After the baby is born, breast-feeding mothers are often questioned: [Is there not enough milk? Do you want some formula? ]
It is not that formula milk cannot be added, However, many parents and elders do not know when to add formula milk in what. Even because they are worried that the baby will starve, they may add too much formula milk too early. One mother said helplessly: “There is a kind of milk that is not enough, which is called mother-in-law thinks you have not enough milk.” What’s more, even some medical staff do not know enough about this.
Mothers who plan to breastfeed must know that only in what do they need to supplement formula milk to their babies, so that they can resist the pressure and improve the possibility of exclusive breastfeeding.
When did what start [milk]?
During pregnancy, the pregnant mother’s breast enters the preparatory period for milk secretion, and some pregnant mothers may be able to secrete a small amount of milk after 16 weeks of pregnancy.
After the mother gave birth, colostrum began to secrete, It may only be small, but it will gradually increase. The process of [milking] that mothers and family members are anxiously waiting for refers to the second period of milk production-the active period of milk secretion, when milk increases significantly. Most mothers start [milking] 2-3 days after delivery, some mothers will start [milking] earlier, and some mothers will arrive 7 days later.
In contrast, mothers who give birth to their first child will [give milk] later and start with less milk. Mothers who undergo cesarean section often give milk later, but the milk volume will not be affected.
How much milk does the baby drink?
Will the baby be hungry in the days before the mother [gave milk]?
On the first day after the baby is born, breast-fed babies can eat 2-10 mL of breast milk every time they breast-feed, once every 2-3 hours, and 8-12 times a day. The average amount of milk eaten on the first day is 45 mL. The baby has at least one black-green stool and one urine.
It is normal to secrete such a little milk, and it is enough for babies to eat only such a little milk. If mothers know this is normal, they can rightfully refute the doubts about their milk quantity.
The next day, the baby ate about 5-15 mL of milk each time, or 8-12 times. The baby has at least 3 black-green soft stool and 2 urinations.
On the third day, many mothers have already started to milk and feel their breasts are fuller. Babies can eat about 15-30 mL of milk each time and about 300 mL a day. Babies usually have 3 defecations and 3 urinations.
On the fourth day, the baby can eat 400 mL of milk on average, with 3-5 defecations and 6 urinations.
On the fifth day, the baby can eat 500 mL of milk on average, with 3-5 yellow stool and 6 urine.
From the fifth day to the full moon, the mother’s milk volume will continue to increase until about 750 mL per day. The baby’s milk volume is generally 130 ~ 160 ml/kg until the milk volume reaches about 750 mL.
How do you know if there is enough milk?
Whether the amount of milk is enough can be judged according to the baby’s feeding situation, the number of defecation and urination in a day and the change of the baby’s weight.
Breast feeding
After the baby connects the nipples, It may be faster to suck at first, But could not hear the sound of swallowing, This is normal. When the milk starts to gush out, The baby’s sucking frequency will become stable and slow, Suck once every second and swallow once every 1-2 sucks. This effective sucking and swallowing lasts for about 15-30 minutes. After eating, you will feel your breasts soften and your baby will loosen the nipples contentedly. If your baby sucks fast and fast, faster than once per second, you may not be able to suck enough milk.
Some babies eat fast and effectively and eat enough breast milk in less than 10 minutes. However, if the baby falls asleep after swallowing for only a few minutes, he may not have enough to eat.
Frequency of defecation and urination
After the 4th day of birth, the baby has at least 6-8 urinates and 2-5 yellow stool every day. Some babies will reduce the number of stool in about one month after birth, even a few days to solve it once, but each time the amount is large, which may also be normal.
Body weight change
The average baby’s weight drops to the lowest level 48-72 hours after birth, with 5% ~ 10% of the baby’s weight losing ≥ 10% of his birth weight. If the weight loss exceeds 7%, he needs to ask a doctor or lactation expert to have a look at what. After the 5th day, the average baby can grow 20-30 g per day and recover to the weight at birth 10-14 days after birth. Then the baby will grow 120-210 g per week.
