How much to feed a newborn baby. Do I need to wake my baby up for feeding? Golden mean: free feeding

Young mothers are often worried - how to properly feed a child? How often should I breastfeed or formula? Is there a concept at all - "too often" regarding the nutrition of a newborn?

How often should you breastfeed your baby?

The first time you need to attach the baby is still in the delivery room. If you are at the stage of choosing a maternity hospital, pay attention to what rules regarding early attachment to the breast are followed there.

The ideal option is when you can breastfeed the baby immediately after birth, and then lie in the ward together to feed in a way that suits you.

How often does a newborn eat?

For the first days and weeks, a breastfed baby eats very often. First, a small stomach can hold very little food. And secondly, the child needs to eat a lot in order to quickly gain strength and grow up.

In any case, breast milk is digested faster in the stomach, so the baby is very often hungry. The most reasonable option is to take a closer look at the child and independently understand how often to feed the newborn.

Average feeding frequency

According to statistics, at first, newborns require a breast every 1.5-2 hours during the day. Night breaks between meals are lengthened, but not much - up to 3-4 hours between feedings.

This mode is optimal for the mother to improve milk production, and the child is used to confidently taking soft breasts. A little later, when more milk comes, he will already be able to cope well with more filled breasts.

How do you know when it's time to feed?

The first signs that the baby is hungry are as follows:

1. The child's sleep becomes restless, the eyelids tremble - which means that the baby will wake up soon.
2. The baby starts to squeak and smack his lips. The reflex turns on, as if hinting to mom that, in general, it's time.
3. The baby may then begin to turn its head little by little in search of a source of milk.

It is more correct to give the baby a breast at this very moment. Appetite has come, but the child has not yet begun to get nervous. If the mother waits until the baby cries, it is likely that he may take the breast incorrectly, and this is already the cause of screaming, worries and a growing coma of problems.

On demand or on demand?

Benefits of On Demand Feeding

The most natural is the method of feeding newborns "on demand", that is, when the baby wants. It is in such conditions that the production of milk from the mother is best established and the child is properly nourished.

This method of feeding is recommended by the World Health Organization. During breastfeeding, a woman's body produces the hormone oxytocin, which promotes milk production. Thus, it turns out that milk is produced exactly as much as the baby needs.

Features of feeding "according to the regime"

At the same time, feeding "according to the regimen" also has its fans. He does not have many advantages, but for some mothers they are very significant:

• with this type of feeding, a constant daily routine is established. This is very convenient for parents, as they can somehow plan life with a newborn;
• during the daytime, breastfeeding is supposed to be done at intervals of 3 hours. At night, the intervals are longer - 6 hours;
• with feeding "according to the regimen", the mother gets the opportunity to sleep peacefully at night.

However, this method can lead to the extinction of lactation. In addition, the child does not always fill up in the 20 minutes allocated for feeding and may get hungry faster than the scheduled time. In this case, tears and worries are inevitable.

Feeding a bottle-fed baby

The situation can develop in different ways, and it happens that you have to transfer the baby to artificial breast milk substitutes. However, doctors are quite categorical and insist that, at least at a very early age, the child should be breastfed.

Indications for the transfer of crumbs to artificial feeding

The indications for switching to mixtures are quite strict:

• infectious diseases in the mother or the need to take strong medications.
• very difficult childbirth, after which a woman needs a long recovery.
• mother's absence.
• insufficient milk production or its absence. It is determined by control weighings and examinations of the child.

Artificial feeding has completely different principles and approaches. The mixture, of course, they try to make it look like breast milk, but it is completely different in its composition.

What feeding regimen to choose?

You can feed a newborn with a mixture only on a schedule. Milk replacer is digested in the baby's tummy longer and therefore the child may well withstand a certain interval between feedings.

How to calculate the correct amount of formula for a newborn?

The calculation of the required amount of the mixture is carried out according to a special formula:

• the age of the newborn (in days) must be multiplied by 80 (or by 70 if the birth weight is below normal),
• then divide this number by the number of feedings per day, and you will get the norm of the mixture for one feeding.

Please note that this formula is only suitable for newborns!

On average, the norm of a mixture of a child in the first month of life is about 30-50 ml at a time.

How often should I formula feed my baby?

