Breastfeeding tips!
As part of my doula services, I offer breastfeeding support to sisters.
Whether you’ve just started on your breastfeeding journey or you’re a pro, blocked ducts, engorged breasts and mastitis can occur.
Some things to consider at the start of your BF journey and during:
Are you drinking enough water?
- Hydration is key and can help the milk flowing. Top tip: drink water while baby is drinking on you!
Have you invested in a nursing bra and one that is the RIGHT size?
- Having the wrong sized bra can essentially squash your breasts and therefore compress the flow to the ducts. This is particularly crucial around the first 6 weeks when the milk is changing from colostrum to the more fluid milk and is usually the most common time for mastitis to occur.
Are you sleeping enough?
- the milk supply “comes in” during the early hours of the morning, with a surge in prolactin, the primary lactation hormone, between the 1am – 3am window. Sleep and rest is key for milk production!
How’s your baby’s latch and positioning?
- Ensuring baby’s latch and positioning are optimal makes for effective and comfortable feeding. If you find you need additional support then seek it from someone trained; preferably an IBCLC.
Is your baby teething?
- the mouth is central to feeding and during breastfeeding, suction primarily depends on the orofacial muscles –the masseter, temporalis, medial and lateral petrigoideos and suprahyoid muscles–working together in the extraction of breast milk. With all that hard work they do, it makes sense that their mouth maybe sensitive and could therefore have an effect on how often/how they feed.
Breastfeeding issues and not being discharged from hospital as a first time mum.
Concerns around feeding and baby gaining weight occur in hospital and/or amidst health visitor appointments in the first few weeks after birth. There are many reasons baby may not be gaining weight.
Is baby breast/bottle fed?
If breastfeeding:
Baby could potentially have a tongue tie which could affect the latch and breastfeeding
Is mum feeding on demand?
Has mum had her latch checked?
And if she is breastfeeding, it’s important to ensure baby can draw out the milk sufficiently.
If she’s in hospital and breastfeeding, she should ask to be referred to a Lactation Consultant (LC).
Otherwise, the midwives should be the ones informing her of what the problem may be and should offer the help and support for baby to get on track.
Regarding a lactation consultant (LC), the midwives should be able to help her get in touch with someone so that they can observe a feed and help her make any adjustments إن شاء الله
She can also ask to be referred to a tongue tie specialist so that they can also assess a feed and check if baby may have a tongue tie which is affecting the way he/she feeds.
Further reading and useful resources: