Key points:
- The percentage of women who produce little milk is very low.
- There is no universal technique for feeding the baby, but comfort must be sought in each case.
- Some medical contraindications prevent breastfeeding the baby for their safety.
During breastfeeding, it is common for mothers to have doubts regarding the correct feeding of their baby.
Dr. Susana Cabrera Mendoza, IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) and pediatric neonatologist at ABC Medical Center, says that one of the most common questions is everything related to the amount of milk that can be produced.
The fear of not producing enough milk and being able to feed the baby correctly is something recurrent; Dr. Cabrera says that in practice it is very difficult to measure the true production generated because the amount extracted with a breast pump is not equivalent to the consumption sucked by the baby when eating at the breast.
The percentage of women who produce a small amount of milk is very low, and in most cases, the woman is capable of producing the amount necessary to breastfeed and help her baby grow.
As it is not reliable to quantify this production, it is recommended that mothers check the baby’s well-being every day, where they must analyze if they are happy, irritable if the texture of their skin is soft, good hydration, the number of diapers used per day, as well as weight gain; all of these being indicators of your baby’s daily intake and, therefore, milk production translators.
The breastfeeding process should not be painful for the mother, says Dr. Cabrera, but discomfort could happen by not having a correct technique. Although there is no proper technique for feeding your baby, you will need to find the position that is most comfortable for you. Even so, there are some recommendations:
- The mother’s position should be comfortable, with back support, and in a safe place.
- You will have to position your baby trying to form an imaginary vertical line between the earlobe, the shoulder, and the hip. You can support their back or hip with your hand or some other object so that this position is maintained throughout the entire feeding.
- Look for a correct baby’s grip, the baby’s mouth must be stimulated with the nipple so they open it, once the mouth is open, the mother must take it towards them and not the other way around.
- Once the baby has latched onto the breast, you should check that their cheeks look rounded, their lips are turned out, their chin is tucked in, and almost no areola should be visible. You will also be able to see how they suck and hear how they swallow.
Another fear of mothers is if having a flat or inverted nipple will affect the baby’s feeding. The reality is that the baby does not suck from the nipple, but from the breast, so as long as there is a correct latch, there should be no problems during feeding.
The absolute contraindications to breastfeeding your baby are very few, the first and most important is that the mother does not want to do it, and no one can or should force them to do it.
Secondly, medical contraindications, being cases where disease could put your baby’s health at risk, such as when the mothers are HIV positive or have untreated active tuberculosis, also herpes lesions on the nipple, or a breast abscess would be at risk for the baby. Also, it is recommended not to breastfeed if the mother takes drugs.
At ABC Medical Center’s Obstetrics Center, we can provide you with specialized care. Contact us!
Fuente
Dra. Susana Cabrera Mendoza – Endocrinology
https://youtu.be/IV5OuwR3ghk
