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An infant breastfeeding
Suckling and nursing are synonyms. For other uses, see Nursing (disambiguation) and Suckling
(disambiguation)
Breastfeeding is the feeding of an infant or young child with breast milk directly from female human
breasts (i.e., via lactation) rather than from a baby bottle or other container. Babies have a sucking
reflex that enables them to suck and swallow milk. Most mothers can breastfeed for six months or
more, without the addition of infant formula or solid food.
Human breast milk is the healthiest form of milk for human babies.[1] There are few exceptions, such
as when the mother is taking certain drugs or is infected with Human T-lymphotropic virus, HIV, or has
active untreated tuberculosis. Breastfeeding promotes health, helps to prevent disease, and reduces
health care and feeding costs.[2][3][4] Artificial feeding is associated with more deaths from diarrhea
in infants in both developing and developed countries.[5] Experts agree that breastfeeding is beneficial,
but may disagree about the length of breastfeeding that is most beneficial, and about the risks of using
artificial formulas.[6][7][8]
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) emphasize the
value of breastfeeding for mothers as well as children. Both recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the
first six months of life and then supplemented breastfeeding for at least one year and up to two years or
more.[9][10] While recognizing the superiority of breastfeeding, regulating authorities also work to
minimize the risks of artificial feeding.[7]
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[edit] Breast milk
Main article: Breast milk
[edit] Bonding
Hormones released during breastfeeding help to strengthen the maternal bond.[11] Teaching partners
how to manage common difficulties is associated with higher breastfeeding rates.[49] Support for a
mother while breastfeeding can assist in familial bonds and help build a paternal bond between father
and child.[50]
If the mother is away, an alternative caregiver may be able to feed the baby with expressed breast milk.
The various breast pumps available for sale and rent help working mothers to feed their babies breast
milk for as long as they want. To be successful, the mother must produce and store enough milk to feed
the child for the time she is away, and the feeding caregiver must be comfortable in handling breast
milk.
† It is acceptable for some babies to gain 4–5 ounces per week. This average is taken from the lowest weight, not the
birth weight.
The average breastfed baby doubles its birth weight in 5–6 months. By one year, a typical breastfed
baby will weigh about 2½ times its birth weight. At one year, breastfed babies tend to be leaner than
bottle fed babies.[69] By two years, differences in weight gain and growth between breastfed and
formula-fed babies are no longer evident.[70]
Two 25ml samples of human breast milk. The sample on the left is foremilk, the watery milk coming
from a full breast. To the right is hindmilk, the creamy milk coming from a nearly empty breast.[80]
Exclusive breastfeeding is defined as "an infant's consumption of human milk with no supplementation
of any type (no water, no juice, no nonhuman milk, and no foods) except for vitamins, minerals, and
medications."[10] National and international guidelines recommend that all infants be breastfed
exclusively for the first six months of life. Breastfeeding may continue with the addition of appropriate
foods, for two years or more. Exclusive breastfeeding has dramatically reduced infant deaths in
developing countries by reducing diarrhea and infectious diseases. It has also been shown to reduce
HIV transmission from mother to child, compared to mixed feeding.[81][82][83][84]
Exclusively breastfed infants feed anywhere from 6 to 14 times a day. Newborns consume from 30 to
90 ml (1 to 3 US fluid ounces) per feed. After the age of four weeks, babies consume about 120ml (4
US fluid ounces) per feed. Each baby is different, but as it grows the amount will increase. It is
important to recognize the baby's hunger signs. It is assumed that the baby knows how much milk it
needs and it is therefore advised that the baby should dictate the number, frequency, and length of each
feed. The supply of milk from the breast is determined by the number and length of these feeds or the
amount of milk expressed. The birth weight of the baby may affect its feeding habits, and mothers may
be influenced by what they perceive its requirements to be. For example, a baby born small for
gestational age may lead a mother to believe that her child needs to feed more than if it larger; they
should, however, go by the demands of the baby rather than what they feel is necessary.
