Many women believe that breastfeeding a child can be spoiled by the appearance of the breast, and in general breastfeeding is not so important for health and proper development baby. In pursuit of aesthetic satisfaction and ease of feeding a child, many women prefer artificial nutrition to breast milk. But we must remember that mother’s milk is necessary for newborn children, no matter how high-quality artificial nutrition is, it cannot satisfy the child’s body’s need for vitamins to the maximum.
Doctors have to prove to young mothers (in cases of shortage or absence of milk) that only special food should be used to feed babies, because there is an opinion that infants can be given any baby product. This opinion is completely erroneous, because the best thing for the healthy development of a child is adapted liquid milk formula.
Blends based cow's milk very difficult for a child's body to digest. The composition of the mixture should be as close as possible to the composition of mother's milk, but cow's milk is very different from it. Porridges based on mixtures similar in composition to human milk can be fed to children from the first days.
Now it offers mothers two types of products: fresh and fermented milk. Doctors allow alternating these two types throughout the entire feeding.
Live lactocultures and bifidocultures are contained in the fermented milk mixture. The use of these crops is almost a 100% guarantee of the absence of dysbacteriosis. If the baby experiences discomfort in abdominal cavity, fermented milk mixture will help you cope with this problem. Also, mixtures of this type increase immunity.
When artificial feeding, the correct dosage of portions is very important. The producers of the Agusha mixtures did an excellent job with this task, since the packaging is designed for one serving, which helps simplify the process of preparing the mixture.
It is best to exclude all foods that adults eat from a baby’s diet, even if these foods are very healthy. This is due to the fact that elements of “adult” food can be difficult to digest, which will cause discomfort in the child.
At 3 months you can start giving your baby natural juices.
At about the age of six months, you can introduce baby cottage cheese into your daily diet. Since it is a good additional source of useful elements.
From 8 months you can eat baby yoghurts that have low acidity. The use of natural fillers is allowed.
Regardless of whether the child is exclusively breastfed, bottle-fed or mixed, he may develop dysbacteriosis. The first signs of dysbiosis in infants often appear by 4 months and when the first complementary foods are introduced. Sometimes a change in formula, a sudden change in diet, or introducing complementary foods too quickly can cause a disapproving reaction from the body in the form of diarrhea or constipation. Therefore, be careful with any changes in your baby's diet.
With the birth of your baby, many questions arise and, probably, the very first of them is nutrition. After all, restful sleep, normal stool and rest for the mother herself depend on properly organized feeding. How to properly organize the process itself, and how often to feed a newborn?
From this article you will learn:
On the first or second day, a woman who has given birth to a child begins to produce colostrum, which she needs to start feeding her baby. Around days 3-6 it will be replaced by breast milk. And so that all processes are set up and working correctly, and your baby receives adequate nutrition, you should often put the baby to the breast, at his request.
Here are some tips to help organize the feeding process:
- Try to breastfeed your baby every two hours. Let him suckle even a small amount of colostrum.
- Don't panic. This is quite enough for the child. Your nervous state is transmitted to the baby and he begins to be capricious, but this does not mean that he wants to eat.
- Do not hesitate to contact the medical staff for help. If you don’t know how to put your baby to your breast and how often to feed your baby, ask your midwife, she will show you everything and help you.
- Choose a comfortable position for you and your baby. Learn to breastfeed him correctly, it won't work the first time, but with a little practice and everything will be fine.
- Drink plenty of fluids: tea or water.
- Do not give your child extra water or formula.
How often to feed a newborn baby
To decide how many times a day to feed your newborn baby, observe his behavior. Most often, the baby is put to the breast once every 3 or 4 hours. However, you should feed your baby on demand - he will never eat more than necessary, so you will not overfeed him.
The frequency of milk intake depends on the duration of the sucking process. After all, it happens that a child falls asleep without having time to get enough, then he will wake up from hunger and the interval between meals will be shorter.
