Many women who intend to breastfeed their infants will do so for the first few days after delivery, only to find that their baby's weight has actually decreased from that which was recorded immediately after birth. Understandably, both mother and medical staff are very concerned when a baby loses weight instead of gaining during the first days of life. Often, this weight fluctuation is a perfectly normal occurrence that can unnecessarily discourage mothers from nursing, turning instead to bottle and formula feeding at a critical period when breast milk will do the most good for their new baby.
During pregnancy, a baby's intestines are lined with a heavy, greenish-black, gelatinous substance called "meconium". After a baby is born, most pass their first stool within twenty-four hours and it will be made up entirely of meconium. This "first stool" is an important measurement of appropriate bowel function in newborns. Unless the baby passes this meconium within a short time period, they may begin to have difficulty feeding due to a congested digestive tract which causes distended abdomen, discomfort, and possible vomiting. It is important to understand that meconium is heavy and will account for some amount of the baby's birth weight as it is recorded immediately upon delivery. When this meconium passes, the baby will naturally weigh less for lack of its presence in the body.
Because it is so important that a baby passes meconium stools, the mother's early breast milk will naturally contain elements to support the baby's digestive system. At first, breast milk can be watery-looking and yield a low fat content because it is comprised mostly of an important substance called "colostrum". While colostrum might appear "thin", it contains everything the newborn infant needs in the first days of life, including antibodies and natural laxatives to help the baby rid its body of meconium. Mothers often worry that their breast milk isn't fully "in" yet during the first week, but it is important to remember that this "first milk" is normal, natural, and that the composition of the breast milk provides enough to feed the baby in the first days.
The appearance of the early breast milk, combined with the more frequent feedings that are normal for breastfed babies, are often worrisome to the mother. If a woman has never breastfed and doesn't have any familiar experience with breastfeeding, she may become concerned that the baby isn't getting enough nutrition. Sometimes, attending medical staff may worry about the mother's inexperience, or they themselves may be unfamiliar with breastfeeding and its necessary frequency (which is different from formula feeding). As a result, hospital staff might suggest or even encourage formula use to prevent any possible underfeeding. Unfortunately, once either breast or bottle feeding is begun with a newborn, it can be very difficult to encourage the baby to feed another way. With the exception of some rare medical complications, the colostrum-rich breast milk is the best nutritional choice for newborns.
No infant formula can substitute the beneficial antibodies or fresh colostrum contained in early breast milk, and it is possible that reliance on formula feeding can slow down the baby's meconium elimination due to unforeseen gastric intolerance of the formula. Breast milk is the only thing a baby's body is totally prepared to digest in early infancy, whereas formula is designed to nourish babies as a substitute if breast milk is not available.
If a woman wants to breastfeed her baby, it is important that she trusts her body and instincts. Not every baby will put on weight at the same rate, and the baby's expulsion of meconium stools can greatly affect their weight early on. Frequent breastfeeding (minimum every three hours) will help the baby's digestive and immune systems, and will hasten the onset of "full milk" in the breasts.
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