Increasing mothers’ breast milk supply can be challenging nowadays due to factors such as stress, returning to work, and even babies’ growth spurt. Fortunately, there are several other ways on how to increase breast milk supply. The following are some tips on how to increase breast milk supply:

• Use breast pump or breastfeed frequently. Try pumping for five to ten minutes after a nursing session. Whether you are exclusively pumping or breastfeeding, you can add one or two pumping sessions each days such as first thing in the morning or after the baby has gone to sleep. Make sure that you use a hospital-grade pump to ensure the efficiency of milk pumping.

• Another way to increase breast milk supply is to drink lots of water. Make sure that you are drinking the recommended amount of water to keep you hydrated throughout the day.
• Eat enough to achieve the required amount of calories per day. Breastfeeding mother should consume 1,800 to 2,200 calories per day. Calories less than 1, 500 – 1,800 can decrease both the milk supply and the calories of breast milk. Eat many fruits and vegetable and other protein-rich foods.
• Rest and relax. It may be easier said than done but do your best to get enough sleep and rest. Taking a nap during the day or just lying on the sofa or bed with your little one can help in achieving relaxation. Co-sleeping with the baby is also suggested.
• Try eating oatmeal to increase breast milk supply. Some mother attested that adding oatmeal to their diet increased their breast milk supply. Try having oatmeal for breakfast or snack on a granola bar or oatmeal cookies.
• Avoid using pacifiers frequently. You baby should be sucking only at your breast, not pacifiers. You baby’s sucking will ensure that he or she spends adequate time at the breast and will ensure adequate breast milk supply.
• Avoid supplementing milk with other liquids such as water, formula, and juice, which will fill the baby up and decrease breast milk supply.
• Try doing some massage and relaxation techniques. Before you breastfeed or pump, take some deep breaths and try to relax. Play soft music, sit in a comfortable chair and massage your breast for a minute or two before you begin to pump or breastfeed.
• Another way to increase breast milk supply is to try some herbal remedies. Fenugeek is an herb commonly used to increase breast milk supply. It may be used for short or long periods to increase milk supply. Another potentially effective herbal remedy is Mother’s Milk Tea. However, be sure to consult with your doctor first before using herbal remedies.

Concerns on how to increase breast milk supply tend to be anxiety provoking for some mothers but there are actually alternative ways on how to increase your breast milk supply. Learn which one of these is best for you and perhaps you will be able to maintain a steady breast milk supply.

Technorati Tags: Breast Milk, Breast Milk Supply, breastfeeding, How to Increase Breast Milk Supply, Increase Breast Milk Supply, Mother Breast Milk Supply

Also Try Searching: Breast Milk, Breast Milk Supply, breastfeeding, How to Increase Breast Milk Supply, Increase Breast Milk Supply, Mother Breast Milk Supply

An operative birth is a different experience than the normal birthing process. Mother may feel that they have failed in the birthing process as well as breastfeeding after a caesarean surgery. Fortunately, nursing a baby is still possible even after a c-section although there are some adjustments to be done by the mother.

Breastfeeding after caesarean surgery is frequently impeded because mothers who went through caesarean delivery may take time before feeling comfortable enough to hold and nurse their babies. However, as soon as the mother is alert, conscious and can hold the baby, she can already start nursing. Mothers who had epidural instead of general anesthesia are able to hold their babies sooner and can nurse them for a longer period initially.

Breastfeeding after caesarean surgery has the same advantages as natural birth. It gives stimulation to release milk, promotes bonding, releases the hormone oxytocin to help the uterus contract, and gives babies the immunological advantages of colostrum. Nursing soon after birth is an advantage because the babies’ sucking urge is strongest during the first several hours of birth. There is an extra advantage for caesarean mothers: nursing before the regional anesthetic wears off which provides pain-free and comfortable feeding experience.

Babies born through c-section tend to be drowsy and lethargic especially when mothers were exposed to anesthetics for a long period during labor. This doesn’t mean that breastfeeding after caesarean surgery won’t be successful; the breast milk supply may just take some time to come. Babies may need more encouragement to stay alert during feedings but this would only last for a short period.

A lot of mothers are worried that their medications after surgery will have an effect on their babies. The medications are not usually a problem. The medication usually passes on to the colostrums in small amounts so babies take in only small amounts. However, there is no reason not to take medications after birth because it will not harm the baby. Besides, after the milk is fully in, mothers will find that they won’t need as much medication as they did before.

