From the first time you hold your newborn baby's lips to your breast you are feeding your baby essential nutrients.. Even thought your milk hasn't come in, your breasts are producing colostrum a thin liquid that will protect your baby from infection. Your newborn may take a while to find or stay on your nipple. Breastfeeding requires patience and lots of practice. Hospital nurses are only too happy to spend time with you showing you how to hold baby and what to do to get baby to latch on.
Baby's mouth should cover a big part of the areola, around the nipple centre, your nipple should be far back in baby's mouth. If it is painful try again. Unlatch baby by inserting your finger under baby's gum.
Timing of Feeds
As often as you can at the onset as this will increase the quality and amount of milk you produce. Ten to fifteen minutes per breast eight to twelve times a day is considered by many to be a ideal amount. Generally speaking it is best to feed whenever baby shows signs of hunger. When baby is awake more often you can begin a flexible schedule of between one to three hours, and less at night.
Signs of Hunger
Increased alertness or activity, mouthing, or rooting around for your nipple. Crying is a late sign of hunger. During the first few weeks you may have to gently wake your baby to begin nursing, and he may fall asleep again in mid-feeding. To make sure your baby's eating often enough in wake baby every three hours.
Breastfeeding a premature Baby
You have to express milk for baby at the start until baby is strong enough. This is most important as it means when baby is ready there will be a regular supply to ensure a good growth rate.
Diet Requirements for Breastfeeding Mums
Eat an extra 500 calories a day but make sure it is quality food that you are eating. Aim for a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat. All components are necessary for baby to get the nutrition requirements for healthy growth. Avoid overly flavoured foods and irritants such as caffeine and chocolate. Remember anything that is tastes spicy to you will be spicy for baby. Drink lots of water, this will help you and baby too.
How Long to Breastfeed
As long as possible and a minimum of six months is going to greatly advantage your baby and help you to achieve that pre-pregnancy weight goal.
Why Breastfeeding is Best
Breast milk is a complete food source. It contains all the nutrients your baby needs - at least 400 of them - including hormones and disease-fighting compounds absent in formula. Remarkably, its nutritional makeup even adjusts to your baby's needs as he grows and develops. And apart from the brain-building, infection-fighting benefits of mother's milk, which no formula can duplicate, nursing helps build a special bond between you and your baby. When you nurse, your child thrives on the skin-to-skin contact, the cuddling, and the holding. You will, too.
How to Feed
Choose a comfortable spot where you won't be disturbed. Feedings can take up to forty minutes so comfort for both you and baby is important. If you have a winter baby make sure you have a heater nearby as your body temperature drops when sitting still. Quiet is really important in the early days as interruptions can affect the quality of the feed.
Make sure you have support for your arms and back should you need it. Nursing pillows can help you to support baby.
Problems
Many women face difficulties early on. Common problems in the first six weeks include:
- engorgement
- sore nipples
- mastitis
Breastfeeding in public
Although you may feel shy about nursing in front of other people, you have a right to breastfeed in public. After all, you can't be expected to run home every time your baby needs to eat. Nursing tops are designed to allow you to breastfeed with a minimum of flesh showing. You can also drape a diaper or blanket over your shoulder and chest as your baby feeds in order to nurse more discreetly in public, but make sure your child is still able to breathe easily. Some stores have breastfeeding lounges where you can sit comfortably and nurse alongside other mothers. Once breastfeeding becomes more familiar, you won't think twice about feeding your baby wherever you are.
Introducing baby to the bottle
Wait until 3-4 weeks old if possible. As the bottle requires different sucking movements allow two weeks to work out glitches.
Try these handy hints to make the transition easier.
-Offer bottle a little earlier than normal to reduce the level of frustration for baby.
-Let someone else feed the first bottle to reduce confusion for baby. Instead of smelling your milk and getting something else it will be more simple. Even try to be some distance away in another part of the house with a closed door.
-Use breast milk in a bottle a few times until baby is used to the feel of the bottle. When you change over put a little breast milk on the teat to get things rolling.
-Maintain eye contact with baby to aid feelings of security for baby and hold in a comfortable position.
- Use a teat similar to the pacifier. Let baby play with the teat, chewing is a way of familiarising baby with the bottle and may lead to suckling.
-Baby may like to sit up more with a bottle, try different positions until you find one that is right for you. Dad put on an article of mum's clothing to help baby get used to you.
- Make time available to get baby used to this new process. Put your feet up and relax, if baby is not interested take break for a few minutes and try again. If baby refuses three times then leave her for about 10 minutes before offering the breast, that way associations between the two are not so obvious to baby.
-Sometimes baby, for whatever reason will simply refuse the bottle. If this is the case try baby on a sipper-cup, time consuming at first baby will soon get used to this and it means you don't have to break the bottle habit later on. Introduce gradually and expect it take a few weeks for baby to get used to it. Hold baby upright in one arm and bring the cup up to the mouth, tilting it gently until a wee bit of milk, formula, or juice (depending on the age of your child) goes in. Baby will begin to lap and then to drink it. If this doesn't work try feeding baby with a coated baby spoon.
Bottle Feeding
Be Flexible
Be flexible with you schedule in the first few weeks. Aim for an approximate pattern and offer the bottle every two to three hours. Don't force your baby to feed. From 5 kilos baby should take 25 grams per feed. A doctor or plunket nurse can advise how much your individual baby needs.
Sterilization
Best way to sterilize bottles is to submerge in a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes. Then allow to dry on a clean towel. Best way to sterilize water is to boil and then leave to cool. Place cooled boiled water in a sterile container for a whole day's supply.
