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Breastfeeding poses serious questions for new mothers, one of which is how to determine if the baby is not getting enough breast milk.

This problem is especially worrying in the first month of a baby’s life and does not lose its relevance until the end of the first half of the year, when liquid and healthy nutrition often remains the only source of energy for the child.

A lot depends on the correctness of the mother’s actions, because sometimes a woman, misreading the signs of malnutrition, transfers the baby to an artificial formula, depriving him of the ideal product and the necessary tactile communication.

According to some mothers, the most telling signs of infant malnutrition are as follows:

  • constant crying that is not associated with other possible causes;
  • weakness of the child, low activity;
  • restless behavior that occurs as soon as the baby approaches the mother's breast.

Despite the general knowledge of these facts, a nursing mother should not take them too seriously. Of course, they really talk about children's problems, but not that the baby is hungry, but that he has problems with the intestines.

If all these symptoms are observed, then the baby probably has colic. In this case, he additionally presses his legs towards his stomach and cries after latching on to the chest.

Another common parental mistake is weighing the baby too often, for example, after every meal. Seeing that the weight gain is small, parents begin to get nervous and ultimately decide to supplement with formula feeding.

Symptoms of malnutrition in a newborn often include difficulty falling asleep and restless behavior during sleep.

For example, the baby may feel maternal nervousness, was simply born overly anxious or was a little sick. It is important for a woman to find out accurate information about the “sleepy” standards that are relevant for each month of life and try to put the baby to bed at the appropriate time intervals.

Checking wet diapers

Breastfeeding experts say there are only two accurate ways to determine if a baby is not getting enough breast milk: checking wet diapers and assessing monthly weight gain.

Another sign of a hungry infant is smacking his lips, tongue, sucking a finger, fist or the edge of a diaper.

In addition, since mother's milk is considered both food and drink for the baby, excessively dry skin can also be a sign of malnutrition.

So, you have determined that the baby remains hungry throughout the day, now you need to identify the reasons that interfere with optimal lactation and lead to malnutrition. Since both mother and baby are involved in feeding, the nutrition process needs to be considered from all sides.

The reasons for the lack of milk are often due to the incorrect behavior of the mother (or her environment) during the lactation period:

Another probable reason is too frequent, leading to an overabundance of this product. In general, milk secretion can be anterior or posterior. Foremilk is thinner and contains less fat (“empty”), which is what is produced during frequent pumping.

Hind milk is fatty, which means it is more nutritious and filling. The baby can only get enough of hindmilk, because fatty foods are not digested so quickly and leave a feeling of fullness for a longer period.

The baby may remain hungry if the feeding process is interfered with:

  • colic that worsens while eating;
  • nasal congestion or damage to the oral cavity;
  • incorrect latching of the chest.

The following experiment will help you discover feeding deficiencies: when you give your baby the breast, listen to how he swallows. The normal ratio is two or three suckings interspersed with one sip (in the first minutes of feeding, the baby should do a lot of sucking to increase the flow of milk from the breast). If there are few swallowing movements, the baby will remain hungry.

If a child does not get enough breast milk, he begins to be capricious, irritable, and also grows poorly and lags behind in development. If you discover that your baby does not have enough food in the first month, do not be nervous, as nervousness will only worsen the situation.

By listening to the following advice from breastfeeding experts, you can improve lactation and properly organize your baby’s feeding:

  1. Try. With natural feeding, the mammary glands secrete the optimal amount of milk in response to the baby's stimulation of the nipples. That is, the child should eat whenever he wants.
  2. How to understand that a child is full? A well-fed newborn releases the nipple on its own, which is why it is not recommended to interrupt your food intake at your request.
  3. Make sure you are applying the crumb correctly. Correct position: the mouth is open, the child should grasp both the papilla and the areola, only swallowing can be heard, there are no other sounds.
  4. Set up a couple of comfortable feeding positions so you can alternate between them. The correct position is that the back of the child’s head, neck and back are located on a straight line. To prevent the baby from turning his head and reaching for the breast, the nipple should be close to his mouth.
  5. Try feeding from one breast at a time so that the baby can suck both the foremilk and the hind milk.
  6. Don't be afraid to wake your baby to feed. During the day he should not sleep more than three hours in a row, at night - more than 5-6. Before eating, the baby can be washed with cool water or undressed to activate all processes.
  7. Avoid bottles for at least the first month of your child’s life. It is better to give expressed milk using a spoon or pipette. This is necessary so that the baby does not get used to pacifiers.
  8. Give yourself a break, while there is such an opportunity - the child is sleeping, or relatives are babysitting him.
  9. Review your diet, including more carbohydrate and protein foods. Avoid foods that may affect the flavor of the milk. It is also necessary to drink the required amount of warm liquid.
  10. If there are any signs of trouble, be sure to show the baby to a specialist.

