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Nursing mothers and alcohol consumption - 

Once upon a time doctors used to recommend nursing mothers to drink stout or other strong alcoholic drinks, but now that the effects of alcohol on the system of adults and babies has been studied carefully, it has been proved that stout and other forms of alcohol are of no particular value as milk producers.

These days, the whole of the medical profession, except perhaps a few old-fashioned practitioners, are convinced that the money that was once spent by nursing mothers on stout is much better spent on milk. Many authorities now consider that alcohol consumption, by a nursing mother is detrimental for the child.

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Healthy feeding for babies - 

It’s important to teach a baby regular habits from the beginning. Though it may be difficult to maintain a strict schedule with a newborn, the best behavioral results are obtained by absolute regularity in the hours of feeding, and by providing long intervals between the feedings. A baby's stomach needs some rest, just like an adult’s.

The advice usually given is to feed at first every three hours during the day, and not at all during the night. Under this system the best hours are 6 a.m., 9 am.,12 midday, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., and 9 p.m. Ideally, both mom and baby should sleep soundly between 9 in the evening and 6 o'clock the next morning, but this will vary for every new mom.

When a mother is unable to nurse, bottle feeding is the next recourse. Milk and bottles should be cleaned and sanitized as best as possible. And fortunately, there are a great variety of baby-safe cleaners and sanitizers on the market these days.

In special circumstances when a baby can’t consume milk, consult a doctor, nurse, or another neonatal care expert about safe feeding alternatives. There are plenty of food options for infants that can be recommended, but it is best to get a professional opinion before making any drastic changes to an infant’s diet. In any case nursing mothers should remember that none of these foods is a substitute for milk, but merely an accessory to be used in conjunction with it.

When babies begin teething, a tough crust may be given with one or more of the milk feeds, to which a little barley or rice may be added. A little fruit juice in pure water is also okay between meals. Infants can only learn gradually how to digest solid food. Before any solid food is given to them they must pass through a stage of bread pap smoothly mixed with milk; and then one of plain bread and milk. 

There’s no guarantee a newborn will latch on at first feeding or that a baby will fall asleep every night at the same time. One thing that is certain, though, is that every baby and every mother is different. If nursing doesn’t go exactly as expected, it’s okay. Stressing out because you fed your baby half an hour earlier than usual won’t be beneficial to your or your baby’s health. All anyone can ask of a new mom is that she tries her best to maintain her health and her baby’s health and to remember that everyone’s “best” might look a little different.

Related Article: How to Take Good Care of Your Newborn Baby