While it can be hard to measure how much food a breastfed baby consumes, babies normally feed to
meet their own requirements.[85] Babies that fail to eat enough may exhibit symptoms of failure to
thrive. If necessary, it is possible to estimate feeding from wet and soiled nappies (diapers): 8 wet cloth
or 5–6 wet disposable, and 2–5 soiled per 24 hours suggests an acceptable amount of input for
newborns older than 5–6 days old. After 2–3 months, stool frequency is a less accurate measure of
adequate input as some normal infants may go up to 10 days between stools. Babies can also be
weighed before and after feeds.
Expressed breast milk (EBM) or infant formula can be fed to an infant by bottle
Predominant or mixed breastfeeding means feeding breast milk along with infant formula, baby food
and even water, depending on the age of the child. Babies feed differently with artificial teats than from
a breast. With the breast, the infant's tongue massages the milk out rather than sucking. With an
artificial teat, an infant will suck as long as there is milk flowing and it is easy to overfeed with a bottle.
Since the flow is constant, and the baby does not have to elicit a letdown, mixing breastfeeding and
bottle-feeding (or using a pacifier) before the baby is used to feeding from its mother, can result in the
infant preferring the bottle to the breast. Some mothers supplement feed with a small syringe or flexible
cup to reduce the risk of artificial nipple preference. When using a bottle it is important to use the
slowest flow the baby will accept (and not move up to a faster flow just because the baby is getting
older) and feed in a paced manner. The baby should sit almost upright and the bottle should be only
tipped slightly to allow for a little bit of milk to pass to the baby. Bottle feeding should take as long as
breastfeeding does. Faster feeding can easily result in overfeeding.
Famille d’un Chef Camacan se préparant pour une Fête ("Family of a Camacan chief preparing for a
celebration") by Jean-Baptiste Debret shows a woman breastfeeding a child in the background.
Main article: History of breastfeeding
For hundreds of thousands of years, humans, like all other mammals, fed their young milk. Before the
twentieth century, alternatives to breastfeeding were rare. Attempts in 15th century Europe to use cow
or goat milk were not very positive. In the 18th century, flour or cereal mixed with broth were
introduced as substitutes for breastfeeding, but this did not have a favorable outcome, either. True
commercial infant formulas appeared on the market in the mid 19th Century but their use did not
become widespread until after WWII. As the superior qualities of breast milk became better-established
in medical literature, breastfeeding rates have increased and countries have enacted measures to protect
the rights of infants and mothers to breastfeed.
Medicine
Immunological Properties of Breastmilk and Breastfeeding as a Healing Process
Economy
The Devastating Consequences of Formula Feeding on the Philippine Economy
Ecology
The Disastrous Consequences of Formula Feeding on the Ecology
Empowerment
Breastfeeding Propels Women and Family Empowerment
Love
Breastfeeding Strengthens Love
Faith
We are wonderfully made! Learn how the human anatomy is designed to breastfeed. It includes
excerpts from the Bible and Koran quoting verses related to breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is the normal way of providing young infants with the nutrients they
need for healthy growth and development. Virtually all mothers can breastfeed, provided they have
accurate information, and the support of their family, the health care system and society at large.
Colostrum, the yellowish, sticky breast milk produced at the end of pregnancy, is recommended by
WHO as the perfect food for the newborn, and feeding should be initiated within the first hour after
birth.
Up to what age can a baby stay well nourished by just being breastfed?
Q: Up to what age can a baby stay well nourished by just being breastfed?
A: Infants should be exclusively breastfed – i.e. receive only breast milk – for the first six months of
life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. "Exclusive breastfeeding" is defined as giving
no other food or drink – not even water – except breast milk. It does, however, allow the infant to
receive drops and syrups (vitamins, minerals and medicines). Breast milk is the ideal food for the
healthy growth and development of infants; breastfeeding is also an integral part of the reproductive
process with important implications for the health of mothers.
WHO recommends that infants start receiving complementary foods at six months (180 days) of age in
addition to breast milk. Complementary foods should be given 2–3 times a day between 6–8 months,
increasing to 3–4 times a day between 9–11 months. Between 12–23 months of age, 3–4 meals should
be given. In addition, depending on the child's appetite, 1–2 nutritious snacks can be offered between
meals. These foods should be adequate, meaning that they provide sufficient energy, protein and
micronutrients to meet a growing child's nutritional needs. Foods should be prepared and given in a
safe manner to minimize the risk of contamination. Feeding young infants requires active care and
stimulation to encourage the child to eat.
