मेरो नवजात शिशुलाई कति पटक स्तनपान गराउनुपर्छ?

गर्भवती आमाले दिनमा कति पटक खाना खानुपर्छ?

Where is the period blood coming from?

Why does my stomach hurt during period?

During a period, hormonal changes are taking place in the

body. This can cause discomfort for some, and nothing for others. It is common to have stomach cramps, feel bloated, and have pain in the thighs and back. Some girls also have headaches, constipation, nausea, dizziness, and in extreme cases may faint. It is also normal to have less energy, tender breasts, and acne. 

How do I increase or boost my breast milk supply?

Breastfeeding as soon as possible or within the first hour of birth helps boost the breast milk supply, making sure the baby is properly attached with correct position, exclusively breastfeeding for 6 months and avoid feeding formula milk or solid foods, feeding the baby as often as they want and for as long as they want, expressing some breast milk after feeds once breastfeeding is established will help build up the supply, offering both breasts at each feed, keeping your baby close to you and holding them skin to skin can help boost the breast milk supply along with that having a balanced diet and avoiding processed foods, alcohol or smoking also helps boost breast milk supply.

(Source: National Health Service UK, MIYCN training/facilitation guide)

How do I make sure that my baby is getting enough breast milk and is not crying due to hunger? Is my breast milk enough for the baby?

Almost all women can produce enough breast milk for their child. Exclusive breastfeeding (breast milk only) is recommended for around the first 6 months of your baby's life and mother's milk is enough until 6 months. Babies can cry due to various reasons and not just hunger. Signs that baby is getting enough milk:

You can hear and see your baby swallowing, the baby's cheeks stay rounded, not hollow, during sucking, they seem calm and relaxed during feeds, the baby comes off the breast on their own at the end of feeds, the baby appears content and satisfied after most feeds, your breasts feel softer after feeds.

And most importantly the baby gains weight steadily after the first 2 weeks (for the first six months of life, a baby should gain at least 500 grams each month), they appear healthy and alert when they're awake, from day 5 onwards, wet nappies start to become more frequent and baby passes diluted urine at least six to eight times in 24 hours., these are the signs that the baby is feeding well.

Signs of baby not getting enough breast milk:

Baby is not satisfied after breastfeeding and cries often, very frequent and long breastfeeds, baby refuses to breastfeed, baby has hard, dry, green, or infrequent stools, no milk comes out when mother expresses.

And most importantly if the baby does not gain 500 grams in a month, the baby‘s urine is also concentrated, strong smelling and dark orange in color, passes urine less than six times a day (often less than four times a day).

(Source : National Health Service UK, MIYCN training / facilitation guide, CDC)

It is said that we shouldn't give water to the baby before 6 months, so can we give jeewanjal or oral rehydration salt to the infant if they suffer from diarrhea?

Yes, ORS or jeewanjal during diarrhea could be life saving for everyone including infants under 6 months old. Exclusive breastfeeding should be continued during this period to prevent dehydration and malnutrition. WHO and UNICEF jointly recommends use of ORS and zinc (10 mg perday for infants under six months old for 10-14 days), to prevent the severity of the episodes and prevent further occurrences as well. (Source : UNICEF, WHO)

Can mother's having HIV breastfeed their baby?

If the mother has HIV and she is not on antiretroviral therapy(ART), then HIV could be transmitted through breastfeeding. However, if the mother is on antiretroviral therapy(ART) with a sustained undetectable HIV viral load during pregnancy, the risk of transmission through breastfeeding is less than 1%, but not zero. (Source : CDC , WHO)

Should you breastfeed while taking medicines, can those medicines pass through breastmilk and harm the baby?

It's always best to tell your doctor or pharmacist that you're breastfeeding, when discussing medicines. 

Small amounts of any medicine you take may or may not pass through your breast milk to your baby. Generally, the amounts are very low and very few medicines are unsafe while you're breastfeeding but its crucial to talk to your doctor. (Source: NHS)