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- Hypogalactia: making up for mother’s lack of milk
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- Gynecologist informs
- Hypogalactia: making up for mother’s lack of milk
Hypogalactia: making up for mother’s lack of milk
It was so conceived by nature that humanity has not yet come up with anything better and more valuable than mother’s milk . This unique product is the “gold standard” for feeding children in the first year of life. The composition of mother's milk is the key to the proper growth and development of the baby. In addition, the process of breastfeeding strengthens the special bond between mother and baby. Today, almost all pregnant women know that immediately after birth a baby should be put to the breast.

Early latching stimulates lactation, helps mother and baby quickly establish contact with each other, but most importantly, the baby receives the first drops of irreplaceable and extremely healthy colostrum. What is so valuable about colostrum and why is it so important for a child to receive it in the first days of life?
Colostrum is a secretion of the mammary glands, which is secreted in small quantities already in the second half of pregnancy, but most often colostrum appears in the first two to three days after the birth of the child. Very often, colostrum is called “immature milk,” then, on the fourth or fifth day after birth, the so-called “transitional milk” appears, and finally, by the end of the second week after the birth of the baby, the milk becomes “mature.” The term “immature milk” does not mean at all that colostrum is some kind of useless product, it just contains a little fat and sugar, but a lot of proteins and protective substances (immunoglobulins). It is this composition of colostrum that is ideal for the needs of a newborn and prepares his digestive system for mother's milk. At the first feeding, the baby sucks out only about 2 ml of colostrum, and it is at this moment that immunization “starts”.
Interesting facts about colostrum:
- The amount of colostrum secreted varies from woman to woman - from 10 to 100 ml per day. But even if there is very little of it, the baby will not remain hungry. Firstly, a newborn baby’s stomach volume is very small: the baby is not yet able to eat large amounts of food and a few milliliters of colostrum is enough for him. Secondly, colostrum is very high in calories, in addition, it contains more protein than mature milk, so even a small amount of colostrum can saturate the child.
- But there is very little water in colostrum, and this is good, because the baby cannot yet process large volumes of liquid: his kidneys still have to adapt to extrauterine life for some time.
- In addition, colostrum is a unique source of protective bodies - immunoglobulins, in particular it contains a lot of immunoglobulin A (mature milk has much less of it). It is immunoglobulin A that protects the newborn from various infections. Colostrum also contains a lot of leukocytes - protective white blood cells: they destroy pathogenic bacteria and viruses. This is why some breastfeeding experts compare colostrum to medicine. It is considered the first vaccination, a kind of vaccine that helps the baby’s immune system adapt more easily to the new reality.
- Compared to mature milk, colostrum contains much more vitamins A, C, E, B12, copper salts, zinc, and iron. All these substances are also needed to form the protective properties of the body. Thus, vitamin A reduces the severity of any infections in a child, and vitamin E promotes the development of the nervous system, muscle tissue and retina. Another component of colostrum, lactoferrin, helps the baby absorb iron.
- The growth factor in colostrum promotes the development of the baby's immature intestines after birth. Colostrum contains a lot of probiotics - they help populate the baby's intestines with beneficial bacteria. All this protects the baby from developing allergies and intolerance to new foods.
- Colostrum also acts as a laxative, helping the baby’s intestines to quickly get rid of meconium (primary stool). This helps remove excess bilirubin from the baby’s body, thereby reducing the manifestations of jaundice. As you can see, colostrum is not only nutrition, but also a kind of protective agent against possible diseases. This is why it is so important to give the baby these first precious drops of colostrum: to do this, immediately after the birth of the child, the mother should spend as much time as possible with the baby and feed him on demand.
But the process of natural feeding does not always go smoothly and the reason for this may be various factors. A fairly common problem is a lack of milk due to reduced secretion - this condition is called hypogalactia. It is because of hypogalactia that most young mothers refuse to breastfeed. What can be done to improve the situation? How can you suspect hypogalactia?
Hypogalactia can be early - during the first 2 weeks after birth and late, manifesting itself at a later date.
Signs that your baby is not eating enough due to a lack of breast milk:
- During feeding, the baby becomes restless and nervous, the duration of feeding increases almost 2 times,
- The baby cannot withstand the intervals between feedings as before,
- Over the past month, the child has experienced poor weight gain or critically low weight gain,
- The number of urinations and bowel movements in the child has decreased.
Causes of hypogalactia:
Common causes of hypogalactia include:
- improper nutrition of a nursing mother,
- poor drinking regime,
- lack of sleep,
- stress,
- hormonal disorders,
- inflammatory diseases of the mammary glands,
- cracks and wounds of the nipples.
Basic principles of successful feeding:
It is important to put the newborn to the mother's breast immediately after birth.
In addition, to establish breastfeeding you must:
- Shared stay in the ward of the maternity hospital of the mother with the child.
- Mother's attitude towards breastfeeding.
- Correct position of the baby at the breast.
If a newborn is breastfed, it is not recommended to offer him pacifiers, pacifiers, or supplementary feeding from a bottle, since sucking from a nipple is much easier than from a breast, and this can be a reason to refuse the breast. An alternative to drinking nipples is special sippy cups.
Doctor's advice:
What to do with hypogalactia?
- In order to clarify whether the baby is sucking enough milk or whether he remains hungry, it is necessary to keep a daily feeding diary and carry out control weighing after each feeding.
- The baby must be fed on demand, not excluding night feedings. Place the baby on both breasts.
- When feeding, you can drip milk onto the nipple so that it gets into the baby's mouth. Thus, the sucking reflex is strengthened, and the baby will be able to receive mother's milk.
- Hot shower, bath, breast massage, back and neck massage.
- Connecting herbal remedies, homeopathic medicines that promote milk production.
- Adequate sleep and rest, and daily walks in the fresh air are extremely important.
Principles of nutrition for a nursing mother:
A rational, balanced diet, as well as compliance with the drinking regime (2 liters per day) also plays an important role in milk production. The liquid should be taken warm 30 minutes before feeding. The use of special milk drinks for pregnant and lactating women, enriched with vitamins and minerals, will help the mother’s body during such a period.
It is very important that the diet contains a sufficient amount of fresh or heat-treated vegetables, fruits, juices - children's or home-made. Wholemeal bread and a variety of cereals (buckwheat, millet, oatmeal) are also added to the diet. These products are dietary fibers that stimulate intestinal motility. We must not forget about fats: they should be represented by both vegetable oils and animal oils, about 20-40 g per day. Sugar, sweets and confectionery should be limited. It is also necessary to refrain from foods such as onions, garlic, canned food, tomatoes, citrus fruits, strawberries, peaches, apricots, nuts, honey, eggs, and seafood.
It is recommended to eat cottage cheese, cheese, kefir, and yogurt more often - these products replenish the required amount of protein and calcium in the diet. It is advisable to eat fish dishes of low-fat varieties - pike perch, hake, cod, carp. Meat you can use is beef, veal, pork, rabbit.
Prevention:
To avoid hypogalactia during pregnancy, it is important for the expectant mother to monitor her health, her diet, spend time in the fresh air, wear cotton, non-pressure underwear, and observe hygiene measures. And the most important thing is to prepare yourself for breastfeeding and avoid stressful and negative conditions.
Obstetrician-gynecologist of the obstetric-physiological department of the 1st City Clinical Hospital Alisa Alekseevna Grod