Mixed feeding: rules, how to organize

Mixed feeding of a newborn is a very common occurrence these days. In maternity hospitals there are not always specialists who can show the baby how to properly attach to the breast or explain to the mother how to act so that there is more milk. And in some places there are still no conditions for mother and baby to stay together. The child is taken to the nursery and bottle-fed there. But mothers need to know that if the child is mixed-fed, in most cases it is possible to completely switch to breast milk if feeding is organized correctly!

From the article you will learn:

Mixed feeding of a newborn: how to feed correctly?

The main thing is to remember: before you grab the formula, you need to try to establish breastfeeding! Lack of milk is most often associated with improper attachment to the breast or infrequent feedings. This is where a lactation consultant can help.

If your baby eats more than 100 ml of artificial formula per day, then it is not recommended to suddenly remove this volume. There are also situations when a healthy baby has lost too much (more than 10% of weight) at birth or is severely underweight over a long period of time, then he simply may not have the strength to effectively breastfeed, and he needs additional nutrition at this stage. Very rarely, but there are cases when the mother’s body really cannot produce the required amount of milk due to hormonal problems or hypoplasia of glandular tissue. But this, according to various estimates, is only 3–7% of all births.

If temporary supplementation is unavoidable, it can be introduced in a manner that does not waste breast milk. And even vice versa – stimulate lactation!

However, the method that most doctors recommend - “give 30 (60... 90...) ml of formula after each feeding” is not suitable here! In this case, the adviser believes that it is necessary to feed according to a schedule, which means that he is not entirely aware of the physiological laws of milk production.

If an infant is breastfed on demand in response to seeking behavior, newborns may have 12–20 feedings per day. What kind of “after every feeding” is there?! The baby suckles much more often than once every 3 hours. In addition, the amount of food eaten differs greatly from the norms of “regime” feeding. Therefore, the recommendation - to weigh the baby before and after feeding, and then give how much he “didn’t eat up to the norm” - is also incorrect.

To maintain and increase lactation, breastfeeding must be given frequently. Every time the baby starts looking for her with his mouth: licking, sticking out his tongue, moving his head, stretching his lips. But for powder substitutes, you really need to maintain a 3-hour interval, because this is a very heavy product. They are based on other proteins. The artificial mixture takes a long time to digest in the stomach, unlike milk, which after 15–20 minutes “slips” into the intestines, where further digestion occurs.

Moreover, at the beginning of feeding, when the baby wakes up, you should feed both breasts, then supplementary feeding, and then put the baby to the breast again until he falls asleep.

If you are supplementing with your own expressed or donor milk, you don’t have to look at the clock at all. This will not be mixed feeding by definition, but breastfeeding. (Link about how to store breast milk at the end of the text).

At night, try to do without supplementary feeding - let the baby stimulate the breast as much as possible. Typically, in the first weeks and months, children eat less often at night than during the day. Lack of night feedings quickly leads to a decrease in lactation.

The required amount of additional nutrition is first calculated per day, and only then it is divided into several doses. To make an accurate calculation, you need to know the dynamics of the child’s weight from birth and (preferably) the daily urine weight.

Supplementary feeding based on the “after each feeding” principle, which is recommended without calculations, “offhand”, may be excessive. This is a very high risk of painful milk stagnation and decreased lactation, since excess formula will not allow the baby to eat all the milk that the breast produces.

A lactation consultant will help you evaluate all indicators and understand what amount of additional nutrition at a given time will be optimal for the baby. In addition, he will explain how to gradually reduce supplementary feeding or eliminate it altogether.

Correct supplementation regimen

There is no clear regimen for introducing supplementary feeding - everything is individual. The amount of diluted formula will depend on many nuances - the child’s weight and appetite, the presence/absence of diseases of the digestive system, the nutritional value of mother’s milk.

In general, when it comes to mixed feeding, a universal rule applies - breastfeeding is done on demand, and formula is given according to the established schedule (but no more than 5 times a day and only during the day). However, there may be “deviations” here too - it all depends on what type of mixed feeding the mother chose. How does she supplement the baby's feeding? Does she replace a full meal with formula or feed only after breastfeeding? Consult with your pediatrician on what schedule to introduce supplementary feeding.

The amount of supplementary feeding introduced will depend on the infant’s daily food needs. First, we calculate exactly how much milk your baby needs per day - it depends on his weight and age. And then we divide this number by the number of feedings per day.

