Breastfeeding
During the World's breastfeeding week the question bugging was , How can we achieve exclusive breastfeeding for working mums. We know that most working mums have a 3 months maternity leave that goes by so fast. A newborn is should be feed from breast milk exclusively for 6months. With this in mind, we need to know how to keep the supply going even after going back to work.
This helps boost demand and hence increasing breast milk supply. (High demand high supply) This also helps one to start saving early this reducing the pressure to express on a hand to mount basis.
Breast milk is composed of 90% water and the amount of liquid you take affects the amount of milk you produce. We don't have to eat for 3 to achieve a good supply but again don't starve yourself.
Breast milk is composed of 90% water and the amount of liquid you take affects the amount of milk you produce. We don't have to eat for 3 to achieve a good supply but again don't starve yourself.
Stress is the number one factor that reduces breast milk supply. Even while there's more mental demand when we are back to work it is good to have a good mental state to ensure that supply doesn't reduce.
Expressing is one part of the job, but how do we store this milk to ensure it stays safe for baby? Once breast milk is expressed, it is only safe for consumption within 4hours (if not frozen) at room temperature after which it should be discarded. According to research frozen breast milk is safe upto 6months! It's amazing! This means that the milk should be stored in the freezer compartment. Label all storage bags with the date expressed to ensure its consumed on a first in first out basis. Where one expresses more than once a day include time on the label. Once milk is thawed it should not be frozen. With this in mind, the milk should be stored in small manageable packs .(one mistake that costed me a number of millilitres). Use the storage bags once. Do not re use. When warming the milk for baby, it should not be boiled! Heating reduces the milks bioactive protein and also reduces the fat content. The milk should be dipped in warm water and left to warm slowly thus retaining it's healthy components. The milk can be thawed by leaving it overnight in the refrigerator. This method preserves most of the milk's fat content. Never add fresh breast milk to frozen breast milk in a storage container. . This should be well communicated to your house manager where need be.
