Hello, dear readers! The topic of breastfeeding is not new. However, it still raises questions not only among young parents, but also among experienced ones. They are interested in everything: how to start, when and how often to feed the baby, whether it is necessary to express, how to improve the quality and quantity of breast milk, and whether it is possible to do this at all.
Both pediatricians and breastfeeding specialists are trying to answer them. As practice shows, they do not have a consensus, but the most interesting thing is that they are all supported by medical science.
And in this case, you can listen to them all and continue to be perplexed, or read our article in which we describe breastfeeding, advice to a nursing mother (Komarovsky and other pediatricians) and finally figure it all out.
Breastfeeding - the first difficulties
This is a kind of “highlighting”. Palma, since birth I have had a white strand on my head among completely dark hair...
Breastfeeding rate for a newborn
07.03.2017
Having become a mother, a woman tries to provide her baby with everything necessary from the first days. And since the baby’s first priority is proper and sufficient nutrition, one of the most pressing questions is what is the norm for breastfeeding a newborn. But despite the existence of some norms, mothers should always listen to their intuition and be sure to pay attention to the reaction and desires of the baby.
Nutritional standards based on age
It often happens that in the first days after birth the baby eats very little and sluggishly. The reason for this is an insufficiently developed sucking reflex, or rapid saturation. At the same time, the baby sleeps a lot and soundly. This condition is normal. But if a child refuses breast milk and cries, read here, you should additionally seek medical advice.
Of course, every child, like an adult, has their own individual characteristics. This also manifests itself in food.
Reasons for breastfeeding
There are both psychological and physiological reasons why a baby asks for the breast.
Among the psychological ones, the following stand out:
- For nine months the baby was in the womb, where it was warm, calm, and the heartbeat could be heard. It is logical that after birth a child needs the familiar smell of his mother, close contact and a feeling of safety.
- The baby in the belly was in a cramped space, so it could not quickly adjust to a larger space. It's cozy and comfortable in mom's arms.
From a physiological point of view, the baby asks for the breast because:
- he is hungry;
- wants to rest, fall asleep, gw helps to calm down;
- incorrect nipple latching technique, so the baby does not eat enough;
Nipple latching rules
- Mom has little milk, so it’s worth adjusting lactation;
- The child has a tummy ache, colic, and sucking movements soothe and relieve pain.
Child suffers from abdominal pain
Feeding on demand or by the hour: principles, pros and cons.
At the same time, gender often also has an influence. So in the first weeks of life, boys try to eat more often than girls. At the same time, you should not be nervous that the baby may be hungry. If the baby wants to eat, he will definitely inform his mother about this by crying, or by sticking his tongue out of his mouth with licking movements.
In general, the nutritional norm for a newborn baby is determined by the number of days from birth, multiplied by 10. So on the first day, the baby drinks about 10 ml of colostrum at a time, which will then be replaced by milk. During the day, the baby drinks about 100 ml. In the following days, the amount of milk drunk per day increases significantly and is normally:
• on the 2nd day, about 20 ml at a time. Daily amount 240 ml; • on the 3rd day, a single dose of 30 ml. The baby drinks 300 ml per day; • on the 4th day the baby can drink up to 60 ml at a time. The daily norm is 400 ml; • on the 7th day the baby eats up to 80 ml of milk at a time. And per day the total volume is 500 ml; • at 2 weeks of life, the child drinks 90 ml of milk at a time. At the same time, he needs about 1/5 of his weight per day; • by 1 month, the baby drinks up to 110 ml during feeding. And per day this volume is 600 ml; • by 2 months the single volume of milk reaches 150 ml. At the same time, the baby drinks about 800 ml per day; • up to 5 months, the baby needs 210 ml of milk at a time. The daily norm reaches 1/6 of the child’s weight; • from 5 months to 1 year, the single dose ranges from 210 ml to 240 ml. And a baby needs about 1000 ml per day.
When it comes to natural feeding, a young mother should adhere to only a few basic rules. So the interval between feedings in the first months is 2-3 hours. However, if the child wants to eat, and 2 hours have not passed yet, then you should not refuse him. It is not recommended to replace or limit night feeding for as long as possible with formulas, because it is at this time of day that milk contains the maximum amount of useful substances.
Feeding on demand or on a schedule?
Everyone knows that on-demand feeding is the foundation of successful breastfeeding. But the essence of feeding on demand is not always correctly interpreted. It is believed that a baby is put to the breast to satisfy only nutritional needs. Of course, the goal of feeding the child is the main one. And in practice, often a child in the first months of life has enough nutrition with 7-9 breastfeeding per day, i.e. every 2.5-4 hours. But such feeding cannot be called feeding on demand...
The origins of regimen feeding
We can talk for a long time about when and why the destruction of the culture of motherhood and breastfeeding began. Let's turn to history. What happened when Soviet power came? Women went to work 2-3 months after giving birth. The kids had to be sent to nurseries. The teachers who came to work in the nursery often had only a pedagogical education and no maternal experience. Groups of children of the same age were formed, which cannot exist in nature. And everything was done so that one teacher could cope with 15 children. Hence the regimented feeding, because it’s more convenient, otherwise it’s simply impossible to feed. Hence the misconception about how a child grows and develops. And one “thrown out” generation was enough for maternal experience to simply disappear. Artificial feeding has arrived. Regular feeding is necessary for feeding a bottle-fed baby. And since our older generation (mothers and grandmothers) mostly have experience feeding children with formula bottles, this is exactly the advice they give to young breastfeeding mothers - feed every 3 hours. Many children cry, others are indifferent. But sooner or later they get used to regular feeding, because... designed to be subservient to adults. When feeding according to a regimen, there is a very high probability of problems with lactation - lack of milk, mastitis. The child’s formation of basic trust in the mother as a source of comfort and security is inhibited.
