Features of infant feeding

The gazes of parents, girlfriends, and gossips are directed at the baby’s mother. It is very difficult not to drown in the sea, often contradictory advice concerning your baby. How to feed? When? How often and for how long? Should I breastfeed or give preference to artificial feeding? This is just the tip of the iceberg trying to sink the Titanic of maternal composure.

The first piece of advice you’ll get right now is: Don’t panic! A happy mom is a happy baby. Whichever option you choose, it is the mother’s choice and it will be the most correct for your baby. Well, to help, we will tell you about the features of different feeding options.

1. Breastfeeding

Of course, if there are no physiological problems, this is the most harmonious option for mom and baby. During breastfeeding, a very strong relationship with the new little man is established. Maternal feelings are activated, even if they were still fast asleep and refused to wake up. The baby receives a lot of useful substances, protective, increasing immunity, allowing in the shortest possible time to adjust the digestion of enzymes, and simply, maternal warmth. This is the most natural way in biological and psychological terms. And, also, it is absolutely not difficult, in terms of material. If you have chosen this method of feeding, it remains only to decide whether you will feed “on demand” or “by the hour”. And here, the main argument will be how organized you are. And how much willpower you have.

• Feeding the baby by the hour means that you are setting a diet. But, also, the fact that at first you will have to endure the crying of a baby demanding food, if suddenly he wanted to eat earlier. Be logical when choosing this mode. Remember, waking up a sleeping baby to feed is a very strange and absurd decision. The one who is hungry will definitely wake up.
• Feeding on demand means responding to the needs of the baby, spitting on words such as “mode” and “consistency”. In this case, the main thing is not to become a walking pacifier and not to confuse the desire for communication or a message about wet pants with hunger. We offer several rules that will help to avoid negativity in such an approach: the approximate interval between meals of the baby is 2 hours. The duration of sucking is about 20 minutes. If you see that the child is just holding the breast in his mouth or even fell asleep – stimulate sucking, wake up by holding the nose for a while or tickling the cheek. Withstanding such recommendations, you will protect the nipples from cracks, and yourself, in the future, from the role of your favorite nipple.

When choosing breastfeeding, do not forget to lubricate the nipple with a small amount of milk at the end of the baby’s meal. This will protect sensitive skin better than any creams. Keep your breasts clean, but don’t overdo hygiene. It is absolutely not necessary to perform ablutions (especially with disinfecting substances, soap) before each feeding. Be reasonable, you are not lying in the mud. Pay attention to special liners to prevent leakage if there is a lot of milk.

The question of the need for pumping is also very important. So, it is necessary only if there is a lack or absence of milk. Otherwise, the body itself will adjust the amount necessary for your baby (each time a little more comes into the chest than the baby ate last time). If the baby receives only breast milk, he does not need water. The exception is a very hot time. But if the baby refuses, don’t worry. Give him the opportunity, and whether he needs it, the little man will understand for himself.

Of course, it is extremely difficult to tell about all the nuances of breastfeeding in one article. The main thing is to believe that you are doing everything right and follow your inner instinct. Mom’s good mood is one of the most important success factors with this method of feeding. Well, and drink enough fluids, don’t starve yourself. Further acrobatic sketches with a baby and a stroller will help to bring the figure into shape.

2. Artificial feeding or its combination with breast feeding

If mom has anatomical problems with breastfeeding, there are medical contraindications (taking medications, physiology), choose artificial feeding without sadness. Modern mixtures are a high-quality milk substitute. Manufacturers of proven brands of baby food are doing their best to bring the composition of their products closer to breast milk in terms of the amount of nutrients and vitamins. It is not necessary to resort to grandmother’s methods using “babsky” (homemade) milk, semolina and other folk methods to feed the baby. Use nipples with a small hole so that the baby works, getting nourishment, as if sucking his mother’s breast. (This is especially important if artificial feeding is complementary to breastfeeding or is used temporarily as a substitute). Of course, this option is more difficult in material terms. But, we recommend not to forget that it is extremely unreasonable to save on the first year of life, the time when the potential for a lifetime is laid and formed in the body. Do not forget that water is also important for your baby.

Whichever method of feeding you choose for your baby, remember, no one can do it better than you, mom. Talking about the fact that you don’t have enough milk, it’s not fat enough or something else is wrong, that you are irresponsible, feeding mixtures and so on, so on, so on. All these are just sounds made out of stupidity, envy, bad mood or phases of the moon, and they have very little to do with reality. Be sure: you can and will do everything right. Well, in case of doubt, do not forget that the best advice will be given by a doctor. Be attentive to your health and the health of the baby equally. And try to think positively.