Many young mothers have the erroneous opinion that the baby is born with the ability to suckle properly. But in practice, it turns out not so, and the baby takes the chest incorrectly. The task of the mother is to gradually and consistently teach the baby this skill. First of all, be patient and free time. It is also worth listening to the advice of specialists on breastfeeding and the opinion of pediatricians.
Causes
There are certain explanations why the baby is taking the breast incorrectly. The main reasons for this situation are as follows:
- Mom feeds the baby from the bottle, or the baby sucks the dummy. These factors form an improper grip on the nipple, which naturally affects breastfeeding.
- Milk stagnation. The longer the mother postpones the feeding process, the more difficult it is for the baby to capture. This situation can also occur when the baby sucks only one breast during feeding. In this case, specialists advise to express milk from the other breast after completing feeding.
- Wrong posture. It happens that the mother’s breast during breastfeeding closes the baby’s nose, and it becomes difficult for him to breathe. In this case, the baby begins to spin and releases the nipple from the mouth. A similar situation can occur during a runny nose in an infant.
- The baby may refuse to eat if the mother has cracks in her nipples. They bleed and change the taste of milk.
- It is difficult for a baby to suckle a breast due to physiological characteristics: a short bridle, a tone of the muscles of the face.
- The baby is premature, weak.
Do not forget that there are babies-sloths who just do not want to strain, and they quickly fall asleep during feeding. Pediatricians say that in such children the center of hunger in the brain matures rather slowly. Therefore, they gain weight more slowly. But worry and interrupt breastfeeding is not worth it. Sooner or later, this center will mature, and the baby will eat more actively.
Proper attachment of the baby to the chest
To understand that the baby is not gripping the chest is simple enough. The main signs of improper grip of the nipple are as follows:
- a woman's chest begins to hurt during feeding;
- cracks in the nipples are possible.
Normally, the feeding process itself should not cause any young mother any anxiety or pain. The baby should suckle the breast so that the woman is not hurt: he reflexively lowers his tongue to his lower lip, thereby protecting the chest from painful contact and contraction. In this case, the nipple is directed into the baby’s sky, and it captures most of the areola.
How to make a baby eat?
So, if the baby takes the breasts incorrectly, what should mom do? Quit feeding altogether? Of course not. First, do not be nervous and calm down. Secondly, do not interrupt attempts to teach the baby to correctly grasp the nipple. If a woman wants to maintain lactation and teach the baby to take breasts correctly, then it is worth taking the advice of specialists.
Their recommendations are as follows:
- First you need to find out why the baby began to take the breast incorrectly.
- It is necessary to offer the baby the chest as often as possible, not only for feeding, but also in order to calm or before bedtime.
- Mom needs to be calm, not to be annoyed and not to exert force. This can only make a difference.
- For a while, abandon pacifiers and nipples. The child gets used to suck from the bottle, as it is much easier to do. Until the baby learns to properly grasp the breast, it can be doped from a syringe, spoon or pipette. In this case, you must constantly offer breasts.
- Start feeding not on time, but on demand. Such a method as scheduled feeding has remained in the distant past. Kids who are constantly with their mother sleep much better and eat better.
- Some pediatricians recommend starting to practice joint sleep with mom. They say that this will help to establish feeding.
- Mom needs to be with the baby as often as possible, pick him up, stroke him.
- It is necessary to create comfortable conditions for feeding: choose the right pose, drown out all extraneous sounds, turn off the bright light and free the room from unnecessary people. No need to be afraid to experiment with the selection of poses. This will help you choose the right one for yourself and the baby, in which both will be comfortable.
If mommy cannot cope with the problem herself, then you need to seek help from a pediatrician or a breastfeeding specialist.
Choosing a feeding position
If the baby does not take the breast properly, then you need to pay attention to the posture during feeding. Perhaps the baby is simply uncomfortable, and this is the main reason for the incorrect capture of the nipple. First you need to take the child in his arms and pay attention to the position of his body and head. The mother's arm is the support for the back and neck of the baby. Some women prefer to feed while lying on their side, in this case the baby lies nearby. There are several poses for breastfeeding a baby that will be comfortable for both the baby and mother, and will ensure the complete release of the mammary glands.
Lying feeding
Many young mothers prefer to feed the baby in this position. The woman lies on her side, lifting herself slightly on her elbow, the baby is nearby. His head is at chest level. The child needs to be turned to face him and slightly held by the back. You can not lean on your elbow, but put the baby on your arm, as if hugging him. The child takes the chest that is closer to him. When changing the chest should roll over to the other side.
