KOCHI: Breastfeeding is the best gift for a new-born baby from the mother. Human milk is the best nutrient source for term-babies as well as pre-term babies for the first six months of life. Optimum nutrition is essential for child survival and quality of survival. Breast milk is full of the nutrients required by the baby. Breast milk is made of fats, sugars, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and enzymes and is designed to promote brain and body growth. Antibodies are also present in your breast milk, which help boost your babies immune system.
In addition, as your baby grows older, your milk changes to meet his/ her nutritional needs. Every year the World Breast Feeding Week is celebrated from 1st to 7th of August in more than 120 countries. Breastfeeding is also known as nursing. Health professionals recommend that breastfeeding begins within half an hour after normal delivery and with in 1-2 hours after ceasarian sections. During the first few weeks of life, babies may breastfeed roughly even two to three hours andthe duration of a feeding is usually ten to fifteen minutes on each breast.
Babies tend to take in a lot of air during feeding. This will lead to abdominal colics, regurgitation etc. So after every feed mother has to do burping. The baby can be put on the shoulder, the head has to be supported with mothers left hand and then with the right arm support the buttocks and gently pat on the babies back with the right hand. Slowly air will escape and the baby will become comfortable.
Stages of Breast Milk
There are three distinct stages of breast milk that differ in nutritional value to help your baby thrive and grow.
(1)Colostrum:
Colostrum is the thick, sticky, yellowish “pre-milk” you produce for the first few days of your newborn’s life. It is packed with carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals and water to help your babies body stabilise outside the womb. Colostrum contains immunoglobulins, which are antibodies that protect your infant from getting sick.
(2)Transitional milk:
Between three and five days, your milk will gradually change from colostrum to transitional milk. Transitional milk has fat, lactose and watersoluble vitamins that facilitate growth. Your breasts may feel full, firm and heavy and you may even experience engorgement. It is important to feed your baby often to drain your breasts. So you will continue to produce more milk. Transitional milk usually lasts 10 to 14 days.
(3)Mature milk:
The first 2 to 3 week after your baby is born, transitional milk changes to mature milk. Your milk remains relatively similar in composition and changes further according to your babies needs.
Breast feeding has physical and emotional benefits for both the mother and the baby.
Benefits to the babies
(a) Complete source of nutrition
(b) Boosts immunity
(c)Bonding with the mother
(d)Better Development of the brain
(e) Decrease the risk of respiratory tract infections, diarrhoea
(f) Lower risk of asthma, allergies, leukaemia, dental problems.
(g) Lowered risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
Benefits of Breastfeeding for the mother
Breastfeeding has plenty of benefits to the mother’s body such as;
(a) Reduce postpartum problem
(b) Decreased risk of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, cardiovascular diseases and rheumatoid arthritis.
(c)Natural and convenient
(d)Cost-effective
(e)Environmentally friendly
(f)Delays the return of menstruation and fertility
Remember
A mother should exclusively breastfeed your baby till the first 6 months and continue breast milk till 2 years of age with the addition of solid foods. Breastfeeding can promote closeness between mother and infant. So breastfeeding is the best choice to feed the baby.
Sheen L B
Child Development Therapist
SUT Hospital Thiruvananthapuram
(The views expressed by the author are her own)