What to eat at 13 weeks of pregnancy. The baby grows and develops very quickly

It is no secret that the healthiest food for a small child is breast milk. It strengthens the baby's immunity and protects against pathogenic microbes from the external environment. But what to do if suddenly, for some reason, there is not enough milk or it suddenly disappears, which, unfortunately, also sometimes happens?

Advice

The main thing is not to panic. Stress and nervousness only aggravate the situation and in no way contribute to lactation.

Find out the reason

In this case, firstly, it is extremely necessary to find out the reason for the decrease in lactation. Do not forget that this may be a temporary phenomenon, which is called a lactation crisis, and it may be caused by hormonal changes that last three to four days. Such unforeseen circumstances are not at all dangerous for the baby. To eliminate this problem, you need to put your baby to the breast more often and more milk will be produced.

Don't panic

Secondly, you shouldn't panic. Negative emotions and experiences have an extremely negative effect on lactation. Mommy must understand that mother’s milk, adapted to the characteristics of the baby, is most suitable for the little one. No other product can replace it.

Important!!!

It is important not to give up and not give up without a fight ahead of time by switching to bottle feeding. You will always have time!

Thirdly, of course, you should consult an experienced doctor. Only a specialist can give you competent recommendations that will not harm either you or your baby. He will objectively assess the general picture of your health and hormonal levels as a whole, and advise what can help you correct the feeding situation.

But if it so happens that there is not enough breast milk, then you should know what you can replace it with.

Milk formulas

Today, the baby food market is overcrowded and spoils mothers with its abundance. Modern manufacturers are introducing more and more new components into milk formulas: vitamins, minerals, probiotics, prebiotics and other components.

Most often, powdered cow's milk is used as the basis for the production of infant formula. Although today you can often find products that are healthier for babies and are based on goat’s milk, it is considered more adapted to women’s milk. However, of course, no matter how hard scientists and manufacturers try, a complete substitute for mother’s milk does not yet exist. Alas!

Selecting the appropriate mixture

But there is no need to despair. Thousands of children grow up safely on artificial formulas. You just need to choose the right milk formula correctly. And you should pay attention not to the beautiful and attractive packaging and sellers’ stories praising the products, but to the recommendation of the local pediatrician. Only an experienced specialist will recommend baby food to you, taking into account age, developmental characteristics, and many other factors.

Read the instructions

Do not forget that even if you have started introducing complementary foods, you should not completely give up breast milk. Even in small doses, it (mother’s milk) will only bring benefits to the baby. When choosing a formula, remember that children's doctors do not recommend changing baby food frequently, and before use, be sure to read the instructions, check the date of manufacture and expiration date of the product. Study very diligently how to prepare this baby food.

We take age into account

Then carefully monitor your baby’s behavior. And if the baby is not bothered by diathesis or abdominal pain, he eats a new dish with pleasure - feel free to continue feeding it. But don’t miss the age when you need to switch to formula for older children, preferably from the same manufacturer.

Herbal teas

To enhance lactation, you can drink special teas that contain plants: licorice, cumin, rose hips, yarrow or others. But in any case, be sure to consult your doctor to see if you have any contraindications for this.

Nutrition

Be sure to pay attention to your lifestyle. Remember that a nursing mother should get enough rest. In addition, what and how often you eat is important. There can be no question of any fasting or special diets during breastfeeding. But you shouldn’t overeat either. In addition to food, you should take at least two liters of liquid per day.

Conclusion:

There are really many factors that influence increased lactation. Take advantage of the additional resources offered that will help you feed your baby and give you confidence. And everything will work out for you!

Every expectant mother, even during pregnancy, dreams of how she will enjoy the process of breastfeeding her long-awaited baby. However, in reality, everything does not always go so smoothly: for the opportunity to feed the child with your milk, you often have to wage a real struggle. And problems can arise even in the maternity hospital: the baby cries for days on end, and many mothers helplessly give up, not knowing what to do if there is little milk after childbirth. They put up with the fact that the child is forced to eat formula. Do not hurry! Let's first try to understand all the mechanisms of lactation.

