For yourself and others: 7 ways to use excess breast milk

Is it possible and necessary to express breast milk?

For some reason, many mothers decide to buy a breast pump and use it to replace their baby. Either this is a fashion trend (someone has such a thing and I need it), or a tribute to a career, work, employment, because of which the unity of mother and baby does not occur. The best breast pump is the baby himself, who knows: how to take the breast correctly (you just suggest it to him, and he will figure it out on his own); who knows how much he needs (he will drink as much as he needs - 60-90 grams at a time), who looks into your eyes with love and affection after two months.

If this is not convincing, then here is what doctors say about pumping:

this can disrupt lactation cycles (when breastfeeding a baby, the process itself takes 20-40 minutes, and the regularity is every 2-3 hours - as your baby needs);
this can disrupt the lactation of milk itself (the child drinks as much as he needs, accordingly, milk is produced according to his needs, even during periods when a woman has less milk, just apply more often and everything will work out; when expressing, the body reproduces milk, which you simply then you throw it out because of its unsuitability, after 24 hours of storage in the refrigerator, while feeling sorry for yourself as a milking cow and sorry for your milk);
this contributes to the baby’s early weaning (it’s much more convenient to get ready-made milk from a bottle than to try to get it yourself).

Here's what psychologists say:

The connection between mother and baby is lost very early, which leads to emotional coldness of the baby.

He will grow up to be quite independent, maybe with some kind of dislike complex, but a completely normal person who, in response to your request “Bring me some water, please,” will most likely say: “Go get it yourself.” After all, breastfeeding is not just eating (no matter where or how), but it is, first of all, emotional contact with the mother, on which the child’s confidence and sense of well-being depend.

It is for this reason that maternity hospitals now practice visiting women in labor with a psychologist who talks about the psychological side of breastfeeding, and midwives who teach how to properly put a baby to the breast in order to avoid mistakes.

Pumping was widely practiced in Soviet times, with the goal that the woman would go to work sooner, and the child would not have attachments. Indeed, this is how a considerable generation of people grew up, working well, but pushing away their feelings and experiences.

Nowadays, when there is an opportunity to be close to the baby and enjoy the closeness of communication, to enjoy motherhood, there is no point in giving up this happiness. Just 1 year of absence from you in your career will not solve anything, but it will create a happy destiny for the baby.

But, nevertheless, there are reasons that often do not depend on our desires. It is then that you need to resort to a process such as pumping. At the same time, you need to consult with your baby’s pediatrician on this topic, listen to his recommendations (when, with what regularity, how, because he will be based specifically on your baby and his needs, and not the general instructions that are included in the box with the breast pump ), and, guided by them, proceed to this matter.

As for the concepts of “wrong breasts” and “little milk”, there is no such thing in nature. There are our attitudes and expectations that we have built up due to the advice and rumors of others, and they have become a reality, embodied by us.

This is what E. O. Komarovsky says about this

So, if there is no way out, and you need to express yourself, then the question arises: HOW? You can do it manually, or you can use a breast pump.

Freezing breast milk

According to experts - and this is no secret to anyone - frozen milk loses some of its anti-infective properties. Based on this, some pediatricians recommend switching the child to formula for a while. But introducing formula is a somewhat lengthy process, and it cannot be introduced into a child’s diet at once and in the required volume. In addition, the mixture is still an artificially created product, and only as close as possible to the composition of human milk. Whereas mother's milk is the product that the baby “knows” well, which the infant’s body is accustomed to receiving, and which ideally suits the requests and needs of a particular child. From this point of view, it is better to feed the baby with milk that has been expressed and frozen, rather than looking for some other options. There are a few simple rules to follow when expressing, freezing, storing and using breast milk.

How to express by hand correctly

Expressing by hand is not as convenient and quick as using a high-quality breast pump, but this can only be beneficial. Manual expression of breast milk is indispensable for stagnation in the breast and mastopathy. It is more convenient than using a breast pump if there is little milk. So, a woman finds it rational to express milk on her own when this does not happen so often (under certain circumstances: stagnation of milk or an unexpected event that tore a woman out of the family) and not so much milk is needed during her short absence. You can manually strain up to 90 grams of milk in 30-45 minutes (this is individual for everyone).

