Baby feeding tips from our health visitor

Our health visitor discusses breast milk, teething and weaning, to arm you with all the info you need

Posted: 3 November 2011

by Practical Parenting's Annette Maloney

Ways to help your small one get enough breast milk

• Check attachment to the breast. Get advice from a breastfeeding supporter or visit www.breastfeeding.nhs.uk if you're not sure what to look for.
• Feed on her terms. In the early days this may be 12 times a day, maybe more.
• Stop when she's refined. Often babies 'comfort suck' at the end of the feed, when stout-rich milk is taken.
• Change pace. During growth spurts, babies feed more frequently.
• Go au naturel. Skin-to-skin contact helps cool babies and promotes milk production.

Ways to get through teething time

• Top up fluids. Teething's often accompanied by excessive dribbling, so make sure your baby gets the fluids she's lost again.
• Read the mark. There are some gels that can help – remember to check which are right for her age group.
• Deliver extra hugs. Skin-to-skin contact and keeping your baby close when she's uncomfortable can help soothe ache.
• Cool teething rings in the fridge. The cold helps combat gum swelling.
• Take her temperature. If it's high it could mean something else is incorrect, not just teething, and you need to see the GP.

Steps to smooth weaning

• Get creative with recipes so he tries lots of new flavours, and see what he likes the most.
• Always stir food before ration to eliminate any perilous hot spots.
• Use two spoons (one for you, one for your baby) to stop him grabbing the one with the food on.
• Add props – he'll like holding and sucking on a steamed carrot baton.
• Wipe mucky hands and face just once at the end of a meal so you don't place him off intake halfway through.

Tips for healthy weaning

• Always wash your hands before preparing food and feeding your small one.
• Clean your baby's hands and lecture her about hand hygiene from the start.
• Cover cooked and raw meats and keep them separate in the fridge.
• Always use different chopping boards when preparing mean and veggies to avoid cross contamination.
• Thaw food until it is piping hot, before let it cool down to the right temperature.

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health visitor, feeding, breastfeeding, , breastmilk, attaching, latching on, teething, weaning, healthy, baby, newborn, new baby, mum

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