How to properly feed newborn babies. Proper breastfeeding: advice to a nursing mother. How to apply the baby to the breast

Undoubtedly breast-feeding- the gold standard of nutrition for children. But what to do when a mother cannot breastfeed? Let's say she is sick, she has no or little milk, or there are other reasons. Artificial feeding with milk mixtures is called for help. In order for it to be beneficial, it is important to know all the nuances - how often to feed a newborn with a mixture, how much formula can be given, which one is better to choose, etc.

What is artificial feeding

This is a replacement (full or partial - 2/3 of the diet) of mother's milk with artificial dairy products.

BTW: Ideal for twins, triplets, etc.

Selection rules

It must be done in favor of a quality product. This is not only about the date of manufacture, the duration of storage after opening the package. First of all, it must be correct recommendations pediatrician based on:

food composition,
baby age,
his weight
body features,
reactions to food.
his weight
body features,
reactions to food.

Reasons for replacement

Diarrhea or constipation, drowsiness, increased gas formation? Perhaps the dairy product is not suitable. Feeding takes place in the mode of tears and spitting? Something went wrong, didn’t like the taste or something else. So, you need to consult a doctor for advice and advice. Because there are more serious reasons, forcing the pediatric specialist to replace one formula for artificial feeding to another:

Allergy to the composition (severe rashes).
Requires another, suitable for age.
Due to illness (requires a special composition with medicinal properties).
Stopping weight gain.

BTW: You can not use several different mixtures, give food intended for a different age, or feed a child against his will.

How often can artificial mixtures be changed

No, it is not recommended to do this often and, moreover, arbitrarily without talking with the pediatrician. Children's body it is difficult to readjust quickly or, worse, do it all the time. Try to closely observe the assimilation of the new food by the child:

The rash may go away the next day.
The unfavorable stool improved by evening.
The tummy does not hurt the next morning.
No spitting up or anything like that.

ATTENTION: If something is wrong, pay a visit to the children's clinic. Ask what types of dairy products are ideal.

Mixtures for artificial feeding - types and varieties

Manufacturers manufacture products for artificial feeding of newborns, which are based on milk (goat or cow). She happens:

dry, liquid,
unleavened and fermented milk substitutes for women's milk,
ordinary (the composition is a bit like mother's milk) and adapted (as similar as possible).

Varieties of mixtures for artificial feeding of newborns

The most adapted: with the greatest degree of similarity with mother's milk.
Highly adapted: due to the presence of tauric acid, nutrition is ideal for premature babies.
With less adaptation: from dry cow's milk, without milk whey, but with other adaptation parameters.
With partial adaptation: without whey, with incomplete adaptation of carbohydrates and fats, starch and sucrose; unacceptable for newborns.
Special: for special occasions when special nutrition is required (babies with a weakened immune system, premature babies).
Therapeutic (lactose-free, soy, semi-elementary, with thickeners - for allergies, malabsorption of food in the intestines, low weight, disorders of the intestinal flora, etc.).

ATTENTION: Medicinal and special mixtures are prescribed by a doctor according to indications!

How often to feed a newborn formula - feeding schedule

Is it possible to feed the baby at will and demand? No, it's better not to.

Firstly, this is not mother's milk, which comes in proportion to what he sucked in the previous feeding.

Secondly, the baby's body needs time to digest artificial food. Otherwise, if the break is not observed, nothing good will come from adding fresh food to undigested food.

When a baby is bottle-fed, he must consume the prescribed amount of food, and strictly by the hour.

How to enter the mixture correctly - cooking rules

If this is the first introduction to the diet of dairy products (or new), then carry out the process for 5-7 days. Initially, a small volume is offered (no more than one third of the prescribed portion). If everything went well, the amount of food increases during the week.

Rules for the preparation of milk formula and feeding

The first thing to do is to carefully read the cooking instructions. dairy product and stick to it. A larger or smaller amount of the contents of a pack or jar is fraught with belching, regurgitation, unstable stools and other consequences that are dangerous for the liver, kidneys, pancreas and other organs. When preparing a mass that a tiny artificial man must certainly like, keep in mind:

It is prepared exclusively before feeding and in no case - not for the future.

Water (boiled) and product mix quickly in desired proportion until complete dissolution. The bottle is then shaken.

It is necessary to cook only in well-sterilized dishes.

For breeding, specialized water without harmful substances is used.

The feeding nipple must be suitable for the baby.

REMEMBER: The temperature of the cooked food should be 36-37° (by dropping a drop on your wrist, check - the liquid should not be felt).

How to calculate the required amount of formula for feeding

The norm is calculated based on the age of the crumbs, weight and appetite. In principle, the so-called. "bulk method". For example, per day the main food should be:

in the first two months of life - 1/5 body weight,
in 2-4 months - 1/6,
at 4-6 months - 1/7,
after six months - 1/8-1/9.

