How to feed IVF normally
IVF babies are successfully conceived through in vitro fertilization. Their nutritional requirements are similar to those of naturally conceived babies. Normal feeding is the key to ensure the healthy growth of IVF. The following will elaborate on the normal feeding of test tube infants from four aspects: breast feeding, formula feeding, complementary food addition and precautions.
breast-feeding
Breast milk is the best food for test tube babies, which helps their immune system develop and prevent infection. Test tube babies usually begin breastfeeding within a few hours after birth. Here are three key points of breastfeeding:
First, establish good nursing skills. IVF babies may need additional support and guidance due to premature birth or other reasons. The mother can consult the doctor or obstetric nurse to learn the correct nursing posture to ensure that the baby can attach and suck correctly.
Secondly, establish regular lactation time. IVF babies may need to eat more frequently at the beginning, but over time, their eating frequency will tend to be normal. The mother should give enough time to suck milk according to the baby's needs. Generally, the duration of each breast-feeding for IVF infants should be between 15-30 minutes.
Finally, encourage timely night feeding. IVF babies may need more frequent night feeding at the beginning, but as they grow, they will eat less at night. The mother can try to reduce the number of times of feeding at night, and cultivate the baby's self pacifying ability at night by extending the feeding interval.
Formula feeding
If breastfeeding is not feasible or suitable for test tube infants, formula is a reliable feeding option. Here are three key points of formula feeding:
First, choose the formula suitable for IVF. Formulas at different stages are suitable for infants of different ages. Mothers should consult doctors or nutritionists to choose the formula suitable for their babies. At the same time, ensure that the baby is fed according to the correct formula concentration and dosage.
Secondly, keep clean. The preparation of formula milk and the cleaning of feeding equipment are very important. Mothers need to ensure that they wash their hands and thoroughly clean feeding utensils, such as feeding bottles and pacifiers, and follow the correct formula making and feeding procedures to prevent bacteria from breeding.
Finally, we advocate proper feeding. Test tube babies have limited stomach capacity, and overfeeding may cause discomfort and digestive problems. The mother should judge the feeding amount according to the feeding amount and signal of the baby to avoid overfeeding.
Add complementary food
With the growth and development of test tube babies, the addition of complementary food is an important step in their normal feeding. The addition of complementary foods should start around 6 months after the baby is born, and gradually introduce different foods. The following are three precautions for adding complementary foods:
First, introduce new food step by step. When adding complementary foods, a single food should be gradually introduced to monitor the baby's food allergy or discomfort. After adding new food each time, observe the baby's reaction and gradually increase the variety and quality of food.
Second, follow the appropriate food texture. At the beginning, the complementary food should be mainly pasty texture, gradually turning to more blocky food. Mothers can use complementary food machines or hand stir food to ensure that the food is suitable for the baby's age and development stage.
Finally, pay attention to balanced nutrition. Complementary foods should provide balanced nutrition, including protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals. Mothers can consult doctors or nutritionists to develop reasonable complementary food plans to ensure that the baby gets comprehensive nutrition.
Summary
Normal feeding is very important for the healthy growth of IVF. Breastfeeding and formula feeding provide reasonable nutrition choices, which depend on the actual situation of the mother and baby. The introduction of complementary foods can meet the baby's growing nutritional needs. No matter what kind of feeding method you choose, you need to pay attention to the baby's food intake, food quality and sanitary conditions to ensure that IVF babies get healthy and balanced nutrition.
