The process of breastfeeding is a pleasant experience of motherhood. But it is with him that the largest number of questions, fears and misunderstandings are associated. Confused in the whirlpool of information that everyone around them kindly pours on them, young mothers begin to worry: how often to feed their newborn, should they follow his whims, or are these not whims at all, but a normal need for food? There is also no consensus on this matter among doctors and breastfeeding specialists. If consultants convince mothers to feed their babies only on demand, then many pediatricians are confident that some control on the part of the mother will not hurt.
Feed your baby by the hour or on demand?
To get an answer to the question of how often to breastfeed your baby, by the hour or on demand, and also after what time to breastfeed and after what period of time to feed with formula, let’s figure out where the recommendations come from to feed your baby at intervals of every 3 hours.
1. These recommendations came to us from the not very distant past, from the USSR, for two reasons: Mothers fed on time, because they went to work very quickly, and babies were brought to mothers for feeding every 3 hours, that was the way it was. In those days, it was very rare for anyone to be able to feed a child for at least a year. 2. Since milk substitutes appeared, there were also gaps between breastfeeding for the reason that any formula is very difficult for the baby to digest.
Mother's breast milk is absorbed within an hour and a half, and breast milk substitutes within three hours, so this interval is maintained on formulas. If you feed your baby formula more often, you may overfeed him and the baby will begin to have digestive problems. When you feed your baby with formula, you need to feed on time, when you breastfeed - on demand.
Feeding a newborn baby: basic rules and recommendations
Young parents, who are faced with all the joys and hardships of fatherhood and motherhood for the first time, believe that all the difficulties are simply insurmountable. But we advise you to remember the words from everyone’s favorite cartoon Carlson: “Calm and only calm.” Always remember one thing - the best thing you can give your newborn baby is breast milk .
This process is quite simple, since it is predetermined by nature itself. Breast milk contains many immunological components and nutritional components that protect the newborn from various pathogenic microorganisms and bacteria, and also contribute to the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Throughout pregnancy, the body of the expectant mother is actively preparing for the feeding process, actively producing all the necessary hormones and storing subcutaneous fat.
It is worth noting that the process of milk production is triggered by labor , and all that a woman needs after the birth of a child is to feed him in a timely manner and leave breastfeeding in the child’s diet for as long as possible.
How often should I feed my newborn baby breast milk?
To answer the question of how to properly breastfeed a child, by the hour or on demand, imagine as if you were on a desert island, or in a cave many centuries ago.
What would you do then? Would you ask yourself how long does it take to breastfeed a baby or how many hours does it take to breastfeed a newborn? Would you take equal intervals between feedings? How often would you breastfeed? Would you feed your baby when he was hungry or wait for the sun to move from one point to another (you wouldn't have a clock)?
Newborn's first feeding
After the baby passes through the birth canal in the first minutes of his birth, he experiences relaxation. And already half an hour after birth, the newborn is ready to actively suckle at the breast . The best option is to give him the breast as soon as he wants it. Based on this, we can say that it is most advisable to put the baby to the breast only after delivering the placenta and leaving the delivery room.
You should not limit yourself to one breast while breastfeeding. The baby must first suckle on one breast first, and then proceed to the other. If after the birth of the baby you are deprived of this opportunity, then attach it to your breast as soon as a happy reunion occurs.
The first feeding is extremely important not only for the baby , who experienced enormous stress and stress during childbirth, but also for the young mother, who as a result will improve lactation.
Thanks to periodic and abundant sucking, the mother's uterus effectively contracts, resulting in the restoration of hormonal balance, which reduces the likelihood of developing postpartum complications.
Mother's first milk , as we said earlier, is colostrum, which is the most valuable nutrition for a newborn baby. Thanks to him, the baby successfully adapts to life in new conditions and new food, unlike what he received in the womb.
Visually, colostrum is a sticky and incredibly thick liquid that is saturated with protective antibodies, minerals, vitamins and proteins.
Colostrum successfully envelops the walls of the stomach and intestines, making them less vulnerable to pathogenic microflora. Thanks to the chemical composition, strong immune protection of the newborn is ensured, which, in turn, creates optimal conditions for further development and growth.
As a result of feeding with colostrum, there is no load on the baby’s gastrointestinal tract or on his kidneys, which are unable to independently process large volumes of food during the first time after birth. In addition, colostrum contains a high concentration of magnesium , which has a laxative effect, making it easier to clear the intestines of meconium (feces).
