A baby’s arrival into the world is the most
precious day for any parent. We prepare ourselves for the little one’s arrival,
but soon after the birth we are helpless and confused as what to be done for
the baby.
Join
with me as we slowly unravel the mysteries of the newborn care....
Your
first major step in your baby’s Nutrition will be the decision on the “First
Feed for the Newborn”
Here
are some useful tips that will help you decide about newborn’s first nutrition.
Breastmilk / Colostrum
- Ideally the first feed for the newborn should be the Colostrum
- Colostrum is the first milk secreted from the mammary glands and it is rich in antibodies and nutrition. It is slightly yellow in color and its secretion gradually decreases after the first week of delivery.
Benefits of colostrum for babies
- It is the perfect first food for the Baby as it is easily digestible.
- It acts as a natural laxative and causes the easy passage of the first stools or meconium.
- Colostrum is the powerhouse of nutrition, though the quantity is less it is very thick in consistency and rich of nutrients.
- Colostrum also protects the new born’s stomach against infections and sensitize the gut to any food that the mother eats.
- It acts as a Natural Vaccine protecting the newborn against infectious viruses and bacteria for the first few months.
How to feed the newborn baby?
The
first hour after birth is the time when the suckling instinct of the baby will
be high and the baby must be introduced
to breastfeeding during this crucial hour.
Hold
the baby close to you so that he can feel the mother’s touch and smell the colostrum
which helps him to latch to the breast easily.
Nursing
the baby in the first hour also helps to stimulate the neural centres to
secrete more milk. There will be a surge of hormones that helps the uterus to
contract and also decreases the bleeding.
The
new born’ stomach can hold only 5 to 7 ml of milk. Colostrum being thick and
less in quantity is the perfect choice for the first feed of the baby.
In
the first few days lactation experts advice that the baby should be fed atleast
8 to 12 times a day i.e every 4 hours
Can I feed the baby after C-section
Yes,
even after C-section the baby can be breastfed in the first hour. Though the
effect of anaesthesia takes some time to wane, the baby will not be affected by
it. Early feeding helps prevent the engorgement of breasts and helps the to
strengthen the mom baby bond.
Breastfeeding is not advisable in the following conditions.
- In the following cases where breastfeeding is not advisable, the baby can be fed with formula milk.
- If the mother has the following conditions
- Has Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
- Is on Radiotherapy or chemotherapy for any type of Cancer
- Has active untreated Tuberculosis.
- If the baby has galactosemia.
- If in cases of inverted nipple or any other nipple disorders, steps must be taken to correct them and until then the baby can be fed with expressed breast milk.
Author Bio
I am Dr.Hemapriya, a.k.a the “Doctor Mommy”. I am a
medical doctor by profession, no longer into active medical practice as my two
little moppets keep me pretty much busy. But, this has not stopped me from
putting my medical knowledge to good use.
