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How to develop nipples for feeding. Hygiene of a nursing woman. When nipples are flat or inverted

In this case, always falls under discussion. It is understandable - young mothers who are faced with this problem for the first time are worried: will they be able to give their child full breastfeeding? There are a lot of options for preparing flat nipples for the feeding process - this is massage, special shapers. What to do to young mothers in this case, we will find out right now.

Flat nipple is not a sentence

Most experts are sure that there is nothing wrong with having or having a flat shape. You can determine how urgent the problem is in a simple way. It is necessary to gently squeeze the areola with the thumb and forefinger. A normal-shaped nipple will squeeze forward, a flat nipple will remain unchanged. It often happens that the nipples on different breasts are also dissimilar. One may be perfectly normal, the other may be retracted or flat. Inverted nipples are the biggest problem with breastfeeding. But they are extremely rare in women. And yet - do not confuse the external and its real form when feeding. That is why it is recommended with the help of fingers (comparable to the lips of a baby sucking milk) to establish its real type.

How is the baby fed?

Consider an example of a non-standard breast - a flat nipple. How to feed the baby in this case? First, it is worth disassembling the process itself on the shelves. Every mother must know this - the child eats from the areola. And the nipple itself only helps to more conveniently capture the chest with your lips.

During sucking, the baby pulls the nipple - it takes the correct size and shape. Do not panic if the little one could not take the breast the first time. For this, a whole system of feeding techniques has been developed, with the help of which the baby will figure out how and what he should do. And further. In no case should you lose heart: flat, inverted nipples are not a reason to tune in to the fact that nothing will work out. It all depends on the right attitude. If you look for a way out of the current problematic situation, you will definitely find it.

prenatal practice

Today, there are many methods that help to change the shape of this part of the body, preparing it for breastfeeding. For example, not so long ago, a practice that helped to stretch a flat nipple before childbirth was very popular. However, over time it became clear that such a technique does not bring great results. As noted by experts involved in prenatal nipple reshaping, the time that expectant mothers spent in the classroom worked directly against them. If physiological changes were noted for the better, then the psychological state of women worsened with each session. And even after giving birth, some of the women immediately resorted to the services of bottles, without even trying to feed their baby at least once.

After giving birth, every second mother was sure that she was not able to breastfeed her child due to the existing pathology. And even if everything worked out at the first attempt, the woman was afraid to breastfeed the second time, expecting that failure was about to come.

First feeding

So what should a woman do if she has a flat nipple? How to feed a baby for the first time? The main thing is to carefully monitor how the baby captures it with his lips. Even if the chest is flat or retracted, he himself will stretch it out with the help of a reflex. As doctors say: a well-sucking, sensitive baby is the best remedy for an irregular nipple shape. It is necessary to teach the baby to take the breast immediately after childbirth. With swelling from colostrum (and after milk), the flatness of the nipple increases. And this, of course, makes the process of feeding even more difficult. You can seek help from birth counselors. Preparation for the first feeding is carried out with each woman individually. During it, experts not only tell you what to do, but also teach you how to work with nipples correctly: massage, stretch, apply areola.

It is important to know that the correct position of the baby itself is of great importance. If he is comfortable in his arms, then he will be able to grab the nipple much faster.

“Cooking” nipples ourselves

You can help your baby to breastfeed for the first time on your own. Flat nipples should be pulled out a little while feeding. To do this, fingers grab the chest behind the areola circle: from below - four, and from above - with the thumb. The chest should be strongly squeezed and at the same time taken away towards the chest. This technique will push the nipple far forward. And this will help the little one a lot when getting acquainted with breastfeeding. You can also use a special silicone pad, which will contribute to the development of the sucking reflex.

However, it is still worth using it for the first time under the guidance of a generic consultant. Another common and already gaining popularity method of feeding are breast pumps.

How good is a breast pump?

And it is good because of high quality it quickly helps to stretch the nipple, giving it the desired shape. And most importantly, it does not injure him at all. A flat nipple can also be pulled out with improvised means. For this, a syringe with a volume of 10 cubic centimeters is taken. A part is cut off from the side of the needle: about 1 centimeter. A piston is inserted into the resulting tube. It is also cut to the resulting length of the syringe. The plunger must be inserted from the cut side, and the uncut part of the syringe should be pressed firmly against the areola. You need to pull the nipple smoothly, without jerking, very carefully.

A similar procedure is carried out right before feeding, because the nipple extended in this way does not hold its new shape for a long time.