The transition from exclusive breastfeeding to full use of family foods is a very vulnerable period. It is
the time when many infants become malnourished, contributing significantly to the high prevalence of
malnutrition in children under five years of age worldwide. It is essential therefore that infants receive
appropriate, adequate and safe complementary foods to ensure the right transition from the
breastfeeding period to the full use of family foods.
10 facts on breastfeeding
•
WHO recommends
WHO strongly recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. At six months,
other foods should complement breastfeeding for up to two years or more. In addition:
• breastfeeding should begin within an hour of birth;
• breastfeeding should be "on demand", as often as the child wants day and night; and
• bottles or pacifiers should be avoided.
Health benefits for infants
Breast milk is the ideal food for newborns and infants. It gives infants all the nutrients they need for
healthy development. It is safe and contains antibodies that help protect infants from common
childhood illnesses - such as diarrhoea and pneumonia, the two primary causes of child mortality
worldwide. Breast milk is readily available and affordable, which helps to ensure that infants get
adequate sustenance.
Take Action!
Here are some tips for breastfeeding success.
Talk to your doctor or midwife about breastfeeding.
While you are pregnant, tell your doctor or midwife that you plan to breastfeed.
Many health centers, clinics, and hospitals have lactation counselors to answer all your questions and
help you get started. A lactation counselor (or lactation specialist) helps women learn how to
breastfeed.
After you begin breastfeeding, you may have questions about how you and your baby are doing with
breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor, nurse, or lactation counselor as often as you need to.
Make a plan for after your baby is born.
If you plan to go to work after pregnancy, a lactation counselor can help you plan to keep providing
Breastfeed Your Baby
Breastfeeding is a process that takes time to master. Babies and mothers need to practice. Keep in mind
that you make milk in response to your baby sucking at the breast. The more milk your baby removes
from the breasts, the more milk you will make.
A let-down reflex or milk ejection reflex is a conditioned reflex ejecting milk from the alveoli through
the ducts to the sinuses of the breast and the nipple. This reflex makes it easier to breastfeed your baby.
Let-down happens a few seconds to several minutes after you start breastfeeding your baby. It can
happen a few times during a feeding, too. You may feel a tingle in your breast or you may feel a little
uncomfortable. Keep in mind that some women don’t feel anything. Let-down can happen at other
times, too, such as when you hear your baby cry or when you may just be thinking about your baby. If
your milk lets down as more of a gush and it bothers your baby, try expressing some milk by hand
before you start breastfeeding.
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1. Tickle the baby’s lips to encourage 2. Pull your baby close so that the 3. Watch the lower lip and aim it as
him or her to open wide. chin and lower jaw moves into your far from base of nipple as possible, so
breast first. the baby takes a large mouthful of
breast.
Click on the start button for a demonstration
Object 1
Object 2
Breastfeeding Holds
Some moms find that the following positions are helpful ways to get comfortable and support their
babies in finding a good latch. You also can use pillows under your arms, elbows, neck, or back to give
you added comfort and support. Keep in mind that what works well for one feeding may not work well
for the next. Keep trying different positions until you are comfortable.
Clutch or “football” hold – useful for mothers who had a c-section and
mothers with large breasts, flat or inverted nipples, or a strong letdown
reflex. It is also helpful for babies who prefer to be more upright. This
hold allows you to better see and control your baby’s head, and keep the
baby away from a c-section incision. Hold your baby at your side, lying
on his or her back, with his or her head at the level of your nipple.
Support baby’s head with the palm of your hand at the base of the head.
(The baby is placed almost under the arm.)
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A newborn’s tummy is very small, especially in the early days. Once breastfeeding is established,
exclusively breastfed babies from 1 to 6 months of age take in between 19 and 30 ounces per day. If
you breastfeed 8 times per day, the baby would eat around 3 ounces per feeding. Older babies will take
less breastmilk as other food is introduced. Every baby is different, though.