The process itself goes as follows. Only with well-washed hands do we get down to business. The breast is grasped with the palm so that the index finger is on top of it, and all the rest are on the bottom, and all at a distance of 4-5 cm from the areola; slightly pressing the breast to the chest, with light movements sliding in the direction of the nipple, with the thumb and forefinger we squeeze the breast in the places of the milk ducts, in a circle (as if around the areola).

This procedure should not cause discomfort, much less pain. If there are any, it means you are doing something wrong.

The healing properties of breast milk

Every woman knows how important breast milk is in the life of every baby.
It contains all the necessary elements for the normal growth of the baby. But many people don’t even realize that milk has healing properties. I was still in the maternity hospital. I just gave birth to my first daughter, Katyushka, and I developed cracks on my nipples. It was very painful. But I didn’t know how to treat it. The cream didn't help. She would have endured it if the doctor had not come in and asked, “Do you already have milk? So what are you waiting for? Treat with your milk." And left. I tried it. After each feeding, I left a drop of milk on the nipple. Until it dried out. And literally the next day almost everything went away. And there was no trace left of the cracks.

Breast milk will also help your baby if he has a runny nose. Place a couple of drops of milk in each nostril and observe. The child will breathe better. And the runny nose will go away quickly.

If a child’s eyes become sour, you can use special drops, you can rinse with tea, or you can rinse with breast milk. When feeding, drop a couple of drops on the eye. And the eye will soon stop turning sour.

That's exactly what we did. And when I saw that the child was getting better right before my eyes, I began to appreciate breastfeeding and understand how important it is for my child and how much it gives him.

How to use a breast pump

If you are a working mother who simply cannot be attached to your baby all the time, then you will need a good breast pump. It will become an indispensable assistant in maintaining high-quality nutrition for your baby even in your absence for several days, or even weeks. Even frozen mother's milk is much healthier than artificial milk formula.

So, before you begin the process of expressing breast milk using a breast pump, you need to listen to some tips:

The breast pump must be sterilized before the first use, and then it will be enough to wash it well with hot water and soap each time before and after use;
It is better to express breast milk this way after the baby has eaten. “BEFORE” is not possible, since there will be nothing left for the baby. “During the process of eating with a baby” is not convenient, but if you get the hang of it, it is most effective from the point of view of “getting more milk” - up to 250 grams at a time and is not effective from the point of view of communicating with the baby. But “AFTER” is exactly what you need - there is enough milk, and the baby received everything according to his needs: to eat and to communicate.
As mothers point out on forums, the best time for this is night feeding or morning feeding, after the baby has eaten from one breast. Pediatricians share the same opinion.

Next, let's look at how to use a breast pump.

First you need to attach the breast pump funnel so that the nipple is in its center.
Next, the device must be turned on to the minimum draft at which milk will flow.
Each breast is expressed for 15 minutes. If the milk in the breast “runs out” earlier, then let the breast pump run for another 2 minutes and that’s enough.
There should be no pain when pumping. If this is the case, then you need to reduce cravings, check whether you have applied the device correctly, and if discomfort continues, abandon this breast pump (a quality product will never cause pain if you use it correctly).

Breast pump care

As mentioned above, there is no need to sterilize the breast pump every time: you just need to wash it well with hot water and soap each time before/after use. Soap should be regular laundry soap or baby soap. It is necessary to wash each part separately, even the smallest, as milk may remain in it and turn sour. It is necessary to dry it by wiping it dry (and not with air: while it is being ventilated, each midge has access to the parts of the breast pump), after which everything is put into a container and hermetically sealed.