In the first month of life, a newborn needs from two to twenty milliliters per application. The size of the baby's stomach is comparable to a large pearl, so the baby is unable to suck out a large amount of milk in one latch. Because of this, it is necessary to put the baby on the mother’s breast as often as possible.
In the first month of their life, children sleep from 20 to 22 hours a day, so young and inexperienced mothers do not understand how many times it is necessary to feed the child if he is not awake. To do this, it is enough to put the baby to the breast, and through sleep it will begin to actively look for the nipple, and when it finds it, it will cling to it. Nature took care of this too.
How to feed a newborn correctly. Colostrum. Do I need to supplement?
Colostrum is the original milk that precedes more mature milk. The baby receives these droplets immediately after birth and in the first days.
The most untrue myths: 1. There is no point in colostrum, you need to wait for the milk to come, and until that moment feed the baby with formula.
The truth is that nature has laid it down that the unique composition of colostrum and its unique amount after childbirth are exactly what a newborn needs.
2. If colostrum is released from the breast during pregnancy, this is very bad.
No it is OK. If colostrum is produced, that means you and your baby need it. Little colostrum is produced, about a tablespoon per day. It ripens to mature milk within 1-4 days. The more often you put your baby to your breast, the sooner your milk matures.
- When your baby was in your womb, his intestines were filled with meconium (original feces). After birth it is still there and it takes time for it all to come out so that there is a place for the milk to come. Therefore, colostrum comes in drops. It is colostrum that contains very mild laxative components that help the baby pump.
- Colostrum also contains huge quantities of protein and leukocytes, immunoglobulins A, which protect it from external influences and infections, allergic reactions.
- Colostrum contains little water, because the baby’s kidneys do not start fully immediately,
- Colostrum carries the correct microflora into the child’s housing and communal services.
If possible, immediately place the baby on one and the other breast.
On the first day in the maternity hospital, the baby should be put to the breast as often as possible. In the case of milk production, the principle works: the greater the demand, the greater the supply. Then the milk will ripen faster. The newborn will only need droplets of colostrum in the exact quantity that is produced. The more often you put your newborn to the breast, the faster the milk will ripen.
The baby does not need additional feeding. He is born with the necessary supply of water and nutrients. Normally, a child loses 10% of his birth weight.
The color of colostrum is different from the color of milk. It can be from beige to orange. It can harden into a film on the nipple. Just apply the baby and he will suck it all up.
How often should you feed
If the child is breastfeeding and you feed him on demand, then this question should not arise at all. When he wants, then we feed him. If the mother’s milk volume is sufficient, then the baby will figure out how much food and how often he needs.
As for weight, each baby is different from the others and cannot develop according to the average standards established once and for all. Probably only lazy people didn’t tell their parents about this. However, although the phrase is hackneyed, it remains true - it is impossible to demand that all children completely fall into the “norm”, because they all develop in their own way.
The situation is completely different with bottle-fed babies - formula takes longer to digest than breast milk, and is easier to get out of the bottle, so the baby can overeat. Therefore, the daily volume of the mixture is divided into equal parts in accordance with the number of feedings per day. The break between feedings is 3-3.5 hours. At night there is a break of up to 6 hours. The tables on the jars will serve as a hint for the amount of mixture - they provide the most accurate information.
Pediatricians have compiled approximate monthly recommendations that will help mothers navigate the number of feedings needed. They once again emphasize that the “norms” are exclusively approximate and average; first of all, the mother needs to take into account the character and needs of her child.
In the first week
The first feedings of newborns occur in the maternity hospital. There, the mother should be given advice on how to properly attach to the breast and care for it. In the first days of the baby's life, the mother produces only colostrum - the milk will come in a few days.
At this time, the mother needs to frequently put the newborn to the breast, since colostrum is released in small quantities. However, you should not worry that the baby is not getting enough to eat - in terms of nutritional value and calorie content, colostrum is far superior to milk. In addition, it is fully adapted to the needs of the child’s body:
- Contains little liquid and does not burden the kidneys;
- It has a laxative effect that helps remove meconium (original feces);
- Contains a huge “charge” of useful substances, immune elements and bacteria to populate the intestines.
The entire lactation process will depend on how many times a day a newborn is fed and how correctly he is applied to the breast. If you do not take care of this right away, the milk may “go away” as early as 3 months.