Hazelnut Walnut
At birth, the baby’s stomach can comfortably digest what would fit in a hazelnut (about 1-2 teaspoons).
In the first week, the baby’s stomach grows to hold about 2 ounces or what would fit in a walnut.
Minimum number of wet diapers and bowel movements in a baby's first week
(it is fine if your baby has more) 1 day = 24 hours
Number of Wet Color and Texture of Bowel
Baby's Age Number of Bowel Movements
Diapers Movements
Day 1 (first 24 The first one usually occurs
1 Thick, tarry, and black
hours after birth) within 8 hours after birth
Day 2 2 3 Thick, tarry, and black
Day 3 Looser greenish to yellow
5-6 3
(color may vary)
Day 4 6 3 Yellow, soft, and watery
Day 5 6 3 Loose and seedy, yellow color
Day 6 6 3 Loose and seedy, yellow color
Day 7 Larger amounts of loose and
6 3
seedy, yellow color
First, consider why you feel the need to increase your milk supply. Lots of moms think they have a low
milk supply, when their milk supply is just fine. If you are exclusively breastfeeding and baby’s weight
gain is on target, there is absolutely nothing wrong with your milk supply. This holds true even if baby
is fussy, suddenly gets hungry often, will take a bottle immediately after breastfeeding, or if your
breasts are soft, and even if you aren’t able to pump any milk. If baby is gaining weight, you DO have
enough milk. To maintain a healthy milk supply, most moms don’t need to do anything (besides feed
baby when she’s hungry).
If you do have a low milk supply, you'll need to figure out why. Work with an internationally certified
lactation consultant (IBCLC) to help get to the root of your particular supply issue. If your supply is
dropping, it may mean that baby isn't effectively removing the milk from your breasts. You may need to
help baby achieve a deeper latch, or you may need to wake baby to nurse more frequently. It is very
important not to supplement as you try to build your milk supply (unless there is a clear medical
reason, like if a newborn has dropped 10 percent of his birth weight). Supplemental bottles signal your
body to make less milk. Also, using artificial nipples (aka bottles or pacifiers) can lower your milk
supply since baby can learn improper sucking techniques. Pacifiers can also lower supply by taking
away baby's cues to feed.
Once you have identified the problem and know how to solve it (or if you are trying to boost your
supply for another reason, like to increase your pumping output at work or to feed an adopted baby),
there are three main ways to increase your milk supply:
Frequent feedings
Frequent breastfeeding is the number one way to establish and/or grow your supply of breast milk. As a
general rule, the more baby nurses, the more milk your body will produce. Nursing baby every two
hours (or less) for a couple of days can be very effective in giving your supply a boost. Frequent
nursing is especially important in the first days and weeks of breastfeeding as you work to establish a
healthy supply of breast milk.
Breast pumps
If frequent nursing isn't boosting your supply enough, consider emptying your breasts with a high-
quality double-electric pump. Breastfeeding is a supply-and-demand affair: Your body makes milk
according to the amount removed from your breasts. Try pumping between feedings or pumping one
breast while baby nurses on the other. Continue to pump for five or so minutes after the milk stops
coming. The added stimulation will signal your body to produce more milk.
Galactagogues
Galactagogues are substances that increase milk supply. Fenugreek, blessed thistle, and alfalfa are
herbal galactagogues sometimes used to increase supply, and sometimes prescription medicines are
used, like Metoclopramide (Reglan), Domperidone (Motilium), and sulpiride (Eglonyl, Dolmatil,
Sulpitil, Sulparex, Equemote). The drug Domperidone isn't widely available in the United States, but it
is approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics for use in breastfeeding mothers. (The primary use
of the drug is to treat nausea and vomiting caused by other drugs; a boost in milk production is a side
effect.) You may be able to order Domperidone online from Canada or other countries. Talk to a doctor
and/or board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) before using any galactagogue.
Rest and stress reduction may make it easier for you to make milk too. And remember to avoid
pacifiers and bottles, and give baby only breast milk. (If you have been supplementing with formula,
gradually give less and less. This should help baby suckle on your breasts more, leading to increased
milk supply.)