Example. The weight of an infant aged 3.5 months is 5700. Give him 950 ml adapted mixture per day. But the approximate amount of food, as well as how many hours to feed, is specified in each case separately with the doctor, and not “by eye”.

REMEMBER: Your little "artificial" can eat different amounts of food at a time. The determining factor may be well-being, appetite and other factors.

How much food is needed in one feeding?

To do this, the daily volume is divided by the number of receptions. Those. from the formula 950:6 = 158 we see that at a time through the required period of time (with six feedings) the little one should be given about 160 g.

BTW: In volume artificial product juice, water, decoctions of fruits and vegetables are not included. If the menu includes complementary foods ( vegetable puree, yolk, cottage cheese), the fact should be taken into account when determining the desired volume of the mixture.

How to properly formula feed your baby

Before feeding with powder or liquid products mixed with baby water, the temperature of the resulting mass is checked (should not be higher than 36.6-37 degrees).
It is important to observe that the baby does not swallow air while sucking.
Unused mixture should not be given again.
The child should be in a semi-vertical position.
After eating, the dishes and the nipple must be sterilized with high quality.

NEED TO KNOW: Is there anything left in the bottle? Pour it out, because you can’t leave a drop next time!

How many times to feed - feeding schedule

How to find out after what time, how many times to feed the "artificial"? Their feeding schedule is usually traditional. So, in the first month of life, it is necessary to give food 6-7 times, i.e. a break is maintained somewhere in 3-3.5 hours. (At night, the interval can be about 6 hours). After the interval increases.

ATTENTION: If you notice that the “artificial” baby is not enough, he does not eat up, consult a doctor about increasing the number of feedings.

In a word, everything is determined, and then, if necessary, the doctor will correct it. For example, the baby will not cope with the recommended volume at a time. So, feed more often, but in smaller portions.

One way or another, it is advisable to closely monitor the behavior of the little one. He should not be lethargic and inactive. Should be gaining weight well. Otherwise, at the reception, at the clinic!

BTW: Include water in your formula-fed diet! But do not take it into account when calculating the total volume daily allowance children's meal.

When preparing food, take the mixture with a clean measuring spoon.
In the first days, prepare the desired volume by adding 10-20 ml. When the “artificial” baby’s diet improves, it will be easier to select the amount.
Yes, milk during artificial feeding is longer in the stomach, and therefore the regimen is established. But if the baby becomes very worried about 15-20 minutes before feeding, do not torment - feed.
The nipple should be with a normal, not a large hole - the milk does not flow in streams, but drips.
Hold the bottle in such a way that the milk fills the neck. Otherwise, swallowing air with milk, the baby will burp.
Do not leave him alone with the horn - burping, he may choke.
Don't feed while you sleep.
Go to the clinic if you notice frequent regurgitation, insufficient weight gain and height, frequent (more than three times a day) stools with undigested lumps, any anxiety before or after meals.

Advantages of artificial feeding

So, is there no breast milk, or are there other good reasons for not breastfeeding? Do not rush to get upset! Yes, recommended to you artificial nutrition does not contain such unique elements of human milk. But still, this feeding system has its advantages.

You can entrust feeding to your husband or someone from your family, and go away on business.
By feeding the child in this way, the mother knows how much food he needs. Therefore, you will immediately notice health problems.
You can, unlike breastfeeding moms, continue to eat as before.
You are not threatened with mastitis and other problems that arise during breastfeeding.
Due to the longer digestion of the mixture, the number of meals is reduced. So, you can devote much more time to yourself, your family and your favorite business!

Mother's milk is the best food for a baby. Store-bought milk, infant formula, teas, juices, cereals and water cannot replace breast milk. Not only are they not of particular benefit to the baby, but they can also harm him. From their use, the baby begins problems with the intestines, allergic rashes, constipation, etc.

Breastfeeding promotes easy assimilation of milk by the child's body. A child who receives regular breast milk grows up healthy, has strong immunity and thrives in intellectual development. With mother's milk, he receives protective antibodies to many diseases.

Fundamentals of proper breastfeeding

The first breastfeeding occurs immediately after the baby is born. As a rule, the first 3-4 days after childbirth, the mother does not yet have milk, but there is colostrum, which is very nutritious and quite enough to feed the newborn. The whole further process of feeding depends on how correctly the child was first attached to the breast, since improper attachment is practically a guarantee of the appearance of cracks in the nipples, and as a result, very severe pain in the mother, against which she can completely refuse breastfeeding. However, all this can be avoided by observing only the following basic rules:

the child's mouth should be wide open and capture not only the nipple, but also the maximum area of the entire areola, while the baby's lower lip should be turned inside out;
the breast should not cover the nose of the newborn;
in order for the child to grasp the nipple more easily, the mother should take the breast about a couple of centimeters from the halo, and, as it were, put it into the baby's mouth.

