我需要多长时间喂宝宝一次?
大多数专家都认为在宝宝出生的最初几周你不必严格遵循喂养时间表,尽管你在一两个月内可能会摸索出一个大概的喂养模式。
起初你可以每两三个小时或者感觉宝宝饥饿的时候喂一次奶。直到宝宝体重达到10磅,她可能每次会喝道1-3盎司的奶。不要强迫宝宝喝太多的奶。宝宝的医生应该根据宝宝的成长给出建议合理的奶量。
我需要为奶瓶消毒吗?
在你开始使用新奶瓶、奶嘴和手柄之前,你应该将它们都放到沸水里至少煮上五分钟进行消毒。然后用干净的毛巾擦干。在之后的使用中,每次在热肥皂水里好好清洗一下,或者在洗碗机里循环冲洗一下就可以了。警告:如果你用的是井水,最好给奶瓶重复消毒。
你会发现一些奶瓶的附件,比如清洗奶嘴的刷子、手柄和奶瓶盖和特殊的奶瓶晾干架,尽可能多地准备一些宝宝的用品。
我可以将母乳和配方奶混合在一起吗?
将母乳和配方奶混合到一个容器里并没有什么错,但是通常不推荐这种做法,因为你的母乳很多而只是用配方奶来补充,你不想浪费到一滴珍贵的母乳。为了避免这种情况,那么好的计划就是先将你挤出的全部母乳喂给宝宝,如果需要再添加两盎司的配方奶。
热奶的最好方法是什么?
并没有健康的理由说要喂宝宝热牛奶,但是你的宝宝可能就喜欢。准备喂宝宝时,你可以在一碗温水里将奶温一下---不是在热的或者煮沸的水里,或者在水龙头下滚动一下奶瓶。你同时也可以买一个专门的热奶器。
如果你的宝宝已经习惯了喝常温或者稍微凉一点的奶瓶,那么你就省去时间和麻烦去热奶了,特别是你的宝宝因饥饿哭闹时。
一定不要使用微波炉来加热放在奶瓶里的母乳或者配方奶。因为微波炉加热不均匀,还会产生热气造成宝宝烫伤。同时也会导致营养流失。
怎么保证宝宝喝的舒服?
许多婴儿,你都需要去听和观察。如果在她喝奶的时候你听到很多嘈杂的吮吸声音,她可能吸进了太多空气。要帮助你的宝宝少吞入点空气,以45度于水平位置的角度抱着她。同时小心地倾斜奶瓶,这样奶嘴和瓶颈处就充满了母乳或者配方奶了。
不要用奶瓶支撑,这会导致宝宝窒息。同时,奶瓶喂养,像母乳喂养一样,可以让你的宝宝在你温暖的怀抱里吸收营养。所以好好利用喂宝宝的机会和她亲密接触一下吧。
原文:
How often should I feed my baby?
Most experts agree that you shouldn't follow a rigid feeding schedule in the early weeks, though you may be able to work out an approximate pattern within a month or two.
Offer your breast or the bottle every two to three hours at first or as your baby seems hungry. Until your baby reaches about 10 pounds, she'll probably take one to three ounces per feeding. Don't force more than she seems ready to eat. Your baby's doctor should advise you about suitable amounts for your child as she grows.
Do I need to sterilize the bottles?
Before you first use new bottles, nipples, and rings, you should sterilize them by submerging them in a pot of boiling water for at least five minutes. Then allow them to dry on a clean towel. After that, a good cleaning in hot, soapy water, or a cycle through the dishwasher is sufficient. One caveat: If you have well water, repeated sterilization of the bottles may be best.
You can find some handy bottle gear, such as dishwasher baskets for nipples, rings, and bottle caps, and special bottle drying racks, at most baby supply stores.
Can I mix breast milk and formula?
While there's nothing wrong with mixing breast milk and formula in the same container, it's not recommended simply because if you're pumping and supplementing with formula, you don't want to waste a single drop of your precious breast milk. To avoid this, a good plan is to feed your baby whatever breast milk you've expressed, and then follow that up with couple of ounces of formula if you need it. Find out more.
What's the best way to warm a bottle?
There's no health reason to feed a baby warmed milk, but your baby may prefer it. When you're ready to feed your baby, you can warm a bottle in a bowl of warm - not hot or boiling - water, or by running it under the tap. You can also buy a bottle warmer designed for this purpose.
If your baby is accustomed to drinking bottles at room temperature or slightly cold, you save yourself the time and hassle of preheating bottles, especially when she's crying to be fed.
Never use a microwave to heat a bottle of breast milk or formula. Since a microwave oven heats unevenly, it can create hot pockets, leading to burns. It can also cause nutrients to break down.
How can I make sure my baby is drinking comfortably?
Like so much with babies, you'll need to listen and observe. If you hear a lot of noisy sucking sounds while she drinks, she may be taking in too much air. To help your baby swallow less air, hold her at a 45-degree angle. Also take care to tilt the bottle so that the nipple and neck are always filled with breast milk or formula.
Never prop a bottle - it can cause your baby to choke. Besides, bottle-feeding, like breastfeeding, can be a wonderful time for nurturing your baby by holding her close. So take feeding time as an opportunity to snuggle and bond.