I am breastfeeding my 3 month old baby. Breastfeeding by month - a reminder for moms. Abnormal breastfeeding

The first year of a baby's life is characterized by a rapid pace of development. News appears literally weekly. Most of all it concerns the 3rd month. During this time, the child has already learned a lot. After the baby has adapted to the new conditions of existence, he actively explores the surrounding space and society.

The formation of his body is gaining high rates. Moms highlight the key achievements that the child has achieved at 3 months: development and nutrition are rhythmic and interdependent, the baby becomes stronger, rounded, his movements and some skills improve. The baby's daily routine stabilizes: he eats, sleeps and is awake at approximately the same time, which makes it easier for the mother to plan her affairs.

During the 3rd month, the baby gains about a quarter of its original weight, and its growth adds about a tenth of the former. This happens only in a fairy tale, which speaks of a hero who grows by leaps and bounds. There is an active development of all internal organs and breast systems. Such rapid growth of the baby requires a proper supply of energy to the body. And the sources of energy necessary for the baby are long sleep and sufficient nutrition, which will ensure the extraordinary speed of development of the baby.

The correct sleep of the crumbs during the day lasts 18-20 hours, and during the same time he eats mother's milk, equal to a fifth of his weight. Of course, this is an average. All children are different and grow differently. Mothers should not worry if the baby eats a little more or less. He himself knows how much he needs, and he will be able to convey it to his mother in his own ways. If in the 3rd month the sleep and feeding regimen of the baby is not established, the baby sleeps and eats less than normal, and his weight and height are insufficient, you should urgently consult a doctor.

Height and weight depend on:

• indicators of height and weight at birth;
• genetics;
• gender;
• feeding method.

During the 3rd month, the boy usually adds about 800 g, and the girl 750 g.

Energy for growth is in nutrition

Power 3 month old baby is the main goal and joy in his life. The baby acquires the initial concepts of reality from the conditions in which it grows, and the first ideas about people - from the mother who feeds him. The instinct of hunger is familiar to all living beings, and especially to babies. A chronically malnourished baby will not allow himself to be left hungry, he will demand the necessary portion of food with the help of a cry. Usually the baby wakes up from hunger and cries most often from what she wants to eat. This is easy to determine by how eagerly he catches the nipple or pacifier.

Sucking is hard work for a baby. He puffs, doing a difficult task, even sweats from zeal. It will not be possible to take away his source of food before full saturation comes, otherwise the indignant cry will tell about his appetite. Only having received exactly the volume of milk that is required, he quickly falls asleep. Even sleeping, he continues to smack, as if he is dreaming of continued feeding, and a manifestation of bliss can be seen on his face.

You should not force the baby to eat more milk than necessary. For this reason, he may lose his appetite. Trying to avoid excess food, he will tend to fall asleep early or stubbornly refuse to breastfeed. By this he instinctively protects himself from excesses. But such a situation is fraught with a loss of interest in the feeding process itself and a loss of pleasure from it. Getting food should remain bliss for the baby, and mother - his best friend and nurse. This is an essential factor for the baby's conviction in the trustworthiness of others, which is laid down by the child's diet at 3 months.

How to set up a feeding schedule

A three-month-old baby will feel more comfortable getting used to sleeping and eating at certain hours. Adaptation to the regime is faster with the help of mom. With an increase in the weight of the baby, the time intervals between feedings increase. Supporting the mother in establishing regular feedings and reducing their daily number has great importance. A long wait for food makes an impatient baby suffer, but he will not resist, but, on the contrary, will be very happy if he is gently awakened 3 or 4 hours after the previous feeding.

Babies weighing less than 3 kg usually need a 3-hour interval between meals, and those weighing about 4.5 kg may need 4 hours. A mother can reinforce the stereotype of a 4-hour break between feedings by feeding the baby after 4 hours. Thus, the child's nutrition at 3 months will become stable, in accordance with the regimen. If the baby tries to disrupt the regularity of eating by crying after 2 hours, you can overcome this difficulty by not approaching him for a while and giving him a chance to fall asleep again. If you continue crying, you can give some water to drink. In this way, the baby will adapt to regular breaks in eating.

A mother who feeds her baby as soon as he moves, even if she fed him less than 2 hours ago, develops in the child the habit of eating in small portions, at short intervals. Different children get used to the regimen in different ways, although most of them are already switching to a 4-hour interval from a month old with skipping night feeding.

Learning to follow the regime is not easy, it requires patience and effort.

age diet

The powerful progress that is taking place in the development of a three-month-old baby requires a change in the process of nutrition. The basis, as before, is liquid food: the use of breast milk or artificial mixtures continues. From the age of 3 months, no complementary foods are allowed to be introduced into the diet. Acceleration of growth and physical activity cause an increase in appetite. Because of this, a hard-won or even not-yet-established regimen may collapse in order to resume breastfeeding on demand, which will most likely have to be increased. This is not a reason to be upset, the incentive will be closer contact with the baby and his smiles.

