Your Baby: 0–3 Months – Breastfeeding Problems, Bottle-feeding Basics, Soothing your Baby to Sleep

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Breastfeeding Problems

Even the most seasoned
breastfeeder can experience some discomfort and other problems while
feeding. Fortunately, there are plenty of tried-and-tested tricks to
help ensure breastfeeding is a success.


Engorgement


  • Check your baby is latched on properly as this will make sure that all of the breast is emptied of milk and help relieve engorgement

  • If she struggles to get a grip on an engorged breast, express some milk before feeding—this will also relieve the feeling of fullness

  • Continue feeding from the engorged breast, which will offer some relief

  • For extreme discomfort, try placing cold, bruised cabbage leaves in your bra—the enzymes appear to reduce swelling and prevent oversupply of milk

Mastitis


  • You may notice hot or red streaks
    on your breast, and experience pain and even a high temperature;
    mastitis can result from severe engorgement, poor latching-on, or blocked milk ducts

  • Feed frequently from both breasts, but especially the affected side

  • Some women have success with homeopathic remedies, but check with your doctor first to see if the treatment is safe for your breastfeeding baby

  • Try to express milk to empty the breast and move the lumps

  • See your doctor if your symptoms don’t improve in 24 hours; you may need antibiotics

Blocked ducts


  • The best treatment for this is regular feeding to get the milk flowing

  • Massage the breast and hand-express milk, moving the milk down the channels toward the blocked ducts

  • Place warm compresses over the affected areas, and ensure your baby has the whole nipple in her mouth every time she nurses

Sore and chapped nipples


  • Try to relax when you are nursing, which will help the milk come

  • Seek advice from a lactation consultant—poor positioning and latch  are the main causes of sore nipples


  • Start feeding on the breast that is the least sore

  • Try to avoid pulling her off, since the suction created by her mouth on your breast can make it more painful

  • At the end of a feeding, express a little of the rich, fatty milk and rub it over your nipple to encourage healing

  • Between feedings, keep your bra and shirt off for short periods to allow the air to get to your nipples

  • Avoid using plastic-backed breast pads, and change damp pads

  • There are some good emollient creams available for sore nipples, many of which contain all-natural ingredients, such as lanolin

Shortage of milk


  • Be patient: it can take some time for your milk supply to become established and for “supply and demand” to kick in

  • Allow your baby to nurse frequently,
    since this will stimulate your body to produce more milk; if necessary,
    wake your baby to nurse, and also express milk between feedings to help
    stimulate milk supply

  • Make sure that you are relaxed when you feed her—if you are tired and anxious, it might seem as though there is no milk, or not enough

  • Take some time to rest, and even retire to bed with your baby for a day or two, to divert your energy toward making milk

  • Make sure you are getting enough to eat—you need plenty of energy to produce milk, and an inadequate diet can certainly affect your milk supply

  • Offering both breasts at each feeding and making your baby do all of his sucking at the breast (no bottles or pacifiers) should help


Bottle-feeding Basics

Many women can’t
breastfeed or don’t like the idea of it. The good news is that formula
offers your baby all the essential nutrients he needs and is designed to
be as close to breastmilk as possible. There are a few things to bear
in mind with bottle-feeding:


  • Carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions—too
    much formula powder or liquid can cause your baby to become constipated
    or thirsty; too little may mean he isn’t getting what he needs in terms
    of nutrition

  • Make up bottles with water that has been previously boiled and cooled—ideally
    the water temperature should be 158°F (70°C) or hotter, since formula
    is not sterile—this level of heat will kill any bacteria in the powder

  • Choose a nipple that is the right size for the age of your baby, and experiment to see if he prefers faster or slow-flow nipples

  • To feed your baby,
    cradle him in a semi-upright position and support his head; don’t feed
    him lying down—formula can flow into the sinuses or middle ear, causing
    an infection

  • To prevent your baby from swallowing air as he sucks, tilt the bottle so the formula fills the neck of the bottle and covers the nipple

  • Your newborn will probably take 2–4 oz (60–120 ml) per bottle during his first few weeks, and he will probably be hungry every two to four hours

  • Don’t encourage your baby to empty the bottle if he’s not interested; and if he’s still sucking when the bottle is empty, offer him more

  • To prevent a tummy full of air, burp your baby frequently

  • Thoroughly clean bottles, nipples, rings, and the equipment you use for preparing and cleaning your baby’s bottles

  • Do not use mineral water to make up bottles—it will upset the balance of nutrients in the formula


Soothing your Baby to Sleep

If there’s one source of
despair for new parents, it’s trying to get their babies to sleep. New
babies can be erratic sleepers, and wakeful just when you need sleep the
most. Here’s some help for harried parents:


  • Provide a comfort object, such as a favorite blanket or cuddly toy

  • Babies often jerk themselves awake (a natural reflex)—you can avoid this by swaddling your baby tightly in a blanket at bedtime

  • Try placing a baby-safe stuffed animal with your scent in the crib (wear it under your shirt for a couple of hours); if he wakes and can smell you, he may not feel as concerned by your absence

  • The bedtime routine
    is one of the most important routines you can establish—when your baby
    begins to recognize his own routine, he will relax and feel secure, and
    he will know what to expect

  • Some babies appear to be born with their own body clocks,
    and you may notice before he is even born that your baby has periods of
    activity in the nights, which is a sure sign that you have a night owl
    on your hands

  • Keep window shades or curtains open while he sleeps in the day and settle him down for naps at regular intervals

  • If he falls asleep feeding, gently wake him and spend some time talking to and playing with him

  • Keep household activities as noisy as possible during the day, so he becomes used to the idea that it’s normal to be awake during these hours

  • Put him to bed at a reasonable time, even if he’s not obviously tired; come back if he calls, but don’t be tempted to get him back up again

  • When he wakes in the night, feed, change, and comfort him, but keep the lights low and talk to him quietly

  • Wake him in the morning at a reasonable hour
    and keep things as routine as possible throughout the day—he’ll soon
    learn that daytime is for fun and nighttime is just plain boring, so he
    might as well go to sleep