Do you really know anything about mixed feeding?

Mixed feeding for babies is to supplement the feeding of babies with other milk or milk substitutes when breast milk is determined to be insufficient to feed the baby and maintain the normal growth and development of the baby.

According to the distinction of a baby's age, it can be divided into newborn and infant, and child. For the mixed feeding age stage, baby mixed feeding can be divided into newborn mixed feeding and infant mixed feeding, the age is within 28 days and 1 year respectively.

Does mixed feeding mean feeding formula after breastfeeding?

Many new mothers mistakenly believe that mixed feeding means breast milk followed by formula each time. You should only feed one type of milk at a time, breast milk if you want to eat breast milk and formula if you want to eat formula.

Do not eat breast milk first, not enough, and then switch to formula. This is not good for the baby's digestion and can easily cause the baby to have an illusion of the nipple, which may cause the baby to become anorexic to formula and refuse to use the bottle to drink milk.

New mothers should make full use of the limited breast milk and try to breastfeed their babies as much as possible. The more breast milk is sucked, the more breast milk is produced. If a mother thinks that breast milk is not enough and reduces the number of times she feeds her baby, it will make the breast milk secretion less and less.

The number of breastfeeding sessions should be evenly separated, and don't go a long time without breastfeeding.

What about mixed-feeding babies who prefer bottles?

Many mixed-feeding babies prefer the bottle because it is easier to get milk from the bottle than from the mother's breast. To change this you need to "sweeten" the deal by using a breast pump or hand pressure to get the milk flowing before feeding so that your baby can get the milk in the first few sips.

You can also try using a nursing aid, which can help your baby wean off the bottle. Put the formula in the bottle of the nursing aid and hang the bottle around the mother's neck at the same height as the baby's head.

During feeding, put the tube of the breastfeeding aid into the baby's mouth or glue the tube to the nipple and let the baby hold the nipple and the tube at the same time. The better your baby holds the tube, the easier it will be to use the breastfeeding aid. This way, your baby can get milk with less effort, and at the same time stimulate the mother's breasts, which helps increase lactation.

What should I do if my milk is getting less and less with mixed feeding?

Mixed feeding is not as good as breastfeeding, but it is still better than artificial feeding. Don't worry too much about your milk getting less and less, as long as you increase the frequency of breastfeeding, drink some milk soup and keep a happy mood, I believe your mother will have more and more milk.

Always keep in mind the truth that "the more you eat, the more you get". Another point to note is that you should not feed both breast milk and formula at the same time.

The most likely scenario for mixed feeding is to give up breastfeeding. New mothers must insist on breastfeeding their babies. Some new mothers give milk late, but as their bodies recover after giving birth, the amount of breast milk may increase.

If you give up, you are giving up the hope that your baby will be breastfed. I hope the mother will do her best to nurse her lovely baby with her milk.

How to avoid "nipple confusion" when mixed feeding?

Even with mixed feeding, we can avoid nipple confusion due to the use of bottles. Since nipple confusion is due to the use of a bottle, we do not need to bottle-feed our babies. How to feed formula without a bottle

Here is a good method for mothers. Let the baby suck on the mother's milk first, then use a small piece of soft rubber tubing for infusion, a very thin one, put one end in the brewed bottle and insert it gently along the baby's mouth, so the baby can suck on the mother's nipple while drinking formula.

This stimulates the mother's lactation reflex without making the baby hungry, and without worrying about nipple confusion.

What are the categories of mixed feeding?

Mixed feeding each time to supplement the number of other types of milk, should be determined according to the extent of the lack of breast milk, there are two methods of feeding, namely the complementary method of teaching and the teaching method.

1, complementary method of mixed feeding

After feeding breast milk and then supplementing other dairy products. Is the first breast milk, followed by a certain amount of supplemental feeding of milk or organic milk powder.

This method of supplementation is suitable for babies before 6 months of age, feeding formula can be used to simulate nipples, this nipple sucking up and sucking breast milk feeling closer, the baby is easy to accept.

The feature is that the baby sucks the breast first so that the mother's breast is stimulated on time and the secretion of the milk is kept normal. The use of complementary teaching method of breastfeeding, baby sucking breast milk every day to reach more than 6 times, to promote prolactin secretion.

2、Mixed feeding by substitution method

It is breast milk and formula alternate feeding, that is, a feeding breast milk, a formula, rotating interval feeding.

This method of substitution is suitable for 6 months after the baby, this feeding method is easy to make breast milk reduced, gradually with milk, rice, and rotten noodles behalf of teaching, and can train the baby's chewing habits, ready for later weaning.

Generally speaking, after 5 days or so after giving birth, the mother's milk volume increases, and when the mother's breasts are full, let the baby suck on the breast milk as a priority, and after the baby sucks once if it can be maintained for some time and can sleep and be quiet for a while, even if it is only half an hour, there is no need to feed the baby with the milk powder and continue to feed the breast milk when the baby is hungry.

When the mother is hungry again and her breasts are not too full, she can feed her baby with one meal of complete formula, so that the mother can rest well, which is good for milk production, and the baby can have a full meal without having to suck very hard on the mother's half-empty breasts every time.

The substitution method consists of one meal entirely of formula, with a larger amount of feedings at a time.

How to wean from mixed feeding?

1. Gradually reduce the number of feedings: For mixed-feeding babies, just slowly reduce the number of feedings and add complementary foods as appropriate. As long as you give your baby a weaning process, he will be able to wean easily.

2. Increase other complementary foods: When mixed feeding, the baby has a process of adaptation to complementary foods, if you decide to wean, then you should resolutely stop breastfeeding and increase the portion of complementary foods appropriately.

The mother chooses the baby suitable to eat and he loves to eat complementary food, the baby is naturally no longer dependent on breast milk.

3. Keep reducing the number of breastfeeding: Choose some formula that is easy for your baby to accept, gradually reduce the number of breastfeeding and slowly transition to formula until your baby is completely weaned.

4. Play the role of fatherly love: During the weaning period, the role of the father is especially important. At night during the weaning period, you should consciously reduce the time between mom and baby, and this is the time to play the role of fatherly love, especially for babies who have the habit of eating milk before bedtime, you can let dad put your baby to sleep.

5、Decisive weaning: This is a very important part of mixed weaning. This requires the mother to be ruthless and not to be soft because the baby is crying.

6. Weaning the milk at night and before bedtime: Many babies have the habit of eating milk at night and before bedtime, and it is usually very difficult to wean the milk at night.

Therefore, when weaning, you should first gradually reduce the number of nighttime feedings. Before going to bed, you can put your baby to sleep with your father and insist on weaning slowly for a week.