There can be individual differences in weight increase. If a baby is healthy, you shouldn't worry about his increase in weight. If you notice that his weight doesn't increase within 10 - 14 days, you should consult your pediatrician.
Attention: immediately after birth a baby loses approximately 5 - 10% of weight and up to 7th - 10th day, the first weight index restores.
Breast feeding
The most balanced food for children of early age is breast milk. It contains all nutrients that are necessary for a child's growth and development. They protect him from many diseases stimulating vital processes of a child's organism.
A healthy new-born is breast-fed immediately after birth. If this wasn't possible, breast-feeding must be repeated no later that in 2 or 3 hours. Later, a baby is fed every 3 - 3.5 hours. Continuance of feeding is 20 - 30 minutes.
A healthy new-born is breast-fed immediately after birth. If this wasn't possible, breast-feeding must be repeated no later that in 2 or 3 hours. Later, a baby is fed every 3 - 3.5 hours. Continuance of feeding is 20 - 30 minutes. Free regime of feeding is also possible. However it doesn't imply chaotic feeding. A mother should learn to understand her baby's cry and feed him or her by the baby's wish. Usually a baby establishes his individual regime (2 - 2.5 hours). Some children easily stand a break of 4 - 6 hours in feeding at night. However if you child wakes up at night and wants to eat, do not deny him this. You will see that after a while breaks between night feedings will become longer. You can orientate on an approximate calculation of day's quantity of milk, made with the help of a volume method.
With breast feeding there can be considerable variations in volume of milk. The main criterion is enough increase in weight:
From 7 days up to 2 moths the increase in weight should be 1/5 from body weight (600 - 900 ml)
From 2 up to 3 months the increase in weight should be 1/6 from body weight (800 - 1000 ml)
Within the first 4 - 5 months a baby is continued to be fed 6 times a day; starting with the 5th month he is gradually started to be fed 5 times a day. Daily amount of milk in this period is as follows:
From months 3 - 4th - it is 1/6th of body weight (800 - 1000 ml)
From months 4th - 6th - it is 1/7th of body weight (900 - 1000 ml)
From months 6 - 12 a baby is fed 5 times a day. Daily amount of milk in this period is as follows:
From months 6 - to 9th - it is 1/8th of body weight (1000 - 1100 ml)
From months 9 - 12th - it is 1/8th - 1/9th of body weight (1100 - 1200 ml)
Artificial feeding
Switch to artificial feeding, especially in the first months of life shouldn't be too fast. A baby should get used to new food. Therefore it is undesirable at once and in corpore to substitute breast milk by milk formula. During artificial feeding food is assimilated more difficultly, that is why your baby will start to eat more seldom, that is every 3 - 3.5 hours or even every 4 hours.
After month 4th, and with breast feeding even later fruit juice is added to a baby's ration. The first among juices is apple juice, then pear, plum, apricot and peach juices. Sour juices should be better mixed with boiled water. After 2 weeks of introducing juices, you can start giving fruit sauces.
Starting with months 4.5- 5th a baby gradually starts to eat 5 times a day. Taking into the account individual peculiarities of a baby the number of feedings can change. For example if a baby can't eat the suggested amount of food at once, it means that he or she should be fed oftener and with smaller helpings.
It doesn't matter of you breast-feed your baby or prefer artificial feeding, but starting with month 6th, it is necessary to introduce other kinds of food and dishes. This is called feeding up. As the first feeding up pap or vegetable sauce is used. Introduction of a vegetable sauce is begun with one type of vegetables, for example marrow or potatoes. And then you can pass to a mix of vegetables with gradual extension of constituents. You can use cauliflower, pumpkin, carrot, white cabbage, and later you can give you baby tomatoes and green peas. Introduction of the first feeding up takes approximately 3- 4 weeks, after that new dish is introduced. However cereals with various additions should be used only if a child has no allergy.
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