As you are likely aware, a mother’s breast milk is certainly the most nutritional thing for your baby to eat. Unfortunately, for many women it is just not possible to breast-feed on a regular basis, or maybe even at all. Although this is often very hard to bear to the mother, we are lucky to live in a day and age where formula may be used to supplement or feed our children.
Being a new parent, it might be quite challenging to know exactly what to do when it comes to breast-feeding. How do I know if my baby is getting enough to eat? Should I try give my baby formula instead? How do I know how much formula to give my baby? How do I know if I’m giving my baby the correct formula that he needs? These can all be very difficult questions to answer.
I want to let you know that you shouldn’t be worried. You might be surprised to find out that infants can endure even on very little nutrition, although that is of course not the most healthy thing. If your baby is not getting enough to eat, it will definitely let you know in a few different ways. Firstly, if you are breast-feeding your baby or feeding with a bottle, the baby will try to latch back on again if you take the food away. Also, babies are known to cry and get cranky when they are still hungry and not getting any food to eat. Conversely, when a baby is full and doesn’t want to read any more they are visibly satisfied and may even begin to drift off to sleep.
You will also find that if your baby is getting enough to eat, it will start to quickly gain weight after the first week of eating, and require a diaper change more than five times a day. If you notice these two things in your baby then you can rest assured that he is healthy and there is no need to worry. In general, I baby needs approximately 2 ounces of breast milk or formula per 1 pound of bodyweight. Keep in mind, this won’t go for every baby, so you will have to adjust slightly for your own.
You may also try using a breast pump store breastmilk ahead of time for your baby to eat. This can be very handy if you are a busy mother, or if you might be out and about with your baby and might not be able to breast-feed. Using a breast pump also has health benefits, for instance relieving swollen breasts which can sometimes occur, as well as promoting more breastmilk production in the body. I would definitely highly recommend a breast pump to the majority of mothers, as they are simply a great thing to have if you breast-feed your children.
If you choose to go with a breast pump, you should definitely research and read breast pump reviews before getting one. There are various types on the market and you want to make sure that you get the one that’s ideal for you.
If you’re a new parent, I’d highly recommend reading my site on caring for your children. Also, I’d strongly suggest reading breast pump reviews on pumps such as the Medela Freestyle Breast Pump