Frequently Asked Questions about breast fedding

Question 1:How do I know that my baby needs now my breast?

Answer:Usually every mother knows when her baby is hungry, but there are some famous signs :

* Excessive movement of the baby
* Movement of the mouth.
* Crying (crying is a late sign).

Question 2:My baby needs my breast a lot, so will this lead to depletion of my milk in a certain time?

Answer:
The reverse is true , the more the number of times to breastfeed the baby more milk yield.

Question 3:I have a small breast size, does this mean I will not be able to give my baby the adequate amount of milk?

Answer:
There is no relationship between the quantity of milk and breast size, as most nursing mothers produce roughly equal amounts of milk per day.

Question 4:I have 2 babies (twins), Can I feed them normal?  Or do I need to supplement my milk with artificial one to meet their nutritional needs?

Answer:
The mother’s milk is enough to feed twins

Both breasts are capable of producing enough milk, There is no relationship between the quantity of milk and breast size, if you are still confused, consult the pediatrician.

Question 5:How do I know that my baby is in proper feeding position?

Answer:
The baby can be fed efficiently if was adherent to the breast properly, this can be known by the following:
• If the baby’s body was facing   the mother’s body and not, turning away from her.
• If the baby’s head is on the same line with his body, not bent or curled to his body.
• If the baby was completely in touch with the breast and not away from it.
• If the chin of the baby  was touching the breast.
• If the baby’s mouth hides as many as possible of the areola.
• If suckling was slow and profound than whether it was rapid  or superficial.
• If the mother does not feel pain in her  nipple but if she is  feeling a pain ,this means that she is in  need to change the position of the baby.

Question 6:How do I increase the amount of milk in my breasts?

Answer:
This can be achieved when emptying  the breast  for at least 7 times a day after feeding  with an attempt  to empty the milk from the breast before the midnight because the milk hormone is secreted after midnight  till  the pre-dawn breaks, thus if  breast feeding was at this time, milk hormone secretion is activated.
Nursing mothers are advised to drink plenty of fluids, eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, yoghurt, nuts, natural fenugreek and cheese.
However, nursing mothers who have cardiovascular diseases are advised to visit  their  doctors before taking these foods .
On the other hand, there is some scientific views  that psychological stress, depression, coffee, tea, and  birth control  pills reduce the milk secretion.

Question 7:I feel my breast engorged, what are the reasons and managment?

Answer:

Reasons:
Excess milk production
Incomplete emptying of  excess milk  regularly .
The baby refuses the breast for several reasons such as illness
Irregular  and delay in  nursing times .
Insufficient  breastfeeding .

The mother is tired, the breast may be tender on touch  and congested and  the mother  may suffer of high temperature .

Managment:

• Start to feed your baby immediately after birth.
• Let the baby suck on the breast several times.
• Feed the baby  at frequent  close intervals,  you can awake him when you feel that you have the desire of feeding .
• If the breast  is engorged to the point that  makes it difficult for the baby to hold it ,squeeze some  amount of milk to  make it easy for the baby to catch the breast.
• hot fomentations are advised .

• Let the baby begins breastfeeding from the breast more full at the beginning.
• If your baby finished feeding and still you find your breast full , evacuate it and store the excess amount of milk .
• Have hot water baths

Question 8: Milk does not come out of my breasts while feeding, despite fullness of my breasts?

Answer:
If there is a blockage of milk ducts , a red colored area of skin  often  appears over the blocked ducts  , and the mother feels a pain because milk is not properly emptied

One of the common causes for this problem is the narrow stretcher (bra).

Treatment:
• Wear a suitable size bra.
• Gently massage the area where you feel pain, directing the  massage towards the nipple, especially when the baby begins to absorb the milk.
• Empty breast when you feel pain after each feed.
• Change your position  between each feed as this distributes pressure absorption of milk by the baby on different parts of the breast, you can breastfeed lying down sometimes and sitting  other times.
• Put a warm cloth on the breast  between feeds.
• Have hot water baths.
• Take a great amount of rest.
• If the problem persists or inflammation occurred or an abscess was formed, consult the surgeon.

Question 9:How can I avoid cracks in the nipples? :

Answer:
Cracked nipples occur for several reasons, including:
1 – The baby  grips on the nipple violently  due to severe hunger.
2 – Wrong feeding position.
3 – The baby holds the nipple  partially .

4 – Rapid  nipple withdrawing from the mouth of the baby  while he is still breastfeeding.

