To ensure that the baby does not experience a lack of breast milk, the baby must be properly applied to the breast. Only in this case will the baby be able to properly capture it and receive the nutrients necessary for growth and development. However, this process is not always easy for both the child and his mother. To understand how to properly apply a newborn for feeding, you need to familiarize yourself with the advice and recommendations of specialists that will be presented in this article.
Baby feeding
How to apply a newborn
HB is the most preferred and natural way of feeding a baby. It takes time and practice to carry out the process properly. In the process of establishing breastfeeding, it will be very useful to understand how exactly the baby should be applied and what the grip should be.
In the first days after the birth of the baby, the mother should try to find out more about how to apply the newborn to the breast. It is advisable to seek advice from a professional who will control all the actions of the mother and child at first.
Important! An improper grip can lead to unpleasant and even dangerous consequences - the child will not gorge on and begin to lose weight, the mother may have nipple inflammation, there will be a risk of mastitis, etc.
It happens that the capture process is difficult due to physiological characteristics or shortcomings of the baby, for example, if the child has a shortened frenum of the tongue. Only a doctor can identify this problem.
Experienced mothers are advised to immediately (that is, while still in the hospital) ask a specialist for advice, ask him to check the correct grip of the nipple and, if there are any mistakes or shortcomings, point out them and explain how to properly apply a newborn baby for feeding.
There are a number of rules and recommendations that will help you avoid mistakes when feeding a baby in the future.
How to position the baby at the breast
It is not so important which feeding position was chosen. The main thing to do is to make sure that the baby's head, neck and back are level and that the baby does not curl. The position is correct, if the baby's chin is directed upwards, it should not be pressed against the chest. It is important that both are comfortable: both mother and child. For greater comfort, it is recommended to place pillows under the arms and back or lay the child on them.
It will not be superfluous to master several different poses, as well as study various techniques of guards. These skills will come in handy in the future, when, in the process of growth and development of the baby, it is necessary to show flexibility in a given situation - the child becomes older, he is more often outside the house, and is more active. All of these factors affect the nature of breastfeeding.
Regardless of the chosen feeding position, in all cases, a few simple rules should be followed:
- Before the guards, you need to prepare in advance everything that will be required during the "meal" to while away the time: food, drinks, a book or a TV remote control. It will also not be superfluous to go to the toilet, because it will take a long time to sit with the baby while feeding.
- Provide maximum comfort for the baby so that it is comfortable for him to lie during lactation. It is necessary to hold the baby firmly, straight, support the head, back and neck, make sure that he does not turn on his side.
- Provide your own comfort, do not strain.
- Make sure that the grip on the chest is correct.
- If the baby does not latch well at the breast, or the mother feels uncomfortable during feeding, you should see a specialist.
Correct child placement
Nipple capture technique
First of all, you need to help the child open his mouth. The baby should be attached to you so that the nipple is level with the baby's nose, pointing up. Thanks to this arrangement, the newborn does not have breathing problems - he can attach to the breast, drink milk and at the same time breathe freely. For the baby to open his mouth wide, you need to touch the nipple to his upper lip.
On a note. It will be easier for the baby to latch on to the breast if he opens his mouth wide.
When the baby opens his mouth and his tongue is on the lower gum, it is necessary to press the baby to the breast so that the nipple is directed towards his palate. The baby's chin should touch the breast first. It is important that the newborn completely captures the areola. If this did not work out, then there is no reason for concern - children are different, and the size of the areola in each case may also differ. You can try to shape the breast yourself while latching on the baby. After experimenting, everyone will be able to choose a suitable option for themselves.
Correct breast grip
Signs of correct attachment
Correct attachment of the baby during feeding is an important condition for the normal nutrition of the baby. During feeding, it is necessary to pay attention to the following signs, which indicate the correct capture of the nipple:
- The baby's chin touches the chest, the nose "looks" up, so that the newborn's breathing is not difficult.
- The baby opens his mouth wide and captures not only the nipple, but also most of the areola.
- The nipple should be directed towards the palate of the infant and slightly supported by the tongue.
- Mom does not feel discomfort, does not feel pain, except for pulling sensations.
- At the beginning, the baby makes short and quick movements (which stimulate the flow of milk), then they become slower, more solid, interrupted by pauses (which means that the baby is swallowing milk). The kid moves his jaw, makes sounds of swallowing.