This way we get the approximate volume of milk that the child needs “in one go” to be full. We proceed as follows - as much as the baby lacks mother’s milk, we offer as much formula to him after applying to the breast. Or we dilute the mixture for full feeding.

There are quite a few formulas for calculating a baby’s total food needs. We offer one of the variations:

• Age 1-10 days. If the child weighs less than 3.2 kg, multiply the age in days by 70. If the baby weighs more than 3.2 kg, multiply the age by 80.
• Age from 10 days to 2 months. Food requirement is 20% of the baby’s weight.
• Age 2-4 months. Food requirement is 1/6 of the baby’s weight.
• Age 4-6 months. Food requirement is 1/7 of the baby’s weight.
• Age 6-12 months. Food requirement is 1/8-1/9 of the baby’s weight.

To properly organize mixed feeding, you will have to weigh the baby periodically. And also know how much breast milk he consumes at one time - pumping will help with this.

Risks of bottle feeding

Overfeeding your baby with formula is especially easy if you bottle-feed your baby extra. They also advise tilting it back well so that the entire nipple is filled with liquid... In this case, the supplementary feeding will be filled with a “screw”. The child will not be able to make sucking movements at all! He will only periodically press the bottle nipple with his tongue in order to have time to swallow what has already entered his mouth.

Breast and bottle sucking are two different techniques and 2 different muscle stereotypes. The mother's nipple and areola are soft; when applied correctly, they should fill the baby's mouth and stretch in the mouth. The child places his tongue on the lower gum and makes wave-like movements with it. At the same time, he needs to maintain a vacuum so that the breast does not “move around” in the mouth.

Modern nipples are usually hard. The child takes its protruding part into his mouth and places his tongue inside. He won’t be able to make a “wave” with it, he will move his tongue up and down like a piston!

In addition, with a good “grab” of the breast, the baby opens his mouth wide, moving his lower jaw down. Almost all facial muscles are involved in such work, which, by the way, ensures normal development of the skull, in particular, the formation of a wide U-shaped palate. He will suck the bottle nipple with just his lips and the muscles around the lips, sucking in his cheeks. In this case, over time, the baby develops a narrow V-shaped palate, which increases the risk of malocclusion and rapid destruction of molars in adulthood, when they become “crowded” on the gums.

In general, bottle sucking is a completely different “exercise”! By the way, the same can be said about a pacifier: the same piston-like movements of the tongue, the same narrow “grip”. Having mastered this technique, the baby can injure the mother’s nipple, or even refuse the breast altogether. Of course, not everyone will refuse, but there are children for whom it is enough to get acquainted with silicone devices once... And then they need a lot of painstaking work to return to breastfeeding.

Are you ready to take risks?

Why do people switch to a mixed diet?

Mixed feeding is said to occur when supplementary feeding makes up no more than half of the daily ration. A higher percentage indicates a transition to artificial feeding.

Mixed feeding for a newborn can be a successful alternative to breastfeeding for a number of reasons:

• Small amount of breast milk.

There is a chance to correct the deficiency:

• drink lactogenic teas, dietary supplements and vitamins;
• more actively offer both breasts to stimulate lactogenic processes;
• express;
• choose foods that normalize lactation;
• minimize stress;
• give up the pacifier.

• Prolonged absence of mother (work, study), lack of food.

A possible method of correction is the use of portable cooler bags to store bags of expressed milk. The bags allow you to transfer it to a stationary refrigerator and store up to 8 days, or freeze and store up to 12 months. Automatic and manual breast pumps reduce the time of expressing by several times, you can make preparations without interrupting your work activity.

• Repeated travel and inconvenience during natural feeding.
• Taking medications contraindicated for breastfeeding.
• Hospitalization.
• Experiencing an organic decline in lactation. Such crises are typical for the first, third and sixth months of a newborn.

There are individual motives for switching to mixed feeding of a newborn:

• Rhesus is a conflict between mother and baby.
• Long-term recovery after childbirth: as a result of cesarean section, other surgical intervention during childbirth, large blood loss, problems with blood pressure.
• Premature birth, finding a son or daughter in the hospital.
• The birth of twins or triplets.

Supplementary feeding of a baby without a bottle

But there is also good “news”! Supplementary feeding does not have to be given from a bottle!