How to breastfeed properly

Knowing the basics of how breastfeeding should be done is half the battle, but in order to prolong the feeding process for as long as possible, and to make it most comfortable for both herself and the baby, the mother should also know the basic rules of feeding, which are as follows :

the body of the baby, with the exception of the head, should be on the same straight line and closely pressed against the mother's, while the head should be slightly raised;
when sucking, the child should not make smacking or other sounds, as this indicates an improper grip on the nipple and can lead to air entering, which is fraught with colic and gas in the baby;
the child's mouth should be at the same level as the halo;
the baby should be brought to the nipple, but not the nipple to it;
the chin should not be strongly pressed to the chest;
desirable presence drinking water at hand, since breastfeeding is a process that takes a lot of water from the body of a nursing mother;
for convenience and in order to seamlessly change the position of the body at any time, pillows should be nearby.

How much to breastfeed

There is no set time frame for breastfeeding. All children differ from each other in character, desires and needs. It can only be noted that the minimum time that healthy newborn should spend at the chest, is 30 minutes. Max Time each child chooses for himself.

The newborn himself must determine the time that he will spend at the breast. Some babies suckle very actively at the breast and quickly release it when they are full. Others eat very slowly, so breastfeeding lasts longer. When you try to pull the nipple out of the mouth of a sleeping baby, he immediately wakes up and starts eating again. At such a moment, it is necessary to wake the baby so that he continues to suckle;
Each mother decides for herself how long to continue breastfeeding. Many factors can influence this: maternity leave, mother's desire to breastfeed, the state of her health;
immediately after the birth of a child, breastfeeding occurs about 10 times a day. Over time, their number is reduced, because the baby grows and begins to learn about the world around him.

During one feeding, the child should receive only one breast. The next time, offer a different baby, all the time alternating them. Such a tactic will allow you to establish lactation. Prolonged sucking on one breast allows the baby to receive "front" liquid milk and thick "back", which contains the main part nutrients. If the child is not satisfied, then you can give him a second breast.

However, a woman does not always have enough milk, this may be due to the rapid growth of a baby at the age of about 2 months. During this period, the baby may not eat from one breast, so you should continue breastfeeding from both at once. This will allow you to keep breastfeeding and will not leave the baby hungry. The mistake many mothers make is that soft chest is perceived by them as empty, so the child is immediately offered a second one. In this case, it is very easy to overfeed the baby, because excess food can cause profuse regurgitation and colic in the abdomen.

As for the frequency of feeding, it is individual choice every mom. In the first months, while lactation is established, it is recommended to feed the baby on demand. At the same time, no one monitors the time interval. Further, mommy can set her own frequency of feeding after a period of time convenient for her, but at least once every 3-4 hours. Over time, the child gets used to this regimen and wakes up exactly on time.

Benefits of breastfeeding for mom and baby

Breastfeeding has a number of advantages over artificial feeding, not only for the mother, but also for the child. As for the mother directly, the following main advantages can be distinguished:

rapid weight loss, since breastfeeding burns an average of 500-700 calories at a time;
the hormonal background returns to normal much faster;
in a nursing woman, breast cancer and mastopathy are diagnosed many times less often.

Benefits for the child:

with mother's milk, the baby receives important minerals, vitamins and antibodies that make his immunity very strong, thereby protecting the body from the penetration of viruses, bacteria and infections;
the process of breast sucking contributes to the correct development of the jaw and facial muscles of the face, as well as the bite in the child;
According to statistics, breastfed children have a more stable psyche, are more self-confident, easily make contact with people, and reach great heights in their careers.

Positions for breastfeeding

One of important aspects breastfeeding is right choice posture that will be comfortable for both mother and child. The main postures used in feeding are the lying and sitting postures. The “sitting” position is the most versatile, in which the mother sits, and the child is in her arms, while the head lies on the bend of the elbow of one arm, and the other child holds on to the back.

The lying position can be done in three positions:

"lying on your side". This is the most comfortable position for mom, as it allows her to relax a little and even take a nap. In this position, the baby is placed facing the mother in such a way that the nose touches the chest. This can be achieved by placing a pillow under it, or by laying the head on the bend of the elbow;
"lying on your back". With this position, the baby is located on the mother, clinging to her stomach with his tummy, while his head is slightly turned to the side;
"overhang". This position is considered the most effective for feeding, as it helps the child to receive not only "forward" milk, but also more nutritious "rear" milk, located in the lower sections of the chest. For feeding in this position, the mother lies on her stomach, while the breast seems to hang over the baby, and his head is slightly turned to the side. It is very important to ensure that the breast in no case presses the baby.

Until what age to breastfeed a baby

For the first six months, the baby needs breast milk the most. Breastfeeding during this period will have a positive effect on general condition child.

