When the whole world shrinks into a global village, we learned to discount our love for parents, friends and lovers confined to some special days. But for breast feeding, a divine act that a human does, we have kept aside a whole week. While the world celebrates the World Breast-Feeding Week (Aug 1-7), Dr.Anandam Gopinath advocates the significance of breast feeding that keeps the mother and the baby in an unbreakable bond of love.

As a biological fact mother is always connected to her child even after the chopping of the umbilical chord. The apparent helplessness of infancy makes the child even more attached to its mother. Thus by continuing the process of providing food the mother fulfills her motherhood through breast

feeding. An emotional bond is being created between the two even more strongly at the time of breast feeding.

Feeding time should be a pleasant and pleasurable experience for both mother and child. Mothers who are tense and anxious find difficulty in breast feeding.

Breast milk – the elixir of life

Breast milk is the only natural complete food for the infant. Human milk is readily available at the proper temperature whenever the mother is present. It is fresh and free from bacteria, reducing the chances of some infectious diseases like diarrhea, acting as a protective shield to the baby. It also contains antibodies against the common viral infections. It prevents anemia, skin infections and allergy. Above all, nursing strengthens the bond between mother and child for the life hitherto.

If all babies are breast fed within an hour of birth, thousands of neo-natal deaths can be prevented. Breast feeding should begin as soon as possible – within six to 12 hours of delivery. The colostrum, the first milk secreted, has a high concentration of proteins. It is a vital factor in preventing common illnesses including diarrhea and respiratory track infection, ear and urinary tract infection for the baby.

The immediate feeding giving the baby the elixir that is colostrums is possible only in the case of vaginal (normal) deliveries. But in the case of caesarean deliveries only after coming out of the anesthetic effects, the mother will be able to feed and this will take three to four hours.

The best stimulant for production of milk is baby’s suckling. Baby should be fed from both the breasts. Most healthy infants require feed every three hours in the early days. By three to six weeks of age, many infants will not awaken for the midnight feeds.

Know-how of breast feeding

The infant should be hungry at the feeding time. He should be held in a semi-sitting position. The mother too must be comfortable and once out of bed can use a low chair with arm rests. The baby is supported with his face close to the breast by one arm while the other supports the breasts so that the nipple is accessible to the infant’s mouth and yet does not obstruct his nose.

The time taken for emptying a breast varies with babies and it should be allowed to suck till satisfied. Efforts to waken the baby during feeds are rarely successful. At the en and in between the feeds the baby should be burped by holding him erect over the mother’s shoulder. This will remove the swallowed air which causes the baby to bring up the milk.

After feeding place him on his belly or on the right side to lessen the chances of regurgitation.

Some mothers worry that they do not have enough milk. If the baby is satisfied at the completion of the nursing period, sleeps well and is gaining weight adequately it can be assumed that milk is sufficient. Some babies are light sleepers and require extra mothering.

If by any chance, the mother is unable nurse or insufficient milk, the baby will have to be given artificial food. But we do not advocate it as it bears umpteen channels for infection.

For the mother, breast feeding can not only reduce her risk for blood loss post delivery but also infectious diseases, breast and ovarian cancer and iron deficiency. They also return back to pre-pregnancy shape and weight quicker if they breast feed.

For long, there had been a tendency of young mothers to avoid feeding, being more beauty-conscious. It is likely to have some sagged shape for the breast after a long feeding. For such things, there are natural and artificial recuperative methods that can be opted, after the child attains a stage to have other food items. Being well conscious of the positive impacts of breast feeding WHO has initiated some awareness programs conducted through some organizations inclusive of doctors and social activists across the globe. They suggest hospitals and other health care services to train health workers who can help mothers start breast feeding at the appropriate time in the right way.

Give your baby your milk as much as he needs. It is easily digestible as against the formula milk and breast fed babies are less likely to be obese in later life. More over, a baby’s IQ level can increase by up to five points if it is breastfed properly. According to a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, breastfed infants are found to have 5.2 points more in IQ than formula-fed infants.

Remember, it is the right of the baby to have enough milk from his mother. Each baby is an individual and his requirements vary. So we cannot put a strict schedule for feeding your baby. It is also a right and delight of that divine designation – motherhood.

So enjoy it full.

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