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Maternity and breastfeeding blog
BREASTFEEDING BENEFITS
Western women usually have to interrupt breastfeeding ahead of time, because they need to concile maternity with work. In Farmacia Campoamor we want to give information about the breastfeeding benefits, both for the baby and mother (in comparison with artificial feeding), and we also want to give information about the different ways we can cooperate to promote breastfeeding benefits for the baby.
BREASTFEEDING, FOR HOW LONG, HOW AND WHEN?
Breastfeeding consists in feeding a baby with milk breast milk, directly from the mother's breast or through a baby's bottle full of breast milk, previously extracted with a breast pump.
Along with OMS recommendations, women without any health problem should breastfeed their babies only with breast milk, for at least 6 months after the baby is born.
OMS also suggests that breastfeeding should last until the baby is 2 years old (or more). Other medical authorities suggest at least one year of breastfeeding.
Even if we hear around that breast milk is a very complete food, from which the baby takes all that he/she needs, this is not true because it lacks of the right quantity of vitamine D. Vitamina D is crucial for calcium absorption and for the baby's healthy growth, therefore the baby needs supplements.
We suggest to breastfeed the baby right after birth, when the mother is ready and as frequent as possible. We also suggest to avoid pacifiers, so the baby learns how to get to the breast.
Feedings should last between 10 and 15 minutes on each breast. If the baby wants more milk, it might mean that he/she is not getting enough milk. The baby should be able to establish his/her breastfeeding patterns.
If you want to know the information about correct breastfeeding you can read the suggestion to be found in the NICHD page: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/espanol/salud/temas/breastfeeding/informacion/Pages/realiza.aspx in which are are presented the signs to read if the baby correctly gets to the breast and how to finish a breastfeeding session.
BREASTFEEDING BENEFITS
Benefits for the baby:
Breast milk is a balanced food, containing easy-to-digest proteins (the baby digest better breast milk than artificial milk) and also antibodies that help to avoid illnesses.
It is proved that breastfeeded babies are less likely to develop allegies, childhood leukemia, otitis, gasses, diarrhea, constipation, digestive tract infection, atopic dermatitis or respiratory diseases.
Furthermore it seems like the breastfeeded baby might be less likely to have or to suffer from: diabetes, obesity, sudden death or tooth decay.
Benefits for the mother:
First of all breastfeeding is more confortable and cheaper than preparing artifical milk, secondly it reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancer, heart diseases and obesity. Breastfeeding will create a unique bond between the mother and the baby, impossible to be created otherwise.
BREASTFEEDING PROMOTION
Given that breastfeeding is important for the health of the baby, we have to foster it as fathers, relatives, health staff or coworkers. What can we do? OMS promotes breastfeeding from its webpage: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/meetings/2014/world_breastfeeding_week/es/
In short, we need to inform about benefits and recommendations of breastfeeding, to help mothers to rest, to free them from other tasks, to make breastfeeding a normal activity and to reconcile it with work environment, if possible.
Amapola Munuera
MSc in Pharmacy
References:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/breastfeeding.html
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/espanol/salud/temas/breastfeeding/Pages/default.aspx
Our maternity and breastfeeding link: http://www.farmaciacampoamor.com/en/10-maternity-and-breastfeeding