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Is Manual Expression Of Breast Milk Safe While Having Breastfeeding Difficulties?
Question: i have delivered baby through c-sec. first two days i cud not breast feed my baby as milk did not flow. so as prescribed by doctor we gave him lactogen1. now my baby is not comfortable wid breast feeding. he drinks lactogen easily. he tries to suck nipple once and leave it wen he doesn't get anything instantly.
Brief Answer:
That is the problem of bottle feeding
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.
Firstly you need to know that milk letdown may decrease if milk is not expressed regularly every 3-4 hours. Therefore you have to express milk manually to avoid this stopping of milk flow. Whatever milk is expressed, please give that to your baby.
The procedure for manually expressing milk is:
Wash your hands with soap and warm water
Cup your breast just behind your areola.
Squeeze gently with your thumb and your fingers in a C shape. This shouldn't hurt (don't squeeze the nipple directly as you'll make it sore and unable to express).
Release the pressure, then repeat, building up a rhythm. Try not to slide your fingers over the skin. At first, only drops will appear, but keep going as this will help to build up your milk supply. With practise, milk may flow freely.
When no more drops come out, move your fingers round and try a different section of your breast, and repeat.
Now coming to your exact problem of baby not suckling.
Strong will-power is needed from you to make your baby suckle again. For babies it is easier to suckle from bottle as the milk flows freely. As long as baby is getting bottle, he will not take breast. Offer breast everytime he is hungry. Babies take breast more easily when they are trying to sleep. That time they will just suckle from breast and go to sleep. So dont offer bottle before sleeping. That way baby will want to breastfeed during night also. Dont give in to babies crying and consistently keep trying for breastfeeding.
Hope it helps.
Dr Vaishalee
That is the problem of bottle feeding
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.
Firstly you need to know that milk letdown may decrease if milk is not expressed regularly every 3-4 hours. Therefore you have to express milk manually to avoid this stopping of milk flow. Whatever milk is expressed, please give that to your baby.
The procedure for manually expressing milk is:
Wash your hands with soap and warm water
Cup your breast just behind your areola.
Squeeze gently with your thumb and your fingers in a C shape. This shouldn't hurt (don't squeeze the nipple directly as you'll make it sore and unable to express).
Release the pressure, then repeat, building up a rhythm. Try not to slide your fingers over the skin. At first, only drops will appear, but keep going as this will help to build up your milk supply. With practise, milk may flow freely.
When no more drops come out, move your fingers round and try a different section of your breast, and repeat.
Now coming to your exact problem of baby not suckling.
Strong will-power is needed from you to make your baby suckle again. For babies it is easier to suckle from bottle as the milk flows freely. As long as baby is getting bottle, he will not take breast. Offer breast everytime he is hungry. Babies take breast more easily when they are trying to sleep. That time they will just suckle from breast and go to sleep. So dont offer bottle before sleeping. That way baby will want to breastfeed during night also. Dont give in to babies crying and consistently keep trying for breastfeeding.
Hope it helps.
Dr Vaishalee
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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