Here are some ways:

Ways to supplement without a bottle

1. Teaspoon. It needs to be filled 1/3 full and carefully pour the contents behind the cheek (just not on the root of the tongue, otherwise the baby may choke!).

2. Finger + syringe. To suck, the baby is given a finger with the pad facing the palate, and the tip of a syringe without a needle is inserted into the corner of the mouth. At the same time, the baby makes a wave with his tongue, as when sucking the breast, and draws in supplementary food from the syringe. If it does not retract on its own, carefully move the piston during sucking movements.

3. Finger + feeding tube. The technique is the same as with a finger and a syringe, but instead of the syringe nozzle we use a thin tube with two holes. The second end of the probe with a plastic cannula is lowered into the bottle with supplementary feeding. The probe can be replaced with a butterfly catheter by removing the needle.

4. Special spoon-bottles - containers into which liquid is poured. Instead of a nipple, they end with a spoon, into which liquid can be squeezed out in portions. Methods 1-4 assume that the child lies at a slight incline, approximately 45 degrees, otherwise he may choke!

5. A cup or cup (there are special cups with a “visor” that fits comfortably on the baby’s lower lip). You can use a bottle cap to cover the nipple. The glass needs to be tilted so that the liquid touches the baby’s lips, but not poured into the mouth, but wait until the baby begins to suck in the supplementary food. For this technique, the baby must be positioned vertically.

6. You can also supplement your baby's breastfeeding using a special SNS device (you can make it yourself).

7. Again at the breast, using a probe (butterfly catheter) and a container with milk (cup, bottle).

Pros and cons of mixed feeding

Mixed nutrition for a newborn has the following advantages:

• More flexible schedule. With artificial supplementary feeding, you can safely go away for long periods during the day.
• A looser diet. If you plan natural lactation at night, late evening and morning and have expressed reserves, you can make one-time adjustments to the diet.
• Peace of mind for mother and baby when natural feeding is difficult.
• Modern mixtures are aimed at preventing colic. Their acidophilic, hypoallergenic variations may reduce the incidence of discomfort. Colic affects 70% of babies under three months of age on any diet.
• Quick nutrition correction. The child showed an allergy to the formula - just change it. While breastfeeding, it is more difficult to identify an allergic product in the diet.
• Convenience of feeding. The mixture takes longer to digest, and the frequency of feedings is reduced.

The disadvantages of mixed feeding reasonably include:

• The risk of early allergic reactions and intestinal problems if the first mixture is poorly chosen.
• Disturbances in the balance of microflora. Normally, a child’s intestines contain enough bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, prebiotics (mainly oligosaccharides), and the amount of putrefactive flora is reduced. Breast milk changes composition if required. The composition of artificial analogues is stable, so additional introduction of probiotics may be necessary to maintain the balance of microflora.
• Lack of contact between mother and child. Psychologists believe that the stress of birth is successfully experienced by the baby by the end of the second month after birth. Until that moment, constant physical contact with the mother “on the chest” is necessary.
• The need to constantly maintain sterility of utensils.
• The high cost of artificial analogues.

Formula for newborns with mixed feeding

Most mothers associate the word “supplementary feeding” with artificial milk formula. However, this is not the best option. The World Health Organization believes that formula is the last thing you should resort to.

It is best for a child to be supplemented with his mother's milk! I foresee your bewilderment... After all, supplementary feeding is prescribed when there is not enough milk!

Most parents think: if the baby does not have enough milk, then the breast is not able to produce it in the required volume. This happens extremely rarely (as I already wrote, in 3–7% of nursing mothers).

Much more often the reason is poor attachment and limited access to the breast (due to pain, for example). It also happens that the baby cannot produce the required amount of milk in his first days, and sometimes even weeks, due to the fact that he had a difficult birth or received too much anesthesia. Or, perhaps, he has anatomical features that prevent him from effectively extracting milk: a short frenulum of the tongue, torticollis, spasms of the structures involved in sucking...

Milk production is directly related to how it is collected. If they don’t take it very well, not quickly, not completely, then the breast produces at a reduced demand. In this case, pumping can not only provide the baby with optimal nutrition, but also stimulate an increase in lactation!

It is known that “white gold” changes depending on the age of the child and even the time of day. Thus, the baby will receive what nature intended for him. The milk of a mother who has had a premature birth is generally indispensable for the rush!

