How to supplement with formula while breastfeeding? The child does not have enough breast milk - what to do?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Breast milk is the best food for babies under 1 year of age. Therefore, many mothers prefer natural feeding. Sometimes there are reasons why it cannot be carried out, which jeopardizes the full development of the baby. Mothers have to find a way out of this situation. How to supplement with formula while breastfeeding? The article will discuss the features of this process, its positive and negative sides.

How do you know if your baby is not getting enough milk?

Supplementary feeding, unlike complementary foods, is not necessary for all babies. Experts are sure that this should be done only in case of insufficient milk supply. However, not every mother, especially a young one, is able to determine whether her child is full. Often women, out of false motives, supplement with formula while breastfeeding. itimpairs the process of lactation. And in the future it leads to a complete transition to artificial feeding.

When a baby does not have enough milk, it manifests itself as follows:

• newborn is not gaining weight well;
• when suckling breast he behaves restlessly, often abandoning it;
• Shows clear signs of dehydration (flabbiness, dryness and pale skin).

The most reliable way to determine enough milk is the wet diaper test. For its implementation, the mother must refuse to use diapers for a day. And during this time, observe how many times the baby urinates during this time. If he wets the diaper at least 12 times a day, then this confirms that he has enough breast milk.

To accurately determine that the newborn is not full, you must consider all of the above signs. When a woman no longer registers flushes of milk, as at the beginning of lactation, and milk cannot be expressed between feedings, while the baby is gaining weight well and developing normally, then he does not need to introduce a mixture.

Recommendations for action

See a lactation specialist before starting formula supplementation while breastfeeding. Perhaps he will tell you how to avoid this. Some experts advise how to formula feed your baby to continue to feed naturally. After all, the best food for him is mother's milk. Sometimes women express it and feed their babies this way.

Ifall options have been exhausted, then you should contact your pediatrician, who will determine which mixture is best to supplement the baby.

Sometimes breastfeeding mothers face the following situations:

1. The family is preparing for the move or the upcoming holidays. Due to the fact that the mother is tired and very busy, feeding the baby is less frequent. Therefore, he begins to worry and asks for breasts more often. In this situation, everything is solved by more frequent feedings, without the use of formula.
2. In the second case, the baby is breastfed but not gaining weight. A possible reason is that it is difficult to suckle. Therefore, the mother expresses milk and feeds the baby with it until he gets stronger.
3. In the third case, he does not gain weight for a long time. Mom's milk supply has decreased during this time. Therefore, the woman continues to breastfeed. In addition, give the child a mixture. Mom also pumps milk to increase her production.

How to supplement with formula while breastfeeding? There are some features of this process, which will be discussed later in the article.

Feeding methods

If the baby is not full of breast milk, then it becomes necessary to introduce the mixture. However, you should not use a bottle for this, despite the fact that this facilitates the process of supplementing. This is easier for the baby than breastfeeding, so after the introduction of the mixture, he may refuse natural feeding. Among other things, the use of bottlespromotes improper nipple latch.

When a woman chooses this method of feeding, anatomically shaped nipples with a small hole should be used. It is best to offer the baby a bottle after breastfeeding.

If the baby does not have enough breast milk, what should I do? There are the following ways to supplement:

• Syringe. In this case, a 5-10 ml syringe is used without a needle. The tip is inserted into the corner of the child's mouth and, gently pressing the piston, power is supplied. With a long and thin tube at the end of the product, the mother can put a clean finger with the pad up so that the baby sucks it like a mother's breast.
• Spoon. For this, a regular teaspoon will do. A mixture or milk is taken into it, and when the child does not open his mouth well, then carefully pour it on the middle part of the tongue or on the cheek. You can use a soft silicone spoon with a built-in food container.
• Cup. Mom can use a small cup or a special plastic container for supplementary feeding. The child should sip or "lap" the liquid himself. This method of supplementation is also suitable for premature babies.
• Supplementation at the breast. For this, a special device is used, which looks like a container with two long tubes, and mixture or milk is placed in it.
• Pipette. This is the most time-consuming process, since the volume of the device does not allow you to give a lot of food to the child at one time. Therefore, such feeding is necessary for an infant when a lot of formula is not required orother methods do not work.

Woman independently chooses the appropriate method of supplementary feeding. The main thing is a positive result and convenience for the mother herself.

How to choose a mixture

The mixture must be chosen correctly, taking into account the age of the baby and the characteristics of his body. You can consult a pediatrician on this issue.

Babies up to 6 months of age need a highly adapted formula that is as close to breast milk as possible. These are Nan-1, Nutrilon-1, Hipp-1.

For children prone to allergies, you can use "Frisopep", "Nestozhen", "Nutrilak GA". For problems with the tummy, it is best to use fermented milk mixtures "Nan-1" and "Nan-2".

When a baby has lactase deficiency and he cannot absorb lactose, then they supplement him with a dairy-free formula "Lactose-free Nutrilon", "Lactose-free Nutrilac Premium", "Bellakt".