6 months is the age when most babies are introduced to their first solid foods. Now the baby's diet should consist not only of mother's milk, but also of other food. Gradually, the need to breastfeed fades into the background. The more complementary foods are introduced to the child, the less breastfeeding remains.

6 months is the minimum breastfeeding time recommended by pediatricians.

According to the recommendation of the Ministry of Health, the optimal duration of breastfeeding is on average a year, but not more than 15 months. This is due to the fact that when a child reaches one year of age, milk does not play so much important role for his health. In addition, mothers who breastfeed children for more than 18 months are more likely than others to be diagnosed with diseases such as ovarian cysts, breast lumps, endometriosis of the uterus, associated with the constant presence in the body increased amount the hormone prolactin.

Night feedings

According to children's doctors and breastfeeding specialists, until the child reaches six months of age, night feedings are necessary.

It contributes better lactation and thanks to night feedings, a woman will be able to fully breastfeed her baby for a long time. Therefore, even a baby sleeping all night, it is necessary to wake up for feeding at least a couple of times a night.

After the child is six months old, it is necessary to reduce night feedings, or abandon them completely. This will give the mother the opportunity to sleep well and will not harm the child in any way, on the contrary, it will help to avoid problems with the teeth. Dentists believe that after the appearance of the first teeth, night feedings should be abandoned.

What is the best way to reduce the number of night feedings? The following will help with this:

every evening, before going to bed at night, the child should be bathed in warm water at 36-37 degrees, then feed well and put to bed. This will help the baby fall asleep soundly and not wake up for feedings for at least 3 or 4 hours.
creating a cool and humid microclimate in the child's room. The temperature in the room should not exceed 20 ° C, and the humidity should be at around 50-70%. With these parameters, the baby will sleep soundly and calmly.

When to Express Breast Milk

Moms who breastfeed on demand usually don't need to express their milk. If the baby is at the breast most of the time, then he will not let the milk stagnate in it. The need for pumping arises in the following cases:

If, due to some circumstances, the first weeks after the birth of a child, you are not with him, but you plan to start fully breastfeeding him as soon as possible;
If you have to leave the baby with someone close for a long time, but you want the child to receive exactly breast milk;
If the newborn's milk requirement is less than the amount in your breast.

This last point is a subject of frequent controversy between breastfeeding specialists and neonatologists. Some are in favor of pumping, others are against it. The main argument in favor of pumping is the risk of lactational mastitis.

Dr. Komarovsky believes that in Lately increased incidence of lactational mastitis. He associates it with frequent recommendations mothers to stop pumping altogether.

Lactational mastitis is an inflammation of the breast that occurs during breastfeeding. To a greater extent, the cause of this disease is lactostasis (milk stagnant in the chest). If the stagnation of milk in the breast does not go away for more than 3 days, then it is almost impossible to avoid the occurrence of lactational mastitis. This situation occurs when the baby does not constantly suck out all the accumulated milk from the mother's breast, and the mother does not then express the rest. Milk that has stagnated in the breast is a good breeding ground for microbes.

Also, the need for pumping arises if the baby is not looked after by the mother herself. Many mothers go to work quite quickly after giving birth, leaving the child in the care of grandmothers or nannies. If the mother wants to leave the child to breastfeed mother's milk, you need to take care of this in advance: decant and put in the refrigerator. Milk expressed and frozen according to all the rules will not differ from what the baby receives from maternal breast. All benefits are retained.

Feeding a newborn on demand is considered a new phenomenon. However, this method is older than clock feeding. Feeding on demand is the basis of breastfeeding, which is formed naturally and adapts to the rhythm of the child. Many physicians and breastfeeders choose this particular approach and pay attention only to the baby's needs. Let's look at each approach in more detail.

By regime

This method implies that the newborn is fed by the hour. The first month, the baby receives a breast every three hours and sucks for 30 minutes. As they grow older, the intervals between feedings increase, and the duration of attachments decreases. Feeding at night is not recommended, and the interval between applications during this period is 6 hours.

The child has a clear daily routine;
The baby does not need to be fed at night;
Mom knows exactly when to feed a newborn and when she will have free time;
No need for co-sleeping;
Some pediatricians believe that such feeding improves digestion and absorption of food due to the timely production of gastric juice.

Often the child has to be supplemented with milk mixtures, which will negatively affect the development of the baby. Such food can cause allergies in a newborn, and children switch to complementary foods as early as 3-4 months.

The dangerous consequences of this method are the extinction of lactation and increased risk development of breast diseases in a nursing mother. Please note that the production of breast milk is directly dependent on the application of the child. The fewer applications, the less milk stands out. And as a result, milk accumulates in the glands, which often leads to painful sensations in the chest, the appearance of seals and lactostasis.