On a note. Problems with seizure can arise if the mother has elongated or, conversely, flat nipples. In this case, you need to consult a specialist.
The signs listed above indicate the correct capture of the breast. In addition to them, you should also pay attention to another, no less important indicator - the number of soiled diapers and the weight gained by the child.
Recommendation. If the baby has not captured the breast enough, and the mother is feeling pain, or the baby begins to chew on the nipple, you need to take the breast from him and try to give it again. If the baby has a firm grip on the breast, you can gently place a clean finger in the corner of his mouth to stop sucking.
Correct attachment
How long does it take for a child to eat
In this case, the age of the newborn is an important factor: the older the child, the less time it takes for the feeling of satiety to appear. A newly born baby will drink milk for 20-40 minutes. In the future, it will be enough for him 5-10 minutes to satisfy his hunger.
Duration of feeding
The gw process satisfies several needs at once:
- Nutrition;
- Quenching thirst;
- Establishing contact with mom;
- Relief of postpartum stress;
- Consolidation of the sucking reflex.
Feeding times may vary depending on your specific needs. It takes 15-20 minutes of vigorous nipple stimulation to satisfy your hunger.
If you need to drink, then the attachments are short and intermittent. The movements are slow, even lazy. At the same time, the child often closes his eyes.
Feeding can take 40-60 minutes, which is explained by the child's need to be close to mom, to feel her closeness as much as possible.
On a note. It is not always possible to determine the reason why the baby currently needs her mother's breast. Therefore, you need to allow the child to independently set the duration of feedings.
Feeding frequency
The baby should receive nutrients in the first month of his life often - from 8 to 12 times a day. In the future, the frequency of HV is reduced to 7-10 times a day. The baby should be fed at his request - every 1.5-3 hours. The time interval between the previous and the next feeding should not exceed 4 hours.
Factors that affect the frequency and duration of HV:
- Fat content and amount of milk;
- The emotional state of mother and child;
- Milk absorption rate;
- Nursery furnishings;
- The position of the mother during the "meal".
How often to alternate breasts
In order to produce enough milk in both glands, it is necessary to alternate the breasts during each feeding. In addition, this technique will prevent breast swelling.
If the baby's appetite is not very strong, then one breast can be fed for 5-7 minutes, this will be enough. However, if a child grows and develops quickly, shows high activity, then he experiences a feeling of hunger much stronger. In this case, he will need 10-15 minutes of feeding on each breast.
How to feed a crying baby
If the baby is crying a lot, then you should wait until he calms down, or try to calm him down with motion sickness. If the baby continues to cry and it becomes obvious that he is not going to breastfeed, then you can do the following: express milk and feed the baby with it from the nipple or with a finger. If it is not possible to express, then the baby can be given an artificial mixture.
Signs of incorrect attachment
Due to improper attachment, the child does not finish eating. This is evidenced by the following signs:
- After the guards, the child moves his mouth, tries to attach himself to the breast;
- Does not fall asleep after lactation;
- For the mother, the process is accompanied by painful sensations;
- The baby cries, behaves restlessly.
Faulty attachment rates
Consequences of improper attachment
Correct attachment of a newborn while breastfeeding is not always successful. If the process is abnormal, then the child will not gorge on. Ineffective milk suction causes the following symptoms:
- The chest swells.
- The child cries, requires frequent feeding (more often than once every 1-1.5 hours).
- The baby may refuse milk altogether.
- The child's weight is reduced.
- Sparse stools, scanty in volume.
- Milk may stop being produced.
Difficulties of young moms
Inexperienced mothers often worry about their breast size. In fact, there is nothing to worry about, since this factor does not affect the fat content and the amount of milk produced. Subject to the diet and the absence of stress, the baby will remain full, even if his mother has small breasts.
An elongated, small or sunken nipple can create a feeding problem. The purchase of special breast pads at the pharmacy will help to solve the problem.
Breast pads
A rather serious problem is the formation of cracks in the nipples, which make the feeding process somewhat painful. You can prevent the appearance of cracks if you lubricate the breast with your own milk after each guards.
During the breastfeeding period, it is very important to have patience in order to move calmly and consistently towards establishing a normal feeding process. After the technique of correct attachment of the newborn is fixed, the discomfort will disappear, the baby will be well-fed and happy.