When choosing the best formula for babies, parents should be guided not only by the price and popularity of the product, but also by other characteristics. These include composition, expiration date. They need to make sure that the mixture dissolves well. Her convenience in feeding the baby will depend on this.

How to calculate the rate of feeding a child

When it becomes necessary to supplement, it is important to correctly determine the amount of formula and not provoke a deterioration in lactation, which can lead tostopping breastfeeding. A pediatrician will help to suggest the intake rate.

To calculate the amount of the mixture yourself, first determine how much milk the baby should eat per day. In this case, his age must be taken into account. The easiest way to do this is with the bulk method. According to this formula, babies eat:

• 1/5 of body weight at 0-2 months;
• 1/6 weight in 2-4 months;
• 1/7 mass in 4-6 months;
• 1/8 of body weight 6 months to 1 year.

How much should a baby eat per feeding? For example, an infant aged 3 months and weighing 5400 g should consume 900 ml of milk per day (5400 ÷ 6=900).

Next, mom determines the amount of food for one feeding. On average, a 3-month-old baby is applied to the breast at least 6 times. Normally, he consumes 150 ml of milk per feeding.

If you specifically weigh the baby before and after feeding, you can determine how much food he ate at a time. Based on this figure, determine how much mixture he needs to give.

Also known is the method associated with the results of the wet diaper test. If the child emptied the bladder 8 times instead of 12 times, then the supplementary food received should be enough for another 4 times. Due to the fact that the act of urination accounts for 30 ml of nutrition, in general, a baby lacks 120 ml per day.

When making calculations, the mother should take into account that the total amount of the mixture should not exceed 1/2 of the daily amount of food.

How to entersupplement

How to supplement with formula while breastfeeding? If the need arises, supplementary feeding is introduced gradually so that the body of the newborn adapts to the new food for him. In the early days, it is recommended to give the baby 1/3 of the total daily volume of the mixture. Then the parents monitor the condition of the baby. In the absence of constipation, diarrhea, allergies, colic, the introduction of the mixture can be continued. Mothers are encouraged to breastfeed before and after supplementary feeding.

There are 2 formula feeding schemes. According to the first, the total amount of supplementary feeding is divided into 5 parts and given to the baby in equal amounts from 6 to 24 hours. In terms of time, it will be 6, 10, 14, 18 and 22 hours.

According to the second scheme, the mixture is given every time before going to bed and after waking up. The amount of supplementary food is divided into equal amounts.

Supplementary rules

How to supplement with formula while breastfeeding? There are several rules:

• mixture should be given to the baby after he sucked both breasts;
• Supplementary feeding should not exceed 1/2 of the daily amount of feeding;
• to breastfeed at every meal;
• mixture temperature should be 37-38 degrees;
• during supplementary feeding with a pipette and a syringe, it is necessary to give the baby to suck a finger;
• when choosing a mixture, you need to contact your pediatrician;
• if you have allergies or colic, you need to change it;
• mix must be prepared before feeding;
• usually complementary foods are introduced to the babyat 6 months, but in the absence of a sufficient amount of milk, pediatricians allow it to be introduced already at the 4th month (liquid cottage cheese or vegetable puree).

These rules will help ease the introduction of supplementary feeding without compromising the he alth of the baby.

Disadvantages of mixed feeding

Supplementary feeding is administered only in extreme cases, if the baby is not full of breast milk. This method has serious drawbacks:

• none of the adapted mixtures contains as many nutrients and vitamins as mother's milk. Nature has laid down that it is ideal for a child.
• with the use of mixtures, the intestinal flora changes, as if the child was completely bottle-fed;
• if complementary feeding is carried out within the first 2 weeks after the birth of the baby, then the intestinal environment cannot be returned to its original level;
• prolonged use of mixtures can trigger allergies;
• Supplementation is most often the cause of dysbacteriosis, the symptoms of which are loose stools and intestinal colic.

Due to the inclusion of mixtures in the baby's diet, his stool becomes inconsistent and constipation often occurs.

When to stop feeding

When a child wakes up at night and cries and he has symptoms of a digestive disorder, then the intake of mixtures should be abandoned until the functions of the gastrointestinal tract are fully restored.

It is best to breastfeed the baby at this timemilk, often applying it to the breast. After all, its quantity largely depends on consumption. The more often the baby breastfeeds, the more breast milk will be produced.

Supplementation should also not be continued if an allergy occurs. In this case, the mixture must be replaced. It is not required to enter the mixture if the number of urination is normal. In this case, pediatricians do not recommend supplementary feeding if the weight of the newborn does not reach the weight required by age.

What to do to increase lactation

If a woman had to supplement, then she needs to do everything necessary in order to maintain natural feeding. This requires breastfeeding more often, especially at night.

A woman needs to eat foods that increase lactation. You should also exercise skin-to-skin contact and drink plenty of fluids.

Conclusion

Natural feeding is the best nutritional option for a newborn. If there are problems with lactation, a woman should not be afraid to introduce supplementary feeding. This should be done in the way that experts recommend and for artificial feeding to benefit the child.