Benefits of breastfeeding

Breast milk from a nursing mother is a real miracle. No artificially produced milk or dairy-free formulas can compete with natural feeding. The remarkable thing is that today this is understood and welcomed by everyone - from healthcare organizations and pediatricians to grandmothers accustomed to bottles and dairy kitchens.

What are the benefits of breastfeeding?

• Milk contains useful and nutritious substances necessary for a newborn.
• Breast milk has the amazing ability to adapt to the baby's age, changing its composition.
• This is food that is always available to the child, sterile and at the optimal temperature.
• helps strengthen the baby's immunity thanks to the immune proteins contained in milk.
• The child develops a correct bite.
• Strong emotional connection between mother and baby during feeding.

By nature, every woman is given to breastfeed her child. However, ignorance of the basic principles of breast milk production leads to the fact that new mothers fall into panic, and completely in vain. The most frequently asked question - what to do if there is no milk after childbirth - has a fairly simple answer: don’t worry and follow some simple advice.

Features of nutrition of a newborn

The digestive system of a newly born child is completely sterile, and it has yet to adapt to the food entering it. In the first days, the mother does not have milk as such; colostrum is released drop by drop from the breast - a thick yellowish liquid. At first glance, it may seem that there is very little of it, and the child is sorely lacking such food, but this is not at all the case. Colostrum is very fatty and filling, and it also contains large quantities of immune proteins, as well as substances that help the baby’s intestines get rid of meconium, the original feces.

At about 4-5 days, colostrum is replaced by the so-called transition milk. It is more liquid and transparent, but its nutritional value is retained.

Mature milk begins to be produced three weeks after birth and remains throughout the entire feeding period, periodically changing its composition. It is white and transparent, as it is 80% water. That is why children who are completely breastfed do not need to be supplemented with water.

Causes of lack of milk during the postpartum period

Sometimes it happens that a lot of time has passed, the child is worried and demands food, but there is no milk after birth. What to do if you find yourself in this situation?

The most important thing in this situation is not to panic prematurely and try to understand what is happening to your body and whether you are doing everything right. A very small percentage of women cannot breastfeed due to lack of milk: due to genetic predisposition, the presence of certain diseases and abuse of alcohol and nicotine. In other cases, the reasons for a small amount of milk may be the following:

• Stressful condition or postpartum depression of a nursing mother.
• Improperly organized nutrition.
• Insufficiently frequent latching of the baby to the breast.
• No night feedings.

It’s worth learning more about how to behave correctly and what to do to ensure milk comes in after childbirth.

Basic principles of establishing lactation

What can you do to ensure that milk appears after childbirth, and your baby certainly begins to receive healthy and nutritious food?

First you need to calm down and tune in to positive emotions. The hormones oxytocin and prolactin, which are responsible for the production of breast milk, begin to work only when the mother is completely relaxed and tuned in to feeding her baby. This is why breastfeeding experts advise feeding your baby in silence and solitude, enjoying the closeness and the process itself.

Feed on demand and be sure to keep feedings at night, so milk will be produced more intensively.

Drink more liquid: tea with milk, compotes, fruit drinks and plain water. Various soups and broths are also welcome, but not very fatty ones.

Make sure your baby is properly attached to the breast. It should capture both the nipple and the areola.

Following these principles will help you figure out what to do if there is no milk after birth.

Ways to preserve breast milk

If, even with all the principles of breastfeeding, milk does not come immediately after birth, what to do in this case, simple and very wise advice will tell you:

• Before feeding, take a warm shower, directing the stream of water onto your breasts.

• Hot drink. A mug of delicious hot tea perfectly stimulates milk production.
• Try special lactation teas that contain anise and cumin.
• Get more rest. If you don't have much time for this, you can try feeding your baby while lying down.
• Take royal jelly. In addition to the fact that it has a powerful lactogenic effect, it contains a lot of useful microelements.
• Stimulating your nipples and gently massaging your breasts can also increase your milk supply.

