How to quickly express breast milk. Is breast milk that has been frozen healthy? Should you pump both breasts?

Try it following tips to stimulate the withdrawal reflex breast milk:.

1. Follow the established pumping order.

One of the most effective advice is to create a routine. Express in the same place, on the same chair, drink the same drink. Prepare everything you need in the same order each time, use psychological techniques for relaxation. All of this stimulates your breastmilk ejection reflex.

2. Before pumping, take a few minutes to massage your breasts.

Start from the armpit and massage this one point on your chest in a circular motion with your opposite hand. Then move your hand slightly and massage again. Continue the massage, gradually moving around the breast and down in a spiral towards the areola (This is similar to how you or your doctor checks the breast for lumps). Finish the breast massage with a series of strokes from the chest down to the nipple, also repeating your movements around the entire breast. Then massage the other breast. If your milk flow slows down while pumping, a few minutes of breast massage will help restart the process.

3. “Fill the pump”

Drink a couple glasses of water right before pumping.

4. “Pump yourself up”

During the process, imagine mountain streams or rivers rushing to the ocean. Or pretend that you are a breast milk fountain or any other image that will help your milk separate and flow into the breast pump.

Take a baby blanket or some item of your baby's clothing. Enjoy its smell. (Or ask for a photo of your milk baby with the host family and look at him - approx.)

6. Find out what your child is doing.

Before expressing breast milk, call your babysitter and ask what your baby is doing. (The same technique can be used for infants - approx.)

7. Listen to music.

To avoid distractions during the process, try listening to music. Enjoy your favorite music while pumping or listen to the soothing sounds of nature: the ocean, rain in the forest - whatever you like best.

If your nipples are already a little sore, try the following:

8. Try setting your breast pump to a lower suction level.

If your nipples become sore, try reducing the suction on your breast pump or changing its mode if the device has several options. Make sure the nipple does not rub against the flange while pumping.

9. Apply a small amount of emollient

Apply an emollient containing lanolin, which will help soothe and heal sore nipples.

Tips for Expressing More Breast Milk

If you are faced with the task of collecting as much breast milk as you want, then try the following:

10. Pump as often as your baby eats.

Usually this is once every 3 hours (or more often - approx.). If you're worried about whether you have enough breast milk, do this more often . Frequency stimulates the milk ejection reflex more effectively than increasing the time of each pumping.

11. Add another pumping session early in the morning.

Early morning is the time when you produce the most breast milk. If you are trying to create a "strategic stock" in your freezer, then this good time days to achieve the goal.

12. Check your breast pump.

Sometimes the most effective advice- the most obvious. Have you assembled the device correctly? Is the bolt or any other parts worn out? Check with the manufacturer (the phone number can be found in the instructions). If you purchased or rented a breast pump from a breast pump consultant breastfeeding or a La Leche League leader, she may be able to advise you on replacing worn out parts.

13. Try pumping one breast while your baby is nursing the other.

The baby will trigger the milk release reflex and it will be easier for you to collect milk from the other breast. (This is easiest to do with an electric breast pump rather than a manual one)

14. Double pumping.

For most women, double pumping (from both breasts at the same time) is the most useful recommendation, because this usually results in more pumping. Prolactin levels in the blood are also higher if you stimulate both breasts at the same time. The best and easiest way to do this is to use good quality electric breast pumps, but some manual ones can be operated with one hand. Get 2 of these breast pumps and you can double pump manually.

15. If pumping is not going well, try a different breast pump.

It is best if you try a breast pump by an order of magnitude, or even by two orders of magnitude best quality than the one you are using. Rent a clinical unit for a week or two. You might be surprised by the difference! (Some women express more effectively by hand. We do not recommend that everyone use exclusively clinical breast pumps, as it may seem from the text - approx.)

How to Make Expressing Breast Milk More Comfortable

Try these few tips to make the process easier and more convenient.

16. Wear two-piece clothing for easier access to your breasts.

One of the tricks that makes life easier for mothers is to wear comfortable clothes. It's easiest to pump (just like breastfeeding) if you wear a loose top that can be removed separately from the bottom. There is a cute and comfortable clothes for feeding with special hidden holes for the breast.

17. Lean forward while pumping.

This will prevent milk drops from getting on your clothes.

18. Double pumping with one hand.

Try leaning over the table to hold the breast pump using the edge of the furniture, and use one hand to hold the flanges of the breast pump on your chest. Your second hand will be freed up for flipping through the pages of a magazine or eating. Or try using a footrest or thick book to elevate your knees so that you can rest the collecting bottles on your knee as you lean forward.

Once upon a time, all pediatricians and obstetricians insisted that a nursing mother should express the breast to the last drop after each feeding of the baby. What has changed these days? Should a nursing mother pump or is it better to forget about this procedure altogether?

The answer may not be clear-cut, since everyone’s feeding situation is different. And regular pumping has both pros and cons.

pros

• Pumping helps the mother maintain lactation away from the baby, for example, if the mother went to school, went to the hospital, or started working.
• By receiving expressed milk, you can breastfeed mother's milk through a tube of babies who were born ahead of schedule or are in hospital.
• Pumping helps alleviate the condition of a nursing mother if a lot of milk has come in and stagnation has occurred (this often happens during the period of lactation). In this case mammary glands you only need to strain a little to eliminate painful overcrowding.
• Mom will have to express milk during the period when she is sick and takes medications passing into breast milk.
• If a child is not gaining weight well, pumping after feedings can become an additional incentive to increase lactation.

Pumping after feeding helps to store milk and increase lactation

Minuses

• Although doctors before It was recommended to pump to prevent milk stagnation and mastitis, but pumping is one of the provoking factors for these conditions.
• The possibility of getting into a vicious circle: due to large quantity pumping will produce too much milk. To remove the heaviness in the chest, the mother will be forced to constantly pump.
• Mom gets tired of pumping and begins to consider breastfeeding an unpleasant and difficult process.

What's happening?

When the mother gives breast to the baby on demand, the baby sucks the portion of milk he needs. Sucking stimulates the production of next feeding exactly as much milk as the child ate.

If the baby's appetite has increased and the breast is empty, greedy sucking will become a reason to produce more nutrition in the breast for the next feeding. If the baby has eaten less and some of the nutrition remains in the breast, milk production will not be as active at the next feeding.

With more frequent and prolonged feeding of the baby to the breast, lactation will be stimulated. Pumping is also such a stimulus for lactation - the more milk a woman receives from the breast, the more milk will come.

It is pumping and the number of attachments to the breast that will influence the production of breast milk

When is pumping necessary?

• Separation of mother and child if a woman wants to maintain lactation.
• Weakened or premature baby can't suck required quantity milk to stimulate lactation.
• Resuming breastfeeding after a break.
• The mother goes to work if the child is less than 8-9 months old.
• Milk stagnation to relieve breast congestion.

If the baby was born full-term, actively sucks, the mother feeds the baby on demand and the mother’s breasts are not full (there is no congestion), in this case pumping is not necessary either after feeding or at any other time.

How much milk should I express?

The amount of human milk that can be obtained when expressing may differ at different times:

• Pumping “to the last drop” is recommended for mothers who want to stimulate lactation as much as possible.
• If a mother stores milk for future use, she should try to express as much milk as the baby needs for one feeding.
• During stagnation, it is recommended to express a small amount of milk just to alleviate the condition and relieve breast tension.

Listen to yourself and express only when you feel the need to do so.

After each feeding

Previous recommendations for all women to pump their breasts after each feeding of the baby are no longer supported by pediatricians. This was once explained by the need to constantly stimulate lactation. However, if breastfeeding is done correctly, female breast does not need additional stimulation besides the baby's attachments. Expressing only increases the “demand” for milk production, which can be detrimental (cause lactostasis or even mastitis).

Almost every breastfeeding mother is at some time faced with the need to express breast milk. The use of a breast pump is justified in case of constant pumping or when creating a milk bank. But sometimes you need to express just a little, then it’s more convenient and faster to do it with your hands.

