Is It Normal To Breastfeed A 5 Year Old
For the rest of the world its very common that toddlers 4 to 5 years old still are nursed by moms for bonding and health reasons. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding babies up to two years, precisely because of the breast-cancer-prevention benefits.
When do you stop breast feeding after birth?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months after birth and breast-feeding in combination with solids foods until at least age 1. Breast-feeding is recommended as long as you and your baby wish to continue.
On Day 2 Expect Your Baby To Be Hungry And To Breastfeed Frequently
Today, your baby is likely much more alert and hungry, and will want to nurse every two to three hours . Your baby should be content between nursing sessions.
On day two, you will likely be discharged from the hospital. Your nurse will weigh your baby to determine how well she is feeding. Keep in mind that if she was born at term, shell lose weight in the three to four days after birth. According to Dr. Enrique Gomez-Pomar, M.D., a neonatologist at Rush Foundation Hospital in Meridian, Miss. and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Kentucky, your baby can lose up to 5 percent of the birth weight on day one, up to 7.5 percent on day two and up to 10 percent on day three. If your baby is losing more than that, said Dr. Gomez-Pomar, it could be a sign that your breastfeeding technique isnt working and should be further evaluated.
If your baby isnt latching or nursing adequately, you may need to self-express or pump your breasts for colostrum and feed it to her with a syringe, tube, cup or slow flow bottle. Your nurse or lactation consultant can teach you how. This will be necessary until your baby can breastfeed on both breasts for 10 to 15 minutes per session.
If your nipples are painful, cracked, bruised or blistered, correct your babys latch and positioning to prevent additional damage. To speed healing, apply nipple cream or gel pads to your nipples after nursing.
Benefits Of Extended Breastfeeding
The new recommendation to extend breastfeeding from one year to two years came about because we have more and more data supporting that there are benefits to both mom and baby breastfeeding for more than one year, says Dr. Szugye.
Benefits of breastfeeding for mom include a decreased risk of developing:
There are a lot of immunologic factors and components to breast milk, explains Dr. Szugye. Throughout the breastfeeding journey, moms are continually passing antibodies to the baby. So, if mom is exposed to a respiratory illness or GI illness, those antibodies are passed on to the baby and then that makes them less likely to get sick. And if they do get sick, its less severe. Its almost like a built-in immunity system.
Don’t Miss: What Diapers To Buy For Newborn
Is Breastfeeding At 8 Months Enough
When your baby is three months old, breast milk or infant formula should be his or her primary source of nutrition. Breastfeeding is recommended for six months, with gradual introduction of appropriate foods in the second six months and ongoing breastfeeding for two years or more after that.
If a child is exclusively breastfed for eight months or more, he or she may be malnourished. At four months and six months, gradually introduce new foods to your babys diet. It is acceptable for your child to continue breastfeeding or take breast milk in a bottle throughout the day in order to reap the benefits. You can breastfeed your child at any time during the day, including before bed, after naps, after snacks and meals, and at night. At snack time and at mealtime, feed your baby solid foods first and then breastfeed. Breastfeeding should be continued between the ages of 8 and 12 months, allowing you and your baby to grow together. When a child reaches the age of eight months, he or she can easily follow a feeding schedule.
Some children require more time to adapt to eating snacks with three meals per day. You can breastfeed your baby every day if he or she takes solids without causing any issues one day. Maintain the status quo of offering both solids and breast.
Does Breastfeeding After A Childs Rotavirus Vaccine Impact The Vaccines Efficacy
There is not sufficient evidence to suggest that breastfeeding can have a negative effect on rotavirus vaccine efficacy. A previous study found that human milk from women who live in areas with endemic rotavirus contains antibodies that can neutralize live rotavirus vaccine virus. However, in licensing trials, the effectiveness of rotavirus vaccine in breastfed infants was comparable to that in non-breastfed infants.
CDC does not recommend restricting or discontinuing breastfeeding before or after a child receives the rotavirus vaccine. Breastfed infants should be vaccinated according to the same schedule as non-breastfed infants.
Don’t Miss: How To Get Birth Certificate For Newborn Texas
How Long Should Newborn Night Feeds Take
Newborns typically eat 8 to 12 times a day, so they will probably be hungry at night. Night feeds usually take about 20 minutes, but may be longer or shorter depending on babys needs.
How many baby night feeds can I have in a week? How much should my six month old baby be fed? Please read the information to see if you should weaning your child. Todays chart, according to the charts creator, Miriam Chickering, a sleep and lactation consultant and labor and delivery nurse. In order for toddlers to grow, they do not need to eat at night. How can a new baby sleep well? Youll need to speak with a sleep consultant, who will develop a personalized sleep coaching plan for you.
