Building Up Your Milk Supply
Around 2 to 4 days after birth you may notice that your breasts become fuller. This is often referred to as your milk “coming in”.
Your milk will vary according to your baby’s needs. Each time your baby feeds, your body knows to make more milk for the next feed. The amount of milk you make will increase or decrease depending on how often your baby feeds.
Feed your baby as often as they want and for as long as they want. This is called responsive feeding. In other words, responding to your baby’s needs. It’s also known as on-demand or baby-led feeding.
In the beginning, it can feel like you’re doing nothing but feeding. But gradually you and your baby will get into a pattern and the amount of milk you produce will settle down.
It’s important to breastfeed at night because this is when you produce more hormones to build up your milk supply.
In the early weeks, before you and your baby have become comfortable with breastfeeding, “topping up” with formula milk or giving your baby a dummy can lower your milk supply.
Speak to a midwife or health visitor if you are worried about breastfeeding or you think your baby is not getting enough milk.
They might suggest giving your baby some expressed breast milk along with breastfeeding.
Can Formula Make My Baby Constipated
When using formula, always use the amount of powder recommended on the packaging.
Do not add extra formula powder. Using too much can make your baby constipated and may cause dehydration.
If your baby is under 8 weeks old and has not done a poo for 2 to 3 days, talk to your midwife, health visitor or GP, particularly if your baby is gaining weight slowly.
Your baby should be gaining weight and have plenty of wet and dirty nappies.
Get Your Puppy In The Right Position
Most puppy parents think of puppies like human children and may want to feed them like that. It is essential to note that puppies do not lie on their backs to feed. Instead, they lay on their tummies. So, if you want to feed a puppy, the right position will be placing the puppy on its belly or carrying it in a sort of standing position.
If you try feeding your puppy like a human child on its back, this puts the puppy at risk for aspirating the food. When a puppy aspirates their milk, it can go into their lungs and cause pneumonia.
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What If I’m Finding It Difficult To Breastfeed
Breastfeeding is a skill that you and baby need to learn, but trust us, practice makes perfect. Theres nothing more natural or healthier for you and your baby, but equally nothing can really prepare you for it. So dont be too hard on yourself, and remember to just take it one feed at a time, step by step.
And remember, if you have any difficulties or youre worried about anything, youre not alone just talk to your midwife or health visitor as soon as possible, and theyll help you.
You can also call the National Breastfeeding Helpline on for advice and support, 9.30am 9.30pm every single day of the year. All calls are answered by highly trained volunteers who are also mums who have breastfed, and the service is both confidential and non-judgmental.
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Start Slowly Use The Right Nipple Relax And Enlist Help
Start by offering bottles filled with just a half ounce or so .
If your baby has been exclusively breastfed, Rosenfeld recommended starting with a wide, slow flow nipple that mimics the shape and flow of your own nipples, decreasing the chance that your baby will find it easier to get milk from a bottle than the breast.
A baby older than 3 months, however, may become frustrated with a slow flow bottle, especially if moms breasts have a fast flow, Rosenfeld warned. In that case, she recommended trying a faster flow nipple.
To ensure that baby is happy, relaxed and not too hungry, offer a bottle one to two hours after your babys last feeding. Crying is a late sign of hunger, and a hungry baby is easily frustrated.
If you are the first to offer the bottle, your baby may refuse and insist on nursing. Instead, ask your partner or another familiar caregiver to offer the first few bottles, if you can. This will not only help your baby get used to bottle feeding, but will help establish a feeding relationship with your partner , too.
Whomever is giving the bottle should try to relax and follow your babys cues. Babies sense stress and may reject a bottle if the person offering it seems anxious.
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How Can I Tell If My Baby Is Hungry
Its normal to think that crying is an indicator of hunger in your newborn, but according to the La Leche League, Crying is a late feeding cue and indicates your baby is too hungry.
It may take a while for your newborn to settle down once they get to this point, making feeding time difficult. Its important to recognize early feeding cues before crying sets in.
It will take you and your baby a few days or even a few weeks to adjust and learn each others cues. But this adjustment period is important because responding to early feeding cues will help eliminate hunger cries.
Look for these signs to tell if your baby is hungry:
- Opens their mouth
- Turns their head toward your chest
- Places their hands and fists in their mouth
- Moves their head from side to side
- Whimpers or makes grunting sounds
Summing Up: Recommendations For A Flexible Infant
Although feeding practices vary worldwide, the international medical establishment is in general agreement. These recommendations are endorsed by the World Health Organization , La Leche League, and the American Academy of Pediatrics :
Reject an adult-imposed newborn feeding schedule that denies your baby frequent opportunities to feed
As noted above, newborns flourish when they are fed approximately 8-12 times a day.
Feed when baby when he or she shows early signs of hunger
Each newborn is different. Some may feel hungry every 30 minutes. Others may be fine with much longer intervals between feedings. Be sensitive to your babys hunger cues . These include
- Rooting
- Hand-sucking and hand-to-mouth movements
- Increased alertness or restlessness
Dont wait for your newborn to cry. Crying is a late sign of hunger, and once a newborn begins crying it may take time for him to settle down and feed.
