Every woman is looking forward to the birth of her baby. However, becoming a mother, she often encounters problems. Almost every woman is worried about the process of breastfeeding. If you already have children, then there are usually fewer questions. This article will talk about what interests many women in labor - this is a lactation crisis. Periods, deadlines, what to do in such a situation - everything will be described below. You will also learn about the main reasons for this situation.
Breastfeeding
Most maternity hospitals practice early breastfeeding. This means that immediately after birth, your baby will be allowed to suck on colostrum. Indeed, at the very beginning of lactation, it is precisely this that stands out. Milk comes after a few days. But don't worry. A few drops of milky liquid will be enough for the newborn to get enough.
When milk arrives, most women feel like there is a lot of it. All for the simple reason that in the first days the baby cannot eatproduced volumes. But don't worry, everything will be back to normal soon, and milk will come on demand.
Lactation crisis: periods
Just a few months after giving birth, a woman may face the first problems. A lactation crisis is a period when there is less milk in the mother's breast. A woman can notice such a condition by the behavior of the crumbs. The baby begins to apply more often, sucks for a long time and is naughty.
The periods of occurrence of lactation crises can be different, but most often it occurs at three to six weeks from birth, then at 3, 7, 11 and 12 months. It is worth noting that many women do not notice such changes at all. They don't even know what lactation crises are. When a child has whims or if he needs frequent attachment, mothers find other explanations.
Duration
How long does a lactation crisis last? This question arises in every woman who is faced with a similar problem. In fact, everything is individual. It is impossible to specify the exact dates, because a lot depends on your desire and actions.
If you try to increase the amount of milk produced and comply with all the conditions described below, then the crisis will end after a few days. It usually takes three to four days. When a woman lets everything take its course and categorically does not want to fight, the crisis can last up to a week (provided that breastfeeding continues). many mommiesmake the same mistake - offer the baby a bottle. Such a lactation crisis is more likely to end with the end of lactation. After all, over time, the baby understands that sucking from a bottle is much easier than extracting he althy milk from the breast.
How to deal with the problem?
If a lactation crisis has begun, what should mom do? First of all, you need to contact a specialist. If you do not have an experienced adviser nearby, then you cannot do without a breastfeeding consultant. In modern maternity hospitals and antenatal clinics there are always such specialists. They will definitely tell you about the nuances of the course of the lactation crisis, and also help to eliminate it in a short time.
In some situations, a woman is prescribed drugs that increase milk production. These can be special protein and taurine mixtures (Semilak, Olympic), Milky Way tea, dietary supplements Apilactin and Laktogon. You can also purchase products to enhance lactation on your own. The most popular manufacturers are Hipp, Grandmother's basket, Semilak and so on. But it is worth saying right away that it is impossible to solve the problem only with medicines. It is necessary to figure out why the lactation crisis arose, eliminate its causes and normalize the process of putting the baby to the breast.
Relax and get some sleep
A lactation crisis at 3 months often has a cause in the form of lack of sleep. After all, it is at this time that the baby becomes more active, hisschedule. If before the baby only ate and slept most of the time, now he needs to play and stay awake. Mom can simply not cope with all the volume of cases. A woman needs to pay attention to the child, and cook food, and do some household chores. There is simply no time left for your vacation. The exhausted body can no longer supply milk in the volume that the baby needs. In addition, by three months, food requirements increase.
You may need outside help to resolve this issue. Ask your dad or grandparents to help you a little. Send them for a walk with the baby. In your free time, do not grab the laundry and cleaning. Lie down and sleep. The night sleep of a nursing woman is constantly interrupted. Therefore, a young mother simply needs a few hours of daytime rest. Many breastfeeding experts also recommend co-sleeping with your baby at night. This way you won't have to get up for every feeding.
Eat well and drink more fluids
A lactation crisis can develop due to malnutrition and lack of fluids. As you know, more than half of breast milk consists of water. Therefore, the body needs a lot of fluid to produce it. If in a normal state a woman should drink about 2 liters of water per day, then a nursing mother needs about three.
Get yourself a separate container of water to empty throughout the day. every mealbe sure to finish with a cup of hot tea, compote or juice. Make sure that all products are fresh and do not contain a lot of spices. Prefer soups, cereals, vegetables and fruits to smoked and s alty dishes. Never eat dry food. Avoid carbonated drinks. They cannot fill the body's need for fluids.
Stress free
Often a lactation crisis develops due to a nervous breakdown. This can happen due to fatigue, lack of sleep, moral exhaustion, and so on. Therefore, a nursing woman needs mandatory support from close relatives. Never turn down help. Walk more and spend more time outdoors. Prolonged planting within four walls only exacerbates your condition. Don't withdraw into yourself.
If you feel constant anxiety, a lot of nervousness and understand that you cannot cope on your own, go to the doctor. The doctor will prescribe safe herbal preparations for you, for example, Tenoten, Persen and others. They will not harm the baby, but they can normalize your condition. Remember that self-medication is unacceptable.
Helpful tips
The lactation crisis can be overcome very quickly with the help of some secrets. The described actions will not take you much time. With their help, in the future you can not only overcome, but also prevent a new crisis:
- Before each feeding, do a light breast massage. Knead the mammary glands along the ducts (from the base to the nipple). Please note that you can not press hard.
- To increase the amount of milk, let's feed both breasts at once to the baby. Let the baby eat from one first, then change the position and attach it to the other.
- Promotes lactation pumping. After the baby is satiated, gently use a breast pump or hands to express the last drops. Do not worry that there is no milk left in the breast. The greater the need for it, the longer it will abide.
- Give warm wraps. Warm up a towel and apply it to the breast before feeding. This procedure will expand the ducts, improve blood circulation and increase the flow of milk.
- Don't dwell on the fact that you have a lactation crisis. You already know the periods, the terms of it. Keep in mind that everything will be back to normal soon. The mental attitude of the mother is very important. Don't offer your baby a bottle. Better put it on your chest again.
To sum up a little…
Any lactation crisis, the periods of which you know, is not such a serious problem for a woman who wants to continue breastfeeding. Keep in mind that this situation usually resolves itself in about a week. Subject to the above conditions and tips, you can cope with the lack of milk in just a few days. If you can easily overcome the first lactation crisis, which occurs about a monthfrom the birth of a child, then the rest will not pose any particular danger or difficulty.
An important point to remember is never to replace bottle feeding. Do not think that your baby is starving. Check if the baby is getting enough milk. To do this, count how many times a day he urinates. If the number of wet diapers exceeds 12, then the child has enough food. Please note that this rule is valid only for babies before the introduction of complementary foods. Speedy normalization of breastfeeding to you!
