Feeding your baby!

As new moms, we all have own reasons for how we choose to feed our baby. There are some moms who may choose to breastfeed whereas there are others who may opt to formula feed. Some moms may even decide a combination of the two is best.

Not every cry is a cry of hunger. There may be times where it may seem that your baby is crying to be fed every 2 hours. However, your baby may not be crying due to hunger; he may be crying because his diapers are soiled or he’s too cold. A good suggestion will be to determine if your baby is crying for some other reason before offering him a bottle or breast.

 The amount a baby drinks may change based on your baby’s needs. Don’t worry about feeding schedule or fixed amounts of feed. Based on experts’ recommendations, it is best to feed your baby on demand. As a mom, you will learn and recognize your baby’s cues for hunger and fullness and respond accordingly. In baby’s first few days of birth, he may give you ‘hunger signals’ as often as every hour or so. Do not allow you baby to go without a feed two to three hours during the day or four hours at night, even if you need to wake him.

 Your baby will not be able to tell you if he is getting sufficient milk; however, there are some that can tell you if he is satisfied. One of the best ways to determine if your baby is getting enough food is if he’s growing. Every time your baby visits the pediatrician’s office, he will be weighed as well as his length measured. This is a main reason why your baby needs regular checkups during his first two years of life.

 You can also determine if your baby is getting enough to eat by his diapers. If his diet is sufficient, your baby will wet his diapers six to eight times per day by the end of the first week of life and have at least two bowel movements per day. Stools may vary in color in the first four to five days, it may be yellowish or greenish in color.

 Lastly, if your baby acts and looks satisfied after he eats, he probably is!