Some breastfeeding women special problems They can manually express a sufficient amount of milk, while others can only squeeze a couple of teaspoons out of their breasts. This does not mean at all that there is no milk. Absolutely every woman has it! You just need to learn how to get it correctly.

How to properly express breast milk by hand? When is it necessary to do this? This is discussed in detail in our article.

The topic of breast pumping has been the subject of heated debate for many years. On one side of the barricades are adherents of the opinion of pumping to the last drop after each feeding. On the other hand, there are opponents of pumping altogether.

Several decades ago, children were breastfed according to a regimen (only 5-6 times a day). In this situation, lactation could fade away very quickly. And to support her, women had to pump their breasts after each feeding until the last drop. But in this way you can easily catch up with hyperlactation, mastitis, and lactostasis. Feeding on a schedule has been replaced by feeding on demand. Frequent latching by the baby (10-12 times a day) stimulates the production of sufficient milk. There is no need to pump. If there is less milk, the baby will simply begin to latch on to the breast more often and pump his own food.

But sometimes it is necessary to express breast milk by hand in the following cases:

1. If the child was born premature.
   The mother can express milk and give it to the medical staff.
2. For diseases of the central nervous system in a child.
   In some cases, the baby is not able to pump milk independently. But mom can feed him with a bottle or spoon.
3. If the breast is very swollen and it is difficult for the child to put it in his mouth.
   It is enough to express just a little milk to make your breasts soft. And it will become easier for the baby to grab the nipple.
4. If there is a strong flow of milk in the first days after childbirth.
   The first flow of milk on days 3-5 after birth is usually intense. The mammary glands become engorged and heavy. To prevent stagnation, you can pump your breasts a little these days.
5. Stagnation of milk (lactostasis, mastitis).
   With lactostasis, stagnation of milk occurs in a certain proportion. This requires a special technique for expressing or applying to the baby's breast.
6. Taking medications: Many medications pass into breast milk and are prohibited during lactation. If the mother is facing a course of treatment, she can prepare a bank of milk in advance.
7. The need to be away from the baby for a long time. It makes sense to express breast milk if the baby is not yet eating complementary foods and the mother needs to leave for 2-3 hours.
8. Mom is storing milk for future use, planning to finish breastfeeding soon. When frozen, some beneficial substances are lost, but it is still healthier than any adapted mixture.

Expressing your breasts by hand takes longer than using a breast pump. But every nursing mother should be able to do this.

Principle of milk production

In order to safely feed and express breast milk manually, it will be useful for every mother to know how a milk production workshop works.

Where is milk stored?

From the inside the mammary gland is penetrated thin threads– milk ducts in which milk is stored. The baby presses on this area of ​​the breast, squeezing out milk, and stimulates the production of a new portion. For effective pumping, the mother should press on this area of ​​the breast, and not on the nipple.

Breast structure

Oxytocin and prolactin

The process of milk production depends on these two hormones. Prolactin controls the amount of milk and is responsible for its production. As much milk has left the breast, the same amount will come.

Oxytocin is the hormone of love and pleasure. It is produced when a child stimulates the nipple and areola. And is responsible for the release of milk from the milk ducts.

By pressing on the area of ​​the milk sinuses, the baby stimulates the release of oxytocin into the mother’s blood. Milk begins to flow out in strong streams. Mom feels it like a tingling or burning sensation in her chest. Then the pressure weakens, and if the sucking continues, a new flow of milk comes.

It often happens that a nursing mother manages to express no more than a tablespoon. And then worries begin that the baby does not have enough nutrition. The thing is, breast stimulation by a child is a natural process, inherent in nature. But pumping is artificial, and it’s a little more difficult to trigger the oxytocin reflex as needed. But there are some tricks.

In order for pumping to be effective, you need to apply pressure on the breast in the right area and turn on the necessary hormones.

Preparing to pump

Preparing yourself and your breasts for pumping is just as important as knowing the technique of hand expression. Tension blocks the production of oxytocin. Therefore, only in a relaxed state, in a good mood, will you be able to get milk product from the chest.

How to ease milk flow

What stimulates the oxytocin reflex:

• Put warm cloth on the chest
• Take a warm shower
• Drink a warm or hot drink 10 minutes before pumping
• Express milk while holding or being close to your baby (oxytocin – the hormone of love and pleasure)
• Skin to skin contact with baby

To trigger the oxytocin reflex, you can use Jean Cotterman's squeezing technique. It is used when the areola is rough and swollen. This often happens in the first days after childbirth, during the flow of milk. You need to press on the areola area, right at the base of the nipple, with the fingertips of both hands. Maintain pressure for at least 1 minute, preferably 2.

Softening Pressure by Jean Cotterman

Breast massage before pumping

It is useful for every nursing mother to master massage while breastfeeding. In case of engorgement of the mammary gland and to facilitate the outflow of milk, you can give a light massage. It is best to do it in the shower.

“Movements should be confident, but soft. Do not rub, crush or break lumps. This can injure the milk ducts and lead to stagnation of milk."

When massaging the right breast. Right hand clasps the chest from below, place the left one on top. Using gentle movements in opposite directions, stroke the mammary gland for 1-2 minutes (the left one moves to the left, the right one moves to the right). For the left breast, switch hands.

You can gently stroke the breast in the direction from the collarbone to the nipple.

Breast massage to prepare for pumping

A massage of the neck and back gives a good effect. Sit on a chair, put your hands on the table, put your head in your hands. Free your breasts from the bra; they should hang down freely. Let your assistant gently massage your back and neck. The effect of a massage should be relaxing.

Manual expression technique

After proper preparation You can start expressing milk.

How to express breast milk by hand? To do this, sit comfortably. It is important that your back is relaxed. Take a clean container in your hands into which you will express milk.

1. Grasp your breast so that your thumb lies on top of the areola (2-3 cm from the base of the nipple). Index and middle finger at the same distance from below.
2. First movement. With a soft but confident movement of your hand, squeeze the areola and point it towards you (as if sinking your fingers into your chest). At this point, you have captured the milk ducts, where milk has accumulated.
3. Second movement. Squeeze the areola between your fingers and roll your fingers forward towards the nipple, squeezing out the milk.

Actually, expressing breast milk consists of alternately repeating these two movements: towards the chest – forward towards the nipple. They squeezed - they relaxed, they squeezed - they relaxed, etc.

There should be no pain during pumping. If mom experiences pain, it means she is doing something wrong.

Try to match your baby's sucking rhythm. Milk will not begin to come out immediately. If lactation is mature (2-3 months after birth), milk does not accumulate in the milk ducts, but comes in response to stimulation. You need to make 5-10 pumping movements “idle” and wait for the milk outflow reflex.

Move your fingers around the areola to empty each of the milk ducts.

If you need to express a large volume of milk, then empty both breasts at one time. GW consultants advise adhering to the following algorithm: 5 minutes - right, 5 minutes - left; then 3-3, 2-2, 1-1.

"Important! It is not the nipple that needs to be stimulated, but the areola. You cannot rub, knead, roughly press or slide your fingers over the chest.”

Useful video “Manually expressing breasts”:

Never trust another person to pump. Even a professional will not be able to accurately determine the permissible force of pressure on your chest. Careless handling can lead to compression of the milk duct, and subsequently to lactostasis and mastitis. Therefore, every nursing mother should know how to express milk correctly and be able to do it independently.

Importance natural feeding huge. But what to do if the mother cannot be with the child around the clock? Of course, it is easiest to switch to formula, however, simple pumping helps maintain lactation and continue feeding. Often, women who are faced with this problem for the first time have a question about how to properly express breast milk with their hands. It should be noted that WHO does not recommend resorting to such procedures unless absolutely necessary. Therefore, before you immediately understand this issue, you need to understand when you need to express breast milk and when it is not necessary.

According to outdated recommendations, artificial stimulation of the mammary gland was carried out in a number of cases. Currently, it is believed that these are false norms and there is no need to resort to them. The table shows evidence that expressing breast milk in some cases is not worth it.