Using chest pads

So, the woman has a flat nipple. What to do if you can not buy a breast pump? You can use special pads for the chest. They are made of high quality plastic and consist of two main parts. The back is made with a hole into which the nipple is inserted. The front part of the lining has a semicircular shape. It fits perfectly with any bra. The areola, as it were, sticks to the lining, and the bra, with its pressure on the breast, helps to gradually stretch the nipples. Overlays must be carefully monitored. After each feeding, rinse well with warm water and soap and be sure to check for the presence of remaining drops of milk. When buying, you should pay attention to the size of the lining - they are large (for damaged nipples), and small (for flat and inverted nipples).

big breasts

Another problematic moment for expectant mothers is a large flat chest. The nipples of such a breast are developed in the ways described above, but when feeding, a few more nuances should be taken into account. When the mother is about to feed the baby, she needs to put a diaper or towel under her breasts to lift them up, making it as easy to grip as possible.

You can hold the chest with your hand, because a lot of weight will pull it down, complicating the child’s already hard work. Do not lean towards the baby. It is better, on the contrary, to lean back, straightening your back as much as possible. And of course, it is recommended to constantly use bras for nursing mothers, which will help the breasts not to sag after a period of breastfeeding. Many lactating women noted that they too took on completely new forms after the lactation period - it became much smaller.

In conclusion

A flat nipple is not a sentence. The most important step is to teach the baby to properly latch onto the breast. After a week of feeding with the help of techniques, overlays, breast pumps and exercises, a woman will notice that she no longer needs any of this.

A child who is accustomed to taking a nipple already independently pulls it out to the desired size and shape. You need to know that if a woman does her part of the job of accustoming a baby to a non-standard breast correctly, the child will do everything possible in response. And yet - very often inattentive nurses are afraid that the nipple is flat or inverted. And feeding is bound to be difficult. Do not believe the words without trying in practice. Only the mother herself can determine what shape her nipple is, how much it can be stretched out as much as possible, whether it will be comfortable for the baby to “aim”, wrapping her lips around the areola mugs with the cherished mother's milk. Never stop breastfeeding. Remember that any problem can be solved - there would be a desire.

Every mother, while still pregnant, thinks about how to prepare her breasts for feeding. In order not to feel discomfort and pain during the application of the baby to the chest, you must follow simple rules. They are usually told in perinatal centers before childbirth. In order to avoid problems with lactation, let's look at the basic preventive measures for good and proper breastfeeding.

There are several stages of preparing the mammary glands for feeding. The main ones are:

  • determine the shape of the nipples: flat, retracted and convex. The most suitable of them for breastfeeding is the third. With the first two, you will need to purchase a special pad or massage the nipples to correct their shape. Before starting a massage, it is imperative to consult a doctor so as not to inadvertently cause premature birth;
  • prepare the skin of the chest. In the second half of pregnancy, it is better to give up soap and shower gel to avoid dry skin. Which in turn can provoke the appearance of cracks;
  • take air baths with bare breasts for 10-15 minutes daily;
  • hardening. Pouring nipples with cool water or wiping with frozen cubes with decoctions of medicinal herbs with antiseptic properties has a positive effect;
  • nursing bra. You can buy it in specialized departments of stores for mothers or pharmacies. It is made of natural fabric, has a detachable cup and does not squeeze the chest. In addition, it helps to maintain its shape and elasticity;
  • compresses with decoctions of herbs. Oak bark or black tea brewing will not only disinfect the nipples, but also prevent the appearance of cracks. Carry out the procedure several times a day for 10 minutes;
  • soften. This item is necessary only in case of injury to the nipples during feeding. Then they are treated with an ointment, which the doctor should prescribe after examination;
  • breast massage before feeding is also very helpful.

How to develop breasts for nursing

Massage should be done daily in the morning and before bedtime for both pregnant mothers and those who have already given birth. It includes simple tricks:

  • stroking the breast with smooth movements from the outer sides to the nipple;
  • circular movements on the chest. The nipple is not affected;
  • lift the chest with one hand from below, and with the other lightly press from above;
  • we sort out the chest in a circle with massaging movements of the fingers.

Each movement is performed 5 times. Massage will help not only strengthen the mammary glands, but also useful for expressing milk. In no case do not press hard on the chest, so as not to injure it.

And don't forget clean, comfortable underwear that fits and fits well. When choosing a bra, pay attention to models with wide straps and natural cotton.

If you have overly sensitive breasts, then you need to choose underwear made of coarse fabrics (linen, terry) or use bra liners made of coarse fabrics.
If discomfort and pain persist during feeding, seek the advice of a doctor to find out the causes of discomfort.

