Do you worry about your baby?
What have you been told about feeding her?
How is feeding going?
What and how are you feeding your baby?
What happened in the hospital can make your baby touchy about eating. Tubes, suctioning, and respirators all teach babies that a new mouth feeling can hurt. After she gets home, she is still scared of a new nipple, a new formula, starting spoon-feeding, or your trying to get her to eat more than she wants. She needs time and care to learn to enjoy eating.
It might be hard to get on her wavelength. She could have trouble waking up to eat. Then she could get so upset it is hard for her to eat well.
Your baby will eat best if you let her do her part with feeding. Don’t try to follow a schedule. Don’t try to get her to eat a certain amount. Even though she is tiny, she can show you when she is hungry and when she is full.
Here’s how to use time and care to help your tiny baby eat well:
- While she is still in the hospital, try to see that she gets to nipple feed or suck on a pacifier. She will do better than if she doesn’t.
- Settle on one nipple and stick with it. She is afraid the new nipple will hurt her.
- Use the formula your health worker suggests. Don’t switch from one formula to another. A new formula is scary to her.
- Expect her hunger and full signs to be unusual. When she is hungry she may become stiff, arch her back, or lose interest in talking and playing. When she is full she may get fussy.
- Don’t get pushy when you feed her. Let her do her part. Touch her cheek or show her the nipple and wait for her to open up.
- Help her stay calm and awake while she eats. Keep the feeding smooth and steady. Look at her. Talk quietly in a voice that keeps her comfortable. Don’t jiggle or tickle.
- Stop feeding when she shows she is finished.
- Wait to start solid food until she shows she is ready. Don’t be in a rush. Take time to enjoy nipple feeding.
