Blog

How does breastfeeding benefit me?

A woman breastfeeds has very low chances of ovarian and breast cancer. You also lose about 500 extra calories a day when you breastfeed, it will help in the extra weight loss that you have gained during pregnancy. Breastfeeding also helps releases oxytocin which helps in uterus contraction and brings it back to its original size.

How long should I breastfeed my baby?

You should breastfeed your baby at least for 6-12 months. After the first six months and soft foods coupled with breastmilk.

How do identify my baby is hungry?

There are many signs that your baby will show when hungry. Some are listed below:

• Opening her mouth
• Sucking her lips
• Puts her hand and fists on the mouth
• Nuzzling against your breast
• Crying

How do I know my baby is full?

Like any adults, babies can decide if they need more food or they are done. Some signs that the baby is full

• Turn away from your breast
• Spit out the milk

How can I store breastmilk?

If you cannot breastfeed your baby directly, you can use hand expression, electric pump or manual pump to store your breastmilk. This can be refrigerated for 3-4 days. Warm the milk and feed your baby.

Is it safe to smoke or drink during breastfeeding?

You should stay away from tobacco, alcohol and all kind of drugs during breastfeeding. It affects the baby very negatively.

Can I use both my breasts for feeding?

If your baby finishes one breast during feeding, offer her the second breast. Your body produces two types of milk – thirst quenching and fat rich milk. Both are good for the baby. As long as your baby is comfortable, you are doing fine.

What are some common myths about breastfeeding?

• Frequent feeding can lead to poor milk production
• Mothers should space the feedings to refill her breasts
• The first milk is not good for the baby

What you eat during breastfeeding is important

Breast milk is the best food for your baby during the first 6 months. You might know this already, but what you may not know is that your breast milk has different flavours based on the foods that you eat. For example, if you feed your baby within an hour of eating bananas, your milk will have a slight banana flavour in it. Your baby will grow up drinking this and after 6 months, when you introduce bananas in the form of solid foods, he will enjoy this a lot.

Some paediatric studies also proved that when mothers consumed carrot-related foods at the time of nursing, their babies loved carrot-flavoured dishes more than the plain and bland dishes when it was time for them to eat solid foods. So, your breast milk definitely plays a huge role in helping your baby transition to solid foods smoothly, once he completes 6 months.

Start with eating a healthy diet

Do you want your baby to eat a lot of vegetables, fruits and other healthy foods when he grows? The first step that you have to take in this regard is to eat well during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Your baby starts getting introduced to different flavours and tastes of foods that you eat because his taste buds start developing right when you progress into your second trimester. He gets familiar with the spices, fruits, rice and everything else that you eat.

Similarly, while nursing, the flavours of the foods that you eat pass onto your kids as well because your breast milk can change flavours every day. When you eat the right foods, your baby will get influenced by them and start loving these foods when you introduce them to him as well. So, healthy eating should start with you!

Make maximum use of your breast milk

Breast milk is the best food (and should be the only food) for the baby for the first 6 months. It is not only because breast milk helps to develop the immunity system of the baby and keeps him less prone to various ailments in the future. It is also because breast milk plays a vital role in the healthy choices of food that your baby makes when he grows up. The flavours that you introduce to him during pregnancy and while nursing make a strong impact on his dietary habits. He will switch to eating fruits, vegetables, grains and other healthy choices of foods, without any fuss, if he is already familiar with the tastes of these foods, thanks to your breast milk.

1. Talk, read or sing to them

As your baby grows, at about 25 or 26 weeks of pregnancy, your little one starts reacting to the sounds he hears. This is a great chance for you and your spouse to interact with him. Talking to your bump will help him to get used to your voices. Plus, they will feel attached to you and also take a step towards learning your language. Apart from talking, you may want to read or hum a song to him to establish a loving bond with them.

2. Massage your bump

Massaging your bump is a good way to interact with the mini miracle within you. You could also massage your bump while you’re talking to them to strengthen the bond between the both of you. Most moms-to-be find it to be a soothing way to unwind from all the pregnancy-related tiredness. This is because it boosts blood circulation and relieves body ache. You could also get your spouse to give you a massage and bond with your little one.

3. Nudge your baby

You will find yourself caressing your bump as most expectant mothers do, to soothe any discomfort that you feel. Touching your pregnant belly also helps the baby to familiarise with your touch. It also indicates that babies respond well to their parents’ touch. So, go ahead and nudge your bump gently when your baby kicks to create a playful bond between you two.

4. Practice prenatal yoga or gentle exercises

The gentle motions of stretching and walking not only helps you stay stress free but also helps calm your baby and let them fall asleep. You could even do it at the same time to bond and create a routine for your baby.

There are many other techniques that will aid you in strengthening your bond with the tiny human inside you. But remember the essential idea is to develop a comfortable relationship with your bump.

1. When your baby completes 8 weeks

At 6 weeks, following vaccinations are offered to your baby:

• Polio- Polio immunization(OPV or IPV) is essential for your baby. Give two doses of IPV if started at 8 weeks and keep an interval of 8 weeks between the doses.

2. When your baby completes 10 weeks

At 10 weeks, you have to ensure that you immunise your babies against diseases. These are repeated vaccines that you have to take at various stages of your baby’s growth.

• Rotavirus- It is found that it is more effective to employ the first dose of RV1 vaccine at 10 weeks.

3. At 14 weeks

Please ensure that you take these repeated vaccines at this stage to provide long-term protection to your baby from serious diseases.

• Rotavirus- The second dose should be given at 14 weeks. Only 2 doses of RV1 are recommended.