It is necessary to prepare the breast for feeding or not, doctors argue about this among themselves. But as in any business, the best is an individual approach.

Any woman who has already given birth will tell you that the first days after meeting with the baby were filled not only with joy, but also with pain. And the main source of pain was the mammary gland.

A newborn baby is born with the most basic instinct, as soon as he is born, he already knows that he needs to suck in order to satisfy his hunger. But strangely enough, he usually doesn’t have the skills for this.

The child often takes the breast incorrectly, which, combined with the inability of the mother to give her baby, ends in failure. Already a day after the birth of the baby, painful cracks appear on the nipples.

More recently, in antenatal clinics, there were instructions and illustrations for expectant mothers that showed how to prepare the breast for feeding during pregnancy. It was even proposed to rub the nipples with a waffle or terry towel so that they would “harden”, walk with bare chest and do many more strange things.

The opposite opinion, which also exists among obstetricians and is absolutely justified, is that it is impossible to prepare the breast for feeding during pregnancy. All manipulations with the nipples in the presence of readiness for childbirth can provoke them, which is very dangerous if there is a threat of premature birth. In response to stimulation of the nipple in the body of a pregnant woman, the contraction hormone, oxytocin, is released.

Of course, in the absence of a mature cervix and a general readiness to give birth, this is not scary, and will only tone the uterus, but if you already have a risk of not carrying the pregnancy, you can induce labor yourself.

Only in special cases is it necessary to prepare the breast for breastfeeding during pregnancy. This is necessary for those women who by nature do not have the correct shape of the nipple. Of course, it is not always possible to prepare the breast before childbirth in such situations. Flat and inverted nipples can cause very big problems, for example, the extreme form of inverted nipples (hiding nipple) is due to very short connective tissue fibers at its base, and no massage and stretching will help here - only a surgeon's scalpel. However, this is rare, but the paradoxical reaction of the nipple to irritation is common. If your nipple retracts during an erection, it can be “trained” to behave correctly with the help of simple exercises, we wrote about them. And in all other cases, there is no need to prepare the breasts for pregnant women for childbirth. It is enough just to look after her and provide support with good linen.

When going to the maternity hospital, it is only important for you to tune in to successful breastfeeding, to master the techniques of putting the baby to the breast, this is shown in the preparation courses for childbirth. Nature has already done everything for you - millions of women have breastfed their children and you, of course, can do it too.

In the first days after childbirth, it will be difficult for you and you should know about it. The first rush of milk is painful, it is difficult to learn how to properly attach a child to the breast, and the baby also does not always manage to learn how to take the breast correctly right away. This is often accompanied by the appearance of painful cracks on the nipples, pain when the baby is attached to the breast, so when going to the hospital, be sure to put breast care products in your bag when feeding.

Now Bepanten and Purinal are the most popular in the Russian Federation, although the whole world uses Lansinoh HPA lanolin ointment when breastfeeding, which has huge advantages: it does not need to be washed off before feeding, it allows the breast skin to breathe and instantly relieves pain in the nipples with cracks, so often during the first days of breastfeeding. Until recently, this ointment could not be bought in Russia - it simply was not supplied, today you can purchase it when ordering a bag to the maternity hospital from our partner.

Preparing breasts for feeding is not difficult, breastfeeding experts believe that it is necessary to prepare not the chest, but the head. Because the breast is ready from the very beginning - it was created for breastfeeding, and all problems arise due to fear, unwillingness to feed, or simply lack of self-confidence.

A common situation is the process of delaying the release of breast milk after childbirth. Especially this issue concerns primiparous women who do not have the skills of breastfeeding and its organization. This problem is not a serious pathology, since it is based on only a slight slowdown in the physiological process, which can be corrected through some recommendations.

Causes of milk retention in the postpartum period

The formation of congestion in the mammary glands not only creates an obstacle to breastfeeding, but also gives a woman a lot of discomfort and even pain. The main manifestations of breast milk stagnation are hardening of the mammary glands, the appearance of soreness and a feeling of fullness. When pressing on such a breast, a drip of small portions of breast milk may be observed.

The main reasons for the formation of congestion in the mammary glands are:

  • Irregular attachment of the child to the breast;
  • Failure to comply with breastfeeding technique;
  • An underdeveloped sucking reflex in a child, as a result of which the mammary glands are not fully emptied.

As another, no less likely cause of lactostasis, one can single out excessive production of breast milk in the first few days after childbirth.