Outdated recommendations in favor of pumping	Modern contestation
The so-called development is necessary mammary glands hands.	A healthy child who has not been separated from his mother for a long period is able to independently stimulate lactation and receive as much milk as he needs.
Excess milk	Is it necessary to express the breasts in this case, because the milk bursts and causes pain? Artificial stimulation breast will lead to even greater lactation. You will always have to follow the procedure.
Lack of milk	It is recommended first of all to put the baby to the breast more often and to monitor the correct coverage of the nipple areola. Only if these methods do not help, then you need to resort to pumping.
After each feeding	Previously, there were recommendations for feeding regimens, and pumping was necessary to maintain lactation. Currently, when feeding on demand, such measures are not necessary. Expressing your breasts after feeding means giving your baby full fat milk.

These examples do not mean that you should completely ignore expressing milk from the breast.

When is it necessary to pump?

Still, there are some cases when you need to resort to this process. Let's figure out why some mothers express breast milk on the recommendations of specialists?

1. U premature babies The sucking reflex has not yet developed, so the question of whether you need to express your breasts or not should not arise. This must be done and fed to the child from a spoon or cup. You should not use a bottle, as the baby will get used to not having to put in much effort to get milk.
2. Infants with congenital weakness sucking reflex. Most often this is a lesion of the central nervous system. In order not to go to artificial feeding, it is better to express the mother’s milk and feed from a pipette or spoon.
3. in the glands. This condition is dangerous due to the appearance of mastitis. However, such a problem can arise when the rules for expressing breast milk have been ignored.
4. A short period of treatment during which the mother is prescribed tablets and injections that are incompatible with breastfeeding. In this case, the expressed milk is not used and is poured out until therapy is stopped.
5. The need to store milk, for example, if the mother is at work.
6. After birth, the baby does not drink all the milk from the breast. If the glands become stone-like, then they need to be released. How do you know how much milk to express in this case? You need to try to make sure that there is still some milk left. Otherwise, the same number will arrive in a couple of hours.

Often, a nursing woman begins to express breast milk manually, citing the fact that the shape of the nipple is flat and the baby has difficulty getting food for himself. However, the baby sucks the areola, and milk only flows out of the nipple. The rules of breastfeeding are of decisive importance; if they are followed, then regardless of the shape of the nipples, the baby is able to eat.

In some cases, breastfeeding will be saved by pumping, performed according to all the rules and recommendations given below.

How to prepare for pumping

Before any technique of expressing breast milk by hand begins to be intensively practiced, it is necessary to take care of preparatory measures.

It's all about the hormone oxytocin. It regulates milk production and opens the ducts in the mammary glands. Another hormone, prolactin, is responsible for milk production. How to ensure normal work these two hormones? There are a few preparatory techniques before an important procedure.

They can be combined and combined.

• applying to the chest soaked in warm water towels;
• taking a shower with water temperature 37–38;
• tea drinking or drinking herbal decoction, the main condition is that the drink must be warm;
• breast massage with smooth movements without pressure or sudden jerks. If there are lumps, you should not crush them, as this can be harmful to your health. During the procedure, you must try not to pain;
• bending down and stroking the mammary glands;
• psychological mood with the help of music and sounds of nature, it is better to imagine a baby suckling at the breast.

While performing all these procedures, it is important that the mother thinks about her child, remembers his smell and voice. It is ideal if the child is nearby during these measures.

Lactation occurs more readily if the baby sucks on one breast and the mother expresses the other herself. As shown in the photo. Thus, a rush occurs in both mammary glands at once.

Preparation using the areola softening technique

This technique is practiced among young mothers who are still in the maternity hospital. This procedure is useful because it helps shape the nipple and softens the breasts. After such procedures, it is much easier for the baby to suck out milk, and the mother, if necessary, can easily pump.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Place your index finger and middle finger near the nipple ring finger both hands. The palms are to the right and left of the nipple, the middle fingers rest on the nipple.
2. Make a pressing movement and hold it for 10 seconds.
3. Place the same fingers on top and bottom of the areola and also press for 10 seconds.
4. Manipulations must be repeated 4–6 times.

The pressure when performing is not strong. It is enough to carry out such manipulations for 1 minute, and excellent preparation will be provided for pumping or feeding the baby.

Expressing breast milk by hand

How to express milk correctly, after all preparatory procedures? Hands must be washed well with soap. It is enough to wash the breasts with boiled water at room temperature.

Step-by-step instruction:

• Place your thumb on top of the areola and your index finger on the bottom.
• Make a squeezing movement with your fingers.
• Gently extend your fingers with the areola forward.
• Move your fingers to chest, while the areola is compressed between the fingers.
• Increase the pressure on the areola.

It is important to latch onto the nipple correctly, otherwise the milk may go deeper into the ducts, which will complicate the process. To better understand how to express your breasts correctly, you can watch the video.

How to express milk without harming your nipples, ducts and glands? You should use the following recommendations:

• carry out movements smoothly and leisurely;
• do not allow your hands to slide over your chest or change the position of your fingers;
• There is no need to pull the nipple too hard, as there is a risk of damaging the ducts.

You should not be immediately upset if, after the above operations, the milk does not come out or is released in drops. You must patiently perform all the procedures again. This is a long process that requires patience, time and perseverance from the mother.

Each woman decides for herself how often she needs to express her breasts, but we must remember that it is recommended to do this only when truly necessary.

When breastfeeding, the main thing is to remain calm and have a positive mindset. Not many women understand this and begin to worry at the slightest setbacks related to caring for their baby.

Warm bottle method

How to express properly if there is congestion in the glands or inflammation. In these cases, the nipple is hard, and unbearable pain is felt when touched. What is the best way to proceed in this case? It is in this case that you need to use the warm bottle method. Additionally you need to purchase glass bottle with a 4 cm neck. How to express milk using this method?

• heat the bottle with hot water;
• cool the neck with ice;
• lubricate the nipple and areola with oil or Vaseline and place it in the neck;
• the nipple is pulled into the bottle;
• When the upper steps are performed correctly, the milk flows out in a steady stream.

After relief, the stream stops flowing, but this does not mean that the breast is expressed enough. It may have bumps and compactions. Next, you can express manually.

How much milk should be expressed

Milk after feeding contains a lot of fat, but it is very small. Sometimes you can't get a single drop at a time. If you express by hand before feeding, then one pumping will give 50-100 ml.

You can express much less breast milk during the day than at night. main reason Why this happens is hidden in the hormone prolactin, which is produced from 2 to 6 in the morning.

Some mothers are unable to express a normal portion of milk during the day, night, and all day before and after feeding. The main reason may be the wrong approach to technology. Sometimes women ignore preparatory procedures or are tense.

It should be remembered important fact: If you express your breasts before feeding and get little milk, this does not mean that there is no milk there. A child is better than any hands or breast pumps at sucking his own food. You need to give the baby a breast so that he can work on it.

Manual expression or breast pump?

Is it necessary to express breasts by hand? Of course, you can also purchase breast pumps - electric, piston, with a lever and a bulb. But is it worth expecting great efficiency from them? A comparison of the two methods is presented in the table.

Criteria	Manually expressing breast milk	Using breast pumps
Traumaticity	Minimum probability	Risk of bruising and bleeding
Convenience	Just wash your hands with soap and start the procedure.	It is necessary to sterilize parts, assemble, connect to the network and other preparatory operations provided for in the instructions
Speed	In any form, the process should not and cannot be quick and take less than 20 minutes
Expenditure of effort	You'll have to work hard with your hands	If it is not an electric breast pump, then obtaining milk is just as labor-intensive as with manual expression.

From the table you can understand that there is no point in spending money on breast pumps in the hope of significantly facilitating and speeding up the process. The amount of expressed milk will be the same regardless of the method chosen. Moreover, skin contact triggers milk production. Not all hand tools may be suitable for a particular case. It all depends on the size of the breast, the structure of the ducts and the shape of the nipple.