To make the feeding process easier, you can purchase a special pillow. This device helps to properly attach the baby to the breast and reduce the load on the mother’s back.

A cozy feeding procedure, a comfortable pillow, and pleasant music will create a comfortable atmosphere for eating and enjoy the procedure itself.

Inexperienced mothers often listen to the advice of girlfriends or simply common myths regarding breastfeeding, and decide for themselves that the child is not getting enough to eat. And this is already fraught with the wrong choice, which can harm the baby.

If it seems to you that your child is not eating well and has not eaten enough for 24 hours, be sure to consult a doctor. He will most accurately determine the likely factors that provoke malnutrition, recommend ways to improve breastfeeding, or suggest choosing the optimal milk formula for supplementary feeding.

The most important thing in such a situation is not to worry unnecessarily, but to maintain a positive attitude, which will certainly be passed on to the baby!

Hello, I am Nadezhda Plotnikova. Having successfully completed her studies at SUSU as a specialized psychologist, she devoted several years to working with children with developmental problems and consulting parents on issues of raising children. I use the experience gained, among other things, in creating articles of a psychological nature. Of course, I in no way claim to be the ultimate truth, but I hope that my articles will help dear readers deal with any difficulties.

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Newborns are not only a sea of ​​emotions, joy and happiness, they are also a lot of new and unknown things that will worry young parents every minute. First of all, the mother always worries that her baby is warm, well-fed and sleeps soundly.

Mothers have already been able to go through the difficult stage of childbirth and now the most important thing for them is the period of breastfeeding. During this period, a mother may be concerned about why her newborn baby is not eating. He may completely refuse breast milk, sleep constantly, or latch onto the breast for just a few minutes. Let's look at why the child behaves this way and whether it is worth worrying about it.

Main reasons

Basically, babies, and in particular infants, can refuse healthy mother's milk for various reasons. Pediatricians evaluate them according to three main possible groups of problems:

  1. Problems with the newborn itself. In the first days after birth, the baby may be in a state of adaptation to the new world. He may be weak, drowsy and inactive. It is during such periods that the baby does not feel like eating at all, or a few sucks every 2-3 hours are enough for him. In such cases, there is no need to panic too much. Of course, it may seem to you that the newborn eats little, but this is quite enough for him. A more serious situation arises if the child refuses to eat even after 5-7 days. In this situation, there may be several reasons or they are complexly interconnected. First of all, this may be a physiological feature of the child, namely a short frenulum of the child’s tongue or a poor sucking reflex, which will develop gradually. Often the reason why a newborn does not eat is a simple bottle with which caring mothers try to feed the child. Even despite their young age, children are quite smart. They prefer to eat only from simpler artificial devices, where they do not have to put in a lot of effort - milk or other food will pour into their mouth.
  2. Physiological state of the woman in labor. Another reason why a newborn does not eat well is the physiological state of the woman, namely the medications that were administered to the mother during childbirth. Quite often, during complex and painful labor processes, women are given painkillers that instantly penetrate the mother’s blood, and therefore the child’s body. Because of this, he may be lethargic, drowsy, inactive and eat very little for several days after birth.
  3. Features of the breast and mammary glands. The baby may be hungry due to the physiological characteristics of the mother's breast. In particular, if she has rather inverted and flat nipples, with which it is not so easy to get milk.

You should also seek advice from a lactation specialist or pediatrician. In the future, it is worth feeding the child by the hour, as required by doctors. This needs to be done every 3 hours. However, it is best to give your baby breastfeeding on demand. This will protect him from possible weight loss in the first months of life.

If a child eats poorly even at 4 months, then most likely this is the specificity of the child’s metabolism and unspent energy. A possible reason may be a gradual decrease in mother's milk; if the baby loses weight while breastfeeding, you should immediately consult a doctor.

