Dealing with Pain and Engorgement

Dealing with Pain and Engorgement

August 22nd, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Especially in the early weeks of breastfeeding, you may experience swelling and tenderness of the breasts. As your milk comes in, your breasts will become engorged and full of milk, and it will take a little while for your body to regulate milk production so this doesn’t happen all the time.

Breastfeeding is supply and demand – the more your baby nurses, the more milk your body produces. In the first weeks, your body needs to figure out how much milk it needs to make in order to meet your baby’s needs. This process usually begins with a lot of milk being produced, but soon the production will settle down to the right level. In the meantime, there are some steps you can take to ease the discomfort.

Relieving Engorgement

The quickest way to relieve engorgement is to let the baby nurse. If baby is sleeping or not hungry, you can express a small amount of milk to take some of the pressure off, but use caution. Expressing too much will tell the body that the baby needs more, setting off higher levels of milk production and making the engorgement worse! The best way to express only a small amount of milk is to do it by hand, avoiding the breast pump. Try taking a warm shower and gently massaging the breasts until the milk lets down. Just the warm water and massage will ease the pain, even if no milk is released. However, if you can get a small amount of milk to come out this way, it will also take off some of the pressure.

Use warm compresses prior to nursing and cold compresses in between feedings to bring down the swelling. Using a cold compress prior to nursing will make it difficult for the milk to let down for baby. A great way to make a cold compress is to put some water in a newborn size diaper and put it in the freezer. Then, simply slip one into each side of your bra for soothing relief. Some women also use cabbage leaves as compresses to relieve engorgement.

Other Sources of Pain

Not all pain during nursing is caused by engorgement. Your nipples may become painful, red and crack or even bleed, especially as they get used to nursing. Lanolin ointments can help to relieve the dryness and cracking. Cold compresses will also help with pain. Make sure to gently clean nipples after nursing and allow them to dry before putting your bra back on to help prevent further problems.

Mastitis, a painful infection of the milk ducts, can occur anytime during breastfeeding, but is most common in the early months. It happens when a milk duct becomes clogged and it is not relieved quickly. Avoid mastitis by making sure to empty the breast completely, nursing baby on both sides equally, and dealing with any sign of a blocked duct quickly. If you notice a tender spot on the breast, a hard area where engorgement is not relieved in spite of nursing, or a general feeling of pain in the breast, you may have a blocked duct. Massage the area gently, apple heat, and allow the baby to nurse regularly to free the blockage. If you notice redness, swelling, or the pain does not go away within a few days, contact your doctor.

Some pain and discomfort during the early stages of breastfeeding is normal, and should resolve within a couple of months. With careful treatment and precautions, you can avoid most breastfeeding pain. However, don’t hesitate to call your doctor if you have continuing problems.

Safe Storage of Breast Milk

Safe Storage of Breast Milk

August 13th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

If you are using a breast pump to express milk and don’t plan to feed the milk to your baby immediately, you should know how to store breast milk safely it in order to avoid spoiling. While breast milk can actually stay out at room temperature safely for several hours, if you aren’t planning to use it it’s best to get it into the fridge right away.

Breast Milk Storage Containers

If you are storing breast milk for use within a few days, you can simply store breast milk in the same bottles you plan to feed the baby from. Just make sure the baby bottle has a cap that seals securely. This will make warming the baby bottle easier as well, as you won’t have to transfer it to a new container.

If you plan to freeze your breast milk, you should use breast milk storage containers designed specifically for the purpose. The easiest to use are breast milk storage bags, as they take up less room in the freezer and can be disposed off after use. There are also plastic bottles available that you can use to store breast milk securely. When filling your breast milk storage containers, leave space for the expansion that will occur upon freezing. Bags will be easy to stack if you freeze them lying flat. Make sure to date every breast milk storage container you freeze.

How Long to Store Breast Milk

Unlike formula, which can only be left out at room temperature for an hour before it has to be thrown away, breast milk is ok at room temperature for 4 hours or more. If your house is hot or you have had the milk sitting out in the sun, this time is much shorter. Just like with regular milk, you can always smell it to see if it shows signs of spoiling. When in doubt, throw it out. Milk kept in the fridge may separate. Gently swirl it around to mix it back together.

Breast milk can be stored in the freezer section of your refrigerator for up to three months. A chest freezer, which has lower temperatures, will allow you to store breast milk for up to six months.

Thawing Breast Milk

The best way to thaw breast milk is in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, you can set the frozen bag in a bowl of warm water to thaw more quickly. When removing bags of milk from the freezer, be sure to use the oldest frozen milk first, as you have more time to use the newer milk. After thawing, transfer the milk to a bottle. Never use the microwave to thaw or warm breast milk. It can create hot spots and can also kill nutrients in the milk.