How Do I Count The Time Between Feedings
Count the length of time between feedings from the time your baby begins to nurse to when your little one starts nursing again. In other words, when your doctor asks how often your baby is feeding, you can say “about every 2 hours” if your first feeding started at 6 a.m., the next feeding was around 8 a.m., then 10 a.m., and so on.
Especially at first, you might feel like you’re nursing around the clock, which is normal. Soon enough, your baby will go longer between feedings.
You May Like: How To Get Rid Of Bad Diaper Rash On Newborn
Does Hiccups Mean Baby Full
Because hiccups often develop after eating, it is suggested that they may be caused by pressure on the babys diaphragm from a full stomach or to swallowing large amounts of air, due to gulping down formula or breast milk too quickly. Then again, there are also times when babies hiccup for no obvious reason.
How Do I Know If My Baby Is Getting Enough Milk
Your baby is getting enough milk if they:
- Act satisfied after each feeding
- Gain weight consistently after the first 3 to 7 days after birth.
- Have about 6 to 8 wet diapers a day
- Have about 2 to 5 or more stools a day at first. This number may decrease to about 2 stools or less a day
Sometimes babies fall asleep while nursing. You can squeeze your breast to make more milk flow. This may awaken your baby. If you are not sure they got enough milk, offer your other breast to see if your baby latches on again.
Recommended Reading: How To Calm A Crying Newborn
How Long Should A Feeding Last
Your baby should nurse long enough to get a good flow of milk and to be full. In the beginning of the feeding, the milk is more watery. This satisfies the babys thirst. As nursing continues, the amount of fat increases. The high fat milk at the end of the feeding is called hind milk. Allow your baby to nurse for as long as he wants on the first breast so the baby empties the breast and receives the hind milk.
When your baby has had enough he will let go of the breast and seem satisfied. Try burping or changing your babys diaper and then offer the second breast. If your baby is still hungry, he will continue to feed on the second breast.
Make sure to alternate the side you start with because the babys suck is always stronger at the beginning of the feeding.
The Following Things Are Normal:
- Frequent and/or long feedings.
- Varying nursing pattern from day to day.
- Cluster nursing for several hoursusually eveningseach day. This may coincide with the normal fussy time that most babies have in the early months.
- Growth spurts, where baby nurses more often than usual for several days and may act very fussy. Common growth spurt times in the early weeks are the first few days at home, 7 10 days, 2 3 weeks and 4 6 weeks.
Recommended Reading: How To Get My Newborn To Sleep Without Being Held
What Should I Avoid While Breastfeeding
Certain foods can bother your baby. They may make him or her fussy or gassy. Pay attention to what you eat and how your baby acts after feedings. Stop eating foods that affect them. These may include spicy foods, broccoli, or milk.
Some babies react to cows milk in your diet. Symptoms can include gas, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, or colic. Your baby also can have an allergic reaction to something you eat. Common foods are eggs and peanuts. They may get a rash or have trouble breathing. Contact your doctor right away if your baby has any of these signs.
Limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol. These can get into your milk. Dont have more than a couple cups of coffee, tea, soda, or other caffeine each day. Dont have more than one alcoholic drink each day. Avoid drinking caffeine and alcohol less than 2 hours before a feeding.
Some medicines can get into your milk. This includes over-the-counter drugs and prescriptions, such as antidepressants and birth control medicines. Dont take anything without talking to your doctor first. Smoking also is bad for breastfeeding. The chemicals and smoke can get in your milk. Smoking can cause you to make less milk. If you smoke, try to quit.
If possible, avoid using bottles or pacifiers after birth. This can confuse your baby and make breastfeeding harder.
Is It Normal For My Newborn To Eat Every Hour
Mums often say that their baby wants to be held constantly and feed all the time and that baby cries when put down in their cot. This is a very normal and common behaviour for babies who are otherwise content during other parts of the day, feeding and gaining weight well and are generally healthy.
Dont Miss: When Do I Bathe My Newborn
Read Also: When To Move From Newborn To Size 1 Diapers
How Long Should Breastfed Babies Go Between Feeds
Breastfeeding should be on the forefront of your babys mind every three to four hours at first in the first few weeks of life. Expectant babies will have fewer opportunities to nurse as they age, and they may have a more predictable schedule as they get older. Some animals require feeding every 90 minutes, whereas others require feedings every two to three hours.
