HYDERABAD: Good infant and young child feeding practices are among the most effective methods to improve child nutrition and health. It is imperative that infant and young child feeding is strategically mainstreamed as a key component in food security and nutrition development programmes. Urgent actions to be taken to enhance timely initiation of breast feeding with in one hour of birth. Colostrum is highly nutritious which builds up stores of antibodies in baby’s body.
And its first immunisation a child receives. Promote exclusive breast feeding for the first six months of life-help ensure young children the best possible start to life. Breast feeding is nature’s way of nurturing the child,creating a strong bond between the mother and child. It provides development and learning opportunities to the infant,stimulating all five senses of the child-sight,smell,hearing,taste,touch. While breast feeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond. ‘Breast feeding is an unequally way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants, it is also an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of mother’.
Even after complementary foods have been introduced, breastfeeding remains a critical source of nutrients for the young infant and child. It provides about one half of an infant’s energy needs up to the age of one year, and up to one third during the second year of life. Breast milk continues to supply higher quality nutrients than complementary foods, and also protective factors. It is therefore recommended that breastfeeding on demand continues with adequate complementary feeding up to two years or beyond.
Complementary foods need to be nutritionally-adequate, safe, and appropriately fed in order to meet the young child’s energy and nutrient needs. However, complementary feeding is often fraught with problems, with foods being too dilute, not fed often enough or in too small amounts, or replacing breast milk while being of an inferior quality. Both food and feeding practices influence the quality of complementary feeding, and mothers and families need support to practice good complementary feeding.
Six months of exclusive breastfeeding, has a significant effect in the reduction of mortality from the two biggest contributors to infant deaths: diarrhea and pneumonia, as well as on all-cause mortality. Plus babies who are breast fed exclusively for the first six months with out any formula, have fewer ear infections, respiratory illness.An analysis of several studies has shown that breastfeeding may have a protective effect on the prevalence of obesity.Breast feeding burns extra calories, so it can help you lose pregnancy weight faster. It releases the harmone oxytocin, which helps your uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size ans may reduce uterine bleeding after birth. BF also lowers your risk of breast and ovarian cancer. It may lower your risk of osteoporosis, too.
The writer is a chief dietician, KIMS Hospital, Secunderabad