Feeding by the hour does not guarantee mom at all good night, since such a long break in the first two to three months causes severe hunger in the baby. As a result, the baby often wakes up and cries. But over time, the child gets used to such night breaks, and in the future he already sleeps peacefully. However, as practice shows, such children grow up more insecure and anxious.

The basics of feeding by regimen

Feed a certain number of times a day. Newborns up to three months are applied seven times every 3 hours. Babies aged 3-5 months are fed six times in 3.5 hours. From six months to a year, the number of feedings is reduced to five times with an interval of 4 hours;
The duration of feeding in the first month is 30 minutes, then - 15 minutes;
In one feeding, the baby is given only one breast, and in the next - the second;
At night, the interval between applications is 6 hours;
If milk remains in the breast after feeding, pumping is necessary.

On demand

With this approach, the baby is fed when he wants it. The duration and number of applications are not limited. The child is not force-fed, but is breastfed only when he wants to. But they don’t take it away until the baby is full and stops eating or falls asleep. As a rule, such feedings occur every 1.5-2.5 hours during the day and at least 3 times at night. Such a rhythm does not harm the baby at all and does not lead to spoiled child, as many believe.

The first two or three weeks, most of the time will have to be given to feeding the newborn. In the first month, the number of feedings can reach 18-20 times a day or more. But over time, the duration and the number of attachments gradually decrease themselves. By the age of three months, their own regime is being formed, which the baby has chosen and installed on his own.

This contributes to successful, harmonious and long-term breastfeeding, which has a beneficial effect on the development of the baby. You can read about the benefits of breast milk for a baby.

Pros:

The kid fully receives substances and elements for harmonious growth and development;
The newborn is less tormented by colic, gases and other stomach disorders;
baby gets required amount food and does not need to be supplemented with milk mixtures;
The child does not need to be supplemented with water and there is no need to introduce early and premature complementary foods;
Frequent applications - good stimulation of lactation and prevention various diseases breasts in lactating women;
This method improves lactation, which avoids problems with a lack of milk for the newborn;
Natural and regular breastfeeding does not require pumping;
Frequent application completely satisfies the sucking reflex, soothes the child and allows you to do without a pacifier;
Such babies grow up healthier, more confident and calmer.

Minuses This method lies in the fact that before the first feeding, breast milk will be the only food for the baby, so the mother always needs to be ready for the feeding process. In addition, a woman will have to adapt to the rhythm of the baby, take the baby to bed and sleep together. A woman should be prepared for lack of sleep and fatigue. A strong affection the baby will not allow the mother to go away for a long time and leave the child with someone else.

Fundamentals of on-demand feeding

Attach the baby on demand, do not wait strong crying or tantrums. When the baby is hungry, he behaves restlessly and begins to move his lips;
The number and duration of feedings are not limited. Do not take the breast from the baby until he is full. When the child is full, he himself releases the nipple or falls asleep;
Use nipples and pacifiers that replace breasts as little as possible. Modern pediatricians recommend completely excluding such devices during natural breastfeeding. The pros and cons of using a pacifier;
Don't give your child water. Up to 6-7 months, the baby does not need it, since milk contains the necessary amount of water and fully satisfies the baby's needs for liquid. As an exception for severe colic sometimes you can give a newborn dill water. And in extreme heat, wipe the child wet wipes, bathe more often and do air baths;
With one feeding, both breasts are used. First, the child completely empties one breast, and only then receives the second. It is important that the baby receives both foremilk and hindmilk.
Sleep together at first. will have a positive impact on mental development child. In addition, at night, mom will be able to quickly breastfeed.

Whether it is worth feeding a newborn on time or on demand, each nursing mother decides individually. Today, however, pediatricians insist on prolonged breastfeeding and breastfeeding at the request of the child. This has a positive effect on the well-being of the mother and the development of the baby. Feeding on demand satisfies both physiological and psychological needs newborn.

There are young mothers in the postpartum ward who have no idea how to breastfeed properly. The nurse brings the children, quickly distributes them to the women, and runs away on other business. One sleeps, the other cries, the third took the very tip of the nipple with his lips and greedily draws milk, and there is no one nearby who can give advice, teach how the first feeding of a newborn should take place. About 30 years ago, this situation was in almost every maternity hospital, babies were taken away from their mothers, they were not allowed to drink the healing colostrum that appears immediately after childbirth. Now you can avoid such an attitude if you take care in advance about choosing an institution in which the long-awaited baby will be born. In most good maternity hospitals, mothers are taught how to breastfeed their baby properly.

Choosing the right maternity hospital

Future parents dream that their baby will be born in the most best conditions. You made inquiries in advance about the qualifications of doctors, the method of conducting childbirth, and the availability of modern equipment. Do not forget to ask about the environment in which the newborn will spend his first days. still exist medical institutions, where the baby is immediately taken away from the mother, they are not allowed to be in the same room, but for the first feeding baby bring not earlier than a day later. There are also not villains working there, but qualified specialists, and they justify their methods with reasonable arguments. How to understand which is better?