Breastfeeding can last between 5 and 45 minutes at a time, depending on the number of sessions. The amount of time a baby spends feeding will be determined by a variety of factors, including the duration and age of breastfeeding sessions. Breast milk is required for the babys growth during a 20- to 30-minute feeding period. Toddlers should consume a wide range of food and beverages. When your baby is properly latched on and actively sucking, you should be able to allow him or her to nurse for as long as he or she wants. Breast milk is required for babies to survive and grow during and after their growth spurt. You may need to make changes in your daily routine to meet the needs of your new baby.
burping can help to remove excess air from babys stomach. A burp at the end of the feeding may also help breastfed babies, according to some. When your baby swallows too much air, he or she may spit up, become gassy, or appear irritated.
Why Should I Breastfeed
There are also benefits for the mother who breastfeeds. There is less ovarian and breast cancer and osteoporosis in breastfeeding mothers compared to formula-feeding mothers. Breastfeeding helps with postpartum weight loss, delays fertility, increases a mothers self-confidence and promotes bonding.
With breast milk, there is no wasted formula and no cost. Breastfeeding is convenient because the milk is always ready and at the right temperature.
Breast milk is different from formula because it changes to meet the nutritional needs of your child as he grows. Breast milk contains all the vitamins and minerals your baby needs and is easy to digest. For all of these reasons, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants be fed only breast milk for the first six months of life.
Babies do not need water, juice or formula. At six months you may offer your baby solid foods, but you should continue to breastfeed until your baby is at least a year old. Babies whoswitch to table food and whole cows milk when they are a year old will never need infant formula.
Also Check: Must Need For Newborn Baby
Counseling During Antenatal Care
Most mothers make decisions about infant feeding early in pregnancy. Early in prenatal care, the obstetrician can educate mothers about the health impact of infant feeding and address potential obstacles to breastfeeding. However, many obstetricians underestimate the importance of their advice. In a study of obstetricians and patients at a multispecialty group practice in Massachusetts,66 just 8% of physicians felt their advice on whether and how long to breastfeed was important, but more than one-third of mothers reported that their providers advice on these topics was very important. Patient perception of clinicians opinions is directly correlated with breastfeeding duration. In a study of breastfeeding prevalence at 6 weeks postpartum, DiGirolamo and colleagues67 found that 70% of women who thought their physician favored breastfeeding were still breastfeeding compared with 54% of those who thought their physician had no preference.
When counseling patients about breastfeeding, studies suggest asking open-ended questions such as: What have you heard about breastfeeding? followed by acknowledging the mothers concerns and targeting education to her specific needs. For the mother who elects to bottle feed, this approach allows for an open discussion of risks and benefits and ensures informed consent for the feeding decision. Such an approach is more effective than asking a closed-ended question such as: Are you going to breast- or bottle-feed?68
Solid Food Feedings And Amounts By Age
Once your baby is 6 months old, theyll have reached some of the developmental milestones that mean they can start eating solid food. These include sitting up independently, bringing food to their mouth, controlling their head and neck, and successfully swallowing food by pushing it to their throat.
As you already know, you cant feed your baby a full three-course meal right off the bat you need to start slow with foods that are easy for them to eat and digest.
For instance, you can try starting them off with mashed or pureed single-ingredient foods such as mashed apples or carrots.
This is also the time when allergies might come to light, so be mindful of what youre feeding your baby in case they have any kind of reaction, and consult your doctor if you notice anything wrong.
Here is a table of how much solid food you should give your baby at each age bear in mind that these amounts should be supplemented with breast milk or formula, and that the amount of food you give them will depend on this ratio.
| Age |
| A couple of tablespoons of yogurt, smoothie, or applesauce |
Of course, the menu is up to you, and you may even find that your baby can eat slightly altered versions of dishes that you might eat yourself!
Recommended Reading: When Give Newborn First Bath
Recommended Reading: How Many Newborn Diapers Will I Need
Do I Have Enough Milk For My Baby
This is probably the greatest concern for all new breastfeeding mothers. After the first few days of life, many infants seem to breastfeed more often and may be a little fussy. Many parents think that their baby is not getting enough milk. This is a normal stage of breastfeeding.
The infants demand increases the mothers milk supply. When mothers worry about their milk supply, they sometimes offer bottles of formula. These bottles cause problems in two ways. They fill your baby up, so he wont breastfeed as often. When you breastfeed less often, you will not make as much milk.
Bottle-feeding also causes problems with sucking at the breast. The bottle nipple is shaped much differently from your nipple and milk flows faster from the bottle. Babies may become confused when bottles or pacifiers are offered in the early weeks when they are just learning how to breastfeed. Even though you cannot see the amount of breast milk that goes into your baby, there are other ways to know if they are getting enough.
Your baby is getting enough if he:
Once your milk comes in, your breasts will feel softer after a feeding. This tells you that you baby is getting enough milk. Offering your baby a supplemental feeding after nursing to see if they are still hungry is not a reliable way to tell if they had enough. Many babies will still take a bottle even if they have had enough from the breast.