1. The newborn should receive formula at intervals of 3 hours. Such a regular intake gives the baby time to fully digest his food and improve bowel function.
2. The night interval is assumed to be quite large - from 6 hours.

Very often, bottle-fed babies sleep quite soundly at night due to the satiety of the food. If the baby wakes up earlier, it is better to try to offer him water.

An excessive amount of the mixture will not only add extra weight to the child, which, in principle, is not very scary at this age, but can also overload the delicate stomach and cause problems with digestion.

Does a newborn need water?

This question causes a lot of controversy. Pediatricians believe that it is necessary to supplement a breastfed child according to the circumstances. If it is hot and stuffy outside or indoors, if the mother’s milk is very fatty, it will be better if you offer the baby ordinary drinking water.

If the child is on artificial feeding, it is necessary to supplement it with water. The fact is that mother's milk changes its fat content and nutritional value in one feeding, but the mixture is still food. Therefore, always offer your artificial baby some drinking baby water.

The question of how long a newborn should eat is relevant for young mothers who have not yet had the experience of feeding a child. The excitement of parents is justified: it is important to monitor the weight of the baby so that it develops correctly. Weight gain occurs only when the child eats for a sufficiently long time.

Depending on age, the required number of feedings and the duration of meals decreases. How much should a newborn, two-month-old and six-month-old baby drink?

At first, a young mother does not produce milk, but colostrum. This is a thicker substance. How often should it be given to a newborn? It is enough for a baby to drink it 1-2 times in the first 24 hours of life. With age, the number of meals first increases and then decreases. Newborns suckle the breast poorly, and when he grows up, he learns to quickly swallow the necessary portion.

Colostrum passes into regular breast milk and thickens, provided that the mother fed the baby in a timely manner and developed a reflex to feed it. If the areola of the nipples is stimulated too little, lactation will be insufficient. If the child has not been fed 2 times in the first 24 hours, it is urgent to find a temporary nurse for him. During this time, the woman must restore milk supplies. How much time is given for recovery? Up to a month if needed. You can not immediately switch to artificial mixtures. Feeding experts do not recommend using them at an early age (before 6 months), because they increase gastrointestinal flatulence and reduce the child's immunity. The health of a breastfed baby is always stronger than children who eat mixtures.

3-4 days after birth and older

After a few days, the mother's breasts begin to produce milk. It is still a little thicker than usual, but already contains all the composition that is optimal for the baby. While the age of the newborn is counted in days, you need to feed the baby more often. At least 7 times a day, a maximum of 14, otherwise there will be a risk of obesity and diabetes.

The stool at this time should become more formed and have a uniform yellowish tint. Bowel movements and urination should be frequent so that the baby needs to change diapers about 6 times a day. If there are fewer shifts, then the baby’s body does not have enough fluid, and it needs to be fed more often, or the baby sucks for a long time, but not enough to saturate, and the feeding period needs to be extended.

The diaper test method is the only effective way to determine the condition of the baby and whether he is sucking enough milk. Weight gain does not indicate anything, because it can remain within the normal range with a slight shortage of milk.

How long should a baby breastfeed at this age? The baby needs to be fed for a long time. Apply to each breast for at least 20 minutes. In general, feeding takes about 40 minutes.

Babies over two months old

Why does the baby begin to suck less in time? The older the baby becomes, the less often he needs food. It seems that the child grows up, and nutrition decreases. But he takes as much milk as he needs to saturate, and in fact lactation remains the same and even increases.

By 2 months, babies learn to swallow milk quickly. If in 3-4 days they drank 100 ml in 20 minutes, now one feeding can fit into a quarter of an hour. Feed a newborn with breast milk as much as he needs: if he turns away for a long time or just bites, that's enough. The kid quickly drank his own and is now full.

Receptions of milk by 2 months becomes less. How many times a day does one baby need? It is enough to apply the baby 7-9 times a day. But you can't do it on schedule. Nutrition should be chaotic, at the first request of the child.

Baby from six months

Babies from 6 months old begin to switch to natural first foods. Does this mean that the baby can be weaned and should only eat baby food? No.

• decrease in immunity;
• the occurrence of diabetes;
• obesity;
• development of cancer at an older age;
• manifestations of sudden infant death syndrome.

