At
the first week of baby
Feeding
your baby
The
main concern of every new mother is how to feed her baby. Most mothers will know
that breast-feeding is best for their babes. Not only is a mother's milk
perfectly adapted for the baby's needs, it also contains antibodies to
infections which will protect him/her in the early week.
If
you touch your baby's cheek with your breast he/she will automatically turn his/
her head towards the breast and open his/her mouth, read to feed.
Facts
about feeding
If
you want to breast-feed, it is important that the baby is put to the breast as
soon as possible after delivery. For the first few days the breast produce a yellowish
substance called colostrums, which is rich in protein and antibodies. The mature
milk generally comes in on the third or fourth day after the birth, and usually looks rather watery.
Some
mothers find that their nipples get sore to begin with and their breasts may be
painful when the milk first comes in. Some babies are slow to get the idea of
breast-feeding and may take some time to get 'latched on' properly. Unless
he/she is correctly latched on, your nipples will get sore and the baby will not
get enough milk. Remember
to start each feed on a different breast. The midwife will be helpful in sorting
out any initial problems, either at the hospital or once you get home.
Some
women experience more difficulties than others in breast-feeding and some just
do not enjoy it. Don't feel guilty if you decide to bottle-feed: most babies
will thrive on formula milk. Remember that what your baby needs most is love and
attention, so make sure he is getting plenty of both.
It
is very important that all equipment used for bottle-feeding (whether you are
giving formula or expressed milk or cooled, boiled water) is thoroughly washed and
sterilized.
Beast-fed
babies may feed very often, sometimes as much as every two hours and some need ten to
twelve feeds in 24 hours. Many mother worry that their breast-milk is inadequate
and consider whether they should supplement with formula . The truth is that the
more frequently the baby feeds, the more milk the breasts will produce. As the
baby gets bigger he/she will take more milk at each feed and need to feed less
often.