Observe the baby's behavior
If the mother manages to notice the baby’s signals that he is ready to suck, then he will not need to cry or draw attention to himself. As a result you have calm baby, and you are happy parents!
To understand how often to feed a newborn, you need to learn to distinguish what the baby wants. In the first weeks of your life breast-feeding is able to satisfy all the child’s needs: nutrition, communication, protection and reassurance. However, there are some signs by which you can determine that your baby is hungry.
Signs of hunger in newborns:
- noticeable movement of the eyes under the eyelids;
- muscle tension is observed;
- the baby begins to spin and twirl;
- makes various sounds;
- puts hands in mouth;
- tries to suck his hand or an object nearby.
How to feed a newborn correctly
There are several rules to follow when feeding your baby.
- Wash your hands with soap;
- wipe the nipple with a small amount of your milk;
- feed your baby the breast correctly;
- make sure that the child grasps the areola, and not just the nipple itself;
- after the baby has had enough and released the breast, hold him upright;
- put the baby on his side.
Feeding at night
The digestive system of young children does not allow them to go for a long time without food. Therefore, you will have to get up at night to feed your child. Some people sleep with the child, the so-called co-sleeping, so that they can feed the awakened baby without getting up. Others are afraid to lie on a child in a dream and therefore sleep separately. There is no right decisions. How to arrange your sleep, and how it will be more convenient, is up to your family to decide.
It is important, when feeding at night, to attach the baby to the breast several times between 3 and 9 o'clock. This promotes the milk production process. The rest of the time you can feed him on demand.
Comfortable feeding positions
It doesn’t matter what position you feed your baby in; the main thing is comfort for you and the baby. Today you can see special pillows for feeding on sale. You can use them, but you can do without such a pillow.
Sitting position
Some mothers find it convenient to feed their baby while sitting on a chair, armchair or bed. In this position, there is a hand under the baby's head, on the side of which he will receive the breast. When he grows up, he will be able to eat while sitting on your leg.
Lying position
It is more convenient to feed the baby lying on his side. It is worth placing the baby on a pillow so that you do not have to bend over and strain your back muscles.
How often to feed a newborn with formula
What to do if your baby is bottle-fed. How often should I feed the newborn in this case? Doctors are unanimous in their position on this issue - you need to adhere to the feeding regimen no more than every 3 hours. This allows the baby to have regular bowel movements.
There is also a formula by which the formula nutrition rate is calculated: the number of days of a child’s life is multiplied by 80 (if the baby was born weighing more than 3.2 kg) and by 70 (if his weight was less than 3.2 kg). For example, if a child is 6 days old and was born weighing 3 kg, then his daily ration should be 420 ml (6x70). You need to divide this volume by the number of feedings and get the amount of mixture for one time. More often month old baby drinks 30-60 ml of formula at a time.
Should I give my newborn water?
But on this issue there is no consensus of opinion. It all depends on the climate of the room in which the baby is located. If it is too hot and stuffy, then you should give your child boiled water, but you should not abuse it, because after drinking water, he will eat less milk.
If you practice swimming in cool water, then you also need to give your child water. However, it is worth saying that breastfeeding can provide the baby with all the substances it needs, so in most cases there is no need to supplement the baby.
Breast milk is the optimal nutrition for one month old baby and older. With this product, the baby can receive the most important and useful material, as well as initial communication skills and, of course, motherly love.
However, due to certain circumstances, some mothers are unable to breastfeed, and the newborn is transferred to an alternative feeding regimen.
Artificial feeding infant poses many problems for the new mother: what formula to choose, how it should be prepared and given, how much the baby should eat in the first month of life.
Artificial feeding should not be introduced just like that, at the request of the nursing mother. Not a single high-quality formula is capable of transferring to a newborn baby all the necessary substances that breast milk provides.
Experts have identified several compelling reasons when adapted nutrition for newborns is necessary and even desirable.
First of all, you should try to restore breast milk using folk remedies and medications that enhance lactation.
Adaptive nutrition of newborns is carried out only if such medications do not bring the required results.