Babies who breastfed before reaching the age of one year, gradually and according to the norms, gain weight and develop. They will be healthier, do not suffer from infectious diseases as often as formula-fed children, are less prone to tactile sensation disorders and the occurrence of ENT diseases.

If the child started eating cereals, mashed potatoes and meat baby food early, milk or infant formula should be given 2 times less often. You can move from chaotic feeding to gradual feeding, divided into meals. This will accustom the child to an adult nutrition system and reduce the risk of excessive weight gain. Offering the baby a bottle or breast for 10 minutes 5-6 times a day, and adding complementary foods to the diet 3-4 times, the mother will achieve the fastest possible development of the baby.

How to determine that the baby is not full

Checking diapers will help you understand if there was a lack of lactation during the day. If a mother wants to understand if the baby is full, she should pay attention to the behavior of the child.

A newborn eats a lot if the following signs appear:

1. After feeding, the baby is sleepy, looks full and exhausted. He falls asleep quickly.
2. The calmness of the baby is noticeable to the naked eye. Focused look. The child does not fuss.
3. If the child reaches out to the mother, it is only for the sake of her warmth. He either just crumples the chest itself, or leaves it alone.
4. There is no crying or whimpering after the feeding is over.
5. Lips do not fold into a tube and do not look like they are trying to squeeze out milk during feeding. Hands and legs do not twitch randomly, the child controls their movement, is not nervous.

Why does baby cry after feeding? Unsatisfied children show displeasure if you take the breast prematurely. Other signs of underfeeding are likely:

1. The baby seems to be trying to catch something with his mouth and hands, begins to suck invisible milk from the pacifier.
2. The baby's face turns red. He starts crying or whimpering loudly.
3. The child is constantly turned to the mother, but reacts negatively to affection, expecting milk.
4. Older children become restless. They can make various sounds and seem to demand something from their mother.
5. Even if it is night outside, the baby is restless and whiny, does not sleep.

If such signs were noticed, it is necessary to provide the child with supplementary feeding. It happens that there is no milk left in the breast, despite the fact that the mother ate foods that promote lactation, and there is no way to feed longer, take an artificial mixture prescribed by a lactation specialist). If the breast can still highlight something, you should offer it to the child until the baby sucks out his norm.

Too long feeding

If the baby suckles for a long time, do not panic. Newborn babies do not absorb milk well in the early stages of their lives. Sometimes they need to stay at the nipple longer to make up for the lack of nutrition.

It seems that the child has already drunk enough, and the excess will hurt him? Before taking the baby from the breast, you need to check the nature of the movement of his lips. If they move inactively, the baby tends to sleep, he wrinkles his chest more than he drinks - this is a psychological aspect, the feeding itself is over. The baby needs warmth and care, and he receives them in this way.

If the baby refuses to breastfeed

When a baby is too lazy to suckle the breast, we can conclude that he is full. But sometimes it is a sign of illness. If the “diaper” check showed that the body lacks fluid, and at the same time the baby still sucks poorly, you should contact a therapist to check the condition of the baby.

If the baby is too lazy to suck out the hind milk, the problem may be teething. Itching of the gums makes it difficult to absorb milk strongly. Feeding in this case can not be abruptly interrupted, offering the baby a breast several times until he is full.

How to take a breast from a baby

When the milk limit is exhausted, and the baby is already full, it may hang on the chest for some time. The most difficult action after any feeding is to take the breast. The baby may bite or hold on tightly with his hands. You can not hurt him physically or mentally.

Why do you need to breastfeed a baby? Until 6 months, you should sleep with the baby and do not try to pull him away from you. But when the baby gets older, the mother wants to rest, and she gradually weaned the child from lactation. How to take a breast from a child?

To properly take away the baby, you need to gradually move his head away from the nipple with stroking movements. Before this, it is necessary to slightly move the child away, increasing the distance from the solar plexus to the hands on which he sits. It is best to distract the baby by offering him a bright toy or dummy, and at this time, put him away from you and cover his chest. It is impossible to abruptly wean a baby.

The frequency of feeding is completely dependent on age. Breastfeeding should be gradually increased until the age of one month, then the frequency is reduced. The volume becomes larger, but children eat less in time. The amount of sucked milk in a short time is enough to saturate. This is a natural process.

