Breastfeeding is Rules and general principles, the benefits of breastfeeding for a child

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-15 22:35

Doctors constantly tell expectant mothers that breast milk is important for children, especially in the first year of life. At this time, immunity and important vital functions are established. Breastfeeding is a necessary condition for the proper he althy development of a newborn, it contains all the substances the baby needs.

Benefits of breastfeeding

The key to the proper development of the newborn is natural feeding.

The benefits of breastfeeding are as follows:

1. This is the best food for the baby, as it has a balanced composition of nutrients and trace elements, is well absorbed, easy to digest. It also does not cause constipation, promotes the development of beneficial microflora, visual and brain cells, and the nervous system.
2. It is the basis of he alth, as it gives impetus to the development of immunity, transmits antibodies to certain diseases. Children who were on naturalbreastfeeding, get sick less and recover faster, tolerate infectious diseases more easily.
3. A breastfed baby feels a special connection with his mother, which gives him a feeling of warmth and security, provides the baby with proper mental development.
4. Sucking forms the correct bite in the child.
5. Breastfeeding allows a woman to recover faster after childbirth due to the production of a hormone that stimulates uterine contractions.
6. Breastfeeding prevents a woman from falling into postpartum depression due to the release of endorphins.
7. In most cases, the production of prolactin during breastfeeding prevents a new pregnancy and helps prevent breast cancer.

Comfort for baby

Since breast milk is the only complete product for a newborn, the expectant mother should psychologically prepare for this process in advance and know some of the features.

In order for the baby to be comfortable, you need to fulfill the following requirements:

1. It is better to put a newborn to the breast immediately after childbirth. It is good if the baby and mother are in the same room from the very beginning.
2. During feeding, the baby is torn off the breast only after full saturation, when he himself releases it. If mom needs to go away for a while, she can express milk into a bottle. In this case, the correct selection of the nipple is important - it must follow the shape of the breast, be elastic and have holes so small that the milkhad to suck.
3. During breastfeeding, the first three months, you can not give water to a newborn - mother's milk completely covers all the needs of the child, including the need for fluids.
4. If it's hard for mom to sit, then the process is performed lying down. If feeding takes place in a sitting position, then a pillow is placed under the arm on which the baby's head lies. Without support, the arm may become tired, preventing continued feeding.
5. During feeding, make sure that the position of the newborn's body is comfortable.
6. In order for the process to be successful and not create pain for the woman, it is necessary to teach the newborn to properly latch on to mother's breast.
7. You can only put the baby on the second breast after the first has completely emptied, as the last milk is more nutritious.
8. After breastfeeding, the baby should be held upright for the first seven to twelve minutes to release the air that he swallows while suckling.
9. Weigh your baby once every seven days to keep track of weight gain and milk supply.

Absolutely not necessary on the advice of old grandmothers:

• putting a newborn to sleep on a thick soft pillow to avoid improper development of the spine;
• lubricate the nipple with honey - so as not to cause an allergic reaction;
• to give a newborn sweet tea to drink - so as not to spoil the appetite and not cause the development of iron deficiency (anemia).

Features of breastfeeding formoms

Breastfeeding has its own characteristics that a mother should know.

They are:

1. At first, there will be little colostrum, but you should not be afraid of this - at first, this will be enough for the child, and the digestive system of the newborn will be prepared for breast milk.
2. Every mother should work out for herself a baby feeding system. Previously, doctors recommended adherence to strict feeding by the hour. Recently, pediatricians advise breastfeeding after childbirth at the request of a newborn, this process can reach 12 times a day. Frequent feeding increases milk production.
3. To keep the process of natural feeding as long as possible, you do not need to water the baby through the nipple. If you need to give him water, medicine or complementary foods, you need to do this with a spoon or pipette, and only after breastfeeding.
4. For hygiene purposes, after and before each feeding, the breast must be wiped with furatsilin, a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Breastfeeding testimonials confirm that hygiene practices prevent the formation of acidic residues that can harm the baby.
5. If there is not enough milk, then after each feeding session, you need to completely express the breast. If the child is saturated, then this is not necessary - over time, when the newborn sucks more, milk will also form more. Pumping will prevent hardening of the mammary glands and stagnation of milk in them.

Night feeding

Firstmonths of life, the baby needs frequent feeding, including at night. Mother's milk is rich in substances that help the baby fall asleep, and sucking soothes. Breastfeeding up to 6 months would be the best solution as it benefits the newborn and the mother develops sustainable lactation.

There is no need to worry that mom does not have enough strength to get up at night, nature took care of this - after the birth of a baby, a woman's endurance increases five times, which helps to withstand the difficult first months. More responsibility is required from the mother at night, as for feeding you need to wake up completely and not crush the baby during sleep.

In the first month, a baby may need to breastfeed up to three times a night. Most pediatricians agree that not only during the day, but also at night, you need to adhere to the regimen on demand.

The benefits of feeding your baby at night are as follows:

• children's body grows at night, so the supply of nutritious mother's milk at this time is especially important;
• normalizes the functions of the baby's digestive tract;
• makes sleep peaceful.