Cradle
This is the easiest and most common feeding position. Mom takes the baby in her arms in such a way that his head is located on her elbow, and the hand supports a small body. With the other hand, the woman also supports the child. A variation of this pose is the "cross cradle." The baby’s head rests on the mother’s left hand, and she holds the head with her right. Experts say that if the baby takes the breast incorrectly, you need to apply it in this way.
"Out of hand"
Mom in this case sits on a sofa or bed. Under the back you need to put a pillow. The second pillow is for the baby. She is placed next to her, and the baby is on top so that he can easily reach the nipple. The baby is turned towards him, and his legs are behind the mother's back. This posture is also called under the arm. It is perfect for twin moms.
Hovering
If the newborn takes the breast incorrectly, you can try the overhang. The child lies in the crib, and mom gives him a chest while standing, as if hanging over him. Pediatricians recommend this position for weakened babies who find it difficult to get feeding, and women with lactostasis. But for prolonged feeding, this pose is uncomfortable.
Nipple Gripping Rules
If the baby began to grab the chest incorrectly, first of all, the mother needs to pay attention to how he takes the nipple. The correct position when feeding involves finding the nipple at the level of the baby’s nose. Intuitively, the child opens his mouth and grabs the chest. If the baby is in difficulty, then mother should help him. If the baby succeeded, then the nipple touches the sky. Specialists in the field of feeding suggest that young mothers conduct the following test: put a finger in the baby’s mouth, and if it pulls it in correctly, a vacuum forms, which makes it difficult to easily pull the finger back. The nipple should not slide during feeding.
If mom hears smacking, then this is the first sign that the baby is not sucking properly. Normally, if you look from below, between the chest and the lower sponge of the baby should be visible to his tongue. Another sign that the baby has correctly captured the nipple is its swollen cheeks. If they are retracted, then the baby took the chest incorrectly. In this case, repeat the procedure for applying the baby to the chest. It is also important to ensure that the baby does not rest against the mother’s chest with a nose. This will make breathing difficult, and he will not be able to correctly capture the nipple.
Signs that the baby is taking the breasts incorrectly and swallowing air are:
- the child makes extraneous sounds;
- his mouth is not wide open;
- there is one nipple in the baby’s mouth (in this case, the areola is visible);
- after feeding, the nipple remains the same shape;
- mom feels pain;
- the baby gains little weight.
What could be the consequences? If the baby takes the breast incorrectly, he does not overeat, as he does not receive the right amount of milk. As a result, the child becomes restless, capricious, his sleep is disturbed.
How to teach a child to take breasts correctly?
There are several ways to establish the right sucking.
- To the baby opened his mouth, you need to slightly press on the chin.
- You can hold a nipple on the lips of the baby, after which he will certainly capture the nipple.
- The nipple should not be directed to the lips, but to the baby’s nose. This will ensure proper grip.
Some babies need to be trained constantly until they learn how to properly breastfeed. Mom reviews say that there have been cases when you had to make 20-30 attempts in one application. Sometimes the training was delayed even by 2-3 months. The main thing is not to despair and continue to try. Sooner or later the child will learn, and feeding will not be a burden.
It is equally important to know how to get the nipple out of the baby’s mouth if necessary. After all, it happens that the baby falls asleep during feeding and the mother is afraid to wake him. The only way that does not disturb the baby is to insert the tip of the little finger into the corner of the baby’s lips and gently open the gums.
How to understand that the baby is full?
A breastfed baby may gain weight more slowly than artificially born babies. This is considered the norm. The main thing is that he completely sucks out the necessary rate. If the newborn takes the breast incorrectly, then he may not have enough milk, and weight will gain even more slowly. To understand if the baby has enough milk, the mother needs to analyze the following:
- The amount of urine. Normally, 4-5 diapers (completely wet) should be changed per day.
- Daily stool, which should be liquid in the baby and at least 5 times a day. Feces turn light brown.
- After feeding, the woman feels that her breasts are completely empty.
A well-fed baby is less worried and sleeps better. But this criterion is not decisive, since other factors can also affect sleep.
So, if the baby does not take the chest, do not be afraid. Mom should be patient, persistent and try to maintain breastfeeding. It is important to continue to apply the baby to the chest, gradually teaching him the correct grip of the nipple, until he succeeds.