With the advent of your baby into the world, many questions arise, and probably the very first of them is nutrition. After all, a calm sleep, a normal chair and the rest of 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 has colostrum, which you need to start feeding your baby. On about 3-6 days, it will be replaced by breast milk. And so that all processes are set up and work correctly, and your baby gets good nutrition, you should often put the baby to the chest, at his request.

Here are some tips to help organize the feeding process:

• Try to breastfeed your baby every two hours. Let him suck even a small amount of colostrum.
• Don't panic. This is enough for a child. Your nervous state is transmitted to the baby and he begins to act up, but this does not mean that he wants to eat.
• Feel free to contact the medical staff for help. If you do not know how to put the baby to the breast and how often to feed the baby - ask the midwife, she will show you everything and help you.
• Choose a comfortable position for you and your child. Learn to breastfeed him properly, it won't work the first time, but with a little practice you'll be fine.
• Drink plenty of liquids: tea or water.
• Do not supplement your child with water and do not give him 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 applied to the breast every 3 or 4 hours. However, it is worth feeding the 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 less.

Watch your baby's behavior

If the mother manages to notice the baby's signals that he is ready to suckle, then he will not need to cry and draw attention to himself. As a result, you have a 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 life, breastfeeding is able to meet all the needs of the child: nutrition, communication, protection and comfort. However, there are some signs by which you can determine that the baby is hungry.

Signs of hunger in newborns:

• noticeable movement of the eyes under the eyelids;
• there is muscle tension;
• the baby begins to spin, spin;
• makes various sounds;
• puts his hands in his mouth;
• tries to suck his hand or an object nearby.

How to feed a newborn properly

There are several rules that must be followed when feeding a child.

• wash your hands with soap;
• wipe the nipple with a little of your milk;
• properly breastfeed the baby;
• make sure that the child captures the areola, and not just the nipple itself;
• after the baby has had enough and let go of the breast, hold him upright;
• put the baby on the side.

Feeding at night

The digestive system of young children does not allow them to go without food for a long time. Therefore, you will have to get up at night to feed your child. Some sleep with the child, the so-called joint sleep, so that without getting up, feed the awakened baby. Others are afraid to lie on the child in a dream and therefore sleep separately. There are no right decisions here. 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 to the baby's breast several times between 3 and 9 o'clock. This aids in the milk production process. The rest of the time you can feed him on demand.

Comfortable positions for feeding

In what position to feed the baby does not matter, the main thing is convenience for you and the child. Today on sale you can see special pillows for feeding. You can use them, but you can do without such a pillow.

sitting position

It is convenient for some mothers to feed the baby while sitting on a chair, armchair or bed. In this position, under the head of the child is the hand on the side of which he will receive the breast. When he grows up, he will be able to eat sitting on your leg.

Lying position

It is more convenient to feed the baby lying on its side. It is worth putting the baby on a pillow so that you do not have to bend over and strain your back muscles.

How often to formula feed a newborn

What to do if your baby is bottle-fed. How often to 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 3 hours later. This allows you to establish a regular chair in the baby.

There is also a formula by which the formula feed rate is calculated: we multiply the number of days of a child's life by 80 (if the baby was born 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 with a weight of 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 norm of the mixture at one time. Most often, a monthly baby drinks 30-60 ml of milk formula at a time.

Should I give my newborn water?

But on this issue there is no unanimity 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 the 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 should also give your child water. However, it should be said that breastfeeding is able to provide the baby with all the substances he needs, so in most cases it is not necessary to supplement the child.

Often, mothers of newborn babies forget about themselves, trying to organize decent care for the baby. The randomness and disorganization of feeding also contributes to the fact that the mother does not have time for anything and gets more tired. How often should you breastfeed your newborn? Do you need a mode? How to get the baby to eat by the hour?

Breastfeeding in the first days after childbirth

2-3 days after the birth of a child, colostrum begins to be produced in the breast, this is a harbinger of breast milk. Many mothers worry that the colostrum is too thin and the baby is starving until breast milk appears. This is not true! The nutritional and nutritional value of colostrum is incredibly high. This is exactly the food that a child needs in the first days of life. Colostrum contributes to the settlement of the intestines with beneficial microflora and starts metabolic processes in the body.

