Breastfeeding. Why breastfeed?
Where possible, breast milk really is best. It is custom made and provides all the nutrients baby needs. Breastfed babies have been shown to have better immune systems and so fewer illnesses, fewer digestive problems, lower likelihood of allergies, and even higher IQ’s.
The Kenyan Government, Ministry of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first six months and the World Health Organization recommends that breastfeeding continues for two years of age or beyond.
Best for baby…
• Breast milk not only contains vital ingredients for your baby’s health and development but it is also ready on demand at just the right temperature.
• Breast milk contains optimal amounts of vitamins; C, D, E, and folic acid and minerals; calcium, iron, zinc, manganese, selenium, and chromium. It is not just the range and quantity of these nutrients that are important, but also the quality as many babies find it easier to absorb than those who feed on formula milk.
• Breast milk provides essential fats including the omega-3 fat DHA that is vital for the development of the baby’s brain and nervous system.
• Breast milk provides beneficial bifid bacteria to support the bacterial balance of your baby’s gut, boosts immunity, and helps prevent the development of colic and eczema.
• It also has factors, which help your baby’s gut develop and mature. Breast milk has enzymes making it is easier to digest and release vital nutrients.
• Breast milk has antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, antiallergenic factors, and growth factors.
• Breastfed babies are more likely to get just the right amount of milk and are less likely to be overweight. Breastfeeding helps with baby’s jaw development getting it into practice for eating and developing speech.
• Breastfeeding may reduce the risk of some chronic diseases such as juvenile diabetes, childhood cancers, allergies and asthma.
• Breastfed babies with mothers who have a varied diet may be more likely to accept unfamiliar flavors when weaned and be more willing to try new flavors and so get a better variety of nutrients.
Best for mum…
Breastfeeding saves time, as there is no mixing, sterilizing, or heating of milk needed. With a good breast, pump feeding can also be delegated to give mum a break.
reduce the risk of osteoporosis
with post-pregnancy weight loss due to the approximate 500 calories a day it burns and as it triggers hormones that help the womb contract back to its normal size
Milk Supply…
Babies are born with a store of sugar to see them through the first three or four days when they are learning to feed.
It is in these first days that the baby receives colostrum, which is rich in amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and antibodies and gets them prepared for the outside world. Around day, four or five of breastfeeding mum starts to make milk rather than colostrum and this is all baby needs for the first six months.
The most common reason babies are on the formula is the concern that they are not getting enough milk. The easiest way to check baby is getting enough, and alleviate this concern, is regular weighing. Babies lose the fluids stored before they are born in the first couple of days after birth and so have a slight drop in weight. After that, their weight should steadily increase. When having baby weighed do check your healthcare practitioner is using a breastfed rather than formula-fed growth chart. Checking that baby is having regular wet nappies and bowel movements also help to tell if the baby is getting enough milk. After the first week, there are generally about six to eight wet nappies in a 24-hour period and the urine should be clear and not noticeably smelly. There should also be at least two to five yellowy soft bowel movements a day.
As long as baby feeds regularly mum should automatically produce enough milk. Insufficient calories can reduce milk levels so this is not a time for significant calorie restriction to lose weight, especially not in the first six weeks of feeding. It is also, however not always necessary to replace the 500 calories a day breastfeeding can burn. Some of this need may be met by fat stores laid down in pregnancy, along with mums more efficient metabolism at this time.
It is not just the quantity of calories that matter but also the quality. Breastfeeding also uses mums water stores so it is important to drink enough to prevent dehydration, which, like lack of calories, can reduce milk supplies. An easy habit to get into is to have a drink of water handy for when breastfeeding as it triggers the release of the hormone oxytocin, which can make you feel thirsty.
Milk supplies can also drop if mum is anemic so if you are consistently feeling tired check with your Doctor. Fennel tea is also reputed to boost milk supply, choose organic teas to avoid pesticides.
How often to feed…
There is much debate about whether babies should be fed at set times or on-demand, which is whenever they show signs of wanting to feed and allowing them to feed as long as they like. However, the experts in this field, including The WHO Is clear that feeding on demand gives baby the best start. Babies fed on demand appear to have fewer digestive problems and tend to have increased IQ. On-demand, feeding is most effective when the parents learn to recognize their baby’s signals that they want a feed, rather than waiting until they cry, as this makes it difficult to feed. Common signals include making rooting motions, making sucking sounds, and being more active.
A newborn should feed at least 8, and often 10-12 times in a 24-hour period. For the first few weeks, babies do not always wake when hungry so at first they may need waking to feed if they sleep longer than four hours. For many of these feeds baby should feed enthusiastically for about 10-15 minutes on each breast and is likely to nap when full. Babies get better at letting you know when they are hungry, as they get older. Expressing milk is something to consider as it means milk can be safely stored for times when mum may not be available. It can also help a sleep-deprived mum get some sleep if the baby can be bottle-fed on the expressed milk. Expressed milk can be stored in the fridge for up to eight days if below 4°C or three days if 5-10°C. Freezing milk may lead to a reduction of immune-boosting properties but it can be stored for four months so is a valuable back up.
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Idah Muthama – VitabioticsKe
