Don’t worry, moms with small breasts can still breastfeed!

Do women with big breasts necessarily have more milk? Are there fewer women with small breasts? In fact, the amount of milk is not a matter of whether your breasts are big or small. In fact, milk comes from the mammary glands. It’s just that after weaning, the breasts will change. I believe that women with small breasts will have to live with flat chests!

The best period for female breast development is between menarche and the age of 18, and the mammary glands also develop at the same time. If you miss this period, it will be difficult to make up for it, so adolescent girls must pay attention to comprehensive and balanced nutrition.

Nowadays, many women like to have breast augmentation surgery, which can easily damage the mammary glands. Once the mammary glands are damaged or affected, the secretion and quality of milk will also be affected. Some people are under great mental stress, which can also affect the secretion of milk. Therefore, mothers should maintain a relaxed and happy attitude during breastfeeding.

Don’t reduce the number of feedings just because your milk supply is low.

"Generally speaking, only colostrum is relatively small." Experts say that in the first week after delivery, the milk secreted by the mother is yellow, small, and very sticky, and looks a bit clean. This is colostrum. Many people think that colostrum is of poor quality and therefore do not feed it to babies. In fact, colostrum is the most nutritious. The nutrients and trace elements in it are also essential for the first step of a baby's development after birth.

After the baby is born, you should not reduce the frequency of breastfeeding just because you have less milk. It is generally recommended to start breastfeeding half an hour after the baby is born, so that the baby can suck frequently to stimulate the mammary glands and produce more and more milk.

Five criteria for judging insufficient milk supply

When feeding your baby, how do you judge whether the milk is enough for the baby? What situations indicate insufficient milk? The following editor analyzes the standards for insufficient milk from five aspects.

1. The breasts feel empty.

2. The baby feeds for a long time and sucks hard but no continuous swallowing sound can be heard. Sometimes the baby suddenly lets go of the nipple and cries.

3. The baby cannot fall into a deep sleep and starts crying soon after feeding, turning his head back and forth to look for the nipple.

4. The baby urinates and defecates less frequently and in smaller amounts.

5. The baby's weight does not increase or increases slowly.

5 ways to remedy insufficient milk supply

1. Breastfeed frequently, more than 12 times within 24 hours.

2. If conditions permit, arrange a few days to keep the baby close to your body and breastfeed whenever you have the chance. It will usually be effective after three days.

3. After feeding one breast, if the baby cries, do not rush to give him milk powder, but switch to the other side and continue feeding. You can change breasts several times during one feeding, and the milk will not be consumed by the baby, but will increase with each feeding.

4. If you are already mixed feeding, gradually reduce the number of times you feed formula milk. Also, do not feed breast milk first and then feed formula milk. Instead, add another meal of formula milk when you are sure that breast milk is insufficient. Let your baby have a few meals of pure breast milk, and don't expect formula.

5. Mothers need to withstand the pressure, believe in themselves, relax, and ensure smooth secretion of milk. Tips: If the mother feels unwell and cannot continue breastfeeding, she can express the milk regularly. This will not reduce stimulation to the mammary glands due to illness and affect the continued secretion of milk. If breast milk is temporarily insufficient, mixed feeding is needed. Make sure the baby sucks the breast first, and then use milk powder to make up for the deficiency.

Self-care

1. Choose a suitable bra during breastfeeding. During breastfeeding, you should choose a cotton bra that fits well and is comfortable, preferably a nursing bra designed specifically for breastfeeding mothers. The size should be changed according to the size and weight of the breasts. This will not only facilitate breastfeeding, but also help the new mother to regain her figure. Change into a clean bra every day, replace your bra pads in time, or use breast pads to prevent milk from leaking and wetting your clothes.

2. Take care of your breasts before and after feeding. Before the first breastfeeding, apply clean vegetable oil on the nipples to soften the scabs on the nipples, and then wash the breasts with clean water. Before each breastfeeding, wash your hands, nipples and areola to wash away bacteria that may contaminate the breasts and clothes. Wash with warm water after feeding to prevent the spread of bacteria in the baby's nasopharynx. When breastfeeding, it is best to prepare a small towel specifically for wiping nipples. Do not mix it with other towels. A small white square towel of suitable size is most convenient.

3. Protect your nipples. The nipples should be kept clean. If nipple laceration occurs, direct breastfeeding should be suspended. The milk can be squeezed or sucked out and disinfected before being fed to the baby. You can also apply cod liver oil ointment or castor oil bismuth on the nipples to prevent infection and promote healing. Do not let your baby sleep with the nipple in his mouth, so as to avoid the nipple being damaged or the mammary gland being blocked due to prolonged immersion. The bacteria in the baby's nasopharynx can easily be transmitted to the nipple, which may not only cause mastitis, but is also one of the reasons for vomiting and even suffocation in infants.

4. Prevent breast deformation. Eating too many nutritional supplements or high-calorie foods will not only lead to weight gain, but also be detrimental to the recovery of breast shape after weaning. You can eat more vegetables, fruits, and meat, and drink more low-fat or skimmed milk to ensure the calcium content in breast milk. Eating stewed pig's trotters and deer antler powder mixed with rice wine can promote lactation and is beneficial to the health of breast skin. Keep your chest toned with exercise. Swimming can massage the chest through the pressure of water, which helps to even out the chest muscles. Doing chest expansion exercises while watching TV can strengthen the chest muscles and make the chest firm.

Tips: Preventing mastitis

If milk is not discharged smoothly or the milk is not completely sucked out during each feeding, it will cause milk accumulation in the breasts and may cause mastitis. The symptoms of acute mastitis are early swelling of the breast, local lumps that can be felt, and then redness, swelling, and heat. The axillary lymph nodes on the affected side are swollen and painful when pressed. It can also cause systemic symptoms, including loss of appetite, fever, chills, and even sepsis.

Preventive measures: Breastfeed on demand, let the baby empty one side before sucking the other. If the baby cannot finish the feeding, use a breast pump to empty it to prevent mastitis. If the nipple is inverted and the newborn cannot suck, or the immature baby has weak sucking ability, you can apply hot and wet compresses to the breasts and then massage to express the milk or use a breast pump to extract the milk. You can also use Chinese medicine to disperse the lumps and promote lactation. Otherwise, the milk will accumulate and easily form nodules, leading to acute mastitis. Breastfeeding mothers should pay attention to rest, maintain a good spirit, enhance the body's resistance and reduce the occurrence of mastitis. Once mastitis is discovered, go to the hospital in time and receive treatment under the guidance of a doctor.