Basics of Feeding
During the first few weeks, you will find that feeding prevails over everything. It may take some time for this to become a convenient, regular action, but if you have someone at home who will support and monitor your condition, the process will be faster and more successful.
You probably already decided whether to breastfeed your baby or from a bottle, but there are moments that need to be considered: how often and who should feed the baby. First you will probably be concerned with the question whether you are doing the right thing, whether the child is getting enough nutrients, but when you notice that the baby is growing and enjoying life, you will gradually relax and become trusted in your opinion and perception.
How often to feed a child
Not so long ago, children were fed on a strict schedule - every four hours, regardless of whether they were yelling with a good motherfucker from hunger to the time set for feeding. Now, most experts recommend a more flexible approach - to feed the child when he, in your opinion, is hungry. In the first few weeks, the baby should be fed often, so if you think that you first need to breastfeed it every two hours or from a bottle every three hours, you can plan your day accordingly.
At first it may seem that you do nothing, but only feed, but this period will not last forever, so think of each feeding as an opportunity to sit down and relax. When the child grows up over the next few weeks, you will most likely notice that the periods between feedings have increased and that the baby himself will enter the feeding regime four hours later. However, each child has his own "attitude" to the regime, so do not be surprised if your children will have this transition earlier.
Sometimes children of a smaller size or sleepy( perhaps from medications that you received
during labor) do not always express their desire to eat. In this case, do not leave the baby without food for more than 5-6 hours.
AS MUCH FOOD NEEDS A CHILD
The need for food varies greatly among children, and you will find that sometimes your child eats more, sometimes less. Provide an opportunity for his appetite to control the amount eaten, but remember the general guidance: if you are breastfeeding, the child will eat as much as he needs;if you feed from a bottle, the child needs 75-100 ml of milk formula for every half a kilogram of body weight. Children fed from a bottle require 6-8 feedings per day, so for 3.5 kg of a child this means that they need 415-620 ml of milk formula per day.
Needs Does the baby have water
Breast milk contains enough water for the baby, so even in the hottest climate when breastfeeding, there is no need to give him extra drinking. By giving water to a child, you will embarrass him, as he tries to eat from your nipple. It can also overflow his small stomach, which can, in turn, affect his appetite.
If you feed your child from a bottle, you can give him a little extra water, if it is very hot and humid, and the child is dehydrated and he is feverish. However, do not give too much water and too often, as this can affect your appetite. If you give the child water, and he does not have six months, be sure to boil and cool it.
Signs of a cheerful child
Regardless of whether you are breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, you want to be sure that the baby is happy. One of the best ways to do this is to regularly show it to the doctor. The child will be weighed, and the weight will be added to the table( a table in which your child's weight gain is compared to the national average).If you have questions about the power supply, you can also
ask them. However, the child is cheerful and happy with life, if:
♦ Constantly gaining weight.
♦ He has good skin color.
♦ He is energetic, his eyes sparkle, he has a good muscle tone.
♦ He "claims" himself and seems satisfied after eating.
♦ Describes diapers at least six times a day.
♦ He has a soft chair.
PREVENTION OF GAS STAMP
All children swallow a certain amount of air while eating, but some are tormented by gases more than others. If your baby, fed from a bottle, suffers from gas( this you will notice by its condition after feeding), check the size of the hole in the nipple. To do this, turn the bottle upside down and see how the milk mixture drips - there must be a steady flow of drops at a rate of one per second. If the mixture flows more slowly, the hole is too small and the child has to make strong sucking movements to get it. This means that when a child eats, he swallows too much air with food.
Children have rapid growth
If your child was satisfied with the diet, but then suddenly became dissatisfied with him or requires milk more often, he may have had "rapid growth" and he needs more food. This usually occurs around the 5th-6th week and again at three months, but it can also occur at the age of up to three weeks. More frequent breastfeeding within one or two days will increase the production of milk and will satisfy the increased need in it, and your child will return to normal mode again.
On the other hand, if the child is inclined to swallow food, check that the hole on the teat is not too large.
Also make sure that when feeding the bottle it is always sufficiently inclined, the liquid should completely cover the top of the bottle and fill the nipple.
If you are breastfeeding, gases may appear due to the fact that the child does not quite fixate on the process of eating before feeding.
Try not to overdo the child between feedings. If he is hungry, he can start screaming and swallow a lot of air before feeding. He can also swallow too much milk immediately, which again leads to the formation of gases.
How to get rid of gases
Some experts recommend that you remove the gases from the child after each feeding to get rid of excess air;others believe that this is not always necessary, especially for children breastfed. Children have their preferences for gas evacuation, and your child may like to suck breast or bottle, without stopping, and he will scuffle indignantly if you try to remove gases, tearing it from the process of eating. And maybe he needs to stop to regurgitate. You will soon understand what your child likes.
If the toddler really experiences discomfort from the gases and can not take them away, put him on his knees, lean forward slightly and support his head, placing his hand under his chin. You can also put the child on your shoulder, keeping it straight. Keep a clean towel on hand or cover yourself with anything in case the baby brews a certain amount of
milk. It is also useful to spank or rub the back of a child. If the child can not remove the gases in these positions, try putting him on his knees face down and rub his back.
If your child has gas often and is difficult to take away, you can learn some types of pediatric massage from a specialist. One of the simplest types of massage that can help with the problem of gases is called "tiger in bushes" and is shown on p.346. Some mothers say that it is easier to reduce the flow of gases by using drops against colic;others believe that they do not affect the child in any way.
If you believe that your child does not suffer from gas, do not waste time getting a belch - some children do not have it. Or maybe he needs to wait an hour or so to regurgitate himself.
MILK REDUCTION
Most babies occasionally spit a small amount of milk, usually when the gases leave or when the baby lies. This may be the result of physical immaturity: the work of the muscles between the stomach and esophagus in some children is still not sufficiently coordinated. In other cases, the child can swallow a lot of air during feeding, after which it is spewed with some milk. While the child feels well, gaining weight and regurgitation is insignificant, it is not worth worrying about. This can be handled by preventing the baby from taking in the air or putting it on the highchair right after the feeding. You will probably notice that all the problems with regurgitation will disappear by six months, when the baby will consume less milk and more solid food.
If your child regurgitates often, forcedly or accompanied by pain, he may have something more serious, such as gastroinfection or digestive disorders. In this case, consult a doctor.