Posted on June 30, 2007 in Latest News
Are you trying to avoid breastfeeding? Then change your decision. Breastfeeding is the best natural way to feed your baby. Learn about its constituents and what makes it the “best” complete food for the baby.
Breastfeeding is crucial both for the mother as well as the child due to two aspects. One is the nutritional aspect and the other is the psychological aspect. The nutritional aspect of breastfeeding is vital although according to some it can be replaced with other alternatives. However, the psychological attachment which grows between the child and the mother is unique and cannot be substituted by any means.
Making available “complete food” for the infant
In simple words, the breastmilk that a child receives as a result of breast feeding is the milk produced by a lactating female.
Breast milk and its Constituents
The initial milk that is formed is known as colostrums, and precisely is best suited for the infant. It is generally formed subsequent to the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy. When the baby is born, it is available in small quantities for the initial 3 days to match up with the small size of the baby’s stomach.
The composition of breast milk is dependent on the food intake and surroundings, which signify the variation in the proportion of water to fat. Mature milk consists of two parts namely, foremilk and hindmilk.The initial milk that the baby gets at the commencement of breast feeding is referred to as foremilk. It is thin and watery with a light blue tinge. Made up of chiefly water, it is essential for quenching the baby’s thirst. It is depleted in fat and rich in carbohydrates, in comparison to the creamier hindmilk which is discharged as the feed proceeds and helps the baby to gain fat. While breastfeeding, the breast can by no means be actually cleared of milk because milk production is a nonstop biological procedure.
Constituents:
The chief constituents which make breast milk special and better than pasteurized milk and milk from other sources are lactose, vitamins A, D, E, K, B-complex and C, minerals specifically calcium, phosphorus and zinc , essential fatty acids, bile salt, stimulated lipase, whey protein, amino acids cystine and taurine, polyunsaturated fatty acids, lactoferrin, secretory immunoglobulin A, lysozyme. The bifidus factor is responsible for producing more acidic stool, and checks the growth of any destructive bacteria. It is filled with the immunities that are transmitted from the mother to safeguard the baby against ailments. It also works as a natural laxative, assisting the baby to discharge the first stools called meconium.
The initial milk that is formed is known as colostrums, and precisely is best suited for the infant. It is generally formed subsequent to the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy. When the baby is born, it is available in small quantities for the initial 3 days to match up with the small size of the baby’s stomach.
When to Start Breast-feeding
Breastfeeding should start as early as possible after the delivery of the child. The child should be fed every 1 to 3 hours in a day or eight to twelve times during a span of 24 hours. Breastmilk has a yellowish shade and is dense in uniformity. The interval of breastfeeding differs based on commencement of breastfeeding and its frequency.
In simple words, the breastmilk that a child receives as a result of breast feeding is the milk produced by a lactating female.
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August 15th, 2007 at 5:06 am
Pl let us know feeding plan for 20 days boy
August 15th, 2007 at 5:09 am
the site is usefull for parenting moms
December 26th, 2007 at 2:08 am
when to stop breastfeeding?