The importance of brestfeeding

    

  Breast milk is the most important food of the newborn baby. It helps baby to adapt to life outside the womb. It gives vitamins and minerals so desperately needed to grow healthy. It contains antibodies, that protect him in the coming months from various diseases and various yeast which will help digestion.

   Why we should breastfeed infants

  Breast milk is the only food that is easy to digest and is digested completely by the stomach that only now begins to secrete digestive ferments. Only after a few months after birth, gastric substances and ferments secreted by stomach are starting to digest other foods than milk.

  A liter of breast milk contains:

-about 870 g of water,

-15 g protein,

-35-40 g Fat,

-70 g of lactose,

-vitamins, minerals, whose amounts vary after mother's dietary intake,

-antibody, fighting viruses and bacteria,

-digestive ferments,

-700 Calories.

  Breast milk shows variations depending on the period of lactation, hour, day, depending on maternal nutrition even in the same period: at the beginning of breastfeed the milk is low in fats and, towards the end, richer. The amount depends on the strength of  baby but, also on the mother fluid intake and her psychological state (if stressed for different reasons, the amount of milk will be lower).

  If there is a decrease in the amount of milk, mothers must put the baby to breast from 3 to 3 hours interval because breastfeeding is the best for lactation. 10-15 minutes before each breastfeeding she must drink 100-200 ml of water, lemonade or tea. Beer, soups are not increasing the amount of milk rather than other liquids. Avoid eating onions and garlic because the flavor will change the taste of milk and many children will refuse the breast. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited entirely as it passes into milk and reaches the baby, causing serious intoxication.

  If the quantity of milk decreases, you mustn't give quickly a bottle supplement to new born baby because he will choose the easiest way, but not necessarily the healthiest.

 Some mothers may develop "milk anger" a strong secretion of milk, which will soften in a few days.

 There are cases when  mother covers deficit lactation with milk from cows. This milk shows at this young age of the baby many drawbacks: it has an inappropriate composition for newborn. He can easily infect with it's microbes and by boiling, it loses nutrients. 

  In  first 6-7 days after birth, a mother secretes milk that has substances that were found in blood serum, that was feeding the baby in the womb, called colostrum. It is a special milk, meant to ensure the baby's body balance and adaptation to the new environment. It is very rich in protein, immunizing substances in minerals and low in casein, fat and lactose.

 Colostrum has 500-700 calories, is yellowish and in a few days turn into milk.

Why is it good for the mother to breastfeed

 -women nursing recovers more easily after birth,

-it creates a stronger bond between mother and child, even physically, by secreting certain hormones

-is more calm, 

-breastfeed baby grows much better, healthier,

-a fully breastfeed baby will not suffer from intestinal infections from food.

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