Breast Milk has just the right amount of
nutrients in the right proportions and there are over 200 components in
human milk
Composition of breast milk:
-Live cells, fat, carbohydrates, proteins,
vitamins, minerals
-Less fat than most other mammals
-More lactose than other mammals
TERMS FOR INFANT FEEDING
Exclusive breastfeeding:
Exclusive breastfeeding means giving a baby no other food or drink,
including no water, in addition to breastfeeding (except medicines and vitamin
or mineral drops; expressed breastmilk is also permitted).
Predominant breastfeeding:
Predominant breastfeeding means breastfeeding a baby, but also giving
small amounts of water or water-based drinks - such as tea.
Full breastfeeding:
Full breastfeeding means breastfeeding either exclusively or
predominantly.
Bottle feeding:
Bottle feeding means feeding a baby from a bottle, whatever is in the
bottle, including expressed breastmilk.
Artificial feeding:
Artificial feeding means feeding a baby on artificial feeds, and not
breastfeeding at all.
Partial breastfeeding:
Partial breastfeeding means giving a baby some breastfeeds, and some
artificial feeds, either milk or cereal, or other food.
Timely complementary
feeding:
Timely complementary feeding means giving a baby other food in
addition to breastfeeding, when it is appropriate, from about 6 months of age.
PROPERTIES
OF BREAST MILK
Important for brain and retinal development -Higher IQs
n Protection
against pathogens & allergens
n Kills
pathogenic organisms or modifies their growth
n Stimulates
epithelial maturation for future defence
n First
immunization
n Protection
against common respiratory and intestinal diseases
n Carbohydrates
(Bifidus factor = growth factor present only in human milk required for
establishing an acidic environment in the gut to inhibit growth of bacteria,
fungi and parasites)
n Protein
-Lactoferin => Isolates
external iron
-Secretory IGA => Most
important immunoglobulin, breast milk = only source for first 6 week
n Colostrum = Baby’s first vaccination
Colostrum is the special breastmilk that
women produce in the first few days after delivery. It is thick and yellowish
or clear in colour. Colostrum contains more protein than later milk.
n After
a few days, colostrum changes into mature milk. There is a larger amount of
milk, and the breasts feel full, hard and heavy. Some people call this the milk
`coming in'.
Hindmilk contains more fat than foremilk.
n Foremilk is the bluish milk that is produced early
in a feed. Hindmilk is the whiter milk that is produced later in a feed. Foremilk
is produced in larger amounts, and it provides plenty of protein, lactose, and
other nutrients. Because a baby gets large amounts of foremilk, he gets all the
water that he needs from it. Babies do not need other drinks of water before
they are 4-6 months old, even in a hot climate. If they satisfy their thirst on
water supplements, they may take less breastmilk.
Mothers sometimes worry that their milk is
`too thin'. Milk is never `too thin'. It is important for a baby to have both
foremilk and hindmilk to get a complete `meal', and all the water that he
need
n Less risk of illness such as:
Ear infections, pneumonia, crohn’s disease
and other bowel illnesses, stomach flu and other intestinal illnesses, ear
infections, childhood cancers, diabetes, arthritis, allergies, asthma and
eczema
_ A mother may notice:
_ A squeezing or tingling sensation in her breasts just
before she feeds her baby, or during a
feed
_ Milk flowing from her breasts when she thinks of her
baby, or hears him crying
_ Milk dripping from her other breast, when her baby is
suckling
_ Milk flowing from her breasts in fine streams, if her
baby comes off the breast during a feed
_ Pain from uterine contractions, sometimes with a rush of
blood, during feeds in the first week
_ Slow deep sucks and swallowing by the baby, which show
that breastmilk is flowing into his mouth
You may notice some of these signs when you observe a mother and baby,
or you can ask a mother if she notices them.
If one or more of the
signs or sensations are present, then a mother can be sure that her oxytocin
reflex is active, and that her breastmilk is flowing. However, even if her
reflex is active, she may not feel the sensations, and the signs may not be
obvious
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