The first feeding of an infant can take place even in the operating room, but there is one condition – the operation took place under the influence of local anesthesia, and this is also allowed by the rules of the hospital. But if the mother underwent surgery under general anesthesia or the baby needs medical care, then the feeding will have to be postponed a little. You have to know that the first feedings may be unsuccessful, but you should not immediately get upset and scared. There can be many reasons for this – even a feeling of fear can provoke the first feeding failure.Also, milk may not appear immediately, but in 5-9 days.
The baby that has just been born is immediately applied to the breast. The question arises, why? There are several reasons for this.
First, if the baby is applied immediately after birth, then the mother will separate the placenta faster, since stimulation of the nipples stimulates the contraction of the uterus. When breastfeeding, a woman’s uterus shrinks faster and becomes prenatal in size.
The second, to apply the baby immediately after childbirth – this is a way to test the sucking reflex in the baby. The mother, at the same time, turns on a signal that everything is happy with her child. Therefore, if early breastfeeding is not practiced in the maternity hospital, then you have the right to insist on this.
Usually, mom’s milk arrives 3-4 days after childbirth, but it happens that a little later, 5-9 days. Up to this point, the infant is fed with colostrum. Colostrum has a dull yellow or yellow color, there is very little of it. But these droplets are very valuable for a newborn, since with it he receives vitamins and nutrients, as well as immunoglobulins – these are antibodies that have a positive effect on the child’s immunity. This is how the child develops a healthy and strong immunity. In the first 4 months, this type of protection is very important, this is exactly how the child protects against various bacteria and viruses.
To Pump or Not to Pump- that is the question!
There are so many moms who are interested in this question. But there is probably no one correct answer. Feeding an infant depends only on his mother and it is only for her to decide whether to pump or not. It all depends on the circumstances that the mother should be guided by. If the mother spends all her time with the baby, then the feeding regimen will stabilize very quickly and without problems, in which case there is no need to pump. Milk will be produced in the amount that baby needs. But if a nursing mother needs to go to work after giving birth, then you like it or not, but you will have to pump.
In the refrigerator, breast milk is stored for 24 hours, and in the freezer for up to two weeks. It so happens that the mother has a lot of milk, or vice versa, too little – in this case, pumping is also advisable.With an abundant inflow of milk, breasts swell, in order to avoid stagnation in the glands, it is necessary to pump out. If milk, on the contrary, is not enough, then pumping stimulates milk production.
Feeding on demand or by the hour ?
Feeding an infant can be both on demand and hourly. But how is it correct? This is all individual.Of course, if the baby is hungry and asks for food, then the mother will feed him. But this does not mean at all that the baby should be applied to the breast for every squeak, so he can enjoy his mother’s breast for days. The time between feedings should be at least two hours, otherwise the baby’s milk will not have time to digest.This can in turn lead to colic in the infant. Nowadays there are a lot of drugs of natural origin for the relief of colic.They are designed for babies from the first day of life. But this does not mean that you need to abuse all of this, it is still better to stick to some rules. But usually, by about three months, mom and baby get used to each other so well, and adapt, that the question “by the hour or on demand?” automatically disappear.
Diet for a nursing mother
Feeding an infant is directly related to the diet of a nursing mother. The diet of a breastfeeding mother should include food rich in vitamins and various microelements, vegetables and fruits. But this also has its nuances. Each new product that the mother uses must then be monitored for the child’s reactions. What will be the reaction of his body to this product. First of all, this rule applies to allergenic foods, such as strawberries, tomatoes, citrus fruits, chocolate and others. You should also be wary of foods that can cause bloating and colic in a child – these are cabbage, legumes, black bread, cheeses with mold and others.
How to increase lactation?
If nursing mother does not have enough breast milk, then in this case, pumping is an excellent stimulator of its production. It is important to follow the fluid intake regimen. The average milk production in women per day is 800-1200 milliliters of milk, respectively, she should consume no less liquid. If your baby is poorly fed, hot milk tea or natural fennel-based preparations will help you.
Mom got sick, what should she do?
If it happened that the mother got sick, then the question of refusing breastfeeding or continuing depends on the type of disease and on the prescribed treatment. If the mother has a common cold, then feeding the baby should be continued. And the talk about milk curdling amid high temperatures is just a myth. But if the mother has a sore throat, otitis media or pneumonia, that is, a situation where antibiotics cannot be dispensed with, then a doctor’s consultation is needed here, who will most likely recommend that you stop breastfeeding.