Observing the reaction of a 3-month-old baby gives the mother the opportunity to pay attention to signs of satiety or, conversely, a lack of food. A well-fed baby slows down sucking, turns away from the breast or bottle.

By the end of 3 months, most babies have a time for increased growth. The appetite is also growing. Moms may get the impression that she does not have enough milk, and the baby wants to eat more and more often. Some, on the contrary, turn away from the chest and act up. Breastfeeding is sometimes hampered by the baby's interest in the world around him, when he spins, looking at everything around and distracting himself from the chest.

Unaware of such situations, mothers in a panic turn to complementary foods, what should not be done. A quick-witted baby, realizing that it is much easier to get food from a bottle, completely refuses to breastfeed. It's pretty common cause the fact that three-month-old children switch first to mixed, and later to artificial nutrition.

In reality, there was no less milk, just the baby increased his nutritional needs. This phenomenon is called a lactation crisis. It does not last long, and after a few days passes.

Premature supplementation

Transferring the baby to supplementary feeding will not solve the problem, on the contrary, it will aggravate it. Mixtures are digested much longer and are absorbed worse than mother's milk. A sharp transition to a different composition of food changes the microflora in the intestines of the baby. Returning to breast milk will not return her to her previous state. The intestines of the child are filled with anaerobic microbes, and their reproduction begins. With just one feeding with a mixture per day, irreversible consequences can be achieved.

When introducing supplementary feeding into baby food from 3 months old, its assortment should not be diluted using goat's milk or kefir, which are not adapted food. These products are not suitable for the age of 3 months, they harm children under one year old, increasing the burden on the kidneys and pancreas.

There are situations when breastfeeding is not feasible (medication, illness). In such cases, the child is transferred to food mixtures. Not being able to breastfeed should not make the mother feel guilty. With artificial feeding, pediatricians advise using partly free feeding - a method in which the amount of food is given at the request of the baby, but within limited limits, and fed at a fixed time. At the same time, a little more mixture is poured into the bottle than is required to find out how much food the baby needs. Do not captivate him and feed him if he does not want to.

• give the child water;
• strictly observe the method of preparing the mixture;
• do not advise increasing or decreasing the dose;
• it is strictly forbidden to combine different mixtures;
• it is advisable to pour out the contents of the bottle, which the baby has not finished eating;
• do not recommend force-feeding the baby.

By the age of three months, the child grows up, increases weight and develops. This period is conducive to establishing a diet and sleep for the baby. Mother's milk continues to be the only source of nutrition. Due to the increased needs of the crumbs in breast milk, it is desirable to increase the intervals between feedings. Breastfed babies receive breast milk on demand and are not limited in time at the breast. Doctors advise not to rush with the introduction of supplementary feeding, so as not to harm the health of the baby.

The child at three months has already grown noticeably and gained weight. How much should a baby eat at 3 months to continue to grow well? What to do if the child eats less than the norm and constantly hangs on his chest? Read on for answers to these questions. The main thing is not to rush to follow all the tips at once. It is necessary to carefully analyze them and follow the most rational "way" of feeding the child.

Diet plan for a 3 month old baby

Children at this age should receive one of two types of nutrition: natural mother's milk or adapted milk formula. The use of cow, goat or mare's milk is not welcomed by pediatricians in our country. How much a child should eat at 3 months depends on what he is fed.

Breastfeeding

By the age of three months, an individual diet is already being developed.

The norm of feeding a 3-month-old child: 6-7 meals a day and consumption of 850-900 ml of mother's milk per day.

It is worth considering the features of feeding in the morning. At night, mom sleeps, which means she doesn’t eat. Therefore, breast milk in the morning does not have a high energy value. And when mommy has breakfast, by lunchtime she will have hearty milk.

At night, the baby should not take long breaks between meals, since the hormone prolactin is produced at night, it is he who is responsible for high-quality lactation.

At three months, children drink about 180 ml of the mixture at a time. During the day, you need to switch to five meals a day.

There is an easy way to calculate the required amount of formula for a baby who is 3 months old. on artificial feeding. You need to multiply its weight by 1/7, and you get the daily volume of the mixture. Divide by the number of feedings and get a single dose. For example, the weight of a child is 5460 * 1/7 = 780 ml, this is the amount of food per day; further: 780/5=156 ml.

But in practice, preparing 156 ml of the mixture is extremely difficult, since it is prepared immediately before eating. If the child had enough 150 ml of the mixture during the day, then in the evening, after active games, he may get hungry, and he will not have enough of the usual amount of food. In this case, the addition of 25 ml will not go beyond the daily allowance.

There are exceptions, this applies to children born with a large weight. For them, it is worth making a calculation based on the need for calories per kilogram of weight. At the age of three months, a child spends 115 kcal per 1 kg of weight.

