However, it is important to know the exact details of breast milk storage because any kind of negligence can make the milk toxic for the baby. Here are some tips for the same.

Breast Milk Storage Tips:

• One important point of advice before you start pumping out breast milk is that you need to get your baby acquainted with sucking milk from the bottle before you opt for this procedure. Many babies are reluctant to take the bottle in their mouth or do that have sufficient lung power to suck hard.

• Also you may not always be pumping breast milk because you are going to work. You can store it to carry along while travelling or just for later use so that it is not wasted.

• If you are going to store the milk for good then it is better to store it as soon as you pump it. You can keep breast milk for about 4-6 hours at room temperature before it gets spoiled. Unless you are just waiting for the baby to stop being cranky it is better to store it right away.

• If you are freezing the breast milk in the deep freezer then it lasts for about 3 months but whether or not it is advisable to feed 3 month old frozen milk to your baby has to be confirmed by an experienced medical practitioner. Ideally don’t let it drag so long.

• Keeping the breast milk in the normal refrigerator can be done for 3 days to a week. Keep it in special storage bottles and do not restore it after using it once. If your baby is going to have just 200 ml at a time then store just that amount. It is better to store in different bottles then refreezing the milk again.

• Frozen breast milk should never be thawed by putting is hot water; use just about lukewarm water and give it some time. Never ever microwave breast milk as there is a good chance that the vital nutrients will be destroyed by the harsh rays.

• Breast milk may look brownish or slightly discolored after storage in the freezer but there is nothing abnormal about it. There might also be some sedimentation as the fats separate, just shake the bottle well before feeding.

Storage of breast milk makes the postnatal period for working moms much easier so use it judiciously.

Source: Dr. Sonia

Night feeding of an infant may be quite disturbing for a mom who does not realize that this is when
she produces the best nutritional milk for her baby, and the peacefulness allows baby to nurse
deeply and contentedly. To ensure that mom is as rested as baby, who sleeps while suckling, she
should learn the skill of nursing and sleeping at the same time. Follow these steps for success:
Step 1...Change baby’s diaper prior to feeding. Dress comfortably in a Carriwell Sarah nursing sleep shirt. This
garment is made from pure cotton, which ensures that mom will be totally comfortable while nursing her baby.
Step 2…Lie on your side on the bed. The mattress should preferably be quite firm, although comfortable.
Step 3...Place a pillow between your legs at the knees, with the upper leg pulled up and bent forward at the
knee. A pillow or rolled blanket in the small of your back will provide reassuring support, especially in the early
stages of mastering this position.
Step 4...Have your head on two plump but not overly firm pillows. These should be fitted into the rounded
hollow between head and shoulder – your shoulder should not rest on the pillows, but rather the pillows on your
shoulder. This step is vital.
Step 5…The upper part of your bottom arm should stretch out at 90 degrees to your body. As baby is
positioned, flex this arm at the elbow and cradle baby or simply keep it outstretched.
Step 6...Baby must lie on his side, facing you, with his head snugly fitted in below your outstretched arm, not
on top of your arm. This too is vital to the success of this position.
Step 7...Baby’s head must now be in such a position that his mouth can easily latch on directly to the lower
breast without discomfort. You can use the hand of your upper arm to help latch and position baby. Carriwell’s
Sarah nursing sleep shirt is the ideal garment to make this possible, comfortably enabling mom to expose her
breast while ensuring that her shoulders are still warmly covered when nursing baby on a chilly night.
Step 8...Place a rolled up baby blanket behind his back to prevent baby rolling out of the side-lying position.
Allow baby to feed as long as he wants to from this side.
Step 9…Simply reverse the position by turning onto your other side and feeding baby from the other breast.
Both you and baby will sleep well during the feed.

Source: Dr. Sonia

Breast milk is rich in nutrients that promote nervous system development and brain growth. Carbohydrates and protein levels in breast milk are perfectly suited to babies and the antibodies in breast milk contribute substantially to developing baby’s immune system.

Nursing:

• You should put baby to your breast as soon as possible after birth as their instinct to feed and establish a good pattern at the breast is strongly developed at this stage.
• In the first few days when colostrum is produced, simply feed baby as often as needed.
• Once breast milk comes in from about Day Three, two hourly feeding is very common, with the occasional longer gap of 3 or 4 hours.
• Small babies need nothing other than mothers’ milk which has enough water to quench thirst and nutrients to satisfy hunger.
• The initial milk (or foremilk) seems more watery and may even appear to have a blue tinge as it is primarily to quench thirst.
• This is followed by the hindmilk which is nutrient-rich and mostly looks creamier.
• Each feed also tends to occur in ‘courses’, baby often needing to feed 3-4 times with a little nap or a soiled diaper between ‘courses’.
• If you have an abundance of milk and baby seems to choke and splutter, lying and feeding or laying baby on your tummy down your abdomen while suckling tends to make milk come slower.
• Do not wake baby for a feed before you go to bed, thinking that will tide baby over for the night – if you interferes with the so-called ‘core sleep’, sleeping through will take longer to come.
• At the same time, try not to resent night feeding as it is an important part of nursing for many babies.
• By not limiting daytime feeds, you might well find night time feeds somewhat less frequent.
• It is important not to take baby off your breast before baby is good and ready, so that they can have the benefit of the whole cycle i.e. fore and hind milk.

Source: Dr. Sonia

After a c-section, you will be bleeding from the vagina for nearly 2 to 4 weeks. During the initial few days, the bleeding is like heavy periods and it is quite common to pass out small blood clots. However, gradually the bleeding will decrease and will change from dark red to pink to dark brown until it finally clears up to a yellowish discharge. During this time all doctors will advice you not to use tampons as it may cause an infection.

After a c-section, your body starts flushing out lochia which is blood and discarded tissue from the lining of the uterus. This creates an illusion of heavy periods after c-section. During this time you will end up using a large maxi pad to help with the bleeding.

Many women experience heavier bleeding after leaving the hospital. In fact, it is quite a common occurrence and it is indicative of the woman pushing herself too hard. If you too have the same experience, it is time to slow down a bit and get sufficient rest. Immediately you will notice the bleeding easing up. However, if you notice that you are soaking through a large maxi pad in an hour, it is time to immediately call your doctor.

During the heavy periods after c-section, your uterus begins to shrink to its original size and you might end up with the familiar twang of menstrual cramps. Most women are usually on pain medication so they never notice the cramps. However, if you do feel the cramps, you can easily take Ibuprofen or Tylenol to ease the pain.

Source: Dr. Sona

Many new mothers are always worried about how much breast milk should be given to 1 month infant. When you are breast feeding it is best to follow your baby’s cue on the amount you should be feeding him or her. However, to put yourself at ease, you can ask your pediatrician about the estimated 24 hours total intake of breast milk if your baby is being fed expressed and not drinking milk directly from the breast.

However, to calculate the approximate range of the number of ounces of expressed breast milk that a 1 month old baby should be fed at each sitting can be done using the following mathematical formula:

You should take your baby’s weight in pounds and then multiply that by 2.5 or 3. After that take the total you get and divide it by the number of feedings per day to arrive at an approximate amount in ounces for each feeding.

All infants take a variety of amount at each feeding. Sometimes the amount of breast consumed will be more and at times less. You should store your breast milk in small, 1- 2 ounce, increments. This way it will be easy for you to tailor each feeding amount, and the fact that breast milk is stored in small increments, it is easy to thaw and use with very little waste.

However, if you giving your 1 month infant breast milk directly from the breast, nurse the infant for 10 to 20 minutes on each breast. That should suffice for each feeding.

Source: Dr Anu