Child's requirements
What does a baby's demand to latch on to the breast look like? This is any squeak, searching movement of the head, signs of anxiety and discomfort. In the first months of life, a child’s anxiety and desire to suck manifests itself during the day on average every hour and a half, and at night - 3-4 times . Sources of discomfort are the desire to eat, drink, sleep, warm up, pee, poop, calm down, cuddle with mom and make sure she is safe. Any of these needs manifests itself in the same way, and in the child’s consciousness and sensations is no different from the other. The feeling of hunger, the desire to write or fall asleep - the child expresses all this in the form of crying and anxiety. Nature has arranged everything so wisely that sucking the breast solves all these problems. With the breast in his mouth, the baby will receive milk, relax and fall asleep. With breast in his mouth it is easier for him to calm down, pee and poop. The child is designed for this. He expects his mother to comfort him with her breasts and feed him, and if she does not do this, he begins to cry. Sucking the breast in the correct position gives the baby a feeling of calm and pleasure, which cannot be said about sucking a pacifier and bottle, where the sucking technique is fundamentally different. Therefore, if you decide to feed your baby on demand, then baby care items should not include pacifiers, pacifiers and bottles. Otherwise, you won’t be able to feed on demand, and the future “fate” of breastfeeding in 90% of cases will be in great doubt.
Mom's requirements
Feeding on demand involves mutual demands - both the child and the mother. Why are feedings required by the mother needed? A newborn baby has no previous experience and lacks self-soothing mechanisms.
Benefits of long-term guard
Long-term breastfeeding strengthens the baby’s body, which means that the more he eats this way, the stronger and more resilient he becomes. The child is not afraid of colds or infections; if they overtake him, he will recover faster.
Important! Breast milk helps to establish a close connection between the baby and the mother, which has a very positive effect on the psychological education of the baby. The child feels the mother’s touch, feels her care and protection.
At guardianship, children gain weight well, are cheerful, cheerful and active, and it is easier for them to learn about the world around them.
In addition to the fact that the child receives good protection from viruses and infections during breastfeeding, there are some problems that may arise due to long-term breastfeeding:
To avoid problems, you should monitor the child: when he is ready to leave, then the whole process will go as naturally as possible for both him and the mother.
Until what age and why a child should be fed breast milk is the subject of much debate. There are 5 lactation bonuses for moms that will help her make an informed decision about the type of feeding:
- GV reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases;
- The risk of type 2 diabetes is reduced;
- The likelihood of developing breast and ovarian cancer is minimal;
- During guarding, a large number of medications can be used;
- Despite the fact that there is no universal diet for a nursing mother, during the process of breastfeeding the mother carefully takes care of her menu, which is why she consumes the most healthy, balanced foods. This affects her well-being, health and appearance.
Dr. Komarovsky about breastfeeding
Mom teaches her newborn baby to calm down and fall asleep with the breast in his mouth. In a situation where the breast is full and the baby is sleeping, the mother can put him to sleep, to avoid further breast fullness and complications. Babies are great at combining sleep and sucking at the same time, so you don’t need to be afraid to wake him up a little to breastfeed. It is important here not to delay the application so that the baby does not cry. If a baby of the first 3-6 months has already “slept” for more than 1.5-2 hours during the daytime, then it’s time to offer him the sleepy breast at your request! The mother’s body also gives signals - if the breasts are full, it’s time to latch onto the baby. Therefore, 2-3 weeks after birth, the breasts should not become full if the mother feeds on demand and puts the baby to the breast often.
Nutrition and education
In addition, feeding at the request of the mother is educational in nature. By applying at her request, the mother declares that she is the leader in the pair and is responsible for the safety of the child, for his life. Normally, the baby always takes the breast when the mother offers it. This is an element of submission to mom, an element of obedience. At a subconscious level, the knowledge is laid down that you can always expect only the right actions and advice from your mother, which is important for later life. A small child needs care and a sense of security. Then he will feel calm, and trusting his mother is the basis for the formation of a healthy psyche.
Educational actions of mother during sucking
The relationship between mother and child should be like this: the mother is the leader, the child is the follower. The mother should rely on her knowledge and her experience, and not on the experience of the child.
Mom defines:
1. baby’s behavior under the breast and correct attachment;
2. in what position she will feed; 3. which breast she will feed and for how long;
4. sleeping under the breast - it is important to feed when falling asleep, and to catch the moment of awakening. If the mother missed this moment, then the child wakes up, he begins to look around, and he no longer needs the breast. If the mother does not feed when she wakes up, the child will be malnourished!;
5. calming under the breast is the mother’s task, and this is an indicator that the mother is reliable, that she will help. First she must teach him to calm down under her breasts, and then she can use it.
The relationship between feeding on demand and the amount of milk and trust in the mother
The child grows, and with him the need for the amount of nutrition—the amount of milk—grows. That is why the duration of sucking associated with dreams in a child is always beyond saturation, i.e. more than 15-20 minutes. Due to prolonged and frequent sucking, there is an increase in milk production for further feedings, so that the baby has enough milk for 3 months, and at 6, and at 9...
Until one and a half years old, a child is always put to the breast more than 12 times a day. The main feedings associated with satiation are “around dreams”, short ones are for calming and comforting. This is not self-indulgence, this is a need. It is important for him to know that you are here, and you are always ready to help!
Galina Eltonskaya, scientific supervisor
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