If, however, the mother’s body does not produce enough milk, you can replace it with donor milk. It is also intended by nature for the human child. Whey proteins predominate in it, rather than heavy casein proteins, as in animal milk. It contains the necessary proportions of essential nutrients, and as many vitamins and minerals as needed. No less, because some have not yet learned to synthesize. And no more, because artificial microelements are poorly absorbed, and you need to “pour in” twice as much in order for it to be absorbed according to the daily requirement. In addition, milk contains hormones, enzymes, and immunoglobulins. The most modern mixture contains only a few dozen components, and in milk there are only about 1000 known to science! Many protective components of milk are also preserved during pasteurization and freezing, for example, immunoglobulin A. Pasteurization kills almost all known viruses (Read about donor milk and watch a video about its pasteurization at home).

In terms of value for infant nutrition, formula is only in third place after mother's and donor milk. Moreover, artificial substitutes for “white gold” come in different classes and qualities.

I would like to draw special attention: the mixture is prescribed by the pediatrician depending on the child’s condition!

For a baby who is allergic to cow's milk protein, only medicinal mixtures are suitable: highly hydrolytic and amino acid. Reducing allergenicity in them is achieved through special protein processing - high hydrolysis. They are better absorbed than standard mixtures, but are very expensive.

To prevent allergies, doctors recommend partially hydrolyzed hypoallergenic mixtures, where the protein is not completely broken down. However, I will make a reservation that the use of this mixture does not protect against allergic reactions, as the manufacturers are trying to imagine.

Highly hydrolyzed and partially hydrolyzed formulas are more suitable for supplementary feeding if you want to return to exclusive breastfeeding later or preserve milk for as long as possible. Standard adapted formulas may have a sweet taste, which increases the risk of your baby refusing to breastfeed.

To correct various pathological conditions, the doctor can prescribe an adapted therapeutic and prophylactic or an adapted therapeutic mixture. Moreover, the “formula” for prevention, as a rule, is very different from the “formula” for treating the disease itself. For example, a preventative anti-reflux mixture (for regurgitation) is made with starch, while a therapeutic one will contain carob gum.

Therefore, I once again emphasize the need to consult a doctor when choosing artificial milk substitutes! Under no circumstances should you independently prescribe soy, lactose-free or other medicinal formulas to your child. They do not contain vital components, and you need to be sure that the risk to the child’s health when using them will not be higher than when using other foods!

How to combine breastfeeding with artificial feeding?

If you suspect a lack of milk, you need to understand the situation and make every effort to maintain breastfeeding:

• Carry out control weighing at least 4-5 times a day (the child must be weighed before and after feeding, in the same clothes) to clarify the amount of milk sucked and the degree of its deficiency.
• Keep a daily feeding diary.
• Switch to a free feeding regime, with mandatory night feedings.
• During feeding, place the baby on both breasts. Express the remaining milk.
• Use breast pumps that will stimulate the mammary glands and help increase lactation.
• Consult a doctor who, if necessary, will prescribe medications and herbal medicine to increase lactation.

When, despite all the measures taken, lactation is insufficient and supplementary feeding is necessary, then feeding becomes mixed.

When and how to add the mixture?

Mixed feeding means feeding with breast milk if its amount is at least 1/5 of the daily nutrition.

The introduction of supplementary feeding is stressful for the child, so the transition to mixed feeding should be justified and carried out gradually, replenishing the missing amount of breast milk with an adapted formula.

Currently, there is a wide selection of modern infant formulas that take into account the characteristics of metabolism, digestion, as well as the child’s age-related needs for macro- and microelements, vitamins and energy.

The composition of the “initial” formulas is maximally adapted to breast milk. Modern technologies make it possible to create products containing almost all nutrients in quantities close to their levels in breast milk. By improving the quality of the protein component, its concentration was reduced to 1.2–1.4 g/100 g. The lipid component is formed from mixtures of vegetable oils. The content of vitamins and minerals in the mixtures corresponds to the physiological needs of children in the first six months of life. Also, the composition of the “initial” mixtures may include taurine, L-carnitine, oligosaccharides, probiotics, polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are found in breast milk.

Subsequent mixtures contain more protein (1.5–2.1 g/100 g). The energy value of these mixtures is higher due to the higher content of carbohydrates and protein. The products contain vitamins and minerals (iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, etc.) in accordance with the age-related needs of children in the second half of life.