Experts do not advise completely switching to artificial feeding if a woman has breast milk, even in minimal quantities. A few drops of a natural product will bring infant invaluable benefits.
Before switching to artificial feeding of newborns, every mother needs to know all the advantages and disadvantages of adapted nutrition.
Quite often, new parents switch to formula because of some far-fetched principles, thereby depriving their children of important vitamins and minerals.
The advantages of IV are as follows:
- The newborn can be fed by the father and other close relatives. The woman is freed from being next to the child every minute and is now able to go away for quite a long time, without worrying that the baby will remain hungry (it is better, of course, not to stay long).
- While breastfeeding, the mother cannot always control the amount of portion, so the baby sometimes remains hungry or, on the contrary, overeats and then burps. In addition, bottle feeding allows you to monitor deterioration in health, which is manifested by a decrease in appetite (you can see this by the volume of the remaining formula).
- If newborns eating formula begin to allergic reaction, Mom always has a specific “suspect.” If breastfeeding, a woman will have to seriously reconsider her diet and give up many foods.
- Artificial nutrition takes a long time to digest (much longer than breast milk), which is why the number of meals a baby can eat can be reduced.
These are the advantages of adapted feeding, however, in the opinion of many experts, the disadvantages of artificial feeding are much more significant and serious.
- Children on IV are more likely to experience colds, infectious diseases, allergic reactions during the first month of life and in early childhood. Doctors explain this phenomenon by the fact that the formulas lack the most important antibodies that the mother must pass on to the infant along with the milk.
- The use of feeding containers requires regular washing and even sterilization. If such conditions are not met, the newborn may develop an intestinal disorder or other dyspeptic factor.
- It is quite difficult for an infant on IV to digest things that are not typical for him. gastrointestinal tract product. This is why artificial babies often suffer from colic due to swallowing air.
- When traveling long distances with a baby, the mother needs to prepare and take with her a large number of things, including the dry mixture itself, clean bottles, and a suitable sterilizing device. That is, you will have to pack a whole bag and prepare food somewhere else.
- It is not always possible to immediately select the ideal formula for newborns, so new mothers are often forced to change different types of food in order to choose the most suitable one for a particular child.
- Adapted nutrition for children requires certain monetary expenditures from the mother. A balanced and complete product cannot be cheap, especially since an older infant will need a much larger amount of formula.
Thus, there are still advantages from artificial feeding, but this diet has more disadvantages. That is why it is extremely undesirable to give up breastfeeding for the sake of your own principles, the opinion of the media and the desire to feel “freedom” in the first months of a child’s life.
Pediatrician Komarovsky, who is an indisputable authority among many mothers, is convinced that breast milk is an irreplaceable product, despite the latest scientific and technical achievements.
Breast milk contains so many essential components (antibodies, hormonal substances, digestive enzymes) that its composition cannot be surpassed for a long time. Komarovsky never tires of repeating that under any circumstances, breast milk is preferable to formula.
Artificial feeding of a child is a problem that worries many young mothers who, due to various circumstances, are not able to breastfeed their newborn.
Komarovsky suggests focusing on 2 most important axioms:
- No formula, even adapted, can completely replace breast milk.
- Cow's or goat's milk is not as good a product for an infant as a balanced formula.
Komarovsky notes an interesting pattern: over the past three decades, the number of cases of food allergies or intestinal disorders in children of the first month has decreased many times (a thousand or more times), as mothers switched from animal milk to industrial formulas.
Dr. Komarovsky convinces new mothers who cannot breastfeed that feeding their babies with diluted or whole milk from a cow or goat is a huge mistake. And you shouldn’t listen to grandmothers who call mixtures a set of chemical reagents.
Komarovsky cites data that newborns under one year old should not be fed cow's or goat's milk. After 12 months and before three years the volume of this product should be minimal, and with preschool age a child can consume this milk in reasonable quantities.
Such restrictions are associated with the increased content of phosphorus and calcium compounds in animal milk. Such an excess of the norm of these minerals is fraught with kidney disease and pathological development of the musculoskeletal system.
