Select or artificial - this is a personal decisionof every mother. But if you have the opportunity to feed yourself, then at least try. I chose breastfeeding for myself, I fought for it, and despite all the difficulties, everything turned out for me and the baby.
Photo:Getty ImagesHere are just some of the benefits of breastfeeding: Breast milk contains all the nutrients a newborn needs and is best absorbed, Breastfeeding creates an emotional bond between the baby and mother that will form the basis of the baby's basic trust in the world, Breast milk helps build immunity and helps the baby fight infections, Milk contains sugars and fats that are essential for brain development, Breast milk contains lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which are the best probiotics for a newborn's intestines, Breastfeeding is the best prevention of allergic diseases, Breastfeeding promotes more harmonious facial development - the bite is formed correctly and there is a wider facial space, the risk of snoring, shortness of breath, and orthodontic problems in adulthood is reduced, Mother's milk contains hormones and bioactive substances that cannot currently be artificially synthesized.
If the child does not take the breast, do not despair.
I encountered the first ones in the maternity hospitalproblems. The hungry baby is crying, I am at a loss. It seems that every mother, having given birth, should know what to do. In fact, this is not so. I advise everyone, while you are in the maternity hospital and surrounded by nurses, doctors, ask. Ask to show you how to latch the baby, how to express milk, how to swaddle a newborn. Milk does not appear immediately (on the 3-5th day), and young mothers often think that the child is hungry and colostrum will not saturate the baby. In fact, colostrum is the ideal food for a newborn. Despite the extremely small amount, it is enough for the baby to eat. After all, the content of immune factors and nutrients in it is much higher than in milk. It also reduces the risk of physiological jaundice in infants. It is with colostrum that the newborn receives protection from viruses and other pathogenic factors. This is the baby's first immune defense, which helps prepare for further feeding. I missed the time, and in the maternity hospital I could not learn how to feed my daughter correctly. As a result, I turned to a breastfeeding consultant. Do not be confused by the disapproval of relatives and friends. I myself encountered the opinion that this is a whim and stupidity. That feeding is natural, and the mother should cope on her own. Do not listen to anyone except yourself and the baby. You need to feed a hungry baby every day and night. And the faster you establish feeding, the easier it will be for you and the baby.
A photo: Getty Images My little girl ate a very short time. It was convenient for me to track the feeding in a special program on the phone (I use the BabyTracker application, in which you can also note the duration and number of dreams, the time of changing diapers). Thanks to the program, I found out that on average one feeding lasts no more than 5-10 minutes. Although many assured me that it is wrong that the feeding should last at least 20 minutes. After the first few weeks my daughter did not gain weight, at the insistence of doctors for a week I weighed it before and after feeding. And I found out experimentally that the only time when feeding lasted about 30 minutes, the baby ate only 28 grams of milk. So I realized that the amount of milk eaten does not depend on the duration of feeding. Only the baby decides how long the feeding lasts. He knows best when he ate and can stop eating. And in the future there were no problems with weight gain. Gradually, our girl herself typed as much as necessary without supplementation and use of the mixture. While the newborn is very small, weak, especially important is the correct grip when feeding. If you once understand how to apply the baby to your chest, then you will do it much easier. It is necessary to put the baby, holding it by the neck and the back of the head, and not to force it to eat. In addition, my daughter herself prevented involuntary movements during meals. After I began to swaddle her for feeding, the process was immediately easier.
