Feeding one month old baby
Breastfeeding is the optimal physiologically adequate, balanced nutrition for a person in the first year of life. Mother's milk is a sufficient source of nutrients for the full development of the baby. Breastfeeding is not a simple process of feeding a child, but a chain of complex interconnected psycho-physiological interactions. Feeding a month-old baby is one of the fundamental stages of breastfeeding. How should a baby be fed at 1 month old? What are the baby's feeding norms?
Child feeding norms - do they have a right to exist
What are the baby's feeding norms? The body of each person, including a newborn baby, is individual and has its own needs for sleep, nutrition, and wakefulness. The modern school of pediatricians is divided into two areas. One of the directions justifies the need for feeding a month-old baby according to the regimen - fixed feeding, in which the baby develops a clear feeding schedule (as a rule, every 3-3.5 hours). This type of feeding a month-old baby is most optimal for a young mother, as she has more free time.
Another direction justifies the need to feed a month-old baby on demand, that is, latching the baby to the breast whenever the baby expresses a desire to suckle. This type of feeding requires more attention and time from the young mother. In this case, feeding is not only a satisfaction of physical hunger, but also calming, communication, a feeling of comfort and security for the baby, a form of communication with the mother.
The opinion of the supporters of the two directions converges only that the amount of the resulting mixture (artificial mixture or breast milk) is determined according to the individual needs of each child. So, there is an opinion that the volume of milk received by a child per day should be one-seventh of his weight (if the weight of the child is 3.5 kg, then the volume of milk he needs corresponds to 500 ml). However, any infant feeding rates are only approximate.
A few days before childbirth and in the first 3-5 days after the birth of the baby, colostrum is secreted from the breast - a special secret containing proteins (mainly serum albumin) in high concentration. Compared to breast milk, colostrum contains less fat, water and lactose. The production of milk by the mammary glands begins 5-7 days after childbirth. Lying a baby to the breast is a powerful mechanical stimulator of lactogenesis. Feeding a one-month-old baby on demand will provide sufficient lactation to breastfeed a baby for up to 1 year or more. The unique value of colostrum lies in the fact that this secret triggers the child's gastrointestinal tract, populating it with natural microflora, promotes the removal of the original feces - meconium. Colostrum, like breast milk, is a natural means of immunizing a baby. The secret contains leukocytes,immunoglobulins, which is of great importance for the formation of the baby's immunity.
How many feeds for a month old baby will be enough for normal development? Feeding the child on demand or on schedule should be carried out at intervals of no more than 3-3.5 hours, which corresponds to the child's natural normal daily routine and contributes to his normal development.
Feeding a baby at 1 month: period features
The first month of life is the period of the formation of the diet. At this time, lactation also normalizes. If during this period the young mother correctly determines the feeding tactics, applies the baby to the breast on demand, then during the first month of the baby's life, her body will adapt and begin to produce the optimal amount of milk that will be enough for the baby to saturate. The correct feeding regimen for a month-old baby will save the mother from the need to express milk, from discomfort in the breast, diseases associated with feeding (lactostasis, mastitis, nipple cracks).
Many young mothers have a natural question, is there enough milk for the baby, is it necessary to feed, whether to give a month-old baby water? Feeding a baby at 1 month is based solely on breast milk. The sufficiency of feeding and saturation of the child says:
- His behavior - the baby is active, not capricious, willingly applies to the breast every time he is thirsty or hungry;
- The child is gaining weight and growing;
- The child has normal bowel movements and a fairly frequent urination.
There is an opinion that in addition to breast milk, nothing else should be present in the feeding of a month-old baby. Breast milk is not uniform during feeding. At the beginning of latching, the child receives fore milk, which is more liquid and transparent, slightly sweetish, which ideally quenches thirst. In the process of sucking the breast, the baby gets to the rear milk, which is thicker, more nutritious, fatty, which contributes to the saturation of the crumbs.
The introduction of crumbs of additional components into the diet, be it tea, water, supplementary feed mixture, will significantly affect:
- A single consumption of milk, which threatens the child with malnutrition;
- The amount of milk produced;
- Disruption of the natural balance of the child's digestive system;
- The behavior of the child - the offer of a bottle of water, mixture, nipples can provoke the child's refusal to breast, and so the child will not receive the necessary nutrients for full development.
Organization of feeding a month-old baby
How to properly organize feeding a month old baby? After a month of life, the child and mother have already adapted to each other. Mom learned to recognize the basic emotions of the baby: anxiety, pain, fear, calmness and comfort, satisfaction and satiety. Adhering to the tactics of feeding a month-old baby on demand, the mother contributes to the normal development of the body, strengthening the child's immunity, and establishing the functions of all systems of his body.
There are three main types of feeding a month-old baby:
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Feeding one month old on demand ensures sufficient lactation for breastfeeding Exclusive breastfeeding - the baby only feeds on breast milk without supplementation. The child can, both independently determine the frequency of feeding, and eat according to a schedule more convenient for his parents;
- Artificial feeding - feeding a month-old baby with formulas for certain reasons (mother's illness, lack of milk, mother's unwillingness to breastfeed). Artificial feeding can also be done on demand and on schedule;
- Mixed feeding involves supplementary feeding of the baby after breastfeeding. The most dangerous type of feeding with a high risk of imbalance in the intestinal microflora, as well as the received proteins, fats, carbohydrates and other useful substances contained in breast milk.
For the correct organization of feeding, it is necessary to carefully monitor the development of the child (the dynamics of growth and weight gain, as well as the mental and emotional state), which will determine the further tactics of feeding the baby.
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