How often should you breastfeed? Breastfeeding precautions

There are many things that young couples need to know when they become parents. Take breastfeeding for example. Does the baby cry often because he is hungry and wants to breastfeed? How often should he be fed? What should he pay attention to when breastfeeding? Let me tell you~

How often is breastfeeding appropriate?

Many parents think that breastfeeding should be regular, but it is not. The time to breastfeed your baby is different at different stages. Today, I will show you how long breastfeeding should last.

For a newborn baby, daily life is a process of eating and sleeping, sleeping and eating, eating and defecating, defecating and eating again (please don’t make this association consciously), eating and sleeping again... The breastfeeding time in the first month is random at any time and place~ If there are no special circumstances, the mother should stay with the baby 24 hours a day in the first month.

As long as the baby is hungry or the mother feels full, she should feed the baby as much as the baby can eat. This is called on-demand breastfeeding. There is no limit on the interval and duration of feedings.

During the first month after the baby is born, it is not necessary, appropriate, or possible to restrict or stipulate feeding time.

Being a parent is not easy, you will realize it in the first month. It is really painful! Only parents can understand ~ right? !

"So how do you know if your baby is hungry?"

"Isn't it just crying?"

Babies will cry when they are hungry, but they will also cry when they are unhappy about other things. All the ways they express their "unhappiness" are by crying.

Cry when hungry, cry when peeing, cry when pooping, cry when hot, cry when cold, cry when itchy, cry when lonely, cry when full...

Don’t feed the baby as soon as he cries, he may not want to eat!

As the baby grows older, the intervals can be gradually fixed, with feedings every 2-3 hours, 7-10 times a day, each lasting about 20 minutes.

If the baby has a strong sucking ability and the mother's milk is constantly flowing, the baby can be full after eating for 10-15 minutes. As long as the baby stops swallowing, the nipple should be taken out in time, and the baby should not sleep with the nipple in his mouth.

At the beginning, if the baby eats too much at one time, it is more likely for him to spit up or even choke on milk.

Generally, after 1-2 months, the baby can eat milk every 3 hours, that is, 8 times a day. Parents can slowly train the baby to have the habit of regular feeding, only feeding at 6:00, 9:00, 12:00 in the morning, 3:00, 6:00, 9:00 in the afternoon, and 0:00 and 3:00 in the morning.

When the baby is 3-5 months old, you can feed him every 3.5-4 hours, that is, 7 times a day. The time can be fixed at 6 am, 9:30 am, 1 pm, 4:30 pm, 8 pm, around 11:30 pm and 3 am every day.

When your baby is 4 months old, you can slowly add complementary food to him.

Generally, before 6 months old, babies will not be hungry for too long and will need to be fed in the middle of the night. After 6 months old, as they eat more and more complementary food, they will not be hungry easily at night, and you can gradually stop feeding them at night.

This way, parents can relax a little bit, otherwise they will have to get up in the middle of the night to feed the baby and not sleep well. No one can stop them.

After 6-7 months, you can feed your baby every 4-5 hours, and only feed him/her at 6am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm and 10pm every day.

If your baby gets hungry in the middle of the night, you can feed him later or add another meal at midnight.

When the baby is 8-9 months old, the number of feedings a day can be reduced to 3 times, only feeding at 6 am, 2 pm and 10 pm.

After 9 months, you only need to feed your baby twice a day, morning and evening, and you can do this in the future.

It is best for mothers to insist on breastfeeding until the baby is 2 years old. This is very beneficial to the physical and mental health of the baby and themselves.

If your baby drinks less milk, you must increase the amount of complementary food accordingly. Don't let your baby go hungry.

Benefits of Breastfeeding

There are so many benefits of breastfeeding! I'm sure mothers have heard them all before, right? It promotes uterine contractions, reduces vaginal bleeding, prevents ovarian cancer and breast cancer, saves money and loses weight, enhances baby's immunity, and promotes the development of mind and emotional intelligence...

Therefore, the editor thinks that whether a mother can persist in breastfeeding can be regarded as a touchstone of whether she truly loves her baby. Will you persist in breastfeeding your baby?

Breast milk can effectively reduce the incidence of the following diseases in adolescents and adults:

Appendicitis, asthma, breast cancer, childhood cancer, colitis, diabetes, eczema, gastroenteritis, gastroesophageal reflux, inguinal herniation, juvenile rheumatism, arthritis, leukemia, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, respiratory diseases, sudden childhood death syndrome, urinary tract infection, vision problems, daytime cough, ear infection.

