Diseases 22
fifth Fourth, the experience of breastfeeding is emotionally satisfying for both mother and baby.
You can give the baby an occasional bottle or give one feeding a day by bottle, if you choose. This can give the mother a chance to be away from the baby sometimes or to sleep through the night while the father gives a feeding. The breasts can be emptied with a breast pump if they become uncomfortably full.
Many doctors recommend breastfeeding if it is possible.
Follow directions carefully when preparing formula.
BOTTLEFEEDING
If you are bottlefeeding, you must have clean water and refrigeration available. Be sure to clean the top of the can before you open it. and follow the directions carefully when you're preparing the formula. Some formulas are concentrated, so you must add water. Others are "ready to feed," and if you dilute this type the baby will not get enough nourishment.
Bottles and nipples must be cleaned and sterilized through the baby's fourth month. After that, only the nipples must be sterile. To sterilize, clean the nipples with soap and water, making sure that the hole in the top is not clogged with dried formula. Then boil them in water for 15 minutes. Bottles should be cleaned first and then sterilized. After four months, the bottles can be washed in hot water or in a dishwasher.
Hold and rock the baby when you're bottlefeeding. Do not prop the bottle up and leave the baby alone to eat. Human contact is important to the baby's development, so don't rush the feeding time.
However, try not to spend more than 30 to 45 minutes on each feeding.
WHY BABIES CRY
It's normal for babies to cry. It is, after all, their only way of letting you know that they need something. At first it may be difficult to figure out what the baby needs. In a newborn, though, there are only a few things a cry can signify-hunger, needing a diaper change, and needing to be held and comforted. As the baby grows up, he or she will find more reasons to complain-for example, boredom, frustration, loneliness, fear, overstimulation, and tiredness.
Sometimes you and your baby can get into a crying cycle. When the baby cries, you get anxious and nervous. The more the baby cries, the worse you feel, and nothing you do seems to help quiet the baby. It sometimes seems that the baby senses your feelings and responds by crying even more. If you find yourself getting into these cycles, talk about it with an experienced parent or your doctor, who may be able to suggest a solution.
Occasionally, a baby will cry because he or she is in pain. Check to see if you can figure out what is causing the pain. A sick baby may cry but will usually also have some other symptom of illness, such as a fever, diarrhea, or a runny nose. Generally, a healthy baby will have a strong, loud cry. If your baby's cry becomes weak, contact your doctor right away.
WHAT TO EXPECT OF YOUR BABY
For about the first month of life (longer if the baby was born prematurely and is catching up), the baby will do little besides eat, sleep, and dirty his diapers. roseola