On the first day after childbirth, you need to apply the baby to the breast quite often so that the process of milk production begins as soon as possible and more intensively. Normally, breast milk will come in 3-6 days.

In addition, newborn babies can suckle sluggishly and eat quite a bit. This threatens with significant weight loss in the first days of life, which will negatively affect the health of the child. Frequent application will help to ensure that lactation stabilizes, the baby will lose less weight and begin to adapt to a new life faster.

In the first week of a baby's life, you should not think about the mode and frequency of feeding. It is necessary to give the baby a breast every time he cries, that is, on demand. If the baby sleeps for a long time (more than 3 hours), then you need to gently wake him up and try to attach him to the chest. On average, the frequency of feeding is every one and a half to two hours or more.

Tips for organizing the start of GV:

• Do not hesitate to ask for help from the staff of the maternity hospital. If the baby sucks sluggishly or does not take the breast at all, then you should definitely consult with the doctors, perhaps the wrong attachment is to blame. How to properly breastfeed your baby.
• You can not worry and panic: this negatively affects the production of milk. Breastfeeding is a natural process, everything will definitely work out!
• You need to try to find a comfortable position for feeding, as a newborn baby can suck for a very long time.
• If the baby eats very little, do not despair. You just have to put the baby to the breast more often.
• To enhance lactation, you need to drink more warm liquids (weak tea or just boiled water).

How often should a newborn be fed? Number of feedings per day by month during the first year of life

Hourly feeding. When to organize the regime

In the first month, you need to feed the newborn with breast milk quite often. It is too early to talk about the organization of the regime, since first you need to achieve sustainable lactation. Lactation is stimulated by frequent applications. The control weighing of the child will tell you that there is enough milk. If the baby has gained weight well during this month, then he has enough food and everything is in order with the production of milk.

For the first month, it is better to breastfeed in the “on demand” mode: put the baby on every time he cries. Many mothers notice that already during this period some semblance of a regime is being formed. The baby begins to worry and cry about every 2 hours, and the rest of the time he sleeps peacefully.

From 2-3 months of life, you can begin to accustom the child to the feeding regimen. This should be done gently and gradually. The number of feedings per day will have to be slightly reduced. You can refer to the table:

As can be seen from the table, there are significant differences between the European and domestic approaches. You can choose any, focusing on the behavior and appetite of the baby.

The question of breastfeeding after one year and the optimal age for the end of breastfeeding is considered in detail.

Feeding tips:

• You need to feed the baby strictly by the hour every day. If feeding will occur at the same time, then the baby will get used to it very quickly.
• To start reducing the number of meals, you need to make sure that the baby is full. This is evidenced by calm behavior and normal weight gain.
• After feeding, if the child does not sleep, you need to try to distract him until the next meal.
• As distractions, walks in the fresh air, gymnastics, tactile games with mom, or accessories such as a chaise lounge with vibration and toys are suitable.
• You can not increase the breaks in feeding immediately for an hour or more. You need to do this gradually, starting with 15 minutes, gradually bringing it up to the time you need.

Do you need a feeding schedule?

Many mothers consciously refuse any mode, preferring feeding on demand throughout the entire period of breastfeeding. Most of them note that over time, the baby himself comes to a certain regimen and asks to eat only at certain hours.

Benefits of on-demand breastfeeding:

• Children develop faster and more harmoniously thanks to constant contact with their mother.
• Lactation is more stable.
• Breast milk is produced enough due to frequent application.
• Mom quickly gets into shape due to the fact that natural feeding requires a lot of calories.
• Parents have additional protection against unwanted pregnancy, since breastfeeding suppresses ovulation. Of course, you should not forget about the use of classical contraception.
• Over time, mom and baby will naturally come to an individual feeding regimen intuitively without stress and worries.

Unfortunately, modern life is such that not always a mother can afford to give all her time to a child, feeding him “on demand”. Often the work schedule and employment of a modern woman do not allow her to be with her baby for enough time, then feeding according to the regimen is a great way to free the mother and keep breastfeeding.

Modern breastfeeding specialists and pediatricians are also of the opinion that on-demand feeding is the most physiological and natural way of breastfeeding.