One of the arguments of the supporters separation nursing mother and newborn: the woman is tired, the first days she needs to lie down alone, relax and gain strength. At the same time, for some reason, it is not taken into account that the baby was also very hard, he went through a difficult path through the narrow birth canals and ended up in a new, completely unfamiliar world. The child is stressed, he wants to snuggle up to native person and ended up all alone in an unfamiliar bed. Cannot be separated physiological reasons. Immediately after birth, the baby should take the breast and drink the first drops of colostrum, which have an analgesic and sedative effect. All fears will be left behind, the baby will fall into a dream. It will also signal female body that it is time for the uterus to contract, and milk should be produced in the breast.

It is in the first days that the lactation algorithm is laid, and if you follow the rules of breastfeeding from the very beginning, the child will not need any additional food. The composition and quantity of milk is not constant, the mother's body adapts to the needs of the children and produces the food that he needs this month. Do not interfere with natural processes, and you will be able to breastfeed your baby up to 2 years.

First feeding

The first application to the breast should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist who will give the right tips How to teach your baby to breastfeed. In the first days, get used to getting comfortable. Breastfeeding is not just the absorption of food by the newborn, but also your communication, which should bring joy to both mother and baby. What pleasure can there be if uncomfortable posture arm numbness or back pain? First, position yourself so that you are comfortable for about half an hour, and then you can already attach the baby to your chest. The first days it is better to feed lying down: you have not yet grown stronger after childbirth, the tears have not healed - you need to give rest to your exhausted body.

Arrange the baby next to him, hold him with one hand and see if he lies correctly:

the body is straightened and turned with the tummy to the mother;
the head is slightly tilted back;
cheeks and nose are pressed to the chest, but not too much so that the child can breathe freely.

If the baby has not started to eat, you need to teach him to take the breast. Run your nipple across lower lip. When the baby opens its mouth, put the nipple in there. Correct grip on the breast: The outward-turning lips cover almost the entire dark area around the nipple. Listen to the baby suckling: you should not hear panting, smacking, and no other sounds other than swallowing.

Some kids love their mother's breasts so much that, even after eating, they do not want to let her go. Do not pull out the nipple by force, this may cause cracks. When you realize that he has eaten as much as necessary, gently press the baby's chin, and if he still does not open his lips, carefully insert the tip of your little finger into his mouth and turn your finger slightly. The baby will open its mouth, and you can easily release the breast.

Take a comfortable posture

There is no single the best pose to feed the baby various circumstances you can get settled in different ways. For the first month, it is better to breastfeed lying down, this will be a wonderful rest for the mother and will help the organs damaged during childbirth recover. Then you can feed and sitting, and reclining, and standing, and in motion. It is better not to stop at one position, but to change positions each time and teach the child to take the breast in any position. If all the time it is located the same way, some part of the breast may be constantly clamped, milk will stagnate in it. If once you fed the baby while sitting, and in the other lying down, the breast will be completely free.

When feeding sitting, take care of a comfortable place. The back should not get tired so that the mother does not fidget and disturb the baby. The leg located under the nursing breast, put not a slight elevation. Both of you will get real pleasure if feeding takes place in a rocking chair. A quiet rocking will lull both the baby and the mother, you will take a sweet nap together. Take care in advance that the baby does not fall out of your hands, secure it with a sling.

Within a month, the wounds will heal, and the nursing mother will want to move more. If you don’t want to sit with your baby in your arms for a long time, learn how to breastfeed a newborn while standing, here, too, the sling will become your reliable assistant. Turn on gentle music and spin with the baby in a smooth dance. The time will come, and you will be able to do a lot with the baby at the breast, just do not do things that require all your attention. You will communicate with the baby, and let your hands do their usual work. And when you get tired, lie down and take a nap together.

After feeding, be sure to hold the baby vertically for several minutes so that air can escape from the stomach.

When to feed the baby and how long to keep him at the breast?

There are many recommendations for mothers about the schedule of breastfeeding. The range of opinions is very wide: both the guidance to strictly follow the established regimen, and advice to breastfeed at any time when the baby cries. No need to go to extremes, it is better to independently determine what is best for you and the baby. Having chosen the right tactic, stick to it all the time, then your body will also adapt to this routine and begin to produce as much milk as it needs. In the first month, the baby will eat 7 to 10 times a day. If you feed him more often, the baby will not suck out the milk completely.

Keep the baby at the breast for about half an hour: if he stops sucking after a few minutes, he will drink only the first, most liquid, portion, and the most nutritious last milliliters will remain in the chest. You need to teach the baby to eat everything without a trace. If he fell asleep, remove the nipple and gently stroke his cheeks, the baby will wake up and continue the meal. If he is already full, then more nipples won't take. Feed only one breast each time, most often milk is produced as much as needed, especially the first month. It’s just that little sly ones don’t always try to eat up to the end, it’s more convenient for them to take another breast and suck without difficulty. A second breast can be given if there is really not enough milk.