First we calculate daily requirement baby in kcal, based on his weight. Then we calculate the volume of the mixture per day, based on its calorie content according to following formula: calorie requirement per day * 1000 ml, divide the result by the energy value of the mixture (it is indicated on the package).

For example, the weight of a child is 6000 grams. The energy value of the mixture is 650 kcal/l. So 115 * 6 = 690 kcal. Further (690*1000)/650=1062 ml of the mixture per day. We divide this volume into 5 feedings: 1062/5=212 ml is needed for one feeding.

On mixed feeding

First, the child is always offered the breast, and preferably both, so that while he is hungry, he actively eats more wholesome food. If you see that he is not full, then bottle feed.

The volume of the mixture can be different: from 25 ml to 120. Children on mixed feeding do not stay long. This is because mother's milk is difficult to get, and the mixture from the bottle flows almost unhindered. The baby increasingly prefers bottled food and soon switches to artificial feeding.

How to determine that the child is full?

How often should a 3 month old baby eat? How long should feeding last?

With any type of feeding, if the child receives enough food, he, most often, falls asleep. But not only sleep is an indicator of satiety. When the baby drank all the liquid from the bottle or sucked milk from the chest without a trace and does not sleep, but smiles, gurgles and wants to play - this means that he is full and happy.

The duration of feeding can vary between 15-35 minutes. The intervals between meals directly depend on the energy value of mother's milk or formula.

How can you tell if your baby is getting enough milk? If, when feeding with one breast, the baby is not saturated, then he begins to cry and does not stop sucking. Also, the mother should make sure that there is no more milk in the breast she was feeding, and offer another one. Is the baby still hungry? Then you have to bottle feed him.

Babies who get enough milk gain weight. When there is not enough food, the increase will be insignificant. The average rate of increase for the third month reflects this table.

Abnormal breastfeeding

All children are individual from birth. With prematurity, pediatricians absolutely do not respond to many deviations from the norm. And the norms for babies born with a large weight differ significantly from those accepted for average children.

What to do if the child eats less than the norm?

The main thing is not to panic! Poor appetite can provoke anything.

1. Illness, for example, SARS, stomatitis.
2. Changes in environment such as moving house, extended stays, lack of sleep.
3. Climate change, especially a sharp increase in temperature to high numbers in the summer.
4. Change of diet, transition to a new mixture. Or maybe mom ate something inappropriate and the baby does not like the taste of milk.

All these factors have a short-term effect on the change in appetite. But if the baby does not eat well for two days, then you need to see a doctor.

A periodic decrease in lactation for natural reasons occurs 2 times a month, during hormonal surges - this is the period of menstruation and ovulation.

A decrease in lactation due to cyclic changes in a woman's body is not critical and is restored on its own over a couple of days. But there are a few tips that you can follow to improve the lactation process.

Change your diet

Increase the calorie content of your food. For example, increase the volume of meals containing a large number of carbohydrates, primarily cereals.

Analyze water load

The amount of liquid you drink should be at least 2-2.5 liters. What can be consumed? Only natural products: tea, natural juices, plain water.

Drink tea for lactation

Do not forget about teas to improve lactation, which can be purchased at your nearest pharmacy.

Breastfeed more often at night

The more he sucks, the more prolactin is produced by your body and the better your lactation will be the next day.

The child constantly "hangs" on the chest

Very often, the baby loves to sleep under the breast: he is already sleeping, but his mother does not let go. Usually, this is not a sign of a lack of milk. It's just that the baby really likes to be with her mother. But there are also more difficult cases.

Ekaterina, 25 years old, mother of five-month-old Yegor: “At about 3 months, I ran into a problem: morning feeding was so long that it turned into an afternoon snack, and then into lunch. He seems to have eaten, but he doesn’t let me go, he smacks me once or twice for 5 minutes, swallows a little milk and sleeps again. You put him in the crib, and he cries again, looking for me.

Causes

Such behavior in children breastfeeding can start at any age. But most often this is observed at 1 and 3 months. This is due to the lactation crisis.

There is a decrease in the level of lactation against the background of the constantly growing need of the child for milk. Not having eaten enough, he continues to suck and gradually gets the right food.

It must be understood that the need for sucking children must satisfy completely. Therefore, you should not use radical pedagogical techniques, for example, to show who is in charge in the house by putting the baby in the crib to cry alone. positive result from such actions will not.

What to do?

The way out of this situation is simple: give the little man what he wants. Let him suck as much as he needs. To free your mother's hands for household chores, get a sling: both hands are free and the baby is at work.

Can arrange co-sleeping throughout the day and night. In this case, the mother will have the opportunity to rest, recuperate. And then there will be energy to improve lactation. And for household chores it is worth attracting relatives who love to give advice so much.

Karina, 22 years old, mother of a 4-month-old girl: “I heard a lot about slings, about their incredible convenience and benefits. But she was skeptical about them until we began to “hang” on our chest. I was in no hurry to purchase for myself personally, I took it from a friend for a test. And literally the next day I ran to buy. I, like a kangaroo, did everything with her on my chest: I cooked food, and cleaned, and started the washing machine, and even danced.

