Did the baby sleep? Sleep with him, let your man help you with household chores.

Refusal of pacifiers and bottles

Up to 7 months, when active feeding has not yet begun, the baby eats only milk. If you want him to grow and develop faster, give up pacifiers and bottles - the baby should only be applied to the chest. It is better not to introduce artificial mixtures into the baby's diet, unless there are medical indications.

Consult with a specialist, a feeding consultant will be able to observe how the baby takes the breast, and will give the necessary advice and recommendations.

How to regulate milk flow?

In the first 2-4 months In the life of a baby, some mothers may encounter the fact that during feeding, the baby begins to cough and turn away from the nipple. It may seem to some that the child even began to choke. This behavior can often be confused with colic, but the only thing that unites these two situations is the cry of the baby. Despite the fact that the baby is growing well, this behavior is worrisome. This happens when there is too much milk.

This is an unpleasant moment, but the situation can be corrected:

1. Feed your baby in small portions, but as often as possible, so the milk will not stagnate in the breast. The baby should not feel hungry, otherwise he will drink too much, which will again provoke the release of too much milk.
2. Shortly before feeding, avoid hot baths and showers, and do not drink hot liquids - an increase in body temperature will also provoke excessive milk production.
3. Milk flow can be reduced by lying on your side or back during feeding.
4. If it happens that the baby sucking milk chokes, be calm, just hold it with one hand so that it stretches out, and gently pat on the back with the other.
5. The pressure of milk is not constant, so it is important for the baby to learn to suck not only when the tide is in. The baby must suck out the milk completely, including the "back", which has an increased density and fat content.

"Forward" milk contains much less nutrients, it consists almost entirely of water. It is quite easy to drink such milk, because it goes quite actively. It is better not to change the breast until all the milk has been drunk. In order for the baby to suck out as much milk fluid as possible, a special “breast compression” technique should be used.

After drinking more liquid milk, the child may fall asleep, falling asleep at this time is quite normal. In a dream, he will quietly suck out the fatter “rear”. At this time, inexperienced mothers make a big mistake by changing the left breast to the right and vice versa. Because of this, the baby learns to drink only liquid milk and gets used to it.

In such a situation, you will have to retrain the baby. Start the next feeding on the same breast that you finished the previous one on. Try to feed your baby in an extremely calm environment, preferably even in a slightly darkened room. If the baby begins to act up, change the position - this will calm him down a little. When the baby gets angry after drinking liquid milk, squeeze the breast at the base to help the baby drink more.