How many hours to feed the baby

In the first months of life, the breaks between feedings should not be longer than 1.5-2 hours. In the future, you can gradually increase the time between meals of the child up to 3.5-4 hours.

The biggest break between meals is a night's sleep. Many babies do not ask to eat at night from 3-4 months. But there are also such babies who do not refuse night meals even after a year. We must prepare for the fact that in the first months the child will ask for breasts at night as often as during the day. You can't refuse food for your little one! This is a difficult period to go through. Over time, night sleep will become longer. Many mothers note that the baby's sleep becomes longer and deeper when he sleeps with his mother.

It is important to remember that when organizing a regimen, one must strive not only for one's own comfort and convenience, but also carefully consider the needs of the child. If the baby cannot do without night feedings, then you need to provide him with food, even at the cost of your own rest. Also with daily meals, if the baby is not ready to reduce the number of meals and increase the duration of breaks, then you do not need to do this by force, over time everything will work out and the regime will definitely improve.

When do you need to forget about the regime?

You can't refuse food for your little one! If the baby cries and requires mother's milk, then the breast should be given in any case, even if the feeding is not according to the regimen. You can try to distract the baby with a toy or shake it, but if it doesn’t help, then the child is clearly hungry, and you can’t postpone feeding.

Signs of hunger in a baby:

• The baby is worried, spinning, crying.
• When the mother takes the child in her arms, he moves his face along the breast in search of a nipple.
• The baby can suck fingers, a sheet or a rattle.
• The baby's muscles are tense.
• The child smacks his lips.

When observing such signs, it is imperative to feed the baby, regardless of the regimen.

Perhaps there is not enough milk and the child is not full. There may be several reasons for this:

• Mom's lactation has sharply decreased, for example, as a result of stress or worries.
• The child is going through a stage of active growth, when more food is needed. Periods of active growth: 7-10 days of life, from 4 to 6 weeks from the date of birth, 12 weeks of life, six months from the date of birth.

In both cases, you need to temporarily forget about meals by the hour and put the crumbs to the chest as often as possible. Milk production is stimulated, and lactation will return to normal in a few days. There is no need to additionally use supplementary feeding with mixtures: this will only aggravate the situation.

Many mothers worry that at this time the baby eats too often. No need to worry about this. If the problem is that there is not enough milk, then the baby will not be able to overeat. When lactation stabilizes, the baby will begin to fill up and he will become less likely to ask for a breast.

Another couple of moments when you need to forget about the regimen and not deny the child breastfeeding is the period of teething and the illness of the crumbs. During these periods, the baby is weakened, irritated, in pain and discomfort. Breast sucking for him is not so much satisfying his hunger as a search for his mother's support and care. You can not refuse him this in a difficult period for him.

Especially useful for a child. Not all children drink water, which is necessary at a high temperature. While the baby sucks mother's milk even during illness, and this provides the child's body with the necessary fluid

Whether to adhere to a certain regimen and feed the baby by the hour or choose the “on demand” method of breastfeeding is up to the nursing mother to decide. Any of the ways allows you to give the baby the main thing - breast milk. In an effort to give the best to the child, do not forget about yourself and the needs of other family members. With the right approach to business, it will not be difficult to organize life so that the mother has time to feed the baby with breast milk, and devote time to work, and take care of the rest of the household.

More, more, more! These are the magic words for successful breastfeeding. Both experience and scientific research show that when an infant enjoys frequent, unrestricted feedings:

Babies grow better - they bloom.

Breast milk contains the required amount of fat and calories.

Mothers experience less engorgement of the glands and less frequent infections and irritations of the nipples.

Frequent feeding is the most important thing in the first three months of life.

Look at the child, not at the clock. Breastfeeding is a harmonious relationship, not a mathematical exercise. One breastfeeding mother put it this way: "I don't count feeds anymore, I count kisses." In fact, it is the frequency of feedings that stimulates the production of hormones responsible for milk production to a greater extent than the duration of each feeding.

Expert advice. In the past, most health care companies have been pretty lukewarm about breastfeeding. But in the light of recent research, mothers are advised not only to start breastfeeding, but to continue breastfeeding not for months, but for years. The American Academy of Pediatrics in 1997 recommended breastfeeding for twelve months and beyond, for as long as there is mutual desire. The famous General of Surgery, Dr. Antonia Novello, a supporter of prolonged feeding, once proclaimed: "I feel that those children who are breastfed until they are two years old are happy." So when well-meaning friends or relatives exhort you, “How? Are you still feeding?", you can answer that the doctors are on your side.

