During your baby's first 3 months, breast milk or formula will provide all the nutrients he needs. However, as your baby grows, both physically and mentally, the breastfeeding process will also develop. Generally, babies will tend to consume more milk during feeding time, so there is no need to feed them as often as usual and they, as well as you, will sleep longer at night.
The best way to monitor whether your baby is getting enough nutrition is to watch his growth. Your doctor will measure the weight, length, and size of his head at each visit. Most babies during breastfeeding will continue to ask for breastfeeding throughout the day and night. The average amount she consumes during breastfeeding will gradually increase from about 4 - 5 ounces (120 to 150 ml) during the second month, 5 or 6 ounces (150-180 ml) by the fourth month, however this will vary from babies with other babies and from one type of food and other foods. Daily intake should range from 25-30 ounces (750-900 ml) over four months. Usually, this amount is sufficient to provide all the nutritional needs at this age.
If your baby seems still hungry after you have given enough milk, consult your pediatrician for advice on dealing with your little one's condition. When a breastfeeding baby doesn't gain weight, the amount of milk you produce may have decreased. This decrease in the amount of milk produced can be caused by the condition of the mother's body returning to a working state and not producing enough milk, or also increasing stress for the mother, longer sleep intervals for the baby, or various other factors. Several techniques can be used to increase the amount of milk produced for the baby's intake. Try increasing the frequency of breastfeeding, and using a breast pump to increase milk production. If you are constantly worried about the amount of milk you produce, consult a doctor, or get checked out by a certified lactation consultant.
Generally, you should avoid giving solid foods before six months of age, and especially not giving them before four months. When you feed him solid food, use a spoon. However, placing the spoon in the mouth of a less than four month old baby will cause the baby to push on his tongue, which is normal at this stage, although your parent or baby's caregiver may mistake this behavior for resistance or dislike of food. By four to five months of age, this spoon-pushing condition disappears and by six months the baby will be able to move small amounts of solid food slurry from the front of the mouth to the back of the mouth and swallow it. But if your baby doesn't seem to like solid foods, try not offering them for one to two weeks and try again. If the problem persists, talk to your pediatrician to make sure that resistance is not a problem.
Even without adding to your baby's diet, you may notice a change in bowel movements during these months. At this time, the intestine is able to store an excessive amount of food and can absorb a large amount of the nutrients from the milk, so the stool may be more solid. His gastroscopic reflexes are also reduced, so he no longer has a bowel movement after eating. In fact, between two and three months, the frequency of bowel movements in both breastfeeding and formula-fed babies can drop dramatically; some breastfed babies have only one bowel movement every three or four days, and some healthy breastfed babies sometimes have only one bowel movement a week. As long as your baby is eating well and gaining weight, and the stool is not too hard or dry, there is no reason to worry about this decreased frequency of bowel movements.
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