Adapted fermented milk mixtures can be used in the nutrition of healthy children of the first year. These products are prescribed for those at risk of developing nutritional-dependent conditions, dysbiotic disorders, decreased appetite, and frequent respiratory diseases.

Along with traditional artificial milk formulas for feeding newborns, there are medicinal formulas for children with intolerance to cow's milk protein, lactase deficiency, impaired absorption of fats, a tendency to regurgitate, and for premature babies. Remember that only a doctor can prescribe medicinal and fermented milk mixtures after examining the baby and making an appropriate diagnosis.

Choosing an artificial formula is a responsible decision; the baby’s health depends on it, because the baby’s nutrition at an early age shapes the metabolism, which affects his health for the rest of his life.

Be sure to consult with a specialist before choosing a formula for your baby. Independent selection of artificial formula can lead to negative consequences for the child’s health.

How to prepare milk formula?

The first thing you need to do when buying baby food is check the expiration date. Before preparing formula for feeding your baby, read the instructions carefully.

Pay attention to:

• period and storage conditions of an open jar with the mixture;
• proportions of water and dry powder;
• amount of powder for children of different ages.

Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before preparing the mixture. To prepare the mixture, water must be boiled. This also applies to special bottled baby water. The temperature of the formula should be 36–37 °C, the same as breast milk. To obtain this temperature, you need to pour boiled water, cooled to 50–60 ° C, into a bottle. Using a measuring spoon, measure out the required amount of milk mixture, making sure to remove any excess. Pour the powder into water and stir quickly until completely dissolved. Close the bottle tightly and shake thoroughly. Before feeding, pay attention to the temperature of the mixture.

Prepare the formula for one feeding only. The thing is. that milk formula is a nutritious product, and therefore it is a favorable environment for the proliferation of microorganisms. In this regard, the remaining mixture after feeding must be poured out.

After feeding, wash baby dishes thoroughly and sterilize them. For convenience and saving time, purchase a sterilizer - a very convenient and necessary thing for mom. In just a few minutes, it will effectively destroy germs in baby dishes and pacifiers.

Infant milk formulas are divided into:

• “Initial” – from birth to 6 months of life (marked with the number 1).
• “Subsequent” – from 6 to 12 months (marked with the number 2).
• In addition, formulas “from 0 to 12 months” are used in the nutrition of children in the first year of life.

How to administer the mixture?

You need to start feeding your baby with breast milk. Feeding mode on demand. The baby must be fed from both mammary glands and only after that offer the formula, which is introduced into the child’s diet gradually, over 5–7 days. On the first day, the baby is offered formula in a small volume - no more than 1/3 of the recommended amount of feeding for age. Over the course of a week, if the child is feeling well and there are no allergic reactions or dyspeptic disorders (regurgitation, vomiting, diarrhea), the volume of the mixture is gradually increased. You can give only baby formula at one feeding. This scheme is convenient for mothers who need to leave for several hours every day.

Basic rules of mixed feeding

• Continue to place your baby on both breasts at each feeding.
• Feeding regimen at the request of the child.
• Regularly carry out control weighings to determine the amount of supplementary feeding with artificial formula.
• Use adapted formulas to feed your baby.
• Buy artificial mixtures only in large shopping centers and specialty stores or pharmacies. Always pay attention to the integrity of the packaging, expiration date and storage conditions of the product.
• Always strictly follow the instructions for use of the mixture on the packaging.
• Always wash and sterilize children's dishes thoroughly.
• After feeding, hold the baby in an upright position for 5-10 minutes to release any air that the baby may swallow during feeding.

What is the feeding volume for mixed feeding?

When calculating daily nutrition for your baby, you can rely on the following calculations:

• from 10 days to 2 months, the daily amount of food is 1/5 of the child’s body weight;
• from 2 to 4 months – 1/6 body weight;
• from 4 to 6 months – 1/7 body weight;
• from 6 to 12 months, the daily volume of food is 1000 ml, including complementary foods.

Approximate number of feedings per day:

• first week of life – 7–10;
• 1 week – 2 months –7–8 feedings;
• 2–4 months – 6–7 feedings;
• 4–9 months – 5–6 feedings;
• 9–12 months – 4–5.

Determine the volume of one feeding.

To do this, you need to divide the daily amount of food by the total number of feedings.

Example: a child 1 month old weighs 4200 g, eats 7 times a day. Per day he should receive: 4200: 5 = 850 ml of food (breast milk + formula if necessary). The volume of one feeding with seven meals a day will be: 850: 7 = 120–125 ml.