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 12:03:00 08/01/2010
“This year, we are commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Innocenti Declaration on the Protection,
Promotion, and Support of Breastfeeding,” said Vanessa Tobin, country representative of the UN
children’s agency Unicef.
Unicef advocates for a breastfeeding culture in the Philippines. Together with other child rights actors,
it pushes for exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life. Exclusive breastfeeding means
feeding the child with only mother’s milk and nothing else, not even water.
Soft, semi-solid, and solid food is ideal for babies six months and beyond, while the mother continues
breastfeeding. This is called complementary feeding. Complementary feeding gives children the variety
of nutrients that they need for their age, and will help them to develop fully into healthy and active
individuals.
In response to one of the operational targets of the Innocenti Declaration, Unicef and the World Health
Organization (WHO) launched the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in 1991. The BFHI
ensures that all free standing and hospital maternities become centers of breastfeeding support.
A maternity facility is considered “baby-friendly” when it does not accept free or low-cost breast milk
substitutes, feeding bottles or teats, and has implemented these 10 steps to support successful
breastfeeding:
1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff. The 10
steps call for health facilities to have written policies that are displayed for all to read, indicating that
staff is committed to implementing them.
2. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy. Training at all levels should
address the 10 steps, breastfeeding, counselling, and the International Code.
3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding. By the time a baby
is born, the new mother must be comfortable about breastfeeding, understand its benefits, and what she
has to do.
4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one half-hour of birth. This step now means, for all
healthy newborns, skin-to-skin contact from immediately after delivery for at least one hour or until the
baby has attached and fed at the breast if this takes longer.
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and maintain lactation, even if they should be separated from their
infants. Helping mothers to breastfeed effectively with a good technique is a vital step. If infants are
separated from their mothers, or are unable to suckle, their mothers need to express their milk. Health
workers need skills to help mothers do these things.
6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated. Families
and health workers may believe that infants need pre-lacteal feeds of formula or glucose water or other
drinks before their mother’s milk “comes in.” This may lead to failure to breastfeed. Infant formula and
advertisements in maternities can mislead people on this important point. Breast milk is pure and
complete, while giving babies water or other liquids can pose risks due to contaminated water.
7. Practice rooming-in—that is, allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day. In many
hospitals, newborns are kept in nurseries after delivery. Rooming-in allows mothers and their babies to
stay together day and night to bond and to establish breastfeeding.
8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand. Babies should feed according to their needs, not a schedule
decided by the hospital or mother. Understanding her infant’s feeding cues improved breastfeeding and
the mother-child relationship.
9. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants. During
the early weeks, the baby’s need to suckle should be satisfied at the breast. Using teats or pacifiers may
interfere with suckling and the adjustment of the breast milk supply to the baby’s requirements.
10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge
from the hospital or clinic. Breastfeeding support groups are often part of a community nutrition
strategy. Peer counsellors are women from the community who receive training in breastfeeding
support. They often contact mothers in their homes. They are very effective in increasing exclusive
breastfeeding.
Drawing attention to these 10 steps is critical in improving breastfeeding rates. More than 15,000
facilities in 134 countries have been awarded baby-friendly status since BFHI began almost 20 years
ago. In many areas where hospitals have been designated baby-friendly, more mothers are
breastfeeding their infants, and child health has improved.
BFHI is gaining ground in Asia, with Thailand being one of 12 developing countries taking the lead in
instituting the 10 steps of baby-friendly practice in as many hospitals as possible. China now has more
than 6,000 baby-friendly Hospitals and exclusive breastfeeding rose dramatically in the early 90s from
29 percent to 68 percent in the mid 90s.
“It’s a totally different scenario in the Philippines where exclusive breastfeeding for infants decreased
from 37 percent in 1998 to 34 percent in 2003. Use of milk formula and feeding bottles is still a
problem. There is much to be done to reverse the effect of bottle feeding and intensive work is
necessary to make exclusive breastfeeding the norm in the society,” said Tobin.
Health systems, health care providers, and communities must act to make breastfeeding the easy choice
for women. Breastfeeding is indeed the best start to life and mothers need everyone’s support to fully
enjoy and appreciate their breastfeeding experience.