How to solve the problem

The primary task is to choose the correct position of the body of the mother and child during breastfeeding. Attachment to the breast is recommended to be carried out in such a way that the child's chin is in contact with the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe mammary gland in which the woman feels maximum discomfort and pain. If there are stagnation in the lower part of the gland, then the position of the child during feeding should be sitting on the mother's lap.

With median stagnation of breast milk, the position of the mother during feeding should be on her side, applying the baby to the breast that is on top.
In order to develop breasts after childbirth in the shortest possible time and painlessly, it is necessary to put the baby to the breast as often as possible, and feed in small portions.

If the breastfeeding procedure does not contribute to the normal outflow of milk, a woman needs to carry out manual pumping.

Important! With an increase in body temperature and the appearance of a sharp soreness in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe mammary glands, it is strictly forbidden to use manual pumping methods. A woman should immediately contact a medical specialist.

The development of the mammary glands in the postpartum period is carried out according to the following scheme:

  1. In order to improve local blood circulation and stimulate the expansion of the ducts of the mammary gland, it is recommended to wash the chest with warm water or take a warm shower;
  2. Both mammary glands must be gently massaged with smooth movements, avoiding strong compression;
  3. With gentle squeezing movements, you should express milk from each mammary gland, while controlling your own sensations;
  4. After the procedure, it is recommended to apply a cool compress to the chest area (hold for no more than 10 minutes).

If the body temperature is within the normal range, and there is no sharp pain, then in no case should you stop breastfeeding.

The negative pressure that occurs between the baby's mouth and the mother's nipple promotes accelerated drainage of the mammary glands. The pressure of the baby's chin on the mother's breast is an effective massage that stimulates the expansion of the ducts and the release of milk.

Massage

To quickly and effectively develop breasts after childbirth, you can use the technique of a special massage. If the woman's nipple is not prominent enough, then the primary task of the massage is to eliminate this problem. To do this, you need to slightly pull each nipple with two fingers and gently massage. A similar massage is performed daily in several approaches.

To simulate the discharge of breast milk, it is necessary to perform the following massage techniques:

  1. Alternately massaging the mammary glands with both hands. Reception begins with light stroking, which smoothly turns into gentle kneading;
  2. The next step is stroking each mammary gland in the direction from the periphery to the center (to the nipple). This technique ensures the expansion of the ducts of the mammary glands and the discharge of breast milk;
  3. The next step is to create compression. The mammary gland must be gently lifted, while pressing on it from above with the second hand. It is important to be careful when calculating strength.

Proper care of the mammary glands helps to normalize the outflow of milk after childbirth. It is recommended to wash the chest with warm water before and after feeding, wiping dry. If small cracks appear on the nipples, it is recommended to lubricate them with baby cream after feeding and taking a shower.

In the absence of positive results, it is necessary to contact a medical specialist who will identify the causes of such stagnation and prescribe treatment. Self-medication can cause a number of side effects.

While still in position, a woman must psychologically prepare for the fact that she will breastfeed her newborn. A pregnant woman should be fully aware of the importance of mother's milk for a baby and create a setting for breastfeeding in advance.

Relatives and friends of the future mother can also help her in this, instilling confidence in both the successful outcome of childbirth and the appearance of good lactation.

Starting breastfeeding

To prepare the breast for breastfeeding, a woman needs to start following some recommendations in advance:

How much does a newborn eat

In the first couple of days after birth, the baby will need only 10-15 grams of colostrum. Any mother can give such an amount to a baby. Don't worry about lack of milk or flat nipples. On days 4-6, colostrum is replaced by milk. The volume per feeding gradually increases to 50 - 80 ml. By 1 week, the baby already eats about 400 ml of milk per day. By the second week of life, the baby eats 80-110 ml of milk per feeding.

How much should a child eat up to a year, read.

So that there are no problems with lactation, it is important not to be nervous, eat well, put the baby to the breast more often, then you will be able to maintain and continue breastfeeding. For the first two weeks, you may experience pain in your breasts while feeding. This is the norm, as the skin is still very delicate and unaccustomed to constant resorption. It is normal to experience pain for the first few seconds after latch on, but if it is constant throughout the feeding, then you need to work on proper attachment. Monitor the condition of the nipples to prevent the appearance and development of cracks.

After 2 to 3 weeks, most moms begin to enjoy breastfeeding and being close to their baby. The main thing is to be persistent and not pay attention to the difficulties that may arise. Good lactation depends on the frequency of attachments, especially at night, and the correct capture of the breast by the baby.