Newborn feeding tips!
Congratulations! You have a new addition to your growing family, and I know how those first few days and weeks can be very overwhelming. I remember when I had my first child, how overwhelmed I felt and the only thought I had in my mind was that I needed to keep another human being alive! Well, it will all get easier I promise. Those first couple of weeks are the hardest but remember your baby will sleep most of the time and wake mainly for feeding and needing a change of diaper. Most moms will try breastfeeding and learning those subtle feeding cues for both breastfed and bottle-fed babies is important. Breastfeeding is on-demand feeding and most babies will wake every 3-4 hours or sooner for a feed. Remember sometimes they may want to feed every 1-2 hours (cluster feeding) so I recommend making sure your baby is awake during the feeds to maximize the feeding time. Often babies may start to feed and dose off mid-feed, resulting in waking up more often to feed, so sometimes opening their outfits and exposing their legs to the cool air can keep the baby awake longer to complete the feed. I often recommend a lactation consultation before the baby is born and after the baby arrives to help new moms have the best feeding success. Once your baby has completed a feed hold them inclined to burp for about 20 minutes to allow for the milk to settle lower in the GI system. Burping a baby allows for any extra gas to be released and your baby will then rest comfortably till the next feed. Remember to wake your baby to feed every 4 hours until the age of 6 weeks. Beyond that age, they can wake up to feed on their cues.
What spit-up is too much spit up?
All babies spit up, some more and some less but when is it too much spit up? Anyone who has a completely liquid diet and then spends most of their time laying flat on their back would have some form of reflux. All babies have reflux, and some may spit up through the mouth and nose if they do not burp well or make a sudden movement of their tummy. If your baby is comfortable, feeding well and gaining weight the spit-ups tend to get less as they grow and there is nothing to worry about. If your baby is spitting up large amounts that are flying across the room, the baby seems.
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