Breastfeeding Tips How Long To Breastfeed Baby

Breastfeeding Tips How Long To Breastfeed Baby

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Today it is a universally recognized fact that mothers milk is the best nutrition for the baby. You should begin breastfeeding your baby an hour after the delivery. The first milk which comes for the first forty eight to seventy two hours is known as colostrum. It is yellow in color, thick and creamy. It is rich in several nutrients and protein which are essential for the baby. Also the colostrum contains an abundance of antibodies which help to build up the immune system of the baby. You should take care that this milk is not discarded or wasted.

Ensure the best for your baby

Though the action of breastfeeding is instinctive and natural, here are a few breastfeeding tips to ensure that your child obtains the maximum nutrition.

Both you and your baby should be in a comfortable position. Since you will have to maintain this position for some time, be sure that your own back is comfortably supported.

The baby should be supported beneath his shoulder. He should face your breast. It is best to hold him very close to your body.

Once baby is positioned correctly, touch his cheek to your breast. This initiates the rooting reflex and the baby begins to actively seek the nipple.

The entire nipple as well as the areola should be in the babys mouth. This helps in maximum milk ejection.

Be actively engaged with your baby during breastfeeding. This is the only feeding action that fulfils the emotional need of the child.

Most babies begin to fall asleep after a few sucks. Arouse your child by gentle tickling behind the ears or below the soles of the feet. A baby generally needs 15 to 20 minutes to take an adequate feed.

Allow your child to completely empty one breast, and then offer him the other. This helps the child in ingesting both the vitamins and mineral rich watery foremilk and the thicker fat rich hind milk.

You should adopt certain precautions to ensure successful lactation. Do not feed the baby substitutes like sugar water, honey, gripe water etc. Use of dummies and pacifiers also makes the baby unwilling to suckle. Most mothers experience anxiety that their baby is not eating enough. But you should know that whatever colostrum the baby receives is sufficient. Suckling gradually increases the milk production. You should not supplement the feeds with formula. Bottle feeding may seriously interfere with the breastfeeding regime.

The duration and frequency of breastfeeding

The duration and frequency of breastfeeding your baby should follow certain guidelines.

Feed your baby according to his demand. Most babies need to be fed at an interval of two to three hours. During the first four to six weeks, your baby will probably demand a midnight feed. As the feeding schedule is established he will be satisfied with one late night and one early morning feed.

Today most doctors recommend exclusive breastfeeding till the age of six months. Not even water is necessary.

After six months breast feeding should be supplemented with the gradual introduction of other liquid and semi solid foods.

You can breastfeed your baby up to two years if milk production continues.

About the Author:
Acquire some informative breastfeeding tips for the new mothers. Find out more about how long to breastfeed baby, visit http://www.breastfeedingchild.com/how-long-breastfeed.html.



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