If You Have Excess Breast Milk

If you find that you are freezing more milk than your baby will ever need, or it will go bad before you will use it, there is an alternative to throwing it out. Milk banks across the country accept donations of breast milk to be provided to babies whose own mothers are unable to provide it, and who can not tolerate formula for a variety of reasons. There is a screening process for donors to ensure the safety of the milk supply. Although it may take a little of your time, it is well worth the chance to save the life of a baby. Contact the hospital where you had your baby or your doctor to find out where to donate breast milk.

Breast Pump Selection and Use

Breast Pump Selection and Use

August 7th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Breast pumps can be a huge help to any mom, whether you need to pump because you are working, or you just want the new father to be able to share in feeding duties. With a wide variety of pump types and price points, do your research ahead of time to make sure to choose the one that suits your personal needs.

Types of Breast Pumps

There are a number of different brands and types of breast pumps available. What to buy depends on how often you plan to pump. For those who are only planning to pump occasionally, a basic manual pump will probably do the job. This is a great choice if you only plan to pump when you are going out for the evening, for example, and need someone else to feed the baby. It’s also a great backup pump to have on hand or keep in the diaper bag should the need arise. Look for one with simple, one-handed operation.

Electric pumps come in several types as well, from single horn to double horn, some with a special let-down function that changes the speed of the pump automatically after the first few minutes. If you plan to pump a lot, all day at work for example, a double horn electric model is a good choice. Single pumps take twice as long, but are more affordable, so they are a better choice if you don’t plan to pump often.

Hospital grade pumps are more powerful and a good choice for anyone who needs to pump exclusively for their child, such as in the case of a premature baby who can not latch on yet. Some insurance plans will cover the cost of the pump rental, but if not it might be too expensive for anyone who doesn’t need that level of performance.

Personalizing Your Pump

Whichever pump you choose, you will want to make sure you have the right size breast shields for your nipples. All pumps come with a standard sized shield, but that doesn’t mean it will fit you. When you choose a pump, make sure that the manufacturer offers different sizes of shields, and follow their directions for selecting the size that will fit you. Improperly sized shields can cause discomfort when pumping, so get the right size.

Using Your Pump

Once you have chosen a pump and selected the correct size shields, you are ready to get started. Some pumps come with the parts pre-sterilized and ready for use in sealed packaging. Others will need to be sterilized before use. As every pump is a little different, follow the manufacturer’s directions for the use of the pump. To make the feeling a little more pleasant, you can rub a small amount of lanolin on the inside of the shields.

To get the most out of pumping, continue running the pump for a couple of minutes after the milk has stopped. There is often more than one let down in every session, so be sure you have drained the breast completely. However, keep in mind that pumping for too long can cause pain, so try to keep pumping sessions to around 15-20 minutes. With a single pump, this will take twice as long as you will have to do each side separately.

After pumping, wash all pump parts in hot soapy water. You don’t need to sterilize your pump parts every time if you wash them thoroughly, but plan to sterilize at least every second day.

Pumping can be a lot of work, but it can also free you to enjoy activities away from your baby or let your baby’s father take over some of the feeding duties while you get some rest!

Breast Milk Express

Breast Milk Express

February 19th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Ideally, mother should always be available to breastfeed their babies when they are hungry. However, in reality certain situations that hinder breastfeeding are unavoidable. For such occasions, it is important to have a supply of milk that has been expressed from breast and is available for the baby whenever the baby is hungry.

Choosing a Breast Pump

Express breast milk would be easier with a breast pump. There are different types of breast pump available:

  • hand-operated breast pump
  • electric or battery-powered breast pump (for home use)
  • electric breast pump (for professional or hospital)

Hand-operated pumps and home use electric pumps are significantly less expensive than the professional- or hospital-grade pumps. However, they are not as efficient and powerful as hospital-grade breast pumps. Hospital-grade breast pumps can be rented from some hospitals, pharmacies or medical supply companies at minimal cost. Depending on how often you need to use a pump, get one which is best suit your need.

Steps for Success Breast Milk Express

  1. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before pumping breast milk. Wash the breast pump with hot soapy water and air-dried the pump. Breast pump should be sterilized on daily basis.
  2. Find a quite place to pump. An article of clothing or a blanket that smell like baby may help let down the milk. Pumping should be done as often as a mother would breastfeed her infant.
  3. Pump each breast for approximately 10-15 minutes until the milk stops flowing.
  4. Collect milk in appropriate containers. Make sure the container is sterilized and it is labeled with date and time of expression. This will help to remember the order of the milk was pumped.
  5. The expressed breast milk should be stored in refrigerator or freezer. Frozen milk should be stored in small amount, for example 60 to 125 ml. Fresh milk can be stored up to 48 hours in the fridge whereas frozen can be store up to 6 months.
  6. Defrost frozen milk overnight in refrigerator or run under warm running water. Do not microwave or place breast milk in hot water because this will destroy its immunological components. Don’t forget to test temperature of the breast milk before feeding the baby.
  7. After the feeding, discard any unfinished breast milk.