Aashrey Child Clinic

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.

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.

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!!

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.