You can try many devices without getting results, whereas proper hand expression of breast milk is much more productive.

Now that we know how to express breast milk by hand, women don't have to worry about maintaining natural feeding. The first procedure may require a lot of patience from the young mother. A woman needs to approach the process with full responsibility, while it is important to remain calm and persistent in order to receive positive result.

WHEN SHOULD YOU NOT PRESSURE?

With normally established breastfeeding, if the mother is not separated from the child for a long time until the moment when he is able to drink and eat “regular food” in sufficient quantities, there is no need for pumping. If the baby takes the breast correctly (see article) and feeds on demand, there is no need to express after feedings in order to maintain lactation. If the baby does not have enough milk, he will begin to latch on more often (perhaps even “hang” on the chest for several days) and increase the volume of milk from the mother. However, there are quite a few situations where expressing some milk or even pumping your breasts regularly is necessary.

WHEN SHOULD YOU PRESSURE?

Express milk into your baby's mouth to soothe him and encourage him to latch onto the breast;

To alleviate the condition with strong filling with milk or engorgement of the breast, when it is difficult for the child to take a full breast;

Relieve the condition of blocked milk duct or lactostasis;

Feed a child who, for some reason, cannot yet suckle (weak, low birth weight baby, child illness, premature baby, breast refusal, the child learns to take a breast with non-standard nipples);

Leave breast milk for the baby or simply maintain lactation while the mother is away or goes to work.

Expressing consists of two stages. At the first stage, you prepare clean dishes for expressing (wash with soap and then sterilize or fill with boiling water for a few minutes and then drain the boiling water), and also prepare yourself. The second stage is actually expressing milk. It is usually quite effective manual expression; if pumping is necessary for long period time (for example, birth premature baby who is not yet able to breastfeed, going to work or school), then it makes sense to think about buying a breast pump.

WHY DOES MILK START TO FLOW FROM THE BREASTS?

Milk in the breast is stored in special “milk sacs” (alveoli) located throughout the breast (there are millions of them). From the pouches, channels with milk, milk ducts, lead to the nipple. Closer to the nipple, the ducts merge (like rivers); at the nipple itself there are small expansions of the ducts, which then go out to the nipple in narrow channels. When the baby is properly attached to the breast, he presses on the expansion of the ducts at the nipple (sometimes they feel like small beans to the touch), squeezing milk towards the nipple. Milk flows out of them and runs into the baby's mouth. In order for the expansion of the ducts to fill again, milk must flow from the ducts again. This is not a quick process. However, if the oxytocin reflex is activated, milk sprays out in streams. When does this reflex turn on? When the baby begins to stimulate the nipple, as well as in other situations (the mother hears the baby crying, thinks about the baby), the hormone oxytocin is released. In response to this, the walls of the storage pouches located throughout the breast are compressed, and milk is squeezed out of them directly into the ducts, and from there the flow rushes to the nipple and into the baby's mouth. The calmer the mother is, the more she thinks about the baby, touches him, the more her nipples are stimulated, the better this reflex works. Sometimes a woman herself feels the work of the oxytocin reflex, then she calls it “a rush of milk.” This may be compression or tingling in the breast, tingling in the nipple area, leakage of milk at the moment when the mother begins to think about the baby or feeds him with the second breast. If your baby lifts off the breast and you see milk flowing, this is a sign of an active oxytocin reflex. However, a nursing mother may feel hot flashes only during some feedings or not at all, but the oxytocin reflex will be active. When the baby begins to suck or the breast begins to be stimulated, the reflex turns on, but after a while it stops and the jets weaken. If stimulation continues, the reflex will turn on again ( a new one will do"tide").

HOW TO MAKE MILK FLOW FASTER

In fact, it often only takes a little stimulation of the breasts to get the milk flowing. But some women are helped to achieve larger volumes of expressed milk by certain tricks - often each with their own something. We offer a list of various techniques.

In order for the oxytocin reflex to turn on and the milk that has accumulated to flow from the breast, it is best to relax as much as possible. You are sure that everything is fine with you, you have milk. It is stored in millions of sacs filling your chest. You eliminate any sources of pain and anxiety, forget about them for a while. You can sit quietly in comfortable position, drink a warm drink (but not coffee). If possible, have someone close to you massage your neck and back, which will help you relax.

Many people find it helpful to look at a photograph of a child or even hear him cry, if possible, look at the child himself or even hold the child in his arms, touching his delicate skin and smiling at him, talking to him. Give free rein to pleasant thoughts about your child. You can warm your chest - for example, put a warm compress on it or take a warm shower. It's a good idea to stimulate your nipples for a while by lightly pulling or rolling them with your fingers - this is very effective way trigger the oxytocin reflex.

Sometimes it helps to imagine splashing streams of water, such as a waterfall.

Some women find it helps if they gently pat their breasts with their fingertips or a comb. Some women find it helps if they gently rub their fingers across the breast towards the nipple. You can also massage your breasts. Starting from the top, work your fingers circular movements on the chest, for a few seconds and then move in a circle. Press as much as necessary to pleasant feeling. Massage in a spiral around the chest towards the areola. After this, you can make light strokes from the edge of the breast to the nipple, along the entire circumference of the breast.

Here are examples of breast massage before pumping - video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXtlqY002s0, description (another massage method, also very effective) http://www.mleko.ru/index.php?pid=4

One way to prepare is to massage mom's back before pumping. In this case, you sit down, lean forward, fold your hands on the table in front of you and lower your head on them. The chest and back are bare, the chest hangs freely down. Your assistant clenches his hands into fists, thumb outward, and with this thumb begins to make small circular movements, rubbing the back along the spine on both sides from top to bottom, from the neck to the shoulder blades for two to three minutes.

After the preparatory procedures, you can proceed to pumping.

HAND EXPRESSION

Sit or stand comfortably, holding the vessel close to your chest.

Place your thumb on TOP of the areola (peripapillary circle), and your index finger BELOW the areola opposite thumb. The remaining three fingers of the hand support the chest.

Press down lightly with your thumb and index finger on the chest, as you press them deep into the chest, plunging the nipple into it. Not too deep so as not to squeeze the ducts. Then use your thumb and forefinger to squeeze the area of ​​your breast behind the nipple and areola. You need to press on those same bean-like extensions of the ducts (though they cannot always be felt, but if you feel them, press on them).

Press and release, press and release. The procedure should not cause pain. If the procedure is still painful, then the pumping technique is incorrect.

The milk may not appear at first, but after a few presses it begins to drip. It can flow in a stream if the oxytocin reflex is active.

In the same way, press the areola from the sides to make sure that milk is expressed from all segments of the mammary gland.

Avoid rubbing the skin with your fingers or sliding your fingers across the skin. The finger movements should be more like rolling.

Avoid squeezing the nipples themselves. Pressing or pushing on the nipples does not allow you to express milk. This is the same as if a child sucks only one nipple.

Express one breast for at least 5-6 minutes until the milk flow slows down; then express the second; then both again. You can express each breast with one hand or change them if you are tired. The most effective pumping scheme is 5+5, 4+4, 3+3, 2+2, 1+1

An important condition is that the mother herself must express, because... another person, especially a non-professional, may damage or injure the breast.

An important condition - do not look into the pumping container! Research has shown that you can express more milk this way (without looking into the container).

In the figure, green arrows show the correct pressure points for correct grip and correct pumping, blue - a good flow of milk. By pressing at the base of the milk storage tanks, we squeeze the milk out of them. Incorrect pressure points are shown in red; they correspond to poor milk flow.

Expressing milk properly takes 20 to 30 minutes, especially in the first few days when little milk may still be produced. It is important not to try to express milk in less time.

wonderful animation in the middle of the article! http://breastfed.info/milk-expression-2/

Manual expression video (in English, but there is translation text next to the video) http://new-degree.ru/articles/consultant/handexpression/

Pumping with a breast pump

With engorgement and sore breasts, it can sometimes be very difficult to express milk with your hands. Expressing with a breast pump helps. It is easier to use a breast pump when your breasts are full. It may be less effective on soft breasts. It happens that mothers combine two types of pumping - first, using a breast pump all the way, then with your hands, or vice versa (if the breast pump does not pump well into an overfilled breast).