Dont restrict time at the breast
This may prevent your baby from taking in enough calories. If youre breastfeeding, a strictly-timed newborn feeding schedule may also deprive your baby of high-fat hind milk. Read more opens in a new windowhere.
Dont try to encourage a baby to finish a bottle
As noted above, that may simply teach your baby bad habits. If your baby rejects the bottle three times in a row, thats a sign that you should stop trying to feed .
Sleep or feed?
Watch the diaper count
Watch your babys weight
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For Both Breastfed And Bottle
- Dont give liquids other than formula or breast milk to babies under a year old. That includes juices and cows milk. They dont provide the right nutrients and can be upsetting to your babys tummy. Water can be introduced around 6 months when you start offering a cup.
- Dont add baby cereal to a bottle.
- It can create a choking hazard.
- A babys digestive system isnt mature enough to handle cereal until about 4 to 6 months of age.
- You could overfeed your baby.
First Weeks And Months
Some babies need additional vitamin D.
Babies who are fed breast milk exclusively or who receive both breast milk and infant formula need extra vitamin D, starting shortly after birth. They can get this through over-the-counter vitamin D drops. Babies receiving only infant formula do not need vitamin D drops. Infant formula is fortified with vitamin D.
- Over the first few weeks and months, the time between feedings will get longerabout every 3 to 4 hours for most infant formula-fed babies. This means you may need to wake your baby to feed. You can try patting, stroking, undressing, or changing the diaper to help wake your baby to feed.
- Some feeding sessions may be long, and other feedings short. That is okay. Babies will generally take what they need at each feeding and stop eating when they are full.
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Is My Baby Latching On Correctly
Good attachment is crucial for getting breastfeeding off to a good start,6 as your babys latch affects how well he drinks the milk and consequently how he grows and develops. A poor latch can cause sore or damaged nipples, so never worry about asking a healthcare professional to check your attachment, even if youve been told the latch is fine and you dont notice an obvious problem especially while youre still at your birth facility.
Every time I fed in hospital, I buzzed a midwife to check the latch, says Emma, mum of two, Australia. There were a few times I thought I had it right but it was painful and the midwife helped take my baby off and do it properly. It meant I had the confidence to do that at home.
When your baby is latching on, aim your nipple towards the roof of his mouth. This way he will latch on to the nipple, as well as some of the areola beneath it. This means he can draw both the nipple and some breast tissue into his mouth and feed well.6
The latch should feel pretty comfortable and like a tugging sensation rather than a pain, says Cathy. Your baby will have his mouth wide open. His bottom lip may be flanged outwards, but his top lip will rest comfortably on your breast. His body language will show he is comfortable. Theres not going to be a large volume of milk at this early stage, so you wont see much swallowing, although your baby will be sucking a lot and feeding lots of times.
What To Feed Newborn Kittens During An Emergency
Taking care of a cat is hard work, but very beneficial. When the time comes, youll have kittens as well. Delightful as they are, these newborn creatures are so helpless and so sensitive, proper handling is required. Do you know what to feed newborn kittens in an emergency? Read on and find out.
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I’ve Heard About Blocked Milk Ducts How Will I Know If This Happens To Me
If you are breastfeeding and start to feel shivery, experience pain, or you notice a red patch or small lump in your breast, it could be a blocked milk duct. Sometimes milk does not make its way down the duct as usual, and may cause a blockage which causes the swelling. The most common cause is incorrect positioning and attachment, so its very important to work on this.
Blocked milk ducts are a common concern among women who breastfeed, and most common about two weeks after the birth. Although they sometimes clear on their own without treatment if the baby has a good feed, they often progress to become mastitis – and thats when you will feel shivery and have a red inflamed and tender patch on your breast.
If you can deal with it quickly, it will go away easily but call your midwife, health visitor or the National Breastfeeding helpline on if you need more help.
The NCT website has more information, including self-help methods which can be useful for both blocked ducts and mastitis.
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Infant Formula And Allergies
If you think your baby might be allergic to or intolerant of formula, talk to your GP. If necessary, they can prescribe a special formula feed.
Some formula is labelled as hypoallergenic, but this is not suitable for babies with a diagnosed cows’ milk allergy.
Soya formula should only be given to babies under medical supervision.
Always talk to your GP before using hypoallergenic or soya-based formula.
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Feeding A Newborn Puppy With A Bottle
Doing Jar Food Safely
There are good reasons to consider grinding your own food for baby’s mealtime, but one big advantage store-bought jar food has is preservatives. Preservatives keep foods fresher longer, so jarred food usually doesn’t spoil quite as quickly as anything made fresh at home.
Longer is not the same as forever, though. If you’re saving jarred leftovers for the next meal, that can introduce bacteria from your baby’s mouth into the leftovers, where the bacteria can grow, potentially upsetting little tummies next time. If you’ve been doing this and notice symptoms like diarrhea or vomiting, try changing mealtime habits.
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