Kangaroo Mother Care A Complete Guide for Mothers and Families 44 The preferred position for the preterm LBW baby is the cross-cradle or football position. Avoid feeding the LBW baby in a lying position. Some babies may feed well with the dancer hold (see picture below) position. Babies should be fed at a fixed schedule of 2-3 hours, in addition to responsive feeding (based on the baby’s hunger cues). Once the baby is of good weight, feeding can be only responsive, but should be at least 8 times per day. Preterm babies and sick babies may not be able to breastfeed immediately after birth. Some babies may even be kept “nil per oral” i.e. no feeding at all with nutrition provided intravenously. The small baby may be started on small amounts of feeding which is gradually increased to full feeds.There may be occasions when feeding is stopped or reduced based on baby’s condition. Awareness that these ups and downs are quite routine help the family deal with the situation more confidently. Preterm/LBW babies need alternative methods of feeding like tube feed, palladai, or cup-feeding.
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