Feeding Your Bundle of Joy
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If you choose to breastfeed your baby, it is important to start as soon as possible. Sometimes this will depend upon the hospital’s newborn procedures. Some hospitals will test a newborn and then return them to you after a few hours. Women who deliver by caesarian may have to be in post-op care for several hours until they can feed their baby.
Your milk will not come “in” immediately after birth. Sometimes it takes 3-5 days for it to come in. Your baby will receive the nutritionally dense colostrum until your milk comes in. Colostrum contains many antibodies, which will help your baby’s immune system. You may want to limit your baby’s nursing to seven or eight minutes on each side or you may have sore or cracked nipples.
Until your milk comes in, it is very important to stimulate your breast during nursing. Fifteen to twenty minutes on each side will allow your baby to empty your breast and will help to stimulate your glands to produce more milk. Some babies nurse more efficiently than others, but if you have a baby who takes longer to nurse then let him nurse until he is done.
For the first five days after birth, maintain a flexible routine of every 2 ½ to 3 hours. Understand that newborns sleep a lot and you may need to wake him to get him to eat. It may be necessary to undress him to his diaper or use a cool, wet washcloth to wake him up. Making him eat until he is full, rather than just snacking, will help him sleep better and give him more nutrition. If your baby will not wake up, it will be very difficult to feed him until he is full.
If you choose to bottle-feed your baby, he will still receive the nutrition he needs. Also, dads and other caregivers are also able to help you feed and they will create bonds with the baby. Make sure that you are using the nipple with the correct sized hole. If the hole is too big, your baby can choke, spit, and throw up. If the hole is too small, then your baby will get frustrated and may stay hungry because he will get tired of sucking.
Just like breastfed babies, 1 ½ to 3 ounces of formula will be enough for the first few weeks of life. If you make a 4-ounce bottle, your baby should stop when he is full. As the baby grows, you will increase the amount of formula and he will let you know if he has not had enough by continuing to suck on the empty bottle.
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