Post by pinktorontogirl on Nov 28, 2006 20:36:51 GMT
If you are using a bottle, either for formula or breast milk, make sure the hole in the teat is big enough to allow a good flow, but not too fast or baby will choke. You may also find using a premature teat helps as they are smaller and fit better into a tiny mouth.
Try rotating the bottle gently whilst the baby is feeding to help release the vacuum that builds up with sucking.
Adding calorie supplements not only helps with weight gain but can also thicken the milk and make it flow slower from a bottle. This in combination with a latex teat with a large hole can make it much easier for baby to feed and load up on those vital calories.
Teats
There are various different teats available, including newborn, slow, medium and fast, which let the milk flow at different rates.
Don't buy a teat that is too large as the milk will flow without baby needing to suck - she simply swallows. Also a too fast flow increases the risk of baby inhaling or choking on the milk.
If your little one has problems sucking try an orthodontic teat, these are designed to resemble a nipple, and will encourage baby to suck properly. Proper sucking exercises strengthens facial and oral muscles which are important later on for speech.
You can check out the range of teats at a pharmacy to see which best suits your baby and experiment with hole size to get the flow right. lf you need advice on appropriate formula for your baby, consult with hospital staff or your paediatrician.
Babies with Down's syndrome may tire quickly while feeding (particularly if there are heart or other health problems) so it may be helpful to give small, frequent feeds to start with.