Question

A nurse is providing client education to a postpartum client who has decided to bottle-feed the newborn. What key points should the nurse include in the education?

Answer 1

The nurse should include key points about breast milk composition, the benefits of breastfeeding, and proper feeding techniques in the client education for a postpartum client who has decided to bottle-feed the newborn.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should include the following key points in the education:

1. Breast milk composition: Explain that breast milk changes in composition during the first days of lactation and within a single feeding. Colostrum, produced in the first postpartum days, provides immunoglobulins that increase the newborn's immune defenses. Transitional milk and mature breast milk are ideally suited to each stage of the newborn's development.
2. Benefits of breastfeeding: Discuss the advantages of breastfeeding, including its ability to help the newborn's digestive system expel meconium and clear bilirubin.
3. Feeding techniques: Provide guidance on proper bottle-feeding techniques, such as ensuring the bottle is positioned to avoid air swallowing and burping the baby after feeding.