Breastfeeding, also called nursing is an act of feeding breast milk to infants. As a nursing mother, you can breastfeed your infant either directly from the breast or by pumping the milk out from the breast into the bottle and feeding it to the infant.
The whole process by which milk is secreted from the breast is known as Lactation. This period begins in pregnancy when hormonal changes signal the mammary glands to make milk in preparation for the birth of your baby.
Normally, the natural production of breast milk (lactation) is triggered by a complex interaction between three hormones known as — estrogen, progesterone, and human placental lactogen — during the final months of pregnancy.
Breastfeeding and breast milk provide an infant with calories and nutrients, including macronutrients (fat, protein, and carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). However, there are unusual cases of women who lactate even without pregnancy. This is a condition known as Galactorrhea and is caused by an increase in the level of Prolactin, the hormone that stimulates milk production. Excessive breast stimulation, medication side effects, or disorders of the pituitary gland may contribute to galactorrhea, and sometimes the cause can’t be determined.
Breast milk is recommended as the infant’s sole source of nutrition for the first 6 months of life. However, It is recommended that complementary foods be added to the infant’s diet at 6 months of age and that breastfeeding continues up to two years of age and beyond. Although the milk changes in volume and composition according to the time of day, nursing frequency, and age of the baby to promote healthy growth, breast milk is the perfect food for your baby.
Benefits of Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding has unmatched health benefits not just for the baby but also for the mother. Below are a few benefits of breastfeeding.
· Breastfeeding supplies all the necessary nutrients required by the baby in the proper proportions.
· Breastfeeding is cheap, as it is naturally available.
· It protects against allergies, sickness, and obesity.
· It protects against infections and diseases, like diabetes and cancer by boosting the baby’s immune system.
· Breastfeeding Strengthens the bond between Mother and Child.
· Breastfeeding helps babies have healthier weights as they grow.
· Research has it that breastfed babies score higher on IQ tests.
· Infants who are breastfed have reduced risks of Asthma, Obesity, Type 1 diabetes, Severe lower respiratory disease, Acute otitis media (ear infections), Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), Gastrointestinal infections (diarrhea/vomiting), etc.
How to breastfeed your child.
There are different methods for breastfeeding, depending on the Mother’s position.
· For the cradle hold, sit in a comfy chair with arm rests, or a bed with cushions or pillows around you.
1. Lie your baby across your lap, facing you.
2. Place your baby’s head on your forearm – nose towards your nipple.
3. Your hand should support the length of their body.
4. Place your baby’s lower arm under yours.
5. Check to make sure your baby’s ear, shoulder and hip are in a straight line.
Others methods include
· Lying on your side.
· Laid back nursing.
· Rugby Hold Breastfeeding.
Research has shown that Mothers who breastfeed:
· Have a reduced risk of Type 2 Diabetes and certain cancers such as breast cancer.
· May find it easier to return to what they weighed before they got pregnant
· Strengthen the bond with their children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend exclusive breastfeeding for about the first 6 months, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods for up to 2 years of age or longer. It was also recommended that babies be kept close to their mothers and begin breastfeeding as soon as the first hour after birth.
After your baby is born:
· Breastfeed your infant for the first time as soon as possible. You can ask for a lactation consultant to assist you.
· Request that the hospital staff not feed your infant any other foods or formula unless it is medically necessary.
· Allow your infant to stay with you throughout the day and night at the hospital so that you can breastfeed often. If this is not possible, you can ask the nurses to bring your infant to you each time for breastfeeding.
· It is important to avoid giving your infant pacifiers or artificial nipples so that the infant gets used to latching on to just your breast.
Every mother needs to know that breastfeeding is beneficial to them and the infant. It is healthy and medically recommended that an infant be exclusively breastfed for at least the first six months to ensure the child’s health and development.
Reference
1. Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. American Academy of Pediatrics. Work Group on Breastfeeding”. Pediatrics. 100 (6): 1035–1039. December 1997. doi:10.1542/peds.100.6.1035. PMID 9411381. S2CID 81585356. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012
2. Eglash A, Leeper K (2020). The Little Green Book of Breastfeeding Management for Physicians & Other Healthcare Providers (7 ed.). Madison, WI: The Institute for the Advancement of Breastfeeding and Lactation Education. ISBN 978-0-9987789-0-7.
3. “Infant and young child feeding Fact sheet N°342”. WHO. February 2014. Archived from the original on 8 February 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2015
4. Ip S, Chung M, Raman G, Trikalinos TA, Lau J (October 2009). “A summary of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s evidence report on breastfeeding in developed countries”. Breastfeeding Medicine. 4 (Suppl 1): S17–S30.
5. Johnston M, Landers S, Noble L, Szucs K, Viehmann L, et al. (Section on Breastfeeding) (March 2012). “Breastfeeding and the use of human milk”. Pediatrics. 129 (3): e827–e841. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-3552
6. Kramer MS, Kakuma R (August 2012). “Optimal duration of exclusive breastfeeding”. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2012
7. Victora CG, Bahl R, Barros AJ, França GV, Horton S, Krasevec J, et al. (January 2016). “Breastfeeding in the 21st century: epidemiology, mechanisms, and lifelong effect”. Lancet. 387 (10017): 475–490.