Materials needed for Breast Care:

 a small tray with lining

 jar of clean cotton balls
 medicine cup
 lukewarm water in a clean container
 a waste receptacle or kidney basin lined with tissue paper

Procedure Guide: Breast Care

PROCEDURE RATIONALE

1. Explain the procedure to the patient. Explaining the procedure promotes client
cooperation.

2. Perform medical handwashing and prepare This is done to help prevent the spread of
the necessary materials. microorganisms.

3. Bring the materials to the patient’s bedside This is to prepare the materials near the patient
and provide a screen. to save time and effort.

4. Expose the breast and spread the towel below Comprehensive inspection is essential to
it. Inspect for skin rashes, irritation, swelling, determine individual needs.
or any abnormalities.

5. Get one cotton ball, place it in the medicine Cotton balls are used to clean the breast. Used
cup and pour lukewarm water (just enough to with lukewarm water to prevent the mother from
moisten). getting too hot or too cold from the water.

6. Clean the breast starting from the nipple to the Allows for proper cleaning and cleaning in a
areola in a circular pattern. Discard the cotton ball. circular motion will cover more area. Lastly,
properly disposing of the cotton ball ensures it
 repeat this step until the breast is clean does not contaminate anything.

7. Dry breast with the clean dry cotton ball It best to keep the breasts dry as to not allow for
following similar stroke microbes to grow and not allow the mother to be
in discomfort.

8. Do the same with the other breast Both breasts need to be cleaned, not just one.
Prevents discomfort and microbe growth to
protect the mother and child.
9. Perform aftercare. This is to prevent diseases and improve
circulation.
Revised: June 2016

Materials needed for Breast Care and Assisting in Breastfeeding:

 a small tray with lining

 jar of clean cotton balls
 medicine cup
 lukewarm water in a clean container
 a waste receptacle or kidney basin lined with tissue paper

Procedure Guide: Assisting in Breastfeeding

PROCEDURE RATIONALE

1. Explain the procedure to the mother and So that the ethical and legal expression of a
provide privacy. person's right to have their autonomy and
self-determination respected.

2. Encourage the mother to drink fluid To make sure that you are getting enough water to
before breastfeeding. produce breast milk. Alse, it's better to stay
hydrated.

3. Encourage the mother to attend to personal It usually wakes babies up enough to get them to
needs and to change the infant’s wet or soiled take a full feeding. If that wakes your baby too
diaper before breastfeeding begins. much, change their diaper first, and then feed
them. If you change the diaper after you feed your
baby, you risk completely waking them again.

4. Do medical hand washing. To eliminate pathogenic microorganisms and

prevent their propagation.

5. Instruct the mother to wash her hands and Washing the hands can help protect against
perform breast care on both breasts. microorganisms. It is critical to take care of your
breasts in order to avoid diseases and the signs of
aging. It can also shape your breasts and improve
circulation.

6. Help the mother assume a comfortable position. Proper positioning is essential for providing clients
with stability and comfort, keeping them calmer and
more relaxed.
7. Have the mother expose one breast and rest This is to make sure that mother and infant are well
the nape of the infant at the antecubital space supported to promote a better latch and effective
of her arm, supporting the infant’s back with feeding.
the mother’s forearm.

8. Guide the mother’s free hand and have her This is because keeping your thumb and fingers
place her thumb on top of the exposed areola back far enough will have the baby enough of the
and her two first fingers beneath it, forming a nipple and areola to latch onto and to help prompt
“C” with her hand. Turn the infant towards the baby to open his or her mouth.
the nipple of the breast.

9. Tell the mother to stroke the infant’s cheek Rooting prompts an infant to automatically turn in
located nearest her exposed breast or the the direction of a food source.
infant’s mouth with her nipple (rooting reflex).

10. Emphasize to the mother that she should It is important to inform the mother of this because
not touch the other side of the infant’s touching the other side of the infant's cheek will
cheek make the baby turn to the other side.

11. When the infant opens his mouth and roots It's important to ensure that the infant gets a
for the nipple, instruct the mother to insert mouthful of the mother's breast when they feed. To
the nipple and areola into the infant’s mouth latch on properly, the infant's lips and gums should
as much as possible. be on the areola, not just on the mother's nipple.
The infant should be helped in latching on and
coming off the breast without sucking to avoid
hurting the nipple.

PROCEDURE RATIONALE

12. Check for occlusion on the infant’s nostril by This is important because it allows infants to
the mother’s breast. If this happens, breathe and helps promote uninterrupted feeding of
instruct the mother to press her breast the baby.
below the infant’s nose.

13. Urge the mother to relax during breastfeeding. Increased stress levels can release hormones that
can reduce breast milk supply.
14. Inform the mother that she can perform This allows the breast to have time to bring in milk
breastfeeding for 15 minutes on each supply.
breast.

15. To alternate breasts, instruct the mother to Slipping your finger into the side of the infant's
slip a finger into the side of the infant’s mouth. mouth allows you to break suction.

16. Burp the infant after feeding Burping helps to get rid of some of the air that
babies tend to swallow during feeding. Not being
burped often and swallowing too much air can make
a baby spit up, or seem cranky or gassy.
Revised: June 2017

References:

Breast-Feeding Questions. (2021, October 21). Seattle Children’s Hospital. Retrieved December
6, 2021, from https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/breast-feeding-questions/

Burping Your Baby (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth. (n.d.). KidsHealth. Retrieved December
6, 2021, from
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/burping.html#:%7E:text=Burping%20helps%20to%20get%2
0rid,or%20seem%20cranky%20or%20gassy.

Nursing Positions (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth. (n.d.). KidsHealth. Retrieved December 6,
2021, from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/nursing-positions.html