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How often do you need to breastfeed your newborn? How to tell if your baby wants to breast. How often should you breastfeed your baby?

After the baby is one year old, we can gradually switch to four meals a day. This means: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner. Between breakfast and lunch, you can give your child one of the fruit juices or an apple.

Thus, your child is already switching to the so-called adult diet.

The main meal is at the usual time: at 8.00, at 12.00, at 18.00. Between these techniques - an additional technique. Variations are possible (taking into account the daily routine that you have chosen).
From a year to one and a half years, the daily amount of food for a child should be 1000-1200 ml. And from one and a half to three years - up to 1400 ml. Of course, the indicated volumes should not be kept too strictly, since much depends on the type of food and its nutritional value.

Child's diet from one to three years

You can offer your child the following diet:

8.00 (breakfast) - 150 g of milk, bun; instead of a bun, you can give black bread with butter or white bread with jam (with honey); vitamin preparation (D);
10.00 (second breakfast) - fruit or vegetable puree or half a glass of juice (apple, tomato, orange); if the appetite does not suffer, you can give the child bread and butter;
12.00 (lunch) - first course: soup (liquid without fail) - vegetable or meat or broth - 60-100 ml; second course: if there was meat soup or broth, give the second course without meat - porridge, pudding, potatoes, noodles with cottage cheese, etc.; if the soup was vegetarian, the second course could be meat or fish with a garnish of vegetables or cereals; total serving size - 150-200 g; compote, tea or jelly - from 100 to 150 ml;
15.00 (afternoon snack) - milk or kefir - 150-200 ml;
18.00 (dinner) - salad, porridge, pudding, cottage cheese; curdled milk, cheese, bread and butter, small slices of ham can be
milk, etc. (total from 250 to 350 g); compote tea or jelly (60-80 g).

You can try a different diet (note, meal times are slightly different):
8.00 (breakfast) - vegetable puree or one of milk porridges, meat or fish dish - only 250-260 g; milk or a weak coffee drink - 120-150 ml;
12.00 (lunch) - vegetable salad - 40-50 g; vegetable soup or meat broth - 60-100 ml; meat or fish dish with a side dish (vegetable puree, porridge) - total volume 150-200 g; fruit juice - 120-150 g;
16.00 (afternoon snack) - milk or kefir - 150-200 ml; bun, or biscuit, or cookies - 20-40 g; fresh fruit - 120-150 g;
20.00 (dinner) - porridge or some vegetable dish - 150-200 g; milk or kefir - 120-150 ml; fruit -50-70 g.

The meat from which you prepare meals for the baby must certainly be fresh. Likewise, dishes - do not leave them stored until the next day. Even if they are in the refrigerator, the nutritional value of the food decreases over time.
It is not recommended to give your baby such products as sausages, sausages, wieners, since they are prepared from meat, which can hardly be called high-grade.

Avoid giving your child smoked foods. They almost certainly contain pepper and other additives. This is harmful for a child. In addition, a baby's taste sensitivity is much richer than that of an adult. Foods with an abundance of spices can spoil (dull) your child's taste.

If you include fish in your diet, be very careful about small bones.

After a year and a half, you can give your child vegetables that are not pureed, but chopped. First, cut into smaller pieces; over time and large. The child must learn to chew. It is useful to put stress on the teeth. Such food (not mashed) is also useful for the gastrointestinal tract: lumps of unchewed food irritate the intestines and stimulate its speedy emptying.
The diet of the child should be sufficiently rich in fiber. What is the use of fiber? .. It is not digested and serves as a basis in the formation of feces. When there is a lot of fiber in the intestines, it is easier for it to empty. A large amount of fiber is found in legumes, vegetables and fruits, and bread.

It is better not to give peas, beans, beans in an undrinked form to small children. After three years, give carefully.

Milk and dairy products are one of the most important sources of building material for a child, so there should be enough of them in the diet. A child, unlike an adult, needs building material not only to restore worn-out cells in tissues, but also to build up new ones. In addition to protein, milk and dairy products contain many mineral salts, as well as important vitamins such as A and B.

Milk should be given to the child only fresh. Before using it, be sure to boil it. The volume of milk required by the baby per day is 700-750 ml.

