An overview of breastfeeding Essay Example For Students

An overview of breastfeeding Essay AN OVERVIEWOF BREASTFEEDINGBREASTFEEDINGBreastfeeding is widely believed to be the most beneficial method of feedingfor the health and well being of most infants. It is the natural next step inthe continuum of pregnancy. Though breastfeeding is natural, technique is alearned skill. As with any skill, the keys to successful breastfeeding areknowledge, practice and patience. It is important to get started correctly andknow well in advance how to identify and avoid possible problems. Mostbreastfeeding problems occur during the first few weeks as mother and baby beginestablishing nursing patterns. It is an important investment for the mothersand babys continued good health. Breast milk is the best source of nutritionfor an infant. It provides all the nutrition needs during the first six totwelve months of life. Breastfeeding offers newborns emotional as well as nutritional benefits. Skin-to-skin contact helps to reduce the stress babies experience as they enterthe world from the security of the womb. Tension quickly subsides as the sightof the mothers face and the familiar sounds of her breathing, voice, andheartbeat comfort the baby. This begins the important process of mother and babybonding. Breast Milk ProductionMilk is produced and stored in the glandular tissues called alveoli of thebreasts. It collects in the pockets known as lactiferous sinuses located beneaththe areola until it is released by a babys sucking. Stimulation of thenipples cause the mothers pituitary gland, located in the brain, to secretprolactin. This initiates and maintains milk production. The first milk the newborn receives at each feeding is the milk that hascollected in the lactiferous sinuses between feedings. This low fat foremilk ishigh in protein and satisfies the newborns thirst. As breastfeedingcontinues, a second hormone called oxytocin is secreted. Oxytocin causes thetissue around the alveoli to contract, thus squeezing high fat hindmilk down theducts and into the pockets where it is available to satisfy the newbornshunger. Many mothers experience a tingling or rushing sensation in the breast asthis let down or milk ejection reflex (MER) occurs. Other mothers noticeonly that sucking becomes longer and slower and that the newborn begins toswallow rhythmically. Keys to establishing a quick letdown are relaxation andconfidence that the mothers body is doing exactly what it was designed to do. Composition of Breast MilkDuring pregnancy, the mothers body produces a substance called Colostrum. This clear to creamy to golden yellow substance is found in the breasts duringpregnancy. Between the third and sixth day after birth, hormonal patterns of themother change rapidly. These changes cause colostrum to change to a transitionalform of breast milk. During this time, the amount of protein and immune factorsin the milk gradually decrease while fat, lactose and calories in the milkincrease. By the tenth day after birth, the mother produces mature breast milk,which is also commonly referred to as human milk. Health Advantages Of Breastfeeding Your BabyColostrum is the perfect starter food for babies. It is high in protein, zincand other minerals. It contains less fat, carbohydrates and calories than breastmilk. Colostrum acts as a natural laxative to clear the meconium (first stool)from the babys intestine. This decreases the chances of jaundice. It alsocontains the natural sugar lactose, which helps stabilize the newborns bloodsugar level, preventing hypoglycemia. Lactose is used in tissues of the brainand spinal cord, and it provides the infant with energy. Bacteria in the infantsintestines feed on lactose and produce B vitamins. Lactose may also help theinfant absorb essential nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Breast milk from most women has the same nutrients. The proteins in humanbreast milk are mostly whey and casein. Cows milk contains more casein, andhuman breast milk contains more whey. Whey is more easily tolerated by an infantsdigestive system. The fat in human breast milk is easily absorbed by an infantsdigestive system. An enzyme called lipoprotein lipase helps an infant absorb thefat in breast milk. A mothers breast milk contains essential fats andcholesterol. Both are needed by infants to make tissues of the nervous system. The amount of fat in breast milk rises significantly at the end of a breastfeeding session. This may be natures way of making an infant feel full andstop feeding. Breast milk contains only a small amount of iron, but the iron in breast milkis easily absorbed. Fifty percent of the iron in breast milk is absorbedcompared with only four to ten percent of the iron in cows milk or commercialinfant formulas. Colostrum and breast milk are rich in antibodies and have anti-infectivefactors. These help protect the newborn infant from viruses and bacteria thatthe infant was exposed to in the birth canal. They also help protect the infantsimmature digestive tract from infection. Breast milk promotes the growth ofbacteria that all humans normally have in the digestive tract. Breast milkcontains immune factors to help an infant fight infection and help prevent theinfant from developing possible food allergies. While cows milk and formula mixtures can trigger allergic reactions and areoften difficult for a newborn to digest, a mothers milk is perfectly designedspecifically for her baby. Since human breast milk is more easily digested thanformula, nursing usually results in fewer instances of colic, diarrhea andconstipation. Studies show that breast fed babies have fewer ear and digestivetract infections; experience less vomiting and acute respiratory illness; andare at lower risk for childhood diabetes, lymphomas and Crohns disease. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics and American DieteticAssociation, among others, breastfeeding improves infants general health,growth, and development and significantly decreases risk for a large of numberof acute and chronic diseases. Studies also show that breastfeeding decreasesthe incidents and / or the severity of lower respiratory infection, bacterialmeningitis, botulism, urinary tract infections and necrotizing enterocolitis. Language as way to communicate with people EssayDiet while BreastfeedingBreast milk from most women contains basically the same nutrients. Therecould be small differences, based on what a woman eats and how her body producesbreast milk. If the mother eats a poor diet, this can decrease both the amountof milk produced and the nutrients found in the milk. Women who arebreastfeeding should consume an extra five hundred calories per day above theirmaintenance calories. A healthy, well balanced diet, high in protein and complexcarbohydrates, similar to the one consumed during pregnancy, is all that isnecessary, with the exception of five hundred extra calories per day. Occasionally, a baby may be sensitive to something in the mothers diet. The most common sensitivities are to protein antigens that are found in cowsmilk, soy, wheat, fish, corn, eggs, and nuts. If the mother believes the baby isreacting to something in her diet, she should eliminate that food for two tothree weeks, then try it again. The Law of Supply and DemandMilk production works on the principle of supply and demand. The more a babybreastfeeds, the more milk a mother will produce, totally meeting the babysneeds. It is the frequency of breastfeeding as well as the amount of milkremoved from the breast that stimulates further milk production. Babies who aregiven supplemental bottles of water or formula breastfeed less frequently,ultimately decreasing the milk supply. Supplements, in bottles, should beavoided for three to four weeks, unless medically indicated, until the milksupply is well established and the baby is latching on to the breast withoutdifficulty. Babies need to be breastfed at least eight to twelve times intwenty-four hours the first two to four weeks, or until well above birth weight. Working and BreastfeedingIt is essentially important for working mothers to remember that milkproduction is based upon the principle of supply and demand. The key tomaintaining a sufficient milk supply is to breastfeed often. If the baby is under four months old, the mother should express milk duringthe workweek when the baby would normally breastfeed at home. Additionally, themother should breastfeed in the morning just before going to work, again as soonas possible after work, frequently during the evening and whenever the babywakes at night. Breastfeeding at night causes the prolactin level to rise, thushelping the mother to relax and enjoy a good nights sleep. Mothers shouldbreastfeed their baby as often as possible during days off from work. This willhelp increase the supply for the next week. In addition to understanding and mastering the art of breastfeeding, workingmothers face added challenges imposed by their schedules. First and foremost,the mother should take full advantage of maternity leave to establish a goodsupply before going back to work. Fatigue is a working mothers biggest enemy. The working mother should set a schedule that will slowly put her back into thework force, giving both mother and baby time to adjust to the change in routine. Storing Breast MilkBreast milk varies in color, consistency and odor, depending on the mothersdiet and storage container. Because breast milk is not homogenized, the creamwill separate and rise to the top of the container. Breastmilk may be safelystored by carefully following these steps:1. Wash hands well with soap and water before touching breasts or any milkcontainers. Avoid touching the inside of bottles or caps. 2. Pump or express milk into a clean collection cup. 3. Transfer the milk into a clean storage container. If pumped directly intoa storage container, it will lessen the chances of contamination. 4. Label the container with the date and amount of milk collected. (oldestmilk should always be used first)5. To inhibit the growth of bacteria, breastmilk that is not used within 8-10hours should be refrigerated. If milk is to be stored for more than 5-7 days,freezing is recommended. 6. For longer storage, freeze breastmilk. Frozen milk may be stored in arefrigerator freezer for six months or in a deep freeze for up to twelve months. When freezing, fill the container only full to allow room for expansion. Never refreeze breastmilk!WeaningAround the world, babies are breastfed an average of two to three years. There is, however, no perfect time to wean. Weaning is an individual decisionfor each mother and baby. Most babies will not show signs of wanting to weanbefore eight to nine months at the earliest. The American Academy of Pediatricsrecommends breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months, graduallyintroducing new foods after that time. It is recommended that breastfeedingcontinue for at least twelve months, and thereafter as long as mutually desired. When a mother or her baby decide to wean, it should be done gradually to preventthe discomfort of engorgement and to help maintain the babys sense ofsecurity. Dropping one feeding every few days and replacing it with formula ofcows milk (depending on the age of the baby), will allow the mothersbreasts to adjust to the decreased demand in comfort. Most mothers drop the latenight or early feeding last since this feeding is often the special snuggle timewith the baby. ReferencesAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, Work Group on Breastfeeding; 1997,Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk, Journal of Pediatrics, Volume 100, pp. 1035-1039Crummette, B.D., and Munton, M.T.; 1980, Mothers Decision about InfantNutrition, Pediatric Nursing, 6:16Evans, H.E., and Glass, L.; 1979, Breastfeeding: Advantages and PotentialProblems, Pediatric Analysis, 8:110Health Answers Medical Reference Library Breast milk @www.healthanswers.com/MedEncKlaus, M.H., and Kennell, J.H.; 1982, Parent Infant Bonding, 2nd edition,St. Louis: The C.V. Mosby CompanyLawrence, R.A.; 1980, Breastfeeding, St. Louis: The C.V. Mosby CompanyPalma, P.A., and Adock, E.W.; 1981, Human Milk and Breastfeeding, AmericanFamily Physician, 24:173Ross, L.; 1981, Weaning Practices, J. Nurse Midwifery, 26(1): 9-14Whaley, L.F., and Wong, D.L.; 1979, Nursing of Infants and Children, St. Louis: The C.V. Mosby CompanyCategory: Miscellaneous