According to recent research, more than half of mothers stop breastfeeding sooner than they would like, for a whole series of reasons ranging from problems of improper sucking and attachment, to the conviction of not producing enough milk for nutritional needs of child.
The reasons why a woman stops breastfeeding much sooner than she would have liked are different but, in most cases, these are practical problems that, with the right support, could be overcome.
A woman should not feel obliged to breastfeed her child but if she wishes to do so it is sacrosanct that she has all the right tools to do so. And let it be supported.
Meanwhile, let's see 3 tips that can help your mother continue breastfeeding.
1. Call the midwife
The puerperium can be a very complicated period, and when you need help the best thing to do is to call someone who can provide it .
An experienced midwife or a lactating consultant is someone who can help you a lot . It will explain to you, showing it in a practical way, how to properly attach the baby to the breast, and it will help you to debunk so many false myths that are very likely obstructing you.
Properly attaching the newborn to the breast is essential because it promotes milk production and, moreover, helps to prevent the formation of fissures, a problem that can make breastfeeding more complicated.
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2. Attacks the baby often in the breast
" This child always wants to stay attached to the breast so there is not enough milk ." If they had given me a euro every time I heard this sentence, now I would be rich.
Exclusive breastfeeding is "on demand ", that is, there is no agenda for breastfeeding. Of course, for convenience, at a certain point (later on) we try to give ourselves a rule because a woman is not just a nursing mother, but ... it is absolutely normal for a small child to look for contact with the mother's breast, which she wants suckle frequently and wake up at night to do it. The child who sticks more often is telling his mother: I want more milk! And do you know what happens in that case?
Production increases precisely because of this necessity. So the more the baby gets attached the more milk it will have available . Once started well, breastfeeding is a perfect machine, which is why it is very important to allow yourself all the right tools to overcome the first difficulties, at the beginning, when mum and baby are more fragile, when the whole mechanism is more fragile.
3. Take care of yourself
Breastfeeding, especially in the early days, is not a walk. Everything seemed simpler to the prepared course but then, when the time comes when you find yourself in your arms a tender, restless bundle, you realize that the matter is a little more complex than you imagined. Breastfeeding requires a good dose of determination and also a bit of luck.
If you are well, if there are favorable environmental conditions, the first small great difficulties are overcome more easily and with more momentum.
So take care of yourself. Take care of your diet and your body; delegate, when you can , the care of the newborn to rest or to stay a little alone with yourself; love yourself and try not to feel inadequate even for a moment.
Mom, find the time to take care of yourself