If you have decided to bottle feed your baby, you are starting weaning or you are going to practice mixed breastfeeding, you may be assaulted at first. How long should I wait between take and take? What happens if you don't take it whole? What is the best nipple to avoid colic? Below we detail what they are the main questions that arise when giving the bottle and we offer practical solutions to each of them.
How often should I give the bottle or how many shots should it take per day?
Forget the clock. There is still a long-standing habit of giving the bottle to children every 2 or 3 hours. In reality, pediatricians are increasingly striving to dismantle this myth. Artificial breastfeeding, like breastfeeding, is given on demand, that is, the amount the child asks for and when he asks for it.
Babies, like adults, they are not always hungry with the same frequency or at the same time. The best thing you can do is offer the bottle when you signal hunger and withdraw it as soon as it shows rejection. Observe their habits and their needs over time and do not worry if there are days when you show less appetite.
What happens if you don't take it whole?
Pediatricians usually recommend a certain amount of milk based on the baby's age. Another very frequent mistake in which we usually fall is to think that our children should take it all, but it is not so. The amount that the specialist recommends is calculated so that no child is left hungry, but the most swallowers may find it scarce and others, spare half or more. "On demand" means that they choose the amount and pace of the shots. We must be patient and wait for our baby to establish his own routines for himself. never forcing him To take more.
To be sure that you give your baby the right amount to his needs, Offer it when you are hungry. There are children who drink a few large bottles a day while others prefer to take twice as many smaller doses. Even your needs and schedules may vary a little each day. If you ask “before the time”, give it to them. Because, remember: "the hour" does not exist.
How should I prepare the bottle?
Consult with your pediatrician the most suitable formula for your baby and Prepare the bottle with fully accurate doses of water and milk powder according to the instructions on the artificial milk containers you use.
If you add too much powdered milk to the bottle, the artificial milk obtained will be too concentrated and will cause the child to cry or complain because each shot will make him thirsty. If, on the contrary, the bottle has plenty of water, the mixture obtained will be too watery and will not provide the baby with the amount of nutrients it needs.
And remember that It is important to sterilize all your things well before each shot.
How do I avoid gas colic?
The so-called "infant colic" is a problem that affects children between 3 weeks and 3 months, who have persistent crying for several hours a day that can last for weeks, without attending to any clinical cause. According to experts, this pathology affects up to 40% of newborns.
Children who cry very often for suffering from colic of the infant or who suffer from regurgitation can improve this problem with nipples with valves that prevent air intake during intake. They are called anti colic valves. The teats with anti colic valves have a design that allows the milk to flow with the proper flow at the age of the baby avoiding the intake of air during suction.
That's how it works Chicco's NaturalFeeling bottle line, the only range of bottles with inclined anti colic nipple. NaturalFeeling offers three types of teats that adapt to the baby's suction form at each stage of development: inclined, up to 4 months, rounded, up to 6 months, and elongated, starting at 6 months.
Its embossed rings, moreover, get a more natural feeling, imitating the stretch marks of the nipple. In this way, the baby can drink the milk at the desired speed without any difficulty and avoiding the intake of air.
What type of nipple is best suited for my baby?
Those that make the taking as comfortable as possible for the child. The teats most similar to the breast are suitable for nursing babies. The NaturalFeeling inclined nipple 0+ It is specific for newborns. It has a design with embossed rings at the base that mimic the shape of the maternal nipple and contribute to greater elasticity and flexibility of the nipple, and being made of soft silicone, it offers the baby a natural sensation.
How should I give the bottle?
The first few times, and until a habit is established, it is convenient that you retreat with the child to a quiet place, get comfortable and hold him in your arms. Take the time of the shot to strengthen the bond with your baby. Give him all the contact, love, security and tenderness he needs during his first months of life.
Sit in a chair, armchair or rocking chair and rest your feet on a stool. Or sit on the bed, resting your back on the headboard and extending your legs. Always check before feeding your baby, that the temperature of the milk is adequate by pouring the first drops on the back of your hand.
Gently hold your head with the opposite arm to the hand that you usually use most, and use the latter to hold the bottle. A very simple trick that usually works very well during the first shots, is to lightly brush your lips or your cheek with the nipple. The little boy will turn instinctively towards what has touched him, opening his mouth. Seize the moment and bring the nipple to your lips so that the child begins to eat. He will quickly get used to the smell of food and open his mouth for himself as soon as he detects that the bottle is near him.
Avoid feeding him in the crib or devising systems for the baby to suck alone. The bottle, like the breast, is given in arms and with the greatest skin-to-skin contact possible. Be patient and do not become obsessed with the duration of the shot. It is best that the baby imposes its rhythm and that it takes as long as it needs. Talk to him gently and caress him while he sucks. In addition to stimulating him and getting him to suck more successfully, so you will get him to feel at ease and will associate pleasant sensations with the moment of taking.
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Images | iSotck