A breast pump is also useful when you have to express frequently - in this case, if the milk flows normally, you can think about something else while expressing, for example, reading, watching a movie, talking on the phone, which saves time and effort. On the other hand, hands are more universal tool, which is easy to wash, and which is always with you, in any situation, and does not cost money.

IF THE MILK IS GOING VERY BAD - WARM BOTTLE METHOD

The warm bottle method for expressing breast milk is a useful technique for relieving severe breast engorgement in cases where the breast is very sore and the nipple is very tight, making hand expression difficult. It is used if it is not possible to express milk in any other way, and it is impossible to attach the baby. Once you have pumped a little with the help of a bottle and reduced breast engorgement, you can then express by hand or attach your baby.

1. You will need a suitable bottle:

Made from glass, not plastic;

Volume 1-3 liters, at least 700 ml;

Wide neck: at least 2cm in diameter, 4cm if possible, to accommodate the nipple.

2. You will also need:

A pan of hot water to heat the bottle;

A little cold water to cool the neck of the bottle;

Thick fabric to hold a hot bottle.

3. Pour some hot water into the bottle to start warming it up. Then

Fill the bottle almost completely with hot water. Don't overfill the bottle

Quickly, otherwise the glass may burst.

4. Let the bottle sit for a few minutes for the glass to warm up.

5. Wrap the bottle in a cloth and pour the hot water back into the pan.

6. COOL THE BOTTLE NECK with cold water - inside and out. (If you do not cool the neck of the bottle, you may burn your nipple skin.)

7. Place the neck of the bottle against the nipple, touching the skin around the nipple, and make an airtight contact.

8. Hold the bottle straight. After a few minutes, the entire bottle will cool down and provide a gentle suction effect, allowing the nipple to be drawn into the neck of the bottle. Sometimes a woman feels a suction effect and may move away from surprise. You may need to start over.

9. Warmth promotes the oxytocin reflex, milk begins to flow and accumulates in the bottle. Hold the bottle until milk flows from the breast.

10. Pour the breast milk out of the bottle and repeat the procedure if necessary, or do the same with the other breast. After some time, the acute pain in the breasts will decrease and it will be possible to express milk by hand or breastfeed the baby.

SANITARY REQUIREMENTS OF SOME MATERNITY HOSPILS

In some Russian maternity hospitals, it is forbidden to give a baby milk expressed with a breast pump; only hand-expressed milk is allowed (SES requirements). In this case, it makes sense to first stimulate the breast with a breast pump for several minutes until the oxytocin reflex turns on and milk flows, then manually express the baby, and finally, continue expressing with a breast pump, which stimulates lactation. In order for more milk to come in next time, it’s a good idea to continue stimulating your breasts with a breast pump for a couple of minutes when the milk is no longer flowing. In this case, more milk will come next time.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU PRESSURE?

To establish lactation, if the child after birth for some reason cannot suckle

You need to start pumping as soon as possible. Preferably within the first 6 hours after birth. It may be just a few drops of colostrum at first, or even nothing at all, but this will help your milk supply begin and speed up the process.

Then you need to express as much as possible and as often as the baby would like to eat. At least once every 2-3 hours, including at night. If night pumping is difficult to achieve, allow a night break of 5 hours. If you pump infrequently, there may not be enough milk.

To maintain milk supply

Pump at least once every three hours

To increase the amount of milk if it turns out that you are not expressing enough

For several days, express very often (every half hour to an hour) and at least every three hours at night.

To leave milk for the baby when the mother is at work

Express as much milk as possible for your baby before leaving for work. It is also important to express milk while at work to maintain a sufficient milk supply.

MILK STORAGE

There are many different standards for storing milk. In the maternity hospital you will hear some numbers, from the pediatrician - others, from friends - others. In particular, in a maternity hospital or hospital, the requirements are usually increased and it is advisable to consume milk as soon as you express it, i.e. the whole process should take no more than an hour. At the same time, at home the requirements are much less stringent. The fact is that breast milk contains protective antibodies that prevent bacteria from multiplying, even if the milk is outside the refrigerator. A scientific study published in 1987 in the International Journal of Childbirth Education found that milk expressed in a clean (but not sterile) container and left to room temperature(19-22 degrees), after 10 hours contained approximately the same amount of pathogenic bacteria as milk placed in the refrigerator for the same 10 hours. However, there are few mothers so brave who leave milk out of the refrigerator for 10 hours. But, having read about such a study, you, having expressed milk with soap-washed hands into a clean, soap-washed and thoroughly rinsed container (for a full-term baby and at home and not in a hospital), will not worry that the milk will sit for 2-3 hours without a refrigerator. You can leave it in the refrigerator for a couple of days, or freeze it for longer. A very detailed article about storing milk from the site http://lllrussia.ru/hranenie_moloka/. There is a detailed article on our website: "" about breastfeeding for working mothers who pump regularly. The following numbers are given there

In summer in a room (cooled by air conditioning) – up to 6 hours

In winter in the room - up to 10 hours

In the refrigerator - not in the door, up to 5 days

In a cooler bag with ice – 24 hours

In the refrigerator freezer - not in the door, 3 months

In a separate freezer (deep freezer) - 6 months or more

References

Back to

leonika (mother of twins) about pumping

from the forum forum.materinstvo.ru

At some point during our feeding, I decided that I needed to freeze the milk just in case. For this reason, a breast pump was rented. This is where the fun began. Medelovsky two-phase breast pump. I began to express and began to worry - it was impossible to express more than 80 grams. I’m already starting to get nervous, wondering how many times I need to apply them so that they eat the norm. And I understand that it doesn’t work out. They don't eat that much. I’m thinking about where to freeze it to feed the children. I’m sitting in the bathroom, pumping, at first I’m all upset, and the milk is flowing like shit, and then I think why am I so unhappy, look at how beautiful, smart my daughters are growing up, I imagined how we’d go with them to the sea to relax, and then to grandma, and then to Bali or Cuba in general, it’s not just milk that started flowing, it just burst - 170 grams, 3 flushes in 29 minutes, my eyes popped out of my head - I’m a super milky nurse, I just need an approach to my breasts. It’s like in sex, some people need romantic interlude, while others don’t, probably my breasts need romantic interlude. I then checked the feeding of the girls. If I was in the mood, there could be three hot flashes during one feeding, and for the first time I saw that the girls began to choke on milk. Then I noticed that one breast responded more easily to hot flashes. I have each breast for each child. Clemie tried to feed the first one, then three flushes were guaranteed; it didn’t work out so well on Angelina’s breast, but she didn’t complain. To be honest, I stopped feeding at the computer, as it clearly reduced the number of hot flashes. They helped a lot when I was very tired of taking their first photos from the maternity hospital. And as for how much they eat now with complementary feeding, I understand that I’m not fattening pigs, well, sometimes the child doesn’t want to eat, well, we don’t eat 200 grams of porridge, and sometimes we don’t eat 150, and sometimes when our teeth hurt and we don’t want to breastfeed, but in general They look good, healthy, but I don’t even look at the norms, I see them and see that everything is fine with them.
In my opinion, feeding is affected by stress, fatigue and excessive demands on oneself and children. As soon as you understand that in any case the child will not die of hunger, you can tune in to a positive mood, and you will allow the child to eat as he wants and if he needs to, give him the opportunity to starve, letting go of your suspiciousness will immediately become easier.

does not work...

I began to notice that my son did not have enough milk :-(

Yesterday I sucked both breasts under frequent feeding before bed. After 4 hours he woke up hungry, I feed him, but there is almost no milk in my chest. 4 hours later I woke up hungry again. How to increase milk production?

