Feeding Your Baby

Posted on December 7, 2007 in Latest News

The two types of feeding that can help your baby gain nutrition are: breast feeding and bottle feeding. Once the baby is six months old your baby will need solids and then it could be a mix of breast milk and solid till your baby is 12 months old.

A collection of feeding Options which are commonly practiced by mother:

Breast milk

This is the best option because this offers children immunity as it contains protective antibodies. It also contains the right nutrients that is ample iron and calcium which children need.

Advantages of breastfeeding are:

It is natural and builds baby’s immunity against allergies; it is cheap, easily available and digestible.

Infant formula

This is also a good choice for some parents. Family members can feed the baby in absence of the mother and offers mother enough space to balance work, home and baby. Be careful while buying formula milk and strictly follow the instructions on the labels.

Breast milk is the ideal food

Breast milk is the ideal food because it contains Colostrum, which  is full of antibodies that help to protect your baby from bacteria, and strengthens the immune system of your baby. No other food or fluid is required in the first few days of the newborn. Some newborns will take up to 45 minutes to feed. They may doze off to sleep in the middle. The newborn baby does not have full control of his or her head so mother has to gently position the baby’s mouth near the nipple.

Positioning

Place the baby in the position where baby is comfortable sucking and you are comfortable sitting or lying. Wrong positions will make baby drink less. Midwives or elderly female relatives may help you attach or ‘latch’ the baby to the breast correctly. Problems do occur with breast feeding because babies do not latch properly at the breast.

Do the following while breastfeeding:

• Hold your baby securely and see that you don’t hold him tightly because that would make baby feel uncomfortable.
• Look at him and smile because that gives baby security.
• Speak softly to him as this helps baby get used to sounds and you.
• Stop feeding when baby is not interested and turns his/her head away, cries, or squirms.
• Baby should burp so hold him in that comfortable position. Offer the bottle again after baby has burped.
• Eat properly so that you are healthy. You should have enough calcium and protein when you are breastfeeding.
• Maintain cleanliness and hygiene because baby may have illnesses due to sore or infected breasts

Donts

• Do not leave baby with bottle alone.
• Do not put anything in the baby’s bottle except water, breast milk and infant formula.

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