Breastfeeding on demand or on schedule

Breastfeeding is a very important link. During the period of breastfeeding, special attention should be paid to your own diet and the baby's diet. Therefore, whether breastfeeding should be based on demand or on a regular basis and quantity has become a question that many mothers discuss. Each family has different ways of feeding and breastfeeding their children and their own personal habits, so it is difficult to distinguish this situation.

Breastfeeding is an important process for mother and baby to gradually adapt to each other and help the baby establish the final living habits, final trust and interpersonal communication, not just for feeding the baby.

Studies have shown that breastfed babies are much less likely to develop emotional stagnation in the future than babies who are not breastfed, and have a stronger ability to adapt to the environment. Therefore, breastfeeding is very important and necessary to stop breastfeeding.

[Breastfeeding] Is it better to breastfeed on demand or on schedule?

Within two months after birth, the baby's sleeping hours are often irregular, so the feeding time is also irregular. When he wakes up, he will cry for breast milk, and then go back to sleep after eating, and this cycle repeats over and over again, without distinction between day and night.

Basically, babies after two months will eat once every three hours or so, and the amount and regularity of breast milk secretion will adapt to the baby's eating habits.

The psychology and mentality of new mothers are often unstable at this time. They are prone to fatigue and worry that their breast milk is not enough and their babies are hungry and not growing well, which is called "postpartum depression". At this time, family members should pay more attention to the psychological development and feelings of new mothers, let them adapt to breastfeeding life and help them build confidence in making decisions.

So is it better to breastfeed on schedule or on demand?

First of all, the principle of breastfeeding in the first two months is: to feed the baby when he wants to eat, that is, breastfeeding on demand. New pediatric experts recommend: breastfeeding on demand without time limit, and the rules of breastfeeding should be established naturally by both mother and baby. You must never force the baby to feed every few hours.

Babies under two months old are prone to discomfort related to drinking breast milk, such as hiccups, milk regurgitation, constipation or loose stools, crying, etc. These are all normal signs.

After feeding, new mothers can quietly let the baby lean on your shoulder and pat the baby's back. This can reduce hiccups and milk regurgitation. In daily diet, new mothers should also pay attention to the combination of meat and vegetables. If the baby has loose stools, the fat intake should be reduced. Please consult a pediatrician if necessary.

However, when the baby is 2 to 3 months old, breastfeeding will enter a transition period from irregular to regular. This is when new mothers should extend the feeding interval. Pay attention to reducing the number of nighttime feedings, which should not exceed twice a night. Each breastfeeding time is about 10 to 20 minutes, and make sure to feed both breasts. You cannot keep feeding the left side because you are used to feeding the left side, or keep feeding the right side because you are used to feeding the right side. This will cause the breasts on both sides to be of different sizes and asymmetric, affecting the beauty.