Must Know Breastfeeding Facts According to Baby's Age

Your tiny newborn will know this feeling before anything else. To fulfill his requirement, nature has worked out a great solution: breastfeeding. Because of its miraculous effects on a child's well being, WHO has advised breastfeeding the baby exclusively for a minimum of six months and going up to two years. Here's what we need to know about breastfeeding and top feed according to baby's age and his nutritional requirements.

Must Know Breastfeeding Facts

The first thing a mom needs to learn is to comfortably sit and cradle the baby in her arms. Some baby's start suckling right away, but with some, you may need to ensure the latching is correct. For this, hold your cradled baby's face near the breast. Ensure the mouth is in level with the nipple and the entire areola is in the mouth. Some mothers don’t lactate right away. The doctor may suggest stimulation with baby kept on your breast.

What If Breastfeeding to 0-6 Months Baby?

When it comes to feeding a 6 or below 6 months baby, it is very important for us to know some basic facts. You must read this to know more.

1. Once a baby learns to latch, make sure to feed him your first milk.
2. Look out for his hunger cues. He might whine a little or cry out loud. He may try to suck anything and everything that will come close to his mouth. This is a signal that he is hungry.
3. Newborns need to be fed frequently over very small intervals of time. It might become tiresome for new mothers but for first 2-3 months, feed him whenever he demands as his small tummy can't hold milk for long.
4. After 3 months, you may start keeping gaps between feeds but make sure to keep it up to 2 hours maximum. Gradually the baby, once fully fed, will start demanding feed after 2-3 hrs.
5. Ensure you burp him after every feed.

Note: Babies tend to regurgitate milk at times. It is normal. Don’t panic. Just don't forget to burp him next time.

What If Breastfeeding to 6-12 Months Baby?

When it comes to feeding to 6 months plus baby, it is very much important for breastfeeding mom to know some these facts. Continue reading...

1. This is the time when you should introduce first foods to your baby. Start from liquid foods like daal paani to semisolids like daal or banana mashed to solid foods like roti soaked in sabzi.
2. Gradually introduce these foods and bring the child in habit of 3 proper meals with two snacks in-between schedule.
3. Hunger cues might be changed by now. Your baby may cry or babble or may just point his finger to what he wants to have – breastfeed or regular food.

Note: Don't start outside milk for up to one year. As you introduce different foods, his stool and urine color may change. Look out for any food allergy symptoms like rashes. If present avoids that food.

Breastfeeding & Working Mother

Being a working mother you must not deprive your baby of your breast milk. With a little help and thought you can manage to feed him with these tips-

1. You may start expressing your milk with the help of manual or mechanical breast pumps. They are easily available in the market.
2. For storing expressed milk, special pouches which are multiplayer and secured can be purchased from the market.
3. Once expressed, breast milk must be refrigerated in these pouches only. If pouches are not available, you may keep in a glass bottle but never in plastic or metal utensil.
4. Once stored breast milk can be used in the next 6 hours safely.
5. To warm breast milk, keep the container (steel preferably) in a bowl of a warm water bowl. You may now feed it to the baby by bottle spoon or sipper.
6. Throw away the leftover milk when a baby is done the feeding.

Note - a.) Stored breast milk settles in layers: the upper watery and the lower a creamy layer. Shake and mix it well before using.

b.) Never ever directly heat breast milk over gas or in the microwave. It destroys all its nutritional value.

c.) Keep in account proper washing and sterilization of breast pump, storage pouches, utensils involved.

Introducing Outside Milk

By 12-18 months, once a baby's started on solid food, he might be introduced to outside milk. Cow's milk can be used now as a baby's iron requirements will be fulfilled from his regular meals now.