Diet

When is the best time to feed a 3 month old baby? There is only one answer: it is strictly individual, especially for breastfed children. Some children, thanks to their mother's high-calorie milk, can withstand 6-7 hour intervals (especially at night), others want to eat again after 4 hours.

The diet of a child at 3 months in the afternoon

Babies sleep less at 3 months. During the day, they occupy periods of wakefulness with learning about the world around them, communicating with loved ones, but eating most often occurs according to an individual schedule. The following table shows an approximate feeding schedule for three-month-old babies.

Feeding hours can change for various reasons: late rise, high calorie food, and so on.

Diet at night

Night feeding of a child at 3 months should be three times. Approximate feeding times: at 22:00, 1:30 and 3:30. These are average figures and cannot be considered as a strict rule.

It often happens that a child skips a meal at night. It is not recommended to wake up, hunger will make itself felt, and the baby will wake up on its own, only later.

Fluid requirement

Breastfeeding

Parents often think about what the child's need for liquid is. Modern pediatrics do not recommend giving water to infants under 6 months of age. The only exception is the hot season, when the volume of fluid per day for a 3-month-old baby to drink on average reaches 200 ml. But regular breastfeeding can easily replace this amount of risky liquid.

After conducting research, it was revealed that water washes away the protective mucus that the gastrointestinal tract produces throughout its entire length. Along with water, extraneous microflora enters the intestines, since it is impossible to give absolutely pure water at home.

The baby receives food from the mother from the mother’s clean breast immediately into her small body, and the risk of getting unwanted microorganisms is minimal.

On artificial feeding

For children on artificial and mixed feeding, clean water is necessary. How to calculate the daily rate of fluid? This can be done at the rate of 50 ml per 1 kg of weight. For example, a child weighing 5300 should receive 250 ml clean water. This figure does not include liquid for the preparation of the mixture.

"Prikorm" to be or not to be?

The Union of Pediatricians of Russia together with the National Association of Dietitians, State Universities Child Health and Nutrition In 2009, RAMP developed the “National Program for Optimizing the Feeding of Children of 1 Year of Life in the Russian Federation”.

It clearly states that you can start introducing complementary foods no earlier than 4 months. Until this time, the children's intestines will not be able to break down "adult" food. The small intestine absorbs everything: both useful and harmful.

At 3 months, the child's gastrointestinal tract does not produce all the enzymes, intestinal immunity is not formed. The baby has a very pronounced spoon ejection reflex.

The only reason for the expansion of the diet can be an urgent need for minerals, vitamins and an urgent increase in the energy value of its nutrition.

In practice, such cases are rare, so the diet of children at three months remains almost the same. Only the mode and amount of food consumed change. If your baby is healthy, then all purees are postponed for at least a month.

Conclusion

Breastfed babies at 3 months eat 6-7 times a day and consume about 900 ml of mother's milk. It is important to continue breastfeeding during the lactation crisis. Drinking water to babies is not recommended.

Formula-fed babies receive 180 ml of formula at a time. It is recommended to switch to 5 meals a day. The volume of the recommended daily rate of water is 250 ml, excluding the liquid for preparing the mixture.

A child's body at the age of three months is not physiologically ready for the introduction of complementary foods. Children should remain breastfed or bottle-fed.

Video

Breastfeeding by month - a reminder for moms Breastfeeding - natural and natural food for a child. In the first days after birth, it is necessary to apply the baby to the breast as often as possible. Firstly, it stimulates the active production of milk, and secondly, colostrum (a harbinger of milk, produced in the early days) is the most valuable and useful food for the baby. Perhaps () is not the easiest period in a woman's life, because. to establish lactation, frequent and correct application is necessary. Here, the support of the husband and relatives will be important, because this process will take some time, but only at the beginning. Over time, you will realize that breastfeeding greatly simplifies the life of both mother and child.

In the first, second attachment to the breast, the baby eats away quite a bit of colostrum, about 10-20 ml. This is usually enough to saturate the baby. Colostrum is nutritious, and most importantly, it has a beneficial effect on the immune system and the gastrointestinal tract of the newborn.

Breastfeeding - 1 month

In the first month of life, on average, the baby eats 8-15 times a day, but each child is different. One spends 1.5 hours at the breast, and the other 10 minutes is enough, but after a quarter of an hour he will require the breast again. To maintain lactation, night feedings are required. In the first month, you should not adjust the child to a diet that is convenient for you. The newborn must be applied on demand and given as much time as he needs.

Breastfeeding - 2 months

Some experts say that starting from 3-4 weeks of age, the child should eat at intervals of 3-3.5 hours. In most cases, this is completely unacceptable. At 2 months, the baby's diet is still chaotic and the mother still has to adapt to the rhythm of the crumbs. This is normal, because the child is still very small.

