Finally after nine months, the littlest miracle is here and as first mothers we are very nervous, and our emotions are off the charts. We all worry about doing things right for our newborns. Deciding to what to feed our newborns is an important question; Breast milk or formula, bottle or breast. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics they recommend exclusive breast-feeding for the first 6 months if possible.
Before you start feeding your baby, make sure the diapers are not too tight since this can add to discomfort during feeding and after. Your finger should fit comfortably with some wiggle room at the waist. Newborns commonly breast-feed 8-12 times a day about every 2-3hrs. Within 2-3 months however, your baby should be satisfied with 6-8 feedings a day. Always look for signs of hunger; sucking motion, lip movement and turning toward you. Fussing and crying are later cues and by this time the baby is more upset. The sooner you feed your baby the less likely you are to have an upset baby.
As moms we start to notice that the crying may not mean hunger every time but different signs, for example: wet diaper, cuddle with me, or I don’t feel well. As time goes on we learn to recognize the different cries and expressions of our babies since they are all unique. Babies love to feed, not just for nutrition but also for bonding, they love being held close. Moms and care takers need to take this time to look into their babies’ eyes and watch them look at you, speak softly to them, sing to them, be amazed by them. These are moments, which as parents and caretakers we need to embrace since, babies do grow quickly and change. Bonding is important for your babies’ growth and development.
When your baby is done feeding they will stop sucking and turn their mouth away from the nipple. This may be an indicator that they are full or that they simply wish to take a break. Sometimes, we can wait and burp the baby before offering them the bottle or breast again. If baby is really done they will not accept more food. Moms should always pay attention to feeding, since it is much easier for babies to control the flow of the breast nipple versus the bottle. Do not prop up bottles and leave baby unattended. This may lead to choking or tooth decay.
Sometimes, feeding may not be easy since the baby may have difficulties with sucking and swallowing. Look for signs and symptoms of difficulty, for example: gagging or vomiting, arching backward, limiting the amount taken in, pushing away the bottle or breast, closing the mouth, refusing feeds, crying, turning away, difficulty using their tongue, difficulty coordinating swallow and breathing or having large amounts of spit up after feeding. If the baby is experiencing difficulty in feeding, the mom or caretaker needs to seek professional advice from a pediatrician or speech pathologist specializing in Dysphasia and/or Pediatric Gastroenterology. These specialists can help babies and moms understand the problem and help them with resuming a positive feeding program. Again this must be stressed that this is important for the social development of the baby.
A personal note, shared from past experience as a mom, my son was breast fed, for the first 4 months and when I wanted to return to work, I decided to pump and use a bottle while I was away so his grandma could feed him. He refused to take anything from her by bottle, I was very frustrated and bought every bottle on the market and he refused all of them. Finally it came down to me working short hours so I could return home to feed him. As you can imagine it was stressful however, this was his way of letting me know he wanted his mom. I recommend for those moms that need to go back to work that if possible share feeding, have dad or whoever will be watching your baby share in feeding early on so your baby will be able to feel secure with whoever will be feeding them.
Lastly, here are some tidbits that can help you as moms feeding your newborns. Be more efficient when breast-feeding. Coordinate the times you pump to the times when you feed. For example, if you pump in the morning only use that milk for baby in the morning since in the evening the breast milk has different enzymes that help babies sleep. Therefore use the pumped breast milk from evening in the evening. Record the times of your pumping so you can remember.