Where There Is No Doctor 2011 277
BreastfeedING—AND CARE OF THE BREASTS
Taking good care of the breasts is important for the health of both the mother
and her baby. The baby should begin to breastfeed soon after it is born. A baby
may want to breastfeed right away or just lick the breast and be held. Encourage
the baby to suck because it will help the milk to start flowing. This will also help the
mother’s womb to contract and the afterbirth to come out sooner. The mother’s first
milk is a thick yellow liquid (called colostrum). The first milk has everything a new
baby needs to prevent infection and is rich in protein. The first milk is very good
for the baby, so...
BEGIN BreastfeedING EARLY
Put the baby to the mother’s breast as soon as possible.
Normally, the breasts make as much milk as the baby needs. If the baby empties
them, they begin to make more. If the baby does not empty them, soon they make
less. When a baby gets sick and stops sucking, after a few days the mother’s
breasts stop making milk. So when the baby can suck again, and needs a full
amount of milk, there may not be enough. For this reason,
When a baby is sick and unable to take much milk,
it is important that the mother keep producing lots of milk
by milking her breasts with her hands.
TO MILK THE BREASTS BY HAND
Take hold of the breasts
way back, like this,
then move your hands
forward, squeezing.
To squeeze the milk out,
press behind the nipple.
Another reason it is important to milk the breasts if the baby stops sucking is that
this keeps the breasts from getting too full. When they are too full, they are painful. A
breast that is painfully full is more likely to develop an abscess. Also, the baby may
have trouble sucking when the breast is very full.
If your baby is too weak to suck, squeeze milk out of your breast by hand and
give it to the baby by spoon or dropper.
Regular bathing will help to keep your breasts clean. It is not necessary to clean
your breasts and nipples each time you breastfeed your baby. Do not use soap
to clean your breasts, as this may cause cracking of the skin, sore nipples, and
infection.