So, you have weighed all the pros and cons and decided that your baby needs artificial feeding. It is important to follow certain principles and take into account certain conditions. Among them:
- choice of adapted nutrition;
- feeding mode and portion size;
- baby feeding technique.
To choose quality products for children, you need to follow the advice of an experienced doctor. Parents are offered formulas for complete feeding of healthy newborns, babies with digestive disorders, allergies and premature newborns. Let's take a closer look at them.
Adapted mixtures
These products are made from cow's milk, but the volume of protein components in it is significantly reduced by introducing demineralized whey.
For children in the first month, you need to purchase products with primary or initial formulas. On the box with the mixture this is indicated by the number 1, for example, “Nutrilak 1”.
By 6 months, the infant should be given products with the so-called follow-up formula. They are also called less adapted mixtures. They contain higher amounts of milk proteins and carbohydrate components to meet increased energy needs.
They differ from the previous product not in quantity, but in the quality of protein elements.
Milk protein is subjected to a special enzymatic action, which means it is brought to a curdled state. As a result, the composition of the mixture approaches breast milk.
Due to this technological process, the mixture is better digested in the newborn’s gastrointestinal tract and is absorbed more quickly. Curd ingredients form optimal intestinal microflora, introducing beneficial bacteria into the body.
Such products are indicated for feeding newborns with dysbiosis, stool disorders, and a predisposition to allergies.
Also, such artificial feeding is prescribed for a weak and premature infant.
Unadapted mixtures
They are made from fresh or dried animal milk. The volume of protein components in their composition is significantly higher than in human milk.
Since the main element of such products is casein, which is unnatural for newborn babies, the development of some unsafe conditions is possible:
- disturbance of intestinal microflora;
- digestive disorders;
- small in an infant;
- delayed development.
IV experts do not recommend giving this product to an infant under 12 months of age. It does not meet the needs of babies and even threatens their well-being. Also, experts do not allow the use of cow or goat milk for cooking porridge.
Selection rules
If you cannot breastfeed your baby and it is the turn of an alternative product, it is better to coordinate the choice of formula with a specialist. The pediatrician, knowing the characteristics of the child’s body, will recommend the most gentle nutrition.
To choose the optimal product, it is necessary to take into account certain nuances and important criteria.
When introducing a child to a dairy product for the first time, you need to constantly monitor his reactions and behavior: see how alert he is, monitor the color of his skin, the frequency and nature of feces.
It should be understood that regardless of whether you are breastfeeding your baby or he is bottle-fed, you need to serve the “dish” correctly.
Before production, you should definitely study the packaging to understand how to prepare the purchased mixture. Standard requirements for the preparation of dry dairy product look like this:
In some situations, you may want to cook multiple servings at once. To prevent the mixture from disappearing, it should be placed in the refrigerator (for a day) or in a special one (for up to 4 hours). Of course, if you stored the product in the refrigerator, the mixture needs to be warmed up before feeding the baby.
Stores sell special heaters; hot water (or tap water) is also suitable for heating. Warming up is not recommended, since the product heats up too unevenly, which means the child can get burned.
Experts identify two main ways to feed a bottle-fed newborn: clockwise and free-feeding.
Hourly mode
Artificial feeding must be precise. Experts often advise new mothers to follow a routine, maintaining certain intervals between feedings and following dosage standards.
How many times should newborns be fed formula? The number of meals by month looks like this:
- From 0 to 3 months. You cook and feed the child every 3 hours, at night the break is 6 hours. There are about 7 feedings per day.
- From 3 to 6 months. After 3.5 hours during the day, break for about 6 hours at night. That is, during the day, an infant will need to be fed 6 times.
- From six months. By 6 months, an artificial baby begins to be introduced to complementary feeding. At approximately the same age, complementary foods are also introduced to breastfed children. As the baby grows up, one feeding should be replaced with porridge or pureed vegetables. Now the number of meals is 5 every 4 hours, night sleep is approximately 8 hours.
