Is there a real need to keep the baby a column after feeding, or is it all remnants of Soviet medicine? To get an answer to this question, let's look a little at the physiology of breastfeeding.
Where are the roots of the strange advice about carrying a baby after feeding, which gives a huge number of pediatricians?
Among all the species of mammals that exist in the world, not a single female after feeding changes the position of the body of the cub in order to get rid of excess air in the stomach. It would be logical to assume that if such a need existed and was a prerequisite for survival, for such a long period of evolution, this action would necessarily be entrenched in the subconscious and would be carried out at the level of instincts. However, this is not.
Artificial feeding in Soviet times
Probably, it all started from the Soviet era, when regime feeding was common. Maternity leave for mothers lasted 3 months, after which the babies were given in a nursery, where they were fed with a mixture, and then held in a column so that the child could burp the excess. This helped to avoid overfeeding, since it is difficult to calculate the individual food needs of each child on artificial feeding.
The baby’s tiny stomach is simply not able to contain a whole bottle of the mixture, but you need to eat, because according to the schedule, the next feeding occurs only after 3 hours. In addition, the nipples quite often had very large holes, which is why the mixture was swallowed with air.
The physiology of breastfeeding
When breastfeeding, application is carried out at the request of the baby, and this procedure can occur more than 4 times per hour. Therefore, the mother simply does not have time to keep the baby in a column every time after feeding. Also, when breastfeeding, it is impossible to overfeed the child, since composition of breast milk It is selected in such a way that it is suitable for regular applications. And with proper application, the problem of air entering the stomach can be eliminated.
We also read: how to apply the baby to the chest
Unlike artificial mixtures, mother’s milk practically does not stay in the stomach and, thanks to its enzymes, is completely absorbed through the intestinal wall.
Nature also made sure that the fat back milk did not reach the baby immediately, but only after prolonged application, lasting more than 20 minutes. Thanks to the sedative components that make up it, it soothes the baby, after which it falls asleep directly on the chest during feeding. And this is a natural process.
Much more anxiety needs to be shown if the baby does not fall asleep during breastfeeding. It is necessary to figure out what worries the baby and prevents him from relaxing and falling asleep peacefully with his mother’s chest in his mouth.
Let the baby fall asleep under the chest
And now, having learned a little more about the physiology of breastfeeding, answer the question: how does mom need to keep the column in this process?
After breastfeeding, the baby falls asleep calmly. Mom, exhausted by the new mode of life, can also relax with the baby or do household chores without being distracted by the child. But, following the doctor’s recommendations, it is necessary to keep the child in a column to let out excess air.
A disturbed baby wakes up instantly, is naughty, perhaps even spits up most of what I just ate, and again begins to demand the chest. And it is completely incomprehensible whether to feed him again or rock him? After all, mom is scared and underfeeding the child, and feed him too much. And there is no one to answer all these questions and dispel doubts gnawing a young mother.
If, after feeding, the baby is allowed to quietly fall asleep and his position is not changed, the situation will look completely different. The child will eat well, sleep well and be less capricious.
Irena: And I’m so sorry for my son to keep a column ... .. He falls asleep so sweetly with tit (tit). I don’t want to shift to the crib, so as not to wake up, not to mention the column.
Therefore, we strongly recommend that nursing mothers not to harass either themselves or the baby, and let him sleep peacefully after feeding. Even if there is excess air in the stomach, it will come out when, after waking up, you will carry the baby in your arms.
Whether to lay the baby on the tummy
Another incomprehensible recommendation is to spread the crumb on the tummy so that it learns to hold the head. We do not advise you to put your child in such a position until he can’t roll over yourself. It is believed that in this position the baby does not feel comfortable: it seems that he was either left somewhere, or he fell. Children can hold the head from birth, but at first they have difficulty coordinating it. It is much more effective to properly carry the baby in her arms, without supporting her head.
Particular attention should be paid to ensure that the baby does not fall asleep on his stomach. The direct relationship of the child’s position on the stomach with the syndrome of sudden infant death is scientifically proven.
As a mommy of 2 children, I can say with confidence that it all depends on the children themselves. My first boy simply demanded to hold him in a column and could not fall asleep without this procedure. By the way, he fell asleep in an upright position, apparently. it was easier for him. and the second completely refused any “columns”, because his body itself coped with the air accumulated in the stomach. so listen more to your baby and they will be healthy!
I agree with the opinion that you don’t need to keep the column, because really, the baby falls asleep at the chest, and doctors recommend keeping it for almost 30 minutes! And when is mom doing things? At night, this is generally a mockery of mummies! In addition, I have noticed many times that even after a column the baby sometimes spits milk, so why torment him and his mother? But on the tummy you need to lay it out for a short while, when you just carry it on your hands, it holds its head quite wrong, just be near the baby!
Two children. From my own experience I was convinced that this is very individual. The first daughter was always kept in a column after feeding, now with a little son it is not required at all, immediately falls asleep. Dear mothers, just feel the condition of the baby after each feeding and the question will disappear itself.
The article certainly impresses, because my baby also does not sleep after the column, but after the chest sleeps. But having experience with other similar “reasonings”, such as what is given at the beginning of the article (“not a single mammal ..”), it causes concern and reckoning on hype and simplification, such as raw food diet, etc.
“It has been scientifically proven that laying out on the tummy ...” - please provide links to scientific publications - is it interesting to look at just your words or is it really proven?