Night breastfeeding is a difficult process, so most mothers during this period prefer to sleep with the baby. You can buy a special baby seat - it is small and is located close to the parent's bed, or move a standard baby bed with the side panel removed. In this case, the mother isright next to the baby and can quickly respond to his needs.

Laying the newborn to the breast

Successful breastfeeding is the key to the development and growth of the child. In order for this process to occur painlessly for mother and baby, it is necessary from the very beginning to teach the baby to properly grasp the breast.

The following points should be taken into account:

1. Before feeding, the mother should sit comfortably, turn the baby to face her.
2. Next, you need to make sure that the head and neck of the newborn is located on the same line - straight. This position ensures the free flow of milk into the stomach.
3. Then you need to bring the baby's mouth closer to the nipple - the baby will instinctively open it.
4. Put the breast into the mouth with your hand so that it fits not only the nipple, but almost the entire halo. In this case, less air will be absorbed when eating, and painful cracks will not form on the nipple. If the process of attachment to the breast is not debugged, the breastfed child may refuse to breastfeed, and the mother will have a number of problems - lactostasis, mastitis.
5. If the baby behaves passively and does not open his mouth, then you can touch his lips with part of the halo under the nipple.
6. After the baby has taken the breast, its position is corrected so as not to cover the baby's nose, and supported for convenience by hand.
7. If the milk from the breast beats with a strong stream, then it can be expressed a little to relieve chest tension and the baby does not choke.
8. If the baby has taken the breast incorrectly, you need to release the nipple with your finger, slightly pressing near the lips, and repeat all over again.

Correct natural feeding

Sometimes it is much more convenient for mom to feed on a certain schedule. This does not harm the child, as his body learns to live in this mode.

Inexperienced young mothers are interested in the problem of what scheme to breastfeed for months. To answer this question, you can use a special table, which is intended for those parents who do not use on-demand feeding.

Indicative table of diet and milk supply up to two months of age of the child:

Days	Daily number of feedings, times	Interval between feedings, hour	Night interval, hour	Total milk volume, g	Amount of milk per feeding, g
1-2	-	-	-	-	-
3	8	3	4	85-90	10-15
4	8	3	4	180-190	20-30
5	8	3	4	250-300	35-45
6	7-8	3	4-6	350-370	50
7	7	3	4-6	380-400	55-60
2 week	7	3	4-6	420-450	60
3 week	7	3	5-6	450	65-70
4 week	7	3	5-6	480-520	75-80
5 week	7	3	6	580-620	85-90
6 week	6	3, 5	6	650-700	120
7 week	6	3, 5	6	780-820	125-130
8 week	6	3, 5	7	880-920	155-160
9 week	5	4-4, 5	8-9	950-1000	180-200

It must be remembered that the approximate breastfeeding table (how much milk is needed) contains average values. Each child's body is unique, so only a mother can determine which feeding regimen will be comfortable for her baby.

Feeding on demand, duration

Five or six years ago, pediatricians convinced mothers that feeding by the hour is the only right thing to do. Today's experts are convinced that an individualized approach to infant feeding is a must.

Over time, the opinion of doctors has changed, and now mothers have the right to decide for themselves what kind of breastfeeding they will adhere to - according to a temporary regimen or according to need. The latter means that the mother must listen to the needs of the baby and meet them as needed, that is, on demand.

This means:

• You should always breastfeed your baby when he whimpers, is naughty or looks for a source of food with his mouth;
• no need to take into account the time that has passed since the last feeding.

Over time, the baby will set a suitable schedule for him. Feeding on demand creates psycho-emotional comfort for the newborn, makes him calm and balanced.

Durationbreastfeeding is a variable that depends on many factors.

This parameter is affected by:

• development of the sucking reflex in a baby;
• the effort a baby makes while suckling;
• correct position of the breast in the mouth of a newborn;
• feeding the baby.

The average duration of a feed is thirty minutes. It is believed that time should not be forcibly limited - the baby will release the breast itself when it is full. Such a relatively long time of eating is explained by the fact that the child first sucks out less high-calorie, watery milk, saturated with carbohydrates and minerals. Only five minutes later, more nutritious milk, rich in proteins and fats, begins to stand out.

Often a baby requires a breast not for saturation, but to calm down, to feel that his mother is near. Thus, after breastfeeding, the invisible bond between the baby and mother is strengthened. Over time, the newborn will find other methods of contact, and there will be fewer moments of breast sucking.

Until what age to feed

It is believed that the longer the mother breastfeeds the baby, the better. Five to seven years ago, some doctors advised to continue breastfeeding for at least a year, others - up to three years. Today, everyone agreed that it is best to continue this process up to one and a half to two years. The unanimous advice of experts is that breastfeeding in the first month should be unambiguous.

According to pediatricians, long enough breastfeeding brings the following benefits:

• children are less susceptible to allergic reactions;
• whole milk and infant formula are postponed to a later date, which is good for the digestive system of babies, as they contain foreign proteins;
• strengthens the immune system - children get sick a little and easily tolerate infections;
• breast milk is an excellent prophylactic against intestinal diseases;
• milk enzymes stimulate the development of brain cells and digestion of food;
• psychological contact between mother and child is established;
• kids adapt more easily in kindergarten teams, have developed intellectual abilities.