What if there is not enough milk?
If you suspect that your baby is not eating enough milk, you need to find out the possible reason instead of adding formula milk directly.
The doctor needs to know how you are breastfeeding and how you and your baby have a medical history. She also needs to observe how you are breastfeeding your baby and how your baby’s lips and nipples are connected. If there is a problem with breastfeeding, it may also need the guidance of a lactation expert.
Tongue frenulum (tongue tilted can be seen) short baby, About 1/4 may have breast-feeding difficulties, so doctors usually check for this problem. If it is suspected that the baby’s breast-feeding difficulties are caused by the frenulum of the tongue, it may first be transferred to the lactation expert for guidance. If the guidance fails to improve, a minor operation of frenulum incision may be required.
If the milk quantity is not enough due to the nursing posture or the connection problem of the baby, adding formula milk will not only not solve the problem, but also further reduce the amount of breast milk. At this time, the nursing posture needs to be adjusted.
If the baby’s connection is good, but you still don’t have enough milk, if allowed, the doctor may advise you to breast-feed more frequently, or use milk pumps or hands to milk to promote milk secretion. Adding formula milk at this time may also affect the increase of breast milk.
There are some drugs that can promote milk secretion, but they are not recommended because it is not clear whether they are really effective and safe for babies.
Does what Need to Supplement Formula Milk?
If the baby loses more than 7% of his birth weight 5-10 days after birth, or suffers from dehydration due to reduced urine volume or defecation less than 3 times a day, the doctor needs to evaluate whether formula milk is needed. If the mother’s milk volume is insufficient, but the milk volume and the baby’s weight have begun to increase in the past 1-2 days, it can also be carefully observed.
If the doctor thinks that formula milk needs to be supplemented, he will advise the mother to supplement the appropriate amount to minimize the impact on breast milk. Mothers still need to breastfeed at least 8 times a day for 30 minutes each time. Milk or pump milk by hand at least 8 times a day to promote breast milk secretion. Continue to observe stool to ensure that the baby has bright yellow stool several times a day. If the amount of breast milk increases, stop formula milk.
Because sucking nipples and sucking nipples require different mechanics, if the formula is fed with bottles and nipples, it is easy to confuse the nipples of the baby and affect sucking breast milk. Mothers need to feed the formula with fingers, cups, spoons or syringes under the guidance of medical personnel or lactation consultants.
Why not add formula milk easily?
Some mothers will say: [After the baby was born, I added a little formula milk, and then I started to breast-feed completely. The baby is also quite good and does not rely on formula milk. Why is it so troublesome? ]
You should know that a successful example of a mother cannot be extended to all mothers.
It is very important to find out the reason for insufficient milk. Different mothers may have different reasons for insufficient breast milk. If the amount of breast milk is insufficient due to insufficient sucking and problems in breast-feeding methods, adding formula milk will not only fail to solve the problem, but also reduce the secretion of breast milk.
Supplementation of formula milk may interfere with breastfeeding. Studies have shown that if formula milk is supplemented, the risk of breast-feeding difficulties for babies at 3-7 days increases threefold.
In addition, if the baby has the risk of allergic diseases, adding formula milk will increase the risk of allergic diseases in the future.
If the baby needs to add formula milk for various reasons, Mothers don’t have to worry, Formula milk can also make babies grow up healthily, It is more important to ensure that your baby drinks enough milk. However, if your baby is at high risk of allergic diseases, you need to consult your doctor about what formula to add. If you cannot breastfeed exclusively for 4-6 months, such a baby will probably need to be fed partially hydrolyzed protein formula to prevent the risk of allergic diseases in the future.
Responsible Editor: Xiaoyan
Originality: This article is exclusively authorized by the author to use in Clove Garden and refuses to reprint in any other form.
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