4. At 6 months

Following timelines while administering vaccines is important. Some vaccines should not be given before your baby is 6 months old.

• Hepatitis-B: HepB vaccine series should not be given before 24 weeks.

5. At 9 months

• Measles: MMR is the vaccine that should be given to the baby when he completes 9 months. The second dose can be given in his second year.

6. At 9-12 months

• Typhoid: Typbar-TCV and PedaTyph are typhoid vaccines which should be given only after 4 weeks of the MMR vaccine. Second dose should be given in his second year.

7. At 12 months

• Hepatitis-A: Two doses for killed Hep-A vaccines are recommended.

Vaccines while traveling

If you are travelling to another country, with your baby within the first year of his birth, you have to discuss with your doctor first about the vaccinations. He will recommend you vaccines according to your destination country and its health condition. Some diseases like typhoid, cholera and Hepatitis A are the ones that you should mandatorily get your baby vaccinated for, before travelling anywhere.

The vaccination chart:

The benefits of tummy time

Tummy time helps your growing baby develop. It builds and strengthens his neck, back, and shoulder muscles and improves his hand-eye coordination. It also encourages your baby to roll over and crawl. Further, tummy time may help prevent developmental milestones and motor delays.

Babies tend to spend a fair chunk of their time lying on their backs, giving rise to a flat spot on the back of their heads. Regular tummy time helps avoid this for your baby.

Tips to make tummy time a success

• Begin early: We tend to think that babies are delicate when they are little, and won’t be able to handle being on their tummies! That’s not true though, and you can introduce your baby to tummy time within the first few days of his life.
• Encourage the family to participate: Tummy time makes for a great bonding opportunity with your little one, not just for yourself but also for the entire family. You can place the baby on your body or lie down on the floor next to your baby as you interact with him.
• Get down, and stay down: Your baby will be more interested in tummy time if he has someone at his eye level. He will turn to hear your voice as you talk to him – or how about softly humming his favourite song?
• Make it a sensory experience: To make tummy time more engaging for your little one, you can introduce textured toys such as crinkly books, play gyms or mats and other colourful toys.
• Get the timing right: Tummy time is best undertaken when your baby is at his most comfortable. Don’t place your baby on his tummy when he is just fed, or cranky before a feed. A well-rested baby is more likely to be responsive.
• Don’t rush the baby: Every baby takes their own time to adjust to being on their tummy, so it’s best to allow your little one some space to get used to tummy time. If he doesn’t respond immediately, give it a rest and try again.

Remember this!

Tummy time may not be easy to begin with, as some babies can protest rather loudly at being placed on their tummies! Start off slow and keep increasing the amount of time your little one spends on his stomach. Encourage him to play for a longer duration each day. It’s best to continue tummy time until your baby can roll over on his own, which is typically around 5-6 months.

Stay focused, and don’t get discouraged even if your baby takes time to respond! Give your baby plenty of tummy time and you will soon see the difference.

Sponge Bathing

Lay your baby on a clean mat. Keep a sponge or thin cotton towel and warm water ready. Use cotton wool to clean around the eyes and ears areas. Wipe gently around the baby’s eyes and use a fresh piece of cotton for both eyes.

Clean your baby’s ears with a fresh piece of cotton. Make sure you don’t clean inside of the ears with a cotton piece or an earbud.

Use the sponge or towel to clean your baby’s face, neck, and hands. The bottom area should be cleaned with a fresh towel and clean thoroughly between the skin folds.

Talk to your baby while you bath her. She will feel relaxed and get used to your voice.

You’ll only need to give your baby sponge baths until his umbilical cord stump comes off then you can move on to baths in his baby tub.

Bathing Your Baby

Bathing your newborn every day may not be necessary but in case your baby likes it, you can bathe her daily. Don’t bathe your baby when hungry or tired. Decide a time when she is happy and relaxed.

Keep warm water, two towels, clean nappy and clean clothes ready.

Start with the hair. Clean the hair with plain water. You should avoid keeping the hair wet for a long time. Dry the hair and then lower your baby in the tub filled water. Support their neck and head while doing so. Don’t add any liquid cleansers in the water. Plain water is best for the first few months for your baby.

Never leave your baby in the bath alone, not even for a second. Pat her dry and you can gently massage her while drying.

Bathing time can get difficult if your baby cries. You will have to find something that soothes her.

Moving on from the bottle

Transitioning your child from a bottle is a big step in his developmental milestones, and frankly, is quite an achievement. Not only does it foster independence, but it is also a step forward health-wise. Prolonged use of the bottle can lead to dental caries in children, especially if your child is used to a bottle at night. Research also indicates that it could give rise to a delay in speech and language development.

Tips to transition the child

• Pick the right beaker: If your child is just crossing infancy, pick a beaker or sippy cup that has handles on either side. This will help him grip the beaker
• See what goes in the beaker: Ideally, don’t introduce fruit juice, whether fresh or otherwise, to avoid excess sugar. Fill the beaker or sippy cup with milk or water and offer it to your child.
• Go slow: If your child is really dependent on his bottle, don’t go cold turkey on him. Drop one feed at a time and let him acclimatise to the change. This will be less difficult for the child and he will adapt to the beaker more easily.
• Make inroads into solids: Remember that your child won’t go hungry because you won’t offer a bottle! In fact, he is more likely to explore solids as a result. So together with the new beaker or sippy cup, bring on the veggies and fruits!

See the change!

Once your child is accustomed to the change, you can move to a beaker with no handles. Post a year or so, consider transitioning to a cup for all beverages.