Adequacy of Breastmilk

The most common reason behind starting formula feed/Top feed/artificial feed is the wrong belief of most of the mother and grandmothers that the breastfeeding is not enough if.

The mother milk is enough if

1. The baby is satisfied, happy, playfuland sleeps for at least 2 hours before crying for the another feed.
2. The baby passes urine at least 6 times or more in 24 hour hour.
3. The weight gain of the baby is satisfactory.
4. While breastfeeding the mother’s milk drip from the contralateral breast.
5. Most normal healthy breastfed babies pass 4-6 times golden yellow sticky stools. Some babies passes stool as soon as after breastfeed because of overwhelming gastrocolic reflex. This is not worrisome as the baby will continue to gain weight.
6. Excessive crying should not be taken as a proof of poor feeding because babies cry for a varieties of reasons like uneasiness of wet pampers, colics, gastroesophageal reflux, feeling of cold or hot ,over clothing, insect bite or mosquito bite, boredom etc.
7. Due to false belief of family about inadequacy of breastmilk, the family introduces bottle feeding in between the breastfeeding. Feeding through bottle causes “Nipple Confusion “. Sucking from bottle is a easier task compared to breastfeeding. Hence babies prefer to suckle the bottle. We humans are lazy from birth!!! And due to infrequent sucking of breast, decrease in breast milk occurs. Thus a vicious circle baby unwilling to suck with less breastmilk in each suck will be hunger and cranky making the anxious family prefer the bottle feed.

HOW MANY TIMES A DAY BABY SHOULD BE BREASTFEED?

The baby should be fed as long as s/he wants to during 24 hour. The breastfeeding should be continued till the baby spontaneously releases the nipple. The process is called exclusive demand feeding. When sucking take place only a few minutes, the baby is deprived of hindmilk which is energy dense. Baby takes around 20 minutes for each feed. You can not overfed a breastfeed baby. After few days a lactating mother has experience of the timing of breastfeeding and the reason a baby cries example for sleep, forboredom, for wet napkin, etc. On an average baby should be breastfeed 8 times a day.

BURPING/WINDING :-

During breastfeeding, babies engulf a lot of air which causes abdominal distention, colics, regurgitations. Mother should burp or wind the baby after each feed. The baby should be kept on left shoulder, left forearm supports the buttock and with the right hand pat on the baby’s back. The air will escape with or without noise and the baby will be comfortable. Burping can also be done in any position of the caretaker with the baby’s body erect and supported and gently pat on the back of the baby.