Highlights from the Live Chat with Shreya S Bathrinath on Breastfeeding and Mother-Child Nutrition – Part 2

This Q & A has been compiled from a live chat conducted on BabyChakra with a prenatal and lactation consultant, Shreya S Bathrinath. The questions therein, are actual questions asked by mothers.

Q: I will be joining work in another 2 months and my baby will be 3 months old then, will I have to top feed my baby with formula milk or with cow/buffalo milk?
A: You could still continue with breastfeed. While you are with your baby, you can do a direct feed and when you are not you could extract, store and feed.

Q: In refrigerator, how long can breast milk be stored for?
A: To extract breast milk, you can use an electric pump as this imitates the baby’s suckling action. Do make sure you use it at a minimal speed. Breast milk can be stored up to 6 months following right guidelines.

Q: Any specific dietary recommendations for breast feeding moms? Are there any foods which one should necessarily avoid while feeding?
A: A balanced diet with lots of fluids. Choose quality over quantity. There is no concept as you drink milk and you get milk! Go low on caffeine & avoid too much of pulses. Seasonal fruits and vegetables along with lots of fluids are the best foods.

Q: How much milk should 2.8 year have?
A: Your baby will primarily need solid feed along with other milk and breast milk too.

Q: He is now not on breast feed. In which case it is a balanced diet for a toddler, can I replace milk with calcium rich food?
A: Yes you could but milk has its own benefits.

Q: My breastmilk quantity is usually less late evening when my baby’s demand is more and high in morning and afternoon when she wants to sleep through not having enough. How can I ensure quantity is enough, whenever she wants?
A: There is no concept as less milk or no milk. The more the baby demands, the more milk will be produced. Make sure you latch the baby well, be in a well ventilated place with a calm stress free frame of mind.

Q: Is breastfeeding only by demand, as in can baby go hungry for hours or do I need to feed the baby every few hours?
A: We would suggest that the feed should be once in every two hours during the day and once in every three to four hours during the night.

_{Find this interesting? Read the Part 1 of the Q & As from this Chat.}

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