Breastfeeding/Bottlefeeding
Feeding baby doesnt always come naturally. Understanding not only how to feed baby its important to show the choices that are available and why looking into the benefits of these choices really do support not only baby but the mother too!
Breastfeeding V Bottlefeeding
Costs v Convenience
Breastfeeding Tips
Breastfeeding provides all the nutrients baby needs for the first six months of life
Provides high quality nutrients
Helps protect agains infection up to two years of age or more
Breast milk easy to digest
Baby's body uses breast milk efficiently
Timing
Feed within 2 hours of birth
Frequent feeding in the early weeks is important for establishing a good milk supply
Most newborns need to feed 8 – 12+ times per day (24 hours)
You CAN’T feed too often—you CAN feed too little
Feed at the first signs of hunger (stirring, rooting, hands in mouth)
Don’t wait until baby is crying
Allow baby unlimited time at the breast when sucking actively, then offer the second breast
Some newborns are excessively sleepy—wake baby to feed, 2 hours (during the day) or 4 hours (at night)
Being Prepared
Before you feeding baby, have a drink beside you – something thirst quenching like a big glass of water and maybe a little snack
Around 72 hours after the birth, you will notice your breast milk changing. This is commonly described as 'milk coming in.
Breastfeeding works by supply and demand.
Frequent feeding and milk removal mean your breasts will make more milk.
The amount of milk will continue to grow and increase in the first 10 to 14 days to meet your baby's needs.
Its worth trying!
Many mothers struggle to continue breastfeeding, often due to a lack of consistent breastfeeding support. Also, breastfeeding is viewed by many in the UK as largely unnecessary because formula milk is seen as a close second best.
Advertising of breastmilk substitutes (any food or drink that replaces breastmilk) is inadequately regulated, misleading parents and presenting formula feeding as the norm. In addition, breastfeeding is a highly emotive subject because so many families have not breastfed, or have experienced the trauma of trying very hard to breastfeed and not succeeding.
More information about Breastfeeding can be found on MICA - The MasterClass in Childbirth App
Size of Babys Stomach
A parent understanding the size of a baby's stomach helps with peace of mind. Its peace of mind that baby is getting enough to eat
Bottlefeeding
Bottle feeding is an option for those who are struggling to feed baby via the breast.
Things for mothers to think about is..
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Costs
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Convenience
Tips for Bottle Feeding
Positioning
Cradle her head in your arm
Support the head in a semi-upright position
Hold the bottle at an angle making sure no air is sucked in
Quantity: During the first week or so your infant will drink about 1 oz every few hours
2 to 4 oz for the next few weeks after that
Demand feeding
Demand feeding: It's recommended to feed on demand to ensure that your baby is getting enough to eat.
Feed baby when they need it
Formula Feeds
Always read the instructions on the formula
Never ever double up on the powder, thinking it will fill baby
Hungry Baby: There are specially measured baby milk formulas that are for ‘hungry babies’
Never be tempted to put rice or any other filler in the baby’s bottle
Be careful to stick to the one ‘make’ formula. Swapping and changing can aggravate baby’s stomach
More information on Bottle feeding is on MICA - the MasterClass in Childbirth App
Body language
Tip:
Baby; When baby is full look at her hand, if it's closed into a fist she is full (myth or fact?)
Position: Never feed baby lying down as this could cause an ear infection
Hold your baby often even when not feeding so they don’t associate being held with eating only
Wash your hands before feeding your baby or handling the bottle
Clean: Make sure to wash the bottles and Teats with hot water and soap to keep your baby safe from bacteria
Do Not heat bottles in the microwave - the heat isn't evenly distributed
Do not batch make bottles and store in fridge until needed
Each bottle must be made up fresh as you need them
Bin the milk in the bottles if not drank within an hour - never offer for the next feed
Tap water (not bottled or filtered ) that hasn’t been boiled previously as this can change the mineral content
Boil to 70c- enough to kill any bacteria
Follow the formula instructions
Add the powder to the water attach the cap and teat firmly and shake well to fully dissolve the powder
Test the temperature of the milk – shake well. It should feel slightly warm, never hot
Cool the bottle in a bowl of cold water or put under a running tap
Important to dispose of any formula that is not used after feeding
Apgar Scale
What Is the Apgar Score?
The Apgar score is a test given to newborns soon after birth. This test checks a baby's heart rate, muscle tone, and other signs to see if extra medical care or emergency care is needed.
Babies usually get the test twice: 1 minute after birth, and again 5 minutes after they're born. If there are concerns, a baby may get the test again.
What Does It Check?
The Apgar score measures five things to check a baby's health. Each is scored on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being the best score:
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Appearance (skin color)
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Pulse (heart rate)
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Grimace response (reflexes)
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Activity (muscle tone)
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Respiration (breathing rate and effort)
Baby-Care Assignment
"If you don't believe in miracles,
then you may have forgotten you are one!"
