Question

The baby is two months old and drinks milk 5 to 7 times a day, consuming 500 to 800 milliliters in total, with each feeding around 50 to 70 milliliters, occasionally up to 110 milliliters, but has not increased the milk intake for a long time. Two months ago, the milk intake increased from 10 milliliters to 70 milliliters, and at discharge from 70 milliliters to 120 milliliters, but now there has been no further increase. Even though the baby can’t eat more, bowel movements and urination are normal. Recently, after switching from an Abbott stage to an a2 stage, the weight gain has slowed down, increasing by only 0.2 kilograms every four days. I am worried that the baby’s growth has suddenly slowed down. Is it due to the formula milk, or is it related to the pediatrician’s advice to supplement iron and blue bottle calcium?

Answer

The principle of breastfeeding is to breastfeed on demand. As long as the child’s growth and development are normal, with normal bowel movements and no other abnormal symptoms, there should not be too much deviation in feeding. The growth and development speed of newborns is fastest within one month after birth, followed by three months later, gradually slowing down. Growth and development is a continuous process and may also have plateau periods. Children are prone to iron deficiency after four months old, so iron supplements can be appropriately added. For children under one year of age,