Free feeding
Human milk and artificial mixture differ in composition. If a natural product does not lead to heaviness even with frequent breastfeeding, then diluted milk powder is not considered a “light” dish.
However, other experts suggest using partially free feeding - a method characterized by a certain feeding time. The volume of the mixture in this case depends on the child’s wishes, but is within specific limits.
You prepare and pour the mixture into a container about 25 milliliters larger, but the food should be given at a strictly fixed time. This will allow you to more accurately determine the optimal portion size needed by the child. If he leaves milk in the bottle, you should not force feed him.
Breastfeeding a baby is not so easy, let alone an artificial baby. In some situations, the child does not gain weight well, in others they talk about overfeeding. That is why mothers should follow certain rules for artificial feeding.
Do not think that an artificial child needs less mother's care than a natural child. It seems that his father or other relative can give him a bottle, and a pacifier can comfort him. However, experts recommend that mothers ensure the closest contact with the baby, holding him close to her and laying him side by side.
Ideally, a one-month-old baby should be fed only by the mother. You should not entrust artificial feeding to other family members. Let him suck the bottle only in his mother's arms, turning to face her. As soon as he falls asleep, the pacifier is removed from his mouth and placed in bed.
How much formula does a newborn eat?
In a simplified diagram, the nutritional norms for an artificial diet are as follows:
- in the first 10 days, the daily volume of the formula can be calculated based on the number of days of the child’s life, multiplied by 70 or 80 (depending on body weight, 80 - if birth weight is more than 3200 g);
- from 10 days to 60 days – the child eats up to 800 milliliters of adapted nutrition 7 or 8 times;
- from 2 to 4 months – the maximum volume of milk increases to 900 milliliters (or a sixth of the child’s weight).
When should the mixture be changed?
Feeding must correspond to the characteristics of the baby. However, not all artificial products are suitable for children, so each mixture is given at first in a small volume and not for very long, carefully monitoring any reaction.
Experts advise changing the product in the following situations:
- the child cannot tolerate the mixture, a rash, redness, regurgitation, constipation or diarrhea appears;
- the baby has reached a certain age limit when it is necessary to switch to a less adapted formula (in this case, it is recommended to change the product to a mush of the same brand);
- there is a need to switch to a special therapeutic food (an allergic reaction, for example), and then return back to the usual product.
You should proceed sequentially, observing some nuances. First, a new product is introduced, mixing it with the old one (two-thirds of the old mixture and one-third of the introduced one). Then proportionality begins to be observed, and by the end of the week the child completely switches to a previously unfamiliar product.
If a mother feeds her child with formula, her pediatrician can tell her everything about artificial feeding. Expert advice is especially valuable when choosing the first product and when replacing adaptive nutrition. Although the formula is not capable of becoming an absolute copy of breast milk, if all the basic rules are followed, the artificial baby will definitely grow up strong and healthy.
Hello, I am Nadezhda Plotnikova. Having successfully completed her studies at SUSU as a specialized psychologist, she devoted several years to working with children with developmental problems and consulting parents on issues of raising children. I use the experience gained, among other things, in creating articles of a psychological nature. Of course, I in no way claim to be the ultimate truth, but I hope that my articles will help dear readers deal with any difficulties.
It is important for young mothers to know how to properly feed a newborn with breast milk, what the regimen should be, the necessary standards, and acceptable positions when breastfeeding. The health of the woman and child depends on this process. Incorrect attachment is one of the causes of lactation disorders. To avoid problems, you need to remember the basic rules, which will be discussed.
The rules for breastfeeding children in the 21st century have changed greatly compared to the previous century. Many strict recommendations have been refuted or become soft.
No need to wash your breasts before every feeding: The fat layer will be washed off from the skin. This protective film protects nipples from cracks and scratches. Frequent use of soap will dry out your skin and nipples. It is enough to take a shower at the beginning and end of the day.
