One of the best strategies to ensure a child’s health and survival is to breastfeed them. For newborns, breastmilk is the best food. It contains antibodies that aid in preventing a number of prevalent pediatric ailments, and it is clean and sanitary. Breastmilk continues to supply up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year of life and up to one-third during the second year of life, providing all the energy and nutrients that the infant needs for the first few months of life. Breastfed children score higher on Cognitive tests, are less likely to become overweight or obese, and are less likely to develop diabetes in the future. Breast and ovarian cancer risks are lower for women who breastfeed too.
HOW SOON SHOULD MOMS START BREASTING AND FOR HOW LONG?
The World Health Organization advises mothers to start nursing within an hour of delivering. This will protect the baby from infection and lower the newborn death rate. It helps mothers and babies form stronger emotional bonds and extends the time a mother breastfeeds her baby exclusively. Breast milk production is boosted when a mother starts breastfeeding within an hour of giving birth. The newborn’s primary source of nutrition and immune defense is the first milk, which is produced in the early days and is typically yellow or golden in color.
For the first six months of life, newborns should only be exclusively breastfed to attain optimal growth; Exclusive breastfeeding refers to feeding infants just breastmilk and no other liquids or food except medication prescribed by pediatric specialists.
After six months the baby can gradually be introduced to weaning, also known as complementary feeding. Giving other foods in addition to breast milk is referred to as complementary feeding. These additional foods are known as complementary foods. The Baby’s gradual adjustment to consuming foods besides breastmilk occurs throughout the phase of complementary feeding. After this phase (often around the age of two years), family foods completely replace breast milk, though the toddler may still suckle occasionally for comfort.
WHY INTRODUCE WEANING AT SIX MONTHS AND NOT EARLIER?
- These foods are not yet necessary for a child, and they might take the place of breast milk.
- Eventually, it could be more challenging to meet the infant’s nutritional demands since if foods are introduced, the child will consume less breast milk and the mother would make less.
- As a child’s intake of the essential components in breast milk declines, their risk of sickness rises.
- Diarrheal illness risk furthermore rises because supplementary foods may not be as pristine as breast milk
- Thin, watery porridges or soups are frequently substituted for breast milk because they are simple for babies to eat. These foods provide good satiety but have fewer nutrients as compared to breastmilk. This means that the nutritional demands of the baby are not being met.