If your baby is older, then the solution to the problem may lie elsewhere. Most likely, a child at 5 months is not eating well due to insufficient milk supply, teeth growth, or a desire to try something new. In such a situation, you just need to introduce complementary foods, which will ease mother’s sleepless nights, allow the baby to have a wonderful appetite and accelerate the rapid development of the whole organism.

You should worry in cases where a child with poor appetite begins to lose weight. Especially if a stable and constant reset is visible. A baby should steadily gain from 300 to 800 grams per month. If this does not happen, you should immediately consult a doctor who will determine the cause of poor appetite and help parents cope with this problem. Feeding on a schedule, eliminating certain problems with the health or physiology of the child will give good results in a matter of weeks.

Be smart and vigilant with your children!

Useful video about 1 month of a newborn's life

There is a statement that crying is the baby’s language of communication. Therefore, some mothers are perplexed and ask why the newborn does not cry? It seems strange to them that their child does not take everything by screaming. After all, we are talking about newborn children who cannot say anything.

Newborn doesn't cry

Some may find this statement strange and unrealistic, but it happens. Some newborn babies do not cry at all. Psychologists easily explain this reason. When crying, tears must be present, which are physiological manifestations of emotions. There are never any tears on the faces of newborns; they appear around 4 months. This means they don’t know how to cry and you shouldn’t be upset why a newborn isn’t crying.

If he doesn't cry, then everything is fine

Scientific research has shown that a baby's crying says a lot, and parents have learned to distinguish it by type. For example, the baby wants to eat, his tummy hurts, his diaper is wet, he is teething, he is bored and requires attention, he wants to be held. Therefore, if your baby does not cry, and at the same time looks quite healthy, then everything is fine with him. He is comfortable, dry, warm, with enough affection and attention.

Of course, a consultation with a pediatrician is never superfluous. Moreover, you see this doctor very often.

A lack of breast milk or weak lactation leads to the fact that the baby simply does not get enough to eat. Do not rush to take drastic measures. Such as supplementary feeding, transition to mixed feeding and supplementary feeding. These measures are not necessary for the baby, since the baby receives the necessary elements from breast milk.

Only mother's milk provides 100% of the substances a newborn needs. In addition, such methods lead to an even greater deterioration in lactation; milk may soon disappear completely. And supplementing the baby with food leads to colic and other digestive disorders.

How to tell if your baby has enough milk

  • The baby is crying a lot. There can be many reasons for crying, so this symptom alone should not be considered as an indicator of a specific problem (malnutrition, colic, illness or lack of attention). The cause of crying can only be identified through a combination of several signs;
  • Weakness and decreased activity of the baby. Remember that a child is calm because of his character, and not because of a lack of milk;
  • The newborn sleeps poorly or does not sleep at all;
  • Insufficient number of bowel movements. In the first month after birth, stool occurs 8-12 times a day after almost every feeding. Then the frequency gradually decreases and reaches 1-2 times a day. The absence of stool for two or more days is a sign that the baby is constipated. Read more about the norms of newborn stool at the link /;
  • The baby sucks his finger and the edges of the diaper, smacks his tongue or lips. These signs indicate that the baby is not getting enough breast milk and is looking for a breast further;
  • The baby does not gain weight or loses it. In the first month, a newborn should gain on average 90-150 grams per week. During the second to fourth month - 140-200 grams per week. After the fifth month, the increase gradually decreases. By six months, the baby's weight should approximately double its value at birth. You can learn more about the norms for weight gain for infants up to one year old;
  • The intake rate does not play a big role in determining whether the baby has enough milk. This norm is different and depends on the baby’s age, individual development and needs. As a rule, in the first four days a newborn eats about 200 ml of breast milk per day, by a month the norm increases to approximately 600 ml.


Why doesn't the baby eat?

When a baby does not get enough breast milk, the main reason is a lack of breast milk and low lactation levels. In this case, you need to figure out why the milk disappears. Most often, low milk production is due to improper nutrition of the nursing mother.

However, the baby may not eat enough even with normal milk production. This means that he is not getting enough milk. As a rule, this occurs due to incorrect organization of breastfeeding, uncomfortable feeding position and improper latching of the nipple.

The psychological state of the baby and mother is an important factor during breastfeeding. Depression, psychological unpreparedness to breastfeed or accept milk, painful sensations in the breast and cracked nipples lead to the fact that milk disappears or the child rejects and does not take the breast.

