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Feeding the baby

A newborn should be fed within an hour of being born. Starting from mother’s first milk to learning to feed them every 2 hours, the mothers go through a learning phase to connect to the child. The skin-to-skin touch, latching of the baby, breastfeeding and making the baby burp are all joyous experience that comes as learning. The baby too learns to bond with the mother and take the feed. It gets easier by the hour.

Pooping and peeing

Like a baby needs to be fed every 2 hours, they are prone to peeing and pooping multiple times too. One can expect a newborn to wet 6-8 diapers a day. This includes a few sessions of soft bowel movements because the baby is still growing and building a strong digestive system. The routine builds up as the regular feeding continues.

Baby sleeps

Newborns sleep for 18-20 hours a day. They wake up to take breastfeed and this is the time when they cry and express their hunger. The babies generally wake up every 3 hours to get fed. For a healthy growth, it is important for the baby to sleep 18-20 hours a day and take regular feeds at intervals. During the wake hours parents can expect the baby to smile, wink, turn their head, look around or cry.

Monitoring and screening

The doctors at the hospital do a physical examination of the baby at the instance they are born. And it is done on a daily basis for the time the baby stays at the hospital with the mother. The discharge usually happens within 3 days for a normal delivery and 6 days for a c-section. Post the 6th day, the parents need to take assistance from nurse or make sure that themselves that the baby eats and sleeps in a healthy pattern.

Baby bath and hygiene

Newborns are sensitive. For the first 14 days touching them with bare hands can be sensitive too. It is important to cover them in clean soft clothes and take care of their hygiene. Newborns are generally wipes to clean their body and given oil massage only after a week of birth. Keeping them warm and comfortable is important!

A strong routine and love is essential to take the best care of your baby in their initial birth days! Doctor’s guidance goes a long way!

When should you start massaging your newborn?

Well, you can begin massaging the baby as soon as you’re home from the hospital! Some mothers prefer to wait until the baby’s umbilical cord stump has dried and fallen off, whilst others start off immediately. Whatever you choose, the key to successful massage time is being gentle and communicative with your baby.

A word of caution; if your baby is prematurely born or if for some other your doctor advises you to wait for a few days/ weeks until you can massage him, do so. Otherwise, any time is perfect to set your little one’s massage and bath routine.

How should you massage your newborn?

Do keep in mind that the idea of massaging your baby is primarily to bond with him. Use this time to softly croon to him, or talk to him, as you make him comfortable. With gentle hands, apply oil on your baby’s body in gentle, firm strokes. Massaging his scalp also helps relax him further.

Of course, before you begin, ensure that you maintain basic hygiene. Wash your hands thoroughly before handling your baby, and take care that the towels and mat on which you place the baby are also clean each time. The room should be comfortable and warm, and the lights dim. Don’t forget to cuddle your little one close as you wrap up this delightful activity for the day!

Why is a newborn massage beneficial?

Your little baby stands to benefit greatly from a regular massage. Let’s take a quick look at some of the potential benefits:

• A sense of belonging: Your baby knows the sound of your voice, and being in this close proximity with you encourages him to bond with you more closely. Your touch is also familiar to your baby by now, and he enjoys being cuddled by you.
• Improves physical condition: Massaging your baby improves his blood circulation, which in turn increases his blood flow and therefore overall growth. It also helps to keep him warm.
• Betters the nervous system: Your baby’s nerves get stimulated and he is more likely to be calm and cry less. As he grows, he is also likely to be able to respond better to stress and pain. Your baby will grow to be more comfortable in his new environment.
• Improves sleeping patterns: A rhythmic, soothing massage can help your baby’s tired little body relax and get good sleep.

Get started!

Make your baby’s first few weeks in this world enjoyable and soothing with a massage that enhances mother and baby time!

0-6 months – Exclusive breastfeeding

Soon after delivery, your body will start producing breast milk for your baby. The first feed happens as soon as possible after birth, and for the first few days, your baby will receive ‘colostrum’, a highly nutritious superfood that is exactly what your baby needs. It is a concentrated form of milk that also contains many antibodies and immunoglobulins that help build your baby’s immune system.

Alternative

Breast milk has no alternative since it is the gold standard for infant nutrition. If you are unable to breastfeed, it is good to talk to a medical professional about this..

6 months onwards – combination of breastfeeding and complementary food

The WHO recommends that for the first six months of the baby’s life, breastfeeding should be the sole source of nutrition. . You can start with soft foods, or pureed greens and fruit or even boiled vegetable puree. You can try to puree chickpeas, lentils, avocados, or leafy greens.

Start introducing solids, breastfeeding can continue till mother and child are comfortable

Breastfeeding should continue until they are one year of age at the very least. There is research to show that two LCPs – AA and DHA in particular, which naturally occur in breast milk – are important for the development of the baby’s brain, eyes, and nervous system. At 7-12 months, you can start serving a variety of options from all food groups. In the process, they will be exposed to a wide range of tastes and textures early on, and you will notice that they pick and choose.

Ensure that they get a sufficient amount of iron, as their iron requirements are steadily increasing by the time they reach this age. While weaning, ensure they get enough iron-rich foods like lean red meat, chicken, eggs, pulses, lentils, and leafy greens.

What does breast milk comprise of?