In the period from 2 to 3 months, a nursing woman may face such a problem as a lactation crisis.

Breastfeeding - 3 - 4 months

This is the time when the baby begins to "loom" its own routine. The intervals between feedings become a little longer, including at night. According to the old schemes, complementary foods were introduced at four months. But according to the latest WHO data, healthy. If the baby is fed on demand, then up to the same age there is no need for drinking water.

Breastfeeding - 5 months

At this age, the baby is still exclusively breastfed. At 5 months, children usually begin to show a keen interest in the food that their parents eat. Adults regard this behavior as a signal to.

Breastfeeding - 6 months

From 6 months we introduce the baby to food, we introduce complementary foods. There are many options and schemes for complementary foods. You can start with cereals, vegetable purees or fermented milk products. Every month the child's menu will become more diverse. it is necessary with caution starting with half a teaspoon.

If before there was no need to solder the baby, now is the time to start.
With the introduction of complementary foods, you can intentionally reduce the frequency of attachments if you decide to gradually wean your baby from the breast.

Until what age to feed a child

If the mother has no health problems or contraindications to breastfeeding, then WHO recommends putting the baby to the breast up to 2 years or more. But the opinions of various specialists, doctors on this matter are opposite. Some pediatricians consider feeding up to 6 months - necessary, up to 1 year - desirable, up to 1.5 years desirable, but optional. Until what age, only the mother decides to breastfeed due to her abilities, circumstances and desires. Long-term feeding will only benefit the baby, because the composition of milk changes in accordance with the needs and age of the child. Although the mother may face certain difficulties. This is a constant attachment to the baby, feeding in uncomfortable places, more difficult weaning.

Breastfeeding regimen

Many mothers ask themselves, how often do you need to feed your baby? What should be the mode? To date, there are no specific breastfeeding patterns. World Organization Health (WHO) recommends breastfeeding on demand. However, there are two options for feeding babies - on demand and by the hour. Consider two types.

Feeding by the hour

The hourly feeding scheme was widely used in the twentieth century, when women, after a short maternity leave were forced to return to production, and send their children to nurseries from infancy. The modern rhythm of life is also quite active, but now mothers have a choice and a wide information field.

The essence of feeding on time is to accustom the child from the cradle to discipline, a mode convenient for parents, and to promote early socialization. During the day, the baby is applied to the breast every 3 hours. The night interval should be 6 hours. According to this scheme, after 2-3 months, the interval between daytime applications should be 3.5-4 hours, and the nighttime one will increase by an hour. This method has many disadvantages, and from the pros - a mode that is not so easy to come by this way. After all, if a newborn has a need for food, then it is unlikely that something will work to replace it. What about watching a screaming baby for 3 hours? Psychologically, this type of feeding has Negative influence for both mother and baby.

First of all, women who suffer from feeding by the hour. It is known that lactation is improving due to frequent applications. And the less often feeding, the worse milk is produced. The likelihood that over time it will disappear is great.

Also, the baby does not have time to be saturated. The sucking process requires effort from him, and even a hungry child can fall asleep from not eating the required amount of milk. If this situation repeats and you have to constantly wait for the next feeding for 3-4 hours, then this will entail a number of consequences, such as sleep disturbances, increased excitability, and weight loss. To date, most pediatricians do not recommend hourly feeding, especially at an early age..

Feeding on demand

An alternative to a strict regime is feeding on demand. This is a natural way of feeding for newborns, especially the first month of life.

Feeding on demand has many benefits.

- the probability of mastitis in the mother decreases, the uterus is actively contracting;
- Mom decides when to wean the baby from the breast, milk does not disappear suddenly;
- the child normally gains weight, receives all the necessary nutrients;
- most children who are breastfeeding on demand do not take a pacifier and do not need it;
- there is no need to supplement the child up to 6 months;
- children who are on natural breastfeeding are calmer, have the opportunity for long and frequent contact with their mother.

Of course, every method has negative sides so, for example, a baby who receives a breast on demand can use it to satisfy the sucking reflex. As the baby grows up, the boundaries of personal space are erased from the mother, and the child may also require breasts in public place. Weaning can be a longer and more painful process. But in everything you should look for golden mean. If a mother, for example, is going to wean her baby from the breast by the year, then it makes sense 3-4 months before the intended age to gradually switch to feeding by the hour, increasing the intervals between them.

How much milk does a baby need?

The answer to this question lies not in grams and milliliters, but in the behavior and well-being of the child.. A baby who has enough milk is gaining weight well, at least 600 grams per month, and is active during waking hours. Starting from the middle of the first month, the number of urination is at least 12 times a day (we carry out a wet diaper test). When applied to the breast, by weighing before and after feeding, you can find out how much milk the baby eats. Of course, if there is a need for it or it is the recommendation of your pediatrician.

If a mother has to feed a child, then there are recommendations appropriate for age.