In most cases, babies under 6 months of age do not need to be given water. Supplementation is allowed in case of constipation, but during breastfeeding this rarely happens There is no need to offer your baby water until he is 6 months old if he is breastfed. Mother's milk replaces food and drink. He will find all the useful substances in milk and will not feel thirsty.
A nursing woman is recommended to drink a glass of liquid 15–20 minutes before the start of the process - clean water, rosehip decoction, tea with milk. This will enhance lactation and give you strength.
Chest grab
Mother's milk is the most suitable food for newborns. This is important for full development child. In order for the first attempts to be successful, you need to know some of the subtleties of the process.
First time
The newborn's first feeding should occur within the first hour after birth.. This stimulates the woman’s nipples and activates the lactation system, thanks to which the uterus contracts better in postpartum period. The baby begins to feel hungry, and colostrum starts the process of forming the correct microflora.
The benefits of the first portions of milk (colostrum) are determined by its composition. The table describes its main components.
Component | Description |
| Polypeptides | Stimulate cell growth and reproduction, tissue repair |
| Vitamin B | Participates in the formation and development nervous system, stimulates hematopoiesis |
| Subtype A antibodies | Protect the mucous membranes of the digestive system and nasopharynx from infection |
| Endorphins | Increases the body's resistance to adverse events external conditions and stress |
| Amino acids | Promotes the development of the brain, heart, muscle tissue |
| Prebiotics | Fills the intestines with beneficial bacteria |
| Antioxidants | Stimulates the formation of the body's defenses. |
The first attachment begins the feeding process. This is a natural process, important and necessary for the child to grow and develop safely.
5 Stages of Breast Latching
In how to properly feed a newborn with breast milk, the most important thing is the latch on the breast (read whether it is necessary). First you need to wash your hands thoroughly. You can squeeze a few drops of milk from the nipple to lubricate the nipple. It will become softer, and it will be easier for the baby to grasp it with his mouth.
Stages of latching onto the breast with the baby's mouth:
1
Place pillows or bolsters under the child so that his back is straight. Mom clasps her breasts with her fingers without touching the areola. He brings the baby to his face. He will smell the milk and open his mouth. If this does not happen, you need to squeeze drops of milk onto his lips and put the nipple on his mouth.
2
The chin touches the mother's chest, and the nose is turned to the nipple. The mouth should open wide. The nipple and part of the areola should enter the mouth.
The mouth should cover the areola, not just the nipple 3
The baby will begin to suck. Babies are different - some suck actively right away, others do it slowly. If milk leaks a little from the corner of the mouth, the baby's head should be raised and the index finger placed under the lower lip. The baby will press his lips tighter.
4
When the baby is full and begins to fall asleep, place your index finger between the chest and the corner of the mouth. This will help you pull out the nipple without effort.
5
There is no need to get dressed right away; it is advisable to let the milk dry on the nipple. The child must be held in an upright position so that he burps air. After the characteristic sound, put him in the crib.
At correct technique The baby will develop high-quality sucking. This will prevent nipple injuries in the future. It will be easier for the mother to cope with the baby when he grows up and gains weight. If your mother has it, you need to find out the reasons, because this is fraught with serious diseases.
The following video shows how to properly feed a newborn with breast milk.
Application in different poses
The choice of position for feeding a newborn remains with the mother. The process should take place in a relaxed state. It is important to take the load off a woman's back.
Sitting position
Mom folds her hands into a “cradle.” There should be support under your back This position is convenient for feeding throughout the day. It is imperative to provide back support to give rest to the spine.
A suitable position is when the mother folds her arms in the form of a cradle. One hand supports the head, and the other the rest of the body. The baby's body is turned towards the mother, and it is convenient for the mouth to reach the nipple.
For weak and premature babies, it is better to place a pillow under the body. It will be convenient for the mother to control the baby's head with both hands.
Lying position
The mother puts the baby on her side, and she herself lies on the side. Baby's head on mother's hand If mom did C-section or she has stitches in the perineum, it is better to lie down during the entire process. How to properly feed a newborn with breast milk while lying down is shown in the maternity hospital.