Tips to prevent nipple cracks:
• Breastfeed the baby before he becomes hungry in order not to grip the nipple violently…Do not wait till baby crying  (crying is a late sign).
• Start breastfeeding, from the less painful breast  while   massaging the breast to facilitate the flow of breast milk.
• Make sure that the baby holds the nipple and the halo surrounding his mouth.
• Change your feeding positions  , lying once  and sitting another once in order to distribute milk  absorption   the from the breasts evenly.
• After feeding , wash  by water the baby saliva  remaining on your  breast, and let nipples dry completely in the air before covering them.
• Avoid washing nipples with soap after each feed; it is enough to use water simply.
• Wear a cotton bra and cotton clothes as they help to keep the nipples dry.

Question 10:I note that my nipples are inverted, will this affect feeding of my baby?
Answer:
There is no importance  for the length or shortness of  nipples , what  is important  is that the nipple and areola are capable of feeding any way.

What you should  know is that most of  small or inverted nipples develop progressively near the time  of delivery  .
Be sure you can feed your baby even if you notice a little or no  improvement in  nipples, babies get their food not only from nipples but from the whole  breast.
Solution:
• During the last months of pregnancy Pull the nipple gently to the outside using the thumb and index fingers , pull them in all directions daily..
• put  the index finger above  the nipple and other fingers  below  it  and  pull away from the nipple in the opposite direction.
• When feeding your  baby , try different positions and squeeze a little amount of  milk directly into his mouth and let him explore your breast .After a little time from  the baby’s suckling , the nipple will protrude forward naturally.

Question 11:I am a working mother, how my I feed my baby?

Answer:
World Health Organization recommends nursing mothers take a rest from work for a period of not less than 16 weeks after delivery, in order to be able to get  rest and breastfeed her baby.

If the mother had to work ,there  must be available places that meet safety , hygiene conditions and privacy in the workplace.
Working mothers or mothers enrolled in the study can breastfeed their babies  by collecting and storing their milk to be given  again to their babies by that person who will substitute the mother at home during her absence .This a good solution instead of giving artificial milk.

Milk  can be expressed and collected  either by manual breast squeezing or  by manual vacuum aspirators or battery-powered or electric ones .

How to  collect  milk?

1 – Wash your hands with soap and water before squeezing milk.
2 – During  squeezing and suction it is  preferred  to drink water or juice.
3 – It is recommended to bend slightly forward and press by  two fingers on the halo surrounding the nipple and not the nipple itself.

4 – Keep pressing on one  place till  it is empty then shift to another place…

5 – Collect milk  in a sterile container.

6 – Or you can use the various suction pumps to collect milk.

How to store milk?

1 – You can store  the milk at room temperature for 8-10 hours.
2 – Or in the refrigerator (in the coldest place) for 24-48 hours.
3 – Or in the freezer for a period of 3-6 months.
4 – Milk  is collected separately for each feed in a bottle and then closed  carefully , numbered and the date of collection is recorded , use the oldest first and then newer.
5 – When storing  milk in freezer , do not fill the bottle  completely, but leave a place for the milk to expand .

6 – When using the mil;  Leave it  in room temperature  till it become warm or warm it  a bath of hot water before use , Do not use  direct fire or  ordinary ovens or microwave ovens.
7 – Once used or warmed ,Re-cooling  or re-use  of milk is not allowed.

How to feed the baby by  cup?

1 – Put the baby standing or semi-sitting on your lap.
2 – Get the glass of milk close to the lips of the baby.
3 – Tilt the cup little down to allow access for milk to the lips of the baby.

4 – Avoid pouring milk into the baby’s mouth ..
5 – Measure the amount of milk taken by the baby within 24 hours ,not that taken in each feed.

Question 12: My baby is crying too much, can I let him use pacifiers or teats?

Answer:
Never use pacifiers or teats for their  negative effect on breastfeeding .

Disadvantages of pacifiers:
1 – Pacifiers weaken jaw muscles and suckling power of your baby.
2 – Dissociate your baby as he sucks your breast once and the pacifiers another once  .

3 – Cause deformation jaw and teeth.
4 – Decrease milk production.
5 – cause microbial if unclean.

Question 13: When I start weaning to my baby and when do I use the supplementary foods?

Answer:
Weaning process is the process of gradual training of the baby to eat semi-solid and solid foods.
It begins  from the sixth month as a complementary and not alternative to breast milk, and continues until the baby is two years old .
No weaning or supplementary foods of any kind during the first half of the life of baby, breast milk alone is fully sufficient food until the age of 6 months.

Important  tips:
1 – When you begin weaning, you should not reduce breast-feeding .

2 -Supplementary food should be given with a spoon or cup, not by the bottle
3 – Supplementary food should be clean, safe and available.
4 – Enough time should be given for young babies to learn how to eat solid foods.