You have just delivered a baby and you are quite confused about how to take care of your little one. You should learn how to breastfeed your child properly to provide a good growing process. But how to do so?
There are millions of questions in your head. How often should I nurse my baby? How long should one nursing session last? What are the signs that the child is full? Here are some answers for you to ease off the start of your breastfeeding journey.
How Often Should I Nurse My Baby?
The first and obvious question is when to feed a baby. There are two ways of feeding a newborn. Some pediatricians recommend feeding a baby on demand, the others believe that there should be a strict feeding regime.
Each pattern has its advantages and disadvantages:
- On-demand feeding contributes to the increase of breast milk supply. Also, in this case, the child can establish their schedule of feeding.
- As to the feeding regime, the mother can manage her time better, because she is aware of when she will nurse her little one next time.
Both of these ways are okay. You should just identify what fits you and your baby better.
Usually, newborns become hungry in 2 or 3 hours after a nursing session. But sometimes it seems that a child wants to eat every hour.
You should not panic in this case. This can be a sign of a growth spurt. During the growth spurt, the appetite of a baby increases as well as the amount of breast milk. But such a spurt commonly does not last long, just a couple of days.
How Long Should One Nursing Session Last?
When you just start to breastfeed your baby, there is some foremilk in your breast. Foremilk contains less fat and can quench thirst but not make your child full. You should breastfeed your child until he or she gets enough hindmilk, which is rich in vitamins and is more nutritious. It may take about 20 minutes for a baby to get this nutritious milk, especially in the first few days after birth.
RELATED: Correcting Foremilk Hindmilk Imbalance While Breastfeeding
Over time, 20 minutes may reduce to about 10 minutes. However, the time of one breastfeeding session may still vary and depends on many factors. Thus, a mother must schedule enough time to feed her baby properly and get positive emotions from contact.
What Are The Signs That The Child Is Full?
If a baby removes his or her lips from a nipple, it means that a child is full. In other cases, a baby may just stop sucking or may fall asleep at the end of nursing. And, of course, a child should look satisfied after breastfeeding.
A mother can also feel when a nursing session comes to its end. You should feel that your breast is less full or even empty. So, be attentive to your child, focus on their feelings, and your little one will grow into happy healthy child .
