How to feed a newborn baby?

Many first-time mothers don’t know how to breastfeed their babies. Newborn babies will be very hungry, as if they can never be full. There are many things to pay attention to when breastfeeding. At this time, the baby is still very young, so if you don’t pay attention to these things when breastfeeding, it will cause great harm to the baby’s body. The baby must ensure a good amount of milk, so how to feed a newborn baby?

Your baby will need to be fed frequently in the first few weeks of life. But his little stomach can only hold 28.3-84.9 grams at a time. During this time, make sure he does not sleep during the feeding process. Your baby may need to eat 8-12 times a day, with each feeding 2-3 hours apart.

As your baby grows, his meal size will increase and the frequency will gradually decrease. After a few weeks, you can adjust the frequency and spacing of feedings based on your baby's needs.

What many new breastfeeding mothers worry about most is whether their babies are eating enough. If their breasts are swollen before feeding and become soft after feeding, this means that the baby is eating enough. In addition, if the baby urinates more than 6 times a day and the urine is light yellow, it is normal.

Generally speaking, breastfeed about every two hours, but if the baby is sleeping, there is no need to wake him up at a fixed time to feed him. As long as the baby wants to eat, try to feed him.

Since breast milk is easy to digest, there is no need to pass gas after feeding. However, if the baby is prone to spitting up or spitting up milk, you should pat the baby on the back to help him pass gas. In addition, letting the baby sleep on the right side after feeding can improve spitting up and indigestion. Even if the baby spit up milk, it will flow out from the side of the mouth and will not easily cause choking.

Precautions

1. Before breastfeeding, the mother should wash her hands with soap and scrub her nipples with warm water. You can express the first few drops of milk before feeding it to your baby. You should change your underwear and clean your breasts frequently within the first month after giving birth. After the full month, the mother should take a bath regularly to keep the breasts clean.

2. Pay attention to the breastfeeding posture. Immediately after giving birth, it is best for the mother to lie down, lie on her side and hold the baby next to her to feed. If the mother can get up, it is best to place the baby diagonally on her legs, with the head resting on her arms, in a semi-sitting position, so that the baby's head is slightly higher for sucking milk. When feeding a baby, the mother should use the middle finger and index finger of one hand to pinch the breast separately and put the nipple into the baby's mouth to prevent the breast from blocking the baby's nostrils and hindering breathing. This can also prevent the milk from flowing too quickly and choking the baby. If there is not enough milk, you can gently squeeze out the milk to help the baby suck milk.

3. When feeding, the entire nipple and most of the areola should be placed in the baby's mouth. If the baby only bites the nipple, it will not only be difficult for the baby to get the milk, but sometimes the nipple may be bitten.

4. Eat one breast first and then the other. Some mothers like to let their children eat a few bites from both sides. From a nutritional point of view, this is unscientific. The nutritional composition of the initial and final parts of breast milk is different. During breastfeeding, milk secretion goes through three natural stages, and each stage has its own nutritional characteristics. Initially the milk contains enough minerals to be called "grey milk". Some people think that drinking such milk will cause diarrhea, so they squeeze it out in vain, which is a pity. After the baby sucks for a while, the milk turns white, which is a sign of increased protein and carbohydrates. Towards the end, the milk is white and thick, containing a lot of fat. Only when the milk from these three stages is consumed by the baby can proper nutrition be guaranteed, and doing so can also promote the secretion of milk next time.

Feeding a newborn baby must be reasonable, give the baby a regular and fixed amount, avoid feeding the baby too much at one time, and avoid feeding the baby too little at one time. It is best to feed the baby according to the solutions we proposed above. The mother plays a big role when feeding the baby. At this time, avoid wanting to wash the nipple. At the same time, avoid eating spicy and irritating food while feeding the baby.