Mixed breastfeeding refers to feeding your child at the same time within And by bottle, with breast milk and infant milk. Young mothers who practice mixed breastfeeding everyone often asks the same question: how many bottles and feedings should my baby take per day? We'll explain everything to you to start this beautiful milky adventure with peace of mind!
The different breastfeeding choices
Among the questions that race through women's heads when their baby is born, there is one that will govern their daily life as a mother: how breastfeed your child well ? Whether for reasons of convenience, contextual, or professional, some women are moving towards a replacement breastfeeding.
This desire can be complementary to thenatural breastfeeding, or an exclusive breastfeeding method. In both cases, know the functioning of one's own milk is the key. Indeed, in order to begin the phase of mixed breastfeeding, then possibly 100% artificial milk, the watchword is not to skip steps.
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The three hormonal phases of breastfeeding
To facilitate the implementation of mixed breastfeeding, it is important to understand the different phases of lactation process.
Prolactin
Like other mammals, the woman who has just given birth naturally sees her breasts produce milk. This phenomenon is caused by a hormone, prolactin. It acts on the mammary gland by triggering the lactation, that is to say, the fact that the mother's chest becomes engorged with milk.
Oxytocin
From this moment, a second hormone comes into play, oxytocin. Certainly, it is good for the mother to be supplied with milk. But this milk still needs to reach the child. This is the role of oxytocin: to allowejection of milk, via the nipple.
Progesterone
A subsidiary question that future affected people may be asking themselves: why, during pregnancy, does the mother not yet have a milk supply? While her breasts swell and timidly begin to produce milk in the third trimester? Here again, it is thanks to the action of a hormone, that of plasma progesterone, which inhibits the secretion of prolactin. At birth, the expulsion of the placenta gives the green light for the drop in progesterone triggers breastfeeding.
The nutritional contributions of breast milk
Nature is therefore well done, since the different actions are coordinated like a Swiss clock. The same goes for the nutritional qualities specific to this milk, divided into 3 phases:
1/ Colostrum (aka yellow milk)
First of all breast milks, it owes its nickname to its yellowish color. Produced at the end of pregnancy in anticipation of the big event that is looming, as well as in the first days postpartum, colostrum is the milk that the newborn discovers.
Thick, it is rich in nutrients and antibodies. Fatty acids, vitamins and mineral salts are also part of its composition. This makes colostrum a powerful ally against the risk of infections. Don't panic if you feel like you have a low quantity, it's normal. Go to the next phase for the real ones milk surges.
2/ Transitional milk
Less dense than its predecessor, this milk takes over from colostrum from the 3rd or 4th day. This is when the milk comes in and tightens the skin of the breasts. This second milk, with cream tones, is secreted for 10 to 12 days.
Good bacteria And bioactive components are still present, to consolidate the infant's flora. In terms of nutritional intake, these are the lipids And lactoses which are gaining ground, with increasing rates, in the same way as whey and proteins. Note that, during this period, the mother produces on average 650 ml of milk per day.
3/ Mature milk
Composed of more of water, mature milk is definitive milk. It's been a fortnight since baby arrived and, to feed him, the mother's body adapts to his long-term nutritional needs. The composition of milk changes as the baby grows.
Intended to be consumed by the baby until weaning, this milk produced "on demand", is secreted continuously. But, its production increases if the feedings are frequent.
Conversely, milk production dries up if lactation is not sufficiently stimulated. THE milk pumping in addition can be a solution to maintain lactation.
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Beyond contributing to the child's good immune system, the objective of mature milk is toensure its growth.
Mixed breastfeeding: how to do it?
How many times to breastfeed per day?
On average, a newborn breastfeeds 8 to 12 times per 24 hours. And this, during the First 3 weeks of existence. After a pregnancy tinged with short nights, the challenge that now awaits mothers is to punctuate their days and nights by following feedings.
However, this depends on the storage capacity of the mother. Because to breastfeed, there must be milk available. The maximum volume contained can also change over the course of pregnancies.
How long between each feeding?
Concerning the spacing of feedings, it is estimated that respect a minimum of one hour is sufficient. In fact, the breast produces a milk ration in one hour and that it is precisely digested in… an hour! In addition, the infant's sleep cycle would also be one hour. An alignment of the planets that will certainly make mothers who dream of their child sleeping 60 consecutive minutes smile.
In any case, in the early stages of breastfeeding, it is wise to respect a rhythm corresponding to your baby. This is what will condition your body and help it get its bearings.
Skin to skin: a crucial action on breastfeeding
Not to be overlooked, the skin to skin is much more than a simple transitory action. Perceived as the way of bringing the baby to make contact with the outside world gently, via skin contact with his parents, it has much broader virtues.
Laying naked on the equally bare skin of its mother, as well as of the partner, the infant can count on its senses to bring about a succession of small and large phenomena. Promoting the maternal bond, in the same way as the paternal bond, skin to skin has above all a direct action on breastfeeding. It increases the secretion of oxytocin and therefore allows the ejection of milk.
Caesarean section and breastfeeding, is it possible?
Quid Caesarean women? Not necessarily. You have to adapt a little differently than in the case of a vaginal birth. But, the cause and effect logic of lactation remains the same.
Once is not customary, it is the father who has the primacy of skin to skin with the baby. The mother's turn comes either in the recovery room or when she has returned to her room. If it is possible for you to do skin-to-skin in the cesarean section, and the room temperature and organizational conditions allow it, this is still the best option.
According to a 2018 American study, carried out in a Florida hospital: “ Women who experienced skin-to-skin care in the cesarean section initiated breastfeeding with their baby 9.4 times more often than those who did not. ».
As long as we are still in the first 6 hours of the newborn's life, he or she is sufficiently awake for a slightly delayed skin-to-skin procedure to in no way alter the expected result.
In the following days thechildbirth, latching requires more effort. There fatigue and the scar pain can sometimes be intense. They can make movement difficult, even just to hold your baby. Don't worry, midwives, spouse and entourage should be more than willing to give you a helping hand.
Mixed breastfeeding: finding the right balance
Tips for introducing breast milk and formula
Mixed breastfeeding is the act of introducing a artificial milk in infant nutrition, in addition to breast milk. Be careful not to opt for mixed breastfeeding from birth, but rather after 4 weeks. This ensures that natural lactation is properly initiated. It is in fact difficult, if not impossible, to reactivate lactation if it is abandoned too early.
After a month you can alternate with complementary milk. It is considered that your lactation will have been sufficiently stimulated for the body to register that it will be able to continue to produce milk afterwards.
How to maintain good lactation?
The more the baby suckles, the more receptors are activated in the mammary corola. We thus adhere to perfect respect for supply and demand. This mixed breastfeeding must therefore be dosed judiciously, by finding the right combination and not skipping steps, to ensure that you have a natural lactation that does not become depleted.
It will be emphasized in this regard that, if we cannot respect the minimum recommended duration of breastfeeding, we must know that all natural breastfeeding, even fleeting, is good to take for infants.
Advice, therefore, to women coming up against a return to work which will stop breastfeeding early: get started, even if it only lasts a few days, or a few weeks! Despite the constraints, a electric breast pump could be a good option to continue giving breast milk to your baby.
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To conclude, when it comes to breastfeeding, it's all about finding the right balance. Not only the one recommended, but the one that suits you.
