MotherBreastFeeding.com

Your baby smiles, develops properly and behaves well. This means that your kid is getting enough breastfeeding milk. In such cases mothering instinct prompts that everything is ok.

After being breastfed the baby willingly rejects the breast, has a long and sound sleep and wakes up only when it wants to eat. The baby produces about four to six wet diapers a day and has regular bowel movements.

One of the main signs that breastfeeding milk is enough is newborn weight gain. During the first months of life, the newborn gains up to 600 g, during the second and the third month the weight increases to 800 g, then month after month the newborn loses 50 g.

Watch your kid's skin - it is clean, pink and looks like velvet. In the end of the first year the infant holds its head well, reacts to sounds and gives a beautiful smile.

In the end of the second month the small mouth produces first sounds, the kid starts to observe the objects that move. In a month the baby wants to communicate - it moves the hands and the legs, it somehow calls you, it can lean and raises its head. At four months the baby looks around and starts to recognize familiar faces.

Here are some signs that make mommy worry that her baby is not getting enough breastfeeding milk:

Why do I loss weight while breastfeeding? Mothers keep asking this question. Some cannot but feel happy about the weight loss, others cannot but become alarmed. Still, weight loss while breastfeeding is considered normal. The thing is that during her pregnancy, a woman gains about 25-35 pounds. Breastfeeding involves extra calories needed for milk production (up to 500 Cal a day). Thus, extra pounds can be shed during the first months after giving birth.

There is no need to keep to a diet during lactation period, as this may cause milk loss. The most you can do is to concentrate on healthy eating. Nursing mothers shed about 500 grams a week.

A newborn sheds from 5 to 10% after the delivery. This is quite acceptable, as while breastfeeding it gains weight and grows up.

The main factor that causes abnormal weight loss with a newborn is not getting enough milk during breastfeeding. Most nursing mothers run into this problem.

What to do to prevent baby weight loss while breastfeeding?

1. Breastfeed upon the baby's request. Do not set some specific time for lactation. Your baby's searching motions inform you about the prompt time to breastfeed. Some women believe that to breastfeed 4-5 times a day will do. This is not actually so. This mode is ok for artificial rearing.
2. Make sure you and your baby have sound sleep. Doctors recommend to have a sleep with your baby at least once a day. There must be the identical mode for a mother and a child - thus, you will be able to easily breastfeed late at night.
3. Be sure to breastfeed at night. If you want your child to have a positive increase in weight, consider breastfeeding between 3 and 8 am. This is the best time for making prolactin (hormone, responsible for formation of pectoral milk). You'd better breastfeed at least 3 times a night.
4. Nipple stimulation. Women breasts should undergo some pressures which occur at baby apposition. If you have poor lactation, no treatment can increase production of necessary quantities of milk like breastfeeding can.
5. Mind correct baby opposition. If the opposition is wrong, the wrong stimulation takes place, less milk is produced and the baby is not getting enough food.