Breast capacity varies from mother to mother. Mothers with less milk simply need to feed their babies more frequently. Each mother-infant pair enters into continuous, mutual negotiation about the frequency of feedings, ensuring that the supply of milk meets the need for it. How many children, so many models of infant feeding.

Previously, in your relationship with your baby, you implemented the principle that there should be absolutely no regimens for breastfed babies, especially in the first month. The only schedule a child can have is his own. The most beautiful kind of relationship in biology is the relationship between a mother and her child, when the law of supply and demand is worked out for the correct regulation of breastfeeding. And again, listen to your child and look at him, not at the clock. For the first few days, the intensity and duration of sucking during feeding in most children varies from feeding to feeding, and the duration of feeding sometimes reaches even an hour. Newborns will often fall asleep while feeding and then wake up again an hour later and be hungry again. The duration of feeding often depends on the baby's suckling style. Little "gourmets" suck gently and slowly, stopping to savor and look around. "Barracudas" get down to business quickly and eat with a wolf's appetite. Regarding the duration of feedings, do not listen to the old but often given advice: "Start with three minutes at each breast and gradually increase the duration at each breast up to ten minutes, adding one minute." No infant, no experienced mother, would subscribe to this time-limiting advice. Three minutes of feeding from one breast is not enough time even to get your milk flow reflex working. Normal newborns can take a full meal up to an hour. You will notice that the average duration of feedings ranges from fifteen to forty-five minutes, with the average duration of a feeding being around thirty minutes. Longer and more frequent feedings will be in the early weeks of nursing so you can produce more milk. After one or two months, mother and child will develop a mutually satisfying harmonious feeding schedule. Most babies get all the milk they need in the first ten minutes of a feed. But some babies still linger at the breast and enjoy comfortable suckling. This is good for them, and for the release of milk from the mother.

Limiting the duration of feedings was considered a preventive measure against inflammation of the nipples. But now lactation consultants know that the cause of sore nipples is the feeding position and the correct latch on, not the duration of the feeding. If your nipples start to get sore, then you should change the way you feed your baby, not the length or frequency of feedings.

Another myth is that frequent feedings cause painful glandular engorgement. Research shows just the opposite. Mothers who limit the length and frequency of feedings and force babies to sleep longer between feedings are more likely to have problems with nipple engorgement.

You should expect your baby to eat every two to three hours for the first few weeks. We have noticed, and we are not alone, that babies who are thriving (meaning growing to their full potential) usually eat 8-12 times a day for the first few weeks. When your milk production reaches the required level, and you and your baby establish a mutually satisfying feeding schedule, the baby can find other ways of comfort besides breastfeeding.

Feeding frequency and spacing is a hot topic among today's childcare consultants. Feeding interval advocates try to present the feeding schedule as a way to better fit the child into the parent's daily routine. They believe that even newborns should not be fed more than three or four hours a day. This advice can lead to underfeeding of children and ultimately to refusal of breastfeeding. Both experience and science show that fixed intervals between feedings are not suitable for most babies, and that babies who eat more often grow better and cry less. In short, eaters who eat often do well. Frequent feedings are biologically correct. Look, nature gives us a clue as to how often human babies need to be fed. Mothers of animals that are forced to be away from their newborns for long periods of time (called intermittent contact species) produce milk that is very high in fat and calories so that their offspring can thrive on infrequent feedings. Human milk is low in fat and calories, hence the human is a kind of prolonged contact. We can say that babies need to be fed more often and based on how the lactation hormones, prolactin and oxytocin, behave in the body. The term biological half-life means the time during which half of the received substance is absorbed by the body. Prolactin has a very short biological half-life, about half an hour. The half-life of oxytocin is even shorter, about four minutes. From the moment a baby begins to breastfeed, milk-producing hormones are released, so frequent feedings are essential to keep these hormones high. Studies also show that the maximum fat content of breast milk is achieved with short intervals between feedings. The longer and more often the baby is fed, the higher the level of fats in breast milk. By limiting the length and frequency of feedings, you limit the baby's growth and the mother's ability to produce milk.

