BREASTFEEDING
breastfeeding is very important to mother and child for their health and wellbeing.
Breast milk is very essential
for the baby in his first six months of life, only breast milk and no other
liquids or solids are required because the baby's stomach is still developing and god creates the baby's stomach for mother milk after five to six months the mother can provide little food for the baby that not hurting his stomach.
Breast milk consists of
vitamins, mineral supplements, and antibiotics for the baby to protect him from
outside germs and pathogens. Especially after gitting birth, the breast milk will be yellowish in color called colostrum which contains rich antibiotics and minerals. So directly after birth, the health care professional brings baby to the mother to give him breast milk that helped him to build his immune system and this type of immunity is called passive immunity.
problems during breastfeeding:
Sometimes the mother may face some problems while breastfeeding the baby like:
1- Inverted nipple: this means the nipple lies flat rather than pointing out this cause difficult for the baby to get breast milk from the mother.
2- Sore nipple: this means the nipple is hurt by any other causes that baby when taking breast milk the mother can feel pain or sometimes blood is coming out.
3- Breast engorgement: means swelling, tightness and increase the breast size this causes pain to the mother, and the baby cant take milk from the breast
These problems must be managed and guided by health care professionals to solve them.
There are the steps of breastfeeding:
https://youtu.be/_OlnIK7M0D0
Why is breastfeeding important for baby
2. Protects from infections – diarrhea, otitis media, UTI
3. Optimizes neurodevelopment (more lactose than cow’s milk)
4. Better intelligence than formula-fed babies
5. Protects from chronic diseases eg: diabetes (type 1 & 2), childhood cancers, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and allergies
6. Protects from infections – diarrhea, otitis media, UTI
7. Optimizes neurodevelopment (more lactose than cow’s milk)
8. Better intelligence than formula-fed babies
9. Protects from chronic diseases eg: diabetes (type 1 & 2), childhood cancers, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and allergies
why is breast milk Importance for mothers?
´ Reduces risk of hypercholesterolemia,
diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease
´ Breast and ovarian cancer are
reduced
´ Hip fractures and osteoporosis are
reduced
´ Faster return to pre-pregnancy weight
´ Locational amenorrhea –
contraception (partial)
´ Stops bleeding after the birth of the
baby (Oxytocin)
´ Stabilizes endometriosis
´ Importance for family and Improves bonding with baby
´ No cost and convenient (no preparation)
Fresh
References:
1. Work Group on Breastfeeding, American Academy of
Pediatrics. Breastfeeding and the use of
human milk. Pediatrics 1997;100(6):1035-1039.
2. Breastfeeding Handbook for Physicians, American Academy
of Pediatrics and American College
of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2006
3. American Academy of Family Physicians, Breastfeeding
Position Paper, 2001.
4. Position of the American Dietetic Association. Breaking
the barriers to breastfeeding. Journal of
the American Dietetic Association 2001;101(10):1213-1220.
5. WHO Expert Consultation. The optimal duration of
exclusive breastfeeding. 2001 (accessed
September 5, 2007). Available at:
http://www.who.int/child-adolescent-health/New_
Publications/NUTRITION/WHO_CAH_01_24.pdf.
6. National Immunization Survey; Breastfeeding Data, Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2004 (accessed
September 5, 2007) Available
at:
http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/NIS_data/data_2004.htm.
7. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy
People 2010. 2000 (accessed
September 5, 2007). Available at: http://www.healthypeople.gov.