Today after feeding I expressed the drops that were there. It’s already been 3 hours, and my chest is confused. What to do?!

and my chest is empty

Hello Tatiana

The fact is that visual breast filling usually occurs only in the first weeks. After this, the breasts are no longer heavy, soft to the touch, but still contain a lot of milk. If you still want to increase your milk supply, it usually helps to feed more often (for example, once every 2 hours or more) at each feeding.

Often there is actually enough milk, but it seems that there is not enough. The "" collection contains a lot of information on this topic. I hope you find something useful.

If my answer is not informative enough, please write more specifically - how much the baby is gaining, how often he feeds during the day and how often at night, how you alternate breasts, and so on.

Pumping

Good evening! Please tell me, I can’t find information anywhere on the correct accumulation of milk, I doubt whether I am accumulating it correctly..? Those. Can I express milk into a breast pump, then pour it into a bottle, put it in the refrigerator, repeat the same thing next time and pour the milk into the previous milk? I just pump 50 ml. Is this milk accumulation correct?

milk storage

Hello. As far as I know, you need to combine cold milk with cold milk. If you have expressed warm water, it is better to cool it in the refrigerator and then combine it. In general, do you store this combined milk for a long time?

Hello, please tell me

Hello, please tell me how the breast pump should fit to the breast and how everything should happen there. I just can’t learn how to express properly, either manually or with a breast pump, at first there are 2-3 streams, then nothing and it even hurts. Maybe my breasts are not standard and nothing suits me?

correct position of the breast pump

Hello. The breast pump should be positioned so that the funnel is clearly in the center, with the nipple in the very middle. It must fit tightly to create a vacuum. It shouldn't hurt!

In order for milk to flow, a rush must begin - this is exactly what is mentioned in the article above. When the tide is high, there are streams. U different women the duration of the tide varies; Usually, when a woman has been nursing for some time and the milk comes quickly, the rush lasts at least a few minutes. After this, the jets dry up, after some time a new tide begins and the jets appear again.

Please tell us whether you are breastfeeding your child, and if so, how the child eats. Perhaps you simply cannot “turn on” the tide. when you express artificially.

In general, there is a large psychological component in pumping (for example, actively breastfeeding women often experience a rush when they hear a baby crying, or even think about the baby, and have not fed for several hours) - and without any breast pump))) and vice versa, with artificial pumping it can little to come out, this is not uncommon. It also happens from time to time that the breast pump does not fit. Sometimes you can pick up a funnel suitable size, sometimes not.

So if you need help, please write in more detail about your situation.

lump in the chest

On the lower left side of my chest I noticed a lump the size of a plum. I tried to strain my breasts, after 2 days the lump became smaller, like a bean, but it did not disappear. It already hurts to press the seal. tell me how to get rid of it? no temperature. I tried to give it to the child so that he could “eat it”, but it stayed that way. How long after breastfeeding should you express your breasts? I feed every 2-3 hours. baby is 1 month old. I will be grateful for a prompt response

hello Galina, situation

Hello, Galina, the situation is quite alarming. If you are in Moscow, contact Karina Oganesyan.

If not, you need to contact a GW-friendly specialist who could help you. Optimally, contact an AKEV consultant to refer you to a doctor. You may be asked to do an ultrasound or puncture to determine the nature of the contents in the lump (milk or pus?)

The seal is always there, does it ever disappear? Have you recently had a fever? redness in the chest?

Hello! I'm through

Hello!

In a few days I need to leave my baby with dad for 4-5 hours, he is completely “on tit”. Please tell me how much milk I need to leave for them so that the child does not cry from hunger. Baby is 4 months old

Hello. The question is:

Hello. The question is: when filling the breast with milk, in the center of the breast (in the area of ​​the milk ducts and ducts) when pressed, can it hurt, or is it some kind of disease? After feeding, the pain disappears, literally two days ago I finished ultrasound treatment of this breast (there was a lump on the side - everything went away).

The baby takes only one breast.

Good evening.

My daughter is 1 month old, I have been feeding her with only one breast for the whole month, because... On the second breast she does not like the nipple (inverted). I constantly express this *unloved* breast with an electric breast pump. Now one breast is twice as big as the other! Considering that my daughter has to eat more and more milk per feeding, I conclude that this difference will only increase. I don’t want to give up breastfeeding, but I also have absolutely no desire to turn myself into a Frankinstein! Tell me, if I stop breastfeeding my daughter and only use a breast pump and bottle-feed her, will the milk remain or is constant stimulation needed by the child? Maybe you can advise something in this situation.

Hello. Specify

Hello.

Please clarify, do you give your baby expressed milk? If yes, from what source?

In fact, the vast majority of women have different sizes and volumes of milk in their breasts. However, noticeable differences are less common; usually during feeding this happens when the baby eats milk from only one breast. Such mothers often write that after finishing breastfeeding, breast size evens out after some time. However, even during feeding, you want to have breasts of a similar size, so, of course, I understand that you would like symmetry, especially since there is milk in both.

When pumping, you are likely to be able to express less milk than when breastfeeding, because... The breasts are noticeably smaller. This means that if you stop feeding completely, it is unknown whether the baby will have enough milk. In addition, with pumped feeding, additional problems arise, such as a decrease in the amount of milk due to delayed pumping, menstruation, illness, refusal to pump at night, and so on. Increasing the amount of milk expressed is not easy for most women, that is, it is quite a serious burden.

Since your baby is still small, there is usually a good chance of breastfeeding at this age. Is it possible for you to invite a lactation consultant? It is quite possible that she would have helped to place the baby on the second breast. It often helps to form a fold from the chest, shift from chest to chest (especially when half asleep), pick up suitable posture for feeding.

In any case, to equalize the size, you need to empty the smaller breast more. This is best done by a child; Before your baby takes that breast, it's best to pump more often. It is often possible to express more during milk flow, i.e. during feeding from the first.

You might find some of the following links useful

Thanks for the answer! Consultant

Thanks for the answer!

The consultant has already been invited, the postures and correctness of application have been checked. If there is a chance to straighten everything out without taking it off my chest, then I’ll do it! I freeze expressed milk)))

What city are you in? Child

What city are you in? The child is small, the consultant should help at this age.

In your case, the child lost the habit in a few days, and perhaps became offended that there was no breast, and stopped taking. Many women find the nest method helpful, i.e. carry the baby in your arms, sleep together.

I don't know how acceptable this is for you? Write please

Good evening! Daughter (2 months)

Good evening!

The daughter (2 months) fell in love with the right breast, sucks it well, the flush comes immediately after the start of sucking and then the flushes are regular as the sucking progresses. Once I counted 7 in 25 minutes. Those with an oxytocin reflex should in theory be fine.

She sucks the left breast reluctantly, sometimes cries (in different positions). After rocking and calming, he begins to suck and falls asleep while sucking. Tides are very rare. Always only after prolonged sucking, after 30 minutes and with a small amount sips when the baby is already sleeping and sucking. Once only the tide was at the beginning, at night. I think she cries because of the lack of at least one rush at the beginning of sucking. There is milk in the breast - if I stimulate the nipple area myself, as when expressing, while the nipple is in the baby’s mouth, she sucks and eats sips. But for some reason she doesn’t want to suck it or she can’t. Our latch is fine, we invited a lactation consultant.

In this breast there are only 2 ducts in the nipple: one small, droplet-like; the second is a tight stream that hits a meter. Maybe she can't press hard on the areola, so the milk doesn't come out well when she sucks?

And what could be the reason for the virtual absence of tides? I count hot flashes by characteristic sips - one sip per movement of the jaw.

Could there be any anatomical features?

Hello, yes, everyone

Hello, yes, all women have left and right breast differs in volume and size, some have a little, some have more. The problem with hot flashes may be associated with problems with the back, for example, pinching of some nerves. How do you understand that there are no tides? There is no behavior at all, one swallowing, one sucking on this breast, right?