Care advice: Finish feeding from one breast first. Let the baby determine when he has finished feeding on one side and is ready to move on to the other. The baby will get more of the fat-fortified milk that is produced at the end of a feed if he is allowed to completely empty his first breast first.

How soon can you try to put your baby on a feeding schedule?

If you try to adjust your breastfeeding schedule, you run the risk of problems with both your breasts and your baby. Children who have a strict schedule are less likely to gain weight, and mothers are more likely to have breast engorgement and are more likely to get infections and have more problems with milk production. Babies digest breastmilk faster than formula formula, so they will feel hungry more quickly than those who are formula fed and therefore need more frequent feedings. In addition, in the early months, every two weeks, children need an increased milk flow, during which children eat as intensively as teenagers. Children periodically also need the process of sucking, for the sake of feelings, and not for the sake of food. Sometimes babies are just thirsty, and then they suckle for a little while, just to get some watery milk. All of these needs must be met by breastfeeding, not by a rigid schedule. We prefer the less rigid term breastfeeding routine to describe the successful feeding routine established between mother and baby. A better term is breastfeeding harmony, which implies that the needs of the baby and the capabilities of the mother are mutually agreed upon. During the early months of breastfeeding, it is important for mother and baby to develop their own routine so that the baby gets enough milk and feels comfortable at the breast, and the mother feels happy, rested and calm, responding to the baby's needs. Keep working on a routine that will help you both thrive. This is an ongoing process as the needs of both the baby and the mother change.

Should I feed my baby on demand?

Instead of the term feeding on demand, we prefer the term feeding on a hint. Feeding on demand sounds like something from the era of slavery. And although in fact the first months of the mother are the giving side, and the children are the receiving side, it is important that the mother and child eventually develop a mutually satisfying order that meets the requirements of both members of the nursing couple. Prompt feeding means that you are looking at your baby, whether he is hungry or in need of affection, and respond accordingly: either feed, or pick up, or both. It's good if your needs match and if you feel when the child wants to take a nap. Just like there is a language of love, there is also a language of breastfeeding, learn it to understand your baby's hints, this is the first step to understanding your baby.

Explanation of frequent feedings

Both baby and breasts are designed for frequent feedings. Babies have tiny ventricles and breast milk is digested quickly, so frequent feedings are essential. The results of new research also suggest that frequent feedings for the first three months allow the breast to continue to maintain the desired level of milk production, up to weaning. Breastfeeding experts have observed mothers who feed less often or follow a rigid feeding schedule, and it turns out that such mothers may have enough milk for the first few months, but then often wean the baby earlier because they "do not have enough milk." Analyzing these observations, the following can be noted. Frequent feedings in the first few months keep the mother's prolactin levels (the level of the hormone responsible for milk production) high. Due to frequent feedings, the mammary glands mature, possibly due to the fact that the number and sensitivity to prolactin of receptor sites inside the breast increase, as a result, milk-producing cells become highly sensitive to prolactin. Then, when prolactin levels decrease after the first few months of feeding, the mammary glands can continue to produce enough milk even with less hormonal stimulation. The chest actually becomes more productive. If in the first weeks of feeding did not occur often enough, then the required number of prolactin-sensitive receptor sites will not appear (this happens when feeding on a schedule, with long sleep breaks) and the breast will produce less milk over time. In addition, the importance of frequent feedings is also supported by studies that show that with more frequent feedings, respectively, more breasts are emptied and milk contains more fat (and therefore more calories). This often explains the small weight gain in infants who are fed on a strict schedule. The longer a mother is away from breastfeeding, the lower the fat content of her milk. Allowing your baby to cry until it's time for feedings is disrupting his biorhythms. By the time the baby is brought to the breast, he is already either too upset or falls asleep before he finishes eating. This leads to breast infection in the mother and poor weight gain in the baby. With rigid feeding schedules, too many babies fail to develop fully. Remember that the wonderful biological hint feeding system worked millions of years before the invention of the clock, and a generation of "baby trainers" began to promise to combine breastfeeding with the mother's business schedule. Forget the clock and stick with a program that has been proven to work.

Chastota_kormlenij.txt Last modified: 2012/11/20 09:07 (external edit)