Breastfeeding has many benefits, and 10 wrong feeding methods are not discussed!

Breast milk is the ideal natural food. Breast milk contains all the nutrients needed for the growth and development of infants in the first six months, and the ratio of various nutrients is appropriate, easy to absorb, economical, hygienic and convenient. Not only that, but breast milk also strengthens the baby's resistance; a baby who is exclusively breastfed is less likely to get sick after birth. This is because breast milk, especially colostrum, contains a large number of immune active cells and a variety of immunoglobulins, which can prevent bacteria and viruses from entering the baby's body. In addition, breast milk is hypoallergenic, while formula milk is very likely to cause allergic reactions, such as eczema and constipation.

Most people know that babies should be breastfed as much as possible after birth, which can enhance the baby's immunity and improve the baby's physical fitness. The benefits of breastfeeding are obvious. First of all, breast milk is nutritionally complete, and contains various nutrients that can meet the needs of infants within six months; breast milk also contains a variety of anti-infective substances, which can protect infants from infection; Necessary for the healthy development of blood vessels. Secondly, breast milk is easy to digest and absorb, and it is not easy to cause baby allergies. Plus, breastfeeding helps with parent-child bonding and baby development. For mothers, breastfeeding promotes contractions of the mother's uterus, reduces postpartum hemorrhage, and helps delay the mother's re-pregnancy, reduces the mother's risk of ovarian and breast cancer, and more. However, new mothers have some misunderstandings in the details of breastfeeding. Incorrect feeding will not only not benefit the baby, but also seriously damage the baby's body.

1. Colostrum is not nutritious and should not be fed to the baby

Colostrum is the milk secreted by mothers one week after giving birth. It is light yellow in color, thick and rich in protein. It is the best natural nutrition for your baby within a week of birth. The quality and quantity of the substances it contains are very consistent with the special needs of the newborn during the week. Although the amount of colostrum secretion is small, it is sufficient for normal babies.

2. Feed only one side at a time

Feeding only one side at a time reduces the stimulation of the breasts and naturally reduces lactation. Even if the baby is full from one breast, the mother should empty the other breast. To this end, each breastfeeding should be fed as much as possible on both sides. New mothers should breastfeed alternately on both sides of the breast, so as to avoid the huge difference in size between the two sides in the future, which will affect the appearance. If one of the mother and baby cannot breastfeed due to illness or other reasons, the milk in the breast must be expressed and emptied. The number of emptyings per day is 6 to 8 times or more. Only when the milk in the breast is emptied can normal milk production continue in the future.

3. Breastfeeding should be timed and quantitative

Now advocates "feeding on demand", that is, when the baby cries or when the mother feels that it should be fed, the baby is picked up and fed. As long as the baby wants to eat, it can be fed at any time; if the mother is full of milk, and the baby is willing to eat, you can also feed it, and you should not be constrained by whether it is the predetermined time.” Generally, after a period of time, the baby will gradually form his own certain law.

Don't strictly limit the interval between feedings while breastfeeding, especially in the first few weeks of your baby's life. Newborn babies don't get the same amount of milk every time, so sometimes babies get hungry an hour after feeding, and sometimes they don't seem to want to eat as much as 3 hours apart. These are all natural situations, and each baby is unique and will eat differently, so breastfeeding as needed is advisable.

4. Too much reliance on formula or pacifiers

Adding formula, or letting your baby always suck on a pacifier, will cause your baby to not work hard when breastfeeding, because he is not hungry or his sucking needs have been met by a pacifier, which will reduce stimulation of the nipple and reduce milk production. If you really need to add milk powder, it is best to use a breast pump after feeding to maintain the stimulation of sucking on the breast.

5. Lying down to breastfeed or laughing while breastfeeding

Lying down can cause your baby to spit up. The correct way is for the mother to take a seated or middle seated position, place one foot on the stool, hold the baby well, and gently hold the nipple between the thumb and forefinger for feeding with the other hand.

If the baby laughs because of teasing while feeding, the glottis of the larynx can be opened, and the inhaled milk may stray into the trachea.

6. Drink water for exclusively breastfed babies

The osmotic power of breast milk is similar to that of plasma, and the osmotic load on the kidneys is low, so water is not required even for breastfeeding in the tropics or deserts. Many people don't know that breast milk has this feature. When breast milk is enough, they still give water to the baby. This is really a kind of wrong thing to do. The baby's stomach capacity is limited. Drinking water will inevitably affect breastfeeding. Drinking sugar water reduces the baby's demand for breast milk and is prone to bloating. For babies under 4 months, as long as breastfeeding is enough, no other food is needed.

7. Feed your baby at bedtime

Breastfeeding your baby during sleep can easily cause deciduous tooth decay. This is because the secretion of saliva during sleep will reduce the function of oral cleaning, and the long-term fermentation of milk in the mouth will damage the structure of the deciduous teeth. Secondly, choking is easy to occur. When the baby is unconscious, the assistance of the oropharyngeal muscles is insufficient, which cannot effectively protect the tracheal orifice, and it is easy to cause milk infiltration to cause the danger of choking.

In addition, it is easy to reduce the baby's appetite, because the milk in the stomach is poured in when he is groggy, and the baby does not feel hungry when he is awake, so seeing food in the future will reduce his desire.

8. Don't breastfeed your baby for fear of losing shape

Breastfeeding your baby will not make the breasts of new mothers sag, but will make the breasts bigger due to breastfeeding. If you can cooperate with the right amount of exercise, the breasts will be more beautiful than before. At the same time, since taking the baby in person, coupled with the secretion of milk, will greatly increase the consumption of physical energy and help the mother get back into shape as soon as possible.

Breastfeeding is not only good for the baby, it is also good for the mother. First, through the baby's sucking, a large amount of oxytocin is produced in the mother's body, which enhances uterine contraction, promotes the discharge of lochia, and is conducive to the recovery of the uterus. In addition, breastfeeding can greatly reduce the incidence of breast and ovarian cancer.

9. Weaning your baby prematurely

Many elderly people say that breast milk is no longer nutritious after 6 months, and the baby should be weaned. Under normal circumstances, from birth to 6 months, newborns can get all the nutrients they need for growth without any supplementary food. After 6 months, the nutrients needed for the growth of the baby are no longer enough to rely on breast milk alone, and complementary foods need to be added.

In the case of increasing complementary foods, breastfeeding should also be extended for 1-2 years. And 6 months is not the absolute bottom line. Some premature babies or babies with allergies refuse or cannot be fed complementary foods due to physical reasons. To date, there is no scientific evidence that breast milk loses its nutritional value at any stage.

10. You can only be weaned during work

Storing breast milk not only allows the baby to continue to enjoy breast milk, but also maintains the mother's milk secretion and prevents soreness. Milking can be done with a milker or by hand. Expressed milk should be placed in sterilized glass or plastic bottles with airtight caps. The most ideal is to use breast milk storage bags, which are also sold in the domestic market. Storage state Milk can be stored at room temperature for 12 hours.