Breast Feeding Human milk is the preferred form of nutrition for the fulltime infant.

. Breast Feeding, the single most important feeding for infants, benefits both the mother and the child. Advantages of breast feeding are psychologically, nutritional, physiologic and immunologic. a) Breast Feeding promotes bonding The eye-to-eye contact and the direct skin contact between the newborn and the mother during breast feeding communicate closeness, warmth and comfort. It is the close mother-infant relationship that is considered the most outstanding physiologic benefit of breast feeding. b) Breast Feeding promotes uterine involution As the infant sucks on the breast, oxytocin is released by the pituitary gland, primarily to contact the muscles of the breast tubules to cause let down (milk ejection) reflex. On the side, oxytocin exerts a direct stimulating action on the uterine muscles, causing them to contract. This is the cause of the uterine cramps experienced by the woman during breastfeeding. c) Breastfeeding is economical Commercial milk products are of staggering prices. Breast milk, though not free milk, because the mother needs a high-caloric and high-protein diet, ultimately costs less and saves time and effort in preparation. d) Breastfeeding delays fertility The increase level of prolactin in the blood of a breastfeeding woman causes low levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone, resulting in lactation amenorrhea. The return of the menstruation will probably be delayed until about 6 to 8 months after the birth of the baby (Ingalls and Salerno, 1975) INFANT ADVANTAGES a) Breast milk contains essential antibodies Breast milk contains immunoglobulins that protect the infant against the diseases to which the mother may have been previously exposed. In addition, viable lymphocytes are transmitted from the mother to the infant through breast milk. (Beer and Bellingham, 1976) b) Breast milk contains all the essential nutrients needed by the infant during the first 4-6 months Colostrums, the first breast milk, is rich in protein, minerals and vitamins A, E and B12 and has less fat and sugar than mature milk. The lactose, lipids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and amino acids, especially taurine, facilitate digestion, absorption and full use of breast milk, compared to formulas. (Gulick, 1986) c) Breast milk promotes better brain development and improves intelligence. These are the substances in the breast milk that help in the development of the babys brain and increase the childs intelligence quotient: Taurine, an amino acid found in high amounts in human breast milk (low in cows milk): important to brain development. Cholesterol: needed to make nerve tissue in the growing brain. Lactose: broken down in the body into glucose and galactose. Galactose is a valuable nutrient for brain tissue development. Cows milk contains less lactose.

d) Breast milk comes in a clean, non-contaminated and unchanged form Since breast milk is usually obtained by the infant directly from the source, there is less chance for the contamination of the human formula. According to Meier and Wilks (1987), human milk is not sterile and that data suggest that healthy term infants can tolerate varying amounts of non-pathogenic and pathogenic organism. e) Breast milk is easier to digest The major protein in breast milk, mostly lactalbumin, is easier to digest than the protein of cows milk called casein. In addition, curd of human milk is softer than that of cows milk, favoring easy digestion. f) Breast milk is always available at room temperature

g) There are fewer incidence of common infant feeding problems, such as colic, constipation, diarrhea and food allergies h) Breastfed babies face lesser risk of heart death

Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Have a written breastfeeding policy that routinely communicated to all health care staff. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding. Help mothers initiate breast-feeding within a half hour of birth. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they are separated from their infants. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated. Practice rooming-in-allow mothers and infants to remain together 4 hour a day. Encourage breast-feeding on demand. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breast-feeding infants. Faster the establishment of breast-feeding supports groups and refers mothers to them in discharge from the hospital or clinic.

Contraindication to Breast Feed include () Maternal Chemotherapy antimetabolites and certain anti-neoplastic drugs. Active tuberculosis not under treatment in mother. HIV in mother. Galastosemia in infant. Maternal herpes simplex lesion on a breast. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) may be a risk to preterm infants receiving CMV infected donor milk, not to infected mother infant, who already has CMV. Maternal substance abuse. (e.g. cocaine, methamphetamines, marijuana) Human T-Cell leukemia virus Type 1. Mothers receiving diagnostic or radioactive isotopes or who have had exposure to radioactive materials. (For as long as there is radioactivity in milk)

The following interventions promote breast-feeding Frequent and early breast feeding, especially during the first hour of life; immediate skin-to-skin contact; rooming-in; and feeding in demand. Direct modeling of the importance of the breast feeding by health care providers such as implementing demand nursing with no formula supplementation and decreased emphasis on infant formula products. Increased information and support to mothers after the discharge, especially phone follow-up.

Early breast pumping every 2-3 hours for 20 minutes bilaterally if the newborn is unable to nurse immediately increase oxytocin production and thus milk production.