How long should you breastfeed each time?

Breastfeeding is a feeding method chosen by many breastfeeding mothers, and it is also a better feeding method for both mothers and children. Of course, breastfeeding cannot be done casually, especially in terms of feeding time, which needs to be controlled to a certain extent. In addition, after 6 months of breastfeeding, the baby should be gradually weaned and given some complementary foods!

Generally speaking, breastfeeding sessions last about 20 minutes each. For babies with strong sucking ability, the mother's milk comes continuously and they can be full in 10-15 minutes. If the baby is full, he will automatically throw away the nipple. However, newborns have limited physical strength, and it takes a lot of effort to feed. Most babies will fall asleep while feeding. At this time, remember not to let your baby sleep with the nipple in his mouth, and take the nipple out in time! Because the baby falls asleep with milk in his mouth, if you fall asleep too, it may cause suffocation, which is very dangerous! So, we have to help the baby take out the nipple.

Babies need to eat about 7-10 times a day, usually with an interval of 2-3 hours between each feeding. But it is not completely fixed. Sometimes, the baby cries because of hunger, and he still needs to be fed in time.

2. How long is the best time to breastfeed?

The World Health Organization recommends that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of age, and that other foods be supplemented while continuing to breastfeed from 6 months to 2 years or longer.

It is best to wean your baby between 8 months and 1 year old. If your baby is fed with breast milk and given complementary foods at the same time, and he or she accepts the complementary foods well, weaning can be delayed. Of course, it is also possible to persist until natural weaning. However, if the baby is in poor health or is sick, especially if the baby has allergies or intestinal problems, it is recommended that the mother breastfeed until the baby is over 1 year old, which will help the baby's physical recovery.

Generally speaking, if the mother chooses to completely wean her baby at 8 months, she can gradually reduce the number of breastfeeding times and replace it with complementary foods starting from 6 months. In addition, you should also pay attention to the weaning season. It is best for mothers to choose spring and autumn. The temperature at this time is neither high nor low, which is more suitable for weaning the baby and the baby can adapt easily.

3. How long should breastfeeding be followed to add complementary foods?

For mothers who exclusively breastfeed, it is best to breastfeed their babies for 6 months before starting to add complementary foods. Because breast milk can meet all the nutritional needs of the baby in the first 6 months, including water. After 6 months, as the baby grows taller, he needs more nutrition, so complementary foods should be added from 6 months onwards.

The addition of complementary foods should be gradual, starting from water (vegetable water, fruit water) to paste (rice noodles, banana paste, sweet potato paste, potato paste, pumpkin paste, liver paste, fish paste, etc.), and then to porridge, soft rice, and cooked noodles, and slowly transition to normal meals, which will take about 1 and a half years.

Pay attention to the low-salt and low-sugar diet for babies under 1 year old, because their delicate kidneys and livers cannot handle overly salty or sweet foods. Eat small meals frequently and don't feed your baby too much. Start with small bites and gradually increase the amount. Egg whites are prone to allergies, so it's best to wait until your baby is one year old before feeding him whole eggs.