Breastfeeding Solutions to Top Problems

I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MILK!

• Your baby's tummy is as big as a quail egg.
• Your baby just needs drops of your yellowish milk (colostrum) for the first few days.
• Trust yourself that you have milk even if you don't see or feel it. Let your baby feed whenever she wants and your milk will come in.
• You can include fresh malunggay in all your meals even before giving birth, or if hard to come by, take 3 malunggay tabs 3x a day with all meals. Malunggay is proven to increase milk.

MY BREASTS ARE PAINFUL AND HARD!

• If baby can't latch on, hand express or pump your milk into a clean container to lessen engorgement (you can freeze the milk and feed the baby when you go out)
• Do not empty your breast, just express enough
• Your body's supply will adjust in a few days
• Take note of warning signs:
  

  Hard bump: put hot compress, massage the bump and feed from the breast Hard bump that turns red and there's fever: this could be mastitis, consult with your doctor who will give you antibiotics. Don't stop breastfeeding - these antibiotics are safe for your baby.

• The primary reason is that the latch is too shallow. Your nipple is being pressed against the hard palate instead of    farther back the mouth (soft palate known as comfort zone). Check your latch.
• It's safe for baby to drink milk even if it has blood & pus.
• Pat your nipples with expressed milk to soften your nipples between feeding; this will also hasten healing

• Babies suck not just for food but also for comfort.
• Cluster feeding is normal for newborn babies, this doesn't mean you don' t have enough milk.
• This phase will pass.
• If your breasts can't take it anymore, give the baby to another caregiver to comfort or amuse while you stay in another room to rest.

• Dinner date? Dress up in nice clothes? You deserve it.
• Take baby steps first when leaving your baby.
• Save about 4 ounces of milk in the ref.
• Warm the milk (don't microwave!) before baby is about to be hungry .
• Cup feed
• Leave right at the end of a feeding and time to be back after 4 hours.

• 1 week to 2 weeks before - decide on the pump you need, think of your milk storage, how to transport your milk.
• Store enough supply to last 1 day (4 ounces per feeding x number of feedings you'll be out plus buffer you're comfortable with).
• Start pumping, output will be low at the beginning until your breasts adjust. Best time to pump is in the morning, on the breast that isn't fed from.
• Practice being away from baby to let your caregiver grow confidence in feeding baby; start with several hours to half a day to a full day; at the same time, practice your pumping routine.
• Once back at work, nurse your baby directly when you're home and during weekends to maintain your milk supply.