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Is Formula Milk Advisable For A 6-week Old Child?
Question: Hi, my baby is 6 weeks old. I don't have breast milk. So I am giving him dexolac 1. But I am very much upset with different types of confusions on my mind. Is it safe to give formula milk right from the 1st day? Is it equally good as natural milk? Is this formula milk made my baby having low immunity power compare to breast milk? What should I do if I don't have breast milk? What should be good supplement for my baby? Please clear my confusions and suggest me the right thing to feed my baby.
Brief Answer:
You need to switch back to exclusive breastfeeding
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Let me emphasize the fact that breast milk is the best possible milk for a baby and there can be no alternatives for the same. Most formula milk is cow milk-based and hence difficult to digest. Moreover, they make the child more prone to complications and infections. Mother's breast milk is produced on the demand of the baby. Hungrier the baby, more vigorous is the suck. More is the suck, more is the amount of breast milk produced. Giving formula automatically reduces the demand of the baby and thereby the production of breast milk. All you need to do is to switch back to exclusive breast feeding and the production will increase automatically. All you need to do is to monitor the urine output. If the frequency is more than 6 times in 24 hours, you would know that the amount of feeding is adequate. If the amount of passage of urine is less or if the child is lethargic you would need to take the child to a doctor without delay.
You should not provide any supplement to the baby, other than exclusive breastfeeding.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Diptanshu Das, Pediatrician
You need to switch back to exclusive breastfeeding
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Let me emphasize the fact that breast milk is the best possible milk for a baby and there can be no alternatives for the same. Most formula milk is cow milk-based and hence difficult to digest. Moreover, they make the child more prone to complications and infections. Mother's breast milk is produced on the demand of the baby. Hungrier the baby, more vigorous is the suck. More is the suck, more is the amount of breast milk produced. Giving formula automatically reduces the demand of the baby and thereby the production of breast milk. All you need to do is to switch back to exclusive breast feeding and the production will increase automatically. All you need to do is to monitor the urine output. If the frequency is more than 6 times in 24 hours, you would know that the amount of feeding is adequate. If the amount of passage of urine is less or if the child is lethargic you would need to take the child to a doctor without delay.
You should not provide any supplement to the baby, other than exclusive breastfeeding.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Diptanshu Das, Pediatrician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
I agree with you doctor but what you should understand is I don't have milk. because of harmonal imbalance I have gone through a sugery 10 years ago. so what should I suppose to do now?
Brief Answer:
You need to make a choice
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
You need to understand that even though you do not seem to have enough breast milk, you need to take the hard way out by practically letting the baby starve for a couple of days, just providing minimal amounts of supplemental feeds while the baby hungrily suckles on your breasts and stimulates your body to produce breast milk. Any surgery or any hormonal imbalance related to anything 10 years back as your pregnancy is a recent development for your body and that should be sufficient to produce the hormonal backup it requires. The suckling of the baby produces the hormone prolactin that stimulates breast milk secretion. It is not something that the body has stocked in advance. So, any prior disruptions of hormonal balance would not matter.
If you do not want to go the hard way, you need to go for formula feeds and if you choose that, please do not bother to compare whether about its safety as you have 'voluntarily' chosen a different way.
It can be one of the two. You cannot combine benefits from both sides. The choice is yours.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Diptanshu Das, Pediatrician
You need to make a choice
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
You need to understand that even though you do not seem to have enough breast milk, you need to take the hard way out by practically letting the baby starve for a couple of days, just providing minimal amounts of supplemental feeds while the baby hungrily suckles on your breasts and stimulates your body to produce breast milk. Any surgery or any hormonal imbalance related to anything 10 years back as your pregnancy is a recent development for your body and that should be sufficient to produce the hormonal backup it requires. The suckling of the baby produces the hormone prolactin that stimulates breast milk secretion. It is not something that the body has stocked in advance. So, any prior disruptions of hormonal balance would not matter.
If you do not want to go the hard way, you need to go for formula feeds and if you choose that, please do not bother to compare whether about its safety as you have 'voluntarily' chosen a different way.
It can be one of the two. You cannot combine benefits from both sides. The choice is yours.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Diptanshu Das, Pediatrician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
I have one query doctor. shall I able to give breastfeed to my baby? what should I do to increase my milk? I want to give my feed only to my baby. please tell me it's already been 42 days I am giving my baby formula milk. will the milk produce in my body if I try from now? please show me the way
Brief Answer:
You can definitely produce breast milk
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
You should definitely be able to breast feed your baby. As I mentioned, the suck on the areola (the dark portion surrounding the nipple) produces the breast milk. You would need to ensure that you are properly hydrated. You need to take plenty of water. Additionally, I would insist you take Lactonic Granules one XXXXXXX with a glass of milk, for a week or so. That should help. It might be a bit hard to get your milk flowing, but it should still not be a big deal if you are motivated enough.
But please remember that formula milk and breast milk do not go hand in hand. It would be one or the other. The choice would be upon you.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. Diptanshu Das, Pediatrician
You can definitely produce breast milk
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
You should definitely be able to breast feed your baby. As I mentioned, the suck on the areola (the dark portion surrounding the nipple) produces the breast milk. You would need to ensure that you are properly hydrated. You need to take plenty of water. Additionally, I would insist you take Lactonic Granules one XXXXXXX with a glass of milk, for a week or so. That should help. It might be a bit hard to get your milk flowing, but it should still not be a big deal if you are motivated enough.
But please remember that formula milk and breast milk do not go hand in hand. It would be one or the other. The choice would be upon you.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. Diptanshu Das, Pediatrician
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
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