Until the baby is one month old, one feeding should be enough for him for at least two hours. If the child asks for breasts more often, do not refuse the first days, but figure out why the baby does not eat as much as he needs. When he falls asleep, try to wake him up and feed him; if the mother does not have enough milk in one breast, give the second one and get advice from the doctor in the near future on how to increase the production of food for the baby. If there is too much milk and the baby cannot eat it, be sure to express the rest after each feeding. Stagnation can lead to mastitis.

Do not wash your breasts with soap before each feeding, carry out this procedure only in the morning, and in the middle of the day it is enough to wipe the nipple with boiled water. The skin contains a special lubricant that prevents the growth of bacteria, frequent use soap destroys this protection.

Problems and mistakes of young mothers

Why study advice on how to breastfeed correctly, if nature has already laid the sucking instinct in children, the baby will still take the breast and eat up milk? Of course, he will not remain hungry, only then he will suffer from gases and colic, and his mother will cry from pain in cracked nipples and treat mastitis. You heard creepy stories, how, just a month after the birth, the breasts swelled and hardened, abscesses appeared, requiring surgical operation? In them we are talking for those mothers who feel that there is no need to follow any advice, proper breastfeeding will happen naturally.

Proper breastfeeding gives both mother and baby great joy, do not deprive yourself of this pleasure.

Cracked nipples deliver to women severe pain. Do not stop breastfeeding newborns because of this, but get it at the pharmacy special pads. In the first month there are often small wounds, but discomfort they arise only at the moment when the baby takes the breast, then everything goes away. Never decide for yourself whether to transfer a child to artificial nutrition or not when a nursing mother is sick. At dangerous infections or serious illnesses breastfeeding may be contraindicated, but only the doctor makes such a decision.

Each generation of doctors brings its own innovations, and they are not always beneficial. Ask old pediatricians if it is necessary to give the baby water, and they will unanimously answer: it is necessary already in the first days, milk is food, not drink. Now it is believed that the mother's breast gives the baby everything it needs, it does not need to be watered or supplemented. Like any question, this problem requires individual approach. If a nursing mother has very thick milk, and the heat is unbearable outside, it is not surprising that the baby will be thirsty. In the first month, the doctor will prescribe blood and urine tests, their results will show whether the child is dehydrated or not. Elevated hemoglobin and red blood cells, low ESR can signal that the baby is not getting as much fluid as he needs.

A young woman is in doubt: to breastfeed her baby or switch to mixtures in the first month so as not to spoil the figure? In fact, there is no problem: the shape of the bust depends on natural features, body care, and lifestyle. There are women who have nursed several children up to a year old and retained breasts that are not ashamed to show at a beauty contest. There are nulliparous girls who are forced to insert silicone to lift saggy perches. Feed your newborn properly beautiful shapes will soon recover.

Breastfeeding is a whole science that young mothers have to master in a matter of days. What the baby will eat in the coming year depends on the quality of the learned material. Properly established breastfeeding (HB) will allow the child to receive valuable and incredibly healthy breast milk, relieve mom from stagnation, lactostasis and mastitis, and make the process of motherhood pleasant and calm. If you do not understand the principles of GV from the very beginning, this can turn into a neurosis, bad dream, problems with the mammary gland, and as a result - artificial feeding. Which, by the way, entails a lot of questions, because not every mixture is suitable for a child, you need to select the right product in an experimental way, which leads to additional health problems and financial costs. That is why, from the very beginning of motherhood, you need to tune in to breastfeeding, talk with doctors, experienced friends, and invite a breastfeeding consultant. All of them will help to establish this natural process, and then feeding will bring pleasure to you and your child.

In the process of establishing breastfeeding, the issue of feeding time is very acute. Regarding this, there are two opinions - to feed the child on demand or by the hour. A couple of decades ago, our mothers fed us in maternity hospitals strictly at certain hours, at other times the child was not even next to her mother. Today World Organization Health recommends feeding the baby on demand - that is, when he wants it. Each of the feeding methods has its advantages and disadvantages, and it is up to you what you choose for your baby.

Feeding on demand

This is the most correct, healthy and natural way feeding. Even animals feed their young when the kids want it. This is especially important in the first days after childbirth - when only colostrum is released from the breast. Do not worry - colostrum is enough for the child, it performs an important function - populates the intestines of the crumbs with beneficial bacteria, starts digestion. Already 3-5 days after birth, full-fledged breast milk comes. In the first month, it is very important to feed the baby on demand, that is, when the baby cries. After all, it is during this period that the body is rebuilt, determines how much milk the child needs. Here are some tips and tricks for feeding on demand.

