It’s World Breastfeeding Week!

Sore or cracked nipples: This is one of the most common reasons that women report when feeding. A huge percentage of the problem is connected with positioning and attachment at the breast.

Solution:  It is important and essential to seek support from your caregiver to ensure positioning and attachment is effective – this will help to prevent your nipples from getting sore in the first place.  If you suffer from cracked nipples, a little bit of breast milk or nipple cream can help to soothe this.

Blocked ducts, engorgement and mastitis: This is often a sign that the breast is not being drained of its milk effectively.

Solution:  Most of the time positioning and attaching your baby more efficiently can help. Hand expression is a useful tool to help drain the ducts should they become blocked (see information about this further on).  Occasionally mastitis can require treatment, so it is always best to seek advice from a medical professional.

Poor milk supply: It is important that the body is told how much milk to produce. When a baby is first born the mother has receptor sites that need stimulating over the first few days. Even if the baby nuzzles and licks around the breast it will help to stimulate these receptor sites. Milk supply is based on a supply and demand system.

Solution: The more the baby stimulates and drains the breast, the more milk will be produced. Always feed your baby when it is showing feeding cues; it is their way of telling you the supply needs to increase!!

Thrush: Thrush is more common after 6 weeks. The pain will be felt in both breasts and lingers following a feed.

Solution: If you suspect you may have thrush it is important that a medical professional take a swab to confirm this before treatment is started.

How can I increase my breastmilk supply?

If you think there is an issue with the amount of milk you are producing, there are a few easy steps you can take in order to help increase your milk supply, whilst you seek help from a health professional.

• Firstly, the most important thing is to ensure your baby is attached to the breast as well as possible. This will ensure the baby drains the breast fully and effectively, which will encourage your body to produce more milk ready for the next feed.
• Ensure you feed your baby at least 8 times in a 24 hour period, including at least once at night. This is because prolactin, the hormone that enables us to produce milk, peaks at night time.
• Offer your baby both breasts at each feed – this will mean that both breasts are stimulated and/or drained which will encourage your body to produce more milk.
• Ensure that your breasts feel as soft and empty as possible after each feed – if you feel there is still plenty of milk in your breasts after a feed, you could express this milk in order to stimulate your body to produce more. This expressed milk could be given to your baby alongside a breast feed or can be stored for the future.
• If you express to increase your supply, try to keep your baby skin to skin or close to you whilst doing so, as this will increase your levels of Oxytocin.
• Double pumping can be used to yield more milk in a shorter space of time and can be effective in stimulating both breasts.

Useful websites:

Dr Jack Newman

Kellymom
This website provides evidence-based information on breastfeeding and parenting.

Breastfeeding network
This is a charity run website that supports women with breastfeeding. It has useful leaflets and fact sheets and a 24 helpline for breastfeeding women to use.

Unicef BFI
This website looks at supporting parents and their families in forming supportive relationships. It gives up to date evidence based information around infant feeding.

ISIS online
This app is useful for parents to access in order to assess the safety of bed sharing with their infant. It gives an individualised account of the risk factors for each family.

 

‎You can find all these addresses and information on Feeding Support Groups in the Norwich Mumbler ‘Support & Services’ section HERE