Try feeding from different positions, for example, from under the arm, or in a relaxed position ()

Have you tried compression on this breast? Or, for example, give it when there is a high tide in another (usually this is more or less simultaneously)?

The baby sucks not only due to compression of the areola, but also due to the vacuum. Does she have any extraneous sounds while sucking? Clicks, smacks?

There are no clicks or clatters, and

There are no clicks or clatters, and the consultant looked at the grip - it’s ok.

Yes, on the left breast there is practically no behavior at all, one sip, one sucking movement. The last time was probably a week ago, and always about 30 minutes after the start of sucking. I myself can express from 20 to 40 ml from this breast - immediately after I start pumping, without a rush (I think, without a rush).

I tried different positions, it didn't help.

In a dream, I first gave the breast with hot flashes so that it would suck out three hot flashes, then quickly changed it to this one - the child immediately begins to push, as if she was having a hard time sucking, grunting appears, tries to push off with her legs from my legs - as if she was straining a lot. As a result, she switches to small ones sucking movements and takes 2-4 sips every 5 minutes.

With compression, small sucking movements are activated. But the “one movement, one sip” behavior still doesn’t exist.

The child is gaining little weight - in the first month 500 grams from the minimum, in the second - 380 grams, so I worry that the breast is on duty for the prescribed 1.5-2 hours without hot flashes - my daughter suffers, sucks somehow, sometimes even normally in her sleep, but she obviously drinks much less milk than from the other breast.

He writes normally.

“strong” breasts will be more stimulated and produce more milk. some generally feed the child with only one breast... (in this case, some asymmetry may occur, which for the most part goes away after feeding is completed). When feeding from a weak one, perhaps it is worth using compression every time? If you switch to it 30 minutes after the start of feeding from “strong”, will there still be no flush for another 30 minutes?

Apparently, you need to try everything to stimulate weak breasts during feeding. Maybe try to pump before feeding? Does this somehow speed up the flow of milk? or during feeding.

This happens (very different breast behavior), incl. for back problems (signals arrive in different ways). Also maybe after 30 minutes of sucking the latch changes? Watch your child.

20-40 ml is not so little, how long does it take you to express it? Are you sure. that there is no tide? How did you understand this - only drops come?

Good afternoon, I thought

Good afternoon,

I counted my peees several times - there were more than 12.

I express 20-40 ml in 10-15 minutes. I've been thinking a lot these days and am increasingly inclined to believe that there are hot flashes in a weak chest, but it cannot suck them out - there are only 2 ducts, one always has droplets, and from the second a very thin, tight stream flows under great pressure (it can only be seen if you look closely). Maybe it’s physically impossible to squeeze milk out of such ducts into one sip, since they are narrow? There are 4 streams from the second breast, thicker and not tight at all.

The child is still small, there is no routine, we have about 15-20 attachments per day, 5-7 of them at night. Almost all sucking (on any breast) ends in sleep after 20 minutes. At the same time, she can sleep while sucking for an hour. At what point in this case should you offer the second breast? How can you tell if your breasts are already empty? She doesn’t demand a second one even in the evening, she doesn’t cry. If there are whims, then immediately after application, after 10-15 minutes he sucks normally, after 20 he dozes or sleeps.

In general, I understand, I’ll try to alternate more often, and look at the gains. Thanks for the help!

Hello, 12

Hello, 12 urinations is an average number, even lower than average. Some children gain well at 15 pieces, some at 20. Everyone has a different volume of one “pee”. Our main criterion is weight gain.

You probably shouldn’t focus on the presence of hot flashes, just try to feed more in volume. A baby can suckle inactively for an hour and suck out very little...

If possible, see the increase weekly or even once every 3-4 days. Based on these figures, it will be possible to guess what will happen in a month and make adjustments. In the first month your gain was higher, maybe something was different in feeding?

At 1.5 months there was weight loss

At 1.5 months there was weight loss almost to the level of weight at 1 month. In time, this coincided with lactostasis of the milkier breast, although the consultant said that the amount of milk could not decrease so much that there would be such a loss (about 150-200 grams). I weighed myself once a week and noticed the weight loss late. Now I weigh myself every day, although this is not recommended. We are still not gaining weight very well - over the last three weeks, 340 grams; On average, per week it turns out from 90 to 140 grams, depending on the day when you count it - the weight either stands for 2-5 days, then jumps by 20-50-70 grams. And she hasn’t pooped on her own since the maternity hospital, once a week I use a candle or a straw - the weight decreases by 30-50 grams.

Now I try to give one or two breasts at one feeding.

Breasts that are without hot flashes, the daughter sucks poorly - both in behavior and quality. She still gets indignant at a weak flow, as you write - she throws the nipple, arches, but after a while I persuade her, I walk with her in my arms. I can’t stop giving this breast at all, the milk will disappear.

If I do not actively massage the area around the nipple during feeding, then sips rarely occur. She does not always suck milk out of her (although there is not a lot of it there). Sometimes immediately after feeding I can express the same 20 ml. I did it 5 times check weighing- eaten from 0 to 20 grams.

The milky breast sucks well, but in the evening it becomes capricious in the same way as a weak breast, if there is no second or third flush for a long time. From which I conclude that the appearance of hot flashes in a weak breast would stimulate the daughter to suckle better, which means there would be more milk in her.

Since in this situation the milk breast is our main source of milk, I can’t imagine how to stimulate an increase in milk in a weak breast. I can’t start giving it a cup, because we are already gaining weight poorly - weight loss will begin. At night in her sleep she also sucks it poorly. Maybe I should just pump it all the time? Although during the day I already feed every 1-1.5 hours (with the exception of sleeping outside for 1.5-2 hours) - by the way, for 2.5 months, this is probably too much frequent feedings, and talks about a lack of milk?

In short, so far my attempts to establish breastfeeding and normalize the child’s weight have not been very successful. The only good news is that the child looks healthy and she is not restless. If she had cried, as many people write, I definitely would not have been able to stand it and switched to SV.

"Maybe we should just pump her

“Maybe we should just pump it all the time?”

yes, that's very a good option, but only if you can supplement with this milk from a spoon or cup, without sucking. This is a good stimulation of the amount of milk in this breast, the work of the tides, and the width of the ducts. But you can’t supplement your feeding with a bottle (as well as giving you a pacifier, well, I think you know that))).

"for 2.5 months, this is probably too frequent feedings"

no, there are no such laws. women in tribes feed up to 4 times an hour)))

“Sometimes immediately after feeding I can express the same 20 ml.”

This is what surprises me. Have you tried changing your position while breastfeeding? from=under the mouse?

Honestly, 9 to 1 that the latch on this breast is incorrect, if you can express so much immediately after feeding! And at the beginning the tide does not come, but then it can come - when does the grip change? ;) Are you sure your child doesn't have a short frenulum? She can stick her tongue out lower lip? Does this happen often?

Have you tried Newman chest compressions? When you squeeze not at the nipple itself, but further to adjust the milk. many women do this intuitively.

I feed the expressed ones from

I supplement the expressed milk with a syringe; we do not use bottles or nipples. The frenulum is fine, the tongue protrudes from the mouth regularly when awake. The grip may not be ideal in terms of symmetry. Especially at night, when I feed lying on my side, stomach to stomach. But the areola is almost entirely in the mouth. I tried relaxed feeding about a month and a half ago, when my tummy was regularly hurting. But she doesn't like to lie on her stomach. Moreover, if the flow of milk is weak, then she needs to strain even more to suck from such a position.

For a little over a week now I have been changing breasts frequently: one or two feedings, changing during feedings - I read an article on this topic on your website. At first glance, the gains have improved and stabilized - we are adding 20-30 grams every day. Previously, we stayed at the same weight for 2-5 days, then there was a jump of 40-70 grams. Let's wait and see.

The day before yesterday I fed well from a weak breast from the armpit, yesterday and today from the cradle - with hot flashes with frequent sips (not many sips, but at least something). I try different positions - sometimes I get better in one, sometimes in another. Today I used compression - the pharynx seems to appear more often.

I'm thinking about buying an electronic breast pump for weak breasts to pump them out. I think if there was more milk, my daughter would drink more.

Thank you very much for your time and advice!

Hello, Daria! Thank you,

Hello, Daria!
thank you for answering))

different women have areolas different sizes, so whether it’s all in the mouth or not means different things to different women. An asymmetrical grip and a wide open mouth, the chin resting on the chest - this is most often enough. If the child is not tightly pressed while lying down, depending on the size of the chest, it can help to press the baby with his stomach to you, and even put his legs a little on you, or vice versa, move him away from you so that the head is pulled closer and the grip is better (from below, where the strong the lower jaw should be grasped more than the top).

if you have a manual breast pump, an electronic one will most likely express about the same, the only thing is that it makes you less tired (less self made), this is what it is used for.

Help! Lactostasis

Hello! I was literally tortured by lactostasis. For 2 months of feeding there were 7 pieces with fever, wild pain in the chest both during feeding and when touched, to the point of tears, on this moment lactostasis in both breasts, it’s difficult to strain out the lumps, they are from the armpits at the very base of the breasts, I go for an ultrasound. In the first and second months my daughter gained 1300 and 1300 respectively, I feed on demand, I also wake her up at night when she sleeps, I hope the latch is correct (flat nipples), I don’t use nipples, bottles, or pads. The first lactostasis happened 2 weeks after giving birth, I went for an ultrasound, it immediately happened again, it wasn’t for a month and a half, now it’s back to back again. to others - strength there are none. I don’t pump after feeding (although all doctors strongly recommend it; I’m afraid that there will be even more milk and I’ll have to pump constantly). I'm pumping until I feel better now. The breasts are heavy and dense already 2 hours after feeding; after feeding, milk remains in most cases. My daughter has thrush in her mouth (plaque) - we treat it with soda, I smear my nipples with candida and soda. HELP! This is simply unbearable, I have a very hard time with lactostasis, and I also have to take care of the child (6300 kg in weight).

Mothers most often pump at the time when milk is most plentiful. For example, some people have this opportunity in the morning, others at night. If there is any left over after feeding, and the baby has eaten a lot and is full, then express after such feeding. Some express after, and others during feeding.

Just be sure to try giving your baby defrosted expressed milk. Otherwise, some refuse;) then the supply will not be used for future use.

If it's not a secret, are you going to be away often? For example, once or twice a week, like for an exam, for example, or every day?

3. About the increase - usually in our pediatric tables it costs 600 in the first month, then 800 each. According to WHO, the minimum is 500, but in general it depends not only on the weight, but also on the height of the baby. If you write down your birth weight and height, and your discharge weight, it will be easier for me to check this indicator for you. But you can see for yourself, are there links to WHO charts? just in case. Or are you not considering such options?

How are you doing now, are you satisfied with your feeding? Do you get enough sleep (probably also have night feedings?)? Are you doing what you planned? Is it comfortable and pleasant to feed?

do I need to pump?

Good afternoon, I'm asking for advice.

We are 11 days old. The milk arrived on the 5th day. Feeding on demand. I alternated breasts every 3 hours approximately. The chest filled equally. But one morning, I noticed that one breast was full, but the other was not. And the flow of milk from the smaller breast is very weak. The baby on this breast sucks effectively, swallowing milk for a maximum of 10 minutes, and then falls asleep. Even though there is milk in this breast, he stops sucking it. The other breast is always full. but it doesn't hurt. Just heavy.

Hello, first days

Hello, in the first days there may be too much milk, but now is an important period, it would be good for you to express no less than what the baby needs. Please tell us how many times a day do you pump, what are the breaks, including at night, two breasts or one?

You can also breastfeed after a bottle, this is very good, for example, for sleep. Didn't you do that? Do you use a pacifier, or was it unnecessary?

Hello! Daughter is 1 month old

Hello! My daughter is 1 month 3 weeks old. Because of her illness, I feed her with expressed milk. I feed 110-120 ml every 3 hours, the last time at 24:00 and then at 05:00, I don’t disturb her at night for feeding (we get sick) and she doesn’t wake up on her own. Were born weighing 3010g. height 55cm, in the first month we gained 1 kg, now we weigh 4700g, height 57cm. But the fact is that I have a feeling that the child is not getting enough to eat, I feed her, and after 40-60 minutes she begins to worry, cry, waves her arms and legs, if you pick her up, she begins to look for the breast. To calm her down, I give her a pacifier, she sucks as if she had never been fed at all: (she sleeps poorly during the day (4-5 hours for the whole day) and only on her stomach. I can’t feed more in volume because there is little milk. Tell me, her behavior does it mean that she is malnourished or is it something else? And is it possible to somehow rationalize feeding in our case? Maybe I have “poor quality” milk?

Hello. Am I right

Hello. Do I understand correctly that it is impossible to breastfeed or even let your baby suckle?

If so, you can try pumping more often if you want more milk. However, the gains are good, that is, there is enough milk. But it is difficult to understand a child’s behavior without knowing what she is sick with and why she is unable to breastfeed.

Research shows that women have milk of different fat contents and volumes, but this does not prevent children from eating enough and being satisfied. For milk to become of poor quality, the mother must actually practically die of hunger, that is, be in conditions of severe malnutrition. This is because lactation was established thousands of years ago as a very stable and sustainable mechanism for ensuring the survival of young. That is, you don’t have to worry about the fat content and “quality” of the milk; problems only arise in the form of allergies.

Hello, Anastasia. How

Hello, Anastasia.

As I understand it, you need to go for treatment and you are worried about how the baby will be fed, what, and whether he will then breastfeed.

Quite a lot of questions immediately arise.

1) quite a lot of medications are compatible with breastfeeding in one way or another, and even if something that is not compatible with breastfeeding is prescribed, very often you can choose one that is compatible. Unfortunately, doctors do not always know about this, because... It is customary for us not to feed during any treatment, but it does not take into account that if you do not feed, then there is a risk of abandonment of the breast, a decrease in milk supply, which is more harmful to the child than milk with a small amount of medicine compatible with breastfeeding. Now this concept is being revised, because It became clear that it is better when feeding is not interrupted.

2) pumping - of course, this is very individual. Women often have the best time expressing milk at night and in the morning. Sometimes they even pump before feeding, because it’s still impossible to pump everything, and the baby will still end up with enough milk for himself. In addition, there is another good option - when you feed on one breast, express the second. By the way, do you usually feed one at a time or two at once? As it turns out?

3) some women are also considering the option of going somewhere with the child together, so as not to be separated. After all, the child will miss not only milk, but also his mother. However, if the baby stays, he will be bored and perhaps you can think in advance whether he knows the person with whom he is staying well, whether the baby agrees to drink from the container from which he will be fed - this could be a cup, a spoon, etc. bottle. They don't always just bottle feed. How will the baby calm down, does he suck on the pacifier, or maybe to calm him down, they will rock him, carry him in his arms, or give him a clean finger to suck (they do this too, especially since the finger is more similar to the breast than the pacifier, so children then take better breast). I have a selection useful materials about this theme: . And an article on this topic. Some even leave some things that smell like mom so that the smell will calm the baby.

Please tell us what you think about these questions?

Expressing breasts at the birth of a premature baby

Good afternoon I would be very grateful if you could help with advice.

At 32 weeks of pregnancy occurred premature birth, the baby is in the department of premature babies, feeding through a tube. On the 3rd day my milk “came”; at the maternity hospital they told me to express one breast every 3 hours, including at night. I still do this, and I can express 50-60 ml from one breast with a breast pump. Feeding the baby with milk is possible no earlier than after 2-3 weeks. Now I want to start freezing milk and I’m puzzled by the following questions:

1. Is it not enough to express milk from one breast at a time? (a week has passed) or should I shorten the intervals between pumping?

2. Is it enough to express only one breast every 3 hours or should I express both at once?

3. What pumping schedule would you recommend for my situation?