Baby.mobi
WHAT IS EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING?
Exclusive breastfeeding is giving the baby only human milk with no supplementation of any type (no water, no juice, no non human milk, and no foods) except for vitamins, minerals, and medications prescribed by a doctor / health care worker.
Even when mothers choose to formula feed, it is important that no solids are introduced before the baby is six months old. However, the baby may continue to receive drops and syrups (vitamins, minerals and medicines) if needed.
WHAT ARE THE KEY BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING FOR THE BABY?
Breastfeeding is fundamental to the survival of all children.
Some of the key benefits of breastfeeding are:
> Breast milk provides all the nutrients your baby needs to grow and develop for the first six months, it also continues to provide most of the nutrients your baby needs from 6 to 12 months.
> Breast milk contains antibodies that helps strengthen the immune systems of the baby and contribute to the prevention of common illnesses such as diarrhoea and pneumonia.
> Breast milk contains special substances that keep the gut lining strong, this helps in reducing chances of infection.
> Colostrum (the first milk the baby gets just after birth) is regarded as the first immunization. Breast milk is the normal way to feed a baby and is also the best gift the mother can give to her child to start life well equipped to survive diseases and infections.
> Breastfeeding promotes bonding between the mother and baby.
> Breastfeeding contributes to a lifetime of good health.
DOES BREASTFEEDING HAVE ANY BENEFITS TO THE MOTHER?
Breastfeeding helps the mother’s health.It may reduce the risks of breast and ovarian cancer later in life.
Breastfeeding helps women return to their pre-pregnancy weight faster if they exclusively breastfeed.
CAN ALL MOTHERS BREASTFEED?
There is a belief that some mothers can truly not breastfeed. Statistics show that only 1% mothers are truly unable to produce breast milk, most mothers with adequate knowledge and support can breastfeed successfully.
WHEN SHOULD MOTHERS START WITH EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING?
To enable early production of milk breastfeeding should start immediately after delivery not later than 1st hour of birth.
This helps the mother to initiate early stimulation of milk production
At this point, babies are alert and most eager to feed.
Early initiation of breastfeeding helps regulate the baby’s temperature and blood sugar level.
This also helps the mother and baby to start bonding.
HOW OFTEN AND FOR HOW LONG SHOULD I BREASTFEED MY BABY?
A small baby needs to be fed often both day and night. Letting the baby feed as frequently as he/she wants helps to make more breast milk. This is called demand feeding
During a feed a baby needs to be left to feed for as long as he/she wants. The baby should finish the first breast before being offered the second breast if he/she still wants more feed.
A baby may feed at least 8 -12 times per day. This is however not an indication that breastfeeding should be scheduled.
WHY SHOULD BABIES NOT BE GIVEN OTHER FOODS BEFORE SIX MONTHS (MIXED FEEDING)?
Other foods do not provide all the important nutrients found in breast milk, this may result in breast milk being replaced with an inferior food or fluid, this will affect the baby’s growth and development.
Other foods may be contaminated with germs that could cause diarrhoea or other illnesses.
Other foods such as (porridge, water, teas, juice, and formula milk) during the first six months may damage the baby’s young intestines and make it easy for infections (including HIV) to get into the baby’s body. Breast milk has substances that protect the baby’s sensitive gut lining for the first six months.
Other foods will fill up the baby’s small stomach and the baby will not breastfeed frequently resulting in less milk being produced. Milk is produced on demand, the more the mother breastfeed; the more the milk is produced.
SHOULD BREASTFEEDING CONTINUE AFTER SIX MONTHS?
The recommendation is that breastfeeding should continue until the baby is 2 years or older when their immune system is fully developed.
CAN A MOTHER CHOOSE NOT TO BREASTFEED?
Yes, however, the mother should have been counselled on the benefits of breastfeeding and should also be educated by a health worker on other suitable options.
CAN AN HIV POSITIVE MOTHER BREASTFEED?
Yes, recent evidence shows that mothers who are HIV-positive should exclusively breastfeed because of the many health and survival benefits to babies, during the breastfeeding period; the mother or baby should receive antiretroviral treatment or prophylaxis.
Research also shows that when antiretroviral treatment or prophylaxis is used by either the mother or baby HIV transmission through breastfeeding is significantly reduced.
Exclusively breastfed babies whose mothers are HIV-positive grow well and receive the nutritional benefits of breast milk like all babies. They are also at less risk of dying from diarrhoeal diseases and malnutrition than mixed-fed babies.
The likelihood of HIV transmission increases when there is higher viral load in the mother’s blood or breast milk - antiretroviral treatment or prophylaxis lowers the viral loads in the blood and in breast milk. This reduces the likelihood of mother-to-child transmission.