By the end of the second year, some portions of milk (for example, for breakfast or for dinner) can be replaced with dairy products: sour milk, sour milk, cottage cheese, cheese. The cottage cheese contains a lot of proteins and fats, so cottage cheese is especially valuable. Not all cheeses are suitable - spicy cheeses are excluded. Children are very fond of curd snacks.
A very valuable product is butter. The oil contains such important vitamins as A and D.

When a child turns two years old, he can already eat any fruit. While the child is small, the fruits are rubbed through a grater, over time he gets fruits cut into small slices. And only by the age of three can you give him whole fruit.
It is preferable to use raw fruits - they contain significantly more vitamins. In addition to vitamins, fruits contain very healthy fruit sugar and mineral salts. Do not get carried away with citrus fruits; Although they are useful and contain a lot of vitamin C, they can cause an allergic reaction. In general, some authors believe that in relation to vegetables and fruits, emphasis should be placed on those that grow in your area. They are the most harmonious for you and will not cause such allergic manifestations as many exotic fruits.

Some fruits and berries should be given with caution - little by little. For example, large quantities of pears can cause stomach upset; plums weaken somewhat; apples cause increased gas formation ...
If the season is out of season and there is a lack of fruit, they can be successfully replaced with raw vegetables. Carrots are very useful and children love them.

In addition to vitamins, mineral salts, fiber, vegetables and fruits contain sugar. It is necessary for the child's body as a source of energy. But this is not the sugar that is in your sugar bowl, in general, it is not recommended to artificially sweeten food for a child under 3 years old, or even more. This will ensure good digestion and healthy teeth. Sweets with sugar and chocolate are also not recommended, replace them with dried fruits and honey.

Salt or not salt food for the child?

The child eats salted food with a greater appetite than unleavened food. This is explained not only by the taste of food, with a salt content of about 10%, the most effective breakdown of food by saliva occurs, and digestion and appetite are improved. Vegetables and meat have just the right salt content, and if you steam them, you don't need to add salt. If you boil meat, vegetables in water, you need to salt - a pinch of salt for children per 100 ml.

The World Health Organization and children's doctors believe that breast milk is the best and healthiest food we can offer to a baby.

Milk is a complete food. It is ideally adapted to the baby's body, contains more than 400 nutrients, an ideal balance of fats, proteins and minerals that increase immunity, help with digestion, and promote proper growth.

Babies who receive breast milk during the first 6 months have fewer ear infections, are less likely to get colds, do not have bouts of diarrhea, and are less likely to complain to doctors.

Physical closeness of mother and baby, breastfeeding, mother's breathing, warm skin help the baby to feel safe while eating. Children raised on breast milk have a healthy weight, grow well, and have a calm, balanced character. Breastfeeding prevents the development of sudden infant death syndrome, diabetes, obesity, and some types of cancer.

In this article, you will find out how long and how often you should breastfeed your baby and how long the baby should breastfeed to be fully satisfied while breastfeeding. And also a few more very important aspects.

What is the ABC of breastfeeding?

A = Absolutely comfortable conditions for the mother. This is an extremely important point. The arms, head and neck of the mother should have additional support. Legs - placed on a stand. The body is in a relaxed position.

B = Great patience. The baby needs to be fed to full saturation. You can not rush and interrupt food intake. How long the baby should breastfeed for one feeding will be discussed below.

B = Attention to the needs of the child. You need to feed the baby when he feels hungry. This mode is called on-demand. In the first days of life, the baby requires 8 to 12 feedings per day. A hungry baby wakes up, begins to move his arms, makes various noises with his mouth, sticks out his tongue, purses his lips, as if he were sucking his mother's breast. In this case, you should not wait for the child to whine or cry, since this is a signal of severe hunger.

How long should a baby breastfeed?

Pediatricians recommend feeding newborns exclusively with breast milk for the first 6 months. They also recommend adding breast milk to the diet after the baby began to switch to solid food, until the end of the year of life and subsequent periods, if mom can afford it.

How often should you breastfeed your baby?

A newborn baby should be fed 8-12 times a day during the first 30 days of life. If mommy feels that her baby is not eating enough, milk formula can be included in the diet. Breast milk is easier to digest than artificial milk formula, as it is ideally matched to the baby's digestive system, it is digested quickly and makes the baby feel hungry more often.