Breastfeeding after a caesarean surgery can be challenging for some mothers because finding a comfortable position to nurse can be difficult. If epidural anesthesia is used, the mother is awake during the surgery and can nurse in the operating table. The side lying position is a favored way to breastfeed after caesarean surgery. Also, the football or clutch hold is found to be more comfortable to the traditional cradle hold. Hospital nurses are of big help to mothers in breastfeeding after caesarean surgery because it is challenging to nurse properly without feeling pain from the incision. Furthermore, it is also important to make sure that the baby is properly latched on the breast during feeding to prevent nipple sores and effective transfer of milk during feeding.

If the mother knows that she will give birth through c-section, she should avail of options facilitative of breastfeeding. She should also know how much time she will be able to spend with the baby. She should know if rooming in with the baby is allowed. Some hospitals have policies that babies born on caesarean section must be under observation for 24 hours. If the baby is healthy, discuss with the doctor the possibility of waiving this policy. However, if the baby has medical problems that require observation, she should check if the maternity section has electric pumps to pump the colostrums to the baby until mother and child can be together again.

It is also recommended that mother discuss the use of anesthesia before surgery. On elective operations, regional aesthesia is an option and mothers can breastfeed after a caesarean surgery sooner. However, even if general anesthesia is used and the feeding is delayed, the mother and child can still make up for lost time together.

The stay in the hospital is longer during caesarean operation. A mother should make use of this time finding a comfortable position to nurse. It is understandable that she will need time in adjusting to breastfeeding after caesarean surgery, the operation itself and to the life with a new baby. She should maximize the help offered by family and friends.

Technorati Tags: Breastfeeding after a Caesarean Surgery, Breastfeeding And Cesarean Surgery, C-Section, Cesarean Delivery, Cesarean Surgery

Also Try Searching: Breastfeeding after a Caesarean Surgery, Breastfeeding And Cesarean Surgery, C-Section, Cesarean Delivery, Cesarean Surgery

Connie can only shake her head seeing how something as natural could provoke the most curious of looks.

Connie Wilson, 24, is mother to eight-month-old Connor, and way before her baby was born, Connie made the choice to breastfeed. Connie and her husband had long planned to give their newborn the best nutrition there is and that meant feeding her with mother’s milk for the longest possible time.

“I was lucky to get a six-month break from my work as human resources head, and I took all that time with my kid,” Connie says.

One glitch however is the fact that Connie had to breastfeed her baby Connor outside their home. She had no problems with that. But apparently, many do.

For instance, when Connor was three months old, Connie went to the neighborhood hairdresser to have her hair done. While waiting, she breastfed her baby at the reception area. Out of nowhere, a man swooped over and draped a big, black rubber cape over the baby.

“At first I thought he was prepping me up for a haircut, not knowing that I was finished. Then I. realized .he wanted to protect his other patrons, most of whom were women, from the sight of nursing a baby,” Connie narrated. “Imagine my baby eating lunch under a material that doesn’t breathe. So I told the man that it’s my baby’s food. I didn’t make a big production out of it, but I managed to politely send the man away.”

MOST IMPORTANT FOOD

There is no argument that mother’s milk is the most important food in sustaining good infant nutrition. This is the reason why the health sector is trumpeting how crucial breastfeeding is in promoting not only infant nutrition, but also the long-term effects on a person’s health.

International experts in breastfeeding and fertility management also recommend LAM or Lactational Amenorrhea Method as an excellent family planning choice for couples.

Because breastfeeding stops the production of hormones necessary for ovulation and fertility in mothers, LAM is proven to be 98 percent effective in avoiding pregnancy for up to six months from the birth of the baby.

However, LAM provides natural family planning protection against pregnancy only if all the following conditions are present: the woman is fully or nearly fully breast-feeding with her baby getting at least 85 percent of his or her feedings as breast milk: her menstrual periods have not returned and her baby is less than six months old.

Baby Nursing may also have psychological benefits for the infant as well, creating early attachment between mother and child. Many psychologists believe the nursing baby enjoys a sense of security from the warmth and presence of the mother, especially when there is skin to skin contact during feeding.

Ironically, as in the case of Connie and countless others, the noble decision to breastfeed the baby does not leave the most insecure of feelings.

Technorati Tags: Baby Nursing, Breast Milk is the Best baby Food, breastfeeding, Breastfeeding Baby, Breastfeeding in Public

Also Try Searching: Baby Nursing, Breast Milk is the Best baby Food, breastfeeding, Breastfeeding Baby, Breastfeeding in Public