Anemia is rare in breastfed babies

Although breast milk contains relatively little iron, it is active iron with a very high absorption rate of up to 75%. Breast milk contains more lactose and vitamin C, which helps with iron absorption. The absorption rate of iron-fortified milk powder is less than 10%.

According to research and investigations by American pediatric experts, no case of anemia was found in infants who were exclusively breastfed for 7 months. At the age of 1, infants who were exclusively breastfed for 7 months had much higher hemoglobin levels than those who were given iron-fortified milk powder or rice flour earlier. To avoid consequences such as iron deficiency anemia, allergies, and malnutrition, the International Breastfeeding Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that mothers exclusively breastfeed their infants for more than 6 months, and do not recommend adding complementary foods before 6 months.

Babies will never be allergic to breast milk, but they often are allergic to formula.

The protein in breast milk is completely suitable for human babies, but the protein in cow's milk often causes trouble for babies: abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, nasal congestion, cough, rash, irritability, insomnia, etc. Breast milk protects babies from allergies to other foods and reduces the chances of suffering from other allergy-induced diseases (such as asthma, eczema, pollen allergy, chronic enteritis, etc.). Breastfeeding can prevent eczema, food allergies and respiratory allergies in the long term. Babies fed with formula milk are not so lucky.

Breast milk gives your baby beautiful teeth.

Dentists encourage long-term breastfeeding because the sucking action helps the development of facial muscles and gums, which helps babies grow healthy teeth and beautiful faces. Babies fed with formula are prone to tooth decay and oral deformation.

Breastfeeding saves time, effort and money.

Nothing is more convenient than breast milk. As soon as the baby cries, the mother can satisfy him immediately. One of the psychological characteristics of infants is that once there is a need, it must be satisfied immediately. Their immature bodies neither understand nor are suitable for waiting. Eating sweet breast milk immediately when hungry will help babies build a better sense of trust in life. Regardless of day or night, breast milk is produced anytime and anywhere, stored in the breast, always fresh, and will not run dry. Breastfeeding can not only save the trouble of preparing milk powder, but also avoid the guilt and anxiety of the mother caused by the crying of the child. Especially at night, breastfeeding can make the whole family sleep more peacefully. It is especially convenient when traveling, and there is no need to worry about the supply of boiling water, sterilization of milk bottles, cleaning of feeding utensils, etc.

Breastfeeding precautions

You must have confidence in breastfeeding. Breast milk is the best natural food for babies. It contains comprehensive nutrients needed for babies' growth at different stages. Therefore, mothers must fully understand the advantages of breastfeeding and have firm confidence in breastfeeding. Breast milk has a suitable temperature, is pollution-free, is easy for babies to absorb, and is both economical and convenient.

Breastfeeding provides the best care for mothers and babies. It helps prevent postpartum hemorrhage and uterine recovery, and helps mothers recover. Therefore, the breastfeeding process also keeps mothers away from the troubles of certain diseases. It is the best care for babies both physically and psychologically.

The breastfeeding process is the most critical. During the breastfeeding process, mothers must maintain a good attitude, adequate sleep, and rich nutrition. Clean hands and nipples before feeding. The baby and mother should maintain a comfortable posture, with the baby's head and body in the same straight line to help the baby suck and swallow. After feeding, pick up the baby, with the baby's head against the shoulder, and gently pat the back for 1-2 minutes to expel air from the baby's stomach to prevent vomiting. Never feed while lying down.

Mothers should pay attention to their diet. In the first one or two months after delivery, stews are the main food, which are easy to digest and absorb, increase appetite and promote milk secretion. Eggs, red dates, brown sugar, milk, etc. are also necessary. Vegetables and fruits are also indispensable. Spicy and cold foods should be avoided. Meat is important, but not excessive. The diet should be light and balanced, with proper combination of vegetables and not picky.

Try not to take medicine. Sometimes you can take some children's medicine for a minor cold and continue breastfeeding. If you have a serious illness, you should consult a doctor. If necessary, you must wean your baby. Medicine is as toxic as poison. Everything is for the health of the baby. Mothers should add complementary food when the baby is 4-6 years old.

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