Breastfeeding, bottle feeding or donor milk? It is all possible for the nutrition of your baby. This week we're looking at bottle feeding. That way you know if that suits you right away.
Breast milk is the preferred option for many women because it feels the most natural. However, breastfeeding is not always easy or even possible. Cracked nipples or sucking and swallowing problems for your baby are a number of reasons why breastfeeding cannot be successful. Let's take a closer look at nipple fissures.
Nipple fissures are cracks, splits, or rough spots on your nipple or around the areola. They cause a painful sensation during feeding, which can be a bummer for breastfeeding. Nipple fissures usually arise because your child has been applied incorrectly and cannot properly suck the entire nipple. This makes drinking more difficult. If you put your child on properly, you will not easily get cracked nipples. If you keep your nipples clean and dry, the chance of cracking nipples is also a lot less. If you already have cracked nipples, rub your nipples with an ice cube before feeding. Then it becomes less painful. Do not use soap or ointments on and around your nipples. [1] We recommend that you follow these tips. Then cracked nipples usually disappear within a few days. If you are (temporarily) unable or willing to breastfeed less or not at all, bottle feeding is a solution.
There are different types of formula on the market, but they are all approved by European law and all have the correct composition for a balanced diet. As a result, the differences within the brands are minimal. So don't worry, you'll get it right soon! At some point you will have to switch from breastfeeding to bottle feeding. When your maternity leave ends, for example.
If you have been breastfeeding, you should gradually switch to bottle feeding. This way you and your child can get used to the new way of feeding. This is useful if you are going to pump later at work. Your breasts have to switch themselves too. Your body is designed to feed your baby naturally. That is why your body will automatically start producing breast milk at certain times. You will have to pump to collect the milk, otherwise you may suffer from engorgement. Your breasts are full and must be empty. If you reduce breastfeeding, your body will produce less breast milk. This way your body feels when it is still necessary to produce breast milk. You and your body are the ideal team: no matter how much nutrition your baby needs, exactly how much he will receive. You do not necessarily have to drink that breast milk: you can also opt for bottle feeding. But in order to keep feeling comfortable in your own body, you will have to pump to avoid engorgement. You have walked around with the weight of your child for a long time. Now you still have the weight of the breast milk in your breasts, but luckily you can keep that under control. An advantage if you have started to feel a bit insecure about your body! We have plenty of breast pumps to choose from at NurtureGoods.
Legislation requires you to have enough time and a quiet space to express at work. In practice it is not that simple. Not every workshop has a space where you can easily pump. And even though you should be given time off to pump, it is sometimes easier said than done. Who keeps twenty children quiet when teacher withdraws? And what if your next customer or client is almost on the doorstep? This can lead to time pressure and you cannot pump calmly. You need to be able to express your milk in a relaxed manner to do it effectively. When you feel stress, your body will produce less milk. Consider pumping at home if pumping at work is causing too much anxiety. But pumping also has a nice side: one way to stimulate the milk supply during pumping is to think about your baby, look at a photo of your little one or smell the clothes. This way your body knows for whom it should produce breast milk. [2] You could say that love for your baby creates breast milk. This way you can bottle-feed your baby without completely losing the intimacy of breastfeeding. It may feel like failure to stop breastfeeding. But if you are still expressing, don't forget that your child would not be able to grow without your love and commitment!
Bottle feeding has a number of advantages over breastfeeding. If you want to know how much food your baby has drunk, you can read that from the bottle. And although your body produces breast milk on time, you can also stick to a schedule with bottle feeding. You can prepare several bottles at the same time and keep them for up to eight hours. They do have to stay in the fridge, but this way you can make your own schedule just a little smoother with bottle feeding. You deserve that with all the work you do to raise your child, supermom!
It is of course also great fun for dad and other family and friends to feed your child. In this way, they can also develop a closer bond with your little miracle. It is one of the first ways in which your child can make social contacts. And if it is also about your social life: bottle feeding can give something back! If you pump and stock up on milk, you can carefully go out the door more often and longer if someone can take over the bottle feeding. And the nice wine can be carefully used again. If you stock up and drink a glass of wine immediately after pumping, the alcohol will disappear from your body for the next feed, when you have to pump again.
How much and when to bottle-feed your baby depends on your baby's age and weight. For every kilo your little one weighs, you should give them 150 ml a day. At Oudersvannu you will find a more detailed schedule for bottle-feeding. This will give you an idea of the approximate amount your baby needs. This shows that bottle-feeding can be a great supplement to breastfeeding and certainly does not have to be as complicated or harmful as it may seem! If you want to know more about donor milk, click here Here.
Sources:
[1] https://mens-en-gezondheid.infonu.nl/aandoeningen/77675-tepelkloven-behandelen-voorkomen-en-verzorgen-zalf-creme.html#mogelijke-complicaties-van-tepelkloven [2] https://www.voedingscentrum.nl/nl/zwanger-en-kind/borstvoeding-en-flesvoeding/borstvoeding-geven/kolven.aspx [1] https://borstkanker.nl/nl/risicofactoren-bij-borstkanker