BREASTFEEDING

BREASTFEEDING

Human milk is decidedly superior to other milks. It is remarkably adopted to the requirement of the infant and provides the best start in life. Exclusive breastfeeding, therefore, deserves encouragement at least for first 6 months and preferably for upto 2 years. When it is felt that the mother may not be able to supply enough of proteins from outside, she should be allowed to continue to breastfeed her baby even longer. According to a WHO/UNICEF document, at least one million deaths per year from diarrhea and infections are absolutely preventable through breastfeeding.

Advantages/Benefits of Human Milk

For the infant

1. Tailor-made composition Human milk has a composition that is ideally tailored to the requirement of small infant.

  

Comparison of human, cow and buffalo milk

Components                          Human               Cow                    Buffalo

Proteins(%)                           1.2                      3.5                       4.2

Fat(g%)                                 3.8                      3.7                       8.0

Calories/100 ml                     66                       66 80 to 120

Water (%)                              88                       87                        83

Lactose(%)                            7.0                      4.5                       4.8

Iron(mg%)                             0.05                    0.04                     0.2

Vitamin A(IU/100 ml)           170 to 670         140 to 280           80

Vitamin C(mg%)                   2 to 6                  1 to 4                  1 to 4

Vitamin D(IU/100 ml)           2.2                      1.4                        -

Vitamin K(mcg/100 ml)        1.5                      6.0                        -

Calcium (mg%)                      35                       11.5                     -

Phosphorous(mg%)                15                       9.0                       -

Zinc(mg%)                             0.12                    0.4                       -

2. It is always fresh, pure and readymade, requiring no preparations. It is at the right temperature. It is uncontaminated and aseptic. It perhaps because of this factor also that incidence of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in breastfed infants is far less than that reported in bottlefed babies.
3. Protection against allergy breastfed  babies have 7 times less chances of an allergy.
4. Immunoprotection human milk protects against certain diseases. It contains lactoferrin, a substance that inhibits growth of E.coli, a common cause of infantile gastroenteritis. Also it assists in gradually establishing the organism, assists in gradually establishing the organism, Lactobacillus bifidus, in the baby’s intestine. The organism is of help in digestion of sugar. Furthermore, it contains agents against staphylococcus group of organisms which are responsible for septicemia of the newborn.
5. Breast milk is also said to play significant role in controlling respiratory and diarrheal diseases
6. Bonding breastfeeding establish healthy mother-child relationship. This is due to psychophysiologic interaction that occurs during the act of feeding. The mother derives much satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment from nursing her baby successfully.
7. Human milk possibly prevent anteriosclerotic disease later in life
8. Protection against ulcerative colitis It has now been demonstrated by several investigations that adults who had breastfeeding as infant suffer much less from ulcerative colitis than others.
9. Miscellaneous hypernatremic dehydration which may prove disastrous to an infant’s brain seldom occurs in breastfed babies. Evidence has also pooled up, suggesting that incidence of obesity in breastfed babies is “far less”. Also breastfed infants stand less change of suffering from neonatal convulsions, dental caries and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

For the mother

1. Breastfeeding helps in spacing children since chance of conception in a lactating mother are less.
2. Incidence of breast cancer in such mothers is relatively very little.
3. Breastfeeding also helps in slimming by enabling uterus to return to normal size and also drains away extra fat accumulated during pregnancy.

For the community

1. It is inexpensive, costing virtually nothing and thus economic for individual family, community as well as national point of view
2. It promotes family planning
3. It contributes to reduction in infant morbidity and mortality

Contraindications

There is virtually no absolute contraindication, excepting malignancy

Situation where breastfeeding may be avoided

In mother

1. Chronic disease such as active tuberculosis, leprosy, malignancy, berberi, AIDS, etc. Many authorities advocate continuing breastfeeding in the first two provided chemotherapeutic coverage is being given.
2. Mothers stubbornly addicted to alcohol or heavy doses of some drugs. Those on heavy metals, Phenobarbital, hydantoin, steroids, etc. should also not be allowed to breastfeed their babies.
3. Psychosis
4. Local conditions, e.g. breast abscess, cracked nipples, etc. Breastfeeding must be resumed as soon as possible.

In Infant

1. Gross prematurity of the baby or other conditions in which the newborn cannot suckle
2. Inborn errors such as phenylketonuria, galactosemia or lactose intolerance.
3. Breast-milk jaundice, provided that serum bilirubin approaches critical level.
4. Biological mother may avoid breastfeeding an infant who is to be passed on to another couple.