Frequent feedings stimulate milk production, especially in the first 7-14 days. In the next 2 months, the breastfeeding schedule will gradually decrease and may amount to 7-9 breastfeeding per day. It is better to feed the baby on demand, when he is hungry, every 1.5-3 hours. The interval of food intake should not be more than 4 hours, even at night.

How often and for how long a baby should be fed - depends on the mother's body, the baby's appetite, as well as many other factors:

The volume and quality of breast milk;

The rate at which milk enters the infant's body;

Correct position of the mother while eating;

The mood of mom and baby;

General environment.

How long should a baby suckle in one feeding?

The duration of feeding also depends on the age of the baby. Newborns need 20-40 minutes to receive food on each breast. But as the child grows, he acquires the skills of fast eating and over time receives food for 5-10 minutes on one breast.

How often should breastfeeding alternate?

To maintain milk production in both breasts and to prevent painful swelling of the breasts, it is important to alternate breastfeeding times. The feeding time is selected according to the child's appetite and the characteristics of the woman's milk production. Some babies can be fed for 5 minutes on one breast, while others may need 10-15 minutes on each breast.

Some experts recommend changing breasts in the middle of each feed, and starting each meal with the resting breast. Some women find this method extremely helpful and keep a notebook with them to keep track of their feeding schedule. Others reject this route and breastfeed the baby at a time.

In most cases, babies choose to be fed from two breasts. But there are some babies who like feeding from only one breast. Which path mom and baby take depends on personal preference, however, the way when two breasts are involved in nutrition is more convenient.

How to understand that the child is full?

Young mothers, especially those who have become mothers for the first time, are often worried about whether the baby is full after feeding or not. A nursing mother can be calm if the baby:

Remains satisfied after each meal and falls asleep sweetly;

Produces approximately 4-6 wet diapers per day and has regular bowel movements;

Sleeps well;

Attentive and calm while awake;

Gains weight well.

If the baby does not receive additional breast milk, he:

Stays awake after feeding, continues looking for the mother's breast;

Does not produce the required number of wet diapers, has infrequent and poor bowel movements;

He is fussy, cries a lot;

Doesn't gain weight.

If you are worried that your baby is not getting enough breast milk, call your doctor. Breastfeeding can be supplemented with formula milk.

Belching after feeding - is it normal or abnormal?

For infants who practice breastfeeding, regurgitation of small amounts of food is normal. However, vomiting in large quantities should be alarming. Vomiting after feeding is a deviation that needs medical attention.

Diapers as an indicator of good nutrition?

Diapers are an excellent indicator of proper nutrition. The first milk is colostrum, which the newborn receives. It allows a baby to produce 1 to 2 wet diapers in the first 24 hours of life.

In the next 3-4 days after birth, the milk acquires a more liquid consistency and allows for 4-5 wet diapers and greenish-yellow bowel movements once a day.

After 6-7 days of life, the infant should produce more than 6 wet diapers per day with clear or very pale urine. Fewer diapers indicate that the infant is not drinking enough. If yellow crystals appear on the surface of the diapers, you should immediately consult a doctor. Four or more yellow bowel movements during this period indicate the proper nutrition of the newborn baby.

Realizing the need for breastfeeding, each established or expectant mother accumulates a lot of questions regarding the nutrition of the child. In order for breastfeeding to bring positive emotions to the mother and the full development of the baby, it is important to familiarize yourself with the accepted principles of this process. It is worth stocking up on information on how often to apply a newborn to the breast and how long a meal can last for a baby.

These questions are important in terms of the correct development of the baby and the success of subsequent lactation. Therefore, even before the lactation period of the expectant mother, it is necessary to find out how long a month-old baby and an older baby should suckle, how many times to feed a newborn with breast milk and other bases of successful lactation.

After separation from the mother, with a satisfactory condition of the newborn, he is placed on the belly and chest of a mature mother. Skin-to-skin contact should occur as early as possible after childbirth. Its significance lies in the need to populate the newborn's body with saprophytic microorganisms from the mother's skin. The first minutes of life for a baby are associated with stress: the formation of respiratory functions occurs, the baby cries, experiences discomfort from contact with an unfamiliar environment, he is cold and scared. Therefore, the child, due to a stressful situation, refuses to breastfeed.

