Breast feeding -mother's best gift to her newborn babe
Breast feeding provides the best food for young infants and takes care of all the nutritional requirements during the first six months. The attitude of the mother plays a vital role in the production of adequate breast-milk.
Breast feeding has many other advantages apart from giving the ideal food for young infants.
Modern man often places cleverness above commonsense with undesirable consequences. For centuries mammals have thrived on breast milk.
Breast milk is one of the best gifts of nature. It has all the nutrients required for the growth of the baby till six months of age.
Yet man thought he could produce a milk powder, which is as good as natural milk. Having produced one, which is somewhat like natural breast milk he tried to make money out of it by misleading others.
So many infants have suffered because of unethical commercial promotion of milk powder. The fact remains that breast milk is the best milk for the infant till six months of age.
There are a few circumstances in which a baby needs to be given some other milk and in that case a baby formula can be used. Cow’s milk is not suitable for infants under six months. But every effort should be made to start breast feeding at the earliest and give only breast milk till six months. Working mothers who have to go out may use a breast pump Those mothers who work at home and earn money online will have the advantage of being able to breast feed on demand. A pregnant woman should be fully convinced that the production of breast-milk is a natural process and that she will almost always get sufficient milk. I have often heard other women who are trying to “help” a mother who has just given birth to a baby, saying that the mother is not getting enough milk and the baby is crying due to hunger. I wonder how one woman can be sure that the other woman is not getting enough breast-milk. Such people do not realize how much damage they are causing. The already anxious mother will become overanxious and this will further hinder the natural production of milk. As I have pointed in the article on pregnancy and delivery a positive mental attitude goes a long way in ensuring adequate breast-milk. Once a mother develops a negative attitude it is extremely difficult to convince her. Hence people should refrain from making such irresponsible statements.
Books, DVDs and other helpful products I shall briefly explain the physiology of breast-milk production. Breast-milk is produced by specialized cells, which synthesize milk from the blood flowing through the breasts. The development of breasts, which is required for the production of milk starts early in pregnancy and is complete before delivery. Hence the breasts slightly enlarge during pregnancy. The importance of examining the nipples for any retraction during pregnancy has been stressed in the article on pregnancy and childbirth. It is extremely important to realize that sucking by the baby is essential for continued milk production.As the mother keeps breast feeding the baby, the stimulus results in increased secretion of a hormone called prolactin by the pituitary gland. Prolactin causes increased production of breast-milk. The baby should be put to breast as early as possible after birth and then on demand. There is no need for any rigid schedule. The milk that is produced initially is called colostrum. This has a yellowish color unlike the milk that is produced later, which is white. The colostrum has certain unique qualities and is important for increasing the body’s resistance against infections. Hence it is essential for the baby to get this. POSITIONING THE BABY I am surprised that so many mothers do not know how to hold a baby while breast feeding. A mother often keeps her baby in a position, which is uncomfortable for the baby and also to herself and complains that the baby is not sucking the breast. It is advisable to sit and breastfeed a baby. When a mother feeds a baby while lying down there is an increased risk of ear infections in the baby. There is also a risk of suffocation. As the breasts are pendulous after delivery the nostrils of a baby can be occluded resulting in choking. If she cannot sit due to any reason she should avoid going off to sleep when the baby is sucking the breast. After feeding is complete the baby should be kept a little away from the mother or placed in a cradle. This will prevent accidental suffocation of the baby. She should prop up the baby properly by keeping the head of the baby in the bend of the elbow and not on her hand. The nipple when erect points outward and forward so that the baby can keep it in the mouth without any difficulty when the mother keeps the head of the baby in the bend of the elbow. The face of the baby will be close to the breast in this position and the baby feels secure. This is comfortable for the mother also as she need not bend to a side which becomes necessary if the head of the baby is kept in the hand as many mothers do. Some mothers suffer from backache because of faulty positioning of the baby while breast-feeding. After breast-feeding the baby should be put on the shoulders and burped by gently tapping the back of the baby before putting the baby to bed. Babies often swallow air while sucking milk from the breast and burping helps in expelling any swallowed air. Otherwise babies may cry due to discomfort. ADVANTAGES OF BREAST FEEDING Breast-milk is a complete and balanced food and takes care of all the nutritional requirements of a baby during the first six months. It contains some special substances called antibodies, which protect the tender baby against common infections. These are very useful as the immune system of the newborn baby is immature. It helps promote emotional bonding between mother and her baby. Always available at the right temperature for the baby and eliminates the risk of introducing infections from feeding bottles. It helps the mother to lose the extra fat she puts on during pregnancy. There is also some evidence that breast-feeding offers protection against breast cancer.
Breast feeding twins: A woman who gives birth to twins worries whether she will get enough breast-milk for both babies. It is important to remember that many mothers who have given birth to twins do get enough for both babies. Nature has its own mechanisms for such an eventuality. It is possible to feed both babies simultaneously in case they start crying at the same time for milk. However occasionally a mother may not get enough for both babies and then may have to use an infant milk formula. Cracked nipples: A few nursing mothers develop cracked nipples. This causes some pain while breast feeding. Using a suitable cream is often enough to solve the problem. Occasionally use of a nipple shield may be necessary. If the pain is considerable you may have to express breast milk for a few days either manually or using a breast pump and give it the baby till the nipples heal. Drugs in breast milk: Many drugs consumed by the mother are passed through breast-milk. Most of the drugs used for common ailments in mother do not cause any harm to the baby. However always inform the doctor about the drugs you are taking and seek his opinion. Smoking and breastfeeding: As passive smoking is quite harmful the baby may suffer from health problems due to exposure to smoke. Smoking is also known to decrease the supply of breast milk. Hence such mothers may have to give formula feeds which has many disadvantages apart from adding to the expenditure. Alcohol consumption and breastfeeding: Alcohol can easily enter breast milk and then get into the baby's body. It has been shown that motor development is adversely affected in those babies exposed to alcohol because of maternal consumption.
Page last reviewed on 8th November 2009
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to store breast milk so that it can be given in their absence.
