So That The Baby's Caloric Needs Can Be Met, This Is The Right Way To Give Breast Milk, Mother

JAKARTA - For new mothers, the experience of breastfeeding for the first time is a challenge, because mothers have to adjust to find a comfortable position for mother and baby, so that breast milk can flow smoothly into the baby's mouth.

Quoted from ANTARA, Wednesday, August 10, pediatrician dr. Dimple Gobind Nagrani, Sp.A said the correct and comfortable breastfeeding position for both parties is one way to ensure the baby's calories are fulfilled through breast milk. Make sure that the baby's body is facing the mother's body in a straight line.

Then, find a position where the baby's chin is against the mother's breast and the baby's chest or stomach is against the mother's stomach. When breastfeeding, the mother's hands should support the baby's neck and back, but this does not apply if the baby is breastfed in a sleeping position. Also, make sure your baby is feeding with his mouth wide open and from the areola of the breast, not the nipple.

There are times when mothers have to pump breast milk to empty the breasts. Dimple also provides tips, including using a warm compress before pumping. Mothers must also be in a comfortable position when they want to pump breast milk. Before the process begins, try to massage the breasts and pump both breasts.

Technical matters that must be considered is to make sure the pump cup size fits the breast. Regarding the right time to pump breast milk, there is a slight difference depending on whether the mother is used to giving expressed milk to the baby because she cannot be with the child all the time, or the mother who regularly breastfeeds directly.

If the mother gives expressed breast milk, try to pump the breast at least six to eight times a day. If the mother is breastfeeding directly and pumping breast milk, make sure that the pumping interval is about 30-60 minutes after the baby feeds or one hour before the baby feeds. Babies need exclusive breastfeeding until they are six months old. When they are 6 months to 9 months old, babies need 70 percent of breast milk and the rest is met through complementary foods.

At the age of 9-12 months, the percentage of their needs shifts to 50:50, while the nutritional intake needed by children over 12 months comes from 30 percent of breast milk and 70 percent of solid food. To monitor the growth of children at an early age, every month parents can measure weight, height and head circumference according to age. Parents can measure themselves or with the help of medical personnel every regular check up to a health facility.

If the child's physical growth is lacking, parents must evaluate together with experts to find out whether their food intake, nutritional quality, and milk intake are sufficient. The main priority for parents is to ensure that the baby is healthy with age-appropriate growth and development. Parents must be realistic in evaluating their child's growth and development, if after evaluation it turns out that breast milk is not sufficient for the child's daily needs, it is necessary to make other efforts to support it, such as formula milk or complementary feeding according to the results of consultation with a doctor.