Which breast pump to choose

There are manual breast pumps, and there are electric ones. The former are cheaper, the latter are faster, more convenient to use and much more expensive. But, all the same, the effectiveness of both is determined by their quality and the skill of the nursing mother herself. The choice of breast pump depends on what you need it for: to prevent lactostasis or for regular use to feed your baby in your absence. In the first case, a modern manual device with silicone pads is better, and in the second, an electronic one with a full set of additional tools (a container for breast milk, bags of cooling gel to keep the milk fresh longer, a thermal insulating bag). Moreover, it is also worth considering the place where you will do this: at work, where there is an electrical network - then wired, on the road - then on batteries.

But, in any case, before buying this household item for a nursing mother, you must:

consult with your leading pediatrician;
make sure the quality of the breast pump (to do this, ask the seller for a product quality certificate);
find out the characteristics of the device and make sure that it is right for you (in this case cases are good).

As for companies, according to reviews on the forums, Phillips AVENT and Medela can boast of greater love and respect among established mother-users.

Proper nutrition for pregnant and lactating women

Doctors have proven that being overweight significantly increases the risk of developing a whole chain of serious diseases. Excess weight poses a particular danger to expectant mothers. The only and effective way to avoid unnecessary problems with your own health and the health of the unborn baby in this case is a diet for pregnant women.

Order food for pregnant women

Recommended diet for pregnant women

Proper nutrition during pregnancy is the mandatory presence of 100-120 grams in a woman’s daily diet. proteins, including about 70-90 g. animal proteins consumed with milk, cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt, eggs, meat and fish.

As for fats, their daily norm (including all fats that enter the body of the expectant mother with food) is 80-100 grams, including a minimum of 20 grams. of plant origin.

The third component necessary for the body is carbohydrates, which a diet for pregnant women must necessarily include, and in volume, carbohydrates should not exceed 350-400 grams. per day and up to 300 gr. per day - in the second half of pregnancy. The result is achieved by reducing the amount of flour products (including bread), sugar in the diet and a slight increase in the amount of protein food taken.

Proper nutrition for pregnant women requires a fairly strict meal schedule. The number of doses should be limited to 4-5 times a day, taking food in small portions. In this case, you should adhere to the recommended distribution of food intake by calorie content:

For breakfast - 30% of the daily requirement;
For second breakfast - 10% of the daily requirement;
For lunch - 40% of the daily requirement;
For an afternoon snack - 10% of the daily requirement;
For dinner - 10%.

The last meal is recommended no later than two to three hours before bedtime. In this case, dinner should consist of easily digestible foods (kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese...).

Proper daily nutrition for pregnant women, like a diet for nursing mothers, requires a certain variety of menu, including stewed, boiled, baked dishes. There are no strict requirements for maintaining temperature conditions. The daily amount of table salt is limited to 5-6 grams. per day, since salt binds liquid, resulting in a pathological weight gain. A sufficient daily volume of fluid consumed by a pregnant woman is 1-1.5 liters. A mandatory diet for pregnant women involves daily intake of mineral preparations and combined multivitamins developed specifically for this purpose.

A diet for nursing and pregnant women involves excluding the following foods from the diet:

confectionery and fresh bread, chocolate and sweets;
ice cream, condensed milk, milkshakes;
cheeses and fermented milk products with high fat content;
fatty meats, poultry and fish, lard, internal organs of animals and dishes made from them;
meat, fish, mushroom broths and sauces;
fried and hard-boiled eggs;
mushrooms;
sweet varieties of fruits and berries;
potatoes;
spicy and salty snacks;
seasonings and spices;
any dishes prepared by frying or deep-frying;
alcoholic drinks;
strong tea, cocoa, coffee;
refined sugar.

