It is never too early to start practicing healthy habits with your baby. The earlier you start these healthy habits, the more your child will expect and crave them. Your child’s diet, energy exertion and sleep patterns are all related.
A great pattern to start from day one is “eat, play, sleep.”
Ideally, when your baby wakes up, you would change their diaper, bring them into daylight, and feed them a full meal. You would then head over for some play time to burn some of the energy they will gain from their meal as well as tucker them out before their next sleep period. You want to avoid feeding your baby to sleep so that your baby doesn’t associate eating with sleep. This will help them establish a difference between eating for comfort and calories.
Full Feedings
If you are breastfeeding, your body produces foremilk and hindmilk. Foremilk is the liquid that comes out first and that quenches your baby’s thirst. Next is the hindmilk which is richer in fat content and that satisfies your baby’s hunger. Your baby needs both parts of milk to receive a well rounded meal. Ensuring that your baby is feeding long enough to get through your entire supply for that meal will also help keep your milk production where it needs to be.
If you are feeding with formula or are doing a combination of breast milk and formula, full feedings are still just as important. You want to make sure your baby is getting the necessary calories to grow at a healthy rate. Full feedings will also help your baby remain happy in between feedings, which will help you narrow down what they need if they get fussy.
Tips for Getting Your Baby To Achieve Full Feedings
- Minimize distractions like people, noises, tv and animals
- Feed when your baby has just woken up, this is when they are most alert
- Don’t let your baby fall asleep while eating. You can tickle their toes, feed in a well lit room, talk to them, etc
While practicing this routine, remember that your baby will grow into it better. Sometimes newborns can’t help but fall asleep during a feeding, regardless of when they last slept. They will become more alert as they get older though and will know what to expect with the habits you have worked hard to establish!
If you need help mapping out age appropriate schedules to help ensure a healthy eat, play, sleep schedule, we are here for you!
