After childbirth all parents are usually worried whether their baby gets enough milk during feeding. Of course, at first it is rather difficult to understand and determine how often you need to feed your baby so that he would not be hungry. However, several months later mothers can easily determine how much milk a baby needs.
Well, how can you learn determining whether your baby gets enough milk at first, until you have not learned a baby’s behavior and reaction?
You and your baby feel comfortable
During first days after childbirth mothers feel difficulty adapting and learning breastfeeding a baby in a right way. Correct feeding means absence of pain in breast and nipple area. Remember that breastfeeding process should be comfortable both for you and your baby. Correct breastfeeding means a baby himself has a good access to milk, and therefore a possibility to get enough milk.
You feed your baby often
Remember new-born babies should be fed from 10 to 12 times a day. This means at first you should feed your baby every hour or hour and a half. This is a period a baby needs to assimilate milk. It is normally, if your baby, like all new-borns, wants eating more in the evening. Some babies will sleep at night longer, than others, however, you still should not miss night feedings during first months. In this case it is recommended awakening babies and feeding them, and then putting to bed again. The longest period when a baby can stand without feeding is 2 hours.
Your baby sucks actively and swallows milk during feeding
If during feeding you suddenly noticed a baby started sucking slowly or stopped doing so at all in the beginning of feeding, this means you need to massage your breast slightly, so that milk would exude easily again during feeding.
You always give your baby a possibility to drink up milk from one breast
To be sure your baby gets enough milk, firstly give him a possibility to drink milk from one breast, and then, when he already stops sucking, offer him another one too. When a baby stops sucking second breast, this means he is full. During feeding it is very important for a woman that a baby drinks milk from two breasts. If a baby is always full with milk from 1 breast, then you should feed him un turn – firstly one, then another.
You baby gains weight and develops normally
You should necessarily watch your baby’s weight and development together with a doctor. You know, only a doctor will help you determining whether your baby grows and develops normally.