There is no clear feeding regimen for a newborn baby. Mom feeds him on demand at least once every 2 hours. But more frequent applications are not a violation of any “norm”. In the first week, it is very easy to calculate the one-time amount of milk - you need to multiply the baby’s age in days by 10.
Feeding a newborn at night also needs to be done on demand, with breaks usually lasting no more than 3-4 hours. If your baby often wakes up and asks to breastfeed, feed more often.
The duration of sucking varies from person to person. Each child is born with his own temperament, and some will empty the breast in 10 minutes, while others will stretch out the pleasure and hang on it for up to 40-60 minutes. And that will be okay too.
In the first month
During the first month of a baby's life, frequent breastfeeding remains a necessary condition for the child's adaptation and the establishment of lactation. It is best to adhere to the schedule that the child himself sets, that is, on demand. He can ask for the breast 12 times a day and this is not considered a deviation from the norm. Of course, the baby can eat less often or more often, which will also not be wrong if he gains enough weight and feels well. A one-month-old baby must continue to be fed at night - he cannot yet handle long breaks between feedings.
Mother’s breasts also serve as a “sedative” for babies. If a baby often suckles at the breast, this does not mean that he is constantly hungry and the mother does not have enough milk. Perhaps he simply lacks attention. It is not even necessary that he actually eats at this time - many babies like to take a nap with the nipple in their mouth or use it as a pacifier without drawing out milk.
Up to six months
As the baby grows, the breaks between applications gradually increase. At two months this is not too noticeable - the child eats every 1-2 hours and 2-5 times a night. Breastfeeding becomes easier because the mother’s nipples have fully adapted to their new condition and the characteristics of the baby’s mouth.
By the third month, the baby usually develops his own daily routine. A mother has to put her baby to her breast up to 6-8 times a day and 2-4 times a night. The main part of them becomes quite short, only before and after sleep can the child eat for a long time.
A baby's feeding at 4 months still consists entirely of milk. He still does not need water or supplemental feeding, except for medical reasons. A five-month-old baby often begins to get distracted during feedings and may show interest in food from the parent's table.
At 6-12 months
After six months, complementary foods appear in the baby’s diet, so the nature of feedings changes significantly. Now he suckles most actively in the evening and at night, and in the morning he may not show much interest in it. On average, it turns out that the number of attachments remains the same - about 9-12 per day (including night feedings).
At 7 months, a baby’s diet becomes even more varied, so he can breastfeed quite rarely during the day. But it is often applied to it in the evening and at night - this results in up to 10 feedings per day.
Breastfeeding at 8 months is often accompanied by teething. The baby may begin to bite or pinch the nipple, sometimes refuse the breast during the day and not let go at night, or vice versa.
You can feed your baby even less often at 9 months - now he is able to withstand intervals of 3-4 hours, which means that the mother can leave home for a short time and take time for herself. Feedings persist for up to a year and remain quite frequent at night.
After a year
After the baby turns one year old, breastfeeding takes on a more pronounced psychological aspect - it is an opportunity for additional communication and close contact with the mother, as well as a source of necessary immune cells. As a source of nutrition, breastfeeding fades into the background, so the frequency of breastfeeding is significantly reduced, while the mother can easily control both the duration and time of breastfeeding.
The break between feedings increases to 5-6 hours, several suckings are already completely replaced by complementary foods. The child asks for the breast, as a rule, before bedtime and in the morning; an active day promotes sound sleep. Although if there are problems with lactation, and the mother wants to support her, the baby can be woken up at night - between 3 and 6 o'clock. This keeps milk production at the required level.
How many times should a newborn be fed and for how long?
Starting from gestation , a close relationship is formed between mother and child. Lactation helps them learn to communicate with each other, and also allows them to recover after childbirth. Therefore, in this case, feeding on demand plays a special role.
Sucking at the breast allows you to establish lactation and avoid stagnation of colostrum (milk), which quite often causes the formation of inflammatory processes and subsequent diseases of the mammary glands.
The volume of milk produced is directly related to the amount of prolactin - receptors in the mammary glands that will be stimulated by effective and frequent sucking.
At first, a newborn baby can be applied to the mammary glands at intervals of every 15-30 minutes, and also sleep with it in his mouth, periodically sucking. With the help of this manipulation, the baby not only provides himself with nutrition, but also calms down, overcoming the stress of birth.
How long should a baby lie at the breast? At such a young age, the baby will need at least 20 minutes to feed. Therefore, it is necessary for the mother to have all the relatives who will take on the responsibility of cleaning, cooking, and much more.