It is necessary to give the baby a breast with any concern - this will not only saturate the baby, but also increase milk production, because the more the baby is applied to the breast, the more the breast will pour next time. Feeding on demand is main way increase the amount of milk.

Breast for a child is not only food, but comfort, unity with the mother, protection. Feeding on demand allows you to get all these wonderful feelings any time the baby wants it, when his tummy hurts, he is cold or just bored.

Feeding on demand will protect the mother from mastitis, because milk simply does not have time to stagnate in short periods of time.
It has been proven that a baby who receives a breast at any time suffers less from colic and gas, as he does not experience strong feeling hunger and does not overeat after long "hungry" intervals.

If you are breastfeeding your baby at any time it is necessary for him, it is better to practice co-sleeping.

Try to feed your baby from one breast at a time from start to finish. The fact is that the foremilk is more liquid, it is easier to suck it out, for the baby it is a drink. But hindmilk, which is more difficult to suck out, more fatty, is considered food.

A child who is fed on demand does not develop such bad habits like sucking fingers, fists, etc. If you always give your baby a breast, he does not get used to a dummy, the sucking reflex is completely satisfied.

Frequent feeding saves during the period of illness of the child. Firstly, it is the replenishment of fluid, which is so necessary in case of temperature or poisoning. Secondly, the baby calms down, more easily tolerates discomfort during teething and colic. Thirdly, breast milk contains immunoglobulins, which form the immunity of the crumbs and protect it from viruses.

Psychologists say that children who are fed on demand grow up more calm and self-confident. After all, they early childhood know that mom is always there and will come to the rescue if necessary, protect and reassure. And this is very important for the development of the future personality.

Feeding by the hour

This method assumes strict regime feeding - after a certain period of time. Remember Soviet times- at night, the children were not fed from the maternity hospital, the last feeding was at 12:00, and the first in the morning at 6:00. That is, newborn children had a huge period of time without food - 6 hours. What are the features and benefits of feeding by the hour, let's try to figure it out.

Feeding by the hour can only be done in the second or third month of a child's life, when lactation improves. If you feed your baby on a schedule from birth, with long periods without suckling, the amount of milk can be drastically reduced as unnecessary. If you don't want to breastfeed right now, it's best to express your milk so you don't lose it.

Feeding by the clock allows the mother to sleep at night. This is a very dubious plus, because the stimulation of lactation is especially intense under morning time from 3 to 8 am. If at this time the breast is not sucked, the hormone oxytocin is not produced, there will be less and less milk each time.

Babies of the first months of life need to be fed every 2-2.5 hours, no more. The stomach of a child of this age is very small, the baby should eat often. With age, this interval can be increased to 3-4 hours.

Feeding by the hour makes mom's life more understandable and simple, as mom can plan her day, leave things to certain time and even leave the house if someone looks after the baby.

Some mothers choose a cross between feeding by the clock and feeding on demand. If you listen to your baby's body, you will notice that the child asks for food at approximately equal intervals of time, you can focus on this time and life will obey a certain regimen.

But remember that in some cases, feeding by the hour is strictly contraindicated. Firstly, these are the first 2-3 weeks of a baby's life. Secondly, every 2-3 months a woman develops lactation crisis when there is not enough milk, because the baby is growing rapidly. At these moments, you need to give the baby a breast as often as possible in order to "increase" the amount of milk produced. Thirdly, you need to abandon the regimen if you see that the child really wants to eat. If the baby is crying, you took him in your arms, shook him, and the child is looking for the chest with his mouth and does not stop crying - most likely, he is hungry. So, in the past feeding, the baby didn’t eat or burped, in general, you need to discard all the rules and feed the baby again.

Do I need to wake my baby up for feeding?

Many mothers are wondering if it is worth feeding the baby if he sleeps for a long time, does not wake up and does not ask for a breast? healthy body A newborn baby cannot sleep for more than five hours in a row without food, doctors say. Therefore, a child who sleeps longer than the specified time without waking up is very rare. This does not apply to artificial ones - a hearty mixture allows you to stay without food much longer than breast milk.

To answer a disturbing question, you need to know how much a child sleeps. If the baby sleeps for more than five hours, you should definitely wake him up - slowly stir him up with strokes and touches. If the baby is underweight or premature, it is necessary to wake him up, no more than three hours later. Such children need enhanced nutrition in order to quickly get stronger and gain weight, a long sleep may be due to weakness, it is impossible not to feed such children. It is also necessary to wake the baby for feeding if a long sleep was caused by taking certain drugs.

Feeding is a completely understandable and intuitive process. A loving and caring mother, after a few days of life, the crumbs can understand that the child is crying precisely from hunger. Love your baby, feed him when he wants to, do not wait for artificial periods of time. And then the child will grow and develop well.