Products that stimulate lactation

Even in ancient times, people noticed that after a nursing mother eats certain foods, her breasts fill up much faster. Therefore, if you do not have milk after childbirth, then this list will help make your diet richer and healthier.

• Nuts. The best ones are walnuts and almonds.
• Dairy products.
• Dried fruit compotes.
• Buckwheat. You can dry it in a frying pan and chew it like seeds.
• Radish with honey.
• Watermelon.

Hyperlactation: good or bad?

The problem when there is little milk after childbirth has been considered, and what to do in such cases is known. Such problems with lactation are not uncommon, but they are not the only possible ones. There are situations that are just the opposite, that is, a lot of milk after childbirth. What to do about this and how to avoid harm to your health?

Hyperlactation is an excess amount of milk in the breast. At the same time, it randomly pours out of it, preventing the child from eating calmly and causing discomfort to the mother.

To prevent your baby from choking while eating, it is better to express a little milk before feeding, and also offer one breast several times in a row. And avoid foods that stimulate lactation. After some time, everything will get better, and milk will be produced as much as the baby needs.

Many mothers ask for an answer to the question of what to do if. Most importantly, remember: every woman, with rare exceptions, is quite capable of breastfeeding her child. It’s just that for some it comes easy, but for others it takes a lot of work. Here's the most important advice for you: stay close to your baby more often and enjoy every minute spent together. Your body will be sensitive to its presence and will definitely begin to function properly.

Often, new mothers are faced with a problem such as lack or absence of breast milk. Accordingly, the question arises what to do if there is no milk after childbirth? Surely everyone knows that the first feeding of a baby must be from the breast and immediately after birth, except for medical indications. It is very valuable and important for the full growth and development of a child, especially in the first months of his life.

If the mother notices that the baby does not have enough milk and breastfeeding becomes questionable, then you should not immediately give preference to artificial nutrition; you must do everything possible to establish lactation. Before considering the nuances of resuming the lactation process, special attention should be paid to reasons why there is no milk after childbirth. These include:

• improper latching of the breast by the baby during feeding;

• long breaks between feedings, preference should be given to feeding at the baby’s request, this will help produce milk in the right quantity;
• every mother knows that it is at night that prolactin is actively produced, so you should not give up night feedings, replacing it with water. It is at night that mother’s milk is most rich and nutritious; accordingly, such feedings contribute to maximum growth and weight gain of the child;
• You should not use all kinds of nipple covers, as this reduces stimulation of the breast and the baby sucks less milk from it, and accordingly, it will be supplied in smaller quantities in the future;
• answering the question, how to improve lactation after childbirth, it is worth noting that one of the reasons for poor milk flow into the breast is the baby’s accustoming to a pacifier. On the contrary, it is necessary for the child to suckle on the mother’s breast as often as possible.

What to do to improve lactation after childbirth

Undoubtedly, every mother dreams of her child eating, being full, healthy and in a good mood. But what to do in cases where there is not enough milk and the baby is capricious, does not eat enough, and does not gain weight well. Naturally, to establish lactation. The following expert recommendations will help every nursing mother:

• put the baby to the breast as often as possible, that is, on demand. Moreover, this must be done alternately to each breast;
• many mothers face this problem, how to recover after childbirth while breastfeeding and establish natural feeding of the baby with breast milk. Don’t forget about fluids; you need to drink at least 2 liters per day. This can be water, teas, decoctions of various herbs - chamomile, lemon balm, and so on;
• You shouldn’t give up night feedings, they are very important both for the baby and for good lactation;
• the mother should reconsider her diet and eat exclusively healthy, providing the body with all the necessary vitamins and minerals that reach the baby through breast milk;

• An important point is the correct attachment of the baby to the breast, that is, he must be in the correct position and correctly grasp the nipple.

Answering the question, how to establish breastfeeding after childbirth, special attention should also be paid to the psycho-emotional state of the mother. Stressful situations, tension, and irritation should be completely eliminated, since all this helps to reduce lactation. You should spend as much time as possible with your child, tune in to positive emotions and, finally, rejoice in the long-awaited motherhood.