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Breast Feeding a New Born child

HAVING A TOUGH TIME BREASTFEEDING YOUR NEWBORN CHILD & NOT SURE WHAT TO DO?

BREASTFEEDING RELATED QUERIES

 

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From Dr. Vinit Mehta

MD PEDIATRICS

 

Breastfeeding is an ideal food for a newly born child. It is the best gift that a mother can give to their child.

However, after the birth of a child, the first major worry for any mother is breastfeeding the child.

Is my milk enough?

Is my child still hungry?

Ami doing it all right?

How can I know that my milk is going to be enough for my child?

Worst of all, should I start formula feed, now?

It is studied that shocking, more than 60% of infants aged 6 to 9 months did not receive exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age.

The milk of a mother is best suited to serve the nutritional and biological needs of her child but it also becomes messy and complicated if not done in the right manner.

Proper feeding techniques are the first major thing that a mother (or parent) should learn to avoid repeated illness to the child and for proper growth and development of the child.

If the child is breastfed properly, then not only does the child gains proper weight which is required for proper growth and development, prevents repeated infections (has the potential to reduce under 5 mortality by 13%), less anxious family members and child with a higher IQ of 8 points as compared to cow milk-fed or formula-fed infants

As soon as breastfeeding of a child starts, relatives, neighbours, grandmother or “nanny”  etc all start to have an opinion whether you are doing the breastfeeding properly or not. They have their own right’s and wrong’s, so you just need to know whether what is right for your child instead of going blindly for the most important aspect of your child’s health.

Unfortunately for mothers, breastfeeding doesn’t come with instructions or a faulty part replacement guarantee. Many new mothers are too shy or too embarrassed to discuss problems relating to feeding with either their mother or their mother-in-law or even their gynaecologist. Don’t be shy. Clear your doubts!!

When to start breastfeeding?

How to increase milk output?

Breastfeeding is a hormonal response so the mother should take a wholesome diet, take more liquids, take at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep and avoid anxiety and stress.

Worried mothers always have decreased milk output as the whole process is hormonal so here family members should allay the anxiety of the mother. However, increasing fluid intake, shatavari powder (ayurvedic), or metoclopramide tablets may be helpful in some cases.

My child sleeps a lot?

In the early days of life, a newborn child sleeps a lot.

Newborn children in the first 2 weeks of life are very sleepy. Neonates get active or responsive after 2 weeks of age or when they gain weight above 3 or 3.5 kg. However, in the initial days, the mother requires to be proactive and wake up her child every 2 hours to feed the child otherwise the child may not gain weight and then the underweight child would be less active.

Its 3rd day and I am not getting any milk, should I start formula feed?

Breastfeeding is tough but take heart and continue your efforts

Not getting enough milk can be due to flat nipples, the child not latching, breast engorgement, and several other problems. Better to get your doubts cleared and continue your efforts of breastfeeding. Establishing breastfeeding may take days and sometimes even a week. If a child is losing significant weight then formula feed should be started otherwise continue your efforts for breastfeeding. Most importantly, don't lose heart!!

Signs of good attachemnt?

After proper positioning, the baby's cheek is touched, and that initiates the rooting reflex.

Allow the baby to open his mouth widely and at that point, the baby should be latched on to the breast ensuring that the nipple and most of the areola are within the baby's mouth.

It's important that the baby is brought on the mother;'s breast and the mother should not lean on the baby.

SIGNS OF GOOD ATTACHMENT

  • The baby's mouth is wide open
  • Most of the nipple and areola in the mouth, only the upper areola visible, not the lower one
  • The baby's chin touches the breast
  • The baby's lower lip is everted

What is proper positioning while feeding the child?

Mother should assume any position that is comfortable for her and the baby.

She can sit or lie down.

Her back should be supported and she should not be leaning on her baby.

Make sure that baby is wrapped properly in a cloth.

SIGNS OF GOOD POSITIONING

  • Baby's whole body is supported not just the neck or shoulders
  • Baby's head and body are in one line without any twist in the neck
  • Baby's body turned towards the mother (abdomen of baby and mother touching each other)
  • Baby's nose is at the level of the nipple.

How to know that child is sucking effectively?

Baby suckles slowly and pauses in between to swallow (suck, suck, suck.. and swallow). One may see throat cartilage and muscles moving and hear the gulping sounds of milk being swallowed

Baby's cheeks are full and not hollow or retracting during sucking.

Common breastfeeding problems?

Breastfeeding can be difficult in the initial days and some of the common problems that prevent the proper establishment of breastfeeding are:

Flat nipples

Breast engorgement

Breast abscess

Inadequate milk outflow

Latching problems

Tongue-tie

How often to feed?

In the initial days, neonates may be sleepy and take long gaps between feeds. This can happen for 2 weeks so, in the initial days, breastfeeding has to be done according to the clock i.e wake up the child after every 2 hours by flicking the soles and then feed. After the 2nd week or when the child crosses 3.5kg, the child becomes a little bit active and cries in case of hunger, then breastfeeding can be done on demand.

Which formula feed is best for my child?

If the child is passing urine 8 times a day, then don't unnecessary feed your child will formula milk

Formula milk is after all a chemical, so breastfeeding should be the first priority. However, if formula feeds need to be started then preferred a formula feed that you can afford. Changing the formula milks, is not at all recommended as each are made with different protein, and changing repeatedly only affects the intestine of a child and then can be the reason for crankiness and loose motions

My breastmilk is not enough, so I give cow milk and formula milk

This is not at all recommended

If breast milk is not enough, give a breastfeeding trial along with either formula milk or cow milk. You cannot give 3 of the items to an infant because each is made up of a different protein so either give formula milk or cow milk, you cannot give both together. If cost is an issue then stick to cow milk, no issues

Which is preferred cow milk or buffalo milk?

Cow or buffalo milk should be pasteurized one, that is preferred.

You can give cow or buffalo milk, whichever you prefer but it should be pasteurized one. Unpasteurized milk directly given by a milkman is not at all recommended. It can be a source of infection or can cause digestive issues.

Pasteurized milk, undiluted with water, with or without sugar (without removing the cream) should be used

How to use formula milk?

Formula milk should be given as advised in the instructions. However general instructions are 1 scoop (that is given inside the tin) with 30 ml water (calculated by 10ml syringe preferably). The formula is to be prepared like that only and then accordingly given as per the child's requirement. If the child requires 45ml, then 60ml has to be prepared not 45 ml or 50ml. It is after all a chemical and should be used with caution or it will cause electrolyte imbalance in the child.

1 scoop in 30ml water

2 scoops in 60ml water

3 scoops in 90 mal water and so on

I bottle feed my child, which bottle should I prefer?

Bottle feeding is not at all recommended

Any type of bottle is not at all efficient whether it is of Philips or of any other company.  Bottle feeding is a common source of infection. It can cause throat infection, pneumonia, loose motion, and even gas problems whether you sterilize it or not. Air inside the bottle and milk becomes a medium for bacteria to grow and causes problems sooner or later. So however time-consuming, spillage or wastage is there, give milk by bowl and spoon but "say no to bottles" for the health of your child.

LIKE MOTHER’S LOVE IS THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR MOTHER’S MILK