Proper nutrition during pregnancy

A few simple and practical tips will help you avoid excess weight problems:

Proper nutrition during pregnancy requires moderation. The size of your portions should not increase in proportion to the size of your tummy. The idea that if there are two of you, then there are, you must “for two” is deeply mistaken. It’s right if you leave the table with a feeling of slight hunger, and not with a feeling of fullness bursting your stomach.
The second, no less important principle of a proper diet is that food must always be fresh, of high quality and varied. This is true both for daily intake and on a weekly scale. For each regular meal, you should consume one or two dishes. Even if you had to find yourself at a table laden with all kinds of dishes, it is in your interests to try to resist the temptation to try each of them.
As for fruits, vegetables and berries, you can consume them in any quantity - the more, the better. To provide a pregnant woman’s body with the daily norm of mineral salts and vitamins, fresh berries, vegetables and fruits, and garden herbs must be present in her diet.
Give preference to national cuisine - dishes and products typical of your area of residence and race. For example, residents of the middle zone should prefer the usual cabbage and apples rather than grapefruits and pineapples.
Try not to eat early in the morning or later than two hours before going to bed. It is correct if the interval between “adjacent” meals is 4-5 hours. If the requirements for the daily diet are quite strict, it is recommended to follow the usual diet.

How to store expressed breast milk

Regarding storing expressed breast milk, it is worth remembering the following:

Expressed milk is immediately poured into clean, dried, empty containers: vacuum containers or vacuum bags for breast milk.
You cannot mix milk that has already been in the refrigerator/freezer with freshly expressed milk. Their characteristics are different. It is necessary for the latter to stand in the refrigerator for a while and only after that can it be merged with the existing milk of that day. It is better not to mix frozen/thawed and new ones.
Outside the refrigerator, fresh milk can be stored from 1 hour to 4 hours, depending on the temperature of the air in which it is located (hot summer with air conditioning and cold winter at 25 degrees in a heated room).
Expressed breast milk should be stored in the back of the refrigerator (not on the door) for no more than 2 days. Some sources say 4-5 days, but remember regular cow's milk on the 5th day. Do you want to drink it?
Milk can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months at -18 degrees.
After defrosting, milk must be used within 12 hours.

Properties of milk under storage conditions

It is clear that the best milk is fresh, obtained directly from the mother’s breast. With each of the methods of storing it, regardless of the period and nature, the milk separates. This is fine. It retains its properties. Frozen milk does not lose its properties as significantly as it might seem. But, most of the properties are lost when heated in the microwave. Therefore, it is not worth doing this. Milk is defrosted under the warmth of room temperature or under the influence of warm water: a container with breast milk is placed under a stream of warm water and it will defrost.

Is it necessary to express “stone” breasts?

Often in the first days after childbirth, you can observe the phenomenon of “stone” breasts. The mammary gland is hard and tense, there is swelling, the nipple is retracted or flat. Many experts believe that this is normal, the baby will suck at the breast, and the phenomenon will go away on its own. But in practice, a newborn cannot even latch onto the nipple to start eating. As a result, the baby is hungry, and the mother suffers from heaviness and discomfort.

Signs of a “stone” breast. She is shown on the right in the picture

Pumping will help you get rid of “stone” breasts. There are several rules:

A breast pump will not help in this case. First you need to work on the nipple to give it the desired shape.
Then you can start pumping. The milk will drip out in drops, this is a sign that the ducts have not yet developed.
If you don't succeed right away, you need to try again. You can’t leave things halfway, as stagnation may form.
You can try this method: grab the breast at the base with both hands and slightly pull forward towards the nipple. This will make milk flow easier.
After expressing some milk, you can offer the breast to your baby. If the nipple is formed and the main tension is gone, then the baby will cope on its own.

Nipple shaping

Situations when it is necessary...

According to ancient beliefs, breast milk cannot just be poured out; it must be poured under a tree where no one has gone, otherwise the mother could lose lactation. This is all a belief, everyone has the right to decide for themselves whether to adhere to it or not. I will say one thing: expressed milk can and should be stored, dear mothers!

Various situations may arise:

if the mother is ill and requires treatment with drugs that cannot be taken during breastfeeding;
if the mother needs to leave for a short period of time;
if the child remains with a nanny or grandmother during the day, and breastfeeding is possible only in the evening;
if the mother’s milk supply has disappeared or decreased due to stress or other factors;
if the baby sucks only the first portions of milk, this situation usually occurs in premature babies.