An instinctive search for food occurs within 10–20 minutes after delivery. This period is considered optimal for the first application. The duration of contact with the mother for 30–40 minutes helps to strengthen the emotional connection, the immune function in the child's body is stimulated, and the process of milk production is established.

Earlier attachment is also useful for the woman in labor to establish close emotional contact in the future, it affects the reduction of postpartum bleeding and helps the uterus to contract.

It is important for a mature mother to study the feeding technique, find a comfortable position, and control the position of the baby at the breast. When properly gripped, the nipple is in the infant's mouth along with the areola, the mouth is wide open, the chin touches the breast. Pay attention to a feeding position that is mutually comfortable for mom and baby.

The maternity ward does not practice pre-attachment in the following situations:

  • in case of a serious condition of the woman in labor (loss of consciousness, postpartum hemorrhage, etc.);
  • violation of cerebral circulation in an infant;
  • with depression of the central nervous system of the newborn;
  • in case of violation of the child's breathing;
  • with prematurity with sluggish or unexpressed sucking and swallowing automatism;
  • in case of detection of galactosemia.

The success of subsequent breastfeeding depends on the condition of the baby and the mother in the future. The earlier and more intensively sucking begins, the more milk the iron is able to produce in the future. Therefore, it is important that the baby was "introduced" to the mother's gland within a few hours after giving birth.

How long does it take to feed a child, depending on age

The duration of the application varies significantly: from 15-30 minutes. With age, the baby's nutritional needs will increase, and the duration of feedings will also increase (on average, up to 40 minutes). Normally, feeding a newborn ends with sleep.

However, if the baby is breastfeeding for an excessively long time, the possible reason is not so much a desire to eat, but rather satisfying the need for sucking or a lack of close contact with the mother. Long-term sucking will not harm the breast, provided that the rules of attachment are followed.

Feeding is divided into stages. Active lasts the first 5-15 minutes, at this time the baby receives a large amount of food and consumes fore milk. In order for the crumb to receive nutritious hind milk, it is worth allowing the gland to empty completely.

The duration of feeding is directly related to the age of the toddler. The newborn has a small stomach, the volume of which does not exceed 5 ml. Therefore, the baby eats often and little by little. As the child grows up, the duration of feedings increases, and the interval between them increases (by six months, the child will be asking for breast in a few hours). At the same time, the baby receives more food due to the increase in milk in the mother's mammary glands.

How often to breastfeed

When feeding a baby, both the duration and the frequency of applications per day are taken into account. The more often a woman feeds, the more actively lactation is maintained. It is customary to distinguish two options for feeding - on demand (free feeding) and by the hour (according to the regimen). In the first case, the child receives food, signaling to the mother about the feeling of hunger by crying, anxiety, searching movements with his mouth. In the second, the mother deliberately waits for some time between feedings, the waiting interval increases with age. The need for on-demand feeding for baby development and subsequent lactation is increasingly emphasized today.

As the volume of the stomach increases, the interval between meals increases. In the first days, the child "asks for breast" from 6 to 12 times throughout the day.

How Often To Alternate Breasts When Feeding

The principle of natural feeding is consistent application to the mammary glands. The baby is fed alternately with one and the other breast, using one gland in one feeding. With hypogalactia, it is applied to two glands during feeding. In this case, the first breast is given for a long time until it is completely empty.

Neglecting this rule can lead to the fact that the baby does not receive the full amount of nutritious late milk, it will be bad to gain weight. In addition, ineffective removal of milk from the ducts is the cause of a blockage of the duct in the mammary gland (lactostasis), and, as a result, causes painful sensations and difficulty in feeding, the risk of mastitis.

It is not recommended to give both breasts in turn during one feeding. Only if the baby has drunk milk from one breast and is still hungry, attach it to the other. It is possible to determine that the baby needs a supplement by a number of signs:

  • after eating, the little one behaves restlessly, is capricious, looking for a chest with his mouth;
  • the baby is crying;
  • infants rarely have urination and defecation;
  • the child is slowly gaining weight.


