Regardless of whether your baby is bottle-fed or breastfed, time should be taken for feeding. It is important for mother and child that you can feed in a comfortable position. After a feeding it is nice to chat and cuddle with your little one, so that a good bond can be built.
Start breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is the most natural food you can give your child. It contains everything a baby needs, including antibodies that protect your child against all kinds of diseases. If you have just had a baby and you start breastfeeding, it is wise to let your baby suck on both breasts. The more often your child drinks, the higher the milk production becomes. It is important that you latch your baby on properly, so that you have less chance of nipple problems and/or insufficient milk production.
Your baby’s head and body should be in line, against your body. Bring your child’s mouth to the level of your nipple. The tongue should be just below the areola, so that the chin and nose touch the chest. Your baby will snap at the nipple and eventually grab it so he can drink. If it doesn’t work out well, you can help by pushing your nipple into the mouth.
Care of the nipples
It is best not to let your child drink from one breast for too long, this prevents nipple problems. Keep the skin dry and wear a cotton bra with nursing pads. After a feeding it is good to rub some breast milk or a neutral, greasy cream on the nipple. Between feedings you can protect your (sore) nipples with nipple shields. These ensure that air reaches your nipples, so that cracks and other wounds can heal faster. If you feel a hard spot in the breast, it may be a blocked mammary gland. Massaging the area before your baby latches on, in the direction of the nipple, will help.
Regular days
There are days when your baby seems upset. It then suddenly needs more milk and wants to drink more often. These are the so-called regular days. Your baby can then simply be fed more often, so that he gets exactly what he needs.
Extra vitamins when breastfeeding
If you breastfeed your child, he needs extra vitamins D and K. Vitamin D can be given from the second week. Vitamin D is good for bone growth. Your baby needs vitamin K from birth to the fourteenth week, which helps stop bleeding.
Feces
Breastfed infants often have soft stools, a few times a day during the first few weeks. Babies sometimes have loose stools without a clearly identifiable cause. This may be because you have eaten or drunk something that a child cannot tolerate.
Bottle feeding
There are different types of infant formula from which you can choose. When drinking, the teat must always be full, otherwise too much air will enter the food, which can cause colic. While feeding, it is a good idea to hold your baby alternately in your left and right arms. It is useful to have several bottles at home. Naturally, the bottle must be thoroughly cleaned after each feeding with a special brush and hot soapy water. Once a day, a bottle must be boiled for three minutes.
Spitting
Babies often spit up after feeding. This is often because they drink much more than their stomach can handle, so it is returned. As long as your baby regularly has wet diapers and is gaining weight well, this is not a problem.
Suck
A breastfeeding child has to make quite a bit of effort when sucking from the mother’s breast. This is relaxing for your child, but it also strengthens the jaw muscles. Bottle feeding makes things a little easier. That’s why it takes a baby about fifteen minutes to drink a bottle. Approximately one drop of milk per second should come out of the teat. If this does not happen, the hole in the teat is too large or too small.