Your pediatrician will help you calculate the optimal amount of baby formula. He will take into account the individual characteristics of the child, his state of health and the maturity of the digestive system.

How to feed?

While feeding, take the baby in your arms, keeping in mind that the position should be comfortable for both the baby and yourself. You can position your baby correctly as follows:

• The position of the newborn's head is slightly higher than the body. It is best to bend your arm at the elbow and place the baby's head on the bend.
• During bottle feeding, the baby's position should be approximately the same as during breastfeeding.
• The bottle should be held slightly at an angle, but the nipple must be filled with the mixture.
• Under no circumstances should you leave your baby alone while bottle feeding.
• You should not leave a bottle in your baby's mouth while he is sleeping.

Continue to place your baby on both breasts at each feeding.

Feeding regimen at the request of the child.

Regularly carry out control weighings to determine the amount of supplementary feeding with artificial formula.

Use adapted formulas to feed your baby.

• Buy artificial mixtures only in large shopping centers and specialty stores or pharmacies. Always pay attention to the integrity of the packaging, expiration date and storage conditions of the product.
• Always strictly follow the instructions for use of the mixture on the packaging.

• Always wash and sterilize children's dishes thoroughly.
• After feeding the baby, hold the baby in an upright position for 5-10 minutes to release any air that the baby may swallow during feeding.

When might there not be enough milk?

Criteria for sufficiency of lactation:

• The baby calmly, rhythmically sucks the breast, swallowing, and one feeding takes about 20 minutes.
• After feeding, the baby releases the breast on his own and maintains his usual interval between feedings.
• The child is gaining weight well. The increase in the first month should be at least 600 g, then in the first half of the year 750–800 g monthly.
• With a sufficient amount of milk, the baby’s stool is mushy and homogeneous, in the first month - after each feeding. By 4–5 months, the frequency of stools decreases to 3–4 times a day.
• Frequency of urination more than 6 times a day (can reach 25 times a day). Urine is colorless and odorless.
• You can think about a lack of milk:
• If your baby has become restless and can no longer withstand the intervals between feedings.
• During feeding, the child makes mainly sucking movements, rarely swallowing.
• You are unable to express your breasts after feeding.
• The child is not gaining enough weight after ruling out other conditions that could cause it.
• Urinating less than 6 times a day, urine with a strong odor.
• Rare and dense stools.

Common mistakes made when mixed feeding:

• unjustified transfer of the baby to mixed feeding;
• frequent change of formulas used to feed the baby. It is necessary to assess the child's individual tolerance to the formula. But you can’t “jump” from one mixture to another every 1-2 days. Adaptation to a new type of diet occurs within 3–5 days;
• decreasing or increasing the required volume of formula for supplementary feeding of the baby;
• using whole cow's or goat's milk and kefir to supplement the baby's nutrition. Cow's milk and the milk of other animals can cause a deficiency of iron and other vitamins and minerals and contribute to the development of obesity;
• supplementary feeding in the form of formula milk is given before breastfeeding. It is necessary to first feed the baby from both mammary glands, and only then make up for the missing amount of nutrition with formula;
• placing the baby on only one breast during one feeding. It is necessary to attach the baby to both mammary glands at each feeding;
• Incorrect position of the baby when feeding from a bottle. It is necessary to hold the baby in the same way as when breastfeeding to maintain physical and psycho-emotional contact. The position of the bottle when feeding is also very important: it determines how quickly the baby is full, whether he will choke or swallow air.

Newborn stool during mixed feeding

A mixed-fed newborn must go to the toilet several times a day. If the proportion of formula in the diet is very small, the baby can poop up to 10 times a day, just like when breastfed! Sometimes the mixture “fixes” and this happens much less often - 1-3 times a day.

During the first 2-3 days of life, babies get rid of the original dark feces - meconium. This is also why they lose weight after birth: the baby did not poop in the uterus, meconium accumulated in the intestines, and now it is finally leaving it!

Healthy stool from the third day has a sour milk smell, liquid, pasty or granular consistency. Color – yellow, orange, perhaps even greenish.

Convenient position for supplementary feeding using a finger and a feeding tube.

