Breast-feeding is defined as the extent of understanding conveyed about lactation and nourishment of an infant through breast-feeding. It is universally agreed that breast milk is the preferred method of feeding a newborn, because it provides numerous health benefits to both the mother and the infant, it remains the ideal nutritional sour
Little controversy
exists about breast-feeding as the best nutrition for human infants, but the
ultimate decision to breast-feed should depend on what would please the woman
most and make her most comfortable. If she is comfortable and pleased with what
she is doing, her infant will be comfortable and pleased, will enjoy being fed,
and will thrive.
Advantages
for a Mother
A woman gain several physiologic benefits
from breast-feeding:
·
Breast-feeding
may serve a protective function in preventing breast cancer
·
Successful
breast-feeding can have an empowering effect, because it is a skill only a
woman can master
·
Breast-feeding
reduces the cost of feeding and preparation time
·
Breast-feeding
provides an excellent opportunity to enhance a true symbiotic bond between
mother and child
Some women believe that breast-feeding;
because it causes a delay in menstruation (lactational amenorrhea) is a
foolproof contraceptive technique. Some women believe that breast-feeding will
help them lose weight gained during pregnancy. This is also not true, and women
who not breast-feeding need to concentrate on eating a well-balanced diet to
ensure their milk will be rich in nutrients
Advantages
for a Baby
Breast-feeding has
major physiologic advantages for a baby. Breast milk contains secretory
immunoglobulin A (IgA), which binds large molecules of foreign proteins,
including viruses and bacteria. The enzymes lysozyme
in breast milk apparently actively destroys bacteria by dissolving their
cell membranes. Leukocytes in breast milk provide protection against common
respiratory infection invaders. Macrophanges (a protein that protects against
viruses. The presence of Lactobacillus
bifidus in breast milk interferes with the colonization pathogenic bacteria
in the gastrointestinal tract, reducing the incidence of diarrhea.
In
addition to these antiinfective properties, breast milk contains the ideal
electrolyte and mineral composition for human infant growth. It is high in
lactose, an easily digested sugar that provides ready glucose for rapid brain
growth. The protein in breast milk is easily digested. Breast milk also has a
better balance of trace elements such as zinc.
Yet, another advantage
is that breast-fed newborns appear to be able to regulate their calcium/phosphorus
levels better than infants who are bottle-fed.
One disadvantage of
breast milk is that it may carry microorganisms such as Hepatitis B and
cytomegalovirus although the risk of infants is small. HIV is carried at a high
enough level in breast milk that women who are HIV positive are advised not to
breast-feed. In addition, both illicit and prescription drugs via breast milk
to the infant.
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