Babies who are full and receive full portions of breast milk are calm, sound asleep, develop faster and gain weight. It is possible to increase the volume of breast milk in case of its deficiency with the help of medicines, traditional medicine, lactogonic mixtures.

How long does it take to breastfeed a newborn?

A lot of debate arises around the question "to what age to breastfeed." You can answer it by studying the WHO recommendations. The World Health Organization has ruled that it is recommended that exclusive breastfeeding be maintained until six months of age. Children over 6 months old, in addition to breast milk, as well as formula-fed babies, should be given complementary foods.

Dr. Komarovsky agrees with the WHO standards. The pediatrician recommends choosing one of three directions for the first complementary feeding, taking into account the characteristics of the child's development. These can be vegetables, cereals or dairy products. The introduction of complementary foods does not mean that natural feeding should be abandoned. You can continue to breastfeed the toddler for up to a year, one and a half or two years at the request of the mother. It is actively promoted to practice breastfeeding until the period of involution: 2.3–3 years of age of the child.

Do I need to feed the baby at night

The baby also needs food at night. However, night feeds are optional and are practiced if the baby expresses his need with concern. The first months of life, biorhythms are formed in the toddler. After giving birth, he has the same need for food for 24 hours. The baby does not distinguish between day and night.

Changes should occur by 5–6 months of age. During this period, the baby begins to receive more nutritious "adult" food in the form of cereals, vegetables and is able to do without food for about 6 hours. Having fed the baby late in the evening, the mother can get enough sleep and gain strength.

Feeding at night supports lactation, as prolactin, the hormone responsible for the "production" of milk, is produced during this time.

Not only hunger can cause frequent awakenings at night. The frequency of waking up can also be influenced by the comfort of the environment. Monitor the room temperature and humidity, ventilate the room, and have a soothing and relaxing herbal bath before bed. If a baby wakes up at night to eat, but eats poorly, gets tired quickly and falls asleep under the breast, he may not want to eat. Put the baby next to you, feeling the warmth and smell of your mother, the baby will sleep better.

Do you want to drink or not?

It is often difficult for mothers to accept the axiom that a healthy newborn baby (up to 6 months old) does not need water. He receives the necessary fluid from the front breast milk. It is 87% water. At the same time, the mother fluid cannot be compared even with spring water. Front milk contains solutions of salts, carbohydrates, vitamins, microelements. These components are most fully absorbed by the baby's body, stimulates the work of the organs of the small organism.

The argument that mother's milk is very sweet and should be washed down with water is also wrong. Breast milk tastes sweet due to its high carbohydrate content. This pleasant sweetness of lactose, which is important for the absorption of calcium and iron, nutrition of beneficial intestinal microflora and the development of the child's brain. Lactose not only does not require additional drinking, but also gives the baby a feeling of freshness.

There are exceptions to every rule. It is necessary to supplement the baby on HB in the following cases:

  • when he is sick, with an increase in body temperature, diarrhea, vomiting;
  • in the hot season, when there is a risk of overheating;
  • with the development of physiological jaundice;
  • with intoxication of the body;
  • if the baby is developing slowly, has stopped growing, does not gain weight.

Each case is individual and requires a personal approach. Feeding is an integral part of the life of the baby and his mother. At the same time, having properly organized this process, both the mother and the baby will learn to enjoy such a daily stay together, to appreciate the minutes spent together.

More often, more often! These are the magic words for successful breastfeeding. Both experience and scientific research show that when an infant enjoys frequent, unrestricted feedings, then:

    Babies grow better - they bloom.

    Breast milk contains the required amount of fat and calories.

    Mothers learn from experience that there is less engorgement of the glands and that infections and irritations of the nipples are less common.

    Frequent feedings are most important in the first three months of life.

Look at the child, not the watch. Breastfeeding is a harmonious relationship, not a mathematical exercise. One breastfeeding mother put it this way: "I no longer count the number of feeds, I count the number of kisses." In fact, it is the frequency of feedings that stimulates the production of hormones responsible for milk production more than the duration of each feed.

