Breastfeeding and Your Child
July 14th, 2009 | 
Breast milk is considered to be the best available nourishment for the infants and its usefulness has been proved by scientists at regular times. Infants have a sucking reflex that helps them suck the milk from the Breast and swallow it. Scientists have over a period of time suggested that no form of milk is as beneficial to the young child as mother’s breast milk.
A woman is believed to be using approximately 500-600 calories/day for milk production in a natural form in her body for feeding the child.
Breast milk can be given to the child by his or her mother or any other lactating female. This milk can be provided to the child through bottle or pasteurized milk can be used as a substitute, in case the mother is unable to feed the infant due to any reason.
The following hormones are responsible for the production of milk in a female’s body:
1. Progesterone.
2. Estrogen.
3. Luteinizing hormone.
4. Follicle stimulating hormone.
5. Prolactin.
6. Human placental lactogen.
7. Oxytocin.
Precautions:
Breast milk should be avoided when the mother is suffering from untreated pulmonary tuberculosis and HIV infection or is using heroin, cocaine or amphetamines. Apart from that, children who are suffering from classic galactosemia must avoid breast milk.
Breast Milk has many advantages associated to it some of them are as follows:
1. It reduces the risks of asthma, diarrhea, eczema, allergies, and obesity for the mother.
2. Breast milk has anti-infective factors which saves the child from many varying microbial infections.
3. Breast feeding mothers are known to have less risk of breast cancer.
4. There is a low risk of post-partum hemorrhage in woman.
5. Insulin requirements of the body minimizes in diabetic breast-feeder mothers.
Women produce a yellowish and thick fluid from the Breast in the few first days that is known as “colostrum” that is highly effective for the child against infections prone to an infant and is nutritious for the budding child. The milk that comes out initially is very watery and contains proteins and sugar, however, the milk that is secreted later on contains rich fats that are sufficient to feed the child.
The breast milk must be given to the child till the second birthday of the child and the child may be slowly and steadily introduced to the family meals.
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