Warming the Bottle
Easiest way is to place filled bottle under a running hot tap, you an also place the bottle in a pot of hot water for a few minutes. Bottle warmers are also popular now.
Travelling
Place water in the bottle and a measured amount of formula in a sealed container. Then for a snack on the run mix the two together. Make sure you have a comfortable seat from which to feed baby.
Holding the Bottle
This is a lovely time to bond with baby so set up a nice area where you are comfortable. Make sure the bottle is on a 45-degree angle and keep the neck and teat full whilst the bottle is in baby's mouth.
Choosing the right teats.
Pick from latex, silicone or rubber teats. Latex is softer and more flexible but wears out quickly. Silicone is a more resilient material. Choose from traditional, orthodontic or flat-topped teats. With the orthodontic type the flat side rests on baby's tongue. There are also different flow speeds available. Try several and let baby decide which one is best for their individual needs. Replace teats when the milk flows too freely.
Choosing a bottle
Choose from plastic or glass. Plastic bottles are easy to use and do not break but after a while they deteriorate so they need replacing. Glass bottles may retain nutrients of breast milk better than plastic but they do break, chip and crack
About Plastic Bottles
Made from one of two different compounds - Polyethylene and Polycarbonate
Tests show a chemical called bisphenol-A may leach from polycarbonate bottles when they are boiled for a prolonged time. However as formula and breast milk should not be boiled manufacturers claim they are safe. They have been in use for some 30 years with no evidence that they are harmful.
-Do not overheat bottles with formula or milk in them, if you do discard and start again.
-Do not use plastic bottles for storing milk, make it up just before feeding.
Starting on Solids
Anytime from 6 months on is considered safe but some people start their babies as young as 4 months on something very simple such as baby rice. If your baby develops gas or constipation it could be a reaction to solids
Watch for clues that baby is ready to begin feeding on solids. One clue is the loss of the extrusion reflex which makes baby push out anything not liquid.
From 6 months
The idea is to get baby used to solid food so start off with the basics. Some foods babies like at this stage are the baby rice products, avocados, cooked carrots, mashed potatoes and bananas. As baby has no chewing ability yet make the food soft and easy to swallow. We all know the wonderful contented feeling of eating mashed potatoes, it's like this for baby. If baby has mastered the pincer motion try them out with finger foods, a piece of ripe peach or banana which they can gum away and swallow.
Introduce new foods one at a time to check for allergic reactions. Expect different bowel motions when baby starts trying new foods and don't be alarmed if they appear quite different from before. Baby is unused to these substances and may pass them out pretty much the same as they go in so be warned. Its a good idea to give baby a spoon to play with while you're feeding them with another and they will soon be imitating you. Wear an apron.
How should I begin introducing solid foods?
Continue to nurse or bottle-feed your baby at meal times. When satisfied give baby about one or two tablespoons of baby rice (or similar) mixed with enough formula or breast milk to make a soupy solution. Give to baby on a rubber-tipped spoon once a day. Baby may seem to be eating little but be patient remember these are new skills for baby to learn. Gradually thicken the mixture up so that a chewing motion is learned.
How much should baby be eating?
After about two months on solids baby should be eating solid foods three times a day.
A typical day may look like this Breast milk or iron-fortified formula Small amounts of non-citrus juice Iron-fortified baby rice Yellow and green vegetables Small amounts of meats, poultry, yoghurt, cottage cheese Fruit
Finger Foods
Which foods are safe?
Those that your baby can gum into a swallow-able consistency or dissolve in mouth. Some types of finger foods are, chunks of banana very well cooked bite sized pieces of carrot, so soft that you don't even need a fork to cut them and tiny pieces of cooked chicken. Check with Plunket nurse as to other suitable foods.
Foods to avoid at 6-12 months
- Wheat or wheat products - a common grain allergen, wait until baby is 6 to 8 months old and can handle rice and oats before introducing it.
- Honey - Honey can harbour spores of Clostridium botulinum (botulism), which can grow and produce life-threatening toxins in your baby's intestinal tract.
- Whole milk - Stay with formula or breast milk for the first year, cow's milk is for calves and not ideal for the very young.
- Egg white - Give egg yolks to an infant at 9 months, but wait a bit longer for the albumen.
- Citrus - Very acidic for young diets, approach with caution and dilute. They occasionally cause allergies.
- Peanut butter - Peanuts or peanut butter can provoke violent allergic reactions, and it better to wait until your baby is a toddler and has the strength to withstand such an attack.
By the end of the first year solid food will make up a large proportion of baby's nutrition requirements, up to 50% so make sure you are giving baby a good balance of food groups.
Foods to avoid at 1-2 years
- Low-fat milk - Babies need the fat in whole milk.
- Peanuts - Peanuts can cause violent allergic reactions. They're also large enough for a child to choke on. To be on the safe side, don't feed your child peanuts (or peanut butter) until she's 3 years old, especially if either parent has a history of peanut allergies.
- Hot dogs - Toddlers can easily choke on bite-size pieces of hot dog, unless you cut the dog lengthways before slicing it into quarter-inch pieces.
- Whole grapes - Cut grapes into quarters before serving; a whole grape can get lodged in a child's throat.
- Raw carrots - Carrots should be shredded or cooked, so they don't get stuck in small throats.
- String cheese - Make sure you shred the cheese for your child; don't cut it into chunks.
- Hard candies, nuts, popcorn, lollipops, raisins - All these snacks are potential choking hazards. If you can't cut it into small pieces, don't serve it.