Expert advice. In the past, most healthcare companies were cool about breastfeeding. But in the light of recent research, mothers are advised not only to start breastfeeding, but to continue breastfeeding not for months, but for years. The American Academy of Pediatrics in 1997 recommended breastfeeding for twelve months and beyond, as long as mutual desire persists. The renowned general of surgery, Dr. Antonia Novello, an advocate of long-term feeding, once proclaimed: "I feel happy are those babies who were breastfed for up to two years." So when kind friends or relatives admonish you, “How? Are you still feeding? ”, You will be able to answer that the doctors are on your side.

Breast capacity varies from mother to mother. Mothers with less milk simply need to feed their babies more often. Each mother-infant pair engages in continuous, reciprocal negotiations about the frequency of feedings to ensure that the separation of milk matches the need for milk. How many children, the same number of feeding patterns for babies.

Earlier in your relationship with your baby, you implemented the principle that there should be absolutely no regimes for breastfed babies, especially in the first month. The only timetable a child can have is his own. The most beautiful kind of relationship in biology is the relationship between the mother and the child she is feeding, when the law of supply and demand is developed to properly regulate breastfeeding. Again, listen to your child and look at him, not at the clock. For the first few days, the intensity and duration of sucking during feeding in most children varies from feeding to feeding, and the duration of feeding sometimes even reaches an hour. Newborns will fall asleep frequently during feedings and then wake up again an hour later and want to eat again. The length of feeding often depends on the baby's sucking style. Little "gourmets" suck gently and slowly, stopping to savor and look around. "Barracudas" get down to business quickly and eat with a wolfish appetite. As for the length of feedings, do not listen to the old but often given advice: "Start with three minutes for each breast and gradually increase the duration for each breast to ten minutes, adding one minute." No infant or experienced mother would sign up for this time-limiting advice. Three minutes of breastfeeding from one breast is not enough time to even get your milk reflex working. Normal newborns can complete a full meal for up to an hour. You will notice that the average feeding time ranges from fifteen to forty-five minutes, with an average feeding time of about thirty minutes. Longer and more frequent feedings will be in the early weeks of breastfeeding to help you produce more milk. After one or two months, mother and baby will develop a mutually satisfying, harmonious feeding schedule. Most babies get all the milk they need in the first ten minutes of feeding. But some children still linger at the breast and have fun with comfortable sucking. It is good for them and for the mother's milk production.

Limiting the duration of feedings was considered a preventive measure against nipple inflammation. But breastfeeding consultants now know that nipple inflammation is caused by the breastfeeding position and the correct breastfeeding rate, not the duration of the breastfeeding. If your nipples start to become inflamed, then you should change the way you feed your baby, not the duration or frequency of feedings.

Another myth is that frequent feedings cause painful engorgement of the glands. Research shows just the opposite. Mothers who limit the length and frequency of feedings and make babies sleep longer between feeds are more likely to have problems with nipple engorgement.

Your baby should be expected to eat every two to three hours for the first few weeks. We have noticed, and we are not alone, that babies who are blooming (meaning growing to their full potential) typically eat 8-12 times a day for the first few weeks. When milk production is adequate and you and your baby have established a mutually satisfying feeding schedule, the baby may find other ways of comfort besides breastfeeding.

Frequency and spacing of feeds is a hot topic for modern day care consultants. Advocates of feeding intervals try to present the feeding schedule as a way to better fit the baby into the parent's daily routine. They believe that even newborns should be fed no more than three or four hours later during the day. This advice can lead to underfeeding of children and ultimately to not breastfeeding. Both experience and science show that fixed feed intervals are not suitable for most babies, and that babies who eat more often grow better and cry less. In short, eaters who eat often do well. Frequent feedings are biologically correct. Look, nature gives us clues to how often human babies should be fed. Mothers of animals who are forced to stay away from newborns for extended periods of time (called intermittent contact types) produce milk that is very high in fat and calories so that their offspring can thrive with infrequent feedings. Human milk is low in fat and calories and therefore is a type of prolonged contact. We can say that babies should be fed more often and based on how the hormones of milk secretion, prolactin and oxytocin, behave in the body. The term biological half-life means the time during which half of the received substance is absorbed by the body. Prolactin has a very short biological half-life, about half an hour. The half-life of oxytocin is even shorter, about four minutes. From the moment the baby begins to suckle, milk-producing hormones are released, so frequent feedings are necessary to maintain high levels of these hormones. Research also shows that the maximum fat content of human milk is achieved with short intervals between feedings. The longer and more often an infant is fed, the higher the fat level in breast milk. By limiting the duration and frequency of feedings, you limit the baby's growth and the mother's ability to produce milk.