Solution

If the baby does not get enough breast milk, and lactation is at a good level, it is necessary to monitor the progress of feeding. Incorrect feeding posture and improper latching of the nipple lead to the baby not receiving the required portion of milk.

When feeding, the baby should grasp both the nipple and the area around it with a radius of 2-2.5 cm (areola). Make sure that the nose rests, but does not sink into the chest. In this case, both lips should be turned outward, and the child can freely adjust the nipple in the mouth. The baby should latch on to the breast on his own; do not force or push in the nipple. Force feeding leads to improper nipple latching. If your baby doesn't latch on, give him a thumb suck.

If the problem is lactation, it is necessary to increase stimulation of milk production. There are many methods that will help establish lactation without harming the baby. Among the most effective methods are:

  • Drink more fluids. Warm, abundant drinking will ensure successful lactation, strengthen the immune system and help with viral diseases. The minimum volume of liquid per day is 2 liters, half of which should be drinking water. Otherwise, you can drink dried fruit compote and weak tea. Soups and broths are also sources of liquid;
  • Adjust your diet. Remember that the menu must include the necessary vitamins and elements. Be sure to eat vegetables and fruits, meat and fish. But it is better to avoid foods that are too fatty and spicy during breastfeeding. Reduce your consumption of salty foods, sweets and starchy foods. By the way, there are foods and drinks that increase. You can find a list of these products at the link /;
  • Get more rest and sleep, walk in the fresh air and do simple exercise. Yoga or swimming are activities that are not contraindicated for a nursing mother. At the same time, you will quickly regain your prenatal figure, recharge with energy and good mood;

  • . Circular movements in a clockwise direction stimulate lactation and, if necessary, will help eliminate lumps and strain the milk. In addition, massage is a prevention of lactostasis and mastitis. However, keep in mind that breastfeeding massage should be enjoyable and not painful;
  • Feed not according to a schedule, but according to the baby’s demand. Frequent feeding will help enhance lactation. During the day you can feed every 1-2 hours, and at night - at least four times. ;
  • Be sure to take care of your breast hygiene. Wash twice a day without using regular soap and towels, as they irritate the skin. For washing, use neutral liquid soap, and for drying, use soft napkins. Watch your nipples, as they cause discomfort and dangerous diseases. Such as staphylococcus, mastitis and other infections;
  • Drink decoctions of cumin, dill and fennel. However, use folk remedies with caution, as some components cause allergies in infants. Special ones will also help.

Tips from the article “” will help you improve milk production. When breastfeeding, it is important to maintain stress resistance and a comfortable emotional background. However, many mothers experience depression after childbirth. Lack of sleep, fatigue and other problems lead to strong feelings. In this case, do not rush to take sedatives, as some drugs negatively affect the composition of milk and the condition of the newborn.

Relaxing baths and aromatherapy, good sleep and walks in the fresh air will help with depression and stress. Valerian, motherwort and glycine tablets are considered safe during lactation. But doctors do not recommend using modern sedatives, such as Persen or Novopassit, for nursing mothers. In addition, alcohol tinctures are contraindicated when breastfeeding.

When is supplementation needed?

Sometimes, if a child does not get enough breast milk, doctors recommend supplementary feeding. However, please note that this can only be done on the recommendation of a doctor! As a rule, supplementary feeding is prescribed when the mother is ill and has been taking medications for a long time that are incompatible with lactation. In addition, supplementary feeding is necessary if the baby does not gain or loses weight, as well as if the baby was born premature.

Supplemental feeding with the mixture should be 30-50% of the daily volume of food. If the dose is exceeded, mixed feeding will turn into artificial! And without breast milk, the baby will not receive the necessary elements and vitamins for full growth and development. In addition, to maintain breastfeeding, it is better not to use bottles and pacifiers. The baby quickly gets used to the nipple and subsequently refuses the breast. They will tell you how to properly feed your baby and which formula to choose.

Lyudmila Sergeevna Sokolova

Reading time: 9 minutes

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Article last updated: 04/02/2019

The first month after the birth of the baby, one gets used to the smallest member of the family. The baby, in turn, also gets used to the new unusual world for him and to his parents. As the child grows up, the mother will learn to understand the reasons for his crying, but in the first months it can be difficult for young parents to understand this issue, especially if the newborn is the first child in the family.

