As a new mum, most things related to your baby will be confusing. One of these things is how much to feed your newborn baby.
Feeding your baby for the first time is as exhilarating as giving birth. Every aspect, from holding your baby correctly to feeding her the right amount of milk, is a cause for concern. When it comes to the quantity of milk that your newborn baby takes in, it is difficult to fix a measure. Every baby’s need is different, so you will have to respond to the same.
While no one can specifically say how much milk newborn babies drink when you breastfeed, here are some approximate figures according to age of the baby:
The exact amount that your baby drinks each time cannot be measured. However, once she is satiated, she will show these signs:
You will soon learn to observe these signs when your baby has her tummy full.
This is also something that differs for all babies. Some factors which will impact the time taken for a feed are – the ease with which your milk flows, alertness of your baby while feeding and positioning of your baby.
Here are some general guidelines that will help you understand how much milk to feed a newborn baby:
This one is a tricky question. You may be asked to follow a time schedule for feeding, which can be every hour or so. But a better way to time your feeds is by observing your baby for signs that she is hungry and needs to be fed.
These signs can be:
Reacting timely to your baby’s hunger signs will be the best course of action. If kept waiting for long, your baby may get irritated and weak. Also, the milk in your body is produced according to the demand of the baby. So, feeding frequently and when she is hungry will give signals to your system to produce more milk.
A key to remember here is to ensure you feed your baby every two hours.
There are some signs that will tell you whether you are providing enough milk to your newborn or not:
On the other hand, if your baby is fussy and does not seem to gain weight as expected, then your feeds may be less than sufficient.
Learning about how much to feed a newborn baby may take some time. But you will always have people who can guide you. So do not worry and let her suck on to her heart’s content.
Subscribe to our mailing list and LIKE US on Facebook to stay updated on the latest parenting tips!
Article written by Needhi Gandhi
Image credit: Flickr
I’m pretty sure you’re more excited about baby’s first Christmas than they actually are! It’s a great time to introduce the little one to the memorable traditions you grew up with or you’ll have a chance to create your own little traditions with them.
Sure, baby might be a little too young to appreciate or understand what’s going on, but Christmas does bring out a warm and fuzzy feeling in everyone! Not to mention the sparkly lights and glittery decorations that baby will be amused and mesmerized with.
With that said, we’ve listed down some tips to make the most of baby’s First Christmas…
1. Keep baby around you while you spruce up your home
Let baby watch as you set up the Christmas tree and decorations. They won’t get it on the first year, but trust me, keep doing this every year and baby will pick up the idea and excitement really soon! They’ll come to associate decorating as a thing that leads up to Christmas!
2. Stick to your routine
Try to keep baby’s day as normal as possible. It can be difficult with all the party hubbub, but baby will be calmer and less fussy! It’ll be ideal to sneak in an early bedtime the night before and an extra nap before the party, so baby won’t be overtired throughout the day.
3. It’s okay if baby fusses
Despite your best efforts, baby may still be overwhelmed with all that is going on. This may make them a bit uncomfortable and cranky. It’s fine if that happens! Don’t let it dampen your Christmas cheer. Just bring baby to a quiet room to calm him down. Put him down to sleep if you have to.
4. RESIST the urge to splurge on toys!
At this age, baby simply don’t need them. Especially if they are newborns! As many parents will agree, they’re better off playing with boxes or ribbons than the most expensive baby gadget out there. After all, the play value of a toy is 10% toy and 90% imagination!
Your friends and family will most likely be buying baby gifts anyway, so save the money! Consider getting them items to help with development instead.
5. Skip the visit to Santa
As a new parent, it’s extremely tempting to bring baby to visit Santa and get a picture for keepsake. Do think twice! While older children love him, babies often find Father Christmas to be a big and scary man.
6. Start new Christmas traditions
This one is really up to your creativity. There are plenty of ways to start a family tradition! You can consider making a Christmas ornament with baby’s handprint every year to put it up. They’ll have a memorable collection when they grow up!
Another idea is to bake a special cake or cookie with them. It might seem redundant now as baby can’t even eat it, but once they’ve past 1 year, they’ll be excited, and you can even get them involved in the process. You’ll definitely appreciate all the effort as your kids get older and start to talk about the wonderful traditions they grew up with.
7. Remember to baby-proof
With all the excitement going on, remember to keep baby’s safety in mind! Avoid having glass ornaments or decorations within baby’s reach. For toddlers, they will be picking ornaments off your tree and throwing it around. So, think twice before putting up your expensive collection!
Your baby is born tough. If you notice how the hospital nurses treat your newborn, you will realise that they are not as delicate as you think.
Your baby spent nine months suspended in amniotic fluid so when the journey continues outside of the womb, his body is still learning to adapt.
