Feeding Your Newborn
There are many changes that take place when one becomes a parent; there are new things one has to learn and some old things we ‘relearn’. However, this learning doesn’t happen overnight. There will be good times and bad times which every parent and baby will face and survive. How to feed the newborn is the first nutrition decision that will be made for the child.
Some mums are determined to breastfeed their babies, some opt to combine breast and bottle, while others bottle-feed exclusively. Medical experts recommend breastfeeding as the best choice for newborns.
Breastfeeding your newborn has many advantages. Feeding a newborn can be a very rewarding experience and a time to enjoy a real feeling of closeness. Babies get far more than just nutrition from a feeding, they enjoy the cuddle, the comfort and the satisfaction of a full tummy. Breast milk supplies all the required nutrients for the baby not just during the infancy but for a longer run and is considered perfect food for a human baby’s digestive system.
Breast milk contains vitamins and minerals, and all of its components like lactose, protein and fat that a newborn requires. It is easily digested by a newborn’s immature system. It also contains antibodies that help protect infants from a wide variety of infectious diseases, including diarrhea and decrease the chances of the child becoming overweight or obese. Breast feeding is not only advantageous to the baby but the moms as well; they help them burn calories and shrink the uterus helping them to get back in shape.
If the baby is not breastfed, then it will need infant formula milk. Commercial formulas try to imitate breast milk but the exact composition cannot be duplicated. For reasons like mothers returning to work, mixed feeding can be practiced, that is giving the baby formula milk and breast feeding. This can be a way to maintain the breast feeding as well.
When bottle feeding the baby, it is important to keep the feeding equipment clean and the right formula should be chosen. Although baby formula is cow milk based, cow milk should never supplement infant formula because the baby cannot digest regular milk and it lacks the proper amount of some of the important nutrients found in formula such as vitamin C and iron.
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"Newborns need 8-12 feedings per day, about every 2 to 3 hours. Your newborn's feeding patterns may vary. During growth spurts, they may feed more. Think of every feeding as a bonding time. Aim for feeding routines. Consult a doctor if the baby is not gaining weight or if feeding is painful."
"Engorged breasts are caused by retaining large amounts of breastmilk. Plugged milk ducts, which make the breasts hard or lumpy Mastitis is caused by breastmilk retention, which leads to a breast abscess. Sore or cracked nipples due to holding the baby incorrectly, the baby is unable to latch, making feeding painful."
"A newborn drinks about 45-90 ml every 2-3 hours, and this amount increases as the baby grows. At 2 months, your infant may drink about 120-150ml every 3-4 hours. At 4 months, about 120-180 ml every feed. At 6 months, 180-230 ml 4-5 times a day."
Newborns may feed for upto 20 minutes or more on one or both breasts. As they grow older and become more adept at breastfeeding, they may take 5-10 minutes on each side. How long the baby feeds depends on your milk supply, milk flow, whether the baby has a good latch, whether the baby gulps or takes it slowly, and whether the infant is distracted or sleepy.
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