Well, a lot of factors determine something that appears to be very simple! Your breast milk is a unique combination that is determined by your diet, genetics and hormones. In addition, the environmental factors around you also contribute to its composition. Let’s say the weather changes, and it gets hotter. In such an instance, the composition of breast milk will also change, i.e. it will also contain more water. There is ongoing research to understand how breast milk is so tuned in to your baby’s demands!

The milk is rich in antibodies, fat and nutrients that are tailor made to support your baby’s growth. Research shows that a significant portion of breast milk comprises of water.

More about breast milk

Breast milk comprises of ‘foremilk’, which is the milk that the baby gets as soon as he latches on. Lighter and more watery, this satisfies the baby’s immediate hunger pangs and calms him down. It helps protect your baby from dehydration owing to its high water content. Foremilk is also bursting with proteins, vitamins and carbohydrates.

‘Hindmilk’ is the thicker component of breast milk that flows in once the baby has been nursing for a while. This portion of the milk contains more energy and fat, both which help fill your baby’s tummy and keep him pleasantly full and satisfied until his next feed.

Research has revealed that breast milk also changes as per your baby’s requirements. For instance, the fat component increases in the milk as your baby grows, to satisfy his nutritional requirements. Over time, it provides complete nutrition for the baby.

What makes breast milk so amazing?

While we’ve established that the composition of breast milk changes to suit your baby’s needs, it’s also known that breast milk can help your baby fight off infection. For instance, if you have a cough or cold, the antibodies from your system are transferred to your baby via breast milk, thereby boosting his immunity. Extended breastfeeding helps reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as other ailments including obesity, asthma and allergies. Miraculous indeed!

The bottom line

There is no doubt that breast milk is unique and is the perfect food for your little one. While it may be difficult at the initial stages to establish a breastfeeding routine, doctors advise that you stay as stress-free as possible in order to get a good supply of breast milk. Once the baby learns to latch on well, your breastfeeding journey becomes both enjoyable and satisfying.

Ways to lose weight:

Your baby is still dependent for nutrition on your breastmilk. Hence, make sure to eat healthy to intake all the essential nutrients.

Never miss your breakfast. Make sure you eat a healthy and heavy breakfast early in the morning. Milk and yogurt are your best friends because of the calcium content in them. They help you keep your bones strong and recover from birth.

Also include fibrous foods like fruits, beans, lentils, and grains in your diet. In addition to this, have enough proteins like sprouts, egg and lean meat.

Avoid packed foods and harmful fats. For example, replace bread with whole grain chapati, rice with oats and fried foods with baked ones. It is best to avoid all kinds of packed foods and food items with high-level sugar. In case you have a sweet tooth, try having jaggery instead of sugar. Stock your kitchen with healthy snacks.

Exercise is a great inclusion in your weight loss plan post pregnancy. You maypractice aerobics and strength training exercises after pregnancy to keep your muscles and bones strong. If you’re uncomfortable doing the above-mentioned exercises, then brisk walking and staying active are some other ways to naturally lose weight and at the same not straining your body too much.

Know what your baby needs, talk to your doctor about the kind of diet that is required for both of you and take steps accordingly to plan your weight loss regime.

The positioning of the baby

Your baby should latch on to your breast properly so that you can nurse him properly. Take proper care of this because, otherwise, it might lead to nipple soreness. If you experience pain during feeding, the reason might be that your baby is not latching on properly. To avoid this, keep changing positions and find a comfortable position for you and your baby. How do you know your baby is latched on to your breast properly?

His whole body should be faced towards you during feeding. If properly latched, their lower lip will be curled back and above your baby’s top lip will be the dark skin around your nipples. If you have problems with holding your baby or making him latch on to your breast, you should have an open discussion with the lactation consultant at the hospital immediately after your delivery.

This professional will train you on various aspects such as maintaining skin-skin contact with the baby while nursing, sitting or lying down in a comfortable position while feeding, placing the baby in a position where it is easy for him to swallow the milk as he nurses and more.

Is your baby getting enough?

As a new mother, this is a question that keeps coming in your mind always – Am I feeding enough milk to my baby? You want to know if he is feeling full. Though there is no hard and fast rule to know these, you can make out if your baby is well-fed or not, by observing his actions. If their cheeks look rounded and well while you feed, it is a good sign. Also, if you observe a movement around his ears, it indicates he is swallowing.

Breast milk is very easy to digest and your baby may require to be fed once every 1.5 hours. So do not worry if your baby needs milk frequently. It is recommended that you feed him for 20 minutes at a time, from one breast. And if he falls asleep while feeding, try to gently wake him up.

Increasing milk production in your breast

Apart from holding your baby properly and making him latch on to your breast properly, you can also increase the milk production in your breast. You can give cold compresses or warm compresses to your breasts often to improve the milk secretion This is especially fruitful for small babies or slow feeders.

An important tip that you have to remember is to offer both your breasts for nursing per feed. This will ensure that there is uniform milk production in both the breasts. As your baby grows, he will start teething. So when you nurse him, you may experience sore nipples. However, compressions and frequent feeds should help you get rid of this soreness easily.

In short, you should position your baby well so that he can latch on to your breasts well. This is the first step to ensure that you get comfortable with your breastfeeding procedure.