Breastfeeding is one of the discoveries and pleasures of motherhood. If, for some mothers, it is obvious and the gestures are natural, for others, it is more complicated. It is important to be well accompanied to avoid making certain mistakes.
The adventure of breastfeeding, as beautiful as it may be, can also sometimes be fraught with pitfalls. Between pain, fatigue, the many preconceived ideas that remain and sources of anxiety, mothers can quickly get lost in it! In order to live a serene breastfeeding project, it is essential to have all the keys in hand and to be well accompanied so as not to spoil anything. We have drawn up a (non-exhaustive) list of the most common mistakes to avoid in order to breastfeed with your baby. With the help of Carole Hervé, IBCLC lactation consultant.
Relying on the advice of non-professionals
Starting breastfeeding can sometimes be difficult for some mothers. Know how to surround yourself well! Many professionals are breastfeeding specialists, although they are not always breastfeeding specialists. As early as the maternity ward, you can ask for advice from the midwives present after the births and even ask to see a lactation consultant. Then, once you are home, you can schedule check-ups with her, your pediatrician or general practitioner according to your needs and those of your child.
Let yourself be discouraged by your surroundings
Choosing to breastfeed your baby is an intimate decision that is your own business. Except that, as you will soon realize, many people take the liberty of giving a young mother their opinion on breastfeeding. Some comments, even from friends or family, may discourage her. It is possible for the mother to listen to them with one ear, without putting them into action, and to continue to do what is right for her. But if she is uncomfortable with this, she should not hesitate to say so. "This moment belongs to you, make it a selfish joy," sums up Carole Hervé. The entourage (whether it's the partner or other breastfeeding mothers, for example) counts a lot in the success of breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding at fixed times
It is breastfeeding on demand that is recommended today: let's take off the head that a newborn baby suckles about every 3 hours! From its first hours, its first days of life, your baby will start to show "reflex movements", meaning that it is starting to get hungry. You will learn to recognize (and even anticipate) these movements as the days go by and their rhythm will vary. Some babies will wake up more than others to suckle, others will prefer to suckle several times in a row before going back to sleep (this is called the "group feeding" phenomenon): basically, there is no rule! "No one can decide on a schedule, predict how often a baby will feed, or how long each sleep period will last," says Carole Hervé. It is also for this reason that it is not useful to limit the frequency of feedings when your child grows or reaches a certain weight: the demand therefore varies from one baby to another and sometimes from one day to another for the same child. In general, an infant feeds between 8 and 12 times a day. It is only after a few months that the feedings will really become more spaced out.
Waiting for Baby to cry from hunger before putting him to the breast
A baby who begins to be hungry will show initial movements, indicating the need to suckle. These may be rapid movements of the eyeballs under the eyelids, mouth mimics or sucking. He will wake up, stretch, move, reach for his mouth or face. Last comes the crying, which is a late sign of hunger. Baby will then be restless and will have more difficulty latching on: you will need to soothe him before feeding him. So don't delay and put your baby to the breast as soon as the first signs appear!
Neglecting chest pain
Even if it seems instinctive, breastfeeding is not always easy to set up. And among the first difficulties that mothers may encounter are pains, in the nipples and breasts. Even if 80 to 90% of women say they feel slight pain when they feed their child and that this seems "normal", it is important not to trivialise them. Untreated pain can quickly lead to cracks, blockages or blocked ducts. If the pain persists, don't wait for it to go away on its own and consult a specialist as soon as possible.
Stop drinking water when you have a blockage.
We tend to believe that it is the volume of milk, which is too abundant, contained in the breast that leads to engorgement. In reality, however, it is an inflammation of hormonal origin caused by increased blood and lymph flow in your breast tissue. To relieve engorgement, many mothers think that you should stop drinking water, not use a breast pump or bandage your breasts. These recommendations may actually worsen the symptoms! To reduce this feeling of heaviness in the breasts, feeding at will, massages, manual expression of milk and lymphatic drainage are rather recommended.
Weaning baby in case of GERD
Regurgitation is a physiological phenomenon in babies, although for some it is more important than others. If your newborn cries a lot and seems to be in pain, in addition to other symptoms such as vomiting, weight stagnation, continuous nasal congestion, etc., he or she may have what is called GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease. Weaning the baby to give him thicker milk, or even adding a thickener to the breast milk, is useless: breast milk remains the best anti-reflux "medicine" because it is more quickly digested and quickly evacuated from the stomach. It also limits the frequency, duration and intensity of reflux episodes.
Use a breast pump to assess how much breast milk you are producing.
Some breastfeeding mothers need to be reassured about the amount of milk their child is getting. Using a breast pump can be useful in many cases: stimulating lactation, relieving breast engorgement, anticipating the return to work, etc., but not to give you an indication of how much milk you are producing! Indeed, some mothers have unlimited milk for Baby at the breast, but cannot find a single drop in the breast pump. The mechanism of lactation involves the amount of milk removed from the breasts and regular stimulation: nothing, not even the best breast pump, will do this job better than your baby!
Introduce a bottle of artificial milk in the evening to involve the father.
Dad's involvement does not necessarily involve feeding his baby. He can get involved by cuddling him, bathing him, changing his nappy before feeding him... Or even by preparing good little meals for you to feed your child (now is the time to enjoy them!). The mother can also express her milk so that the father can give a bottle from time to time. To do this, it is advisable to wait about 6 weeks before introducing a bottle to avoid breast and teat confusion.
Forgetting yourself
We don't always think about it, but taking care of ourselves is also one of the key tips for successful breastfeeding. You don't learn anything: in the last nine months, your body has been put to the test and since your baby was born, you haven't had a minute to yourself! To take full advantage of this period, treat yourself to small pleasures (a nap, a good bath, a moment of reading or a good series...), take the time to eat well and hydrate yourself, delegate daily tasks as much as possible and above all, be indulgent with yourself. Think of yourself, you've earned it, just like your baby who needs a serene and fulfilled mother.