There are several provisions:
- Mom is lying on her hand. She puts the child on his side and lies down next to him on the side. In order for the baby to eat from the upper breast, he is placed on a pillow. For the bottom pillow is removed. The head lies on the mother's hand.
- Baby on mom. In this way, a baby is fed in case of severe colic, as well as a large flow of milk from the mother, so that the newborn does not choke. The mother lies on her back and places the newborn on her stomach so that he can reach the nipple. You can place a pillow under your mother's head and shoulders.
- From under the hand. The nursing woman sits half-sitting, leaning on her thigh and forearm, the baby lies on a pillow between the mother and the supporting arm. She holds the baby's head from below and gives him the breast from above.
Throughout the day, the positions change depending on the woman's preference and circumstances.
Negative consequences due to incorrect application
Proper attachment of a newborn during breastfeeding will help avoid many troubles. The baby may damage the nipple. He sucks hard, but poor latching prevents him from getting milk. This will cause pain to the woman; some refuse to try breastfeeding again for this reason.
It also causes ineffective milk suction. Because of this the gland will become rough, swell, inflamed. We advise you to read the tips on how to prevent it.
It is worth purchasing clothes for nursing mothers in advance - blouses and T-shirts with slits Nursing mothers sometimes have to feed their babies in public places. If planned long walk, then you need to take into account that the child will get hungry, so you need to prepare. Take with you a large scarf or diaper, a set of wet and dry wipes, and a small snack.
Can be worn special clothes for nursing women - these are blouses, T-shirts with slits for the chest, sewn-in bras. When it’s time to eat, it’s better to be proactive: don’t wait for a demanding cry, feed the baby before his request.
You should find a secluded place where there will be fewer people. If this is not the case, then simply sit down, turning away, so as to attract less attention. Throw a scarf or diaper over your shoulders to protect your baby from prying eyes. Feed him and carry him vertically (read this article), since the newborn should be kept in this position after feeding to burp air.
Eating at fresh air stimulates a good appetite and gives sound sleep. It allows mom to take a break from the everyday work of caring for the baby. If feeding outside the home is not possible, you can take a bottle of expressed milk with you. How to use a breast pump in this case and which one is better to choose is a topic.
Basic Rules
Breastfeeding must be done correctly. When attaching, various difficulties arise that affect feeding.
How to alternate breasts
The milk in the gland is not homogeneous. First, the baby sucks the so-called “foremilk.” It is more liquid and contains less fat and nutrients. Then comes the “back”, more saturated portion. This combination allows the baby to have a balanced diet. When feeding you need to give one breast, and the next time - the other.
If at one time the baby sucked first from one gland, then a little from the other, then he received two not very nutritious portions, and no longer wants to finish the saturated leftovers. It is wise to alternate breasts only when establishing a feeding regimen, and not on ordinary days.
Regime or requirement - which is better?
Modern pediatricians are inclined to believe that it is better to feed newborn babies on demand, rather than by the hour. After all, the baby calls his mother not only during hunger. When sucking, it is easier for him to calm down. With his mother he is not so scared, cold or worried. Lactation when feeding on demand will be stable.
Feeding at night should not be ignored, although this entails inconvenience for the mother Feeding a newborn baby by the hour is convenient because it is predictable. When feeding on demand, the mother becomes “attached” to the baby. This is especially unusual for young women with their first child.
Be sure to feed at night. The hormone prolactin, responsible for lactation, is produced precisely at night. The most effective meals are considered to be between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m.
The mother is not able to get enough sleep with this mode of feeding the newborn, but she needs to use the baby’s daytime sleep hours for her rest. In the future, the child will grow up and stop eating at night.
How much should a newborn suck?
Each baby is individual. Already from birth he has his own character. One sucks briskly and actively for 15 minutes, the other - slowly, with pleasure, for almost 40 minutes. With prolonged feeding, cracks may appear on the nipples. But if you take the breast early, the fattest and most healthy portion will not go to the baby.
