BREASTFEEDING ASSISTANCEQ: My Baby is 1 week old and my nipples are so sore I want to stop nursing - help![T.D. - Clarkston]
A: For relief try keeping a fresh cabbage leaf next to your nipple at all times you are not feeding. Change it 2-3 times every day. There is a natural constituent in this that promotes tissue healing. Be sure you are positioning your baby correctly - tummy against yours and both of you well supported with pillows if needed. Be sure baby's mouth is wide open as the nipple is latched.
You might also have a lactation specialist (LeLache League leader, lactation professional or midwife) evaluate how your baby is latching onto your nipple. Many sore nipple problems have been remedied by paying attention to this.
Be sure to minimize washing your nipples - use water only - NEVER USE SOAP.
Check the nipple to see if there are any signs of infection - bright red tissue or sores. If so, look in baby's mouth to see if there are any signs of thrush - white curd-like patches that don't wipe off. If there are then you need to treat both baby's mouth and your nipples.
Q:I think I don't have enough milk (my 3 week old baby wants to nurse all the time) - should I feed her some formula too? [J.M. - Spokane]
A: PLEASE - do not give your baby formula until this is further evaluated with the help of someone trained to support lactation. This is often NOT a physician but a lactation specialist, as mentioned in the answer above. If you give your baby formula now she may quickly learn to prefer the ease of bottle feeding and stop working to nurse. Having said that, lets look at some important factors.
It is very rare for a mom to be unable to produce enough milk for her baby. However, there are several things that might contribute to a temporary lower supply. So check yourself to see that you are getting sufficient rest - women with other children or mom's who are jumping immediately back to an outside job are often highly fatigued. They also sometimes feel unable to sit, relax and spend the length of time needed for baby to get well filled at each feed. Both of these (fatigue and stress) would contribute to some decrease in milk supply. If these are issues for you, then can you pull back and provide yourself with more rest and increase the length of time you nurse your baby?
*If you are ill - with a cold, flu, bad tooth etc.- this can also effect lactation.
Your Nutrition (food intake) and Hydration (fluid intake) are also very important. You do need to be eating well - providing yourself with a healthy, balanced diet including good protein intake. You also must drink plenty of fluids. If you have a dry mouth or a strong thirst during the day then you are not taking in the liquids you need. This is true even if you feel you are drinking all the time - it is amazing how much fluid you need to lactate.
Another point - if your baby has been satisfied and gaining weight up until the last day or so, then your baby may be simply experiencing a growth spurt. This is normal. About every 3 weeks or so, in the first 3 or 4 months (when babies have a growth spurt) she will spend a couple of days wanting to nurse much more frequently than she has been. This makes it seem as though your milk supply is low. Actually your lactation supply is fine, but her needs will have increased with growth and it takes a day or so for milk production to catch up. Her more frequent nursings are exactly the way your body gets told "hey - we need more milk". But it isn't like just mixing up more formula - instead baby suckling more often is a trigger to up the output. It takes a day or two to do this though; so be patient.
Q:Are there any herbs I can take to make more milk - this is my third baby and even though I eat and drink well I can't seem to keep up with his needs. We have been struggling for 4 weeks now and he isn't gaining very well.[R.T. - Moscow]
A: There are some herbs and nutritional supports which women have used successfully to support their milk production. I will mention several. But, be sure to evaluate your fluid intake - are you drinking 8 oz. every time you nurse? Also, are you well rested, well nourished and stress free. Check out the points covered in the previous answer.
Drinking 1 BEER each day can also be helpful. Some may object to this but if you do not have a substance abuse issue and use a beer for lactation promotion, it has several benefits to the teas. (The American Academy of Pediatrics agrees that this has NO documented negative impact on babies.) It is easily available compared to most herb teas. You can get it any time, any where - even in the middle of the night and on weekends. I recommend drinking it in the evening - or whenever baby is going to have its longest sleep. Some alcohol does pass into the milk but it also dissipates (studies have shown that it is almost gone about 4 hours after you drink it). This way you can minimize any alcohol baby may get and yet benefit from its helping your milk supply.
Q:My boobs are huge and hard and sore...HELP! My baby is 5 days old.[S.P. - Spokane]
A:The best help for this is to focus on feeding your baby more frequently with longer feeds. If your baby has been too sleepy to nurse often or for long then it will help if you focus on this. FOR THE NEXT 2 DAYS YOUR PRIMARY ACTIVITY IS FEEDING YOUR BABY! Unwrapping and/or undiapering baby usually stimulates baby to be more awake and feed longer and more vigorously. Also make sure you nurse every 3 hours (more when you can).
To help with breast discomfort: try standing under a warm gentle shower. This can stimulate a little "let down" and release some of the milk. If your breasts ache because of the swelling you can place iced wash clothes or ice bags on them for comfort. Also a non-aspirin pain reliever used occasionally can make you more comfortable.
THIS WILL PASS! In a few days your baby's feeding pattern and your breast's milk production will balance out and you will be more comfortable.
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