Breast milk, or “Liquid of gold”, named for its invaluable nutrients, is the most precious resource we have to help our children grow up healthy.
Breastfeeding is a golden opportunity to strengthen the bond that begins between you and your babies from the moment of fertilization, it is that intimate space that only mom and baby understand. Not all women make the decision to breastfeed despite the benefits that breastfeeding provides to the mental and emotional health and immune system of the mother and baby. In 2012, in the United States it was found that 80% of women started breastfeeding, 51.4% continued to do so until 6 months and only 29.2% up to 12 months of age. With continuous declines in these figures after that time.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BREASTFEED MY BABY?
Breast milk or “Liquid of gold” named for its invaluable nutrients, is the most precious resource we have to help our children grow up healthy and with all the defenses to face the diseases that could develop during childhood, including otitis media , asthma, atopic dermatitis, gastrointestinal infections, diarrhea, infections in the lungs, sudden infant death syndrome, childhood leukemia (blood cancer), blood sugar problems such as type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, obesity , infections by Helicobacter Pylori (a bacterium that affects the gastric mucosa being a risk factor for stomach cancer), dental caries and malocclusions. In addition children who have not been fed with breast milk have 1.8% to 3.9% more risk of dying when compared with those who were.
DOES BREASTFEEDING HAVE BENEFITS?
The answer is yes. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and type 2 diabetes and it is believed to facilitate weight reduction.
HOW SHOULD I BEGIN?
The first thing is the skin-to-skin contact putting your babies directly on top of you, both naked and immediately born, in that way that tie that was woven during the whole pregnancy is narrowed even more, the beginning of breastfeeding is favored, stabilization of sugar levels and the warmth of their babies is preserved after delivery.
Currently, one of the ways in which hospitals promote breastfeeding is by facilitating joint accommodation during hospitalization days so their babies have access to breastfeeding on free demand. Also Recommending that their babies and you are close, but at the time of sleep is not on the same surface, that is, that is next to you but not in the same bed. Putting your babies lying on your back to prevent bronco aspire if you vomit a little milk and avoid putting heavy or large blankets on them to avoid the risk of sudden death syndrome. We call this a safe breastfeeding.
The recommended times to breastfeed are “always”, this means, as long as your babies are hungry. We call that “free demand”, but if you talk about numbers it would be between 8 to 12 times in a 24 hour period, that is, around every 2 hours. If your babies are asleep after 2 hours they should gently wake you up or stimulate you to start again with breastfeeding, as newborns can not stay more than 4 hours without feeding to prevent their blood sugar levels from decreasing and seriously affecting their brain .
HOW SHOULD I DO IT
They should brush gently with a finger or your nipple, one side of your baby’s mouth to stimulate your sucking reflex, when your baby opens their mouth, introduce your nipple trying to have a good grip, which means that your lips should cover everything your nipple. Breastfeeding should not be painful, but if it is a learning process that with the experience gained day by day will be easier. At first it might seem a bit tortuous, even causing small lacerations that with the improvement of the technique will not return to happen and fortunately with the use of different creams, ointments and patches that protect your nipple, will heal easily and comfort you. My advice is to not give up breastfeeding no matter how difficult it may seem at first, do not miss that magical moment and the great resource that nature has given us to provide the best for our babies, because the health of their babies is worth it.
