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| HEALTH
- Feeding your Baby |
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Feeding and caring the young baby is the responsibility
of the mother. Mother’s milk
is best for babies. It is made specifically for each
baby you have. Breast milk is easily
digested and carries your antibodies to your baby. Breast
milk is very nutritious, like a balanced diet! It is
always fresh and ready. It has the correct temperature
that babies want and need. Breast milk can increase
your baby's IQ, protect them from ear infections, respiratory
infections. Breast fed babies have fewer stomach upsets,
less diarrhea, no skin trouble and no constipation.
Mother is also benefited by breast feeding. Her pelvic
organs will return to normal more quickly and her skin
will improve. It is natural contraceptive. Many of the
loveliest women in the world have breast-fed their babies.
This is one of the nature’s ways to keep a woman
young and beautiful. |
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| Don’t
miss to feed the colostrums (first
milk) to the new born as it is an ideal first food that
is high in calories and rich in nutrients and antibodies.
It should be given within two hours of the birth. It
has a mild laxative effect, encouraging the passing
of the baby's first stool. This also clears excess bilirubin,
a waste product of dead red blood cells which is produced
in large quantities at birth due to blood volume reduction,
from the infant's body and this helps prevent jaundice.
Breast feeding is so much easier than bothering with
formulas, nipples and bottles. But you must ensure that
to take sufficient fluids yourself every day, particularly
milk. The calcium in milk is needed for your baby’s
born and teeth and also to protect your own system.
How often should you feed your baby? The answer is as
often he desires, certainly at least every 3 or 4 hours.
Choose any convenient feeding postures and the important
matter is it should be comfortable for both mother &
the baby.
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Sitting posture or Cradle Position
is convenient for healthy mother. In this position mother
has to sit down in an erect position and use pillow
to support her back. Places baby in her lap with the
baby’s head resting on the bend of her arm and
nearer to the breast for feeding. Pillow can be used
to support the baby’s weight so as to help the
baby closer towards the breast. Now the baby’s
chest is against the barest of the mother so she can
feed the baby by holding the breast in convenient position
with the other hand.
Hold your baby so his or her nose is close to your nipple,
with his or her chest against your chest. He will find
the breast on his own, initially smelling and licking
the nipple until he feels ready to latch on.
In Side Lying Position, mother lie down on her side
and lays her baby on its side so that both are parallel
and in face to face position. Baby’s head is facing
her breast and hold her breast with the hand opposite
to the breast and conveniently position. When feeding
in this position mother should take that baby’s
nose should not be obstructed. Pillows can be used to
support her back and support her head with the elbow.
This position is ideal for the first few days for the
mother who had caesarean.
Many mothers are using different postures with little
differences according to their individual convenience.
It is important to note that the most breast feeding
problems occur because the position of the baby is wrong.
It may lead to nipple damage and acute mastitis
(Inflammation of the breast), endangering the health
of the breast.
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Also the back pain of the nursing
mother is due to the tendency to bring the breast
to the baby instead of bringing the baby to the breast.
The back pain in nursing is completely correctable,
can generally be handled with the help of a partner.
Therefore do not hesitate to seek for any help or
assistance for practicing right feeding posture.
Do not stop breastfeeding for any illness. "HIV
and HTLV-1 are the only infectious diseases that are
considered absolute contraindications to breastfeeding
in developed countries" (Lawrence & Lawrence
2001).
You can continue breastfeeding even you are suffering
from following diseases:
• Cold, Flu
• Food poisoning
• Measles, Rubella, Chickenpox
• Lyme disease(is an emerging infectious disease
caused by bacteria)
• Cholera, typhoid fever, parasites (like giardia,
malaria), leprosy etc.
When you are sick, your body makes antibodies to help
fight off the ailments. The advantage to breastfeeding
is that your antibodies will be passed on to your
baby through your breast milk, boosting your baby's
immune system.
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