There is a norm for feeding a breastfed newborn- from 10 to 40 minutes. Next, you need to monitor the child to see if he eats enough during this time.
Several signs that your baby is full
If your baby is gaining weight and feels good, it means he is getting enough to eat. Many breastfeeding women worry whether their baby is getting enough to eat at the normal feeding rate for a newborn. There are several signs by which you can understand that the baby is full:
- the newborn is gaining weight normally and feels well (in this publication you will learn about the months);
- urine is excreted approximately 10 times a day;
- stools look like porridge, up to 8 times a day;
- the skin is clean, pink;
- The baby's development is progressing according to schedule.
Cranky behavior between meals cannot be a symptom of a lack of milk. He may suffer from colic or uncomfortable posture. How much a newborn should eat at one feeding can be determined with a pediatrician. It depends on birth weight and age.
7 times when you shouldn't breastfeed
There are situations when the use of mother's milk is contraindicated, as it can transfer drug residues or bacteria from the mother to the baby.
Diseases and conditions of women that exclude breastfeeding:
- oncology;
- open form of tuberculosis;
- deadly infections - plague, cholera;
- mental disorders - schizophrenia;
- taking medications for nervous disorders - antidepressants, lithium salts:
- hepatitis.
For some diseases (chickenpox, measles), you need to express milk, sterilize it and then give it to the baby.
Conclusion
Breast milk is necessary for the growth and development of the baby's immunity. But for this process to be beneficial, you need to remember the basic rules of latching and latching onto the breast. You need to understand that some diseases impose restrictions on breastfeeding and even prohibit it. Therefore, in a timely manner, ask for information about the rules of artificial feeding, as well as for a newborn.
One of the most important issues, which concerns all mothers: There are two different opinions regarding the regimen and number of feedings: feeding on demand and by the hour. But when it comes to what to feed your baby, all doctors and teachers are inclined to believe that only breast milk is ideal for a baby. It contains all the necessary nutrients for the proper growth and development of the baby.
Therefore, every mother should know how to breastfeed a newborn baby, be able to attach the baby in any position and be prepared for this. The baby must suckle as much as he needs, because for normal growth and development it is necessary to receive the so-called “hind” milk. In addition, in the first months of life, it is very important for a baby to satisfy his sucking instinct. A newborn should suckle at the breast as much as he wants; the nipple can only be removed when the baby has fallen asleep.
Very rarely do doctors give mothers complete advice about having children. Usually everything is limited to the recommendation to apply it every 2-3 hours and take a night break of 5-6 hours. Many doctors still advise feeding babies by the hour, and even waking them up if they oversleep feeding.
But new research has confirmed the correctness of the idea that a newborn should be put to the breast as many times as he asks. This not only provides the mother with normal milk production and rapid recovery after childbirth, but also gives the baby psychological protection. The child will be calmer if he often feels his mother nearby, so do not be afraid to accustom him to holding hands and pick him up as soon as he becomes worried. It has been proven that children who are constantly with their mother in the first year of life develop better and get sick less.
Therefore, for mothers who want to raise a happy and healthy baby, the question of how to feed newborn children is decided unambiguously - only with breasts. Most often, women switch to artificial feeding out of ignorance, laziness or inability. But there are cases when nothing helps, and the mother cannot breastfeed the baby. Then she has to switch to artificial nutrition.
In this case, the appropriate question would be: “How much should I feed a newborn baby if he is fed formula?” After all, breast milk is completely absorbed and it is impossible to overfeed the baby, but formula takes a lot of time to digest, so an artificial baby needs to be fed hourly. In addition, it is very difficult to choose a mixture,
suitable for your child. He may not eat enough or overeat, so the feeding regimen is set individually.
The question of how to feed newborn children is very relevant now, when the number of babies with reduced immunity and dysbacteriosis is being calculated. Moms need to know that breastfeeding can protect their baby from these problems.