In addition, long-term lactation reduces a woman's risk of developing cancers of the breast and female genital area.

Mom's Diet Recommendations

In order for milk to contain enough nutrients, mom needs to eat well. Many women are interested in what diet can and cannot be used while breastfeeding.

Specialists give an unequivocal negative answer to those mothers who after pregnancy, gaining excess weight, want to lose weight. Restriction in nutrition will cause the milk to be inadequate and not able to meet the needs of the newborn.

A wet nurse's diet should be balanced, varied and he althy. It is importantbecause the baby gets all these substances from milk.

The menu should have enough:

• proteins;
• calcium;
• magnesium;
• yoda;
• vitamin C and D;
• iron;
• carbs;
• omega acids;
• fat.

On the question of whether it is possible to eat fried and smoked foods while breastfeeding, experts give a negative answer. At the same time, foods that cause gas formation should be excluded from the diet. The first six months, the calorie content of food should be at least 2650 kcal, and then up to 2600 kcal. The amount of incoming protein should be 110-115 g (animal - 60%, vegetable - 40%). The menu must include fish, meat, cereals, vegetables, nuts, dairy products.

In case of unsatisfactory intake of necessary substances with food, the reserves in the mother's body will be depleted, which will eventually lead to undesirable consequences.

Weaning

Weaning on time is easy, because breastfeeding has lasted long enough for the baby to get the right amount of complementary foods by the time we wean.

When a baby reaches ten months of age, with the timely introduction of additional solid foods, he receives complementary foods three times a day and twice (usually in the morning and evening) breast milk. Feeding in this mode is suitable for children until they reach one year of age and even more. It all depends on the characteristics of each individual child - his constitution, weight, activity. Because breast milkretains its nutritional properties with the full nutrition of the mother, regular breastfeeding stimulates its production and natural feeding along with the rest of the food can be continued as long as you like.

To understand where to start weaning a baby from the breast, you need to determine what you need to get in the end. If mom is going to go to work, then she will have to wean from morning feedings. This is dictated by the fact that, most likely, the mother will have free evening time for the child, when it will be possible to feed him with breast milk. If the work provides for free morning hours, then evening breastfeeding should be stopped. In the event that it does not matter in principle which breastfeeding to refuse, then it is better to first replace any of the daily feedings with solid food.

To start weaning before feeding, give the baby 50-60 g of the mixture (for an eight-month-old baby) or baby yogurt (if the baby is older than eight months), then attach to the breast and feed. It is better to give additional food with a teaspoon or from a cup. By the end of the third day, the amount of complementary foods that replace feeding should reach 110-160 g. Thus, one morning or evening feeding will be gradually replaced. Then, over time, another one can be canceled in the same way.

Over time, with a gradual decrease in milk intake, less and less milk is produced from the breast, and at some point it completely disappears. In the case of a gradual, smooth refusal of breastfeeding, this process can stretch fora few months. If you need to wean the child urgently, then you can meet it in a few days.

When milk production is high, some experts advise tightening the breast tightly. Others are against such a method, arguing that this can provoke the development of mastopathy. They advise little by little, up to half of the total volume at a time, to express the breast when it swells a lot. The body in this case will assume that the child consumes less milk and will reduce its production. Over time, it will stop altogether.

During the period of weaning, the child needs to pay more attention so that he does not feel that his mother is moving away - play more often, pick him up, cuddle him, talk to him. Following these recommendations will lead to the fact that the cancellation of breastfeeding will take place in a calm and comfortable environment for the baby and mother.

Stress prevention questions

Many mothers are interested in the question of whether it is necessary to stop breastfeeding if the baby is sick. The answer of experts is unequivocal - no. On the contrary, mother's milk is the best and safest medicine.

Also, women are interested in whether it is possible to take medication while breastfeeding. If the mother is ill, the doctor will prescribe those drugs that are allowed during lactation and will not harm the baby. In case of taking other medicines on the days of taking plus two more days after its end, the child is fed formula from a bottle with a tight nipple or a spoon.

Pediatricians do not advise starting weaning in the summer, especially in the heat. If this process is planned, then it is betterspend it in the cool season.

Also do not stop breastfeeding immediately after vaccination, as breast milk is a natural protective agent that boosts immunity, and during this period, the child's body is weakened and susceptible to infections.

If the baby is already old enough and does not want to give up the breast, then other adults should help the mother. Dad or grandmother can put the baby to bed, offer a mixture or kefir. To cancel feedings at night, such children will have to be left without a mother for part of the night.

It must be remembered that weaning from mother's breast at any age and for any reason is a stressful situation. And the stronger it is, the more visible the consequences. During this period, the child needs to pay more attention so that he does not feel that his mother is moving away - play more often, pick up, cuddle, talk. Following these guidelines will ensure that the end of breastfeeding will take place in a calm and comfortable environment for both.