The Healthy Diet »

It is very important to know for mothers. The baby sucks all he needs in about 5-7 minutes from each breast, but he enjoys sucking so can be allowed to suck a little longer. A feeding time of 15-20 minutes is usually enough, unless the baby is under weight and his sucking is poor.

ADEQUANCY OF FEEDING

If child looks satisfied and doesn't demand for more milk he falls asleep and sleeps quietly for several hours there after and if he is gaining weight satisfactorily. It indicates a satisfactory Breast Feeding. A Steady gain of 5-8 oz a week should be maintained during first 6 months. After which 4 oz. a week is normal for next months. About 2.5 oz human milk/lb. of body weight is satisfactory.

If child is restless and does sleep quickly after nursing or awakens frequently then it shows that child is not fed properly.

If child is fed properly then alternate feeds should be replaced by bottle to give the child an adequate nutrition and meet his requirements. This also helps in weaning the child.

POSITION OF MOTHER & CHILD

It is very important to see that both mother and child are comfortable and their position with respect to each other is alright. After few weeks sitting position is preferred, the baby lying on her mother's lap and her elbow supporting his head. Once the baby learns to sit, he sits in his mother's lap and have his feed. The only thing which is very important is that whether child lie down in mother's lap or he sits, he must have an easy access to breasts and mother is relaxed and not in hurry. The less inhibitions a mother has about the places and environment of feeding, the more successful is the breast feeding.

While feeding, babies swallow some air along with milk. So burping is necessary. The body is held against shoulders and he brings up wind in a few minutes. It is possible that he always brings up a little milk along with wind. In some children it is seen very often. Actually these children are habitual. For them mothers should not worry as these children take more milk than their requirements. Once these children start taking semisolids, fluids, this habit stops.

BOWEL PATTERN IN BREAST FED CHILDREN.

Breast fed children passes yellowish sticky semi-fluid stools. At times theyr slightly curdy or greenish. Quantity of stool passed at one time is very little 7t frequency of stool passing is 6-7 times/day usually after feeds. They pass a little bit of stool every time they pass wind, which can be mistaken for diarrhoea but it is a normal pattern and needs no treatment. On the other hand some children pass stool every second day which are of normal consistency and not hard. This condition also does not need any treatment.

WEANING THE BABY

Weaning period is very important in a child's life. It is a gradual process. It begins from the moment supplementary food is started till the child is taken completely off the breast. One must select supplements very carefully.

In India more than 70% of population is illiterate specially females. Because of this poor knowledge about nutrition requirement of the baby. Mothers cannot feed their children properly and after 3-4 months most mothers will not have enough milk for this to be the sole source of food. At times they start some semi solids but the quantity is so little which is almost neglible to meet the requirements of the child.

If soft foods are not introduced in time then child may become marasmic. If child is not gaining weight normally on breast feeding and he normally sucks his fingers he may have constipation also. Then that child is not getting adequate quantity of milk. In this condition mothers must start some animal milk or powder milk to meet the requirements of the baby.

The best substitute for mother's milk is found in properly modified cow's milk.