A baby who does not completely eat milk from the breast will feel hungry much earlier. "Far milk" is more nutritious, and saturates the body of the crumbs well. Before giving a second breast, make sure that there is no milk left in the first.

What to do if there is not enough milk?

- put the baby to the chest more often, do it right;
- make sure that he completely eats milk from one breast;
- do not drink the child unnecessarily;
- give up the pacifier;
- do not tear the baby from the chest;
- do not give up night feedings;
- for good lactation, the mother must rationally, observe the drinking regimen, rest;
- do not panic, there may be a lack of milk - this is a lactation crisis, which will pass in 2-3 days.

If the mother still feels that the baby does not have enough milk - he is restless, urination is less than normal, then it is necessary to inform the pediatrician about this. With insufficient weight gain, the doctor may prescribe supplementary feeding with a mixture. But you should not refuse GW, because. supplementary feeding - can be a temporary measure.

mixed feeding

Sometimes, for some reason, pediatricians prescribe formula supplementation. How to organize it correctly so as not to lose lactation?

A healthy baby should first be breastfed on demand. Only after the complete "eating" of mother's milk, the baby can be offered a mixture. If the mother has a desire to keep lactation as long as possible or the introduction of the mixture is a temporary measure, then many experts recommend supplementing the baby with a spoon so that he does not get used to the nipple and bottle.

Feed on demand or by the clock? How long to feed? Only a mother can answer these and many other questions. She has the right to choose and a lot of different information that will help in making the right decision.

By three months, the baby has an approximate daily routine. The desire to maintain the correct alternation of wakefulness and sleep, feeding and bathing streamlines the life of the baby, contributing to its development and good health. The daily routine of breastfed children has its own characteristics, but practically does not differ from the regimen of artificial babies. Today we will consider the nuances of each of the options separately.

Approximate daily routine of a child at 3 months

A three-month-old baby becomes calmer than in previous months, which pleases parents. He practically does not confuse day and night, rarely wakes up at night. By this age of the baby, the mother already has time to understand how important it is to observe the daily routine by the hour and stick to it. Ignoring sleep norms and not following the meal schedule will not work - in this case, sooner or later, alarming consequences may occur in the form of whims, overexcitation of the child and deterioration in the health of the baby.

Breastfeeding regimen

Each mother can make certain adjustments to the selected schedule by the hour, taking into account the individual characteristics of her child and taking care of him. But it is very important to follow the sequence of actions of the regime, as well as the duration of the procedures, in order to develop in the baby the habit of waking up and eating at the same time.

The mode of babies on artificial and mixed feeding

On alternative types feeding in the mode of the child may increase the intervals between meals. This is due to the fact that the mixture is digested longer, and in a child, the feeling of hunger comes later on average by 1 hour than in children on breastfeeding.

A healthy baby on artificial and mixed feeding should sleep calmly and soundly at any time of the day. If the baby not only does not sleep, but also often cries, then the mother should suspect something was wrong and seek advice from a pediatrician.

Important! Although 3 months is exactly the period when the intestinal colic in the baby passes, and the teeth have not yet begun to be cut, there can be many reasons for concern in the baby.

Sleep of a 3 month old baby

A three-month-old baby sleeps at least 15-16 hours a day. Of these, about 10 hours fall on night sleep, and the remaining 6 - on the day. After 12 weeks of life, sleep duration undergoes changes. The baby begins to sleep less during the day, spending more time awake. By six months of life, the duration of daily sleep will be reduced to 14 hours.

Baby sleep at 3 months (video):

The basic norms of sleep for a child of three months of life

Basic rules for a comfortable sleep of the baby

• The air temperature in the room where the child sleeps should be 18-22 degrees. The influx of fresh air will help the baby fall asleep faster, so it is advisable to ventilate the room before rocking. Keep an eye on the humidity of the air, especially during the heating season. In keeping optimal humidity a compact humidifier or a wet towel to hang indoors will help.
• sometimes healthy sound sleep an unsatisfied sucking reflex may interfere. When laying down the baby, you can give him a pacifier, and he will soon fall asleep. If the baby does not recognize the pacifier, then you can lull the baby by rocking it in your arms or stroking its back. Breastfeeding babies usually get their mother's breasts to sleep.
• It is better to place a bed for sleeping a three-month-old child in the bright part of the room, but not closer than a meter from the windows and the battery. Don't put the baby to bed Stuffed Toys and other objects in which he can bury his face during sleep.
• Regardless of the time of year, carry out daily wet cleaning in the child's nursery. If the sleeping room is cool, do not use open coil heaters or models with fans. They are unsafe and burn oxygen, which will affect the quality of your baby's sleep. Give preference to convection heaters.

What can affect the strength and duration of sleep?

Breastfeeding and artificial feeding at 3 months

With an eye on the regimen, a baby whose mother practices breastfeeding should receive mother's milk 6 times a day. Daily rate The consumption of breast milk for a child at 3 months is about 800 ml per day.

