Breast feeding is the natural way to feed a baby. Early on in the pregnancy, the breasts enlarge and start to prepare for the job of supplying the baby with milk. In the last twelve weeks or so of pregnancy they secrete colostrums. When colostrums is first secrete it is clear and colourless, later on it turn into a yellowish colour.
The baby’s birth is the sign for breasts to begin producing milk and 2 or 3 days later it starts to flow. Breast milk tends to look watery and bluish at the beginning of a feed and creamy towards the end.
Baby should be put to breast regularly in the first few days. They will not need to get much food, but they will enjoy sucking.
Colostrum is a yellowish substance that comes out of breast soon after the birth. During pregnancy, the expectant mother’s placenta and ovaries produce very high levels of estrogen and progesterone to stimulate the milk glands to produce a substance called colostrum.
This Colostrum, when it is first secreted out of the breast, is very colourless, later on it becomes yellowish. The colostrum provide the baby with water, minerals, and proteins to give extra protection from various infections.
Lactation means feeding. The colostrum is produced at least 12 weeks before the end of pregnancy. When birth occurs there is the signal for the breast to stop producing colostrums and to make a start on milk production. Milk production begins between three or four days after the baby is born. This process is called lactation.
Advantages of breast-feeding to the mother:
- It gives mother a chance to sit down during a busy day.
- Breast-feeding requires no equipment and preparations.
- Some mothers find breast-feeding useful in loosing weight.
- Breast-feeding is cheaper than bottle milk.
- It prevents the mother to have different disease like breast cancer.
Disadvantages of breast-feeding to the mother:
- It is often tiring and the mother is tied to the baby.
- She may end up with sore or cracked nipples.
- What the mother eats or drinks will inevitably be passed onto the baby- she should therefore avoid alcohol and drugs as well as strongly flavoured food.
- If the mother is tired or ill, or wants to go without the baby, feeding could be a difficulty and the mother might feel embarrassed.
Advantages of breast milk to the baby:
- Breast milk is an ideal food.
- Babies are less likely to become obese (fat).
- Research suggests that baby’s brains develop better if they have been breast-fed.
- Breast milk does not need to be sterilised.
- Breast milk is less likely to give the baby nappy rash or eczema.
- Babies who are breast-fed are less likely to become allergic than those who are bottle-fed.
- Breast milk contains natural antibodies, which help to ward off infections.
- Breast milk is easier to digest then bottle milk.
Disadvantages of breast milk for the baby:
- Occasionally, the baby not gets enough milk from the breast because the mother is tense or over tired.
- Some mother’s breast-feed the child for 12 months or more. A baby who is fed entirely on milk after 6 months may, when weaning begins, find it difficult to take to ‘new’ foods. If a baby has not been weaned by the time it is 9-10 months old, there is a danger that the baby may become anemic, because it is no longer getting the iron from its mother’s breast milk.
However, some women may not choose to breast feed their baby because of several reasons:
- One of them may be that the mother is too embarrassed to breast-feed her baby.
- Other reason could be that mother cant move or do anything else while breast-feeding and she may feel very tired.
- The mother can’t eat or drink particular food because of breast-feeding.
- Diet conscious mothers find it difficult to diet because of breast-feeding.
The nutritional value of breast milk:
The fat in breast milk contains all of the essential fatty acids. The quality of the protein is excellent, even though there is very little of it. It has low salt (sodium) content. There is no risk that ht milk is too concentrated on one nutrient or another. Babies are born with a good iron supply, which is stored in the liver.
Gastroenteritis and other common ailments of babies are less likely in babies who have been breast-fed. Breast milk also contains natural antibodies, which help to ward off all the infections.
The best thing about breast milk you will notice that it will never cause your baby indigestion.
Winding (burping)
Winding can be done during or at the end of a breast or bottle-feed. Babies vary in the amount of wind they get from air, which they swallow. Wind causes the baby to be uncomfortable and to cry, but can be brought up quite easily by:
a) Holding the baby over the shoulder and gently patting or rubbing the back or
b) Sitting the baby on the knee and gently patting or rubbing the back
Bottle Feeding:
4 tips for successful bottle-feeding:
- Bottle feeds should not be made up with more powder than stated on the packet. Too strong a feed will contain too much protein and salt; the baby will gain too much weight. More seriously excess salt can cause convulsions, coma and permanent brain damage.
- Do not heat milk in microwave. ‘Hot spots’ could occur and burn the baby’s mouth.
- Throw away any unused milk left in a bottle.
- Do not reheat.
Advantages for the mother when bottle feeding:
- It is useful for those women who cannot breast-feed.
- Bottle-feeding can be reassuring because the mother can see exactly how much milk the baby had.
- It can be useful for working mothers.
- Some women find that they can’t physically cope with the demands of breast-feeding, especially if they find it painful.
- The mother can start dieting after the six weeks of pregnancy.
- it may give you protection against developing ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and it strengthens your bones, reducing your risk of hip fracture.
Advantages for the baby when Bottle-fed:
- Bottle feeds, although not perfect, are a good substitute for mother unable to breast feed.
- Babies are extremely sensitive to the person giving the feed. A mother who is relaxed giving bottle-feeds is better than a mother who is tense and anxious or afraid whilst breast-feeding.
- Your baby may sleep for longer in between feeds.
- Formula milk has added vitamin K - vitamin K helps the blood to clot, but the body’s ability to store it is low. In rare cases (affecting approximately 1 in 10,000 babies) a vitamin K deficiency can cause a bleeding condition, known as haemorrhagic disease of the newborn (HDN).
Disadvantages of bottle-feeding for the baby:
- In studies carried out comparing babies who were breastfed with those who were bottle fed, bottle fed babies were found to have an increased risk of obesity at least until six years of age,
- When making formula milk, it is possible to get the mixture wrong and make it too strong, too weak, or too hot. There is also a lot of work involved in thoroughly washing and sterilising all of the equipment that is needed for bottle feeding,
- Babies who are bottle fed using formula milk are more likely to develop illnesses, such as diarrhoea, or a chest, ear, or urine infection. There is also an increased risk of premature babies who are bottle-fed developing a rare, but serious condition called Narcotising Enterocolitis (NEC), where the intestines are damaged due to infection and a poor supply of blood. Bottle milk is not easy for the baby to digest.
Disadvantages of bottle-feeding for the mother:
Once you have decided not to breastfeed your baby it is difficult to reverse the decision and begin breastfeeding. Also, if you decide to combine bottle-feeding with breastfeeding, you should not introduce bottle-feeding during the first six weeks of life, because the difference between nipples can confuse the baby, which causes feeding problems, and it can interfere with the establishment of breastfeeding.
Bottle-feeding using formula milk can be expensive. It has been estimated that it costs at least £450 a year to feed a baby using formula milk.