After 4–6 weeks, babies begin to walk less frequently. A baby who is exclusively breastfed can have stool retention for up to 7-10 days without any consequences. During this time, no putrefactive processes in the intestines occur with milk. The same applies to supplementary feeding with mother's or pasteurized donor milk. But if your baby receives formula as a supplement, he must poop every day!

There is no need to rush to “treat poop” if you notice a little mucus on the diaper or a greenish tint, and nothing bothers the baby. Find a pediatrician who is not prone to over-diagnosis and treatment, and live in peace.

However, if your baby has a hard tummy, is fussy, and poops hard goat nuts less often than usual, he may be constipated. And it is likely that the reason is the wrong mixture.

The condition of a nursing mother's intestines can also affect the functioning of the baby's tummy.

Mixed feeding: what is it?

Mixed feeding is the organization of a newborn’s diet, which combines breast and artificial feeding. The mother feeds the baby both breast and formula. With the correct introduction of supplementary feeding, the baby gains weight well and receives all the necessary minerals and vitamins for normal development.

The reasons for introducing mixed feeding may vary. But basically, this is a lack of mother's milk. How can you tell if a child is malnourished? On the Internet you can find a lot of recommendations on this matter - for example, assessing the color of your baby’s urine. But in this matter it is better to trust your pediatrician! Only a doctor, taking into account the child’s weight gain and his behavior, will be able to draw the right conclusions. And if necessary, he will recommend that the mother introduce supplementary feeding into the newborn’s diet. The fact is that the reasons for poor weight gain in babies are different, it’s not just a lack of breast milk.

Among the other most common reasons for introducing mixed feeding are periodic absences of the mother. If a woman cannot breastfeed her baby, this feeding is replaced with formula.

Sometimes a sufficient reason for introducing an artificial formula into the diet of a newborn is the baby's frequent regurgitation, constipation and colic. But in most cases, all this is “treated” with probiotics for the child and a diet for the mother. In this case, breastfeeding is still quite possible to fight for.

There is an opinion that the introduction of supplementary feeding has a negative impact on the development of the child’s immunity and the functioning of his digestive system. This is actually a myth. Yes, there is nothing healthier than breast milk for a newborn. But a good, correctly selected mixture will definitely not make him any worse.

On the contrary, mixed feeding allows the mother to maintain lactation at the proper level and does not give cause for concern that the baby is not receiving vital nutrients.

How to determine the need for feeding

Many women experience discomfort during natural lactation and immediately switch to a mixed diet.

The child is capricious and turns away

Causes of concern may be:

• The baby does not grasp the areola and sucking does not work. How to work: experiment with types of breastfeeding.
• The areola is too hard and oversaturated with liquid. How to work: first express the milk, soften the areola.
• The ducts in the chest are narrow , fluid flows with difficulty. How to work: massage, warm breast shower, “overhanging” position for lactation - the baby lies on the bed, and the mother offers the breast from above so that the milk flows down on its own.
• Tasteless or fatty milk. Forward milk, which is stored, is thinner and more diluted, while hind milk, which is produced during meals, is fattier. If its fat content is too high or it is tasteless, it is difficult to drink. How to work: reconsider your diet.
• Unrecognizable smell compared to perfume or perfumed deodorant. How to work: refuse perfumes and deodorants for the first time after the birth of the baby.
• Pregnancy or menstruation period. Both of these conditions cause changes in the composition of milk. It may become unusual or tasteless. How to work: wait for the end of menstruation or the end of pregnancy; switch immediately to mixed feeding.
• Diet by the hour. It's time to eat, but the baby still doesn't feel hungry. How to work: review the nutrition schedule, adapt it to individual characteristics.

It hurts to feed the baby and he throws the breast

Pain occurs when the baby “chews” the nipples with his gums, they crack, wounds appear, and it becomes impossible to use a breast pump. Injuries can prevent the creation of a vacuum during sucking, in which case the baby will refuse to eat.

How to work:

• Try treatment with lanolin ointments without interrupting daily lactation.
• Consult your nurse and choose a different breastfeeding method.
• Take a break from breastfeeding if correction methods are ineffective. This means switching to a mixed diet. Otherwise, the food will be interspersed with maternal blood from wounds on the nipples. In addition, severe pain causes stress in women.

This is transmitted to the child, he begins to ask to eat more often in order to calm down. A pathological vicious circle is formed.

Indirect signs

Indirect indicators that supplementary feeding is necessary are weight loss, problems with stool, and allergies. All this has been discussed above.