At the age of three months, “on demand” feedings should be gradually replaced with the help of the daily routine, adhering to the intervals between feedings of three hours. During this time, breast milk is completely digested by the body.

Important!With too frequent application, as in the first months of life, the baby runs the risk of oversaturating his fragile stomach. This will lead to the fact that the body can not cope with a large volume of milk and react to it with an allergic reaction.

If the baby is fed formula milk, then it is necessary to take care of his regimen as early as possible.

• At first, given that artificial feeding is established gradually, it is better to feed the child 7 times a day with an interval of three hours (well, if you can withstand a break at night at 6 hours). Mixed feeding also applies to this paragraph, equating to artificial, and requires compliance with similar intervals in feeding.
• When it becomes noticeable to the mother that the child does not have time to get hungry in three hours, you can try to increase the interval between feedings to 3.5 hours. After 4 months, you can try to gradually reach a 4-hour break.

The daily routine of a child at three months - mom's experience (video):

Hygiene procedures for a three-month-old

Caring for an infant includes the obligatory ritual of the following procedures:

1. morning wash,
2. washing when changing a diaper;
3. evening swimming.

washing

Morning washing is carried out immediately after the baby woke up. His face is wiped with a cotton pad dipped in warm water, cleansing the eyes, nose, cheeks and neck. Do not forget about the skin behind the ears - sometimes milk flows there, and the skin there must be kept clean to prevent diaper rash.

Bathing

The bathing procedure is usually carried out in the evening, when the whole family is gathered. It is convenient to bathe a child with a baby bath with an inclination, or with a special hammock so that you can comfortably place the baby in it. It is also not forbidden to wash the baby in a large bath, putting a special circle around the child's neck. It will allow the baby to stay on the water without the help of mother's hands, and be completely safe in the water.

Washing away

Changing the diaper every time, you should wash the inguinal area of ​​the baby under running water and thoroughly dry all the folds with a towel. Then you need to apply baby cream or powder under the new diaper. They will help to avoid the appearance of skin irritations or diaper rash on delicate skin.

Gymnastics and massage at three months

Massage

Massage for children at the age of three months is carried out by the mother, or by a special massage therapist as prescribed by the doctor. In this age restorative massage neurologists often prescribe to young patients to relieve muscle tone and prepare the spine for acquiring upcoming skills - turning over, sitting, crawling.

• Breast massage is done after sleep. The child should be calm, be in a cheerful state of mind and be full.
• Touches should be soft, almost weightless. Stroking in a circular motion fingers, you need to massage the palms, feet, legs, back and tummy of the baby.
• For a comfortable procedure, the hands of the adult conducting the massage should be lubricated with baby oil during the process. The child needs to remove the diaper during the massage and put it on the diaper.
• The massage time is 10-15 minutes. Massage is combined with air baths. The room should be warm enough so that the baby does not freeze.

Gymnastics

Gymnastics for a three-month-old baby mainly includes exercises for alternating flexion and extension of the limbs.

• An effective exercise is to spread the legs (knees) to the sides. It helps prevent hip dysplasia.
• The child needs to take the handles, gently lift them up, then spread them wide apart and finally cross them in front of the chest.
• After the procedure, be sure to lay the child in a horizontal position lying on his stomach. If morning exercises give the child pleasure, it is worth giving it 10-15 minutes daily.

Walking with a 3 month old baby

"The sun, air and water are ours best friends!" It is these three faithful "comrades" who should surround the child as often as possible from the first days of life. The job of parents is to organize daily walks for their child. With a three-month-old baby in a stroller, you can go for a walk in the courtyard of a city high-rise building, a square or a park nearby. In summer, the list of places for walking is replenished with trips to the country house, to the forest, to the river, the sea, etc. What rules of conduct should be on a walk with a baby in different times of the year? We have displayed them for your convenience in the table.

• Watching the behavior of your baby, try to understand in what mode his body lives. This can be seen by paying attention to the activity of the child, when it is more pronounced - in the morning or in the evening. Thinking through the schedule by the hour, consider these features.
• If you do not know where exactly to start establishing a regimen, start with feedings. Organized meals have a lot of benefits. Accustomed to eating at the same time, gastric juice and saliva begin to be produced in the body, thanks to which milk is well absorbed and brings satiety to the baby, as well as good health.
• For some babies, it turns out that they themselves develop a sleep, wakefulness and feeding schedule for themselves thanks to their “internal clock”. Other children, on the contrary, can take a long time to get used to a new daily routine, confuse day with night and live in complete chaos. A stable framework and predictability of the regime can be established for more than one month, up to a year. Your task is to be patient parents, everything has its time.

The question of whether new foods can be included in the diet begins to bother some parents from the age of three months of the baby. If a breastfed baby is gaining weight well, complementary foods should be postponed until 6 months of age. In other cases, familiarity with the products earlier is allowed. If complementary foods start at three months, even more attention should be paid to what the baby will eat.

