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Feeding & Breastfeeding

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What you need to know about breastfeeding

yogurt intake or take some probiotic supplements.




Step #6: Battle clogs and infections
Pain in the breast could also indicate that you may have mastitis or a clogged duct. This should also be mentioned to your doctor as soon as possible. In the meantime, hot compresses, frequent nursing and breast massage can help significantly. Though, with the overuse of antibiotics, homeopathic remedies such as Belladonna 30X provide healing with no side effects.





Step #7: Control your let down
After your milk has come in and you have acclimated yourself to breastfeeding there are a few tricks that can make your life easier. I hate wearing bras to bed, and I also I hate wearing nursing pads. They are uncomfortable and they are costly. Luckily, after a few weeks of nursing they are also unnecessary because many women can train their boobs not to let down when it's an inconvenient time. The process takes one to two weeks and is fairly easy and very worthwhile. If you are at the store and your baby cries, you'd rather not leak, even if you have a nursing pad on. It's just uncomfortable. If you are not feeding your baby and you get the "tingly" feeling that indicates let down is in the process of occurring, hug yourself, pressing down firmly on your nipples with your inner forearms. Do this for about 10 seconds. This should stop your milk from flowing out until you are in a better place to nurse.

I was instructed to use a variance of this technique while nursing. If I was feeding my son on my left breast, I didn't want my right breast to leak prematurely. I could do this by taking my right inner forearm and pressing it firmly against my right breast directly over my nipple. At first, I would have to do it for almost 30 seconds, but it only took just over a week before I didn't have to do it at all anymore because my body had more control over my "let down" reaction. An exciting side effect of this control was that my breasts also would not leak at night when I was not nursing. I could finally sleep braless again. It is very important, however, that while starting this technique, you do it consistently, at every feeding, for approximately one to two weeks. It may not work for every woman, but it's certainly worth the try.




Step#8: Keep up your supply
It is so critical to breastfeeding that you stock your body with the things it needs to feed your baby and maintain your health. It is VITAL that you drink enough water. You should already be in the habit of drinking 8 glasses of fluids


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What you need to know about breastfeeding

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