Care advice: Finish feeding from one breast first. Let your baby determine when he is finished feeding on one side and is ready to move on to the other. Your baby will get more of the fat-rich milk produced at the end of a feed if he is allowed to empty the first breast completely first.

How soon can you try to put your baby on a feeding schedule?

If you try to adjust breastfeeding to your schedule, you run the risk of both breastfeeding and baby problems. Children on a strict schedule gain less weight, and mothers have more breast engorgement and more infections and more problems with milk production. Babies metabolize breast milk faster than formula feeds, so they will feel hungry faster than those who are artificially fed, and therefore need more frequent feedings. In addition, in the early months, every two weeks, children need an intensification of the milk stream, during which children eat as intensely as adolescents. Children periodically also need the sucking process, for the sake of the senses, and not for the sake of food. Sometimes babies are just thirsty and then they suckle for a short time just to get some watery milk. All of these needs need to be met by latching on to the breast, not a rigid schedule. We prefer a less harsh term — routine breastfeeding — to describe the successful breastfeeding routine established between mother and baby. Better even the term - harmony of breastfeeding, it implies that the needs of the child and the capabilities of the mother are mutually consistent. During the early months of breastfeeding, it is important for the mother and baby to develop their own routine so that the baby gets enough milk and feels comfortable at the breast, and the mother feels happy, rested and calm while responding to the baby's needs. Continue to work on a routine that will help both of you thrive. It is an ongoing process as the needs of both the baby and the mother change.

Do I need to feed my baby on demand?

Instead of the term feeding on demand, we prefer the term feeding on demand. Feeding on demand sounds like something from the era of slavery. While the mother's first months are in fact the giver and the babies the receiver, it is important that the mother and child ultimately develop a mutually satisfying order that meets the needs of both members of the nursing couple. Hint feeding means that you keep an eye on your baby, whether he is hungry or in need of caress, and respond accordingly: either feed, or pick up, or both. It's good if your needs are the same and if you feel when the child wants to take a nap. Just as there is the language of love, there is also the language of breastfeeding, learning it to understand your baby's hints is the first step to understanding your baby.

Explanation of frequent feedings

Both the baby and the breast are made for frequent feedings. Babies have tiny ventricles and breast milk is absorbed quickly, so frequent feedings are necessary. New research also suggests that frequent breastfeeding for the first three months allows the breast to continue to maintain adequate milk production, right through to weaning. Breastfeeding specialists have observed mothers who breastfeed less often or followed rigid feeding schedules and found that these mothers may have enough milk for the first few months, but then often wean earlier because they “do not have enough milk”. Analyzing these observations, the following can be noted. Frequent feedings in the first few months keep the mother's prolactin levels high (the level of the hormone responsible for milk production). Frequent feedings cause the mammary glands to mature, possibly by increasing the number and sensitivity of receptor sites within the breast to prolactin.As a result, milk-producing cells become highly sensitive to prolactin. Then, when prolactin levels decrease after the first few months of breastfeeding, the mammary glands can continue to produce enough milk even with less hormonal stimulation. The breasts actually become more productive. If in the first weeks of feeding did not occur often enough, then the required number of prolactin-sensitive receptor sites will not appear (this happens when feeding on a schedule, with long breaks for sleep) and the breast will produce less milk over time. In addition, the importance of frequent feedings is supported by studies that show that with more frequent feedings, the breast is emptied more often and milk contains more fat (and therefore more calories). This often explains the low weight gain in infants who are fed on a strict schedule. The longer the mother is not suitable to feed the baby, the lower the fat content of her milk. Allowing your baby to cry until it’s feeding time will upset his biorhythms. By the time the baby is brought to the breast, he is either too upset, or falls asleep before he finishes eating. This leads to infection of the mother's breast and poor weight gain in the baby. With rigid feeding schedules, too many babies cannot thrive. Remember, a wonderful biological hint feeding system worked millions of years before the watch was invented, and a generation of "baby trainers" began promising to combine breastfeeding with a mother's business schedule. Forget about the watch and stick to a program that has been proven to work.