The doctor may prescribe complementary foods at 3 months for a child who is breastfed, according to special indications. These include slow weight gain, lack of breast milk, or certain diseases of the child, such as anemia.

There are certain rules and regulations, compliance with which is simply necessary with the early introduction of products into the diet.

A detailed diagram will help you figure out how to get acquainted with new products.

Starting complementary foods with juice is recommended for breastfed children who do not have weight problems. It is better to start giving an apple or pear drink. The first time, a few drops are enough. Juice can not be given in its pure form, it is recommended to dilute it with water in a ratio of 1: 1. If the body has taken the first dose, then you can add a portion in the following days.

If the baby is overweight, then complementary foods can be started with vegetable or fruit purees.

Preference is given to products that have a soft color. From vegetables, zucchini should be given first, cauliflower, broccoli. From fruits, it is better to start with a green apple and a pear.

Before cooking vegetables, they need to be washed, scalded with boiling water, peeled and seeds, cut into small slices. Boil in water until softened. Do not add salt and sugar. After the vegetables are cooked, they need to be chopped. By the end of the week, the volume of fruit or vegetable puree should be 50-55 grams.

Porridge is recommended to be introduced into the menu of those children who slowly add valuable grams. You can give cereals that do not have gluten protein in their composition. This component causes disease small intestine(celiac disease) and develops a tendency to allergies. An ideal choice would be buckwheat or rice groats. You need to cook porridge in water.

If the baby has a tendency to constipation, then you should not give him dishes with rice too often, since this cereal has a fixing effect.

This is an approximate menu scheme for a breastfed child who is three months old.

1. Mornings should definitely start with breast milk. The baby should suck out about 200 ml. The first breakfast is at 6 am.
2. Second breakfast at about 10 o'clock. The baby is fed breast milk (180 ml) and offered juice (20 ml).
3. Lunch at 14 o'clock should be dense, so you can include vegetable puree - about 55 g, juice - 20 ml, breast milk - 120 ml.
4. For dinner, you can offer fruit puree - about 30 ml, and mother's milk - 170 ml.
5. Before going to bed (22 hours), be sure to attach the baby to the chest. It is not necessary to feed the baby with anything other than breast milk at this time of the day.

A 3 month old baby may need to feed more than five times a day, especially one who is breastfed. And almost all babies wake up for night feeding, and more than once.

A breastfed baby at this age is difficult to get used to adult food. He compares all products with breast milk. You can not force him to eat or immediately give up in case of refusal.

For example, on the first day, you can give a drop of juice. On the second day, you can increase the amount of juice to two drops. By the third day, the food will become familiar and less likely to be rejected by the baby. If this does not happen, then you can give a couple of drops for a few more days.

The introduction of complementary foods earlier than 5 months is classified as early. You can't decide anything on your own. The doctor will tell you if there is a need to get acquainted with adult food. In addition, he will tell you which product to start feeding a child who is breastfeeding with. The doctor considers:

• age of the baby (he must be 3 months old);
• type of feeding (artificial or natural);
• the child's interest in food that is on the plate in adults;

• the baby does not push the spoon away if you bring it to your mouth;
• after breastfeeding, saturation does not occur, and the baby wants supplements;
• baby's health status.

Breastfeeding should not go by the wayside. Breast milk should not be discarded, even if it is not enough. You need to make every effort to establish lactation.

Mom should breastfeed as long as possible. Breast milk contains all the nutrients necessary for the full development of the baby, and antibodies that protect his body from various infections.

At the time of the introduction of complementary foods, the mother must take into account some points.

• After the introduction of the product, you need to monitor the condition of the child. The reaction may appear not only on the first day, but also on the third as the volume of the product increases.
• The first dish must be one-component. You can not feed several new foods at the same time.
• On average, it takes from 7-10 days to a whole month to get acquainted with a new product.
• The consistency of the dish should be as close as possible to breast milk.

• Feed with a spoon. It should not be metal and small. Such feeding will ensure the development of chewing and swallowing skills.
• It is impossible to introduce complementary foods if the baby is sick, naughty, or vaccinations are provided.
• Acquaintance with a new product should be carried out in the morning, so that there is more opportunity to observe the behavior and condition of the child.

It is forbidden to give a child seafood, vegetables and bright-colored fruits, especially red ones (tomatoes, raspberries, red apples) at 3 months. Do not give cow and goat milk, as well as chicken or quail eggs.

Difficult to comprehend digestive system there will also be products such as meat, cottage cheese and other dairy products.

An undesirable reaction from the body of a child can manifest itself as follows:

• stool disorder;
• inflammatory diseases of the digestive system;
• the appearance of a rash;
• frequent, profuse regurgitation;
• the child may experience colic and increased formation of gases in the abdomen;
• immunity decreases and susceptibility to infectious diseases increases;
• tendency to allergic reactions at an older age;
• not following the correct feeding technique can lead to the fact that the child will choke or choke;
• complementary foods lead to a decrease in appetite.