Why does a newborn cry?

In the first months of life, a baby cries because of its most basic needs. These include thirst, hunger, pain. The baby may cry if it is too hot or cold, or as a result of overwork.

A newborn cries most often from hunger, pain or fear. This kind of crying is the loudest and most heartbreaking:

  • crying from hunger is especially loud and prolonged, gradually intensifying. If the child is not fed, he cries uncontrollably. At the very beginning of the feeling of hunger, the baby cries invitingly;
  • Crying caused by pain will be plaintive with the same intensity in most babies. If sudden pain occurs, the newborn may cry loudly and loudly;
  • crying from fear will be sudden and loud, even hysterical. The baby may stop crying as suddenly as it started.

If a child constantly cries and sleeps poorly, you should examine him for the presence of stomatitis in the mouth or allergic rashes on the skin, and whether diaper rash has appeared. In some cases, the baby may begin to cry before urinating. In some cases, this may be a symptom of a genitourinary tract infection, especially if the child has a fever. In the absence of other signs, doctors consider this to be normal.

If the reason for crying is hunger

In the case when a newborn constantly cries, sleeps little and poorly, then one of the most likely reasons for this behavior is hunger. The baby begins to look for the breast and smack his mouth when his mother takes him in her arms.

If a child has eaten less than usual and slept no more than two hours, he may cry as a result of hunger. When your baby cries a lot, the first thing you should do is try to feed him, and only then make other attempts to calm him down.

When the baby cries often, sleeps little, and parents assume that the reason for this is hunger, then the mother believes that breast milk is not enough for the child. And in the event that the child is bottle-fed, he does not get enough of a portion of the formula. However, this is not always the case.

Constant crying doesn't start overnight. For several days, the baby actively eats, completely emptying the breast or bottle, after which he requires more or falls asleep, but sleeps much less than usual. However, along with the child’s increasing appetite, the production of breast milk also increases. This is due to frequent emptying of the breast.

The amount of breast milk in a nursing mother may decrease as a result of her overwork, anxiety or fatigue. At the same time, you should not rush to transfer the baby to feeding with artificial formulas if the mother thinks that she is not producing enough milk. If hunger is the cause of poor sleep and constant crying, you should put your baby to the breast more often.

When the reason for crying is stomach pain

Every time after eating, and also if the baby cries, you should give him the opportunity to burp the trapped air (even if he managed to do this after eating). Therefore, you need to take the baby in your arms and hold it in an upright position. Usually 10-20 seconds are enough for this.

In the first 3-4 months, many babies are bothered by colic, which causes sharp pain in the tummy in the intestinal area. Because of colic and gas, the child constantly cries, sometimes even all day, and sleeps little. While crying, he strains his legs, draws them in or stretches them out.

In some cases, because of colic, a baby may cry every day for several hours, and do this at approximately the same time. At the same time, the child maintains a good appetite and gains weight well.

If the child is bottle-fed, then most mothers wonder whether changing baby formula can improve the situation? However, in most cases, replacing the children's shift will not bring results. Because the quality of baby food is not the main cause of gas formation.

The cause of colic is the imperfect functioning of the newborn’s digestive system. This is a common phenomenon that bothers many babies, and it is not a disease. After a few months, the child will get rid of colic and gas formation, this happens as the digestive organs develop.

A child suffering from colic should be seen by a doctor more often. Also, such a baby will feel better in the tummy position. If he calms down due to rocking or being held, then you should use this method. The use of any medications to alleviate the baby’s condition should be agreed with a doctor.

Other reasons for crying

Read also:

The reason why a child constantly cries and sleeps poorly may be a disease. Most often, infants suffer from colds and intestinal diseases. If you have a runny nose, cough, or unusual bowel movements, you may have a medical condition. Other diseases rarely bother children in the first months of life.

In the case when the baby not only cries, but also his behavior has changed, you should measure your body temperature and contact your pediatrician.

At an early age, it is quite rare for a baby to cry due to wet or dirty diapers. Babies under 3-4 months do not feel this. It will be useful to change your baby's diaper if he cries.

There is a fairly widespread belief that a newborn baby cries because he is spoiled. However, for parents of babies whose age has not reached 3 months, this item can be safely excluded. Newborns have not yet become spoiled.