Chastota_kormlenij.txt · Last modified: 2012/11/20 09:07 (external change)

There is no universal answer to the question of how many times to feed a baby. The number of feedings depends on the child's age and individual needs. Breastfeeding is the best choice for an infant, but if there are problems with lactation, there is a wide range of adapted milk formulas that you can find in the Dochki-Sinochki online store.

How often do you need to feed your baby?



The composition of breast milk is ideal for a baby. The longer a woman feeds a baby, the more stable his immunity will be. If a child is breastfed all year round, he practically has no problems with digestion, he is much less sick, falls asleep calmly and does not suffer from food allergies. Moms often wonder how long it takes to feed their babies? It is difficult to answer exactly, depending on the needs of the baby, but WHO recommends breastfeeding up to 1.5-2 years.

Most moms would love to follow the advice of this reputable organization, but unfortunately many complain about lactation problems. Sometimes breast milk is sorely lacking as early as 5-6 months. Improper feeding is one of the reasons for decreased lactation.

What you need to pay attention to when feeding a baby:

  • choosing a comfortable position (lying or sitting) so as not to get tired;
  • the position of the baby (the baby's tummy should be in contact with the mother's body, the face is turned to the nipple);
  • baby's breathing (the baby's nose should not rest tightly against the chest);
  • seizure of the nipple (you do not need to put the nipple in the child's mouth, he must take it on his own);
  • feeding schedule (how to feed the baby, by the hour or on demand).

How long does it take to feed the baby

Several decades ago, medicine recommended adhering to a strict schedule, now pediatricians advise feeding the baby on demand. How many times a baby needs to be fed, the mother decides, who carefully watches her baby. 3-4 weeks after birth, the baby will develop his own individual feeding schedule. For the first few months, feed intervals can be 2.5 to 6 hours. Should I feed my baby at night? Of course, feed. Young children often wake up demanding food. When they grow up, the frequency of night feedings decreases, and then stops altogether.

Important!

It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of how many times a day you need to feed a baby. The most effective breastfeeding technique is at the request of the baby. The more the baby sucks, the more successful lactation will be and the painful stagnation of milk in the breast, which leads to mastitis, will not appear.

How long does it take to feed a baby

Breastfeeding is not an exact science, there are no specific and uncompromising recommendations. A baby who was born a few days ago adapts to this world by sucking on the breast. There is no need to interfere with him, to abruptly pull out the nipple when the child is asleep. It is inhumane to limit the time spent at the mother's breast for children at the age of 1-2 months. Mom needs to think not about how long it will take to feed the baby, but about where it is more comfortable for him to fall asleep. When breastfeeding, you should not talk on the phone, communicate with family members, watch TV. Give these minutes to your baby.

The composition of the milk received by the child in the first 5-10 minutes and later is slightly different. First, the baby sucks the liquid low-calorie milk. Then, after about 5-15 minutes of active eating, fatty high-calorie milk enters the chest. It may take 10 to 20 minutes for babies to get to this nutritious product in the first two months of life. An active baby eats tasty fatty milk in an average of 10 minutes. Weak children need more time.

The first month of life, the baby is assimilated and adapted. In the second month, a fuzzy feeding schedule is already being developed. Only after 3-4 months the mother can tell how long one feeding takes. The kid got stronger, eats with pleasure. Sometimes at this age it is necessary to supplement with the second breast, although in one feeding usually one breast is given.

Important!

The child has several periods, which are characterized by an active stage of growth. At this time, the baby's appetite increases significantly. Typically, intense growth is traced in the interval from 7th to 10th day, from 4th to 6th week, as well as some time in the 12th week and 6th month. After the end of active growth, the child's appetite decreases.

conclusions

Correct breastfeeding requires maximum attention of the mother to the baby. Breasts should not be given on a specific schedule, but at the request of the baby. This solution allows the baby to more easily adapt to life and survive the ruptured umbilical cord. This method ensures a consistently high lactation rate.

It is impossible to say clearly how long to feed the baby. When a child is hungry, he becomes restless, sucks and licks his hands, makes smacking sounds. You need to give the breast so that the baby itself grabs the nipple. Feeding time is on average 15-30 minutes. Depends on the age of the child and his individual characteristics.